Wandering Eyes

4th-BEL, $80k, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 4:38pm EST Stonestreet Stables will unveil a daughter out of top broodmare Dream Rush (Wild Rush) when SOPHIA REI (Curlin) enters the starting gate Thursday. The sophomore filly readied for her debut with a June 7 bullet half-mile in :47 4/5 (1/59) at Belmont. A multiple Grade I winner herself, Dream Rush begat the Grade I winner and ‘TDN Rising Star’ filly Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy) and Dream Pauline (Tapit), a ‘TDN Rising Star’ and the victress in this year’s GIII Fasig-Tipton Hurricane Bertie S. Trainer Chad Brown’s Passive Investing (Tiznow) hails from a barn that’s been winning at an outstanding 33% clip for the Belmont spring meet through last weekend’s Stakes Festival. Klaravich Stables signed the ticket for $275,000 at the Keeneland September Sale for this filly, who’s third dam is none other than the super race mare and producer, Personal Ensign (Private Account). The post June 13 Insights: Daughter of Elite Mare Dream Rush Set for Belmont Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

LEXINGTON, K.Y.–Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway) has all the qualities a breeder could ever hope for in a broodmare. The D. Wayne Lukas pupil was an Eclipse award winner, Breeders’ Cup victress and earner of just under $1.7 million on the racetrack. Additionally, she was a $6 million Keeneland November Sale’s topper, is by a top broodmare sire in Giant’s Causeway and has a pedigree most could only dream of being out of a daughter of blue hen Take Charge Lady. While Take Charge Brandi’s first offspring just turned two this year and has yet to hit the racetrack, she has already proven her worth in the breeding shed, producing three exceptional colts, one by Curlin and two by Tapit. “This mare, you know, she was a tough racemare as well,” said Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm manager John Rasmussen, standing beside the paddock that housed the chestnut mare and colt. “She has done everything right as far as being a broodmare here. The third foal is a really strong, powerful horse we have here. The first foal was a good Curlin and he sold well, but this foal here and the one she had last year, they seem to have a lot more leg and a lot more scope. We are really pleased.” “We’re, I wouldn’t say complaining, because we’ve had great foals out of the mare, but we’ve had three colts in a row, so let’s hope that we have a filly,” said Hill ‘n’ Dale President John Sikura. “She is in foal to Justify, so that is a great bit of news.” Take Charge Brandi is a daughter of the lightly raced Seeking the Gold mare Charming, who is also responsible for this year’s early GI Kentucky Derby favorite and GI Arkansas Derby hero Omaha Beach (War Front). Out of top class racemare Take Charge Lady, Charming is a half-sister to champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled’s Song) and GISW Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy). {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"Take Charge Brandi","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/341665156.sd.mp4?s=c4862902616d6db6a73b707035885cc5bc675872&profile_id=165","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/340719217.sd.mp4?s=faa9e17b04e4a93d7804b881eaec90dd04365bd0&profile_id=165","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} “It is a fantastic pedigree, adding even more currency with Omaha Beach being one of the leading 3-year-olds this year,” Sikura said. “I think Charming is probably the early favorite for broodmare of the year this year with a champion and a Grade I winner. Her dam, Take Charge Lady, was a broodmare of the year, so that is about as good of a bloodline as you can find in North America, extremely influential. She produces sires. It has been a great family.” Take Charge Brandi looks to continue that family legacy with her colts. Her aforementioned juvenile, named Take Charge Curlin (Curlin), summoned $850,000 from John Oxley at last term’s Keeneland September Sale and is currently in training with two-time Classic winner Mark Casse. Sikura said both the 2018 and 2019 Tapit colts would be sold as well. “He will be sold, this Tapit colt as well as her yearling, but we’re undecided how and when we will sell the horse,” Sikura said. “As we evolve and develop in our business, some opportunities to retain interest in a colt of syndicate colt are things we are open to. Stallion prospects are very expensive, very illusive and hard to get your hands on. A big part of our business if certainly standing stallions, so if they could be created from within and you’re involved from the beginning, that is a good opportunity as well.” Rasmussen has raised all three colts and said he sees some similarities between them. “They tend to look a bit like her and they have the fire in the belly, just like she did when she was a racehorse,” said Rasmussen. “They are very athletic-looking horses. They are strong and powerful and they have the drive to go places and be competitive. I think those are traits that you have to have to have a successful racehorse.” The post ‘Brandi’ Has It All appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

G1 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) has been removed from consideration for the G1 St James’s Palace S. and will likely instead target the G1 Sussex S. on July 31, according to Racing Post. Trainer Aidan O’Brien told that publication that the bay hasn’t recovered sufficiently from a torn hamstring. “Magna Grecia is nearly 100% but he won’t be back in work until next Monday so we just ran out of time with regard to Royal Ascot,” he said. “It took a bit more time than we thought but he is recovering well. The Sussex at Goodwood would [look] like an ideal race to target him at now, but we will see how Monday goes and take it from there.” Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), meanwhile, was supplemented for the St James’s Palace for the same Magnier/Tabor/Smith/Flaxman Stables ownership group. “We thought it was worthwhile to supplement Circus Maximus for the St James’s Palace S. as he has been in great form since the Derby,” O’Brien told Racing Post. “When you look back on his form from last year over a mile, he wasn’t too far off the best of them at Doncaster in the autumn so we think he should be fine over a mile. We felt it was the right thing to do and, as I said, he seems in great form.” The post Magna Grecia To Miss Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Charlie Appleby has reported that jockey James Doyle, who is deputizing for the sidelined William Buick, will ride last year’s returning Derby hero Masar (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) whether the 4-year-old runs in the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. or the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot, with that decision to be made within the next 48 hours. Should Masar go in the Prince of Wales’s, that would mean a new rider would be required for Sea of Class (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) as Doyle honours his Godolphin retainer. “Wherever Masar runs James Doyle will ride, whether that is the Prince of Wales’s or the Hardwicke,” said Appleby. “James will be riding all the first-choice horses and star performers like Masar, Cross Counter and Blue Point and he is looking forward to the rides on them.” Doyle will be backed up at the Royal meeting by Kerrin McEvoy, who has ridden many Group 1 winners for Sheikh Mohammed Down Under. “Kerrin McEvoy will be coming over to pick up the second mounts,” Appleby confirmed. “We are delighted to have him on board, as we have had a good association through the years. Hopefully he will stay over until the July meeting at Newmarket.” Of the decision on which race to target with Masar, Appleby said, “I will speak to Sheikh Mohammed and we will make what we think is the right call for the horse for his start at Ascot. Dropping back to 10 furlongs [for the Prince of Wales’s] doesn’t worry me, as I said on Saturday, as he has won the Craven and we were going to come back to 10 furlongs after the Derby, when unfortunately he met with a setback when favourite for the Eclipse. We have just got to make sure we make the right decision for his first start after a long lay-off.” The post Doyle To Stick With Masar 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 will host National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee and legendary New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera at Saratoga Race Course Friday, July 12 as part of Opening Weekend festivities for the 2019 summer meet. The special visit to Saratoga Race Course comes one week before Rivera heads to Cooperstown where he will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the first unanimous selection in history. NYRA will honor Rivera with a ceremony in the winner’s circle in recognition of the all-time Major League Baseball saves leader. “We are thrilled to welcome Mariano Rivera to Saratoga Race Course for what is sure to be an exciting and memorable day for sports fans. Mariano is truly one of the most beloved and respected players of all time and his visit will only further enhance the festivities surrounding Opening Weekend,” said NYRA CEO & President Dave O’Rourke. “We encourage racing and baseball fans to join us as we congratulate Mo on his unparalleled accomplishments and give him a rousing send off to Cooperstown for his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.” The post NYRA to Honor Mariano Rivera at Saratoga Ahead of Hall of Fame Induction appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Woodbine Entertainment recently opened a brand-new event venue located trackside at its Toronto racetrack. The Trackside Clubhouse is a retrofitted stable that is situated on the infield of the E.P. Taylor Turf Course. “This is an amazing new, flexible event space that has the best patio in the city of Toronto,” said Carmen Day, Vice President of Sales, Events and Guest Experiences for Woodbine Entertainment. “If you are looking for a unique and memorable venue to host clients, employees, customers, or friends and family, the Trackside Clubhouse is perfect.” The 6,000 square foot patio sits adjacent to the Tapeta synthetic dirt racetrack putting fans close to the action of the track’s live racing. The Trackside Clubhouse can be rented for various purposes including weddings, parties, product launches, conferences and corporate events. The post Woodbine Opens New Trackside Clubhouse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association will support the passage of the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act (H.R. 961) that would prevent the horse slaughter industry from reestablishing operations in the United States and prohibit the export of American horses abroad for slaughter. The action was taken at the regularly scheduled meeting of the NTRA Board of Directors held in New York June 6. “The slaughter of horses for human consumption is something the NTRA has opposed for many years,” said NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop. “In the last decade alone, thousands of retired U.S. racehorses have been adopted and transitioned to second careers. The development and growth of quality racehorse aftercare programs continue to be a high priority for the industry.” The post NTRA to Support Legislation to Ban Horse Slaughter in U.S. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Stonestreet Farms will be sponsoring the Stonestreet Giving Challenge to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Rachel Alexandra’s 3-year-old campaign, during which she went undefeated in eight starts and earned Eclipse Awards for Three-Year-Old Filly and Horse of the Year. Stonestreet is kicking off the challenge with a lead gift of $25,000 to Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation in Rachel Alexandra’s name. The farm will also host a Haskell celebration July 20, at which attendees can watch the Haskell Invitational with Rachel Alexandra at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, Ky., while enjoying Jackson Family Wines, appetizers, and plated desserts from Ouita Michel’s culinary team at Holly Hill Events. Tickets are available here for $100 each, and the event will be limited to 50 attendees. Fans who cannot attend the Haskell celebration will have the opportunity to participate in the Stonestreet Giving Challenge through an online auction the week of the Haskell that includes a signed Robert Clark print of Rachel Alexandra, a Rachel Alexandra halter, and goggles signed by Hall Of Fame jockey Calvin Borel, Rachel Alexandra’s regular rider. Donations can also be made in honor of Rachel Alexandra through the Grayson tribute program. More information about the charity auction and tribute program can be found here. “Like Stonestreet’s all-encompassing commitment to the Thoroughbred industry, Grayson is dedicated to supporting the health of all horses, and we are happy to support the foundation’s work through this challenge while also celebrating the career of our champion Rachel Alexandra,” said Barbara Banke, owner of Stonestreet Farms. “Stonestreet’s generosity will enable Grayson to continue to fund meaningful research to help all horses, and we appreciate their sponsorship of the Stonestreet Giving Challenge as well as their hosting a Haskell celebration with Rachel Alexandra that will benefit the foundation,” said Dell Hancock, chairman of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. The post Stonestreet to Sponsor Giving Challenge in Honor of Rachel Alexandra appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The saying “every dog has its day” can also be applicable to horses and Fame And Fortune certainly enjoyed his at Sha Tin on Wednesday night.The rare all-dirt cards are the least inspiring of any Hong Kong meeting – most of the horses involved have an issue (be it physical, mental or emotional) and are not going to live up to any great heights – while the atmosphere is lacking in comparison to normal with thin crowds occupying the large grandstands.But on a night when some still had an eye on… View the full article

John McEvoy, the former editor of the Daily Racing Form, poet, and horse racing mystery author died June 10 in Evanston Hospital. He was 83. View the full article

Cheval Grand (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}), the 2017 G1 Japan Cup winner and most recently runner-up to Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on Mar. 30, is targeting the July 27 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot. Cheval Grand will try to improve upon the performance of his sire Heart’s Cry, who was third in Britain’s midsummer showpiece, in 2006, and Cheval Grand’s trainer Yasuo Tomomichi said he recently had a call with Heart’s Cry’s trainer Kojiro Hashiguchi. “It is a great honour for me to send a runner for such a prestigious race at Ascot and I am very excited,” said Tomomichi. “Cheval Grand’s sire Heart’s Cry ran very bravely in the King George in 2006, finishing third behind Hurricane Run and Electrocutionist. In fact, I recently had a call from Kojiro Hashiguchi, the trainer of Heart’s Cry who stopped training two years ago, and he has given me some useful advice. I would like to win the King George for Japan.” Cheval Grand could face horses like Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Sea of Class (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the King George. The post Cheval Grand Targeting King George appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

World of Trouble (Kantharos-Meets Expectations, by Valid Expectations) will stand alongside his sire at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms upon the conclusion of his racing career. The 4-year-old World of Trouble is unbeaten in four starts in 2019, including the seven-furlong GI Carter H. over the dirt on Apr. 6 and the GI Jaipur H. going six furlongs on the turf at Belmont Park last weekend. A press release from Hill ‘n’ Dale, ownership group Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables, and BSW Bloodstock, which represented both buyer and seller in the stallion deal, indicated that World of Trouble will race on next year at five before going to stud in 2021. Dubb, managing partner of World of Trouble, said, “My partners and I are excited World of Trouble will stand stud at such a world-class facility as Hill ‘n’ Dale. He is the fastest horse I have ever owned, by far, and we will look forward to continuing to run him in the best sprint races America has to offer. We are equally excited to support him at stud, and will start to assemble mares for the 2021 breeding season.” John Sikura, President of Hill ‘n’ Dale, said, “To watch World of Trouble run is to see effortless brilliant speed on both dirt and turf at the highest levels of racing. He is so unique as a Grade I winner on both surfaces and is by Kantharos, who is a rising star in the sire ranks. He has Seattle Slew, Blushing Groom and In Reality in his pedigree, so his entire pedigree page is replete with quality speed. World of Trouble is completely correct and medium in size so he is compatible with every type of mare. Brilliant, consistent and versatile are great requisites for a new sire.” Jason Servis, who has saddled World of Trouble for eight stakes victories, said, “I’m looking forward to training some of his offspring. If I had a mare, I’d want to breed to him with that speed.” The post World of Trouble To Hill ‘n’ Dale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Argentina’s four-day Copa Bullrich sale wound up on June 4 and 6 at Haras La Pasion and was highlighted by the sale of 41 Masterscraftsman (Ire) yearlings. That draft in its entirety was offered by Haras Firmamento, which shuttled the son of Danehill Dancer (Ire) from Coolmore for his first Southern Hemisphere season in 2016. Mastercraftsman will return to Firmamento for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season later this year, where he will stand alongside GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hit It A Bomb (War Front). Topping the sale of Mastercraftsman yearlings was a colt out of the Poliglote mare Willy Wells (lot 110) that was purchased by Hector Fiorucho for $57,000. Two others broke the $50,000 mark: lot 106, a colt out of the listed-placed Curiosa Glory (Honour and Glory) bought by Garcia Romero for $55,000; and lot 86, a colt who is a half-brother to three stakes-placed horses who was picked up by De Galera for $52,000. The post Bullrich Ends With Mastercraftsman Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Jason Servis remains uncertain about Maximum Security's status for the TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth despite galloping the disqualified Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner and receiving negative blood test results. View the full article

Is it really possible that, in 2019, some are still questioning the value of sectional times? Yes, apparently. The latest foray in the decades long debate coming from former Racing Post editor and current contributor Bruce Millington, who suggested that sectional times are not “useful.” The view is surely shared by some in the “let’s use anecdotes to define performance” camp who trot out the rolled-eyes emoji when one of the several prominent sectional-loving analysts in the UK–James Willoughby and Simon Rowlands just to name two–spread the wisdom about the value of timing. Now, it’s not as if these two analysts are exactly ahead of the curve globally, but they sure are in their own country, and the longer the UK goes without full sectional timing of all race meetings, the less approachable their racing will be to anyone who appreciates modern analytics as a way to inform a betting opinion. The archives of the Daily Racing Form, available via the Keeneland Library and in partnership with the University of Kentucky, are replete with a history of sectional times in American racing, dating back into the late 1800s. A September 1918 story recalled what was then the record-setting performance of Roseben over seven furlongs at Belmont Park. “When the famous Roseben established the American record of 1:22 for seven-eighths of a mile in 1906, the odds of 1 to 80 were laid against him to beat Beauclere…The fractional time of the race gives some idea of the wonderful speed of Roseben. It was as follows: 12, 23 4/5, 35 1/5, 46 4/5, 1:10 2/5, 1:22.” In June 1920, once Man o’ War emerged as a powerful force, his performance was compared to Roseben given the times each recorded while acknowledging the ease in which Man o’ War recorded it. Now, the geography of American tracks has long made it easier to record sectionals. You can almost always see the horses on an American track compared to some of the wildly undulating, expansive courses across the U.K. But technology has rendered that luxury unnecessary. Time does matter. And it has throughout the history of the sport–whether or not someone had a watch on the race. Time puts performance into measurable perspective. Conditions vary–going, rail placement, wind speed, wind direction, etc. Any jurisdiction that wants to persist without sectional timing as an absolutely necessary ingredient in the sport is akin to favoring a steam locomotive over a bullet train. Perhaps that’s the point, though? Are bookmakers interested in keeping punters in the dark for as long as possible? Is that good for business? When posed the question on Twitter, Rowlands offered this take. “I think bookies are a bit suspicious of them [sectionals] for that reason, but the main blocker here has been the media, not least the Racing Post, which either has to admit it has been short-changing its readers for ages or carry on in denial. That’s looking 8.0 vs 1.10 currently.” How sad. Progress and modernization eschewed for continuing a long-held, and bad, opinion. Now, there are plenty of errors in sectional timing. In a modern sense–a bad tracking device, wireless interference or any number of other anomalies can occur. In an antiquated sense, a hand-time can be wildly mistaken too. The more timing data you have, the easier it is to identify where errors exist. American race-timing is sullied by the presence of “run-up,” an untimed-portion of the race between the starting gate and the position on the track that is actually the “race distance,” often the place where timing poles are placed to begin timing. On dirt, run-ups are fairly consistent and can be measured more accurately. On turf, it’s a bit of a roving nightmare. If you want to learn more about run-ups, I offered this detailed assessment several years ago (and for full disclosure, I spent four years as Director of Racing Information for race-tracking and technology firm Trakus). On balance, our sport is far better with more data. The betting public is accustomed to sorting their own data or having it provided in neat snippets by broadcasters or other media. American-based punter Dan Ciotoli chimed in on the conversation. Ciotoli recently shifted the majority of his play to the commingled pools of Hong Kong, attracted by the transparency the jurisdiction offers, the liquidity in its pools and the value of its data. “I am obsessed with the sectional times in Hong Kong,” he said. “One of Hong Kong racing’s greatest appeals is accurately timed races. My attitude on this is fairly libertarian. I want as much data and information as possible. Let me, the bettor, sort out what I think is or is not valuable. In today’s world, the jurisdiction that informs me most, and in the most efficient manner, will attract my money. It’s that simple.” There are plenty of companies that have proven an ability to record sectionals–either of the leader or of all horses via tracking technology. There is, without question, a cost. In a 2012 segment on At The Races (available here via YouTube) Willoughby offered the following: “The simple information of how fast or slow horses run compared to a benchmark for the course and distance is fundamental to appreciating not just racehorse merit, but pace as well.” In our data-driven world, analytics are key to attracting betting, and more of it, on racing. The lack of a publication which shows the exact method by which sectional times predict who will win which race does not, on its own, suggest the practice is without merit. Royal Ascot will garner the attention of the world next week, and while sectional times have graced the five-day feature for some time, a more robust presentation would be welcomed. Beginning with this Royal meeting, Hong Kong will host a global tote on the 30-race stand, the first of its kind. Traditionally, the Hong Kong-based simulcasts of Royal Ascot have held at least US$15 million a day, when only offered to Hong Kong’s punters. Expect more this year. And with that, comes the added responsibility to meet worldwide punters with data a modern sport should offer. The sooner the UK (and Ireland) come on board with sectional timing of all races (yes, even jumps racing), the better. The antiquated opinions of media, or the business-minded naysayers amongst bookmakers, must be fought with fact. It’s about time. Feedback? Reach Pat Cummings on Twitter at @PatCummingsTIF or email garyking@thetdn.com. The post Op/Ed: It’s About Time appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“I behaved appallingly,” Gaie Johnson Houghton declares happily. “So terribly over-emotional!” Nobody begrudged her, of course. She had not only bred a Group 1 winner, and his first four dams, but also the trainer. Moreover she had bought in the horse as a yearling, at a reserve of just 8,000gns, and named him after the war memoir of her father John Goldsmith, who had been dropped behind the lines with the S.O.E. And here was Accidental Agent (GB) (Delegator {GB}), a 33-1 shot beating a field expensively assembled by sheikhs and magnates for the Queen Anne S., opening race of Royal Ascot. Now, high on the Oxfordshire Downs, the champion of Woodway is limbering up for the defence of the same prize on Tuesday. Johnson Houghton’s husband Fulke once trained one of the most powerful strings in the land on these gallops, before handing over to their daughter Eve in 2007. And that, ultimately, was what made his success last year so lachrymose: the sense that Eve had both spurred and embodied its rejuvenation. “Things hadn’t been so good for a while,” her mother recalls. “We’d been hit by a lot of different things. The Aga Khan had left. That was his prerogative, of course, and he was very reasonable: didn’t take any horses away, just told us he wasn’t going to send any more yearlings. But still, pretty devastating. And then, when Dolly de Rothschild died, Serena took her horses elsewhere. Between them, you’re looking at 40 horses gone. “And where we used to have one owner for 10 horses, now Eve will have 10 owners for one horse. They do a wonderful job in the office: the owners are constantly being sent videos, photos, emails. Of course it’s much harder with labour now, too. It was one lad to two horses then, now it’ll be four or five. But nothing ever stays the same, everything evolves–and if it doesn’t, it stagnates. Eve became her own trainer very quickly. Fulke was very good, too, in that he let her get on with it. You don’t always see that. But then Eve is a strong character. She works very, very hard, she’s just passionate about it. And she has real charisma with the horses.” Eve posted some breakout numbers in 2017, but there was an extra symbolism about Accidental Agent’s success. He represented not just regeneration, but also continuity. Because Gaie Johnson Houghton had cultivated his family all the way back to his fifth dam, a French mare named Sirnelta by the regally bred Round Table stallion Sir Tor (whose dam, Never Too Late, had won the 1000 Guineas and Oaks). Tracing to the foundation mare Plucky Liege, Sirnalta was imported to help kick-start the stud career of Hot Grove (GB), who was trained at Woodway for Lord Leverhulme and had run The Minstrel so close in the 1977 Derby. Disheartened by his young stallion’s premature death, however, Leverhulme soon discarded the mare. As such, Johnson Houghton confesses, Accidental Agent is actually the work of rather an accidental breeder. “We did sort of fall into it,” she says. “When Philip [Leverhulme] decided he didn’t want her any more, Fulke was rather angry and said: ‘If I had anywhere to keep her, I’d buy this mare.’ So I said: ‘I’ll find you somewhere.’ And the wonderful Charlie Frank, who was our vet for years, looked after her for a while until we decided she should come and take her chances in our rather ropey field. And that’s how it happened.” In 1986, the Johnson Houghtons sent Sirnelta to Absalom. The resulting filly, Dead Certain (GB), won the G1 Cheveley Park S. for David Elsworth. “She was an absolute superstar,” Johnson Houghton recalls. “We sold her for five grand as a foal, but weren’t we lucky with who trained her!” Deprived of Hot Grove, Sirnelta was also sent on more than one occasion to his sire Hotfoot–and one of their foals was named Shall We Run (GB). “She looked as though she had some ability, and should have won first time out,” her breeder recalls. “But she chipped a bone in her hock and so she soon went off to have babies. Who were startlingly moderate, to start with.” The big exception was Bannister (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), who won the G2 Gimcrack S. for Richard Hannon, but another decent performer was Roo (GB) (Rudimentary), who won first time out from Woodway after failing to find a buyer. “But I did end up selling her, because she wasn’t very nice in the field,” Johnson Houghton says. “I’m not very quick on my feet, and she’d come at me teeth bared. And then she’d turn round and give you a double barrel. So she had to go to a proper stud where she’d be properly looked after, not treated like a pony. They’ve all got their quirks, in this family, they’re quite sharp. But not nasty. And Roo was in danger of being nasty.” Before her departure, however, Roo had produced a filly by Bannister’s sire Inchinor. Named Roodeye (GB), she looked so nice that–unusually enough–she wasn’t even offered at the sales. Sure enough, she won a couple of times and got herself some black-type, and the page was further decorated when her half-brother Gallagher (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) finished second in the G1 Prix Morny for Brian Meehan. And Roodeye has since proved a significant producer. Johnson Houghton cottoned onto Showcasing (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) early, and repeatedly sent Roodeye his way while still an affordable option. That produced Prize Exhibit (GB), fourth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf for Jamie Osborne before staying in the U.S. to become a multiple graded stakes winner; and then her brother, who was sold to Shadwell for 110,000gns out of Book 2 in 2017 and, as Mohaather (GB), won the G3 Greenham S. for Marcus Tregoning this spring. Before those two had emerged, their half-sister Roodle (GB) had been offered at the Tattersalls December Sale with a couple of wins to her name. She was bought in for 14,000gns–and thank goodness. Because her first foal is Accidental Agent. The crucial mating of Roodle and Delegator was itself somewhat accidental. “I was off to Bated Breath (GB),” Johnson Houghton recalls. “I thought they’d all want a first-season sire, and Juddmonte do start them at a very reasonable fee. But I was told he was full. So then I looked at Delegator, as another Dansili, and thought he’d be all right: they’d kept him training rather a long time, but he’d met an absolute wonder horse [when second in the 2000 Guineas] in Sea The Stars.” As usual, Roodle’s colt was sent to Tracy and Charlie Vigors for his sales prep. What is equally usual in this family, however, is for him to have been going through an unhelpful stage in his development. “I can see why he didn’t sell,” Johnson Houghton admits. “He was a gangly youth, very tall and on the leg. They usually look at their most ordinary at sale time, regardless of what Charlie and Tracy can do. But we always loved him, and Eve did too when he came home.” He shaped so well, in fact, that he was dignified with a name prompted by a lady overheard in the bar at Kempton one wet evening, saying that she was going to register John Goldsmith for a horse after reading his remarkable story (which had been given the wider attention it deserved by Jamie Reid in “Blown”). Johnson Houghton interrupted to ask whether she had permission. “Awful, wasn’t it?” she says. “I’m not usually like that, but I explained I was his daughter. I rang Weatherbys next day. Really I wanted to give him Daddy’s code name, which was Valentin, but I thought the commentators would never have pronounced it properly. He’s the sort of horse my father would have loved. “We were thrilled with his comeback run [third in the G1 Lockinge S.]. He had some time off in the winter after they found a little chip, so he’d got very fat in the box. I’m not sure I believe in the bounce factor, but if he could just run well again, that would be magic. We did think he had a sporting chance last year. But to win was unbelievable.” Accidental Agent has come to mean more to Johnson Houghton even than the cherished Ile De Bourbon, who she rode all the time at home and who was partly owned by Fulke and his late mother. How does she account for the way this family has sporadically yielded such quality, while seeded only by inexpensive stallions? Accidental Agent’s page, indeed, has a nearly quaint English quality, above all through Shall We Run’s sire Hotfoot: largely a forgotten influence nowadays, but a conduit for diverse lines from the breed-shaping stud established by the 17th Earl of Derby. “It’s a miracle,” says Johnson Houghton, shrugging. “I don’t really know how I choose the stallions. I’ve got to have liked them as an individual, when I saw them racing. I’ve made some dreadful mistakes: gone to horses I shouldn’t, didn’t go to horses I should. I sold Roo’s sister, she was terribly slow but then bred [G1 Middle Park S. winner] Astaire (Ire) (Intense Focus). So they do crop up. Something good has come along every generation, from Dead Certain on. “I really don’t want to keep a mass of horses in training. I’ve four at the moment, far too many. And five mares. Must have a clear-out. It’s purely a hobby. It was only because Fulke was going to retire, and I wasn’t going to ride out forever, so I needed some kind of diversion. Retirement’s awfully dull. Luckily we’ve some fields here that aren’t let, though they go away to foal and then come back in foal.” Roodle, having delivered a Muhaarar foal in April, has since been covered by Showcasing. The fee has soared since Johnson Houghton first got aboard with the Whitsbury stallion, but both he and the mare have earned the upgrade. “Roodle missed the year after Accidental Agent, but her 3-year-old Madame Tantzy (GB) is a lovely filly,” Johnson Houghton says. “We didn’t ever send her to the sales, nobody would have given me a penny for a big weak Champs Elysees (GB) baby. But she won second time out and then we lost our heads and ran in the Fred Darling on not very nice ground. So we’re quietly back at the drawing board, but she’ll be all right. “Then I’ve a 2-year-old that didn’t sell, by Due Diligence. She was rather small and insignificant at the sales, but she’s very nice. We thought she might be Ascot–but not this year, she pulled a muscle.” So the wheel keeps turning. Wonderfully, moreover, Shall We Run was remained alive and well when her great-great-grandson won at Ascot. “She died in November, aged 29,” Johnson Houghton says. “So yes, having her still around made Ascot very special. I went out to the field and told them all. They didn’t seem to think it terribly interesting. But the old girl was wonderful, and just the most marvellous nanny to all the babies. She herself had 15 foals in 16 years. I didn’t realise how lucky I was, I thought that’s what mares did. I’ve had a bit of a rude awakening since. But they do give me enormous pleasure. I was offered a lot of money for Accidental Agent between two and three. Well, it sounded a lot to me. But I discussed it with Fulke and we decided that if he was any good, he ought to be here. I’m much too old to think I’ll ever have another horse like that.” The post Agent Aims To Repeat Happiest Of Accidents appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New Zealand Government has given approval for horses that have been in Conghua to be exported from Hong Kong to New Zealand on the same basis as other horses in the Hong Kong population. The new arrangement is effective immediately. Following an assessment by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) of the Conghua Equine Disease Free Zone (EDFZ) including the biosecurity systems of the Club’s Conghua Racecourse (CRC), the New Zealand Government has confirmed Conghua EDFZ in ma... View the full article

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Yogi will begin his winter campaign at Rosehill on Saturday when he contests the Listed Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill. The dual stakes-winning son of White Robe Lodge stallion Raise The Flag hasn’t been sighted on raceday since his unplaced performance in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) in April, but Maher is expecting a strong showing from his gelding on Saturday. "We've targeted this race for him and then he can roll into the two-mile race (Stayer's Cu... View the full article

Saturday’s Awapuni racemeeting marks 12 months since jumps jockey Aaron Kuru and steeplechaser Des De Jeu became the talk of the racing world and the duo will be reunited when they contest the L J Hooker Manawatu Steeplechase (4200m). The low-key rider became a media sensation after staging one of the most remarkable comebacks ever witnessed on a racecourse. Kuru and Des De Jeu fell at the first of 13 jumps to seemingly extinguish his prospects in a maiden steeplechase. But showing incredibl... View the full article

Group Two winner Seventh Up will make his raceday return on Saturday when he contests the Trigg Construction (1200m) at Ruakaka. The Shelley Hale-trained eight-year-old has been spelling since contesting all three legs of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival last year and Hale said she has taken a patient approach with the son of Shinko King. “There’s been no particular reason (for the eight month break),” Hale said. “I just wasn’t that happy with the way he was looking, so I decided to g... View the full article

Dates serve as makeup days for cards cancelled due to inclement weather in 2019. View the full article

Matamata trainer Lance O’Sullivan has a small winter team in work but is hoping classy mare Sleeping Beauty can add to her black-type portfolio over the coming months, with the potential to target a Group One early in the new season. The six-year-old daughter of Rip Van Winkle has won nine of her 22 starts, including her most recent start in the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) on May 11. Despite a gap between runs, O’Sullivan, who trains in partnership with Andrew Scott, is expecting a good sh... View the full article

When the Ocala Breeders' Sales June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale concludes June 14, the final hammer will officially mark the end of one of the strongest 2-year-old sales seasons in recent memory. View the full article

When the Ocala Breeder's Sales June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale concludes June 14, the final hammer with officially will mark the end of one of the strongest 2-year-old sales seasons in recent memory. View the full article

When Hog Creek Hustle rallied down Belmont Park's homestretch June 8 to win the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1), trainer Vickie Foley said the 3-year-old colt did exactly what she thought he was capable of. View the full article