Wandering Eyes

Starting off Breeders’ Cup week in downtown Louisville, Ky. Monday was the second annual Equestricon horse racing convention. The first day of the event attracted horse racing fans and owners from all walks of life attending over 15 Monday panels taking place on the Breeders’ Cup stage on the Convention Floor and in rooms downstairs. For those who had time to spare between panels, rows of vendors took over the rest of the floor, from farms in Horse Country Row to a Breeders’ Cup merchandise booth and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Hub. If you had forgotten the racing industry was in the midst of Breeders’ Cup, walking around the Kentucky International Convention Center would bring you back to this week’s races. Breeders’ Cup signage could be seen around the block and walking into the Convention Floor and all four walls had a purple tint from the bulbs lining the ceiling. The Breeders’ Cup Stage provided the location for the convention’s first ever “Track Talks,” which kicked off with an aftercare panel titled “Leaders and Innovators In Aftercare, Presented by the TAA.” Moderated by the TAA’s Stacie Clark-Rogers, Old Friends Farm’s Michael Blowen kicked off proceedings with a talk that at times could have doubled as a comedy routine. “The day Silver Charm showed up at our farm, Dec. 1, 2014 is the greatest day of my life,” Blowen said. “I know you’re supposed to say the day you got married or the day your kids or your grandkids were born, but it’s not the truth.” Once the crowd was warmed up, the power of off-the-track Thoroughbreds was on full display through the stories shared by three people who had seen or felt the effect they’ve had first hand. The process former National Football League player Jeff Tow-Arnett had to go through to prove he was fit to adopt his horse Nowhere to Hide from the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center was challenging, but he credits it for helping to change his life. “Thoroughbred aftercare is a huge thing. It’s drastically changed my life. If you would have asked me four years ago if I’d be standing here, I would have told you you’re absolutely nuts. If you would have told me I’d go from one horse to now having 23 horses, I would have told you there’s no possible way but ‘Noah’ turned my life upside down.” Today, Tow-Arnett has a 60-acre property with his brother and girlfriend where they are growing a lesson program in Minnesota. Still in contact with the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center, Tow-Arnett’s operation is also looking at teaming up with the Center to create a “Maker’s Mark North” in the future. The most powerful speech of the day, however, came as the final talk in the aftercare Track Talk with war veteran James Stewart. Sharing the story of how an off-track Thoroughbred named “Budder” (registered as Three Lions) literally saved his life after years in the military had the crowd enthralled. Recounting how his mother-in-law told him about a program that could help him, Stewart was forced to stop a few times as his emotions caught up to him. Traveling to the program, he was assigned to Budder for his time there. Working with Budder in the round pen alone one day, the horse walking up to him was the change that he needed to start to heal from his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. “You turn your shoulder to the horse and if he wants to accept you, he comes up to your shoulder.” Stewart explained. “So I did it, I turned my shoulder to him and he approached. We were walking a figure eight, then I pretty much just stood there with him and cried. I had no idea what had gone on. I left a bunch of war baggage right there in the sand of that pen. He saved my life that day, because if it hadn’t worked, I probably would have gone home and committed suicide.” Following Stewart’s Track Talk was hard, but the next talk an hour later gave it a try with the “Innovative and Leading Women in Racing” talk, presented by the Thoroughbred Women’s Network. The session started with Claire Crosby sitting down beside Dell Hancock, one of the most recognizable women in racing. Hancock spent most of her time on the stage talking about the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. In a very informative talk, she explained how the Foundation chooses projects to help fund–including the process that goes into choosing which projects will play a bigger part in usable research–and how those who aren’t accepted also get feedback on how to improve. Hancock also gave examples of horses who have been helped by the research funded by Grayson, including champion Lady Eli and Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming. “I think if you take care of the horse, the horse will take care of you,” she said. “We wouldn’t be having this wonderful week right now and this great weekend of racing coming up if our horses weren’t healthy. At the end of the day, it takes a lot of work to keep them healthy and any help that we can give through research or rules or whatever it is, I think it’s our responsibility. If you love the horse, you’ve got to take care of it.” With four other women participating, there were many nuggets of wisdom not only for other women but anyone aspiring to get into the sport. But it was an oft-used saying repeated by Tanya Gunther of Glennwood Farms that stuck out the most. “‘Never quit something that you can’t spend a day not thinking about.’ For me that is the horses. I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t think about them and I feel very lucky for that,” she said at the end of her panel. Equestricon wrapped up the day with the Breeders’ Cup draw and a successful Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance auction. Tuesday’s panels kick off at 8:55 a.m. and run all day long on topics from handicapping to Thoroughbred aftercare and ownership, with more good stories and thought-provoking discussions still to come to wrap up this year’s edition of Equestricon. View the full article

Peters expects Nova Vocal to have a say this time View the full article

Azhar feels Clarton is back to Super form View the full article

Iskandar suspended for two days View the full article

Pike, Thompson to ride at Dester Singapore Gold Cup weekend View the full article

The figures might be dwarfed by the October Yearling Sale, but the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale proved no less international with the top lot from Monday’s opening session heading to Saudi Arabia for 335,000gns. Archetype (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) was the horse in question, an Arqana Breeze-Up purchase by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing for just €60,000 in May 2016. Now four, he had been productive in two seasons running in the care of Simon Crisford with five victories in total and a Listed third at Longchamp. His credentials for transfer to the Middle East had clearly been enhanced when he scored at conditions level on the Polytrack at Chelmsford earlier this month. “We liked him all the way round,” said a smiling Saad Bin Misref, representing Archetype’s new connections. “He’s a very nice looking, sound horse who will suit our distance and our surface. We were looking for a horse who acted over a mile to a mile and a quarter and hopefully we will do well with him. He’ll go to Saudi Arabia in two weeks.” Agent Ted Voute, sitting with the Saudi contingent just to the left of the rostrum and the signer of the docket for lot 276, elaborated that the colt would be joining the Red Stable fleet of HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled, who won last year’s G3 Jersey S. at Royal Ascot with the Andre Fabre-trained Le Brivido (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). “The owner has done well from this sale in the past,” he said. “Jorvick (Mizzen Mast), a Juddmonte horse, won the Ministry Of Finance Cup in Saudi Arabia at the weekend and Barefoot Dancer (GB) (Dansili {GB}) has won the King’s Cup. I would imagine those big races will be the target.” Out of 307 lots offered, 256 horses found new homes for a clearance rate of 84%. The gross was 5,588,600gns, while the average was 21,830gns (-17%) and the median was 10,000gns (-28%). During the first day of the 2017 sale, Elizabeth Browning (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) brought 700,000gns. Waller Heads Australian Interest Chris Waller has dominated the headlines in world racing over recent days through the exploits of the incomparable Winx (Aus) (Street Cry) and his influence even spread to the other side of the planet. The Sydney-based trainer’s bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster signed for what proved to be the second top lot (lot 248) as former Jamie Osborne inmate Mr Reckless (Ire) (Reckless Abandon {GB}) reached the comparatively giddy heights of 240,000gns. A half-brother to The Queen’s dual listed winner Set To Music (Ire) had scored twice himself this year, in minor handicaps at Wetherby and Windsor. “I’m very happy to be able to get him, he’s got form at around 10 furlongs and might stretch a little further. He’s exactly the sort of horse we are looking for,” Mulcaster explained. “The prize-money has gone up in Sydney and hopefully we’ll have some fun with him.” Waller had also snapped up lot 108, three-times winner Shuhood (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), for 60,000gns. There was a smattering of Antipodean interest throughout a session which produced eight six-figure lots. Jim Clarke, who has branched out as an agent on his own after an apprenticeship with Godolphin and James Harron Bloodstock, was active for another Australian-based Kiwi, trainer Trent Busuttin. They took charge of lot 292 Jack Regan (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), a three-time winner for Ian Williams, who had bought him for 22,000gns 12 months ago and scooped a major return when turning him over for 180,000gns. “Trent is a very good young trainer in Melbourne and hopefully he’ll do well with him,” Clarke said. Paul Moroney, whose brother Michael is another well-respected member of the Victorian training community, was positively thrilled to have picked up Buffalo River (Noble Mission {GB}) (lot 301) for the same price of 180,000gns. The agent had monitored the juvenile’s four runs for John Gosden, which had concluded with a decent recent novice win at Kempton. “He was third at Doncaster behind Royal Marine, who won a Group 1 in France, and the runner-up (Turgenev) ran in the Vertem Futurity Trophy. My reading of the races was that his form was really good,” Moroney said. “I actually saw him as a yearling in the US and he made my final list then. “He looks like a real Galileo to me and he’ll go back to Australia and just chill out for six months as he’s still quite babyish. Everyone’s trying to buy a Melbourne Cup horse but we think he’ll be a nice solid 10-furlong kind of horse.” Another winner for Gosden to be offered was Cheveley Park’s Whitlock (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) as lot 298, but he will remain at Clarehaven Stables under new ownership with a 200,000gns price tag. “He’ll have options on the Flat and maybe jumping further down the line and hopefully he’ll give his owners some fun,” said Will Douglass of Charlie Gordon-Watson Bloodstock. Red Baron Flying High Some good fortune from a particular sale will always encourage buyers to return and this has been the case with Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal. Jed Cohen’s California-based operation took River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) home this time last year and were rewarded when the Jeff Mullins-trained colt picked up prizes including the GIII La Jolla H. Cohen’s son Tim was attracted by Eagle Song (Ire) (lot 218), a son of star freshman No Nay Never, who had been placed by Joseph O’Brien to snare two handicaps at Dundalk within the last month. “We’ll see how he handles the firm ground, which I think he should,” said Tim Cohen, who expects to be clawing back some of his 160,000gns outlay soon. “In California you’re allowed to run in a first conditional allowance race if you haven’t earned over $10,000 in any one race. What’s nice about this horse is that he’ll get to run against horses that have just broken their maiden, obviously he’s a multiple winner and there’s a little advantage there. He’s been picking up recently and hopefully will develop into a 3-year-old.” Cohen said he would work out which of their handful of trainers would be the recipient of Eagle Song once the sale was over. “Of the horses we bought last year, they’ve done the spectrum. River Boy has done phenomenally well but Eldritch (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) has been a bit of a disappointment. But it’s a good place to buy and we keep coming back.” Kirk Following Well-trodden Path Harold Kirk has made some astute dual-purpose purchases for Willie Mullins’ pre-eminent Irish stable at this sale and he views the strapping-looking dappled grey M C Muldoon (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) (lot 243) in a similar mould. The lightly-raced 3-year-old, who changed hands for 100,000gns, had made a bright start for Peter Chapple-Hyam this season, breaking his duck on debut at Nottingham and taking runner-up in listed company at Longchamp only for his form to tail off. “It’s been a lucky sale for me,” the agent explained. “I bought Low Sun (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) here, who won the Cesarewitch, and also Stratum (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who won a big handicap at Newbury for Tony Bloom. He’s a gorgeous horse who is bred to stay. He’ll go jumping first and then go back on the Flat.” Rebel Racing Supporting Rajasinghe Buyers seemed keener to enjoy the shafts of autumn sunlight than enter the ring during a sleepy morning, with the arrival of lot 91 providing the only serious excitement early in the sale. Rebel Surge (Ire) (Kodiak {GB}), an admirably consistent mare, had put herself in the shop window a fortnight ago by taking third in the Listed Boadicea S. just down the road on the Rowley Mile. She attracted interest from Matt Coleman, among others, before being knocked down to Bobby O’Ryan for 72,000gns. O’Ryan is involved in the set-up with Rebel Surge’s connections, Phil Cunningham’s Rebel Racing and trainer Richard Spencer, and is keen to espouse the virtues of their retired stable star Rajasinghe (Ire) (Choisir {Ire}), who is standing at the National Stud. “She’s been bought and she’s booked for Rajasinghe,” O’Ryan explained. “She has got some black-type and hopefully she might get some more as we might put her back in training.” Cook on His Travels Visitors from every continent, perhaps barring Antarctica, seemed to be sticking their hands up at one point or other but no horse might be heading to a more unusual destination than lot 207, James Cook (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The colt would have begun his racing career with a not unrealistic expectation of becoming a potentially significant Coolmore stallion, given that he is a full-brother to Found (Ire), the 2016 G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe S. heroine. Although he beat the subsequent G1 Irish Derby S. winner Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in a Leopardstown maiden and was ridden by Ryan Moore in two Derby trials, he was essentially not within touching distance of that marvellous filly on the track in seven starts for Aidan O’Brien. However his genes are still coveted and Andriy Ostapchuk, the Ukraine-born agent who worked for Coolmore before setting up Imperial Bloodstock, was prepared to go to 42,000gns for him. “He has been bought as a potential stallion prospect by an existing client in Uzbekistan,” he said before explaining a little more about one of the lesser-known racing jurisdictions. “Obviously he has got the breeding and he was ok racing, he was rated 97. I came here looking for a horse like this and maybe a few mares. I was in Uzbekistan earlier in the year and they are improving the racing over there–there’s only one track but they are redeveloping it.” The second of four days of this sale commences at 9:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday. View the full article

Trainer Jonathan Thomas shares insight on Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful Catholic Boy. Sponsored by Darby Dan Farm. View the full article

Grade I winner Collected (City Zip–Helena Bay {GB}, by Johannesburg) will begin his stallion career at Airdrie Stud for the 2019 breeding season, the farm announced Monday. Bred in Kentucky by Runnymede Farm Inc. and Peter J. Callahan and raced in the silks of Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner’s Speedway Stable LLC, the Bob Baffert trainee was an Eclipse Award finalist for Champion Older Male in 2017, a season highlighted by his victory over champion stablemate (Unbridled’s Song) in the GI Pacific Classic and second-place finish to Horse of the Year Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. A five-time graded stakes winner, Collected’s current earnings stand at $2,975,500. Bought by Marette Farrell for $170,000 as a 2-year-old at OBS March, the chestnut won four of his first six starts and, after almost a year on the sidelines, returned with four consecutive victories to begin his 4-year-old season, including a 14-length tour de force in the GIII Precionist S. and his Pacific Classic triumph. He most recently ran fourth in the Pennsylvania Derby Champion S. Sept. 22 at Parx. “It’s a very proud day for Airdrie Stud to be able to announce Collected as our newest stallion,” said Airdrie owner Brereton Jones. “One of the smallest bullseyes to hit in our business is to find a young stallion that both fills the eye of the commercial breeder while also boasting the resume of a genuine leading sire prospect. Collected is that horse. He’s a beautiful, masculine, correct Marette Farrell purchase, he was a debut winner at two going 6 1/2 furlongs and he trained on to beat the best horses in the world at the classic mile-and-a-quarter distance. We couldn’t be more grateful to Peter Fluor and K. C. Weiner and their families for allowing us to stand their great horse or more excited about the exceptional partnership we’ve put together to support Collected at stud.” “Collected has been an absolute dream horse for our Speedway Stable family,” Fluor and Weiner added in a joint statement. “Our advisers Marette Farrell and John Adger identified him as a perfect Bob Baffert candidate when we bought him as a 2-year-old, and it would be very difficult for a plan to work out better. Because of our tremendous confidence that his next career will be every bit as successful as his first, we have elected to stay involved with Collected and to partner with the wonderful group that Airdrie has put together. We will be supporting the horse with several of the very nice fillies and mares we’ve raced and purchased over the last few years and look forward to doing our part to make him the great success we know he can be.” View the full article

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky–Fields for this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships took shape Monday at the Rood & Riddle Post Position Draw on the main stage at the second annual Equestricon, held this year in Louisville’s Kentucky International Convention Center. A total of 191 entrants (48 international) from a record 221 pre-entries remained in contention for the 14 Breeders’ Cup contests set to be held Friday and Saturday at Churchill Downs. Hronis Racing’s Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky), who enters the $6-million GI Breeders’ Cup Classic off a trio of Grade I victories out in Southern California, will break from the far-outside 14 post as he faces a full field (with two also eligibles) in the weekend’s main event. The Bob Baffert-trained duo of McKinzie (Street Sense, 6-1) and West Coast (Flatter, 5-1) drew next to each other in six and seven, respectively, while well-traveled Mind Your Biscuits (Posse), the all-time richest New York-bred, will attempt 10 panels for the first time from stall 11. Back-to-back G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) will look to become the first horse to win that prestigious event and the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf in the same season. The shortest price on any of Mike Battaglia’s morning lines at even-money, she’ll break from gate two–just outside of last year’s upset winner Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d’Oro). The $2-million GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff features a clash of the last two GI Kentucky Oaks heroines back over the same track and trip, as leading sophomore filly Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) takes on her elders for the first time, including 2017 champion 3-year-old filly and Distaff runner-up Abel Tasman (Quality Road). The former, drawn in slot 11, was set as the 2-1 favorite as Abel Tasman looks to bounce back from an uncharacteristically dull effort last out in the GI Zenyatta S. Back-to-back Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will run five in the $2-million GI Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf–the first time a conditioner has sent out five in a Breeders’ Cup race since D. Wayne Lukas did so when winning the 1988 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, also contested at Churchill Downs. For the first time, Friday’s Breeders’ Cup menu will feature all juvenile races–dubbed “Future Stars Friday”–including the inaugural running of the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. The $2-million GI Tito’s Handmade Vodka Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies was the only juvenile race not to draw an overflow field, but the high-quality group will be led by 2-1 morning line choice Bellafina (Quality Road), who breaks from the far-outside 10 hole. Unbeaten ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) was given the 8-5 morning line nod in the GI Sentient Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as he looks to provide Baffert with a fourth win in that event. View the full article

Already the queen of her regal barn, already a star on a global scale, Enable will now take aim at a barrier that has endured throughout Breeders' Cup's history when she attempts to become the first Arc winner to win the Turf in the same season. View the full article

While Expert Eye and Lightning Spear take to U.S. soil to renew their rivalry one last time before the latter heads to Tweenhills Stud, their female rivals could be coming into form at exactly the right time. View the full article

LOUISVILLE, Ky – With the iconic Twin Spires illuminated in Breeders’ Cup purple and the backstretch sky beginning to light up in stunning orange hues just before sunrise, the action began to pick up on a very brisk Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. at Churchill Downs. The Classic-bound Gunnevera (Dialed In) was the first to grab the eye with his blue reins and bridle as Breeders’ Cup runners began to flood the track during the reserved private training window. Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}), two lengths to the good of that popular aforementioned chestnut while successfully switching to dirt in come-from-behind fashion in Saratoga’s GI Woodward S. Sept 1, stole the show during the pre-dawn training hours, breezing four furlongs in a visually impressive :49 3/5 with Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott keeping close tabs aboard his stable pony. Two-time Canadian Classic winner and painful GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up ‘TDN Rising Star’ Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro was clearly in a playful mood as the mercury hovered in the low 40s, lunging and jumping multiple times down the lane and continuing on around the clubhouse turn. Two very talented youngsters in 19 1/2-length GII Pocahontas S. heroine Serengeti Empress (Alternation) and GI Darley Alcibiades S. victress and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Restless Rider (Distorted Humor) shared the racetrack ahead of their highly anticipated showdown in Friday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. All eyes were on the sensational dual G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) (Turf) as she had her ears up while taking in her new surroundings along with her John Gosden-trained stablemate and four-time Group 1 winner Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) (Classic). Both merely just stretched their legs in the one-mile chute before heading back to the barn area. It was the pair’s first trip to the track after clearing the regulatory 48 hours in quarantine. There were plenty of other notable European raiders out once the sun rose beneath cloudless skies, including: runaway G1 Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) (Classic); G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (Mile); and MG1SW Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) (Turf). The stunning, blaze-faced defending GI Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d’Oro) proved well worth the wait taking a spin over the grass course as the remaining media flocked to the rail just before 10 a.m. The unbeaten 2-year-old East (GB) (Frankel {GB) (JFT) also made a favorable impression strutting her stuff over the lawn, too. Other highlights from a busy Monday morning included a four-furlong breeze in :49 from Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) (Distaff) shortly after the main track opened for business at 5:45 a.m. with owner Jeff Bloom in attendance. View the full article

As the past two winners of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) head the deep field for this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), Churchill Downs serves as a most appropriate site for the showdown between Monomoy Girl and Abel Tasman. View the full article

Super filly Enable is aiming to become the first reigning Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner to capture the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) in the same season. View the full article

Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort on Saturday unexpectedly announced the suspension of live racing through Nov. 7. While officials at the West Virginia track did not state a reason for the sudden closure, a Hancock County Health Department (HCHD) official confirmed to TDN that her office received a number of health-related phone calls on Monday from racino employees that could potentially link health problems to alleged sanitary issues at Mountaineer. Daily Racing Form, which first broke the story, reported that the outbreak could be Legionnaire’s disease, “according to officials with knowledge of the situation.” Legionnaires’ disease is a severe, often lethal, form of pneumonia caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila. It is not spread by people, but generally through contact with contaminated water sources or by inhaling infected vapors or mists. Large public buildings like hotels are frequently sources of outbreaks, and whirlpools, spas, and hot tubs can also harbor the bacterium. “We’re in the process of working through questions and answers that we’re receiving. It’s an open investigation at this point,” said Jackie Huff, the HCHD administrator. When asked specifically if the HCHD’s investigation involves Legionnaires’ disease, Huff said, “It involves a lot of things. We have employees calling stating that, but we haven’t confirmed that. We just found out [Monday], so we’re kind of in the initial question-and-answer stages with people.” TDN‘s attempts to learn more from Mountaineer officials, the West Virginia Racing Commission, and the Mountaineer branch of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association all resulted in unreturned email and voicemail messages requesting comment prior to deadline for this story. Huff emphasized that the racetrack’s closure was not mandated by the county, and that even in her official capacity, she has had difficulty reaching Mountaineer officials via phone. “From [Mountaineer’s] executive office that I called I wasn’t really able to speak with anybody. But it was stated to me that they were doing a cleaning and safety review,” Huff said. Mountaineer’s Twitter feed posted this message Oct. 27: “While working on some improvements at our racetrack, we are temporarily suspending live racing from Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018 – Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Our casino, hotel, and restaurants will not be affected during this temporary closure. We apologize for any inconvenience.” Morning training at Mountaineer has not been halted. The HCHD website lists the results of some inspections at the Mountaineer property, and the most recent check of the jockeys’ room facilities lists three “non-critical” violations that were observed by an inspector on Oct. 16. They are: 1) “Men’s Steam Room: ceiling vent cover missing; lightshield dirty & taped to ceiling; missing wall tiles; walls moldy; wooden seats splitting & splintered.” 2) “Men’s Locker Room: Mold on ceilings of some showers; 1 broken ceiling tile.” 3) “Men’s Sauna: Baseboard fell off wall.” A follow-up HCHD visit, also on Oct. 16, reported this added note: “Hot tub: No chlorine at time of first visit. Returned at noon to check. Hot tub re-opened.” Huff, when asked if the HCHD’s just-started investigation could focus more closely on those violations, said, “I didn’t do the actual inspections, but yes, that would be looked at too” [as a potential source of any disease]. Herbie Rivera, a regional manager who represents Mountaineer riders on behalf of The Jockeys’ Guild, told TDN that earlier this year he had lodged a complaint with track management regarding the condition of the jockeys’ room facilities. “A couple months ago we were having trouble with the hot box and the sauna. I went in there, and I was concerned with cleaning issues and some kind of mold building up in there. It was nasty,” Rivera said. “I’m not an expert, but you can tell that is was dirty and that it was not maintained with the consistency that it is supposed to be. We brought it to management’s attention and we complained about it. They said they were going to take care of it.” But Rivera said the issue lingered, and it was only last week that he finally received a follow-up email to his complaints. He said the gist of the message was that track officials had been held up waiting on permission for funding to fix the problems. “So we were dealing with that, and then these other issues [came up over the weekend],” Rivera said. “I only know as much as anybody else with what came out [about the closure on social media]. I got a text saying it was something with vents in the jocks’ room, but I’m not sure. Right now I don’t know of any riders who are sick, but I told our guys there to make sure that they check themselves and if they feel bad to go see a doctor.” View the full article

Roy H and Imperial Hint will hook up again in back-to-back editions of the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), setting up a classic West versus East showdown in neutral territory at Churchill Downs. View the full article

In Sistercharlie (IRE), Peter Brant owns the leading North American-based hopeful for the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T). View the full article

While Expert Eye and Lightning Spear take to U.S. soil to renew their rivalry one last time before the latter heads to Tweenhills Stud, their female rivals could be coming into form at exactly the right time. View the full article

Undefeated Game Winner will try to secure a divisional championship in the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs. View the full article

With an entrapped epiglottis knocking out Dream Tree, three-time graded stakes winner Marley's Freedom became the morning-line favorite. View the full article

Rockingham Ranch color-bearers Stormy Liberal and Richard's Boy, the top two finishers in the 2017 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), will again face off in the 2018 edition of the grassy dash, but the conditions will be significantly different. View the full article

Hronis Racing's Catalina Cruiser will make his first appearance at Churchill Downs in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and try to keep his unblemished record intact. View the full article

MG1SW Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper–Highphar {Fr}, by Highest Honor {Fr}) will stand at Haras du Quesnay in 2019, the stud announced via Twitter on Monday morning. A homebred for Sarl Darpat France, the Carlos Laffon-Parias trainee will stand for €8,000. A winner of the G2 Prix Greffulhe and G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange as a sophomore, the bay also placed third in the G1 QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club. Kept in training this year, Recoletos was first past the post in the G2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud in May, and added the G1 Prix d’Ispahan in good style at ParisLongchamp at the end of the month. Only 2 1/2 lengths behind MG1SW Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in the G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois two starts later, the 4-year-old padded his resume with a win in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp on Sept. 9. The proven miler’s record stands at 14-7-1-1 with $1,299,755 in earnings. Recoletos is a half-brother to MGSW Castellar (Fr) (American Post {GB}) and his second dam, Pharatta (Ire) (Fairy King), scored in both the GII Garden City Breeders’ Cup H. Stateside and the G3 Prix de Sandringham. Under the fourth dam is dual Derby hero Shahrastani (Nijinsky II). View the full article

The last time the Breeders' Cup World Championships were held at Churchill Downs, Bill Mott took the apple cart for the event's signature race and planted it right on its side with a WinStar-owned runner. View the full article

It would be hard to envision a better beginning to a turf filly's career than the way Klaravich Stables' Newspaperofrecord has performed in her first two starts. View the full article