Wandering Eyes

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Outside of Modesto, CA, Julie Baker, founder of Healing Arenas, is launching a new project for first responders through EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association). The new program is part of an already ambitious roster of EAGALA programs that Healing Arenas offers veterans, families of veterans anx at-risk youth. Baker also takes the time to retrain Thoroughbreds as police horses and showcases her off-track Thoroughbreds as ambassadors for the racing industry at the state capital in Sacramento. This year, she competed at the Retired Racehorse Project in Lexington, KY and earned 16th place out of 81 entries in the freestyle class. Baker also works full-time as an EMT and is in her 12th　year on the emergency squad. Her go-to EAGALA horse is Florida-bred Viva Pentelicus (Pentelicus). Foaled in 1996, he raced 96 times and earned $347,464. He broke his maiden at Hawthorne running for John Franks and Steve Asmussen and was retired at age nine to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) from Remington Park after finishing second by a neck. Over a seven-year career, he hit the board 45 times. He has been in Baker’s program since 2012. “He is the best therapy horse we have,” says Baker. “He is all business and doesn’t strive to get the most attention as some horses do. You have to work for it, meaning you have to be honest and genuine in your expressions and that is exactly how horses help people. We are so grateful to the TRF for providing him.” In some ways, Viva Pentelicus’s life is still like that of a racehorse. Every week he gets on a trailer and goes to work at a program. “He does his job. He is a pro and a champ,” said Baker. “When people hear how much money he won, they are amazed because he is a small horse. It adds to his effectiveness in building self-esteem and confidence.” Healing Arenas is located in Stanislaus County, three hours south of the Camp Fire that has claimed at least 81 lives as of this writing. The smoke has blanketed the area. It is not only a health hazard, it is a constant reminder of the devastation happening to fellow Californians just hours away in addition to the traumatic effect it is having on the fire fighters, EMS, law enforcement, the recovery effort as well as other first responders. Baker’s new pilot program will be certified as a continuing education course for first responders and will focus on resilience in your job, with your family and in your life. Baker credits her ability to serve on the ambulance for so many years to her work in EAGALA. “There is still a stigma within this population about asking for help,” Baker said. “The program will be a judgment-free place and the horses will break the ice as participants and the facilitators watch the horses’ behavior with each other in the herd. The work will progress from there. It is exactly what this population needs right now. Like veterans, they need comfort, confidence, and a safe place to explore their own questions of resilience. The horses are completely non-judgmental. There is no stigma here–just a benefit for accepting what you are feeling.” Viva has had a busy year as the Healing Companions’ team　explored other new areas for EAGALA services. The horses are in the middle of a fully funded　pilot program for a local organization that helps survivors of human trafficking where, once again, Viva was the shining star in the program. “There is such a need for this population and　Viva read the participantsperfectly,” Baker said. “He was the epitome of patience and acceptance of everything that these young people were going through.” For more information, contact Julie Baker at www.healingarenas.org or healingarenas@gmail.com. Diana Pikulski is the editor of the　Thoroughbred Adoption Network, a searchable database and information source for those seeking off-track thoroughbreds to adopt. View the full article

It was a nightmarish day for chalk at Zia Park Nov. 21, as a card full of stakes on "Land of Enchantment Day" featured only one winning favorite. View the full article

Owner Aron Wellman and trainer Michael McCarthy didn't have grand plans for Ohio when they put the $50,000 claim in for the Brazilian-bred June. 10 at Santa Anita Park. They just wanted some action for the upcoming Del Mar summer meet. View the full article

Vocal advantage in gate one may speak volumes View the full article

Rodd not making title be-all and end-all View the full article

Early scratching November 23 View the full article

The sky-high odds Knicks Go has provided his backers are about to become a thing of the past as the son of Paynter figures to be the clear favorite Nov. 24 in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. View the full article

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation will launch its annual holiday online auction Friday. The 10-day auction will begin at 5 p.m. ET., and will conclude Dec. 2 at 5 p.m. ET. The auction will be conducted on eBay at https://www.ebay.com/usr/thoroughbredretirementfoundation. Among the items up for auction is memorabilia featuring legendary horses like Secretariat, Cigar, Seattle Slew, John Henry and Ruffian, and programs from racetracks like Saratoga, Belmont Park, Keeneland, Aqueduct, Delaware Park, Monmouth Park and Del Mar. There are also halters available that were worn by 2000 GI Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus and champion sire Tale of the Cat. For more information, or to donate an auction item, please contact auction organizer, Chelsea O’Reilly chelsea@thoroughbredretirement.org or call the TRF at (518) 226-0028. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday’s Insights features a pair of Godolphin colourbearers. 2.55 Newcastle, Mdn, £10,400, 2yo, 10f 42y (AWT) Godolphin’s JALMOUD (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), one of two contenders from the Charlie Appleby nursery, is a homebred son of G1 Epsom Oaks and G1 Preis der Diana heroine Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and thus a full-brother to last term’s G1 Fillies’ Mile third Magic Lily (Ire). He is joined by stablemate Moonlight Spirit (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is a grandson of G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Epsom Oaks and GI Flower Bowl Invitational victress Kazzia (Ger) (Zinaad {GB}). View the full article

3rd-AQU, $62K, Msw, 2yo, (S), 6fT, 12:50 p.m. ET Linda Rice unveils a full-brother to her GI Fourstardave H. victor Voodoo Song in fellow Barry Schwartz homebred WORTH A SHOT (English Channel). Voodoo Song found his niche when switching to the Rice barn, rattling off four wins on the Saratoga lawn last summer, including the GIII Saranac S., and adding two more black-type scores this term in the Forbidden Apple S. and Fourstardave. The brothers are out of stakes winner Mystic Chant (Unbridled’s Song), a half-sister SW & MGSP Mystic Soul (Bahri), who is the dam of SW & MGSP Encryption (Exchange Rate). TJCIS PPs. 10th-LRL, $40K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 4:13 p.m. ET Graham Motion unveils a half-brother to juvenile champion and GI Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist (Uncle Mo) in STILL DREAMING (Flatter). The $460,000 KEESEP buy, who also hails from the family of GISW Sahara Sky (Pleasant Tap), enters off a five-panel bullet at Fair Hill in 1:01 flat Nov. 15. TJCIS PPs. —@CDeBernardisTDN View the full article

Godolphin Racing's Lady Montdore will look to build on her strong start since arriving from France when she competes in the $400,000 Long Island Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up Nov. 24 at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

Judge Lanier Racing's Conquest Mo Money—runner-up in the 2017 Arkansas Derby (G1) and Sunland Derby (G3), and a Preakness Stakes (G1) runner in the same year—has been retired from racing and will begin his stud career, trainer Miguel Hernandez said. View the full article

Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Gronkowski will be looking for his first win in North America when he makes his return to racing in the $200,000 Discovery Stakes (G3) Nov. 24 at Aqueduct Racetrack. View the full article

Phoenix Thoroughbred’s Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}), purchased after four straight synthetic-track wins, showed his affinity for dirt with a big second in the GI Belmont S. Two dull efforts against top-class company later, the dark bay will dip into Grade III territory against a pair of up-and-coming sophomores while looking for his first graded tally in the Discovery S. Saturday at Aqueduct. Breaking his maiden last November at Chelmsford for Jeremy Noseda, Gronkowski annexed his first three outings as a 3-year-old, culminating with a score in the 32red Burradon S. to punch his ticket to the GI Kentucky Derby. Forced to pass on a Run for the Roses due to an infection, he pointed for the Belmont and came within 1 3/4 lengths of upsetting Justify’s Triple Crown bid at nearly 25-1. He made no impact, however, when eighth in the GI Travers S. next out and only fared mildly better to be sixth against elders in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup last out Sept. 29 at Belmont. Shortleaf Stable’s Plainsman (Flatter) has come to hand quickly since being transferred from William Van Meter’s outfit to the Brad Cox barn over the summer. Sixth in the GI Arkansas Derby this spring, the $350,000 Keeneland September graduate finished third in a Saratoga allowance in his first start for Cox Sept. 1 before romping by 6 3/4 lengths at Belmont Sept. 27 and doubling up with a half-length success at this oval Nov. 3. Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable teamed up to go to $725,000 for Life’s a Parlay (Uncle Mo) at KEESEP, and, after debuting with a third at 9-5 Jan. 6 at Gulfstream, the bay scored a sharp victory there three weeks later. Shelved for over eight months following that, he returned with an allowance success Oct. 13 at Belmont and will try two turns for the first time here. View the full article

One wouldn’t think a $100,000 Grade III all the way on the west coast would be sufficient to entice European participation, but one would be wrong, at least in this instance, as a trio of pond-jumpers add intrigue to the Jimmy Durante S. for 2-year-old turf fillies Saturday at Del Mar. Slugo Racing’s Italia (Spa) (Pyrus) is a rare Spanish-bred runner to test American soil, breaking from the rail in this 13-horse heat. Dismissed at 35-1 in her debut Sept. 19 at Saint-Cloud in France, the bay finished full of run to get up by a neck for trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias. Transferred to the Mike Puype barn and attracting the services of Mike Smith, she got a feel for the local turf course with a half-mile work around dogs in :49 2/5 (10/15) Nov. 18. Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal’s Thriving (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) won two of three to start her career before finishing off the board in her next two outings. Last seen running second by a half-length Sept. 14 at Salisbury in Great Britain, the Jeff Mullins trainee will race around turns for the first time here. Cedars of Lebanon (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) annexed just one of her first seven starts, but reeled off back-to-back allowance wins at Naas in Ireland Sept. 30 and Oct. 21. She adds Lasix for this spot and also took a test drive on the Del Mar lawn when covering three furlongs around dogs in :37 3/5 (1/3) Nov. 18. In addition to the trio of shippers, Pivottina (Fr) (Vision d’Etat {Fr}) and Monette (Fr) (Cockney Rebel {Ire}) each boast just one American outing after showing enough promise in France to make the cross-Atlantic journey. The former showed a strong late punch to be fourth in the GI Natalma S. Sept. 16 at Woodbine, while the latter just missed when second by a head in the GIII Matron S. Oct. 8 at Belmont. Of the local chances, modestly-bred Lakerball (Lakerville) rates a long look. Failing to distinguish herself in three dirt starts, the dark bay pulled off a 33-1 upset of the Surfer Girl S. Oct. 8 at Santa Anita and legitimized that run with a five-length conquest of the Pike Place Dancer S. Oct. 27 at Golden Gate. View the full article

The New York Racing Association has announced increased purses for its upcoming winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, which begins Dec. 7. Purses for open maiden allowance races will be increased $8,000 and will now be worth $68,000 and, with a $5,000 increase, New York-bred maiden allowance events will now go for $60,000. First and second level New York-bred allowance categories will see ‘non-winners of one’ purses increased to $64,000 from $57,000, while ‘non-winners of two/$40,000 claiming’ purses are boosted to $67,000 from $59,000 a year ago. Increases have also been announced in certain claiming categories. “These purse increases represent our continued commitment to maintaining quality racing in New York on a year-round basis. The purse money offered at Aqueduct is competitive with, if not stronger than, amounts offered for top-flight racing across the country,” said Martin Panza, NYRA’s Senior Vice President of Racing Operations. “We value and appreciate our local horsemen that continue to support our live racing product into the New Year.” View the full article

Whether the market can maintain its breathless bull run in 2019 looks like becoming the $1-billion question so far as trade in transatlantic yearlings is concerned. Figures provided by The Jockey Club show an arc in aggregate sales across North America and Europe this year–up $66,763,974 to $942,688,570, a climb of 7.6%–steep enough, if maintained, to break 10 figures next year. Measured on such a scale, of course, the market bears little coherent analysis. These tables embrace every yearling sold from the 3,500,000gns son of Dubawi (Ire) who topped the bill at Tattersalls in October to the $8,000 gelding by Gold Aly–a son of Medaglia d’Oro and, according to the catalogue, sire of four crops of racing age, 11 foals, nine starters and five winners (55.5%: pretty good going, dude)–who was the last yearling to change hands at a sale in Arizona last week. The behaviour of individual tranches of the market is far more legible in year-on-year comparison of particular sales. But the headline growth is largely attributable to the top end of the American market, where three summer sales staged by Fasig-Tipton (July in Lexington, and the Select/New York-bred auctions in Saratoga in August) plus Keeneland’s September marathon between them achieved $85,027,900 growth this year. That fully accounted for a $79,551,813 gain in the overall North American market, itself representing a remarkable 17.4% on the 2017 gross. Granted a $12,787,840 drop in European transactions, a 3.1% decline on 2017, the top end of the American market also carried the gain in intercontinental figures. Any European trends that might be perceived across the past five years, however, need to be treated with extreme caution. On the face of it, the European market is worth less now than in 2014, and likewise the average. But currency conversion makes comparisons hopelessly skewed, sterling (and guineas!) having been holed beneath the waterline following the Brexit referendum of 2016. As noted here in a review of Tattersalls Book 1, while turnover this time was 34.3% higher than in 2014, conversion at the prevailing rate of exchange made the average lot worth $393,893 five years ago and $376,564 in 2018. Judged purely by its domestic ledgers, however, the premier Tattersalls catalogue amply complemented the boom continuing in equivalent auctions across the water, namely the Saratoga Select Sale and Keeneland’s elite sessions. With Goffs Orby and Arqana August only nudging turnover up and down, respectively, the dip in the overall European market instead traces to its lesser sales, many of which recorded diminished indices. This partly reflected the burning of so many fingers at the breeze-up sales this spring. John Boyce has demonstrated how–in persuasive contrast with the purely anecdotal and chronic complaints of vendors–post-recession growth in the European market, by average, has actually been sustained through the deciles. But today’s figures, showing increased catalogues and reduced clearance, do give some substance to the notion that the market cannot support such huge books recklessly assembled for unproven sires of ostensibly “commercial” profile–measurable, notably, in Ireland’s foal crop, which reached 9,689 in 2017 from 7,546 in 2012. In 2018, 6,890 European yearlings were viewed as commercial commodities–i.e. entered for a sale–compared with 6,062 in 2014. That is an increase of 13.7%. But while the rate of scratchings remained virtually the same, the clearance rate shrank from 83.54% to 78.48%. That translates to 1,350 unwanted yearlings, up a whopping 48.8% from 907 in 2014. The clearance rate at American sales is historically weaker than in Europe, but this year’s figure of 74.93% is the best in the last four years. The number of yearlings entering the commercial mill has increased by 9.3% since 2014, not quite as steep a rise as in Europe but from a relatively stagnant foal crop. Catalogue scratchings are also consistently higher than in Europe, but this is evidently becoming a much more serious issue–reflecting, perhaps, the ever greater power wielded by the sales vet. In 2018, withdrawals from North American yearling sales rose for the third time in four years (the one exception distinctly marginal). In 2014, 13.04% of hips failed to make the ring; this year, defections were up to 15.63%. There are, of course, 101 different reasons for a horse failing to make the ring, but something is definitely going on when you get close to one-in-six dropping out, just five years after the ratio was closer to one-in-eight. (Strictly: one in 6.4, from one in 7.7). I guess the nature of both beasts is that a vet will always cover his or her back, when so many things can go wrong even with a perfectly sound Thoroughbred. Time after time, however, you see people shrug their shoulders in the winner’s circle after a big race and explain that they were only able to afford the horse because nobody else would take a chance on his X-rays. Remember that the latest champion 2-year-old of Europe, where vets tend to be rather more indulgent, was never even offered for auction–as would normally have been his breeders’ policy–because a perceived issue would probably not have got him past a sales vet. And yet his younger brother was the most costly yearling sold in the world this year. So good luck trying to figure out where we stand with the 13,842 contemporaries, either side of the ocean, who changed hands for less. View the full article

The sky-high odds Knicks Go has provided his backers are about to become a thing of the past as the Maryland-bred figures to be the clear favorite against 13 others in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 24. View the full article

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables' Restless Rider will try to add to her already impressive 2-year-old season when she starts in the $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

Each year, the New York-breds have stepped up their game, becoming more popular and winning more frequently at the highest level. However, 2018 has been the best year yet for Thoroughbreds hailing from the Empire state, thanks to the exploits of Grade I winners Voodoo Song (English Channel), Audible (Into Mischief), Diversify (Bellamy Road), Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) and Fourstar Crook (Freud). “It’s special,” said Jeff Cannizzo, executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders. “This might arguably be one of the best years for the New York-bred program and it’s based on the racing. That’s what we’re striving for here, to take New York from a regional program and make it a national entity. It’s done so through racing and when you have horses like Mind Your Biscuits, Audible, Four Star Crook, Voodoo Song, Diversify, the list goes on and on. It’s Grade I horses running on every Saturday across the country. It’s a special year.” While this may be the program’s best year yet, it has improved in leaps and bounds over the past few decades. Longtime New York breeder Vivien Malloy, owner of Edition Farm in Hyde Park, New York, has seen marked improvement in the program in the 37 years she has been participating in it. “It’s been amazing,” Malloy said. “In the old days, when I started breeding in 1981, you’d see weanlings and yearlings come out of the field and go to the sale. It was awful, and then we started getting more and more professional, and wise, and prepping properly and the yearlings started selling really, really well. Not only that, but what they did on the racetrack. They weren’t just pretty faces. They won all over the world, every racetrack, every surface, Dubai, Japan, England. It’s just been truly amazing and I’m very proud of it myself.” There used to be a bit of a stigma against New York-breds and really any Thoroughbred not bred in Kentucky, but thanks to the exploits of this year’s Grade I-winning Empire-breds and their predecessors, like GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. victor Funny Cide (Distorted Humor), that stigma has been washed away. “There’s no doubt that the program has improved tremendously over the last 10 to 15 years,” said Christophe Clement, trainer of world record-setting NY-bred Disco Partner (Disco Rico). “We used to be, all of us, a little bit negative about New York-breds, which was a mistake. You can breed a top-class horse with a New York-bred today. You get some wonderful stallions standing in New York and also you have access to all the Kentucky stallions if you wanted.” The conditioner continued, “You have some top-class New York-breds, Diversify, Mind Your Biscuits, Disco Partner, and they prove that they can compete with anybody else in New York. The bottom line is the money. We’re giving more money to the program and it just shows that if you give the right amount of money, you can improve any kind of state program.” {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"2018: The Year of the New York-Bred","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/301655038.sd.mp4?s=be44f42a5d35b79544b813e1bd821db3959d2fa7&profile_id=164","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/281450037.sd.mp4?s=32d35ac734035791c9c8185a75c624d05695df60&profile_id=164","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\/"} Not only has the stigma worn off, but now many trainers, like six-time leading New York-bred conditioner Linda Rice, are specifically seeking out native New Yorkers. “I do shop all the sales, but I do give extra credence to the New York-breds when I see them,” said Rice, who trains GI Fourstardave H. hero Voodoo Song. “This year was an incredible year for New York-breds with Diversify, Voodoo Song, and many others.” Trainer Gary Contessa also gives extra attention to New York-breds and has been a longtime participant in the program. “New York-breds are an incredible investment for any owner,” Contessa said. “When I get a new owner, I don’t go and buy him an open-company horse. I buy him a New York-bred, because the New York-bred racing is phenomenal. It’s such a tremendous, tremendous program. I think I’m correct in saying, there is no breeding program in the entire United States that can hold a candle to the New York-bred program. When you’re getting new people into the game, you can’t go wrong with a New York-bred. It’s a phenomenal investment. I try and get as many New York-breds in this barn as possible because I’m here year-round.” Rice has also chosen to stay in New York year-round, partly due to the NY-bred program and her success with those horses. “Well, when I decided to race in New York full-time, and make New York my home, I thought that the New York-bred program was something that I need to invest myself in and it’s worked well for me,” Rice said. “[Champion] La Verdad (Yes It’s True) is a New York-bred, [GSW & GISP] Hot City Girl (City Zip) is a New York-bred, Voodoo Song is a New York-bred. So, I could see early on in my career that this New York-bred program was pretty exceptional and thought, let me see if I can get involved. I’ve gone on to have great success with the New York-breds.” Rice continued, “I really changed my business to stay in New York year-round because I felt that the purses were good in New York, good enough to stay. Winter racing also has quite a few short fields. It certainly serves me well to stay in New York.” The purse structure for New York-breds has become a strong incentive for breeders, trainers and owners alike. “A New York-bred horse can run in New York [in state-bred company] and, by the time he breaks his maiden and wins one or two allowances, he’s already won $75,000 in purse money,” Malloy said. “So, of course, the New York-breds are going to be more in demand and more attractive.” Cannizzo expressed similar sentiments, saying, “The commercial and the sales market is driven based on the rates and opportunities for state-bred horses. That’s what makes New York-breds valuable, the fact that you have so many opportunities to race inside the state of New York for $40 million worth of purse money and another $9 million in the stakes program with 60 different restricted stakes here across the state.” He continued, “It makes it commercially viable to go out and buy a New York-bred. It seems like everyone seems to be wanting to have one these days, which is driving the commercial market. But it all starts with the racetrack. So, if these state-bred horses weren’t performing on a national scene, I don’t think you’d see the same things happening in the sales ring that are happening now.” The recent November sales are an example of the increased commercial interest Cannizzo refers to. GI Flower Bowl S. heroine Fourstar Crook summoned $1.5 million from Japan’s Katsumi Yoshida at the Fasig-Tipton November sale. Also, a New York-bred Tapit filly out of Eclipse-winning fellow Empire-bred La Verdad was the highest-priced weanling at the Keeneland September sale, selling to Mandy Pope and Three Chimneys Farm for $800,000. “It’s not only La Verdad, there are many, many good mares in New York,” said Malloy, who co-bred La Verdad’s aforementioned Tapit filly. “Before those mares used to always go to Kentucky to be bred, but now, we are getting better and better stallions in New York, and we’ve just doubled the amount of purse money for the stallion stakes.” Out of the five New York-bred Grade I winners this year, three of them are also sired by stallions who are either current or past residents of the state. “A lot of these horses that are Grade I horses, ironically, are New York-sired,” Cannizzo said. “Mind Your Biscuits is by Posse, Diversify is by Bellamy Road and Fourstar Crook is by Freud, who is a perennial leader here in the state. I think that the momentum is going to carry it forward. Nationally, we have so many different people that are interested in partaking in New York-breds. It’s the direction that we want to be going in. It’s very positive and I think there’s a lot of people that should be proud of this.” Michael Dubb, who campaigned Fourstar Crook, has competed at all levels of the sport and has been a major supporter of the New York-bred program. The four-time leading owner at Saratoga summed it up well, saying, “The New York-bred racing program is a great program and all the participants in it work really hard. They have fought and they have endured to get where we’re going for a long time. But, now we’re rising to the top and New York-breds can compete anywhere, on any field, at any time. There will be more and more New York-breds competing at the highest levels. New York-breds are the greatest and everybody around them is the greatest!” View the full article

Though Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) proved best as a heavy favorite in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, a handful of longshots followed him home, and two of those, the second and third finishers, return in a competitive renewal of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Saturday at Churchill Downs. KRA Stud Farm’s Knicks Go (Paynter) shocked the racing world when wiring the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at 70-1 Oct. 6 at Keeneland, but the gray proved that effort was no fluke in the Breeders’ Cup. Pressing and making the first move into a fast pace, which sapped second choice and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Complexity (Maclean’s Music) to the tune of a 20 1/4-length defeat, Knicks Go led to deep stretch of the Juvenile before ultimately finding the presumptive 2-year-old male champion a bit too much to handle while holding second at over 40-1. The $87,000 Keeneland September buy earned a field-best 90 Beyer for the effort. One length behind Knicks Go at the finish was Tommie Lewis, David Bernsen and Magdalena Racing’s Signalman (General Quarters). Bought for $32,000 as a Fasig-Tipton October yearling, the bay was second in the local slop on debut May 17 and graduated Sept. 1 at Saratoga before running second to Knicks Go in the Breeders’ Futurity. Well out of it early in the Breeders’ Cup, he put together a strong late run to fill the trifecta at more than 67-1. Todd Pletcher ships in with the potent one-two punch of Red Oak Stable’s King for a Day (Uncle Mo) and Robert LaPenta, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Dixiana Farms’ Current (Curlin). The former was third to the aforementioned Complexity on debut Sept. 3 at Saratoga before graduating impressively after dueling on a hot pace Oct. 4 at Belmont. The latter makes his main-track debut out of a seventh-place run in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. One start earlier, the $725,000 KEESEP pickup uncorked a big late rally to capture the GIII Bourbon S. Oct. 7 at Keeneland. Dunph (Temple City) gets the acid test for trainer Mike Maker. A dominant victor debuting Sept. 15 at Penn National for Joseph Besecker and trainer Timothy Kreiser, the dark bay was subsequently bought into by Three Diamonds Farm and paid quick dividends, cruising by 7 3/4 lengths in the Spendthrift Juvenile Stallion S. locally Oct. 28. View the full article

Shadwell homebred speedball Ertijaal (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a UAE highweight from five to seven furlongs, passed away due to colic on Nov. 15, Racing Post reported on Wednesday. A listed winner in Britain early in his career for William Haggas, the 7-year-old gelding was transferred to Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and campaigned strictly in the United Arab Emirates for the next four seasons. For Al Rayhi the popular bay won the 2017 G3 Meydan Sprint and defended his title this term when that race was lifted to Group 2 level. In addition, Ertijaal was runner-up in the 2016 Al Quoz Sprint, and ran third in the 2017 edition. The consistent runner won half of his 22 starts and earned $1,274,954. It’s devastating, not just for me and my whole team but also Sheikh Hamdan, for whom Ertijaal was a real star,” Al Rayhi told Racing Post. “He was certainly one of the most popular horses in the UAE and, over five furlongs, one of the fastest in the world.” View the full article

The first 2019 Kentucky Derby Future Wager opens Nov. 22 with a new wrinkle as bettors can select the option of "all 3-year-old fillies." View the full article

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables’ Grade I-winning ‘TDN Rising Star’ Restless Rider (Distorted Humor), fresh off a runner-up finish in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, returns relatively quickly as the likely heavy favorite in Saturday’s GII Golden Rod S. A first-out graduate under the Twin Spires June 8, the gray repeated with authority when romping by 11 1/4 lengths in the local Debutante S. June 30 to earn her ‘Rising Star’ badge. Second in the GI Spinaway S. Sept. 1 at Saratoga, she rebounded from her first defeat to annex the GI Darley Alcibiades S. Oct. 5 at Keeneland. No match for likely champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) Nov. 2, she figures tough to down while dropping in class here. Chad Brown ships in Klaravich Stables’ Break Curfew (Into Mischief), a well-supported debut winner trying to stretch out her speed. Backed to 8-5 going six panels Oct. 24 at Belmont, the $220,00 Fasig-Tipton October pickup scored a convincing 3 3/4-length success. In a race without much early foot signed on, the bay will likely be gunned from her outside draw by Javier Castellano to make the early running. Michael House’s Gold Credit (Goldencents) took a bunch of play first out as well, but rallied from off the pace to earn her diploma after a troubled beginning at 3-1 Oct. 18 at Keeneland. She shows three maintenance breezes in Lexington for this first route foray. Impact Thoroughbred and Madaket Stables’ Reflect (Trappe Shot) looks to bounce back from a distant ninth in the Breeders’ Cup. Prior to that, the chestnut completed the exacta at nearly 12-1 behind Restless Rider in the Alcibiades. View the full article

A total of 50 horses–split evenly between those based locally and abroad–from seven different racing jurisdictions have been extended invitations to the HK$93-million Longines Hong Kong International Races to be held at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, Dec. 9. Of the 50 entrants, fully 23 have already managed a win at the top level. The home team took down three of the four events last year, and Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko), Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) and Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) are back 12 months later looking to defend in the G1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m), G1 Hong Kong Mile and G1 Hong Kong Sprint, respectively. Only Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who stood his first year at stud in 2018, is missing, and it can be argued that the G1 Hong Kong Vase is the day’s most intriguing affair. A full field of 14 could go postward, including the Aidan O’Brien-trained Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), conditioned by Joseph O’Brien, and who between them have accounted for the last two runnings of the G1 Irish Derby. The form of the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is represented by Waldgeist (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}), fourth at ParisLongchamp, the fifth-placed Capri, and Salouen (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}), sixth at 100-1, while Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) and Rostropovich (GB) (Frankel {GB}) exit the G1 Melbourne Cup. The Cup, the day’s richest event at HK$28 million, looks a wide-open race. Time Warp looks to join California Memory (Highest Honor {Fr}) as back-to-back winners of the Cup, but the task will not be straight-forward. Japanese runners account for better than a third of the foreign raiders with nine runners across the races, and based on his strong runner-up effort in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) Oct. 28, Sungrazer (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will take some beating. The Classic-winning filly Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) and veteran Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) round out the island nation’s stiff challenge. Former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) gives the home team another live chance, while Northern Superstar (SAf) (Count Dubois {SAf}), the former MG1SW Edict of Nantes and now based in Hong Kong with Tony Millard, is an interesting entrant. The Mile very much goes through Beauty Generation, but the Japanese duo of G1 Yasuda Kinen hero Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) and Persian Knight (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), recent runner-up in defence of his G1 Mile Championship title, look formidable on paper. While there were no U.S.-based acceptors for the meeting, American owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson of Lael Stable will be represented One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who owns a win against the boys in the G1 Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend and was a close fifth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. G2 Summer S. hero Beat the Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) will carry the colors of the late Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s King Power Racing in trying to give Europe a rare win in the Mile. The Sprint looks to be dominated yet again by the deep bench of local sprinters, including the in-form Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), Beat the Clock (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) and last year’s runner-up D B Pin (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) in addition to Mr Stunning. Each of those is capable on its day, but the same could be said for Godolphin’s Fine Needle (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}) if he performs to the level of his wins in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen and G1 Sprinters’ S. Sir Dancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), a three-time group-winning sprinter this term, is the lone European participant in a race no horse from Europe has ever managed to win. Lim’s Cruiser (Aus) (Casino Prince {Aus}) is Singapore’s lone participant at the HKIR. “The Longines Hong Kong International Races is firmly established among a select handful of the world’s great international racing occasions,” said Andrew Harding, executive director, racing, for the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “We expect to see excellence at this event and with strong contenders like Hong Kong’s own incredible Beauty Generation, Japan’s Fine Needle, and European stars including Waldgeist and Latrobe, we can expect another thrilling afternoon of sport on 9 December.” View the full article