Wandering Eyes

Think the local industry can easily shrug off the loss of California racing? Think again. That was one of the key takeaways during Tuesday evening’s June membership meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers’ Club. The KTFMC invited executives from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association to review of the response to the current crisis in California and to explain the NTRA’s role addressing this and similar issues. The five-strong panel also included Dr. Steve Vickner, an economist and faculty member of the University of Louisville’s Equine Industry Program. It was Vickner who noted California’s impact on the equine industry. In total, the U.S. equine industry generates $122 billion in economic activity each year. Of that, $8.3 billion originates in California. Kentucky, by contrast, generates $2.7 billion. Those figures include all equine activity and isn’t limited to the Thoroughbred industry. But Thoroughbreds are a big slice of the pie. Later, it was pointed out that California tracks generate $3.1 billion in handle, or about 28% of the 2018 total U.S. handle of $11.2 billion. Vickner stressed the interdependency between California and Kentucky racing. He estimated that Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland sold $56 million worth of horses to California interests in 2018. Another $2 million was generated for Kentucky in direct economic impact in food, travel and lodging. “And that $58 million is like a rock thrown into a pond, and the ripple [generates] indirect effects,” said Vickner. The total impact? Between $87 and $116 million. “So if California buyers didn’t buy [those horses], the way we’d feel it here in Kentucky would be the $87 to $116 million—not the $58 million. You have to consider the upstream impact on supply chains and the spending effects on the individuals who make their living in this industry.” How likely is the death of California racing? Even just a few months ago, a permanent cessation might have seemed absurd. But 30 equine deaths at Santa Anita this winter and spring, and the national outrage that ensued, has changed the landscape. That was hammered home time and again Tuesday night. NTRA COO Keith Chamblin pointed to the fates of SeaWorld’s orca shows and the Ringling Bros. circus as potential harbingers. Just last year, Florida banned dog racing via ballot initiative. Chamblin said he recently conducted an informal test. He googled “SeaWorld Orca Whales” and “Circus Animal Abuse 2016” and got a combined 43,900 news links and 111,600 video links. He then googled “Santa Anita Horse Deaths 2019,” and got 93,300 news links and 110,000 video links. “That’s 30% more,” Chamblin said. “It gives you a sense of what we’re dealing with. What role is the NTRA playing during the crisis, and what are we trying to tell our fellow members to do? In a word: act. We can’t talk our way out of this crisis.” Chamblin did say the NTRA is currently working on a Crisis Management Tool Kit for the industry. This will eventually include media training, a website resource center, a social media plan, fact sheets/white paper, outbound messaging, spokespeople and a post-crisis review process. “Portions are in the works and the rest is more in the formative stages,” Chamblin said afterward. “This is a NTRA Board priority, but it will take time and continually evolve.” The night largely focused on what’s already been done to promote equine safety. Steve Koch, executive director of the NTRA’s Safety & Integrity Alliance, spoke about measures taken to improve equine and human safety in the wake of the Eight Belles and Barbaro breakdowns over a decade ago. They include formation of the Alliance itself, as well as the launch of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and the Equine Injury Database. He also noted the continued work of the Racing Testing and Medication Consortium. Koch said he expects some of the changes California has made this year to eventually become industry standards elsewhere. California is now holding workouts to the same regulatory standards as races, including pre-work examination by a regulatory veterinarian, medication and substance enforcement and risk profiling. “There are a number of things in play that look simple on a slide, but are pretty significant new territory if you’ve spent much time at the racetrack,” said Koch. NTRA CEO Alex Waldrop was on-hand and introduced the panel. “If it was not clear before, it should be clear to all of us in racing that horse fatalities are the number-one threat to our industry,” he said. “We can let nothing deter us from searching out and eradicating every potential risk. It’s not simply a public-relations challenge. It’s a challenge to do everything we can to prevent horse injuries and fatalities in both the mornings and afternoon. We’ve done a lot, but we must do more. Only action will silence our critics.” Waldrop fielded questions from the audience, and many of his answers ended with an admission of the NTRA’s limitations. The idea of a central governing authority was raised several times. That would require states to relinquish power, he explained. “And I can’t stress enough how difficult it is to convince states to give up their autonomy,” Waldrop said. “I wish it weren’t the case.” The NTRA’s role in shaping and delivering messages in times of crisis was also raised. When asked, Waldrop said the company has hired several crisis-management firms. “But to be fair, the firestorm that we’ve faced has overwhelmed even the best efforts,” he said. “When you look at the volume of material—most of which is on television—that is a new thing for our industry. We have entities that have one point of content, and they push it out over hundreds of their media outlets. It’s a whole new landscape. And then you have social media, which is as decentralized as it gets. It’s a huge challenge. We’re just beginning to understand what we’re facing.” Waldrop offered an anecdote about the difficulty in shaping the narrative. “We are being proactive,” he said. “The challenge is that the editors make the decision on what ends up on the cutting-room floor. And frankly, bad stories sell. The day after the [Kentucky] Derby DQ, we finally got on the CBS Evening News. We spent about 45 minutes during our shoot talking about the problems facing racing. [In the broadcast] I wound up getting three seconds: my response to a tweet from Donald Trump.” The KTFMC event, which attracted an estimated 175 people, was held in the Seattle Slew room at Fasig-Tipton. The post NTRA: Cali Racing Up to $116M Impact on KY appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) Wednesday announced that its Late Pick 5 will become available to all horseplayers beginning on Wednesday, July 3 at Belmont Park and continuing through the remainder of 2019. Previously offered as the NYRA Bets Late Pick 5 and available exclusively to NYRA Bets customers, New York on-track bettors, and those betting with a New York simulcasting facility, the Late Pick 5 will now be available to all wagering platforms. “We are pleased to respond to the popular demand of horseplayers and open the Late Pick 5 to horse racing fans across the country,” said Tony Allevato, President of NYRA Bets and Executive Producer for NYRA TV. “An exciting summer of racing will be that much more interesting with the late pick 5 on the wagering menu every day at Belmont and Saratoga.” The post NYRA Announces Launch of Late Pick 5 Nationwide appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horse Racing Ireland has expressed its satisfaction over a 75% compliance rate in the 30-day thoroughbred foal notification system which was introduced in Ireland for the 2019 foaling season. The 30-day notification system requires breeders to notify Weatherbys of the birth of a foal within 30 days of birth, done through the submission of the blood sample and markings which are taken by the attending vet when the foal is microchipped. “There is a worldwide acceptance for the need for whole-of-life traceability of horses, said HRI spokesperson, John Osborne. “This allows for assurance on both the care and welfare of horses, as well as the certainty that all racehorses can be proven to be ‘clean’ in the anti-doping sense.” It was this consensus that led to the main industry bodies, including Goffs and Tattersalls, coming together to introduce this system which is administered on behalf of the industry by Weatherbys. Osborne continued, “It is this small change in procedure that will improve our traceability of the horse. We are creating systems which will eventually allow for a robust chain of responsibility to be known. In achieving this goal we can assure the standards of care are highest, ensuring that our horses can compete in all territories where these procedures are required. We are in discussions with the Department of Agriculture, updating on progress and assessing ways to make the process stronger. The signatories of the original agreement remain strongly supportive of this initiative and we are grateful to the breeders for helping us achieve such strong compliance in year one.” The post Good Uptake For Foal Registration appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Julie Krone, the first woman inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame, will host the first annual Julie Krone Junior Jockey Camp July 22-26 in association with Long Shadows Charitable Foundation. The camp is for underprivileged youth ages 12-17 and will take place at Long Shadows Farm near Cambridge, N.Y. “I am proud and excited to launch our Junior Jockey Camp,” said Krone. “It will be so rewarding to share my experiences with a motivated group of young campers at the beautiful Long Shadows facility. I can’t think of a better way for young people to learn about our beautiful sport, and perhaps go on to work at a farm, a training center, or even the racetrack.” The Junior Jockey Camp’s curriculum will include horsemanship, horse health and safety, and horse racing. Krone will serve as the head camp instructor and will be joined by Tabitha Morgan, the Long Shadows Farm manager. Campers, who will be sponsored by business and private donations, will be selected from local communities based on financial need and from written essays submitted along with their camp application. Long Shadows Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating horses. For more information about the Julie Krone Junior Jockey Camp, or to sponsor a student, visit www.juniorjockeycamp.com. Krone can also be reached at (760) 470-3442 and Morgan at (760) 889-6633. The post Julie Krone Junior Jockey Camp to be Held in July appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 168 entries at the initial stage for the July Horses of All Ages Sale scheduled for Monday, July 4, at 4 p.m. The HORA takes place one day ahead of the company’s July Yearling Sale beginning the following morning at 10 a.m. Sales officials will continue to approve entries up until sale time. “The popularity of this sale with both buyers and sellers has generated our largest catalogue to date,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “We expect to catalogue several more entries prior to the sale, so we encourage all prospective buyers to stay up-to-date as the sale grows. “This is one of our most popular sales with buyers, and for good reason,” Browning continued. “Since we first held this sale in 2013, graduates have made more than 6,200 starts, earned close to $35 million, and notched nearly 70 stakes wins.” Entries can be reviewed via the enhanced online catalogue, featuring pedigrees, race replays, statistical links, Ragozin sheet numbers and updated past performances. The newest resource added to the enhanced catalogue are Thoroughmanager PPs which are featured in addition to DRF PPs. Buyers may sign up for email alerts for pedigree and racing updates as well of notification of new sales entries as they are announced. The HORA catalogue will also be available via the Equineline sales catalogue app. Print versions of the catalogue will be available on the sales grounds by July 5. The post Fasig-Tipton July HORA Catalogue Online appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Highlighted by the prestigious FallStars Weekend, which includes 10 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races, Keeneland will offer a record $5.675 million in stakes purses for its fall meet scheduled for Oct. 4 through Oct. 26 at the historic Lexington oval. Five of the track’s fall Grade I races take place on opening weekend, with a Breeders’ Cup Mile berth on the line in the $1-million GI Shadwell Turf Mile Oct. 5. Top-level racing kicks off on opening day with the running of the $400,000 GI Darley Alcibiades S. for sophomore fillies, while the male counterpart, the $500,000 GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, is scheduled for Oct. 5. Turf distaffers feature in the $400,000 GI First Lady S. the same afternoon, while the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Other Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ heats include the GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. Oct. 4 (Sprint); the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. Oct. 5 (F/M Sprint); and the GIII Dixiana Bourbon S. (Juvenile Turf) and Indian Summer S. (Juvenile Turf Sprint) Oct. 6. The GII JP Morgan Chase Jessamine S. (Juvenile Fillies Turf) is the final Breeders’ Cup Challenge race and is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 9. Three-year-old turf fillies will be in focus for the sixth of the track’s Grade I affairs, the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, a nine-furlong race scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12. The Buffalo Trace Oct. 11 Franklin County S. and the GIII Sycamore S. Oct. 17 will see their purses hiked by $50,000 to $150,000. The GII Lexus Raven Run S., which last year was won by subsequent GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Shamrock Rose (First Dude), highlights the live racing program Saturday, Oct. 19. NBC will cover four Breeders’ Cup Challenge races on Fall Stars Weekend at Keeneland as part of its 2019 “Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, presented by America’s Best Racing.” On Saturday, Oct. 5, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET, the Shadwell Turf Mile and Breeders’ Futurity will air. On Sunday, Oct. 6, NBC will broadcast the Spinster S. and Bourbon S. from 4:30-6 p.m. The post Keeneland to Offer Nearly $5.7M in Stakes Purses for Fall Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jimmy Ting Koon-ho continued his impressive rookie season on Wednesday night, ticking off another milestone after securing his first win with a horse trained at Conghua.Despite only gaining his licence at the start of the term, the 45-year-old was given stables at the Jockey Club’s HK$3.7 billion facility in mainland China two months ago and he hasn’t had to wait long to taste the fruits of his labour.Conghua Racecourse is gaining a reputation for rejuvenating tired horses with Applause being… View the full article

Progressive stayer Dee Ex Bee (GB) (Farhh {GB}) could have another crack at dethroning the champ Stradivarius (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup next month. The Mark Johnston trained 4-year-old finished a game second to Bjorn Nielsen’s brilliant stayer in the G1 Ascot Gold Cup last week and despite being under no pretensions over the potential task of reversing the placings, connections are keen to let the horse take his chance. Tackling two and a half miles for the first time Dee Ex Bee appeared to relish the trip at Ascot and according to his trainer’s son Charlie Johnston, the horse has taken the race well. “Dee Ex Bee has come out of the Gold Cup well and, although we are no longer in the running for the WH Stayers’ Million, the Qatar Goodwood Cup looks a fairly obvious next target,” he said. “It was a great run in defeat and again he showed what a fantastic attitude he has, coming from looking like he would finish third or fourth at the furlong marker to getting back up for second in the final stride. The winner is a true champion who has shown now over the last 18 months that regardless of what conditions are thrown at him, he finds a way to win. And on that particular day, Frankie [Dettori] at one stage seemed almost invincible.” The Johnstons are keen to find an angle where they can eke out any improvement in Dee Ex Bee and being less forceful is one option they are considering. “Going forward, we are thinking that it is probably not ideal for our horse to make his own running. Having something to aim at might help him, as he enjoys a battle. We came off second-best and are under no illusions that the winner will start favourite again, but we are looking forward to having another crack at him,” he added. The post Goodwood Next For Dee Ex Bee appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“Inside the Winner’s Circle, Presented by Keeneland” is a series showcasing graduates of the Keeneland September sale who have gone on to achieve success on racing’s biggest stages. Hunter O’Riley (Tiz Wonderful) has now won at the sport’s highest level, in a Grade I race. The veteran gelding, a $120,000 purchase at the 2014 Keeneland September sale, captured the GI United Nations on June 22 at Monmouth. It was his second graded stakes win, his fifth win overall and it raised his career earnings to $620,293. While he should have a lot of racing left in him, those are the types of numbers and accomplishments whereby his career can already be considered a major success. It’s just that his path to the United Nations winner’s circle was one filled with fits and starts and guided by a team that refused to give up on their horse. Hunter O’Riley is owned by Sean Shay and Mike Ryan, who were, along with two others, involved in a pinhooking partnership that bought several prospects at the 2014 Keeneland sale. Ryan is among the best in the business when it comes to pinhooking and his plan was to turn around and sell Hunter O’Riley the next year at a 2 year-old sale and, hopefully, collect a nice return on his original investment. Ryan doesn’t make many mistakes, but in this case he did, at least when it came to the original plan of trying to sell Hunter O’Riley as a 2-year-old. As he would later find out, he wound up with a horse that had no early speed and would do his best running in marathon races on the grass. That’s not exactly the type of horse people are looking for at 2 year-old sales. Hunter O’Riley was entered in a 2-year-old sale and, right away, Ryan knew he was in trouble. “He didn’t have enough speed to do what you need to do at a 2-year-old sale,” Ryan said. “When he breezed, he just wasn’t quick. He breezed in ’11’ and you just can’t sell a horse that goes in ’11.'” Knowing they were looking at a sure loss if they allowed the horse to sell, the partnership started to unravel. Ryan didn’t want to let the horse go, but couldn’t convince everyone that they should give Hunter O’Riley a chance to prove himself on the racetrack. So Ryan bought back his own horse, paying $50,000, effectively buying out the other owners. Only Shay stayed in. Hunter O’Riley wins the UN | Equi-Photo “I have all the confidence in the world in Mike,” Shay said. “He and Niall Brennan (who works closely with Ryan in many aspects of his business) are world-renowned. They are at the top of their game and I am a relative beginner when it comes to the game. Mike knows what he is doing. Everybody I talk to in the industry knows him and no one has a bad thing to say about him. When Mike asked if I wanted to stay in, it was a no-brainer. At $50,000, the price was right.” At the outset, it had appeared that Shay and Ryan had made a good bet. Hunter O’Riley broke his maiden in his third career start before finishing seventh in the GII Remsen in 2015. He didn’t return to the races until the following June and, at first, he didn’t live up to the promise he had shown at two. He seemed to be one of those horses who fell somewhere in the middle of the pack when it comes to quality. He was too good to be a claimer but not good enough to be a stakes horse, at least a high-level stakes horse. He went 1 for 7 in 2016, the lone win coming in an allowance race at Belmont. It was a case of more of the same in 2017, but, finally, the horse started to show the ability Ryan always believed he had in him. He shined in the summer of 2017, winning the GII Bowling Green and then losing by just 1 1/4 lengths in the GI Sword Dancer at Saratoga when finishing fourth. In his final start in 2017, he finished ninth in the GIII Red Smith, but Ryan, Shay and trainer Jimmy Toner believed that they had a horse that had finally hit his best stride. They were convinced he was going to have a big year in 2018. It did not work out that way. The horse raced just once in 2018, in the GII Elkhorn at Keeneland. Not only did he finish ninth, he strained a ligament in the race and would miss the rest of the year. He entered the United Nations having not won a race in 23 months and off a six-race losing streak. During the streak, he didn’t finish among the top three in any of his races. It was a frustrating time for all involved and Shay and Ryan said it was made even worse by an on-going pattern where their jockeys would not follow instructions. “He doesn’t have any stamina limitations, but he’s not a quick horse,” Ryan said. “We learned he’s one of those horses who walks out of the gate and gallops along behind the field. If you let him do that, just drop your hands on him and let there be a loop in the reins, he’ll just gallop around there and he’ll be 20 lengths behind them. He’ll make a nice run from the five eighths to the wire, but winds up getting beat 3, 4, 5 lengths while still making up 15 lengths on the field.” For the United Nations, Toner and the owners picked jockey Paco Lopez and he was given specific instructions: whatever you have to do, get this horse into the race early. “Paco Lopez was down to ride him and he’s a good gate rider, an aggressive rider,” Ryan said. “This horse needs to be put in the bridle leaving the gate. He needs a couple of little taps on the shoulder to get his attention, get his mind on things. You have to put him in the bridle and make him carry you. Don’t let him drop back 20 lengths and be passive and then expect he’ll make it all up when they’re going three-quarters in 1:16, 1:17. You’re not going to run them down.” Lopez got the message. Though his mount was seventh in the early going of the mile-and-three-eighths turf race, he was never more than four lengths behind the leaders. At the top of the stretch, he was third, just 1 1/2-lengths behind. From there, he got past Zulu Alpha (Street Cry {Ire}) to win by a neck. “Paco rode him to perfection because he was never more than four lengths off the lead,” Ryan said. “We finally got a jockey to listen to us.” It was a big day for Ryan, who acted as the advisor for Jim Rupp at the 2017 Keeneland September Sale where Rupp purchased Owendale (Into Mischief) for $200,000. Five minutes after the United Nations was completed, Owendale won the GIII Ohio Derby, a $500,000 race. “It was an awfully good afternoon for us,” Ryan said. Finally, there doesn’t appear to be anything standing in the way for the 6 year-old gelding. He is healthy and the team has apparently found the perfect jockey, an aggressive rider who understands you have little to no chance if you drop 15 lengths behind in a marathon grass race, the type of race where the pace is almost always extremely slow. “I’m just so happy that he won, a Grade I at that,” Shay said. “Well go to Saratoga now (for the GII Bowling Green) and, who knows, I think we might have a horse for the (GI) Breeders’ Cup Turf.” Ryan said the GIII Calumet Cup, now worth $1 million, at Kentucky Downs is another target. Ryan knows, and has experienced firsthand with this horse, that things don’t always work out as planned when it comes to race horses. But he also knows that he has a sound horse, that a change in tactics when it comes to his running style appears to have made a major difference and that quality horses who prefer long distance races on the grass are perfectly capable of competing at a top level even when they are 8 or 9 years-old. “Look at what horses like John’s Call and even John Henry did during the latter stages of their careers,” Ryan pointed out. Way back when he bought the horse in 2014 at Keeneland, Ryan believed in Hunter O’Riley, believed that this was a horse with the potential to earn a lot of money, and now his expectations have been met. It just took a while. The post Inside the Winner’s Circle: Hunter O’Riley appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After a recent confidence boosting win in a conditions race at Hamilton, Kevin Ryan’s admirable sprinter Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) will bid to go one better than last year’s second in the G1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket two weeks from this Saturday. Angie Bailey’s 7-year-old skipped Royal Ascot on purpose and having operated so effectively on the July course in particular, connections were keen to give Brando the best opportunity of adding another Group 1 to his CV after running so well in the last two editions of the Newmarket feature. “It was always the plan to run Brando in the July Cup so it’s all systems go,” said Adam Ryan, son and assistant to his father Kevin. “We were never going to take him to Royal Ascot – it’s quite hard for these sprinters to be at their best for both Ascot and the July Cup and he’s got such good form at the two Newmarket tracks that it made sense to take him there as a fresh horse. For some reason he enjoys running downhill. We can’t put our finger on it, but he loves both Newmarket courses,” he added. Victory at Newmarket would push Brando’s earnings past the £1-million mark and he has been a remarkable horse for connections, this being his sixth season of competitive action. “Brando’s been placed in the July Cup twice before so if he were to win it this time it would be fantastic for us and would live long in the memory. He’s a total gentleman at home and a bit of a yard favourite. He’s an absolute saint and everyone loves him. He’s got form on all sorts of ground. As he gets older maybe he prefers a bit of juice in the ground but I wouldn’t be worried about fast ground – the main thing with him is to have a truly-run race and you’ll certainly get that at Group 1 level,” Ryan said. The post Next Stop July Cup For Brando appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After experiencing stroke symptoms, Jim McIngvale spent the night in a Houston, Texas hospital, where he streamed about his experience on Facebook Live. McIngvale was taken to the hospital with tingling in his face and arms, and a slight slurring of speech. He spent 23 minutes on Facebook, updating friends and well-wishers about his condition. “Hi, Mattress Mack here,” he said, “and I’m currently at St. Luke’s Hospital-Texas Medical Center, having a tingling in my arm and my leg and my face which indicates a mini-stroke, so I’m here getting checked out. I’ll be here for the next day. I feel fine. A lot of people asked me where I was and I’m here at Texas Medical Center-St. Luke’s Hospital getting checked out to make sure I don’t have any stroke or any heart attack symptoms. I’m getting great treatment here at St. Luke’s. My friend, (Texas heart surgeon) Dr. Bud Frazier got me in in a hurry. My friend who runs the mobile stroke unit that we helped finance many years ago is going to come over and check on me also. I’m in good hands. I will be out of the store for the next 24 hours, as I undergo several MRIs and carotid artery tests. Hopefully everything will be good. I would like to encourage anybody out there who experiences the symptoms–face, arm, speech–to fast get to a doctor and make sure you don’t have a stroke. That’s why I’m here. I’ll be here for the next 24 hours getting all these tests.” Ever the salesman, Mack concluded his stream by encouraging people to come out to Gallery Furniture. “The best way you can cheer me up is to go to Gallery Furniture and buy some of our furniture, as we get ready for our Fourth of July supersale,” he said. This story will be updated. The post Stroke Scare for McIngvale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Francis-Henri Graffard is certainly having a season to remember and things could get even better for the trainer as he begins to plot the next course for his Classic winner Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}). The filly came out best in a tight finish to claim the G1 Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly and Graffard is giving serious thought to aiming the Samuel De Barros owned filly at the G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Glorious Goodwood Aug 1. “Channel is in very good form and the Nassau S. is a possible target,” Graffard said. “We are keeping all our options open with her at the moment but the options are probably the Nassau or the Prix Jacques Le Marois [at Deauville]. If she continues to be fit and well in the coming weeks, then the Nassau could definitely be an aim. I would love to have a runner at Goodwood. It is a place I like very much and I think the track will suit her,” he added. Graffard has won two of the most important races for 3-year-old fillies in the European calendar this season courtesy of Channel and last week’s G1 Coronation S. winner Watch Me (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), with the pair having gone through the sales ring for a combined total of €100,000. “Channel was very impressive in the Prix de Diane and it was very special to win that race before Watch Me’s victory at Royal Ascot,” he reflected. In other Goodwood news the track has confirmed it has extended a sponsorship deal with the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC) which sees the Qatar name being the principal sponsor of Glorious Goodwood until 2024 at least. The five-day festival has benefitted from lucrative prize-money since the association came about and the extension was agreed on Tuesday following a meeting with Goodwood owner the Duke of Richmond and QREC chairman Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi. The post Graffard Eyeing Nassau For Channel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Just 32 and a bloodstock agent for fewer than six years, Josh Stevens is still trying to make a name for himself and still trying to build up his base of clients. It’s been a learning process and not always easy, but along the way he has learned firsthand that the way you make it in this business is by establishing a track record. Buy horses–particularly relatively inexpensive ones–that turn out to be successful, and people will notice. That’s why Stevens will go into yearling sales season as a person to watch. He’s got a few more clients and a few more dollars to spend and, now, a resume highlighted by some rather impressive recent achievements. At the 2017 Keeneland September sale, he bought Mr. Money (Goldencents) for a new client, Chester Thomas’s Allied Racing LLC, for $130,000. A few months later, he plucked By My Standards (Goldencents) out of the OBS April 2018 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training for the same client for $150,000. By My Standards has so far won the GII Louisiana Derby, which got him into the field for the GI Kentucky Derby, where he finished 12th. Mr. Money is among the hottest 3-year-olds in the sport and could show up next in the GI Haskell after winning the GIII Pat Day Mile and the GIII Matt Winn in succession. Not only have they won important races, they have proven that Stevens is not a one-hit wonder or someone who just got lucky when buying Divisidero (Kitten’s Joy) for $250,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September Sale for clients Gunpowder Farms. The now 7-year-old has earned $1,484,539 and is a two-time winner of the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic. “Josh has a good eye for a horse and he’s conservative when it comes to spending other people’s money,” Thomas said. “He’ll say, ‘If you don’t get this one that’s okay; we’ll get the next one.’ Josh is trying to buy a horse who is going to develop into an elite, top-notch athlete.” Stevens graduated from Louisville, where he studied in the Equine Industry program. After graduation, he went to work at Margaux Farm, where he served in various roles, and then left to form his own management and consulting firm, J. Stevens Bloodstock. Thanks to a connection he had made with trainer Buff Bradley, Tom Keithley’s Gunpowder Farms was among his first clients and Divisidero was among the first horses he purchased. Stevens said he was proud of the fact that Keithley was new to the business, and he understands how important it is for newcomers to get off to a fast start. Unless they have either unlimited patience and/or unlimited money to spend, a new owner can come and go very quickly if they don’t have any initial success. “I had seen the industry go through the recession, which caused a real need to attract new owners into the business,” he said. “These people need to be successful. The sport actually does get plenty of new owners, but a lot struggle and swiftly leave the business. My idea has always been to cultivate new owners and new owners doesn’t just mean new to the business. That can also be owners who want a fresh start or want to do something different than what they’ve done in the past. Gunpowder was a brand new owner. Basically, within three years they were running in Grade I’s on Derby Day (with Divisidero).” Thomas was also a new owner, at least when it comes to aiming high and being able to spend at the major racing sales. He had owned horses before, but only a few claimers here and there that he owned in partnerships with others. What has impressed Thomas most about Stevens is how he concentrates on finding an athlete and prioritizes that over the horse’s pedigree. “When Josh first gets to a sale, he doesn’t look at the page at all,” Thomas said. “He goes to each barn and marks down the hip number. He looks them over and evaluates the physicals of the horse. Then he makes a short list. He’s looking at everything that he can a day or two ahead of time and he cuts the list down to a certain number of horses. Only then does he look at the pedigree page and I think that’s more so he gets a better understanding of what the horse might cost.” Stevens admits that when he started he had little choice but to downplay a horse’s pedigree. If a horse was by Tapit or Medaglia d’Oro and was checking all the right boxes when it comes to the physicals, his clients were not going to spend the type of money it would take to wind up being the winning bidder. “I never had the money early on to buy the big pedigrees so we had to make our pedigrees,” Stevens said. “My theory is you always want to buy the best horse by a stallion. What you don’t want to do is buy at the bottom when it comes to the very top sires.” So while he will always look for the athlete first and worry about the pedigree second, Stevens is also trying to be among the first to jump on the bandwagon of a sire that might be flying under the radar. It is not a coincidence that Mr. Money and By My Standards are both from the first crop of Goldencents.” “I had really liked Goldencents when he was a race horse and I been on the Into Mischief bandwagon from day one,” Stevens said. “He was a horse that did it the blue-collar way. I thought Goldencents was going to have to do it same the way and it looks like that’s exactly what is going to happen.” Stevens will be put to the test shortly as he says he plans to be active at the July 9 Fasig Tipton July Sale. He said he particularly likes that sale because it is not overly difficult to find a top prospect there for a reasonable amount of money, particularly if you are looking for horses that will win early on in their careers. He also knows that whether it be at The July Sale or any other yearling sale this season, he will need to continue to find horses that go on to prove themselves on the racetrack. He’s still at the point in his career where his reputation is developing and his primary clients are not going to spend $1 million for a horse. “As you grow as a bloodstock agent you are always looking for that one guy who will go after that big horse if you see it,” he said. “I’ve seen plenty of horses over the years at sales that I was sure were going to turn out to be great horses and most of them did. But I didn’t have an owner who could afford that kind of a horse. I know I’m capable of finding a horse in the $150,000 range that can go out there and beat these seven-figure horses. Like any bloodstock agent, I’d love to have a client or two that will spend what it takes to buy a horse high up on the list of sales toppers. I would love the challenges involved with that.” That may take some more time and some more success stories. “What I have to do is keep working and prove myself over and over again that I can do this,” Stevens said. “In time, your work speaks for itself.” The post Bloodstock Agent Stevens has Momentum on his Side appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The recently retired Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) has shot to the head of the rankings for the Cartier Horse of the Year title. The soon to be Darley stallion’s Royal Ascot exploits where he landed a famous G1 King’s Stand S. and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. double has seen the 5-year-old amass 106 points, a total also aided by Blue Point’s win in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan earlier in the year. However given he can no longer add to his tally Blue Point will do well to maintain his position at the head of the table until the end of the year. The Aidan O’Brien trained pair of fillies Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), both beaten favourites at Ascot, have still time to improve on their 96 and 80 points while Sir Michael Stoute’s Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who has 64 points, could also have a say if he continues his rapid ascent to the upper echelons. The post Blue Point Heads Cartier Standings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Five-year-old Bedford has snapped a lengthy absence from the winner's circle with a dominant display on a heavy track at Sandown. The Anthony Freedman-trained Tavistock gelding showed his promise with back-to-back 2000m-wins at Caulfield during the early part of 2018 and was considered a Doomben Cup prospect when he finished a close fourth in a Listed race in Brisbane on heavy ground in April that year. After a winless 2018 spring and two unplaced runs so far this campaign, Bedford dropped back ... View the full article

Cambridge jumps jockey Mathew Gillies has been enjoying a great run of form in recent weeks. On Sunday the 33-year-old notched his first winner as both trainer and jockey when Borninasandpit, who he trains in partnership with Graham Thomas, was successful at Te Aroha. “It was my first ride on a horse I train too so it was really good,” Gillies said. “I’ve been telling other jumps jockeys what to do for the last couple of years but to actually go out and ride it and do it myself was a ... View the full article

Chris Luoni, the driving force behind the establishment of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, is stepping down as Chairman after serving seven years in the post but will continue as a director. “Chris was the catalyst behind establishing the Racing Hall of Fame,” past Chairman and director Gerald Fell said. “I was the first Chairman of the Hall of Fame and between us we drove the development of it. “I retired and Chris took over, and it has just got stronger and stronger.” The biann... View the full article

Vibrato shook off his rivals at Rotorua on Wednesday to score a comfortable victory in the At Cook Contraction 2YO (1230m). The son of Sacred Falls led from the jump under a steady ride from Jonathan Riddell and strode away from his only challenger, Elliot Power, to win by two and a half lengths. The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Vibrato was having his second career start, with Forsman saying the conditions at Ellerslie earlier this month did not suit the two-year-old gelding. “He di... View the full article

Central Districts jockey Robert Hannam hasn’t let a delay to his New Zealand racing season hinder him from setting a record tally of stakes wins this term. The likeable hoop spent the early part of this season in India, where he was finishing off a four-month contract, which was halted in 2017 after he sustained a broken ankle after a starting gate incident. He returned to New Zealand in October and wasted no time in getting on the board, recording five stakes wins to date this season, an all-... View the full article

Pencarrow Stud’s decision to bring a broodmare out of retirement has been spectacularly rewarded by the dual black-type winner Sleeping Beauty. The Rip Van Winkle six-year-old mastered the gruelling conditions for a dominant victory in Saturday’s Listed Ultimate Ford and Mazda Tauranga Classic (1400m), having also taken out the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) at her previous start. Sleeping Beauty is the tenth and final foal out of the Danehill mare Kailey Princess. “She was quite an old mare ... View the full article

Sacred Croix has Stewards' Cup and Derby in crosshairs View the full article

Dragon steers Nimble into new direction View the full article

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The newly approved legislation would allow the CHRB to immediately call an emergency meeting and take action, if it determines the health and safety of horses or riders is at risk, then review the suspension of the license within 10 calendar days. View the full article

The Saratoga Hilton’s 2018 “Breakfast with Santa” raised $8,185 to benefit ACTT Naturally, a local organization dedicated to transitioning retired Thoroughbreds into new careers. “The Saratoga Hilton is committed to supporting organizations doing good work within our local community and the greater Saratoga County,” the hotel’s general manager Thomas Olsen said. “Horse racing is such an integral part of our lifestyle here, and we are truly proud to contribute to the good work ACTT Naturally is doing to rehabilitate and rehome these prized racehorses.” The post Saratoga Hilton Donates More Than $8,000 in Support of Aftercare appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article