Wandering Eyes

Early scratchings June 9 View the full article

Horses' body weights June 7 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings June 7 View the full article

Early scratchings June 7 View the full article

Igraine has proven to be an astute purchase for Brent and Cherry Taylor of Trelawney Stud. The Taylor’s purchased the Galileo mare as a broodmare proposition for 65,000 Guineas in England through bloodstock agent Paul Moroney and she has quickly added to her value under the care of Robert Priscott. Igraine has won four of her 11 starts for the Te Awamutu trainer, including the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) in November and she has also finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m) and Listed H... View the full article

Tony Pike believes he has found the recipe for three-year-old success in Queensland and he will begin to follow that formula at Eagle Farm on Saturday when Cyber Attack contests the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes (1200m). Pike’s dual Group One winner The Bostonian won the race last year before going on to win over 1350m at Doomben and then the Gr.3 Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m), and Cyber Attack is being set to follow the exact same path. The stakes-winning son of Shamexpress booked his ticket ... View the full article

First timer MARYANORGINGER (f, 2, Strong Mandate–Timetobegone, by Vindication)< looked to be in deep water after finding early trouble her rail draw in Thursday’s Astoria S., but she showed ample determination and talent to find a way to win, garnering her diploma, first black-type tally and the ‘TDN Rising Star’ distinction all at once. Backed at 3-1 with some buzz behind her as the lone first timer in this historic event, she stutter-stepped at the start, and found further trouble soon after that to get shuffled back to second last. The bay came alive heading for home while scraping paint, and tipped out for clear sailing into a :45.53 half. Perhaps idling slightly once she hit the front, she “skipped” on from there to deny race favorite Perfect Alibi (Sky Mesa)–who seemed to be checking out of it on the turn–by about 3/4 of a length in 1:03.94. Maryanorginger is the second black-type winner for young sire Strong Mandate (Tiznow). Sales history: $25,000 Wlg ’17 FTKNOV; $190,000 Ylg ’18 FTKJUL. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Gold Square LLC. B-C Kidder, N Cole & Linda Griggs (Ky). T-Jeremiah Englehart. The post Strong Mandate Firster Becomes Stakes Winner, Rising Star in Astoria appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

This weekend lacks the quality we have become accustomed to in recent weeks but nonetheless, there is some great action to look forward to. Willie sends over True Self for a first crack at Group success and the two-year-olds do battle at Beverley. Elsewhere Danzeno looks to back up a recent win and Safe Voyage […] The post Weekend Preview – Warrior To Come Home In Front At Newmarket appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

4th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 6-6, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 1:16.60, ft. STIFLE YOURSELF (f, 3, Cairo Prince–Gloria S, by Tapit) provided a fitting tribute to her late breeder, who passed away at the beginning of this year. By the best horse Harvey Clarke co-campaigned in MGSW Cairo Prince, and out of a half-sister to the best horse he bred in GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. winner I’ll Have Another (Flower Alley), Stifle Yourself was let go at 9-1 for a typically patient barn in a race filled with noteworthy pedigrees. She was away well to press the pace from the two path through an opening quarter in :22.47 before taking over into a :45.62 half. Floating a bit wide into the straight, she hit another gear when asked for a bit more and reported home clear by 2 3/4 lengths while geared down. My Happy Place (Tapit–My Happy Face) put in a promising late run to be second. The winner’s unraced dam was a $240,000 buyback as a 2-year-old at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November sale, and her own dam Arch’s Gal Edith (Arch) RNA’d for $950,000 at the same sale some six months after I’ll Have Another’s Classic exploits. Gloria S has an unraced 2-year-old filly named Harvey’s Lil Goil (American Pharoah) and produced a full-brother to Stifle Yourself this term. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Estate of Harvey A. Clarke; B-Harvey A. Clarke (KY); T-William I. Mott. The post Cairo Prince Filly a Fitting Tribute to Late Harvey Clarke appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chad Brown celebrated his third victory in the June 6 Wonder Again Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park, but it wasn't with the filly most people thought would be in the winner's circle with the multiple Eclipse Award-winning trainer. View the full article

After a rough beginning in her last start, the connections of Bold Script are looking for a big effort from the filly, who was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite, in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser June 8 at Woodbine. View the full article

This week’s TDN Triple Crown feature examines the GI Belmont S. entrants listed in “likeliest winner” order. 1) WAR OF WILL (c, War Front—Visions of Clarity {Ire}, by Sadler’s Wells) O-Gary Barber. B-Flaxman Holdings Limited (KY). T-Mark Casse. Sales History: $175,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP; €250,000 2yo ’18 ARQMAY. Lifetime Record: GISW, 10-4-1-1, $1,491,569. Last Start: 1st, GI Preakness S., PIM, May 18 Equineline PPs. Caulfield on War of Will. War of Will’s torqued-up tactical speed and his ability to punch back hard when encountering in-race adversity is what sets him apart from everyone else in the 12-furlong Belmont. The betting logically drills down to this GI Preakness S. winner and top-notch rival Tacitus (Tapit), but even if those two are very close in talent and stamina, this €250,000 ARQMAY War Front colt gets the edge because of his consistent ability to make his own breaks by getting out of the gate alertly, settling into high-cruise mode, and responding with an admirable reserve of power when called upon in the stretch. Trainer Mark Casse said War of Will has put on a good 40 or 50 pounds since the Preakness, and there is no shortage of speed drawn to the inside for him to target from a post nine draw. War of Will can become the first horse since Afleet Alex in 2005 to complete the Preakness-Belmont double, accomplished by just 12 other horses (excluding the 13 Triple Crown winners). That list includes Man o’ War (1920), Native Dancer (1953), Nashua (1955) and Damascus (1967). 2) TACITUS (c, Tapit—Close Hatches, by First Defence) O/B-Juddmonte Farms, Inc. (KY). T-Bill Mott. Lifetime Record: MGSW & GISP, 5-3-0-1, $953,000. Last Start: 3rd, GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 4 Equineline PPs. Tacitus went straight to the top of a lot of people’s Belmont S. bet lists the moment he splashed home fourth (elevated to third via DQ) in the GI Kentucky Derby. This large-framed Tapit homebred for Juddmonte got a very meaningful schooling out of that effort, breaking a stutter-step slow, checking off heels, settling, responding when cued three-eighths out, and getting fanned six wide into the lane. His pedigree is stout with stamina (by Tapit out of an Eclipse champion mare who excelled in dirt routes), and while I had early-season reservations about Tacitus being a bit too lackadaisical and untested against top-level competition, both his traffic-troubled GII Wood Memorial S. win and his Derby showing under arduous circumstances suggests he’s toughening up and maturing. Another Juddmonte colorbearer, Empire Maker in 2003, was the last horse to turn the Wood-Belmont double. 3) MASTER FENCER (c, Just a Way {Jpn}–Sexy Zamurai, by Deputy Minister) O/B-Katsumi Yoshizawa (JPN). T-Koichi Tsunoda. Lifetime Record: SP-Jpn, 7-2-2-0, $234,392. Last Start: 6th, GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 4 Equineline PPs. Master Fencer (Jpn) figured to have no shot on paper in the Derby and was probably underlaid at 58-1. But this homebred son of Just A Way {Jpn) ran a deceptively good seventh (put up to sixth) after settling on the rail far behind the field. He was still last at the quarter pole and tried to pulse through at the fence while being driven through both mud and the traffic of stalled contenders, but once he found a seam Master Fencer uncoiled like he meant business and jockey Julien Leparoux had him gallop out past everyone except for Maximum Security (New Year’s Day). “He’s very easy to be around. He’s a kind horse and very calm and professional. It makes my job easy,” said Leparoux. “A lot depends on the pace in front and how the track plays.” 4) SIR WINSTON (c, Awesome Again—La Gran Bailadora, by Afleet Alex) O/B-Tracy Farmer (KY). T-Mark Casse. Sales History: $50,000 RNA Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: SW & MGSP, 9-2-1-1, $161,773. Last Start: 2nd, GIII Peter Pan S., BEL, May 11 Equineline PPs. Sir Winston’s form doesn’t exactly leap off the past performance page, but he does have some subtly good lines that could signal a turnaround over 12 furlongs. This Awesome Again homebred is out of an Afleet Alex (2005 Belmont winner) mare, and three of his four starts in 2019 have come over nine furlongs, so the distance appears within his scope. The 100 Beyer he earned when six wide off the turn and finishing well to get second over this same surface in the GIII Peter Pan S. last month is the top speed figure among the Belmont entrants, and Sir Winston only finished four lengths behind the then-blossoming Tacitus in the GII Tampa Bay Derby. Beware of this “other” Mark Casse trainee at double-digit odds. 5) SPINOFF (c, Hard Spun—Zaftig, by Gone West) O/B-Wertheimer et Frere (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Lifetime Record: MGSP, 5-2-0-0, $260,000. Last Start: 18th, GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 4 Equineline PPs. “Spinoff just hated the track,” said trainer Todd Pletcher after this Hard Spun colt’s next-to-last Derby run in the slop. “He didn’t really want any part of it.” Spnioff was a pace presence while five wide into the first turn and down the backstretch, but soon opted out of the battle. I kind of like his better-than-it-looks GII Louisiana Derby second in which he was bumped leaving post 10, then got hooked four wide on club turn while seeking the lead. He forced the issue through legit splits, then got run down in the final sixteenth of the long Fair Grounds stretch. Pletcher has won three Belmonts (2007, 2013, 2017) while jockey Javier Castellano is seeking his first. 6) TAX (g, Arch–Toll, by Giant’s Causeway) O-R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch & Corms Racing Stable. B-Claiborne Farm & Adele Dilschneider (KY). T-Danny Gargan. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-2-2-1, $326,300. Last Start: 14th, GI Kentucky Derby, CD, May 4 Equineline PPs. Tax might have been ranked a little higher on this list were it not for the concerns about his latest workout that trainer Danny Gargan voiced to Daily Racing Form last Saturday. His final pre-Belmont breeze was termed “good, but it wasn’t awesome,” yet Gargan emphasized he wouldn’t enter unless he “loved” how this Arch gelding came out of that workout, so apparently Tax is on the upswing. His Derby 15th (14th via DQ) is a tossout–he broke alertly, patiently held a rail spot, was only about five lengths off the lead when the field began to bunch, but had no stretch kick and reportedly didn’t appreciate the sloppy kickback. A more representative race in his past performances is the Wood Memorial, in which he fought resolutely but was worn down by the imposing Tacitus when beaten 1 1/4 lengths and galloping out on even terms with the winner. His 15-1 odds make him worth a flyer in exotics. 7) INTREPID HEART (c, Tapit—Flaming Heart, by Touch Gold) ‘TDN Rising Star’. O-Robert E. & Lawana L. Low. B-WinStar Farm LLC & Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales History: $750,000 2yo ’18 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GSP, 3-2-0-1, $140,400. Last Start: 3rd, GIII Peter Pan S., BEL, May 11 Equineline PPs. This $750,000 OBSAPR Tapit gray is arriving a little late to the Triple Crown party, but at healthy double-digit odds you get the Classics-tested Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez tandem and a 2-for-3 up-and-coming colt who boasts solid speed figures, tactical speed, and a pedigree that resonates with staying power. “Intrepid Heart is clearly bred for this race,” Pletcher said. “He’s by Tapit, who’s had a lot of success [as a sire] in the race. He’s out of a Touch Gold mare. Touch Gold won the Belmont. He’s a half to Commissioner [second in the 2014 Belmont]. If you look at his pedigree, it’s A.P. Indy and Seattle Slew. There’s a lot of Belmont history supporting his pedigree. And, out of the three Triple Crown races, I think pedigree plays the biggest role in this one.” 8) BOURBON WAR (c, Tapit—My Conquestadory, by Artie Schiller) O-Bourbon Lane Stable & Lake Star Stable. B-Conquest Stables (KY). T-Mark Hennig. Sales History: $410,000 Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $525,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSP, 6-2-1-0, $202,100. Last Start: 8th, GI Preakness S., PIM, May 18 Equineline PPs. Bourbon War strikes me as a sophomore who is still a work in progress. The blinkers will come off for the Belmont after a one-race try in the Preakness that resulted in a non-threatening eighth. As one of three Tapit-sired horses in the third leg of the Triple Crown, this $525,000 KEESEP colt is going to have to either shake the reputation that he’s a pace-dependent closer or show some other tactical dimension under new jockey Mike Smith. He’s winless beyond the first-level allowance condition, but don’t forget that sneaky-good second in the GII Fountain of Youth S. when Bourbon War pounced into a collapsing pace scenario and did surge past the winner a jump after the wire. 9) EVERFAST (c, Take Charge Indy–Awesome Surprise, by Awesome Again) O-Calumet Farm. B-Extern Developments (KY). T-Dale Romans. Sales History: $47,000 Ylg ’17 KEEJAN. Lifetime Record: GISP, 11-1-2-1, $464,805. Last Start: 2nd, GI Preakness S., PIM, May 18 Equineline PPs. This $47,000 KEEJAN Take Charge Indy colt has bankrolled nearly 10 times his auction price despite losing 10 straight races after breaking his maiden at first asking last August at Ellis Park. Although I’m sure his connections would like him to win another race, those are some pretty nice paydays for picking up the pieces, and Everfast is a typical Calumet Farm trainee in that he is not shielded from racing and often overachieves with an admirable grinder’s style. Given his past performances, he’ll likely drop far back and attempt a prolonged bid, which is exactly what Everfast did to nail second at 128-1 in the GII Holy Bull S. and second at 29-1 in the GI Preakness. 10) JOEVIA (c, Shanghai Bobby–Peace Process, by War Front) O-Michael & Jeff Fazio. B-Ikhana Farm (KY). T-Gregory Sacco. Sales History: $34,000 RNA Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $50,000 Ylg ’17 FTKJUL; $32,000 2yo ’18 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: SW, 5-2-2-0, $131,600. Last Start: 1st, Long Branch S., MTH, May 12 Equineline PPs. Joevia figures to be the longest shot in the field and looks like sacrificial speed pegged down at the rail. Although gunning it to the front is not as imperative in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont as it is in other major stakes, this $32,000 OBSAPR Shanghai Bobby colt is coming off a wire job in the slop going 1 1/16 miles against only three other entrants in a watered-down $95,000 stakes at Monmouth. He attempted to make the pace but caused dangerous crowding into the first turn of the Wood Memorial and got DQ’d from seventh to last for that trouble. The post The TDN Belmont Preview appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

CAMBIER PARC (f, 3, Medaglia d’Oro–Sealy Hill, by Point Given) came out on top of yet another Chad Brown-trained exacta in Thursday’s GIII Wonder Again S., but few expected the numbers to come in that order. Her stablemate Newspaperofrecord (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was an overwhelming 1-9 favorite looking to bounce back from a first defeat in the GIII Edgewood S. last time, but it was more or less a repeat of that outing, with the heavy chalk completely controlling things up front before getting run down late. Cambier Parc saved ground in the compact field and pounced late to prevail by about a half-length in 1:46.34. Kelsey’s Cross (Anthony’s Cross) was third. Given a 5-1 chance, $1.25-million KEESEP yearling Sealy Hill annexed the GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream in March and was most recently fourth in the Edgewood. Sales history: $1,250,000 yrl ’17 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0. O-OXO Equine LLC. B-Bonne Chance Farm LLC (Ky). T-Chad Brown. The post Medaglia d’Oro Stablemate Runs Down Newspaperofrecord in Wonder Again appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today’s Observations features the first foal out of the top sprinter Tiggy Wiggy. 5.30 Curragh, Cond, €25,000, 2yo, 6fT YEAR OF THE TIGER (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is one of three Ballydoyle representatives and not necessarily the key member of the trio if jockey bookings are a guide, but he is the first foal out of the G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine and G1 1000 Guineas third Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Owned in partnership by Coolmore and the Niarchos Family, the January-foaled bay is joined by the stable’s War Leader (War Front), a full-brother to Lancaster Bomber and half to Excelebration (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) who was sixth on debut at Leopardstown last month, and Royal County Down (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who is forecast favourite at present. 6.05 Curragh, Mdn, €17,500, 2yo, c/g, 7fT LOPE Y FERNANDEZ (IRE) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was the joint-second highest-priced lot at €900,000 at the Arqana August Sale, which came shortly after the success of his half-brother Dark Vision (Ire) (Dream Ahead) in the G2 Vintage S. Donnacha O’Brien is on the April-foaled bay, who is one of three newcomers from Ballydoyle including Kipling (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-brother to the G1 Irish and Yorkshire Oaks heroine Seventh Heaven (Ire) and half to the G1 Middle Park S. hero Crusade (Mr. Greeley) as well as the smart Cristoforo Colombo (Henrythenavigator). The post Observations: June 7, 2019 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

ELMONT, NY – With the star-studded GI Belmont Stakes card right around the corner, the main track was in terrific shape for training hours early Thursday morning despite receiving a soaking from heavy overnight rains. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, sporting a New York Yankees cap, got a feel for the track walking the freshly harrowed surface, labeled “good,” under a dense cloud cover and extremely humid conditions just after 6 a.m. Mark Casse watched a set train from the rail, including the GI Longines Just a Game S.-bound Got Stormy (Get Stormy), and began contemplating whether or not to send his Belmont S. duo of War of Will (War Front) and Sir Winston (Awesome Again) out a little earlier than usual due to the sticky, summer-like conditions. Former Doug O’Neill assistant trainer Jack Sisterson, off to a promising beginning since striking out on his own last summer, kept a close eye on the galloping gray Bandua (The Factor), who lines up in the GI Manhattan S. He will also saddle Lexitonian (Speightstown) in the GI Woody Stephens S. and Vexatious (Giant’s Causeway) in Friday’s GII New York S. While Belmont S. live longshot Spinoff (Hard Spun) went about his business for Todd Pletcher at the adjacent training track, 9-5 morning-line favorite Tacitus (Tapit) enjoyed another very impressive session galloping over Big Sandy with Mott watching aboard a stable pony while the sun began to play a bit of hide-and-seek just after 6:40 a.m. Speaking of the mighty Tapit–sire of three of the last five Belmonts–he will also be represented in this year’s final leg of the Triple Crown with Bourbon War (Tapit) and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Intrepid Heart (Tapit). The former, looking to rebound from a disappointing eighth in the GI Preakness S., was getting over the ground nicely while galloping over the main oval at 7 a.m. Casse, in fact, did decide to call that audible, and sent his aforementioned pair, led by the Preakness winner War of Will, out to train about 20 minutes later. They had previously visited the track following the 8:30 a.m. break since shipping in to New York. Under a nice hold once again by exercise rider Kim Carroll, War of Will seemed a bit more relaxed during Thursday’s exercise while striding powerfully down the lane. With Tammy Fox aboard and equipped with a camera on her red helmet, longshot Preakness runner-up Everfast (Take Charge Indy) trained after the renovation break as did two-time G1 Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}). The latter, fitted with a pair of cheek pieces and a Godolphin blue saddle towel, remained on his left lead for most of the stretch while blowing out three furlongs in :36.42 for an absolutely loaded renewal of the GI Met Mile. With training hours winding down as the temperatures continued to rise, GII Wood Memorial S. runner-up and former claimer Tax (Arch) closed things out galloping over the sun-splashed training track just after 9:30 a.m. The post Thursday’s Trackside Belmont Stakes 151 Report appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A colt by Distorted Humor worked the fastest furlong of Thursday’s second session of the under-tack preview ahead of next week’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Consigned by de Meric Sales, hip 254 covered the distance in :9 4/5, tying the fastest time of the week so far. “We were happy with the work–we were expecting him to work really well and he did not disappoint,” said Tristan de Meric. The bay colt is out of the unraced Driven (Forestry) and is a half-brother to multiple stakes-placed Glamoride (Ide). Driven is a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed Out for a Spin (Distorted Humor) and graded-placed Wise Action (Wise Times). The juvenile, bred by Russell Reineman Stable, RNA’d for $245,000 after working a quarter in :20 3/5 at the OBS March sale. “We’ve only had the horse for a short amount of time,” de Meric said. “Tami Bobo sent him to us about six weeks ago. He got some time after the sale–she took him back to her farm. He’s been really straightforward and it’s been a pleasure to have him.” The five-session under-tack preview continues through Sunday and de Meric said the results so far are in line with expectations. “It’s going about as expected in most spots,” he said. “There have been no big surprises either way.” De Meric Sales has enjoyed plenty of success at the juvenile auctions this spring. The consignment sold two seven-figure lots at the OBS April sale, including the $1.3-million sale topper. “We’ve been very fortunate,” de Meric said. “It’s been a great year.” Of expectations going into next week’s last major 2-year-old sale of the year, de Meric said, “I think there will still be demand. I think we’ll see the same trends we’ve seen all year. The right horses will sell well and we’ll hope there are enough people here to buy the rest of them because there are quite a few.” Two horses shared the fastest quarter-mile breeze Thursday in Ocala. Hip 388, a filly by Adios Charlie, covered the distance in :20 4/5. Bred and consigned by Ocala Stud, the gray filly is out of Holiday Tune (Concorde’s Tune) and is a half to stakes-placed Angel’s Tune (Hight Cotton). Holiday Tune is a half to graded winner R Holiday Mood (Trippi). A filly by Shakin It Up (hip 427) matched that :20 4/5 quarter-mile breeze time. Consigned by CM Thoroughbreds and bred in Florida by Pedro Gonzalez, the juvenile is out of Italian Rose (Forestry). Her second dam is multiple stakes winner Extend (Unbridled’s Song). Under-tack sessions begin daily at 7:30 a.m. The sale will be held next Wednesday through Friday with bidding commencing each day at 10 a.m. The post Distorted Humor Colt Fastest at OBS Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bricks and Mortar will look to add another memorable win June 8 when he starts in the Manhattan Stakes (G1T) on the inner turf course at Belmont. View the full article

The June 8 blockbuster $1.2 million Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) is a race so overflowing in talent that a two-time winner of the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) is listed as the 5-1 fourth-choice. View the full article

A Jockeys and Jeans-record 19 Hall of Fame riders are expected to attend the sixth annual Jockeys and Jeans Fundraiser to benefit Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund at Santa Anita Saturday, June 22. They will be there to honor the seven permanently disabled riders who attend, mix and mingle with the attendees and sign autographs. They include Braulio Baeza, Bill Boland, Steve Cauthen, Kent Desormeaux, Victor Espinoza, Pat Day, Earlie Fires, Sandy Hawley, Julie Krone, Chris McCarron, Donald Pierce, Laffit Pincay Jr, Edgar Prado, Jose Santos, Alex Solis, Mike Smith, Gary Stevens, Bobby Ussery, and Jorge Velasquez. New this year are Kent Desormeaux, Victor Espinoza, Mike Smith and Gary Stevens. The six honorees at this year’s event are Oscar Andrade, Stacey Barton, Dennis Collins, Jack Fires, Armando Rivera and Diego Sanchez. All became pari or quadriplegics as a result of racing accidents. Committee member Jayme LaRocca, a severely injured former rider who oversees relations with injured riders, will also be there. Andrade, Collins and Sanchez will attend for the first time. “It’s truly an honor to help my severely injured brothers and sisters and I know it’s the same for every Hall of Famer who has taken the time out of their lives to attend,” said organizing committee member Sandy Hawley. Tickets are limited and on sale at www.santaanita.com, and an online auction of memorabilia is in place until the event at www.32auctions.com. For more information, contact Jockeys and Jeans VP Marketing, Eddie Donnally at (818) 653-3711 or edjockeysandjeansy@gmail.com or Alexis Garske, Santa Anita Media Relations at (626) 574-6413 or Alexis.garske@santaanita.com. The post Record Number of Riders to Attend Jockeys and Jeans appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jim McIngvale, who owned champion Runhappy (Super Saver) during his racing career, is offering a $100,000 bonus paid to the connections of any of Runhappy’s offspring who win an unrestricted maiden race at Saratoga in 2020, when he will be represented by his first crop of 2-year-olds. “Team Runhappy is delighted to award a $100,000 bonus to add even more excitement to the great atmosphere at the nation’s oldest sporting venue,” McIngvale said. “The bonus is designed to support the people who are key to horse racing–the breeders, owners and trainers. They are the ones who bring the game to life.” Runhappy currently stands for $25,000 at Claiborne Farm and is the title sponsor of Saturday’s GI Metropolitan H. at Belmont. The post McIngvale to Offer ‘Runhappy Bonus’ at Saratoga in 2020 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Goffs on Thursday revealed eight 2-year-olds that will go under the hammer at its London Sale on June 17, several of which are entered for Royal Ascot. The lineup includes recent eye-catching Leopardstown maiden winner Mohican Heights (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who is entered in the Listed Chesham S. Also featuring is G2 Queen Mary S. entrant Daughter In Law (Ire) (Requinto {Ire}), a maiden winner on G1 Irish 2000 Guineas day. Con Marnane’s Bansha Stables consignment is headed by the stakes-winning Real Appeal (GB) (Sidestep {Aus}), winner of two races and a contender for the G2 Norfolk S. Among the other Ascot-bound sale entrants are Ivatheengine (Ire) (Ivawood {Ire}) (Windsor Castle) and American Lady (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) (Windsor Castle or Queen Mary). The post Goffs Reveals 2YO Entries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

ELMONT, N.Y.–It is not often in racing, or with horses in general, that things go exactly according to plan, but Intrepid Heart (Tapit) is one of the rare exceptions. When Robert and Lawana Low purchased the $750,000 colt as a yearling at Keeneland September with the help of bloodstock agent Jacob West, they did so with Saturday’s GI Belmont S. in mind. The gray’s sire Tapit is responsible for three Belmont winners in Tonalist, Creator and Tapwrit. His dam is by Touch Gold, a Belmont winner himself, and his half-brother Commissioner (A.P. Indy) finished just a head behind the aforementioned Tonalist in the 2014 Test of a Champion. “We really admired his breeding,” said Robert Low. “Being a Tapit out of a Touch Gold mare, he has Belmont written all over his pedigree. With him kind of coming to hand late, it was too late for the [GI Kentucky] Derby and [GI] Preakness, but perfect for the Belmont. We have been thinking Belmont from the day we bought him. Todd Pletcher guaranteed us the win.” The owner of the trucking company Prime Inc. paused a moment and laughed, “I thought I’d get a chuckle out of you with that. None of these horses come with any guarantee, but we did talk about the Belmont when we bought him. Actually, [Pletcher] did say something like that, but I think it was in jest.” Intrepid Heart proved he was special right from the start, graduating by 7 3/4 lengths at first asking at Oaklawn Feb. 18 and earning the ‘TDN Rising Star’ nod. He followed suit with a Keeneland optional claimer win Apr. 5 and finished third last time in Belmont’s GII Peter Pan S. May 11 after stumbling at the start. “He stumbled out of the gate and kind of chased a pretty fast pace, running up within two or three lengths of the pace,” Low said. “It just set that race up in a way that is not suited to what he wants to do. After the wire, he galloped out very strongly in front of everybody. It just wasn’t a good set up with the poor start and the fast pace. If we had to do it over again, and you could predict how these things are going to come out, you might do it differently. But, we all thought it was a fairly good race considering the situation. He gave us hope.” Intrepid Heart will be piloted by Hall of Famer John Velazquez Saturday. Between them Pletcher and Velazquez each have two Belmont wins to their credit, including one as a team with Rags to Riches. “Johnny V rode Capote Bell to our first Grade I win in the Test,” Low said. “We love Johnny. We are very fortunate to have this trainer/jockey combo.” The Lows got hooked on racing early on in their career as owners thanks to Capote Bell, who won the Test in their first year in the business in 1996. “We got hooked early on,” said Low, who lives on a farm in Primatara, Missouri with his wife and their band of 14 broodmares. “One of the first fillies we bought named Capote Bell won the GI Test S. at Saratoga, so we were hooked for life after that. We had to wait for that next Grade I for a long time, but we have had some good horses and really enjoy the game and enjoy being on the farm with the mares and babies.” That second top-level score came just last year courtesy of ‘TDN Rising Star’ Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) in the GI Arkansas Derby, which was extra special to Low as he grew up going to Oaklawn Park. “We are in Missouri and always went to the races at Oaklawn Park,” said Low. “Winning the Arkansas Derby is right up there, for us with winning the Kentucky Derby. It was very exciting for us. He also won the [GII] Rebel up there. He is just a really nice horse. He is a fast horse and, it turns out, a very courageous horse. You may recall, he had a broken leg, a very bad injury, and he is still recovering from it. He is at the Cornell [Ruffian] Clinic at Belmont.” In addition to his time spent at Oaklawn Park, Low grew up around horses and always dreamed of one day owning a racehorse. “I grew up around horses. I was a farm kid,” said Low, who has 14 horses in training and 11 2-year-olds in the pipeline. “My mom and dad went to Oaklawn Park to the races. I got some exposure to it early and it has kind of stuck with me. If I ever hit a homerun, I was going to buy a racehorse and, finally, it was fortunate enough to happen for us.” Low’s wife Lawana did not have the same equine upbringing, but her passion for horses is quite strong. “She just kind of got sucked in, but she was a country gal and it kind of came naturally to her,” said Low. “She loves it, probably more than I do.” When the Lows first got into racing, back in the Capote Bell days, they started with a trainer who, coincidentally, had a relative working in their company. “We started with a young guy from down there named Danny Peitz. I am in the trucking business and his brother worked in the parts department in our shop, so we just kind of made a connection,” said Low. “We were with Danny for several years. In the last four or five years, we have spread around a little bit more. We got hooked up with Todd Pletcher through Jacob West. Todd has most of our store-bought horses. Our homebreds still go primarily to Danny and Steve Margolis.” The Lows have come a long way in the past 23 years and have had quite a bit of success, but a win in the Belmont would be a dream come true. “To win one of the Triple Crown races would just be awesome,” Low said. “I think every owner has a goal of winning one of the Triple Crown races or all of them if possible. It would mean a lot to us. I am getting amped up already.” The post Belmont Has Always Been the Goal for Intrepid Heart and the Lows appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses: Saturday, June 8, 2019 7th-TOK, ¥9,550,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m LAS VEGAS TESORO (c, 3, Tiznow–Garden District, by Dixie Union), a $450K purchase out of the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, did not find the grass to his liking two starts back, but has run well on the dirt, including a strong third over this track and distance May 26 (video, gate 8). His Grade III-winning dam is a daughter of GSP Brisquette (Unbridled’s Song), who is also responsible for GSW & MGISP Medal Count (Dynaformer), third in the 2014 GI Belmont S. and recently represented by his first winner. B-Lochlow Farm (KY) Sunday, June 9, 2019 3rd-HSN, ¥9,550,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m NOIVA (f, 3, Temple City–Malibu Pier, by Malibu Moon) has finished second or third in four of five starts on the main track, most recently rounding out the triple in two-turn races at Kyoto in February and at Kokura in March. A $475K Keeneland September graduate, the dark bay was the priciest of her sire’s 54 yearlings to sell in 2017 and her MGSW & GISP dam has already produced SW & GISP Coasted (Tizway) and MGSP Malibu Stacy (Tizway). Top jockey Mirco Demuro is engaged. B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY) 7th-TOK, ¥14,250,000 ($132k), Allowance, 3yo, 2100m BERGEN HARBOR (c, 3, Noble Mission {GB}–Two Harbors, by Pulpit) struggled in a pair of turf tries to kick off his career, but the $90K Fasig-Tipton Turf Showcase grad turned it around in no uncertain terms with a slow-starting, late-running maiden success over course and trip May 12 (see below, gate 8). The blaze-faced chestnut is out of an unplaced daughter of MGSW Santa Catalina (Cure the Blues), dam of GISW Golden Missile (A.P. Indy). B-Tim Thornton (KY) The post Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: June 8 & 9, 2019 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Win or lose, when John Velazquez's mount, the Todd Pletcher-trained Intrepid Heart, springs from the Belmont Park gate, the Puerto Rico native will take sole possession of the record for riding in the most Belmonts at 23. View the full article

The retraining of an ex-racehorse to start a new career as a riding horse continues to gain in popularity, and there are countless success stories of these horses going on to have successful careers as competition horses, lesson horses, and even trail horses. But retraining an ex-racehorse can and does come with certain challenges. It […] The post From Racehorse To Riding Horse! appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article