Wandering Eyes

Grade 1-placed Code of Honor turned in his first workout since having to miss the Nov. 2 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), breezing three furlongs in :37.23 at Belmont Park Nov. 15. View the full article

Fifteen years after winning one of Japan's major stakes, trainer Doug O'Neill is taking aim at a second victory in the Champions Cup (G1), this time sending Reddam Racing's grade 1 winner Pavel across the Pacific Ocean. View the full article

Augustano bounces back to winning ways View the full article

Knight comes out Tops in tough slog View the full article

Soldado's connections' patience finally rewarded View the full article

Duric kicks clear again at comeback from suspension View the full article

Horses' body weights November 16 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings November 16 View the full article

Troy See to ride at Mauritius jockeys series; Juglall invited, too View the full article

Early scratching November 16 View the full article

Prospect Park (Tapit-Quiet Romance, by Bertrando), winner of the 2015 GIII La Jolla H. at Del Mar and runner-up in that term’s GII San Felipe S. and GII Los Alamitos Derby, has been retired to stud at Harris Farms, in California. Prospect Park retires with a record of 18-4-7-3 and earnings of $539,770. He will stand for a fee of $2,500. Prospect Park, a homebred for Pam and Martin Wygod, was purchased by PVNC Stables LLC in a deal brokered by Chad Schumer of Schumer Bloodstock. “Prospect Park brings talent, durability and pedigree to the table,” Schumer said. “He was regarded as a Derby prospect by all around him at three, but then showed that rare versatility to switch successfully to turf. He is also beautifully bred, being a son of emerging sire of sires Tapit.” View the full article

Owner Samantha Siegel has been around the game long enough to be guardedly optimistic, but when Extra Hope pulled away in the stretch Oct. 21 at Santa Anita Park, she couldn't help but think big. View the full article

Grass racing has been suspended at Woodbine from Friday to Sunday. The jockeys consider the course to be frozen and unsafe and are not keen on racing on it for the rest of the season. The first race of Wednesday’s card was not run because of an impasse between the jockeys and the management of Woodbine Entertainment Group about continuing to race over the turf, even though the card was scheduled only for the main track. Robert King, Executive Director of the Jockeys’ Benefit Association of Canada, said the riders wanted to discuss the situation with turf racing before the card, but it was WEG management that cancelled the first race. “We said we didn’t want to leave the room until we discussed the turf situation and they said they weren’t going to talk about it,” King said. “They cancelled the races, not us. Why do we always have to be the ones that make the call [to cancel races because of track conditions]? Why do we have to say it’s unsafe? You obviously know it’s unsafe.” King said at this point he is not sure whether WEG will agree to remove the remaining grass racing this year off the turf. Turf racing was moved to the main track last Saturday because of the riders’ concerns. However, a race was run on the grass Sunday, and after the jockeys deemed it unsafe, the remainder of the grass races were moved to the main track. “Enough’s enough, horses and jockeys are going to get hurt,” King said. “We’ve told them repeatedly that it’s dangerous. We don’t want horses to get Lasix [and then not race]. We’re always made to look bad.” Racing will continue through December this year because the schedule started a week later. Turf racing at Woodbine normally ends in October. View the full article

The Santa Anita Park family mourned Thursday morning upon the news of popular longtime Broadcast Department member Lou Villasenor’s unexpected passing at age 58. Employed at Santa Anita for more than 40 years, Villasenor was walking to the car with his brother Jose, preparing to come to work from their home in nearby El Monte when he announced he was dizzy and collapsed. He passed away at Arcadia Methodist Hospital, just across the street from Santa Anita. “Lou was just simply a good human being and a very dear friend, never mind being a terrific and loyal employee,” said Amy Zimmerman, Vice President of Business Coordination & Director of Broadcasting who worked with Villasenor for more than 30 years. “He loved racing and he loved Santa Anita, and everyone here truly loved him. Lou is one of those people you will never, ever forget.” View the full article

A $50,000 weanling filly by Midshipman (hip 3976) topped the first of two Book 7 sessions Thursday, which was day 11 of the 12-day Keeneland November Sale. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency on behalf of breeder Tony Citarrella and RAM Racing, the chestnut was purchased by Blue Sky Stables. A total of 134 horses changed hands Thursday for a gross of $775,500, an average of $5,787 and a median of $3,000. Throughout the 11 days of selling, 2,420 head summoned $187,966,900 for an average of $77,672 and a median of $30,000. The day’s top-priced mare was Fantastic Girl (Pioneerof the Nile), who hammered for $45,000 to Levy Bloodstock. Consigned by Paramount Sales, the 3-year-old daughter of stakes winner Ayla Bella (hip 3996) (Touch Gold) sold as a racing/broodmare prospect. View the full article

Taylor Made’s franchise stallion Unbridled’s Song (Unbridled – Trolley Song, by Caro {Ire}) died five years ago at age 20, but the indelible mark he left on the industry continues. Last year, for instance, he led the North American general sire list with the help of Arrogate‘s Gl Pegasus World Cup Invitational and G1 Dubai World Cup wins and Forever Unbridled’s Gl Breeders’ Cup Distaff score, even though he had far fewer starters than any other sire in the top 30 and his youngest runners were three. Through 17 crops, Unbridled’s Song was represented by 117 black-type winners, or 7% from foals–an excellent ratio in the big-book era–and 22 Grade l winners, 13 of them colts. With many quality runners, it was assumed a long time ago that his name would be carried forward in pedigrees through both his sons and daughters as they went to stud, but this has proven to be only partly true. While his daughters are sought-after broodmares who’ve produced 157 black-type winners around the globe to date, his sons haven’t matched their consistency yet. In fact, Unbridled’s Song hasn’t had a son come anywhere close to the type of sire he was, though he’s had and does have several useful or regionally significant sons at stud, including Midshipman, Old Fashioned, Songandaprayer, Half Ours, Even the Score, Rockport Harbor, Fiber Sonde, etc. He’s also had more than a few poor or indifferent sires at several prominent Kentucky farms, and others have since been exported after timely offers, including Old Fashioned, Political Force, Eurosilver, Dunkirk, First Defence, Emcee, Zensational, etc. But there is some hope around the corner that maybe one or more of his last major Kentucky-based sons could become the big-time heir that eluded him during his lifetime. These are positive signs: Juddmonte’s Horse of the Year Arrogate led all first-year covering sires at Keeneland’s November sale, with seven mares averaging $366,429 off a $75,000 stud fee, and Spendthrift’s relatively unheralded Cross Traffic, who entered stud in 2015 for a $12,500 fee, handily leads all freshman sires with progeny earnings of $1,942,157 at this writing, more than $900,000 ahead of Spendthrift’s second-place Goldencents (Into Mischief) with a month and a half to go for the title. Along with Three Chimneys’ champion Will Take Charge, who began for $30,000 and is currently #4 on the freshman sire list, and Lane’s End’s Liam’s Map, who started off in 2016 for $25,000 and was #3 by first-year yearling average at Keeneland September behind American Pharoah and Honor Code, there is plenty to look forward to as these four major Grade l winners give it a go. Perhaps even Gainesway’s Grade ll winner Bird Song, who stands for $5,000 and whose first foals arrive next year, and Taylor Made’s Grade l winner Graydar, who started for $15,000 and has first-crop 3-year-olds racing decently this year, could be given outside chances to make it. As a group, these six stallions are also atypical of the type of stakes horses that gave Unbridled’s Song a loud and perhaps unfair reputation for unsoundness: those late-season 2-year-olds or early season 3-year-olds that were honed for the Classics but got hurt along the way, such Gl Fountain of Youth S. winner Songandaprayer from his first crop (1998), Gl Wood Memorial winner Buddha (1999), multiple Grade lll winner Rockport Harbor (2002), Grade ll winner Harlington, Grade ll winner Old Fashioned (2006), Gl Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and champion two-year-old colt Midshipman (2006), Gl Classic-placed Dunkirk (2006), Grade ll winner Mission Impazible, Grade lll winner Winslow Homer (2007), etc., and most notably, the Grade ll-winning filly Eight Belles (2005), who broke down and died on track after finishing second in the Gl Kentucky Derby. Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farm raced Eight Belles, as well as Winslow Homer, Rockport Harbor, and Old Fashioned, and Fox Hill never got the satisfaction from those four that it did from some of its high-profile runners from other sires, such as Medaglia d’Oro (Songbird), Saint Liam (Havre de Grace), and Tapit (Joyful Victory). Managed Differently The gray Unbridled’s Song was a member of Unbridled’s first crop and was a big, scopey horse and a man among boys–both his sire and broodmare sire, Caro, were big horses–as a 2-year-old, when he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his third start. At three, he won the Gl Florida Derby and the Gl Wood Memorial and entered the Derby as the 3.5-1 favorite but finished fifth to Grindstone, another son of Unbridled. He’d famously had a flake in an ankle at two–the reason he was returned to the owner, Ernie Paragallo, from the Barretts sale where he’d made a record $1.4 million on a Japanese bid–and ran in in the Derby with a bar shoe after being plagued by foot issues. He was never managed under optimum conditions, was plagued by a variety of health issues throughout his career, and ultimately was retired in early 1997 after fracturing a cannon bone during a routine gallop as a 4-year-old. He went to stud as Taylor Made’s first-ever stallion, with a record of five wins from 12 starts and $1.3 million in earnings. His stud fee in 1997 was $30,000. His striking physicality, pedigree, race record, speed, and overall presence made him a popular horse from the beginning, and he delivered early with horses that looked like him and had the handiness and speed at two to suggest they’d be Classic horses at three. By 2007, his fee was at its apex at $200,000. As noted, many of his sons and daughters were initially managed as he was, perhaps because their size and substance gave the impression of maturity, but some of them were ultimately betrayed by their structural immaturity when asked to do too much too early. By the latter part of Unbridled’s Song’s career, many of his better runners were being routinely managed with patience, and the results suggested that maybe he wasn’t such a source of brittle horses after all, if his offspring were given the time they needed. For example, Arrogate, his best son, never raced at two, was never on the Classics trail, and won his first stakes, the Gl Travers, in late August of his 3-year-old season. Cross Traffic never raced at two or three and won his first stakes race in the GI Whitney S. in early August as a 4-year-old. Liam’s Map didn’t race at two and won his first race in September of his 3-year-old season and his first Grade I race at four a year later, in the Woodward. Bird Song didn’t race at two and won his first race in June of his 3-year-old season and his first graded race at four. And Graydar didn’t race at two, won his first race at three in April, and his first stakes race at four in the GI Donn H. Of this group, believe it or not, Arrogate was the most precocious. Will Take Charge was a slightly different story. He apparently was as mature as he appeared early on and was raced hard and regularly, proving as sound as they come nowadays, but even he became better later. He was a winner at two and was an early season graded winner at three, but won his first Grade l in the Travers in August after competing in the Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont S. He also won the Gll Pennsylvania Derby after the Travers, was second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and then finished his rigorous sophomore season with a win against elders in the GI Clark H. to be named the champion 3-year-old colt of 2013, based on his exploits in the second half of his 3-year-old season. That Will Take Charge and Cross Traffic are doing as well as they are with their 2-year-olds is a promising sign for this group, and especially so for Arrogate, who has the best mares of any of these horses behind him at Juddmonte. Juddmonte knows how to make stallions–Frankel and Kingman are its latest–and the US division of the international operation has experience with Unbridled’s Song, having stood his homebred son First Defence in Kentucky with limited success before he was sent away to Saudi Arabia to make room for Arrogate. They’ll make the pedigree adjustments and recalibrate for Arrogate to get earlier horses for the Classics, but they know better than most how to manage types that need time. First Defence, like Arrogate, wasn’t on the Classics trail, and he didn’t become a graded stakes winner until four, when he won the Glll Jaipur S. and Gl Forego S. He, like the six mentioned here, was managed to allow for maturity. As a sire, he got only 10 black-type winners from more than 300 foals, but it’s notable that his best runner by far was Juddmonte’s own Close Hatches, who won an Eclipse in 2014 as champion older dirt female. Maturity Is Key Cross Traffic, who, as noted above, didn’t race at two or three and made all his starts at four, is the sire of the probable 2-year-old filly champion in Gl Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and Gl Frizette S. winner Jaywalk, along with four other black-type winners from his first crop. He’s up to $25,000 for 2019 after serving mares for $7,500 this year. If he becomes the champion first-crop sire this year, he will be the second son of Unbridled’s Song to do it, after Dunkirk in 2013. Dunkirk was unraced at two and won his first two starts early in his 3-year-old season and then was second in the Gl Florida Derby. From there, he was sent to the Kentucky Derby, where he was 11th. After regrouping, he ran second in the GI Belmont S., got hurt, and was retired to Ashford Stud for a $10,000 fee. Like Cross Traffic, Dunkirk got a Grade l winner in New York from his first crop–Champagne winner Havana. But Dunkirk was sold to Japan after the following year’s breeding season, and his stats–14 black-type winners from 679 foals, or 2%–suggest in retrospect that it was a good sale. Aside from these two, other sons of Unbridled’s Song haven’t ranked particularly well on the leading freshman list. Starting from the beginning, Songandaprayer was #4 on the first-year list in 2005; Buddha was #29 and Unbridled Time #33 in 2006; Even the Score was #7 and Domestic Dispute #42 in 2008; Value Plus was #18 and Eurosilver #20 in 2009; Rockport Harbor was #7 in 2010; Half Ours was #13 and Political Force #20 in 2011; First Defence was #18 and Harlington #33 in 2012; Dunkirk was #1, Zensational was #7, Old Fashioned was #11, and Noonmark was #26 in 2013; Midshipman was #9 in 2014; Mission Impazible was #13 in 2016; and Graydar was #15 and Emcee #36 in 2017. This suggests that early maturity isn’t a part of the profile for sons of Unbridled’s Song, Cross Traffic and Dunkirk notwithstanding. And because the commercial market isn’t kind to later-developing sires, these stallions were probably caught in the bind of having their runners pushed early to produce. Unbridled’s Song succeeded early in his career with enough high-quality late-season 2-year-olds for the Classic preps, but he became an even better sire later in his career as his runners were given more time to develop. There isn’t a lot of the same tolerance for his sons at stud, especially for the cheaper ones, but perhaps Arrogate and company will change that way of thinking. It could mean the difference between success and failure, or whether Unbridled’s Song gets a successor or two at stud. Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks. View the full article

The first of two live money sports betting test days at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course began Thursday afternoon. The Company’s Pennsylvania sports book will be managed by William Hill US, the largest sports betting operator in the United States. Timothy J. Wilmott, Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Penn National is excited to be the first casino to offer sports wagering in Pennsylvania. The enthusiasm around sports betting has been growing since the federal ban was repealed in May, and we look forward to providing our patrons with another great amenity to enjoy at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.” Penn National will be operating its sports book in the existing simulcast theater next to the Skybox Sports Bar. View the full article

Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man) looks to make good on his ‘TDN Rising Star’-worthy debut as the morning-line favorite in Saturday’s GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar. The $625,000 EASMAY buy was very impressive when graduating by four lengths in his six-panel unveiling at Los Alamitos Sept. 20 and should only improve as the races get longer. Baffert also saddles Metropol (Shackleford), who donned cap and gown by 3/4 of a length on debut at Santa Anita Oct. 8. Fellow Hall of Famer Richard Mandella will be represented by Extra Hope (Shanghai Bobby) in this spot. The bay romped by 8 3/4 lengths last time in a 1 1/16-mile test at Santa Anita Oct. 21 to earn his diploma at fourth asking. Just two races later Sparky Ville (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Savagery (Bellamy Road) finished one-two, respectively, in the restricted Sunny Slope S. and they both return in this spot. 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. Today’s Observations features a well-related Galileo colt who was an expensive auction buy. 1.05 Saint-Cloud, Mdn, €27,000, 2yo, c/g, 10fT Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier’s €950,000 Arqana August yearling JE NE REGRETTERIEN (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is a full-brother to this term’s MG1SP G2 Ribblesdale S. victress Magic Wand (Ire) and a half to G1 Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), the latter becoming Ireland’s highest-priced Thoroughbred when knocked down for €6-million at Goffs’s 2013 November sale. Opposition to the Andre Fabre-trained firster includes Alain and Gerard Wertheimer’s twice-raced homebred Ouzala (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), who is kin to three stakes performers headed by G1 Prix Marcel Boussac victress Indonesienne (Ire) (Muhtathir {GB}), from the Freddy Head barn. 8.15 Wolverhampton, Cond, £5,800, 2yo, 8f 142y (AWT) Lady Rothschild’s GREAT BEAR (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is a homebred son of G1 Irish Oaks heroine Great Heavens (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) debuting for the Roger Charlton. His eight opponents include George Strawbridge and John Hass’s fellow newcomer So High (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who is a John Gosden-trained half to GII Sky Classic S. victor Utmost (Giant’s Causeway) out of GIII Valley View S. winner Fugitive Angel (Alphabet Soup); and Khalid Abdullah’s twice-raced Copal (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who is kin to last term’s G3 Darley S. scorer Monarchs Glen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) out of G1 Prix de la Foret placegetter Mirabilis (Lear Fan), representing Ralph Beckett. View the full article

HARTPURY, UK–The days may be darkening in the relentless march towards winter but there was one last reminder, in the late autumn sun, of a golden summer for Qatar Racing’s champion 3-year-old Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) as he paraded at his new home on Thursday morning. As his connections were toasting his achievement in being named Cartier Horse of the Year at the Dorchester on Tuesday evening, the sleek grey was settling into his newly built stallion box at Tweenhills Farm & Stud, his lavish quarters facing another new recruit to the stallion roster at the Gloucestershire farm, the G1 Qatar Sussex S. winner Lightning Spear (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). He may have roared on the racecourse–louder and louder as the season wore on–but away from the heat of battle, the Lion’s demeanour appears to have been quelled to a contented purr. Strolling calmly before the pack of assembled media, he gave an assured first public appearance in his new role. “He was an absolute pleasure to train and has a fabulous mind on him,” confirmed John Gosden, who arrived by helicopter from Newmarket with his son Thady and Roaring Lion’s owner Sheikh Fahad Al Thani just moments before the parade commenced. Roaring Lion’s four consecutive Group 1 victories this year have bestowed not just championship honours on his own shoulders but a starting fee at stud of £40,000. “There’s barely a mare in Europe that this horse can’t cover, and he’s 16 hands on the dot, the perfect size,” offered Qatar Racing Manager David Redvers as he admired the stallion that he and his regular sales partners Hannah Wall and Peter Molony plucked from the Keeneland September Sale for $160,000. “I’m extremely spoiled to be able to look out of my bedroom window and see him. It gives me extra reason to jump out of bed in the morning.” Sheikh Fahad, whose magical season culminated in shouting his own champion home on QIPCO British Champions Day–over the shoulder of the Queen, no less, who appeared to be equally delighted–added, “Having a horse like this is really having the horse of a lifetime. It’s going to be hard to match him. We all know that he’s the best mile-and-a-quarter horse but for him to have dropped back to a mile in the QEII and show his guts in that ground was really sensational.” As the Tweenhills team unveiled the fees for the stud’s six stallions for 2019, Redvers also announced a new incentive for breeders which promises a free return to any breeder who breeds a stakes winner by a Tweenhills stallion. “This may be used for that particular stallion, or to any of the other Qatar stallions as a credit to the value of that nomination,” he explained. “Our success equals your success.” Also on parade on Thursday morning was Lightning Spear, who had arrived with Roaring Lion and was similarly relaxed in his new, unfamiliar environment. He will commence stud duties at a fee of £8,500. The horse’s trainer David Simcock had also made the trip from Newmarket and he stood no chance of leaving the house without his wife Jennie, who, as his daily rider, played a vital role in Lightning Spear’s success. “Of course I’m biased,” said Jennie Simcock, admitting that she will be heading to the breeding stock sales to find a mare to send to Lightning Spear. “But in my view he’s very hard to crib. He has such a wonderful temperament and was always such a gentleman. I saw a photo of Pivotal’s head the other day and it could have been him, they are so alike.” Her husband added, “He’s been a good friend to us for the past three years. He’s taken us to all the right places and he’s never let us down. His Group 1 win was very poignant but we were pleased for the horse more than anything. The fact that he stayed sound and retained both his enthusiasm and his ability to the age of seven is a huge credit to him.” Sheikh Fahad also admitted to a soft spot for the statuesque chestnut, who has the distinction of having been the first racehorse ever to be ridden by his owner, who is now a keen amateur rider. “He missed most of his 3-year-old season after contracting a virus while in training which left him unable to absorb glucose. He had almost a year off at the stud and when he went back to Robins Farm I was quite attached to him. His being my hack for six months might have changed things for him,” said the sheikh with a grin. Joining the new boys on parade was another chestnut, Hot Streak (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), who will have his first runners next season and has quite a record to uphold after fellow Qatar stallions Havana Gold (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Charm Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) have each been the leading British first-season sire in the last two seasons. Redvers is bullish about completing the hat-trick. “We’ve always been very sweet on this horse and his yearlings sold phenomenally well. If you’re backing anything to be first-season sire next year we’re pretty confident that this boy will follow hot on the heels of Charm Spirit and Havana Gold,” he said. Tweenhills will have one final new face to introduce to breeders early in the new year with the arrival from Australia’s Widden Stud of Zoustar (Aus). A son of Northern Meteor (Aus), who died tragically early in his stud career, he will stand his first season in the Northern Hemisphere for £25,000. If Zoustar’s fledgling stud career in his homeland is anything to go by, his is a name that European breeders should have in their notebooks. The leading first-season sire in Australia last season, during which term his top representatives included the Magic Millions Classic winner Sunlight (Aus), the 8-year-old has continued in impressive fashion this season. Sunlight continues to be one of his leading lights and she led home a trifecta for her sire in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. at Flemington a fortnight ago. The same race was also won not just by Zoustar himself but also by Northern Meteor, and his sire Encosta De Lago (Aus). Sunlight clearly has no regard for primogeniture, as she refused to give way to Sheikh Fahad’s Zousain (Aus) and Lean Mean Machine (Aus) all the way down the Flemington straight. “We followed Zoustar through his racing career and Sheikh Fahad was with me at Flemington the day he won the Coolmore Stud Stakes,” recalled Redvers. “We went to see him the next morning at Chris Waller’s stable and he was such a stunning individual we were determined that we weren’t going to leave without buying a substantial chunk of him, which we did with Antony Thompson of Widden Stud. “To have the one-two-three in the Coolmore has flagged up to everyone what a truly special horse he is. He’ll be standing for something like A$100,000 to A$120,000 in Australia next season. People are chasing speed so badly up here and he takes speed to another level.” Zoustar will be joined on the shuttle heading north by Charm Spirit (Ire), the sire of Group 3 victrix Yourtimeisnow (GB) among his 25 first-crop winners, who returns from Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand, and also from two European seasons at the Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval in Normandy. View the full article

Florida Derby (G1) winner Audible has returned to Todd Pletcher's training base at Palm Beach Downs to continue preparations for a planned start Jan. 26 in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) is seeking a stiffer penalty for a veterinarian who was fined and put on probation for a year for violating rules pertaining to the shock wave treatment of horses because it is concerned about its reputation among horsemen and bettors. In an appeal of the ruling issued by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), which fined Dr. Brian Van Arem $7,500 and placed conditions on his license for a period of one year beginning on Oct. 4, WEG wants additional penalties to be imposed on the veterinarian, as first reported by Daily Racing Form. Specifically, WEG wants the AGCO to suspend Van Arem’s license for six months from the date of the Sept. 19 decision on or 90 days from the date live racing commences at Woodbine Apr. 20, 2019. In its appeal filed Oct. 17, WEG asked that the matter be heard on an expedited basis given the issues of public interest and the serious impact on the integrity of the horse racing industry. The matter is scheduled to be heard Dec. 14. WEG Chief Executive Officer Jim Lawson declined comment on advisement from the company’s legal counsel while the matter is under appeal. “As a racetrack owner, WEG is committed to providing a racing product which has a high assurance of integrity in order to attract the wagering public and to assure competitors that they are playing on a fair and and level playing field,” WEG stated in its appeal. “Dr. Van Arem’s misconduct at Woodbine racetrack has brought the conduct of Woodbine into disrepute and has impacted their ability to carry on business. Trainers on Woodbine backstretch are considering moving to other racetracks as a direct result of practices similar to those of Dr. Van Arem. WEG has been aggrieved by Dr. Van Arem’s misconduct and the decision (by the AGCO). It therefore has a right degree to appeal the decision to the panel.” Woodbine security notified the stewards on Aug. 1 that Van Arem provided extracorporeal shock wave therapy on two horses that were entered by trainer Norm McKnight that evening. The two horses were treated July 30, which was inside of the required time period of 96 hours of a horse competing in a race. The horses were scratched and both Van Arem and McKnight attended the stewards’ office and were informed that an AGCO investigation would commence. Van Arem and McKnight told the stewards of a third horse that had been treated in the same period and was entered to run Aug. 3. That horse was subsequently scratched by the stewards. According to the ruling issued by the stewards, Van Arem contended shock wave therapy is therapeutic and less evasive than other pre-race treatments. The stewards contended that shock wave therapy is not a pre-race treatment, but rather a therapy that that is ongoing to help relieve some of the ailments horses acquire through training and racing and the cutoff rule is 96 hours. The stewards pointed to the Association of Racing Commissioners International model rule suggesting that extracorporeal shock wave therapy for racehorses be stopped 10 days from the horses are scheduled to run, although some jurisdictions have modified the rule to within seven days of racing. In its ruling, the stewards said the administration of the shock wave treatments inside of the recommended time could be construed to potentially gain an unfair racing advantage. As such, as a licensed trainer and veterinarian, Van Arem is responsible to have full knowledge of the rules of racing and abide by them. Van Arem told Thoroughbred Daily News that shock wave therapy is somewhat of a misnomer. “The name of it is wrong,” he said. “It should have never been called that. The problem is it’s got such a detrimental name. People think you are shocking horses. It’s part of physical therapy that people use, part of physical therapy that we use, as part of acupuncture and chiropractics as well. We try to get away from as much injecting as we can with medication or with drugs. This is a great way to do it. I think there’s a lack of education on shock wave itself and that’s where they are jumping all over this. There’s also a lack of education for the notification for the veterinarians, all of them at the racetrack here, to where they stood with it and notifying them on the withdrawal times of it.” Van Arem, who operates the 180-stall T and T Training facility, has been doing shock wave therapy for 15 years and said there has never been an issue with it before. He said he has engaged legal counsel. McKnight, Woodbine’s leading trainer in wins, was fined $5,000 and also had his license put on probation for a year. WEG is not seeking additional penalties for McKnight, who last year was a finalist in the Sovereign Award category for top trainer. McKnight has heard whispers about his success in recent years–his horses are winning at over 30%–but has publicly denied any wrongdoing. In its claim, WEG said the AGCO made several errors in its ruling, which ultimately did not adequately punish Van Arem for his actions, which are considered a breach of the Thoroughbred Racing Rules. “The consequences are enormous,” the claim states. “Without integrity, the business of horse racing will die because the wagering public will not bet on a product that is not demonstrably fair. Thoroughbred wagering revenues and attendance will decline, the purses will get smaller and wages and profits will decline.” View the full article

The four-day foal portion of the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale drew to a close on Thursday with a record average of €17,223 (up 4% on last year). The median and aggregate were both slightly down, at €6,750 (-8%) and €11,195,200 (-4%), respectively. Leading the way on the final day was a colt from the first crop of the GI Canadian International winner Cannock Chase (lot 1076) who was bought by Joey Logan Bloodstock for €55,000. The colt was consigned by Worsall Grange. Taking second-top honors was a son of Mount Nelson (GB) from Dungarvan Stud (lot 1133) who fetched €46,000 from Clifton Farm. Hugh Bleahen of Clifton Farm said, “This colt is a gorgeous individual. He is a great walker, we are lucky to see a foal like him–he is the stand out today. Mount Nelson is stamping his stock well and doing a good job. Trade has been very strong this week.” The sale’s session of National Hunt fillies and broodmares takes place on Friday. View the full article

Wick Hughes has been hired as farm manager at Elm Tree Farm. Hughes will assume his duties at the beginning of the new year. Hughes is the son of the late B.G. “Gail” Hughes, long-time manager of Dr. Eslie Asbury’s Forest Retreat Farm. With over 35 years of experience in the Thoroughbred industry, Hughes was assistant manager to Pete Cline at Shawnee Farm for 27 years. “I have had the good fortune to work under some of the best in the business which has provided me invaluable education and experience,” Hughes said. “I could not be more excited about the opportunity at Elm Tree and I’m honored that Michelle and Jody Huckabay have entrusted me with an operation that they built, through a lot of hard work.” View the full article

Agent Laurent Benoit went to €960,000 on behalf of SAS Haras Voltaire to secure a share in Siyouni (Fr) on Arqana Online in an auction that ended on Thursday evening. Benoit, who was one of 20 registered to bid for the sale, said, “We’re delighted to buy this share in Siyouni, in whom we are already a shareholder and which completes our portfolio of stallions based in France.” The price is the highest ever recorded on Arqana’s online auction platform. Siyouni is the sire of 26 stakes winners, including Group 1 winners Laurens (Fr), City Light (Fr), Finsbury Square (Fr), Pazeer (Fr), Sacred Life (Fr) and Aylmerton (Fr). His fee will rise to €100,000 at Haras de Bonneval in 2019. View the full article