Wandering Eyes

The multiple graded-stakes winning Arklow (Arch) looks to be America’s best hope in claiming Friday’s two-mile GII Belmont Gold Cup over a trio of European invaders. Since the Brad Cox pupil broke his maiden over the turf course as a 3-year-old in April 2017, he has strung together eight in-the-money finishes in his last 14 starts, including victories in the 2017 GII American Turf S. and the GIII Kentucky Turf Cup Sept. 8. Owned by Dongel Racing, Joseph Bulger and Peter Coneway, Arklow concluded his 4-year-old campaign with an encouraging fourth to the brilliant filly Enable in the Nov. 3 GI Breeders Cup Turf. In the bay’s first try of 2019, he unseated his rider at the start of a Apr. 5 Keeneland optional claimer before turning in a career best performance in the May 11 GI Man ‘O’ War S. Arklow posted the highest Beyer Speed Figure of his career, earning a 105, when just failing to catch Channel Maker (English Channel) by a neck at the wire after unleashing a powerful stretch run. “On paper, we think he’s as good as the best there is in the country, but the mile and quarter is a little shorter than he would like so we decided to give the Belmont Gold Cup a whirl,” Donegal Racing’s Jerry Crawford told the NYRA notes team. “There’s a little fear of the unknown in going this long but he’s showing signs of being able to get the two miles and we know that he likes the turf at Belmont.” Leading the European contingent is Luke Comer’s Raa Atoll (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Previously trained by John Gosden, the 4-year-old was transferred into Comer’s barn and triumphed off a 10-month layoff in the May 12 G2 Comer Group International Oleander Rennen S. at Hoppergarten (Ger). The race was contested over the same grueling two-mile distance of the Gold Cup. Sheikh Mohammed’s Mootasadir (GB) (Dansili {GB}) boasts a six-for-nine lifetime record, including a win in the Sep. 28 G3 Recruit Island Diamond S. over the Dundalk (Ire) synthetic. Hugo Palmer conditions the colt, who captured his first two starts of this year routing over synthetic surfaces before failing to threaten when sixth in the May 17 G2 Matchbook Yorkshire Cup at York (GB). The Alessandro Botti-trained Amade (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) has twice proven victorious over the two-mile distance this year, albeit on a synthetic surface, including a Mar. 7 allowance score at Chelmsford (GB) two starts back. The post Arklow Takes On European Trio in Belmont Gold Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

ELMONT, N.Y.–Master Fencer (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) is not the first Japanese runner to enter the GI Belmont S. In fact, he is the third in the past four years alone, following Lani (Tapit) in 2016 (third) and Epicharis (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) in 2017 (scratched race day with a foot issue), but the Katsumi Yoshizawa homebred hopes to become the first from his country to win the Test of a Champion Saturday. In addition to the $1.5 million Belmont purse, Master Fencer is also eligible for NYRA’s $1 million bonus, offered to any Japan-based horse to win the Belmont S. “This is very, very rare to just participate in the Triple Crown races for Japanese horse trainers,” conditioner Koichi Tsunoda said through translator Mitsuoki Numamoto outside of Nick Zito’s Barn 12 as Master Fencer was bathed and had his legs thoroughly cold hosed while surrounded by a slew of press. “It was because of many people’s support that we made it here. Winning would repay a debt of gratitude for the many people surrounding me.” Master Fencer tuned up for Saturday’s affair with an easy five-panel breeze in 1:01.28 (3/3) (video) under jockey Julien Leparoux on the Belmont main track Wednesday morning after the renovation break. Things went much smoother this time after a much publicized stumble during his previous workout May 29, when he went the same distance in 1:01.48 with his regular exercise rider Yosuke Kono aboard May 29 (video). “[Master Fencer] didn’t change his lead in the stretch [instead staying on his left one], but [Leparoux] said he didn’t want to lose momentum for the breeze. He was traveling well. He didn’t want him to have a stressful work. He just wanted him to breeze without any issues like the last breeze.” Breaking his maiden at third asking at Japan’s Hanshin Racecourse Dec. 23 and followed suit with a win at Kyoto Jan. 14. He finished fourth in the Hyacinth S. Feb. 17 and completed the exacta in the Fukuyura S. Mar. 31, both of which are on Japan’s Road to the Kentucky Derby. With the Japanese horse ahead of him in points declining the Derby invite, the chestnut accepted his spot in the Run for Roses and closed strongly to be sixth after running last most of the way. (He originally crossed the line seventh, but was promoted to sixth after the DQ of Maximum Security {New Year’s Day}). Master Fencer trained at Keeneland following his Derby effort and shipped to New York May 24. Tsunoda, who is also a former jockey, said his charge has settled in well at Belmont. “He had been training and eating well at Keeneland and even here at Belmont,” the trainer said through Numamoto. “I hope he will run much better than he did in the Derby. This will be a smaller field, just 10 horses including him. It is much easier to chase other horses, so if he could save ground, he will probably show us that great late kick in the stretch. Distance doesn’t matter.” Belmont’s main track is known as “Big Sandy” for a reason. When asked how Master Fencer has been getting over the surface in Elmont, which is much deeper than what he had trained over at Churchill Downs and Keeneland, Tsunoda said, “We wanted Julien [Leparoux] to experience how he moves on this kind of sand track. As you can see, he is not very skillful in changing his leads and I don’t want anything to happen between the races, so because of that we asked Julien to get on. I am not pessimistic about the deeper sand.” If all goes well Saturday, this may not be the last time racing fans see Master Fencer on American soil. “I would have to talk to the owner, but we may go to the Breeders’ Cup,” Tsunoda said before walking off to inspect his colt’s legs as the sophomore received lots of love from Kono. The post ‘Fencer’ Hopes to Be First Japanese ‘Master’ of the Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After returning to good health in time to post an upset victory in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), the connections of Serengeti Empress hope the filly can build on that success June 8 in the $700,000 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. View the full article

In this continuing series, TDN’s Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. In this edition, La Chancla (Uncle Mo), a troubled fourth on debut at Churchill Downs, is highlighted. Previous runners featured in this column include: MGISW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway) and MSW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). La Chancla (f, 3, Uncle Mo-Mama Tia, by Carson City) doesn’t figure to remain in the maiden ranks for long off an encouraging fourth-place finish on debut at Churchill Downs May 30 (video). Working bullets for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, including a five-furlong breeze in 1:00 2/5 (1/6) at Keeneland May 24, she was off as the 2-1 second choice in her six-furlong unveiling. The LNJ Foxwoods colorbearer was bothered badly at the start and spotted the field several lengths from her rail draw. Ninth through a sharp opening quarter in :21.46, the bay began to pick off rivals with a flashy move on the turn for home. She continued to rally down the lane and finished up with good interest widest of all to cut the final margin to 2 1/4 lengths. La Chancla brought $775,000 from LNJ Foxwoods advisors Alex Solis II and Jason Litt as an OBS March 2-Year-Old after breezing a quarter in :21 2/5 from the Eddie Woods consignment. She was previously a $200,000 KEESEP yearling. “We always thought that she was a talented filly who has the chance to be special,” LNJ’s Jaime Roth said. “We had high expectations for her first start and were all very impressed with her run after a very sluggish start. Not sure yet what the plan is–probably Saratoga–but we’ll leave that up Rodolphe.” La Chancla is a half-sister to Southern Honey (Colonel John), GSW, $223,017; Cali Thirty Seven (Eskendereya), MSW, $271,060; and Shangroyal (Shanghai Bobby), MSP, $190,569. She was bred in Kentucky by Atlas Farm and Conor Doyle. The unraced mare Mama Tia is a half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Runway Model (Petionville), the dam of MGISW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ McKinzie (Street Sense). As defined on UrbanDictionary.com, La Chancla “is a flip-flop or slipper that can be thrown by Latina females when angered by their significant other.” Care to explain, Ms. Roth? “Her name is quite funny,” Roth concluded. “Her mom’s name is Mama Tia and we knew she had some attitude, so my wife suggested La Chancla.” The post Second Chances: La Chancla appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The first two finishers in the May 11 GIII Beaugay S. at Belmont, led by the extremely promising winner Homerique (Exchange Rate), will re-engage and stretch out to 1 1/4 miles in Friday’s GII New York S. at Big Sandy. An impressive debut winner at Chantilly last spring, Peter Brant’s Homerique was third, beaten just a neck, two starts later in the G1 Prix de Diane Longines. Annexing the G3 Prix de Psyche next out, she was seventh against males in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp before earning a career high when third in the G1 Prix de l’Opera Longines Oct. 7 at Longchamp. Transferred to the Chad Brown barn after that, she made an auspicious North American debut when closing into a slow pace to capture the Beaugay, circling the field and running her final five-sixteenths in an absurd :27.40 to get up. The gray tuned up for this stretchout with a five-furlong breeze over the local turf in 1:01 2/5 (7/10) June 1 (video). Second choice on the morning line is Homerique’s stablemate Competitionofideas (Speightstown). Owned by Klaravich Stables, the $325,000 Keeneland September graduate rallied from last to first to take the GI American Oaks going this trip Dec. 29 at Santa Anita. She also ran a fast late fraction (:27.66) to grab the runner-up spot in the Beaugay, but enjoyed a ground-saving ride unlike her barnmate that day. The most likely upsetter of the Brown train appears to be Stronach Stables’ Holy Helena (Ghostzapper). The 2017 Queen’s Plate S. heroine, she picked up victories in the GIII The Very One S. and GII Sheepshead Bay S. last season and was fifth in this event. Winless in six starts heading into this year’s The Very One, she rallied determinedly to defend her title by a head. The post Beaugay Top Two Rematch in New York appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There were few more exciting horses last summer than Hronis Racing’s Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags), but after going four-for-four to start his career, the chestnut went up in flames at odds-on in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He’ll make his much-anticipated return and debut as 5-year-old in Friday’s GII True North S. at Belmont. Victorious on debut in October of 2017 at Santa Anita, the $370,000 Keeneland September purchase repeated in an optional claimer there last May and had his coming-out party when romping by 6 3/4 lengths in the GII San Diego H. July 21 at Del Mar. He added to his legend with a similarly easy score in the GII Pat O’Brien S. Aug. 25, but faded to finish a well-beaten sixth at 9-10 at Churchill Downs. The John Sadler trainee shows a half-dozen works at his Arcadia base in preparation for this comeback, capped by a half-mile spin in :47 3/5 (3/37) June 2. Courtlandt Farms’ Strike Power (Speightstown) returns to the big stage looking to reclaim the cachet he earned last winter at Gulfstream. An eight-length debut graduate to earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors in December of 2017, he scored in the GIII Swale S. next out and was a good second stretching out in the GII Fountain of Youth S. The wheels fell off after that though, as he could manage no better than fourth in his next four outings and was beaten by double-digit lengths each time. Laid up for nearly eight months and dropped into optional claiming company when resurfacing Apr. 25 at Gulfstream, the homebred looked much like his old self, going wire to wire in a five-length score that produced a 101 Beyer, easily Strike Power’s best output since the 102 he earned in his unveiling. Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) looks to avenge a tough beat from last year’s True North as the most accomplished runner in the group. Missing by a neck to the brilliant MGISW Imperial Hint (Imperialism) in the 2018 renewal, the gelding was runner-up by the same margin in the GII Belmont Sprint Championship before picking up his first Grade I success in the Forego S. Aug. 25 at Saratoga. Completing the exacta behind champion Roy H (More Than Ready) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint, he debuted as a 6-year-old with a conquest of the Hot Springs S. before running into the streaking buzzsaw Mitole (Eskendereya) when second in the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. and fifth in the GI Churchill Downs S. last out. The post Catalina Cruiser Returns in True North appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The owners of any horse sweeping Canada’s 2019 Triple Crown will receive a C$500,000 bonus as part of a deal reached with Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG). OLG will return as the title sponsor of the race series for Canadian-sired 3-year-olds, comprised of the June 29 Queen’s Plate at Woodbine, July 23 Prince of Wales S. at Fort Erie and the Aug. 17 Breeders’ S. back at Woodbine. “Woodbine Entertainment is thrilled to continue our partnership with OLG as we work towards raising the prominence of Canada’s Triple Crown,” said Jonathan Zammit, VP of Thoroughbred Racing Operations. “The prospect of a Triple Crown champion generates buzz around the sport and bringing back the incentive of a lucrative bonus will help to fuel that excitement.” The post Bonus to be Offered for Canadian Triple Crown Sweep appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is offering the public the opportunity to purchase permanent commemorative bricks in the Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Courtyard. Sales of the bricks will last from now through December and the bricks will be unveiled in the summer of 2020. Two sizes are available: 4″ by 8″ red bricks for $100 and 8″ by 8″ grey bricks for $250. Red bricks feature three lines of engraving with a maximum 12 characters per line, while grey bricks offer six lines with up to 12 characters per line. For more information or to order, visit www.racingmuseum.org/buy-brick or call (518) 584-0400 ext. 109. The post NMRHOF Selling Personalized Bricks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Zac Purton is riding so well, the biggest challenge for trainers is trying to book him.The Australian booted home another four winners at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, meaning he has now collected 25 from the past six meetings at an astonishing 48 per cent strike rate (and is one away from 1,000 Hong Kong victories in his career).But while Purton is dominating the competition on the track, he has created another one off it – the race for trainers to secure his services, such is his demand… View the full article

Commes (Fr) is the latest daughter of Le Havre (Ire) bound for Japan, with Jour de Galop revealing that Teruya Yoshida has purchased the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches runner-up privately. Racing as a homebred for Gerard Augustin-Normand, Commes earned ‘TDN Rising Star’ status with a three-length debut win at Deauville in August and has been second in three subsequent outings, including when beaten a nose by Castle Lady (Ire) (Shamardal) in the Pouliches. Yoshida also purchased privately Le Havre’s La Cressonniere (Fr) and Avenir Certain (Fr), both winners of the Pouliches and the Prix de Diane, which is Commes’s next target on June 16. Yoshida also races the Mar. 10 G2 Hochi Hai Fillies’ Revue winner Pourville (Jpn) (Le Havre {Ire}), who he bought in utero of the Group 3-winning Kenhope (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) for 480,000gns in 2014. The post Commes Headed To Japan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) has had an easy spell since tearing a muscle while beating just one home in the G1 1000 Guineas on May 5, and trainer John Oxx revealed on Wednesday that last year’s G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner is being aimed at the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown in September. “She’s making gradual progress. She’s been confined to walking exercise for a month and we’re coming to the end of that now, so we’ll see how we go from here,” Oxx said. “We think it [the torn muscle] happened about three furlongs out, and she just went backwards then. It’s disappointing, but these things happen.” “It’s a slow process, and she hasn’t been given the all-clear to step up her work yet,” added Oxx of the Sonia and Anthony Rogers homebred. “These things take time and we’ll just have to be patient. She will recover all right and hopefully it will be soon enough, but we haven’t set any deadline for her to run. The Matron S. is a Group 1 target we have in mind for her, but how we get there–whether we can get one or two runs into her beforehand–we’ll just have to see how she progresses.” The post Matron The Plan For Skitter Scatter appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Should all go smoothly in the lead up, Japanese racing fans can expect to have two rooting interests in this year’s G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with G1 Tenno Sho Spring and G1 Kikuka Sho victor Fierement (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) joining this year’s G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner Roger Barows (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) as a contender from the East. Connections of Fierement have said the 4-year-old will have to perform well in the G2 Sapporo Kinen on Aug. 18 to get on the plane, but should he make it to ParisLongchamp stamina certainly won’t be a concern; his two Group 1 wins have come over 3000 and 3200 metres. The post Japanese Duo In Line For Arc appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In-form jockey Tommy Berry is poised to keep his winning momentum rolling when he heads to Eagle Farm for a strong book of rides on Stradbroke Handicap day. Berry booted home a double at the track two weeks ago then returned to Sydney last Saturday and made it an afternoon to remember with a four-winner haul, each of them for different stables. The Chris Waller-trained Queensland Derby favourite Nobu is arguably the best of his rides. The three-year-old has hit his straps since returning to Aust... View the full article

The latest gavelhouse.com fortnightly New Zealand auction features a special consignment with six-time New Zealand Breeder of the Year winners Waikato Stud offering a draft of 27 unreserved weanlings for sale. The Matamata-based nursery comprise a big chunk of the 83-Lot catalogue, with x-rays for each of their entries available for viewing in the New Zealand Bloodstock online repository. Waikato Stud’s famous hospitality and progressive approach to selling their stock sees the team set to ho... View the full article

New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock currently sits on 30 wins for the season and he is on a mission to equal his previous best tally of 40 wins set in the 2001/02 season. The Taranaki horseman has just under two months to secure 10 wins, but he believes he is taking enough firepower into the winter months to achieve his target. “The team is going really well,” Sharrock said. “I’d love to get 40 (wins). I think 40 was my best year. “We have got a bit of work to do, we have go to get 10... View the full article

Group Two performer Our Intrigue will head to the spelling paddock after her unplaced run in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben last Saturday. The Tony Pike-trained three-year-old was heading into the race off the back of a winning performance over 2200m at the Sunshine Coast last month, but Pike said the Oaks test may have been a race too far for his filly. “She probably just came to the end of her preparation,” he said. “She’s going to head to the spelling paddock, she has be... View the full article

The Tony Pike-trained The Bostonian will be attempting to keep his unbeaten Queensland streak alive when he contests the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The four-year-old son of Jimmy Choux has won all five of his starts in the Sunshine State, including two successive Group Ones this campaign and Pike is hopeful for a third this weekend. The Bostonian surprised many pundits when taking out the Gr.1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) as a $41-shot when fresh-up last month, before ... View the full article

Matamata Stud Farm Valachi Downs will welcome three-time Group One-winning sprinter U.S. Navy Flag to their stallion roster for the forthcoming breeding season. “There has never been a sprinter of this elite-level stand at stud in New Zealand, let alone with the incredible pedigree U.S. Navy Flag possesses,” Valachi Downs General Manager Jonathan Scully said. “We are beyond delighted to offer this precocious speed sire to breeders.” A son of top international sire War Front, U.S. Navy F... View the full article

War of Will drew post 9 for the June 8 Belmont Stakes, just inside of Tacitus in the field of 10, as the two favorites will break side-by-side in the 1 ½-mile final leg of the Triple Crown at Belmont Park. View the full article

A life in racing is often filled with complicated twists and turns. Owner-breeder Dr. William Wilmot has experienced them all—every unexpected curve and bend imaginable, traversing each with a sense of self-determination. View the full article

War of Will drew post nine for the June 8 Belmont Stakes, just inside of Tacitus in the field of 10, as the two favorites will break side-by-side in the 1 ½-mile final leg of the Triple Crown at Belmont Park. View the full article

Leading trainer Mark Walker saddles a quarter of the bumper 16-horse field in Sunday’s Silver Bowl (1400m), but sees the first Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge more as a launchpad to better things for most of them. Sharpness of distance aside, Walker also felt the set-weights conditions of the newly-created feature race will put his quartet of lower-rated horses behind the eight-ball with regards to Mister Yeoh (100 points). With his best horse on 80 points, they would have al... View the full article

War of Will and Tacitus draw outside in the expected field of 10 for the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) June 8 at Belmont Park. View the full article

GII Wood Memorial S. victor Tacitus (Tapit), most recently third in the GI Kentucky Derby got the morning-line nod at 9-5 while drawn furthest outside in post 10 for Saturday’s GI Belmont S. GI Preakness S. hero War of Will (War Front) is the second-choice at 2-1 and breaks to Tacitus’s inside from post 9. The rest of the field is as follows: Everfast (Take Charge Indy) in post 2 at 12-1; Master Fencer (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) in post 3 at 8-1, Tax (Arch) in post 4 at 15-1, Bourbon War (Tapit) in post 5 at 12-1, Spinoff (Hard Spun) in post 6 at 15-1, Sir Winston (Awesome Again) in post 7 at 12-1 and Intrepid Heart (Tapit) in post 8 at 10-1. The post Tacitus Draws Post 10 as Belmont Favorite 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. Wednesday’s action features a 1.3million gns filly making her awaited debut. 12.00 Nottingham, Mdn, £6,000, 2yo, f, 5f 8yT AL RAYA (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) is a £450,000 Goffs UK Breeze-Up topper who debuts for Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the Simon Crisford stable. A daughter of the Listed Empress S. winner and G2 Queen Mary S. fourth Fog Roll (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), the January-foaled bay encounters 11 rivals. 6.15 Kempton, Novice, £10,000, 3yo/up, 7f (AWT) TUK POWER (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) makes her belated debut for King Power Racing and Andrew Balding, having cost 1.3million gns at Tattersalls October Book 1. Out of the dual group-placed Soon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the January-foaled bay is met by fellow newcomer Laurier (Scat Daddy), a Kevin Ryan-trained $410,000 Keeneland September graduate who is a half-sister to the GIII Tom Fool H. winner Skyler’s Scramjet (Creative Cause). The post Observations for June 5 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article