Wandering Eyes

A pair of horses racing for different stables this season could hold the key to kick-starting jockey Neil Callan’s season. The Createth and Mega Heart have both endured uninspiring Hong Kong careers to date, but there is light at the end of the tunnel for the pair, Callan believes. While Callan rode the now John Moore-trained The Createth to an eye-catching second earlier this season, he will ride the lightly raced Mega Heart for new trainer Michael Chang Chun-wai for the first time on... View the full article

Italian jockey Umberto Rispoli knows as well as anyone how to ride out tough times when all the luck seems to be flowing the other way. While only riding two winners this season, Rispoli has ridden 15 place-getters, making up a quarter of all of his rides. With six seconds, Rispoli believes it would not have taken anything, other than a slice of luck, to have that figure halved. “It’s frustrating at the moment because you come back, you check your records and you see already six... View the full article

C. R. Trout's hombred Shotgun Kowboy will attempt to take home his third $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup, the richest event on the $1,000,000 Oklahoma Classics Night of stakes events for eligible Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbreds at Remington Park. View the full article

QEII Cup tops for Jupiter, Makanani takes over in Gold Cup View the full article

The Stobart Apprentice Jockey Championship kicked off on the 5th of May and is set to finish in the last on the final day of the British Champions day meeting on 20th October 2018 and unless Rossa Ryan rides every winner between now and Saturday, Jason Watson will be crowned as the 2018 Champion Apprentice. Watson fully deserves to win the title as he’s been far and away the apprentice fin of the season. At present, he has ridden 71 winners from 442 rides, many of which in recent months have come in big Saturday races. The 18-year-old initially from Brighton’s rise through the ranks has been astronomic considering he only rode two winners last season. The aspiring jockey received lessons from Ray Goldstein(Marc Goldstein’s father) as a six-year-old and after his first lesson the astute Goldstein said: “he’s a natural, he should be a jockey! If he doesn’t win his first race at Brighton by the time he’s 18 I’ll eat my hat!” Watson had to wait less than two months to ride his first winner aboard the Gary Moore trained Many Dreams for whom he rode for before joining the “King” of nurturing apprentice jockeys Andrew Balding. A quick look at the jockeys to come up through the Balding academy tells it’s own story, with William Buick, David Probert and man of the moment Oisin Murphy all among his past apprentices. The Champion apprentice elect’s biggest winner of his career came in the Stewards’ Cup at Glorious Goodwood aboard the Hugo Palmer trained Gifted Master. These victories seemed a distant dream Watson revealed: “There was 200 days from my first winner to my second and I wasn’t too sure whether I was going to carry on…It wasn’t that fact that I wasn’t willing to wait – I just felt I wasn’t good enough if I wasn’t riding those winners. “It’s such a prestigious yard that produces a lot of talent. You see jockeys flying through their claim – that wasn’t happening to me so I kind of thought I wasn’t good enough, I had a lot of people backing me and telling me I just needed to sit tight and it would come. “To be fair to Mr Balding, he said he didn’t want me riding too much at the start of my first season as he didn’t want me going through my claim too quickly…After 200 days I didn’t think he needed to worry about that.” There must also be an honourable mention to Rossa Ryan who has had a wonderful season. The young Irish native is apprenticed to Richard Hannon who was also the source of the 2015 champion apprentice Tom Marquand. Ryan looks to have a very right future. Once the title is finished people will be looking for the next up and coming apprentice and I think if Jamie Gormley stays as an apprentice he’ll be the next young jockey to add their name to this illustrious list. David Egan – 2017 Last season’s title went the way of David Egan who clinched the crown with 53 winners which was a single victory over his closest rival Kieran Shoemark. Egan who hails from Kildare and comes from a great racing family being a son of leading flat jockey John Egan and his grandfather is the late, great Dessie Hughes. Since emerging triumphantly in his ding-dong battle with Kieran Shoemark, Egan rode out his claim aboard Keeper’s Choice in June. After that milestone victory Egan said: “It’s great. Hopefully, we will keep things rolling over now I’ve lost the claim as that is what every apprentice looks for. “I’ve got great people supporting me to help bring me to the next level.” In July he announced that he was abandoning his chance of landing back to back apprentice titles by taking out his full professional licence. The 19-year-old decided to pursue higher grade winners by joining agent Tony Hind and strengthening his relationship with his main trainer Roger Varian. Egan added: “One day I would be keen to go for the jockeys’ championship and Tony Hind is the right man to give me the best possible chance” He currently sits 21st in the jockey’s table and with his combination of potential and pedigree he may just fulfil his dream of being a champion jockey in the future. Josephine Gordon – 2016 Josephine Gordon born on the 16th May 1993 hails from North Devon and her interest in racing began when her family bought a horse for pony racing and as they say “the rest is history!” A trip to the racing school led to Josephine spending time riding out for the likes of Annabel King, Jo Hughes and Stan Moore, where her career really took off. It was obvious from an early stage that Josephine had a lot of natural talent, which was highlighted when she rode her first winner on just her ninth ride winner at Bath. After this quickfire start to her riding career, Gordon surprisingly had to wait 18 months between drinks. 2016 proved to be a fantastic, career-defining season for Gordon as she rode over 70 winners, was crowned Champion apprentice and also won the accolade of Lady jockey of the year at the prestigious Lesters awards. These achievements have not gone unnoticed as leading equine operations such as Godolphin and trainer Sir Michael Stoute availing of her services. If 2016 went well, 12 months on, things were going even better for Gordon as she rode the biggest winner for her career when guiding the William Haggas trained Fastnet Tempest to glory in the Victoria Cup at the Royal Meeting. A first Group winner came aboard Koropick in the Chipchase Stakes in July. She followed it up with a second Group 3 win for Hugo Palmer in the Princess Royal Stakes on Apphia in September. Josephine beat her 2016 total of winners to finish 24th in the jockeys’ championship. In November she rode her 100th winner of the year, becoming only the second female jockey to reach this milestone after Hayley Turner in 2008 Tom Marquand – 2015 The Gloucestershire native incredibly won the Champion Apprentice title at the age of 17 only twelve months on from his first career ride. This rise to prominence was down to his natural talent and the backing he received from his boss Richard Hannon. It was always clear that Marquand was going to be a jockey as he first sat in the saddle at the age of 2 and would cry until he was put on a horse. This tactic may not work for every parent with a screaming toddler but it was just the trick for a screaming Marquand. Tony McCoy was the jockey that Tom looked up to growing up and he held dreams of becoming a jump jockey in his youth. However, his dreams were bigger than his legs as his growth spurt stopped at 5ft 5inches. After a stint at Newmarket’s racing school he decided to turn his attention to the flat: “I didn’t really get into the Flat until I was about 14 or 15 and started riding out for Tony Carroll,” The plan was for Marquand to join the Balding apprentice academy but love took him to Richard Hannon’s as he explains: “My initial plan was to go to Andrew Balding’s yard,” he says. “I’d spent a month there and I was all up for going, but my girlfriend, who’s an apprentice for Richard Hannon, got me a chance to try out there. Her dad organised me to go down to ride out so I did, and I loved it. Then they offered me the job.” Lingfield was the location for the young jockeys fledgeling ride aboard Here For Good in November 2014 and it only took a month to register his first winner on Mecado at Kempton. A nip and tuck battle lay ahead for the Champion apprentice title with the Richard-Fahey based Jack Garritty but it’s one he clinched by only two victories. The final number of wins stood at 54 in comparison to 52 for Garritty. It wasn’t just the number of wins that was impressive but also the quality. After claiming the title Hannon said: “There’s no doubt that Tom has the ability to go all the way. He rides very well and is a pleasant lad who works hard and deserves all the success he has had these past 12 months”. Since this whirlwind season, Marquand has maintained a strong relationship with Richard Hannon, which has seen him ride at the top level on numerous occasions. On 1000 Guineas day at Newmarket he was aboard the well-fancied Anna Nerium but unfortunately for Marquand he had to watch stablemate Billesdon Brook and Sean Levey streak to victory. Although I’m sure he was delighted for the yard and the winning connections he’d also have loved to have been in Levey’s position. Who knows if he will ever emulate previous winners by going on to become a champion jockey but one thing for certain is that a bright future lies ahead. Oisin Murphy – 2014 The term “blue blood” is used within the equine industry when referring to regally bred thoroughbreds but it could equally be used to describe Oisin Murphy who’s uncle is none other than triple Gold Cup winning Jim Culloty. The Killarney native had his first taste of racecourse action at Chepstow in May 2013 and one month later he was steering his first winner Imperial Glance at Salisbury for his boss Andrew Balding. A year later Murphy wasn’t just winning the Champion apprentice title he was running away with recording 76 winners, the most since Paul Hanagan rode 81 to secure the crown in 2002. A high profile four-timer on Ayr Gold Cup day including the feature race was the defining moment in that championship-winning season. The Irishman’s career has just continued on an upward trajectory with the powerhouses of Qatar and Godolphin backing the twenty-three-year-old. Oisin has had a season most jockeys could only ever dream about this current campaign. Roaring Lion has been the standout horse in Murphy’s artillery with the grey landing the Coral-Eclipse, Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes, which was his first Group 1 in Ireland. He also sits second in the jockey’s title behind Silvestre De Sousa on winners and also second in prize money behind Ryan Moore. It only looks a matter of time before Murphy adds the title proper to his growing list of accolades. Freddy Tylicki – 2009 Tylicki started his riding career in Ireland where he worked under leading trainer Dermot Weld and Jim Bolger. A move to England to be an apprentice at Richard Fahey really kick-started his career where he rode 25 winners in 2008 and followed this up with 60 winners in 2009. Those winners proved enough to defeat David Probert who finished just 1 winner behind Tylicki. Following this victory, Freddy donated his trophy to the family of former promising apprentice Jamie Kyne, who tragically died in a house fire. After this fantastic season, Freddy became a steady 60 winners a season jockey but was beginning to hit new heights in 2016 when he forged a fruitful partnership with the James Fanshawe trained Speedy Boarding. The pair landed a brace of Group Ones with victories in the Prix Jean Romanet and Prix De L´Opera. On the 31 October 2016 Freddy was involved in a serious four-horse accident at Kempton Park Racecourse which ended with him in intensive care at St George’s Hospital in Tooting. It was later announced that he had been diagnosed with T7 paralysis meaning he is paralysed from the waist down. After the accident Tylicki said: “You’re going to have good days obviously and you’re still going to have a lot of bad days, but where I am now is just trying to find my new routine” At The Races and ITV Racing presenter, Matt Chapman set up a gofundme page to support Tylicki in the days proceeding the accident and the fund incredibly raised more than £250,000. Freddy recently had his first win as an owner when Mary Salome won her maiden for Madeline Tylicki. After this victory Freddy said: “She is pretty much my first horse but I have a share in a couple with Dr Catherine Wills over in Britain in training with James Fanshawe and she gave me a taste for it, which I am very grateful for. “Paul Clarke, my old agent, and myself own this filly and we bought her for fun and also to support the family and Madeleine and it has worked out brilliantly.” Who knows what the future holds for Tylicki but it looks bright given his passion and expert knowledge within the equine industry. Ryan Moore – 2003 Ryan was born into racing, with his father Gary is a very successful trainer over both codes. He started riding at the age of four and by twelve he was leading AP McCoy over the jumps at his father’s stables. The main attributes he picked up for AP were his drive and dedication, which was shown by the champ until the day he retired. Moore’s first victory came at the age of sixteen which cemented his decision to become a jockey having flirted with the idea of being a professional footballer. The drive he picked up from AP was evident when he won the Champion apprentice crown in 2003 given he started riding he weighed 8st 10lb, but by the time he lifted the title he had got down to 7st 13lb. Richard Hannon senior was Ryan’s main mentor as he rose through the ranks and following his apprentice championship in 2003, Moore quickly broke through the £1 million prize money barrier and rode more than 100 winners in 2004. A first Group 1 came when partnering Notnowcato in the Juddmonte International at York in August 2006. This would also be the first time Moore was crowned Champion jockey but not the last as he added titles in 2008 and 2009. Since 2011, Ryan has been one of Ballydoyles leading jockeys and has won a plethora of top races all over the world. He is often referred to as the best jockey in the world and few would argue. Paul Hanagan – 2002 Another top jockey who’s completed the Apprentice and Champion jockey double is Paul Hanagan, who took the apprentice title in 2002, with a very impressive haul of 81 winners. This was the second highest total for an apprentice since Lee Newman rode 87 winners to be crowned champion in 2000. This was a sign of what was to come for Hanagan as he recorded over 100 winners the following year including a big win in the Northumberland Plate aboard Mirjan. Richard Fahey had predicted that Hanagan would be crowned Champion jockey at some stage but I doubt he envisaged it would be eight years after his breakthrough apprentice season. An opening four-timer timer put Hanagan in a strong early position and he never relinquished the lead, eventually riding 191 winners. Hanagan successfully defended the title in 2011 fending off the strong challenge from Silvestre De Sousa which was one of the best title battles in living memory. These successes did not go unnoticed as he was made retained jockey to Sheik Hamdan Al Maktoum’s horses in 2012, a role he held until 2016. Following the split, Hanagan moved back up North to rekindle his strong relationship with Richard Fahey and I believe he will continue to flourish and may challenge for Champion jockey again next season. Lee Newman – 2000 The world looked at Lee Newman’s feet when the Richard Hannon based jockey streaked away with the apprentice jockey title with a staggering 87 winners in 2000. However, the following season proved far tougher for Lee with only 21 winners on the board and after breaking his ankle in a car accident the Scottish born Newman had a problem with his weight and had to quit the saddle. A move to Barbados to work as a bookie followed and what looked like a small career peak turned into an eight-year hiatus. In 2010 Newman announced he’d be returning to saddle after getting his weight down from 14 stone at its peak to 9 stone. The comeback, while successful was short lived as weight issued, reared it’s ugly head again. Newman announced the second comeback last year, five years on from retiring for the second time. Class is permanent is the term that comes to mind when discussing Newman and he showed this when competing at Group One level upon his return to the saddle in Australia and if he can stay on top of his weight then future big winners lie ahead. Jason Weaver – 1993 Jason began his career with Luca Cumani and rode 60 winners in 1993 which was enough to clinch the Champion apprentice title. After this successful start to his career, Weaver moved to Middleham to become stable jockey to Mark Johnston. Weaver had a fantastic if slightly short riding career amassing over 1,000 winners, with some of the highlight being winning the Ascot Gold Cup aboard Double Trigger and the St. James’s Palace Stakes on Bijou d’Inde. Issues with his weight lead to Weaver announcing his retirement from the saddle in 2002 at the young age of 30. Since his retirement, Weaver has worked with leading racing broadcasters ITV and At The Races where he has built a fantastic relationship with co-host Luke Harvey. We may not be treated to Jason’s riding brillance anymore but he looks sure to be a permanent fixture on our screens. The post Apprentice Jockey Championship – Past, Present & Future Winners appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Approaching its 10th season, the Nov. 2-3 Breeders’ Cup pledge to benefit New Vocations is widely recognized as one of the most immediate and charitable ways owners and trainers can share the success of participating in the sport’s world championships with the nation’s largest rehabilitation and placement program for retired racehorses. This association between the Breeders’ Cup and giving back to help aftercare is now firmly established. But Anna Ford, the longtime Thoroughbred program director for New Vocations, recalls a time when the annual fundraiser represented a bit of a gamble for the accredited non-profit racehorse adoption program. Nearly a decade ago, when Ford and her team at New Vocations were first kicking around ideas for an autumn fundraiser, she wasn’t initially sure she could come up with a donation model in which 100% of the proceeds benefitted the charity. “Back in 2009, we were trying to figure out how we could have a late fall fundraiser, and anytime you’re trying to raise funds, the most important part is trying to keep your costs low,” Ford explained in a recent phone interview. “We were brainstorming, and I’m a huge fan of the whole Breeders’ Cup event. And looking at the amount of purse earnings that was being given out over those two days, I was like, ‘Wow, if we could just get a small percentage of that earnings base, that would be huge for us.’ That’s when we started thinking if we could get owners and trainers to pledge a percentage, this could work. “So that first year, I just went to people who were already in our support group and donor base, and every single one that I talked to said, ‘Absolutely, we’re in.’ So right off the bat, I was like, ‘Wow, this is something that could actually work,'” Ford said. It certainly did. By getting owners and trainers of Breeders’ Cup entrants to voluntarily pledge from one-half of one percent to 10% of purse earnings (donors choose their own percentages), past New Vocations pledge drives have netted anywhere from $40,000 to $120,000 during the course of each year’s two-day championships. All of the money goes straight to aftercare efforts. “It’s great because there is no overhead cost for us to put on the event,” Ford said. “The Breeders’ Cup is the event. The horses are the show. We just need to get in front of the right people and get them to understand what our program is about and to see if they’ll pledge a percentage of purse winnings of their choice, and it becomes a win-win situation.” Perhaps most rewarding for New Vocations is when owners and trainers send a post-race donation anyway, even if their pledged horse fails to earn significant Breeders’ Cup purse winnings. “We do end up having one or two people every year who don’t come in the money, but they still send us a check anyway because they want to support the program and they believe in what we’re doing,” Ford said. “People are excited just to go the Breeders’ Cup, and I think it helps them to know if they do well in the race, they have a chance to give something back to a charity, and we’ve found that people are ecstatic to be donating as part of their overall experience,” Ford said. The 2019 Breeders’ Cup online pledge form is here. The New Vocations crew will be doing outreach to the connections of Breeders’ Cup entrants as the fields solidify, but Ford said she has already had prospective donors get in touch with her, which she appreciates. “It gets easier for us to ask participants if they’ll pledge because now they are more aware ahead of time that the fundraiser has an established history,” Ford said. “Without even having to ask, the other day I had an owner of a potential Breeders’ Cup starter email me to say, ‘Hey, we’re pledging if we run in the race.’ So it’s nice to get those, because normally we have to make calls and emails, and it was nice to have somebody reach out to us before I even reached out to them.” Ford said that trend is helped, at least in part, by the growing recognition on the part of owners that exit strategies for horses need to be factored into their business models. “The industry is just really embracing aftercare now,” Ford said. “And this fundraiser is also a really easy concept for people to get behind. The more we can get the word out there, we feel the more willing owners and trainers are to donate. We need to make sure that everybody knows we’re doing it, and that we want them to be a part of it.” As an indicator of how quickly time has flown since the inception of the fundraiser, Ford said New Vocations is now taking in the progeny of stallions who ran–and were pledged by their owners and trainers–in previous Breeders’ Cup events. “We definitely are seeing horses in our program that are being sired by horses that ran in the Breeders’ Cup,” Ford said. “Right now we’ve got two Uncle Mos. That is really cool because Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher have been supporters of our program for a really long time. They pledged Uncle Mo when he ran. And I will say that Uncle Mo’s offspring, the ones that we’ve had here in our program, they’ve all got great minds. They’re making really, really good riding horses. “I know it’s not the original plan–for owners to want the offspring of their horses to come through our program,” Ford said. “But we value a connection like that. The horses that do win Breeders’ Cup races, obviously, they’re not the ones that need our services. It’s the horses that don’t that we really have to support.” View the full article

Certainly relative to last week, this is considered “a trainer’s sale”—but it sure helps if you train for Sheikh Hamdan. Two-thirds of the way through Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Sale, his Shadwell Estates have accumulated no fewer than 30 yearlings for 4,880,000gns at a median of 160,000gns—very nearly three times that of the sale overall. Shadwell already seem certain to top this catalogue for the fifth year running, and very likely with a bigger spend. Not terribly surprising, perhaps, if you can find a horse as fast as Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in Book 2, as they did for 200,000gns three years ago. But then that horse was also typical of the profile of Sheikh Hamdan’s expenditure in this catalogue, which—given that he finds his greatest motivation in the patient work of building families— is certainly indulgent of the trainers to whom he tends to be so loyal. Those who can’t get on his roster must dream of a boss like this. On Tuesday, admittedly, he topped the session with a filly who can one day serve his own priorities—a 450,000gns daughter of Siyouni (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) with a page that guarantees her some residual value, even if she doesn’t win the Queen Mary. But Angus Gold also signed on his behalf for another series of youngsters by sires who major in up-and-at-’em speed and precocity. Gold duly contributed significantly to very solid trade, again characterised by an extremely businesslike clearance rate. In all, 212 lots changed hands from 237 offered, at 86%, in step with the 203 of 240 processed last year (85%). Gross weighed in at 16,661,500gns, up 10% on 15,197,000gns, with average and median mildly divergent at 78,592gns (up 5%) and 57,500gns (down 4%) respectively. Across the two days both indices are virtually unchanged, year-on-year. The star turn was presented by Corduff Stud as lot 974. She is the second foal of a Desert Style (Ire) (Green Desert) half-sister to G1 Prix du Jockey Club third Baraan (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and to the dam of Librisa Breeze (GB), who won the G1 British Champions’ Sprint this time last year. Further back this is a very good American family: the fourth dam is G1 Ashland S. winner Chic Shirine, whose various distinctions as a producer include the mother of promising sire Verrazano (More Than Ready). It was instructive that the underbidder should have been no less respected an owner-breeder than Juddmonte Farms, and Gold was duly somewhat taken aback at the eventual number on the docket. “I didn’t think we’d have to go that far,” he admitted. “But she’s a lovely filly by a very good stallion. Sheikh Hamdan was looking for some fillies at the start of the week, and she was put up to him early on. She’s a lovely filly with the most fantastic attitude, which helps in life—always pricking her ears. John Gosden liked her too, so I imagine that’s where she’ll be going. Everything looks as though Siyouni is going to be as good a sire of females as Pivotal.” The dam was acquired through Blandford Bloodstock from the Aga Khan Stud draft at the Arqana December Sale in 2014, for €165,000. “It was quite obvious this filly was making lists, but it’s hard to put a value on that,” said David Egan of Corduff. “But she’s been acting really well here, she’s a lady. And I’m very pleased Angus bought her: she’ll go to a good trainer. The mare has a Lope De Vega filly and is in foal to Dabirsim.” Anthony Stroud, himself so busy at this sale on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed, noted the demand for fillies of longer-term potential after giving 360,000gns for a Dansili (GB) (Danehill) filly (lot 989) out of Capichera (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger})—whose first foal Catan (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) has won two of his first four starts for Roger Charlton. “The 2-year-old looks promising, and this is very nice, athletic filly,” said Stroud. “But these good fillies seem to be as valuable as the colts, if not more so. It was a trend in Ireland, a trend last week, and this filly was rather more than one anticipated.” Conversely, Stauffenberg Bloodstock were rewarded for sticking to their guns when receiving less than they had anticipated here last December—when they bought this filly back for 40,000gns. Hot Streak Is King For A Day… Hard to say who had the bigger day: Hot Streak (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), whose first yearlings have certainly been helping him to live up to his name of late, or the Australian ex-jockey who included two sons of the Tweenhills stallion among the three purchases that launched his new business as a bloodstock agent. The dockets Paul King signed for the Hot Streak pair posted a neon advertisement for a sire who started out at a fee of £7,000. They had been acquired as foals here last year for just 20,000gns and 40,000gns, respectively. Returned to the ring within barely half an hour of each other, they realised 200,000gns and 220,00gns from King’s nascent Kingcraft Bloodstock. The first, a half-brother to Group 2-placed Switcher (Ire) (Whipper) Lot 937, was sold here in December by the sire’s home farm at Tweenhills to Portanova Bloodstock, a pinhook partnership assembled by Ed Player of Whatton Manor Stud. “We’re absolutely over the moon,” beamed Player. “He was recommended as a foal by David Redvers, and he’s always been a very forward, mature horse. He’s been very popular since we got here, everyone loved him, but we could never have dreamt of making that kind of price.” King returned for lot 962, a colt out of a Street Boss (Street Cry {Ire}) half-sister to the dam of G3 Dick Poole S. winner La Rioja (GB) (Hellvelyn {GB}). He was presented by Jamie Railton, who modestly said: “He had a very fast page and, as luck would have it, the horse did the rest—all I had to do was not get in his way. It’s great for the team that invested in him.” Redvers, naturally, said he is delighted by the overall performance of Hot Streak in his sales debut. “His foals have got his hip, and his action,” he reflected. “I expect that hip is what has appealed to the Australians who bought these two. But the fact is that Hot Streak was the most exceptional 2-year-old. If you look back, his speed figure in the Cornwallis is matched only by Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) among 2-year-olds of recent years. Kevin Ryan is on record as saying he was the best horse he’d ever trained and he was just unfortunate that he missed the introduction of the Commonwealth Cup by a couple of years. As it was, he was a close third as a 3-year-old in the King’s Stand.” King proceeded to give 260,000gns for a No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) filly, consigned by Highclere Stud as lot 1002. She is out of an Oasis Dream (GB) (Green Desert) half-sister to two prolific group operators in Balius (Ire) (Mujahid) and Delfos (Ire) (Green Tune). King explained that all three of his acquisitions will race for his first client, who is based in Hong Kong, out of the Sydney barn of Kim Waugh—whose success as a trainer, notably with G1 Syndey Cup winner Mahtoum (Aus) (Suave Dancer), ensures that she is known for better reasons in her own right than for a husband, Mark, who was one of the most stylish Australian cricketers of his generation. King certainly deserves credit for trying to set out a different kind of stall. His three picks were all foaled by Feb. 2, but will nonetheless be on a different track, in terms of maturity, relative to the Southern Hemisphere breeding schedule. “But they won’t be rushed, of course,” he explained. “We’ll give them time, give them a chance to settle in, and to mature the bone they’ll need for the hard tracks in Australia. But they’re all real sprinting types, and look to have the physiques that will suit our racing.” It was an important day, then, for a man making a fresh start after a riding career that yielded over 1,300 winners. “We tried for three yesterday but got blown out,” he said. “I only set up the business a month ago, having ridden for over 30 years until I packed up in January. I rode all round the world, Macau, Mauritius, Malaysia, Inner Mongolia, you name it. Obviously we’ll look to buy in Australia too but we’re just here looking for different breeds, and to try and be a step ahead with these sires.” Ever The Twain Could Meet… Another member of No Nay Never’s second crop reminded us that—while everyone can be grateful that the European market’s two superpowers have finally taken so much of the politics out of the sales ring—the sheer scale of their respective operations had always made fertile synergies available. Lot 846 is out of the young Street Cry (Ire) (Machiavellian) mare Whitefall, culled by Darley in the February Sale here in 2013 for just 3,000gns. David Evans then gave her his trademark treatment, making her a winner and five times placed during a dozen runs before September. Bought back for 50,000gns when offered by Kilminfoyle House at the Horses-in-Training Sale that autumn, she has since produced as her first foal this summer’s listed-placed winner Dark Jedi (Ire) (Kodiac {GB})—and now this colt by Coolmore’s star freshman No Nay Never (Scat Daddy). Bred by JC Bloodstock and again presented by Kilminfoyle, the chestnut was knocked down for 320,000gns to Ross Doyle. He will be trained by Richard Hannon Jr. “Lovely colt,” the agent said. “Very well-conformed, strong, mature, good-moving. The mare’s been doing her job, and she’s by Street Cry, too, that’s a big positive. And the sire needs no explanation. His stats are unbelievable, from a relatively small sample.” Those stats, for the record, place No Nay Never at the top of the rookies’ table on all indices—notably 25 individual winners, six of them at black-type level, headed by G1 Middle Park S. winner Ten Sovereigns (Ire). A Financial Romance… Who says sentimentality doesn’t pay? That certainly wasn’t the case with lot 939, a Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) colt sold to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for 240,000gns. He was foaled on Valentine’s Day, and his nickname at Pantile Stud is “Romeo”, but the original infatuation of his breeders BB Bloodstock—several of whom were in tears after the sale—was with his mother. She is the dual listed winner and multiple group-placed Bahia Breeze (GB) (Mister Baileys {GB}), who raced for friends Lynn Lambert, Stephen Russell and Val Beeson after being bought by Rae Guest for just 5,000gns this week 15 years ago. At the end of her racing career, they sold her to Sir Eric Parker’s Crimbourne Stud. “I went down to see her a couple of times at Crimbourne,” Lambert said. “I don’t have kids and I am afraid I became a bit of stalker. It is a bit of a love story. “When Sir Eric died, she was put back in the sales and I spent all my savings on her: Rae bought her for me for 65,000gns. I then had a panic, as I was not sure how I was going to pay for her. It was all the money I had, but Stephen and Val came back into the ownership group.” “She was in-foal to Zoffany, so we decided to sell this colt as a yearling because all her best sales had been as yearlings. We can’t believe this has happened. Houghton Bloodstock consigned him today, as she always went there on her holidays when in training.” Bahia Breeze had a filly by Twilight Son this spring and is in foal to Nathaniel. Coeur D’Or Strikes Gold… Consignors are creatures of habit for a reason: it’s a cyclical business, a case of finding out what works, forging relationships with particular auction houses and their clientele. But it can sometimes pay to experiment and Eric Lhermite of Haras de Grandcamp made his first offering through this ring a very successful one when selling a homebred brother (lot 811) to Classic runner-up Coeur De Beaute (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) to Shadwell for 240,000gns. To be fair, it was something of a homecoming in that their dam Twilight Tear (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) was acquired at the December Sale here eight years ago for just 15,500gns. That was a fairly remarkable price for a mare out of a full sister to Group 1 winners Listen (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) and Sequoyah (Ire), the latter also already dam of Henrythenavigator (Kingmambo). Not that there had been much of a dividend through Coeur De Beaute, sold for €30,000 as an Osarus September yearling before going on to win the G3 Prix Imprudence this spring, and going down by just a short neck in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. Her brother, already named Coeur d’Or (Fr), put that straight here. “He’s a very good mover but was born quite late [May 7] so August [Arqana] came a bit early,” Lhermite explained. “The mare was empty this year but she has gone back to Dabirsim and is in foal.” Coeur De Beaute belongs to the debut crop of Dabirsim (Fr) (Hat Trick {Jpn}), who entertained more mares than any other Flat sire in France this year. These are duly exciting times at Grandcamp, not least following the news that Lawman (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is to follow his former studmate Dream Ahead (Diktat {GB}) there from Ballylinch. With his eligibility for French premiums in mind, Angus Gold indicated that the colt is set to join Francois Rohaut. Gold, continuing his hectic week, invested minutes later in another page featuring a 2018 Classic trial winner, as the Camacho (GB) (Danehill) colt for whom he gave 200,000gns (lot 821) is out of a half-sister to James Garfield (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus})— second in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest since his success in the G3 Greenham S. Camacho is enjoying a lucrative vogue at this sale, and his son out of Listed winner Zenella (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) presented by Lodge Park Stud raised 270,000gns from Alastair Donald as lot 859. The agent’s interest was unsurprising, granted that he gave 450,000gns for the mare’s son Fox Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in Book 1 last year. That colt is now rated 92 after his recent win and placing at Wolverhampton for King Power Racing. Explained Donald: “I think Fox Power could be a stakes horse, he was beaten by the draw last time, and this is a lovely-looking horse.” View the full article

2.00 Nottingham, Mdn, £6,000, 2yo, f, 8f 75yT Clipper Logistics’ POETIC LEGACY (IRE) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is a half-sister to MG1SW G2 Derby Italiano hero Dylan Mouth (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) and this term’s G2 Derby Italiano runner-up Henry Mouth (Ire) (Henrythenavigator) and debuts for Mark Johnston. Her one dozen rivals include Saeed bin Mohammed Al Qassimi’s Shamameya (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who is a David Simcock-trained daughter of G1 1000 Guineas third Alasha (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and thus kin to G3 Sceptre S. victress Alanza (Ire) (Dubai Destination); and Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum’s Mannaal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is a daughter of G3 Princess Margaret S. victress Soraaya (Ire) (Elnadim), from the Simon Crisford stable. View the full article

The jumps season is beginning to heat up as the rain makes the unusually good ground that bit safer. Limerick played host to the Munster National last weekend, which marked one of the first proper opportunities for staying chasers and it went the way of Spider Web. Tom Mullins charge will do well to match the achievements of last season winner Total Recall but he does look like a horse worth following considering how he stayed inside the final furlong. Punchestown is undoubtedly the home of jumps racing in Ireland and the Kildare track is the location for the Irish Daily Star Chase which is one of the season’s first proper graded races for Gold Cup hopefuls. A quick look at some of the past winners shows what it takes to win the race with War Of Attrition (2005, 2006 & 2008), Don Cossack (2014 & 2015) and Road To Respect (2017) all previous winners. Noel Meade is looking for back to back success with Road To Respect in the race. The son of Gamut went on to win the Group 1 Christmas Chase at Leopardstown last season before finishing a very creditable fourth in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham festival. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned seven-year-old looks sure to run another big race, with the Gold Cup the undoubted target. Ballycasey represents the Willie Mullins camp and although the Rich Ricci owned gelding has been a fantastic servant down through the years but hasn’t got his head in front for over a year and a half. If given an easy lead then the son of Presenting may be able to get his head back in front. One of the most interesting runners in the field is Snow Falcon who is a stablemate to the favourite Road To Respect and finally won a big race (Kerry National) after threating to do so on many occasions. Noel Meade said after this victory: “I was just thrilled that he went and won a good race like that. We gave him an easy time afterwards as he had a hard race” Sub Lieutenant got his head in front for the first time in nearly two years at Galway in August which should serve as a very good confidence booster for this smart gelding. The son of Brian Boru has a small bit to find with Snow Falcon on their running in the Galway Plate but that was his first run of the season so perhaps he can reverse the form. Selection: Road To Riches The post Irish Daily Star Chase Preview appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Few owners can argue that their horse pulled off the most impressive effort at Saratoga Race Course this summer. Ray Mamone can make that case. After 42 years in the game, he has his first top-level horse in Imperial Hint (Imperialism), who might be the nation’s top sprinter. Mamone is watching poetry in motion. After winning the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga July 28 by sweeping by the field, Imperial Hint was sent to the lead by jockey Javier Castellano in the GI Vosburgh S. at Belmont Park and never looked back. In each race, he finished full of run through the lane with a rare fluidity of motion, while under wraps. “I’m on cloud nine right now,” Mamone said. His eyes are set on the Nov. 3 GI TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs, where he could get a rematch with last year’s winner Roy H (More Than Ready). “I think we can beat him this time,” he said. A Somerville, New Jersey resident who just turned 86, the Brooklyn-born Mamone has reached this point with a horse he calls “a freak.” His horse is in the capable hands of Luis Carvajal Jr., who has trained for Mamone the last decade. He was a longtime assistant to the late New Jersey trainer Robert Durso, who also trained for Mamone. Mamone calls Imperial Hint “a natural” out of a mare he raced named Royal Hint, who was two-for-six lifetime. Mamone almost didn’t get to race Imperial Hint as he gave his dam to Shade Tree Thoroughbreds when she had trouble producing foals. Luckily, Shade Tree Thoroughbreds bred her to Imperialism and Mamone bought the offspring at two for about $25,000. At the time, Imperialism was standing in Florida. Imperialism stood at Esquirol Farms in Alberta, Canada this year for a $2,500 stud fee. Imperial Hint has earned more than $1.4 million so far. “I said, ‘You gotta be kidding me,'” Mamone recalled after first seeing Imperial Hint. The colt was small but Mamone liked him. “He was wide in the front, nice in the chest, well mannered.” Mamone got his first taste for racing when he won a bet as a teenager at Monmouth Park with some friends. “I won $14 and thought I was a millionaire,” he said, adding that he enjoyed the gambling aspect of the game. The success of his auto body business allowed him to enter horse ownership in 1976. In his first year as an owner, he claimed 22 horses with New Jersey-based trainer Mike Vincitore. “He said I was crazy claiming all of those horses,” Mamone said. “I made money–that’s why I’ve stayed in the business 42 years…You can’t go crazy man.” He also had horses in New York with trainer Steve Juliano in the 1980s. For about six months in the late 1970s, Mamone gave a stab at training horses himself, but found it was too difficult to do while running his auto body shop. “It knocked the hell out of me,” he said. In the early 1980’s, he privately purchased a New Jersey-bred mare named Castles Gift, who was trained in New York by John Campo. Mamone took the horse back to Jersey and had success with her on the racetrack. As a broodmare, she delivered Ray’s Gift, who took the filly division of the 1986 New Jersey Futurity. Ray’s Gift had a granddaughter named Royal Hint, which makes Imperial Hint a fifth-generation Mamone runner. It hasn’t been all roses for Mamone. His dad lost most of his money in the Great Depression and went to work for the WPA. Their family lived near Ebbets Field and Mamone remembers sneaking into games with his friends as a child to watch the Brooklyn Dodgers, and being chased away. The family moved to New Jersey, he quit school at 14 and went to work delivering ice. Mamone left his ice route to take a job picking tomatoes for 10 cents a bushel. “I worked my [butt] off,” he recalled. He lied about his age to take construction work, then found a job at an auto body shop but was fired due to his inexperience. He wound up setting pins at a bowling alley for three cents a game. Eventually, his old boss offered him his job back and Mamone took it with the provision that he would be taught the auto body profession. After a decade there, he opened up his own shop. He and his wife Bernadine were married for 61 years until she died in 2012. “She loved every part of [horse racing],” said Mamone, who has two children. Now his focus is on winning the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. “I want to win that race so bad,” he said. With all of the energy his little rocket has been able to store through the ease of his victory in his last two races, Mamone believes he is ready for lift off. “You’re going to see a surprise,” Mamone said. “That’s what we’re waiting for.” The plan is to get Imperial Hint acclimated at Churchill Downs for two weeks before the Sprint. He has run twice there but without success. His first try was a 12th-place finish in the 2016 GIII Pat Day Mile S. in his third career start. Earlier this year, he set the pace over a rain-drenched track in the seven-furlong GII Churchill Downs S. before tiring. Mamone believes the distance of six furlongs at the Breeders’ Cup suits Imperial Hint best. “He’s perfectly sound. He doesn’t have a pimple on him. He’s got a lot of heart,” Mamone said. Mamone said Imperial Hint gives him confidence when he goes to visit him at their Parx Racing base to deliver mints and carrots. The effortless manner in which he works gives him goosebumps. “I’m just so proud of him. When I look at him, he’s looking at me like, ‘Don’t worry about it.'” View the full article

The first calendar featuring Secretariat’s living sons and daughters was released last year and raised more than $4,600 for equine industry groups and this year’s calendar is now available. The new calendar spans 15 months, from January 2019 through March 2020. Featured on the cover is stakes winner Fast Market, now the oldest known living offspring of Secretariat at age 32. All profits from the sale of the calendar are allocated to three organizations, Bright Futures Farm, Victory Alliance Ranch and Virginia Tech’s MARE Center, each of which has been a caretaker of one of the last known offspring of Secretariat. The calendars, which will start shipping immediately, are available for $25 each at www.SecretariatsLegacy.com. View the full article

When Sippican Harbor (Orb–Blossomed, by Deputy Minister) swept to victory in the GI Spinaway S. at Saratoga in August, it marked the first Grade I winner for the burgeoning broodmare band of Justin and Kalvert Spaeth. The Colorado-based couple will offer a half-brother to the Breeders’ Cup-bound juvenile filly at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton October Sale. By Bodemeister, the yearling will sell as hip 217 from Gerry Dilger’s Dromoland Farm consignment. “It was quite the race and we’re thrilled with the way she performed,” Justin Spaeth said of Sippican Harbor’s 16-1 upset in the Harbor. Sippican Harbor, who the Spaeths co-bred with Equine Equity Partners, sold for $260,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale before RNA’ing for $110,000 at this year’s OBS March sale. She opened her career with a fifth-place effort over the turf before romping home a 17-length winner of a rained-off special weight at the Spa Aug. 12. That effort put the filly in the line-up for the Spinaway where she made a strong last-to-first move to win by two lengths for owner Lee Pokoik and trainer Gary Contessa. “When they switched her from the turf to the dirt, we knew they had a lot of confidence in her,” Spaeth said. “We’ve been excited following her and she’s appeared to be special from the very beginning. We took her to Saratoga to sell as a yearling, so we’ve always liked her.” Spaeth, whose business interests involve water treatment in the oil and gas industries, admits his entrance into the Thoroughbred breeding business started with his wife’s family. “My father-in-law [Dr. Kirk Shiner] has been in the equine business for a very long time,” Spaeth said. “He was a partner at Hagyard, I don’t know how long ago, in Lexington. So there is a family connection [to the racing industry].” The Spaeths initially got involved in breeding through small partnerships. When they decided to build their own broodmare band, one of their first purchases was Blossomed (Deputy Minister). They purchased the unraced 10-year-old mare in foal to Bodemeister for $100,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. “She was one of the earlier mares that we purchased,” Spaeth said. “She had a lot of visual appeal and a very nice family page as well.” Blossomed is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Cinemine (Mining), as well as to the dam of graded winner Greengrassofwyoming (Quest). In addition to Sippican Harbor, Blossomed is also the dam of graded-placed Bodacious Babe (Mineshaft), who was a weanling the year the Spaeths purchased the mare. The Bodemeister foal Blossomed was carrying in 2013, Speedmeister, sold for $140,000 as a Keeneland November weanling in 2014. He sold for $250,000 at the following year’s Fasig-Tipton July Sale before bringing $650,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream juvenile in 2016. Blossomed’s yearling colt by Bodemeister was originally entered in the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, but the decision was made to wait for a later auction in hopes his half-sister would make a name for herself. The Saratoga sale came a week before Sippican Harbor’s romping maiden score. “That was the right move to scratch him from that sale,” Spaeth said. “We wanted to see her get out again and so we’re glad that we made that decision.” Boarded at Dromoland Farm, Blossomed has a weanling colt by Malibu Moon and was bred back to Honor Code. The Spaeths’ broodmare band currently has about six mares, but expect that number to gradually increase. “We have continually grown over the last six years that we’ve been in the business,” Spaeth explained. “We are focused on quality over quantity, but we will definitely continue to grow as we find mares that fit our program. We’ll just steadily grow.” While he credits his wife’s family with his initial involvement in the sport, Spaeth is clearly enjoying the experience. “Honestly, I didn’t have any connection to racing, but it was always very intriguing to me,” he said. “It’s an exciting business. We’re glad to be part of it. We go to Kentucky whenever we can and have enjoyed the relationships and connections that we’ve been able to make in the industry. Most of horses are boarded in Kentucky, so that’s a neat interaction to do that. I’m constantly learning, which I think is a good thing throughout life. We’re always learning and always eager to learn more.” The Fasig-Tipton October sale will be held Oct. 22-25 at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington. Sessions begin daily at 10 a.m. View the full article

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots has announced that 56 stakes worth a total of $6.87 million will be up for grabs for this upcoming 2018-19 racing season, which is set to begin on Thursday, November 15. View the full article

Kildare Village played host to the annual Curragh Racing Awards in association with Tipperary Crystal Oct. 15 where trainer Jessica Harrington and jockey Ronan Whelan were big winners. View the full article

Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who on Oct. 7 defended her title in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with just one start in the interim, will have her third run of the season in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3. Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, made the announcement on Tuesday and said further decisions on the 4-year-old filly’s future would be decided after the Breeders’ Cup. Enable, who has not lost a race since last April, also has last year’s G1 Investec Oaks, G1 Irish Oaks, G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. and G1 Yorkshire Oaks to her credit. She looks to join fellow mare Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as the only horses to win both the Arc and the Turf. No horse has done it in the same year; Found was beating the same year’s Arc winner Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) when she won the 2015 Turf, and she went on to add the Arc the following year. View the full article

The Curragh Racing Awards for 2018 were presented at Kildare Village on Monday, with trainer Jessica Harrington and jockey Ronan Whelan taking the training and riding performance of the year honours. Harrington was selected for her training performances of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) as well as the three-time stakes winner I’m So Fancy (Ire) (Rajj {Ire}). Whelan was recognized for his winning rides on the likes of G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy). Special awards went to IHRB Medical Officer Adrian McGoldrick and Curragh Racecourse grounds foreman Pat Webb and his team for their contributions to Irish racing. The leading owner, trainer and jockey awards went respectively to Sue Magnier, Aidan O’Brien and Donnacha O’Brien. View the full article

The impending arrival of superstar jockey Joao Moreira will be good for competition, according to 13-time champion Douglas Whyte. The South African said there was no point complaining about the possible return of the Brazilian following his backflip after he decided to walk out on the club at the end of last season in search of a Japan Racing Association licence. Whyte, along with Moreira and current champion Zac Purton, remain the only jockeys to have won the premiership this millennium, such... View the full article

Star Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton will return home to Australia this weekend to ride in the Caulfield Cup after his mount, Red Verdon gained a start in the race. Purton, who won the Group One in 2014 aboard Japanese stayer Admire Rakti, secured the ride some time ago but it was not clear whether the Ed Dunlop-trained stayer would gain a start. With a host of withdrawals this week, the six-year-old comfortably made the field, where Purton will carry 54 kgs (119 pounds) over the 2,400m trip.... View the full article

A pair of classy John Size three-year-olds return to the races at Happy Valley on Thursday night three weeks on from dominant wins at the city track. Country Star steps out in the Class Three Waratah Handicap (1,200m), while Red Warrior lines up in another Class Three – the Roselle Handicap (1,650m). Zac Purton rides both horses, who have had identical careers to date after both finishing fourth on debut on September 5 before scoring their maiden Hong Kong victories on the same night... View the full article

QEII Cup a prep run for Claudia, says Khoo View the full article

Gray eyes off Hong Kong for Cruiser View the full article

No walk in the Garden, but Tan still hopes for something Special View the full article

Addressing your thoughts, questions and statements about Hong Kong racing. Have something to say? Send a tweet to @SCMPRacingPost What bad news for those Chinese jockeys like Vincent Ho Chak-yiu and Derek Leung Ka-chun. The existence of Joao Moreira means less opportunities for them to ride better horses – @Howard_Au While the return of the Magic Man is probably a good thing for Hong Kong racing in the overall scheme of things, let’s be clear, none of the jockeys are thrilled about... View the full article

A trio of colts by first-crop sires were among four weanlings to crack the $100,000 barrier Monday at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Fall Sale, contributing to a record-setting day of trade in Saratoga Springs. Hip 180, a colt by Laboan (Uncle Mo) out of the Broken Vow mare Promising Vow, hammered for $140,000 to Bluewater Sales to top the sale, which saw a total of 115 offerings sell for a gross of $3,381,200. The sale’s $29,402 average represented a 29.67% increase from last year’s $22,674 average, while the median also rose from $12,000 to $20,000. The 2018 sale also produced an improved RNA rate, which dropped from 38.98% in 2017 to 32.35% in 2018. Hip 180 was one of three colts to sell for over $50,000 from the first crop of Laboan, best known for his front-running victory in the 2016 GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga. Bred in New York by Thomas/Burleson and consigned by Sequel New York as agent, the colt is out of a mare who is a half-sister to SW/GSP Top Surprize (Pure Prize). Laoban wasn’t the only freshman son of Uncle Mo making noise Monday, as Hip 78 from the first crop of GI Wood Memorial S. winner Outwork was scooped up by Machmer Hall for $125,000 from the Catalyst Bloodstock consignment. The colt, whose dam is a half-sister to SW/GSP Tiger Hunt (Kris S.), was one of two weanling acquisitions for Carrie and Craig Brogden and Sandy Willwerth’s Machmer Hall, which also signed the $100,000 winning ticket on Hip 72, a son of Kantharos. Rounding out the gold rush for offerings from freshman sires was Hip 225, a colt by GIII Iroquois S.-winning Taylor Made stallion Not This Time (Giant’s Causeway) from the family of New York-bred GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold (Medaglia d’Oro). The colt brought a final bid of $100,000 from Bloodstock Investments VI and was consigned by RFHF Bloodstock, agent. Hip 132, a daughter of Freud, was the top weanling filly through the ring, selling for $70,000 to Jonathan Thorne, who bred and consigned a $600,000 Pioneerof the Nile colt who topped this year’s Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale. Southern Equine Stables went to $105,000 to secure the top broodmare at the sale, Mama Maxine (More Than Ready) (Hip 33), an unraced daughter of GI Del Mar Debutante S. winner Miss Houdini (Belong to Me) offered in foal to Exaggerator from Pope McLean’s Crestwood Farm consignment. Mama Maxine, who produced 2016 GIII Canadian Derby winner Ready Intaglio (Indygo Shiner), received a timely update to her page when her half-sister Magical Victory (Victory Gallop)’s son Hot Springs (Uncle Mo) captured the Jefferson Cup S. at Churchill Downs Sept. 29. View the full article

The Kentucky Horse Council has announced that they will award two $1,500 scholarships for the spring 2019 semester to Kentucky students already attending or accepted into college who have demonstrated academic success, equine industry involvement and community service. “The Kentucky Horse Council is thrilled to once again be offering scholarships to college students in Kentucky,” says Kentucky Horse Council Executive Director Katy Ross. “Education is an important part of our mission and we want to support the efforts of deserving students as they explore a future in the equine industry.” Applications will be accepted until Nov. 16, 2018. For complete details and to access the application, visit www.kentuckyhorse.org. View the full article