Wandering Eyes

The G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Golden Horn (GB) was off the mark as a sire on Friday evening when his daughter West End Girl (GB) took Haydock’s Longines Irish Champions Weekend EBF Fillies’ Novice S. Sent off at 17-2, the bay had one behind early but stayed on to gain the lead a furlong from home and score by 1 1/4 lengths from Fraternity (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). 4th-Haydock, £11,000, Alw, 7-5, 2yo, f, 7f 37yT, 1:31.09, g/f. WEST END GIRL (GB) (f, 2, Golden Horn {GB}–Free Rein {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $8,945. *1ST-TIME STARTER. O-Mr A D Spence & Mr M B Spence; B-Car Colston Hall Stud (GB); T-Mark Johnston. 95,000gns Ylg ’18 TAOCT. The post Golden Horn Off the Mark At Haydock appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It was not long ago that horses from Japan appeared in American stakes races about as often as Congressional elections roll around. Yet so far in 2019, runners from Japan have been involved in American races at an unparalleled rate. View the full article

The winner of the $700,000 GIII Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, which is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event, Sept. 7 will have a shot at an additional $1 million is that horse goes on to win Keeneland’s Oct. 5 GIII Woodford S. and the Nov. 2 GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. “The bonus was Ron Winchell’s idea,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs’ Senior Vice President and General Manager. “Getting our first Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ race is a very big deal. Ron wanted Kentucky Downs to do something to show how important this race is to us and our appreciation for being selected. The bonus also emphasizes and promotes Kentucky racing overall by tying it into Keeneland’s Oct. 5 Woodford and brings international attention to horse racing’s fastest growing and exciting division–turf sprinters.” The post KY Downs Offers Turf Sprint Bonus Opportunity appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Churchill Downs spring meet saw positive results with record purses, large fields and bigger payouts for bettors. Purses were raised to a record $32.2 million during the 38-day meet that ran from April 27 to June 29, which was a 44.7% or $9.9 million increase from last year’s $22.2 million. Spring Meet prize-money for horsemen averaged $846,393 daily compared to $584,796 in 2018. When excluding the lucrative Kentucky Derby week purse offerings, $601,408 was paid daily over the final eight weeks of the meet versus $408,796 last year. The average purse per race was $86,459 compared to last season’s $59,737. “As promised, our investment into Derby City Gaming is paying immediate dividends and directly benefiting the city of Louisville and Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Kevin Flanery, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “We’ve improved our state’s valuable horse racing and agriculture industry with lucrative rewards for horsemen. The result was a thriving and ultra-competitive racing product with more entries and high-quality horses that appealed to bettors and horseplayers nationwide.” Churchill Downs lured 3,148 starters for its 372 races for an average of 8.5 horses per race, an 8.8% increase from the 7.8 starters-per-race average at the 2018 Spring Meet. With increased purses, quality and field size, all-sources wagering on the spring meet races soared to $499.8 million, a $51 million jump from 2018’s $448.8 million. The average $2 win payoff during the spring meet was $13.52 compared to $10.92 in 2018, a 23.8% increase. Also, there were double-digit profit gains for bettors in most all other betting pools, including average $2 exacta payouts, which were up 49% from $72.62 in 2018 to $108.22 this year. Corey Lanerie topped all jockeys with 43 wins, while Steve Asmussen led the trainer standings with 28 victories. The owner title was a three-way tie between Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Calumet Farm and Maggi Moss, who each had six wins. The post Positive Results for Churchill Spring Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

William Hill says the government’s decision to cut the maximum stake at fixed-odds betting terminals is the reason it will close 700 betting shops across the UK starting later this year. A statement from the company read, “this follows the government’s decision to reduce the maximum stake on B2 gaming products to £2 on April 1 2019. Since then the company has seen a significant fall in gaming-machine revenues, in line with the guidance given when the government’s decision was announced in May 2018.” A British Horseracing Authority spokesperson said, “Although today’s news is broadly in line with previous announcements, we would like to express our sympathy to those whose roles have been placed at risk by William Hill’s decision. We will continue to focus our energies on working with the betting industry to develop a future partnership based on social responsibility and mutual interest.” William Hill in March reported a pre-tax loss of £721.9-million in 2018 compared with a profit of £146.5 million the previous year, after it took an £882.8 million hit on its retail operations in light of the FOBT stake reduction. In its most recent trading update since the stake cut came into effect, William Hill said gaming net revenues dropped 15% in the 17 weeks to Apr. 30, with wider retail turnover down 7%. The post William Hill To Close 700 Shops appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

WinStar Farm has been a major player in the stallion ranks for many years now. Included among the leading sires the Kentucky farm stands or has stood are Distorted Humor, More Than Ready, Pioneerof the Nile, and Tiznow. The WinStar stallion division has four first-season yearling sires currently in the barn, all graded stakes winners whose first weanlings were well-received in the commercial market in 2018. Three of the young sires stand for $15,000 or less: Outwork (Uncle Mo), Speightster (Speightstown), and Tourist (Tiznow). Outwork started making headlines early as Uncle Mo’s very first winner as a sire. Uncle Mo, of course, would go on to be the leading freshman sire in 2015 with grade I-winning juveniles Nyquist and Gomo, as well as a plethora of other early successes. Outwork would become Uncle Mo’s third grade I winner from that first crop when he took the Wood Memorial a few weeks before Nyquist added the GI Kentucky Derby. “We believe [Outwork] has a great potential as a stallion,” said Sean Tugel, WinStar’s director of bloodstock services, citing Outwork’s debut win as a 2-year-old at Keeneland in April going 4 1/2 furlongs. The bay then came back at three to capture the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial. “We’re really looking forward to seeing him pass on that early speed that he had,” continued Tugel, “and watching his offspring probably mature and being able to go that route of ground and carry that speed. “He’s a big, beautiful horse; he stands about 17 hands. Very well-balanced, very much like his sire and being that he was that big, and that fast early, gives us a lot of excitement for the future with his offspring.” Tugel said the early indications are Outwork is throwing a definite type of horse. “They stand over plenty of ground, they all have lots of leg just like he does. They’re nice, free-moving horses, very intelligent horses.” It also doesn’t hurt that Outwork’s dam, Nonna Mia (Empire Maker), is better than a half-sister to Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile, by Empire Maker), one of the current leading second-crop sires. How often we’ve seen individual families account for more than one successful sire. Speaking of families, they don’t come much deeper than Speightster‘s. His unraced dam is a full-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year and U.S. champion Dance Smartly (Danzig) and a half-sister to late leading sire Smart Strike (Mr. Prospector). Speightster’s third dam is blue hen No Class (Nodouble), whose sire sons included Sky Classic (Nijinsky II) and Regal Classic (Vice Regent). {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"First Yearlings for Tourist, Outwork, Speightster","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/345954258.sd.mp4?s=c646f3c48b8d7544645904145bf0aba4a8e438e9&profile_id=165","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/345769925.sd.mp4?s=bbf3d9a0c1b0d47240e69a80381542b1ee6947aa&profile_id=165","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} “Speightster was a homebred,” said Tugel, “and from the beginning, he was always one of the best horses in his crop that we had here. That’s why we chose to keep him. We’re very excited about that depth of pedigree that he brings.” The chestnut nabbed ‘TDN Rising Star‘ status when he broke his maiden at first asking at Keeneland, then went on to be unbeaten in three starts as a 3-year-old, including in Belmont’s GIII Dwyer S. Soon after, he was sidelined with an ankle chip that needed to be removed. “Unfortunately, he was a horse that we didn’t get to see his full potential,” said Tugel. “The training accident at Payson Park in between his 3- and 4-year-old career set him back. He made one start after that, but unfortunately he wasn’t the same horse after that. But he was a horse that had extreme potential, and he has one of the best pedigrees in the stud book. “In his brief career we got to see that he had dominating ability, and it’s a real shame we didn’t get to see [more of] it but I think we’ll get to see it in his sons and daughters.” Tugel mentioned a tremendous amount of support for Speightster in the breeding shed from both breeders who seek to race and those who seek to sell. “He’s a horse that has the numbers to compete with the higher stud fee horses,” said Tugel. “Obviously he’s producing the physicals as well. And he had that support from the syndication that is very important to get a horse off on the right foot.” Last but not least is Tourist, a horse who had a stellar career winning or placing in seven grade I events, but who saved his most spectacular performance for the last time he set foot on a racetrack. In the 2016 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile, Tourist ran a hole in the wind, getting the mile in 1:31.71. It not only set the stakes record for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, but it was also the fastest GI mile performance in history. “He was all race horse,” said Tugel. “This horse made lots of starts; he was extremely competitive in all of his races. He ran against the best over three years and set track records himself. “He’s a horse that also ran in the Breeders’ Cup Mile three years in a row, which is quite impressive as well, starting as a 3-year-old and a 4-year-old and breaking through as a 5-year-old, so for him to retain that form over three long seasons of racing is quite an accomplishment and I think that’s something a lot of breeders need to take notice of.” Interestingly, much has been made this year of GI Preakness winner War of Will (War Front) having a supposed “turf” pedigree, but failing to win in several tries on the lawn and instead excelling when switched to dirt. Tourist was the opposite. With a “dirt” pedigree, he was given four attempts to break his maiden on the main track but never did get that initial win until he was switched to the grass, where his career soon broke through to the top level. “The beautiful thing about him is it’s a dirt pedigree but he also did some of his best running on the turf,” said Tugel, “so that versatility especially in the American market now where it’s almost 50/50 turf and dirt racing, we wouldn’t expect him to only throw turf. We think he’ll also be able to throw high-level dirt horses, so having that versatility is going to really open him up for every region of racing here in America.” Like his own sire, Tiznow, Tourist’s foals tend to resemble him. “He’s throwing horses that kind of represent him; they all have a little bit of flash,” said Tugel. “They’re nice, strong horses, they have plenty of bone, they have nice muscle to them.” And like Speightster, Tourist was a homebred for WinStar by one of farm’s own stallions. “Tiznow and Speighstown are two horses that certainly we have a long legacy that we’ve got to thank them for over the years here,” said Tugel. “And we’re hoping both of these sons by them can hopefully carry on that legacy and help take the next generations of WinStar stallions to where their sires are.” The post Three of WinStar’s First-Yearling Sires: Outwork, Speightster, & Tourist appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

While the favorites for July 6 Vodacom Durban July (G1) are well drawn, their trainers have some others concerns heading into Africa's iconic racing event. View the full article

If the betting is to be believed, Saturday’s G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown is there for the taking for Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and if she wins at odds-on she will be joining an elite club which contains recent heroes Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), So You Think (NZ), Sea the Stars (Ire), Hawk Wing, Nashwan and Dancing Brave who justified that kind of supreme confidence. With the tally that she boasts, there seems nothing for her followers to fear but this is just a starting point for Khalid Abdullah’s unrelenting 5-year-old and this race does not generally play to the strengths of returning winners of the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. In recent times, there has been only one Arc hero who has tried to follow up here and that was the same operation’s Workforce (GB) (King’s Best), who came off second best to the aforementioned So You Think in 2011. “It’s like everything, she’s got a campaign in front of her and it’s a question of balance,” commented the owner-breeder’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe. “All being well, I’m sure John [Gosden] and Prince Khalid will be looking at the King George next.” So You Think’s connections have their best opportunity yet to upstage Enable in Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who has a race-fitness and sharpness advantage over her great rival having won three starts in Ireland culminating in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh on May 26. Like So You Think, she was runner-up in Royal Ascot’s G1 Prince of Wales’s S. on June 19 and her subsequent well-being has forced Aidan O’Brien into running her. Her defeat at the hands of the division leader Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) there stands up to close inspection and she makes up a strong challenge from the fillies and mares in a contest that surely will begin to evolve in their favour. “We were going to give her a break after Ascot, but she came out of the race very well,” her trainer said. “With the autumn in mind, she’s going to have to have a break sometime and it’s very possible it could be after this.” One reason not to back Enable at cramped odds is the fact that Sir Michael Stoute, who holds the joint-record of six winners, has two engaged. Cheveley Park Stud’s impressive G3 Brigadier Gerard S. winner Regal Reality (GB) (Intello {Ger}) is joined by Shadwell’s May 18 G1 Lockinge S. scorer Mustashry (GB) (Tamayuz {GB}) and both have valid claims over a course-and-distance at which they have both been successful. In the latter’s case, it was in last year’s Listed Gala S., while Regal Reality overcame concerning antics in the preliminaries to overwhelm his rivals including the subsequent G3 La Coupe scorer Danceteria (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) in the May 23 Brigadier Gerard. Regal Reality is a tricky customer according to the stud’s managing director Chris Richardson. “He had a ‘moment’ that evening, but things slightly went against him as far as he was concerned,” he explained. “He’s a horse who likes routine and on that occasion he was being asked to come into the paddock at a moment there was a horse coming out and it just upset his rhythm. If you change his routine at home, including on the gallops, it can be the same but he’s hugely talented and it did not affect him once the race got under way.” Stoute added, “Physically he is going the right way. He’s got a bit to find off his rating, but I like the way he is progressing. He just can be a little erratic en route to the gate, but I think we have got on top of him. He is just being a bit cheeky.” Mustashry has to put a rare unplaced effort behind him, having been seventh in the June 18 G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot, but Stoute is expecting him to bounce back. “He disappointed me slightly,” he said. “He wasn’t at his very best, didn’t seem to really fire but his weight loss was minimal. He’s a competitor and loves doing what he does.” Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s racing manager Angus Gold hinted that the ground may have been to blame for his off-day. “Michael has been happy with the horse since Ascot, where he felt the ground was just a bit easy for him,” he said. “He has always wanted a little bit further than a mile, he got away with it in the Lockinge as he’d had a run and the others hadn’t.” Also on the Sandown card, the G3 Coral Charge over five furlongs sees a heavy 3-year-old presence with Susan Roy’s Garrus (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) taken on by ‘TDN Rising Star’ Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy). The former makes his debut for Charlie Hills following the retirement of Jeremy Noseda and he looked a sprinter on the up when winning the Listed Westow S. over this trip at York last time on May 16. “He got a nice form boost since he last ran and he seems a very straightforward horse,” Hills said, referring to the subsequent efforts of the Westow second and third Shades of Blue (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Soldier’s Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), with the former winning the Listed Prix Hampton and the latter–who was penalised at York–third in the G1 King’s Stand S. “He’s been good since he’s been with us. He’s got a lovely temperament.” Haydock’s feature is the G2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks, where William Haggas and John Gosden account for two runners apiece and two-thirds of the field. The former trainer has Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum’s May 25 G3 Bronte Cup winner Dramatic Queen (Kitten’s Joy) and Yvonne Jacques’s June 8 G3 Pinnacle S. scorer Klassique (GB) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). “I can’t really split them,” Haggas admitted. “I gave Danny [Tudhope] the choice and it took him a long time to choose Klassique. She would probably prefer slower ground and the other probably wants further, so we shall see. They are both very genuine, try like hell and really get stuck in.” Gosden’s duo is headed by the Bronte Cup runner-up Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) and Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold said, “She’s lightly-raced still. She was very hot in her early days, but now has a very good attitude for racing. This would have been the obvious race had she won at York, so there was no reason not to come. I don’t think coming back in trip will be a problem.” The post All Eyes On Enable In Coral-Eclipse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Twenty geldings sourced from Europe, Australia and New Zealand went through the ring at Sha Tin on Friday for the July edition of the Hong Kong International Sale. They brought an aggregate of HK$48.8-million (US$6.3-million/£4.9-million/€5.6-million), an average of HK$2.44-million (US$313,142/£249,030/€277,651) and a median of HK$2.3-million (US$295,175/£234,742/€261,721). Topping trade was a 3-year-old son of Kodiac (GB) sourced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club from the 2017 Baden-Baden September Yearling Sale for €200,000. He is a half-brother to the GII Mac Diarmida H. winner Ramazutti (Honor Grades), and was bought by Johnson Chen for HK$4.8-million (US$616,016/£489,896/€546,199). The next-highest price fell to a son of Frankel (GB), who was a HK$4.5-million (US$577,515/£459,277/€512,062) purchase by Vincent To Wai Keung. He was bought by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for €300,000 out of the 2017 Arqana August Yearling Sale from Monceaux and is out of the dual Group 3 winner Noelani (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), a full-sister to G1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Namid (GB). Sons of Darci Brahma (NZ) and Choisir (Aus) were the next dearest, fetching HK$3.5-million (US$449,179/£357,216/€398,270) and HK-3-million (US$385,010/£306,185/€341,375), respectively. Two sons of Dark Angel made HK$2.7-million (US$346,509/£275,566/€307,237): first, a bay gelding sourced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club from the Goffs UK August Yearling Sale at Doncaster for £250,000. He is out of the unraced Snowfields (Ire) (Raven’s Pass), herself a half-sister to listed winner Army Of Angels (Ire) (King’s Best) and to the dam of G1 Cheveley Park S. and GI Nearctic S. winner Serious Attitude (Ire) (Mtoto {GB}). He was later followed by another son of Dark Angel who had been a 270,000gns yearling at Tattersalls Book 1. He is out of Handana (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}), a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Seal Of Approval (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) and from the Aga Khan family of dual Derby winner Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Also making HK$2.7-million was an Australian-bred son of Zoffany who had been a A$125,000 yearling from the Inglis Classic sale, and a son of Eurozone (Aus) who was a A$90,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate. Andrew Harding, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director, Racing, said, “We are very pleased with the results tonight. The sale was well-supported by owners and I think they got good value, which is important as our sales are all about providing opportunities for our owners. Overall, the results met our expectations: the average of HK$2.44 million is healthy and in the current market it was a very good result.” The post Son Of Kodiac Tops Hong Kong Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Churchill Downs ended its Spring Meet with record purses, an 11.4% increase in all-sources wagering, and an 8.8% increase in average field size to 8.5 starters per race. View the full article

Second quarter purses are up a robust 9.17% but wagering still lags 3% compared with the same quarter of 2018. View the full article

A field of 10 will go postward in the GIII Kent S. over the Delaware Park turf Saturday, with Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch’s Solidify (Tapizar) the lone graded stakes winner in the group. The bay colt, a debut winner over the synthetic at Woodbine last September, added the GIII Grey S. at that oval Oct. 21, defeating subsequent GI Belmont S. winner Sir Winston (Awesome Again). He returned from eight months on the sidelines to finish third in his first turf outing in the June 1 Tale of the Cat S. at Monmouth Park last time out. While Tale of the Cat winner Standard Deviation (Curlin) tackles Grade I company in the GI Belmont Derby Saturday, the race’s runner-up Empire of War (Declaration of War) will look to move up in the Kent. The bay colt won last year’s Awad S. over the Aqueduct turf. He was third in the Apr. 20 Woodhaven S. before finishing two lengths adrift of Standard Deviation and 1 1/2 lengths to the good of Solidify at Monmouth Park. The well-related Award Winner (Ghostzapper) steps up to stakes company for the first time in the Kent. The Amerman homebred, a half-brother to multiple Grade I winner Oscar Performance (Kitten’s Joy) and multiple graded winner Oscar Nominated (Kitten’s Joy), is coming off a nine-furlong allowance win at Churchill May 19. The post 10 Go Postward in Kent appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

D J Stable and Cash is King’s Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) did little wrong in 2018, capping a championship season with a 5 1/2-length victory in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, but the sophomore has been unable to find the winner’s circle this term. The gray filly opened the year with a fourth-place effort in the Mar. 2 GII Davona Dale S. and was third in the Apr. 6 GI Ashland S. before finishing sixth in the May 3 GI Kentucky Oaks last time out. Trained by John Servis, she will look to regain the winning thread when she goes postward in Saturday’s GIII Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park. John O’Hara’s Avalina (Tale of Ekati), trained by Danny Gargan, will be looking for her third straight win while making her graded stakes debut in the Delaware Oaks. The dark bay filly romped by 7 3/4 lengths in a Apr. 26 optional claimer at Belmont and is coming off an 8 1/2-length victory in the Parx Spring Oaks last time out May 20. Denlea Park and Kent Spellman’s Fashion Faux Pas (Flatter) is a last-out winner over the Delaware track, having stormed home a front-running 14 1/2-length winner of the June 5 Light Hearted S. for trainer Arnaud Delacour. The post Jaywalk Looks to Get Back on Track in Delaware Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John McCririck, one of British racing’s most familiar faces on television broadcast for more than a quarter century, died Friday in London aged 79. McCririck–known as ‘Big Mac’ to many in the racing world–was an unmissable character with his deerstalker hat, sideburns and cigar, and thrived at the heart of what he called the ‘betting jungle.’ A statement released by his family said, “award-winning journalist, broadcaster and for many years the face of British horse racing, John McCririck, passed away at a London hospital on Friday, July 5 aged 79. “John’s interest in horse racing and betting began at Harrow where he was the school bookie. On leaving he worked for an illegal street bookmaker then legally on-course where he learned the art of tic-tac, clerking bets and making a book. John cut his teeth in racing journalism on ‘Formindex‘, a tipping sheet otherwise known as ‘The Golden Guide‘. He went on to write for the Sporting Life where he won British Press Awards, ‘Specialist Writer of the Year’ and ‘Campaigning Journalist of the Year.’ “John joined ITV in 1981 for Shergar’s Derby then became a household name as part of the Channel 4 Racing team when they took over coverage of the sport in 1984. His flamboyant broadcasting style from the heart of the betting ring proved extremely popular with racing fans and beyond. John continued to work for Channel 4 Racing until 2013, as well as satellite channel At The Races. In this time he transcended the world of racing, appearing on numerous mainstream TV news and light entertainment programmes including Question Time, The Weakest Link, Celebrity Wife Swap and Celebrity Big Brother in 2005 and 2010. Despite suffering ill health in recent months, John continued to make several TV and radio appearances. He is survived by Jenny, his wife of 48 years. His funeral will be private.” The British Horseracing Authority was among those to pay tribute to McCririck, tweeting: “We are saddened to hear of the passing of John McCririck. Throughout a lengthy and colourful career, one thing was always clear–his enduring passion and love for the sport of horse racing. He was a recognisable figure and resonated with the wider public. Our condolences go to his family.” McCririck’s former Channel 4 colleague and champion jockey John Francome said, “He was eccentric, incredibly generous–he was brilliant at his job. He was great company and I loved him. I knew he’d been ill for a while. I feel very sorry for Jenny as they were a great team. “He reached outside the sport–the two names that were mentioned by people outside racing were Frankie Dettori and Big Mac. He had a persona for TV, he was nothing like what you saw on screen, he was a lovely man.” Frankie Dettori shared Francome’s sentiments. “I met him for the first time when I was very young. I was 16 and I was an apprentice. He was a big part of my racing life since I started,” Dettori said. “He was very flamboyant and controversial, but I always got on really well with him. We did a few things together and he will be missed. “He did put on a bit of a show, but underneath it all he worked very hard and was very knowledgeable about racing. He was a larger than life character. I’m very sad for Jenny, his wife.” Multiple champion jump jockey Sir Anthony McCoy said, “John was just about the most recognisable figure in horse racing when I came to England; people had only just heard of Frankie Dettori, so it was John or Lester Piggott. That says a lot about him to say that he wasn’t a trainer, owner or jockey. He had attitude, he had a voice and said what he thought, he wasn’t frightened of upsetting somebody. I don’t think I was ever on the end of one of his jockey bashings–thankfully. “There’s a good chance in this day and age, with everything needing to be so politically correct, he might not have been the great character on TV now that he was in the 80s and 90s. You don’t get away now with saying what Big Mac or John Francome did, so for that reason it’s a lot harder now and more restrictive than then, but back in the day that team did a great job of representing horse racing. They made it as easy and enjoyable to watch as possible, but the world is changing. “He was very good at promoting the sport, he was a very bright man, well-educated and, while he had an opinion, what you have to say is he tried to be constructive. He was a punters’ man, that’s what he was there for.” The post Broadcaster McCririck Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

William Farish’s Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) enters Saturday’s GIII Dwyer S. off an excellent second-place effort in this year’s controversial GI Kentucky Derby. The talented chestnut punched his ticket to the Derby after capturing Gulfstream’s GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 2 before checking in a troubled third behind Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) in the Mar. 30 GI Florida Derby. Code of Honor crossed the finish line in third under the Twin Spires before being elevated into the place spot upon Maximum Security’s disqualification. Since the Kentucky Derby, Code of Honor has been training steadily over the Belmont oval for conditioner Shug McGaughey, who has no qualms about bypassing the GI Preakness S. and GI Belmont S. “I knew going in that if we didn’t win the Derby we would wait on him. That was our game plan,” McGaughey said. “He’s been training excellent. He’s mentally matured and physically matured and has done everything right since the Derby.” Rowayton (Into Mischief) snagged a 97 Beyer Speed Figure when defeating older horses sprinting in a sharp first-level allowance performance June 6 over the Long Island track. It was the first victory for the OXO Equine-owned colt since he scored in his debut last summer at Del Mar. In his only attempt at the Dwyer’s 1 1/16-mile distance, he chased home champion 2-year-old Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) when completing the trifecta in Santa Anita’s GI American Pharoah S. Rowayton will head to the post with Donald Chatlos listed as his new trainer since his previous conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer, was recently barred from competing at NYRA-operated tracks. Breaking from the one spot and returning from a lengthy lay-off is Centennial Stables’ Mihos (Cairo Prince). The bay showed a great deal of promise earlier this winter at Gulfstream when handily defeating Code of Honor in the Jan 5. Mucho Macho Man S. He hasn’t been seen since fading to fifth in the GII Holy Bull S. Feb. 2. Mihos has readied for his return to the races at trainer Jimmy Jerkens’ Belmont home base, clocking two bullet works in the last three weeks, including a July 2 half-mile in :47 3/5 (1/30). The post Code of Honor Primed for Dwyer Comeback appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Regarded by many as Great Britain’s premier 10-furlong weight-for-age race, the G1 Coral-Eclipse S., run at Sandown Park in the height of summer, has a rich history which supports its status as one of the world’s greatest races. Some legendary horses are among its past winners, with many great trainers and jockeys standing proud on its roll of honour. None stands prouder than Sir Michael Stoute, who holds the training record having saddled the winner on six occasions. Some would argue that he merely shares the record because the Manton-based Alec Taylor, Jr trained five outright winners and one dead-heater between 1909 and 1923; but any agonising over the semantics will become redundant if Stoute can win it again this Saturday, when he is set to be represented by Regal Reality (GB) (Intello {Ger}), the winner at Sandown in May of the race named after the great 1972 Eclipse winner Brigadier Gerard (GB) (Queen’s Hussar {GB}). Opened in 1875, Sandown Park, in Esher in the London’s south-western suburbs, was the first racecourse developed as a commercial venture, charging race-goers for admission. It was so successful in this respect that it was used as the blueprint for both Leopardstown in Ireland and Belmont Park in New York when they opened in 1888 and 1905, respectively. Sandown’s founding fathers were keen to make a statement of their aspirations for excellence so they created a new race to be their track’s flagship event. What better name to give a great race than that of arguably the greatest horse in history: the mighty Eclipse (GB) (Marske {GB}), undefeated in his 18 races in 1769 and ’70 before becoming a breed-shaping stallion. First run in 1888, the Eclipse S. was the most valuable race in the world on its inauguration, boasting a prize of £10,000 thanks to the generosity of Leopold de Rothschild. It was won by a very good horse the first year: Bendigo (GB) (Ben Battle {GB}), who had a Derby winner and an Oaks winner behind him. The third running was won by a Derby winner, Ayrshire (GB) (Hampton {GB}). By the end of the 19th century its winners included Orme, Isinglass, St Frusquin, Persimmon, Flying Fox and Diamond Jubilee. Benefitting in recent decades from one of the longest-running sponsorships in British racing courtesy of an arrangement with Coral Bookmakers which dates back to 1976, the Eclipse remains a natural target for many of the best middle-distance horses in Europe with Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in 2015 being the most recent of the many champions who have completed the Derby/Eclipse double. Sir Michael Stoute first won the Eclipse in 1993 with Sheikh Mohammed’s Opera House (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), who was not a former Classic performer because he was a late-developer, but ranks as one of the race’s better winners even so. Opera House enjoyed a terrific season as a 5-year-old in 1993, his Eclipse triumph being sandwiched between victories in Great Britain’s two most prestigious 12-furlong weight-for-age contests: the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom and the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. at Ascot. He went on to enjoy significant success as a stallion in Japan, where his offspring included T M Opera O (Jpn) and Meisho Samson (Jpn). The former held at one time the world record for earnings thanks to a haul which included victories in the G1 Japan Cup, G1 Arima Kinen and G1 Tenno Sho, while the latter landed the G1 Tokyo Yushun and G1 Tenno Sho. Stoute took the Eclipse again the following year when Sheikh Maktoum al Maktoum’s Ezzoud (Ire) (Last Tycoon {Ire}) emulated Opera House by winning the race as a 5-year-old. This was one of three great weight-for-age triumphs for Ezzoud as he was a dual winner of the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York. His record may well, with better luck, have been even better still because he was hampered in the early stages of the ‘King George’ at Ascot three weeks later and unseated his regular jockey Walter Swinburn. Ezzoud subsequently joined the roster of the Royal Studs at Sandringham and sired some smart horses before dying relatively young Three years later Stoute completed the remarkable achievement of winning the Eclipse with a 5-year-old three times within six years, saddling Lord Weinstock’s homebred Pilsudski (Ire) (Polish Precedent) to win the race in 1997. Pilsudski ended that year voted Europe’s Champion Older Horse with his Eclipse victory being followed by triumphs in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown, the G1 Champion S. at Newmarket and the G1 Japan Cup in Tokyo. Like Opera House, he then went to stud in Japan. Pilsudski, incidentally, was one of two magnificent 5-year-olds whom Stoute had in training that year, when he also lit up the season with the exploits of Pilsudski’s contemporary Singspiel (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}), who carried Sheikh Mohammed’s colours to victory in the G1 Dubai World Cup at Nad al Sheba, the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom and the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York before retiring to Dalham Hall Stud. Stoute’s next Eclipse winner (in 2001) was merely aged four: Cheveley Park Stud’s chestnut home-bred Medicean (GB) (Machiavellian), who successfully stepped up in distance following wins over a mile earlier in the season in the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury and the G2 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot. He retired at the end of the year to Cheveley Park, where he has sired eight individual Group/Grade 1 winners including the Cheveley Park homebreds Dutch Art (GB) and Nannina (GB). Normal service was resumed in 2007 when Stoute won the Eclipse with another 5-year-old: Notnowcato (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), who benefitted from an outstanding ride by Ryan Moore to defeat that year’s Derby hero Authorized (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and the previous year’s 2,000 Guineas winner George Washington (Ire) (Danehill). Owned and bred by the de Rothschild family, Notnowcato was a fitting winner of the race which had got off the ground 119 years previously thanks to the generosity of their forebear Leopold de Rothschild. Notnowcato subsequently retired to Stanley House Stud where his winners were headed by the well-travelled champion sprinter Redkirk Warrior (GB), three times a Group 1 winner in Melbourne. Stoute’s record-breaking (or record-equalling, depending on whether one counts a dead-heat as one win or half a win) sixth Eclipse winner was the Niarchos’ family’s impeccably-bred Ulysses (Ire), a son of the 2001 Derby winner Galileo (Ire) and the 2007 Oaks winner Light Shift (Kingmambo). An unplaced runner in the 2016 Derby, Ulysses, like all of Stoute’s Eclipse heroes, improved markedly as he matured, ending 2017 as Cartier Champion Older Horse thanks to beating Barney Roy (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) by a nose in the Eclipse and Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by two lengths in the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York. Ulysses then joined the roster at Cheveley Park, conveniently filling a gap created by the retirement that year of Medicean. In the run-up to this year’s Eclipse, most eyes will be on the mighty Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who ran Enable so close in last year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf, but Stoute’s representative Regal Reality (GB) (Intello {Ger}) deservedly ranks as third choice in the betting following his impressive victory in the G3 Matchbook Brigadier Gerard S. at Sandown in May. Another typically progressive representative of the stable, the Cheveley Park homebred seems to be the latest beneficiary of his trainer’s patient methods. Asked after Regal Reality’s Sandown win about the secret of his success with older horses, Stoute modestly explained that, “We are lucky to be sent some very well-bred horses, owned by people who allow us to take our time with them. And I have great staff looking after them and riding them out.” No doubt he will be similarly self-effacing if he finds his way to the Eclipse winner’s enclosure yet again on Saturday. The post Stoute Stands Tall In Eclipse History appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Robert Baron’s Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford) will look to improve on a fourth-place finish in the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. in Saturday’s GII John A. Nerud S., a Win and You’re In qualifying race for the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The handsome 4-year-old put together a string of graded victories last year, taking the July 28 GIII Amsterdam S. and the Aug. 25 GI H Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga and the Oct. 5 GII Phoenix S. at Keeneland. He was on the lead early before settling for fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint. After opening 2019 with a fourth-place effort in the Mar. 30 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, Promises Fulfilled was third in the GI Churchill Downs S. May 4, before his fourth-place finish behind Mitole (Eskendereya) in the Met Mile last time out. “He’s doing very well,” trainer Dale Romans said of Promises Fulfilled. “We freshened him up a bit after last year’s campaign and he came out of his last race well. He’s a young 4-year-old and he’s always been improving. Unfortunately, he happens to compete in the toughest division in America.” Trainer Mike Maker saddles Three Diamonds Farm’s Do Share (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the Nerud. The former claimer won the Mar. 9 GIII Tom Fool H. at Aqueduct and was a troubled fourth in the Churchill Downs S. last time out. “He’s continued to train forwardly for this race,” said Maker. “Hopefully, we can get a lot of pace for him to run into as I think he will appreciate that. I think Tyler [Gaffalione] will get along with him well. Hopefully we will have a good trip.” New York Central (Tapit), second in last year’s GIII Pat Day Mile, enters the Nerud off a career-best win in the May 18 GIII Maryland Sprint S. and will look to build on that effort for trainer Steve Asmussen and WinStar Farm and China Horse Club Saturday. The post Promises Fulfilled Seeks Breeders’ Cup Berth in Nerud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In last year’s GII Great Lady M S., Cicero Farms’ Marley’s Freedom (Blame) unleashed a four-wide bid turning for home and stormed to the wire a clear winner prior to a dominating performance in Saratoga’s GI Ballerina S. The millionaire enters this Saturday’s Great Lady M off a strong second to the brilliant filly Mia Mischief in the GI Humana Distaff S. at Churchill on Derby day. That effort was preceded by a sharp tally in the GII Santa Monica S. Feb. 16 at Santa Anita and a runner-up finish behind Secret Spice (Discreet Cat) when stretching out to a mile in the GII Beholder Mile S. Trained by Bob Baffert, the bay is the prohibitive morning line 6-5 favorite and gives five pounds to the rest of the field while carrying 124. LNJ Foxwoods’ Anonymity (Tapit) has been idle since rallying to claim third at 31-1 in a huge performance in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill. In that race, she narrowly edged Marley’s Freedom for the show spot at the wire. The Richard Mandella trainee has put in a series of snappy breezes in preparation for her 5-year-old debut here, firing off a June 3 bullet six furlongs in 1.12 4/5 (1/6) June 5 at her Santa Anita home base. Danuska’s My Girl (Shackleford) rides a four-race win streak into the Great Lady M that includes two graded stakes scores. The Jerry Hollendorfer pupil upset the field at 20-1 in the GIII Las Flores S. Apr. 7 and quickly proved that win was no fluke when prevailing by a half-length over the opposing Show It N Moe It (Grace Upon Grace) in the May 19 GIII Desert Stormer S. The post Marley’s Freedom Aims for Great Lady M Repeat appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Few Thoroughbreds in recent memory have held the distinction of being Grade I winners on dual surfaces, which was why Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) caused quite a stir last summer at the Spa when romping in the GI Travers S. after he defeated top turf runners in the GI Belmont Derby. Following that memorable Travers, Catholic Boy was eased in a disappointing effort in the Nov 3. GI Breeders’ Cup Classic before being sidelined. The Jonathan Thomas trainee redeemed himself in his 2019 debut, taking the May 18 GII Dixie S. over the Pimlico lawn. Returning to the scene of his first Grade I victory in Saturday’s GII Suburban S., the bay will start as the 123-pound high-weight and morning-line favorite in his attempt to add another dirt graded stakes win to his resume. “He came back very well. We were fortunate that he had time off because we wanted to give him time off, not because of any injuries,” said Thomas. “He came back great we were really happy with his effort in the Dixie and subsequently he’s trained well. He’s always been a clockwork horse in the sense that he’s very reliable and consistent, so we’ve been seeing more of the same from him. Hopefully, that translates to a good effort on Saturday. It will have a big say in where we head next or which direction we stay on.” Thomas mentioned the Aug. 31 GI Woodward S. at Saratoga as a possible target for the versatile runner’s summer campaign. Dubbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ upon his impressive maiden score as juvenile in the winter of 2017, Marconi (Tapit) appears to have found his best stride as a 4-year-old after putting together a trio of stakes victories for owners Bridlewood Farm, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor. The half-brother to 2013 GI Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno) annexed the June 8 GII Brooklyn S. in wire-to-wire fashion in his previous start. Centennial Farms’ has a pair of formidable runners the Suburban. Preservationist (Arch) makes his first start in graded stakes company following consecutive optional-claimer wins in New York, including a 101 Beyer Speed Figure-earning performance May 23 at the Long Island oval. The hard knocking Rocketry (Hard Spun) fell a half-length short of catching Marconi in the Brooklyn in his prior effort. A route specialist and the victor in last year’s GII Breeders Cup Marathon at Churchill, the bay has been out of the money only twice in 12 starts over the 1 1/4-mile distance. The post Catholic Boy Seeks to Pad Resume in Suburban appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing’s Concrete Rose (Twirling Candy) looks to continue her ascent to the top of the sophomore filly turf division in Saturday’s GI Belmont Oaks Invitational. Trained by Rusty Arnold, the dark bay filly’s lone loss in five trips to the post came when she was eighth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She opened her 2019 season with a win in the Mar. 9 GIII Florida Oaks and defeated the highly touted Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) by 3 3/4 lengths in the May 3 GIII Edgewood S. in her last trip to the post. “She’s improved from two to three, but we had a little edge on Newspaperofrecord last time out,” said Arnold. “We got a race in at Tampa and Newspaperofrecord was coming off a longer layoff, so the edge went to us. Now, she [Newspaperofrecord] has two races into her and we have two races in us, so it’s a different ball game now.” Concrete Rose, who has three graded wins at 1 1/16 miles, will be stretching out to 1 1/4 miles Saturday, but Arnold thinks his filly has versatility on her side in the Oaks. “She has won from five and a half furlongs to a mile and a sixteenth,” Arnold said. “She has speed of her own if there’s none in there. She’ll be comfortable. If there’s a lot of speed in there, she’s not rank and she can lay back. She’s done it both ways. She was very close in her race at Tampa, and very close in her race at Keeneland last year. She came from off the pace in her last race, so it’s really not a concern.” Newspaperofrecord, one of a trio of Chad Brown-trained fillies in the Oaks, looked untouchable at two, capping her season with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, but she’s suffered back-to-back defeats in 2019. She had no answer for the late challenge of Concrete Rose in the Edgewood and was edged by re-opposing stablemate Cambier Parc (Medaglia d’Oro) in the June 6 GIII Wonder Again S. at Belmont last time out. Fourth in the Edgewood, Cambier Parc captured the Mar. 2 GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream. Brown’s Oaks trio is completed by the lightly raced Cafe Americano (Medaglia d’Oro), who makes her stakes debut Saturday in her third lifetime start. The Peter Brant-owned filly took a nine-furlong optional claimer over the Belmont lawn last time out June 1. The Belmont Oaks is the first race in Belmont’s inaugural Turf Tiara. The series continues with the Aug. 2 Saratoga Oaks and concludes with the Jockey Club Oaks at Belmont Sept. 7. The post Concrete Rose Looks to Cement Status in Belmont Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John McCririck, the flamboyantly attired and garrulous British racing pundit who became a household name as the face of Channel 4’s racing coverage, has died at the age of 79.Typically clad in a trademark deerstalker hat and clutching a cigar, his gesticulating style was known even to many of those who were uninterested in the sport, about which he started broadcasting in the 1980s for ITV.Born in Surbiton, Surrey, he worked variously as a waiter, bookmaker and as an award-winning journalist… View the full article

The Belmont Derby has been run as a graded stakes event since 1978. Prior to 2014 this race was run in October as the Jamaica Handicap. Since moving it to July they have re-named it the Belmont Derby, and also have upped the purse money from $500,000 to it’s current purse at $1 million. The […] The post Belmont Derby – USA Big Race Preview appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Saturday sees the running of the 123rd G1 Vodacom Durban July. Since Campanajo won the first July in 1897, South Africa’s premier race has been held annually ever since, despite two world wars and a waterlogged track in 1989. This year’s renewal features one of the best fields in years, with last year’s winner Do It Again (SAf) (Twice Over {GB}) lining up again, together with the G1 Sun Met winner Rainbow Bridge (SAf) (Ideal World) and the top 3-year-old in the country, Hawwaam (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}). As the race is a handicap, winners seldom return for a rematch, knowing they will be allocated top weight. The top 3-year-olds seldom line up either, as they are usually in quarantine by now enroute to Dubai for the World Cup Carnival. Yet with champion trainer Mike de Kock electing not to take a string to Dubai next year, due to the current onerous export controls, the Sheikh Hamdan-owned Hawwaam is still in South Africa, ready to take his place in today’s lineup. Hawwaam already has three Group 1 victories behind his name, including the G1 Premier’s Champion Challenge where he trounced the older horses, winning by four lengths. In another first for the illustrious race, not only will two half- brothers, namely Hawwaam and Rainbow Bridge, be competing against each other, but together with Do It Again, they also occupy the top three places in the betting. After his demolition of the G1 Daily News field a month ago, Hawwaam is favoured at 16/10, while Do It Again is on offer at 4/1 and Rainbow Bridge at 5/1. De Kock’s second runner Barahin (SAf) (Gimmethegreenlight {AUS}) is in fourth at 7/1. Do It Again needs no introduction and according to trainer Justin Snaith, his charge is in top form. “He is really well. There are so few options available for him and hence I elected to run him in the Vodacom Durban July again. He is certainly good enough to win it again.” Do It Again looked a picture as he galloped out strongly under race rider Richard Fourie in his final preparation on Thursday and with a trouble-free run, he will be right there at the finish. The son of Twice Over has drawn barrier 10 and will carry 60kgs. A trouble-free run is also what Rainbow Bridge’s trainer Eric Sands is hoping for. The talented but quirky colt has settled well at the Summerveld Training Centre according to Sands and put up an eye-catching final half-pace work on Friday morning. With star jockey Anton Marcus, who rode Rainbow Bridge to victory in the Sun Met, electing to take the ride on Hawwaam, Gavin Lerena gets the nod. Sands also pointed out that the gelding’s performances in his lead-up races, the G2 Drill Hall S. (1400m) and the G1 Rising Sun Challenge (1600m) were exactly as expected. “He is a horse who needs to be kept fresh,” Sands said. “I therefore use the shorter races to sharpen him up and to keep him fresh. While he is competitive at 1400 metres and a mile, his best distance is 2200 metres. Hence the July has always been his ultimate aim.” Rainbow Bridge carries 59.5kgs and is drawn in barrier four with half-brother Hawwaam beside him in barrier three. Hawwaam is clearly the favourite and with Anton Marcus in the saddle, one could be forgiven for thinking he is unbeatable. De Kock, however, cautions that 56kgs is not a light weight to carry and that Hawwaam is a young horse who has had a long season. He pointed out that Barahin with Muzi Yeni in the saddle has had a very light campaign and with 53kgs on his back, he should not be ignored. Lastly, the Justin Snaith-trained Made To Conquer (SAf) (Dynasty {SAf}), who finished runner-up to stable companion Do It Again last year is also back for another attempt at the title. He jumps from barrier 11 with the very experienced Mark Khan in the irons and carries a light 53kgs. He gets the distance, is good enough and has every chance of fighting out the finish again. The post Can Defending Champ Do It Again? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

5th-BEL, $80K, Msw, 2yo, 6fT, 3:20p.m. Wesley Ward saddles a well-related first timer in $500,000 KEESEP buy INVADER (War Front), a full-brother to Grade I winner Fog of War and stakes winner Naval Intelligence. He is out of GSW Say (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a daughter of MGISW millionaire Riskaverse (Dynaformer). This is also the family of two-time Eclipse winner Havre de Grace (Saint Liam) and MGISW sire Tonalist (Tapit). Invader was entered in a five-furlong turf test here June 21, but was scratched when the race was rained off the grass and onto a sloppy main track. Montauk Daddy (Daddy Long Legs) stayed in that June 21 maiden special weight and came flying late for second. The chestnut worked in a snappy :20 3/5 at OBS April and was led out of the ring unsold, but was picked up by conditioner Linda Rice post sale for $160,000. Jimmy Jerkens unveils another juvenile with a nice pedigree in Stronach homebred Hard Sting (Hard Spun). He is out of GSW Smart Sting (Smart Strike), whose dam is champion grass mare Perfect Sting (Red Random). TJCIS PPs BROWN DEBUTS PRICEY PAIR 11th-BEL, $80K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 6:50p.m. Chad Brown unveils a pair of expensive first timers in this spot, topped by $650,000 FTKNOV buy FOOLISH LIVING (Medaglia d’Oro). Out of MSP Fully Living (Unbridled’s Song), the Stonestreet Stables colorbearer hails from the family of champion Halfbridled (Unbridled) and MGSW millionaire Lu Ravi (A.P. Indy). Brown also sends out Alpha Delta Stable’s $325,000 KEESEP purchase Windward Sands (Scat Daddy), who is a half-sister to MGSW Waterway Run (Arch) and SP King of New York (Street Boss). TJCIS PPs The post July 6 Insights: Ward Unveils Full-Brother to Fog of War appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A field of 14, plus an also-eligible runner, has been assembled for the GI Belmont Derby, which launches the New York Racing Association’s first Turf Trinity series in Elmont Saturday. Klaravich Stable’s Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who is unbeaten in three lifetime starts, will be stretching out to the Derby’s 1 1/4-mile distance off a late-running 3/4-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile GII American Turf S. May 4 at Churchill Downs. The Irish-bred colt is one of four Chad Brown trainees in the Derby. Brown also saddles Peter Brant’s Demarchelier (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who, like his stablemate, comes into the race with a three-for-three record. The bay rallied stoutly to best Seismic Wave (Tapit) by a neck when winning the GIII Pennine Ridge S. over the Belmont turf June 1. The Brown contingent is completed by recent Tale of the Cat S. winner Standard Deviation (Curlin) and Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who makes his stateside debut off a sixth-place effort in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly June 2. Katsumi Yoshizawa’s Master Fencer (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}), who opened his career with a pair of turf outings in Japan last winter, returns to the grass after exceeding expectations with solid efforts in the May 4 GI Kentucky Derby (7th) and June 8 GI Belmont S. (5th). “The horse is getting bigger and stronger,” trainer Koichi Tsunoda said. “It’s the third time he’s run in the U.S. and we’ve been able to make certain adjustments to help him. With Suguru Hamanaka riding him yesterday and today, Master Fencer has been responding to him very well. I’m very happy with how the horse is looking right now.” Hamanaka replaces jockey Julien Leparoux, who rode Master Fencer in the Triple Crown races. Also returning to the turf after a tilt at the Triple Crown races is Imperial Racing’s Plus Que Parfait (Point of Entry), who makes his first start since finishing ninth in the Kentucky Derby. The Brendan Walsh trainee earned a spot in the Derby starting gate with a win in the Mar. 30 G2 UAE Derby at Meydan. “It should be right up his street,” Walsh said of the Belmont Derby. “I’m confident he’s as good on turf as he is on dirt, and if he is, it should give him a live chance. He was in Dubai before the Derby, so we thought the right thing to do was just back off. But he’s back ready and fit to go. We’re expecting a big run. He’s got a great temperament.” Plus Que Parfait, who opened his career with a third-place effort over the Ellis Park turf last July, worked five furlongs over the Churchill lawn in 1:00 4/5 June 26. The Turf Trinity continues with the $1-million GI Saratoga Derby Aug. 4 and concludes with the $1-million GI Jockey Club Derby Sept. 7 at Belmont. The post Belmont Derby Launches Inaugural Turf Trinity appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article