Wandering Eyes

Monday, Oct. 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET is the last opportunity for horsemen to nominate weanlings of 2018 to the Breeders’ Cup program at the one-time regular nomination fee of $400. The $400 nomination entitles each foal with lifetime eligibility to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and the Breeders’ Cup Racing Programs. All foals sired by a fully-nominated North American Breeders’ Cup stallion are eligible for nomination to the Breeders’ Cup program in their year of birth at the weanling rate. View the full article

The New York Racing Association, Inc. and Yonkers Raceway at Empire City Casino will partner to offer an all-stakes Thoroughbred/Standardbred Pick 4 Saturday, Oct. 13. The Belmont-Yonkers Pick 4 includes the $1-million Yonkers International Trot and the $250,000 Harry Harvey Invitational from Empire City Casino along with the $200,000 Pebbles S. and $100,000 Floral Park S. from Belmont Park. “NYRA’s continued partnership with Yonkers Raceway results in unique wagering opportunities for New York horseplayers,” said Will Alempijevic, NYRA Director of Business Development. “For the second consecutive year, we’re thrilled to have successfully paired two great stakes races from Belmont with the best and richest day of harness racing in New York.” The Belmont-Yonkers Pick 4, to be hosted by NYRA with a $0.50 minimum wager and 24% takeout, will be available on-track, to members of NYRA Bets and Empire City Bets as well as in simulcast facilities across the country. View the full article

New Vocations is seeking owners and trainers of Breeders’ Cup contenders to pledge a percentage of their Championship earnings to support their mission to rehabilitate, retrain and rehome retired racehorses. This will be the ninth year for the fundraiser which has raised over $480,000 to date. “The need for our services continues to grow each year so we are continually faced with raising additional funds to keep up with that growth,” said Anna Ford, New Vocations Program Director. “I always look forward to this fundraiser as there are no overhead costs so 100% of the proceeds go directly to support our aftercare efforts. We spend a lot of time seeking pledges and then sit back and let the horses put on the show.” All of the Pledge information can be found at www.newvocations.org/breeders-cup-pledge/ or by contacting anna@horseadoption.com. View the full article

Three-time leading sire Tapit will stand for a fee of $225,000 LFSN in 2019, Gainesway announced Wednesday. Tapit’s book will again be limited to 125 mares. Tapit is the sire of 24 Grade 1 winners and seven champions, including Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter Unique Bella. Tapit commanded a $300,000 stud fee in 2018. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK–Watership Down Stud’s Dubawi colt out of the multiple Group 1-winner and budding blue hen mare Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) (lot 325) was widely expected to be the star attraction on the second day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket on Wednesday, and the handsome bay made good on that promise, fetching the top price of the sale thus far when knocked down to David Redvers at 3.5-million gns. As could be expected from a physically striking colt from one of the best current families in Europe-and probably the world-the April foal drew an international cast of bidders, with those that put their hands up also including Sheikh Hamdan’s Racing Manager Angus Gold, Jamie McCalmont, and Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida. In the end, Redvers ensured the valuable colt would remain in Europe and, if all goes to plan, one day follow the likes of Roaring Lion, Lightning Spear (GB) and Zoustar (Aus) to Tweenhills. A record single yearling session at Tattersalls, in which the aggregate passed 40-million gns for the first time, was boosted by seven millionaire-plus yearlings. The day one clearance rate of 85% had been encouraging enough but that shot up to an impressive 92% on Wednesday when 129 yearlings sold from the 142 on offer. Accordingly, figures in all other sectors also improved. Turnover of 40,944,000gns represented a rise of 21%, while the median rose from 160,000gns to 190,000gns and the average was up by 7% at 317,395gns. A Stallion In The Making… “We’re all trying to make stallions,” Redvers said after signing the ticket and receiving thanks from Watership Down Stud Manager Simon Marsh. He admitted that the excitement generated by this year’s G1 Coral-Eclipse, G1 Juddmonte International and G1 Irish Champion S. winner and the hugely valuable Roaring Lion had spurred the team at Sheikh Fahad’s Qatar Bloodstock into finding more like him. “That’s the future of our operation, finding these horses that are good enough to be the most commercial and most exciting stallions,” he said. “To have one of the very best-bred Dubawis is very hard to put a value on. You’ve seen horses this week make 600,000gns, 800,000gns, 1-million gns; they’re nice horses, but they’re not the very best. We just have to hope now that he gets to the racecourse and does what his pedigree, genetics and physique suggests he should. These horses don’t come up very often, and if he’s as good as his full-brother he’s a very cheap horse today.” That full-brother is of course ‘TDN Rising Star’ Too Darn Hot, who has greatly enhanced his stock since the catalogue was printed, going unbeaten in three starts including the G3 Solario S. and G2 Champagne S. He could increase his little brother’s value further in just three days’ time after an expected outing in Saturday’s G1 Dewhurst S. After producing the multiple group-placed Le Treville (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in her first season at stud, Dar Re Mi has visited Dubawi exclusively in the following seven seasons bar one tryst with Frankel (GB). De Treville had cost Charlie Gordon-Watson 850,000gns at this sale and that resulting Frankel colt, Erdogan (GB), had been a 750,000gns buy by Al Shaqab, but the remainder of Dar Re Mi’s progeny, until now, had been retained by Watership Down owners Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber. Those were, namely, the fillies So Mi Dar and Lah Ti Dar, both ‘TDN Rising Stars’. Lah Ti Dar has also done her part to enhance the page since it hit the press, having finished second in the G1 St Leger. Too Darn Hot, Lah Ti Dar and So Mi Dar are all trained by John Gosden, as was Dar Re Mi, and as is Roaring Lion. Redvers said, “You can draw your own conclusions as to where he’s likely to be trained.” Dar Re Mi’s progeny just scratches the surface of the riches on the page. The Pretty Polly, Yorkshire Oaks and Dubai Sheema Classic winner is herself a half-sister to Group 1 winners Rewilding (GB) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), Diaghilev (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) and Darazari (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells). “The mare is quite extraordinary and the stallion is quite extraordinary,” he added. “Sheikh Fahad and his brothers want the very best and they want to compete with the very best. We’ve had a major taste of what its like this year with Roaring Lion, which has been wonderful.” Continuing Allure… The full-brother to Oaks winner Was (Ire) and European yearling sales record-holder Al Namaah (Ire) became the fifth (and sixth in total) Galileo (Ire) yearling in Book 1 to sell for more than 1-million gns on Wednesday afternoon when a repeat of last week’s duels between Coolmore and Phoenix Thoroughbreds ended, this time, with MV Magnier having the final say at 1.3-million gns. The beautifully prepared son of Lodge Park Stud’s Alluring Park (Ire) (Green Desert), whose other stakes winners include another full-sibling, Douglas MacArthur (Ire), and half-brother Janood (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), was also the fifth offspring of the 19-year-old mare to sell for a seven-figure sum at Tattersalls. Breeder Damian Burns of Lodge Park said of lot 217, “We have two yards at home and my brother Jamie had the privilege and the pressure of prepping this colt, so well done to him and to all the team at home, many of whom don’t get to come to the sales.” “The mare had no foal this year but she’s in foal to Dark Angel. We still have her 3-year-old daughter [Park Bloom, also by Galileo] so hopefully we can continue to breed from the family.” It certainly is a family which has enhanced Lodge Park Stud’s reputation as a top-class nursery over the years. The colt’s grandam Park Express (GB) (Ahonoora {GB}), bought by Damian’s grandfather and father Paddy and Seamus Burns as a yearling, went on to be Ireland’s champion filly at two and three, winning the G1 Phoenix Champion S. and G2 Nassau S. as well as finishing runner-up in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks. Her own exploits on the racecourse were exceeded by her son New Approach (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the European champion in two seasons with five Group 1 wins to his name, including the Derby. Galileo Fillies In Demand… Cheveley Park Stud has been known to put up a fight in the ring to secure top-end fillies to one day add to its elite broodmare band. Stud manager Chris Richardson, standing alongside owner Patricia Thompson, certainly had to work hard early in the session on Wednesday to see off a determined Simon Crisford for lot 189, Churchtown House Stud’s Galileo (Ire) filly out of G3 Ballychorus S. winner Wannabe Better (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}). The hammer eventually fell in Richardson’s favour at 1.2-million gns. “She’s lovely, isn’t she?” said Thompson. “I thought I needed to be a bit daring once in my life.” Thompson turned it over to Richardson to reflect on the filly’s pedigree, which certainly warranted discussion: she is the second foal out of the mare, who is herself a three-quarter sister to G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Wannabe Grand (Ire) (Danehill) as well as two other stakes winners and three other stakes producers. “It’s a fantastic pedigree,” Richardson said. “It’s a wonderful family and that’s the sort of pedigree that we’re looking for at the very top end. He’s a phenomenal sire; you don’t get many opportunities to have a daughter of Galileo.” Richardson pointed out that the filly will have decent shoes to fill with the precedent set by a few of Cheveley Park’s other Galileo mares. “We have Criteria, who is a full-sister to Alice Springs who was just touched off in the Ribblesdale and her sister made €2-million last week [at Goffs Orby], and Allegretto, who won the G1 Prix Royal Oak from that wonderful Kirsten Rausing family,” Richardson said. “Let’s hope she’s better than them.” Nine lots later, it was again a daughter of Galileo in the spotlight when MV Magnier went to 900,000gns to add the John Gunther-bred lot 198 to Coolmore’s ranks. The May foal, consigned by Newsells Park, is out of the stakes-winning Wildwood Flower (Langfuhr), who has already proven her worth as a producer as the dam of GI Florida Derby winner Materiality (Afleet Alex) and GII Gazelle S. winner and GI Kentucky Oaks-second My Miss Sophia (Unbridled’s Song). John and Tanya Gunther had enjoyed another good result during the sale’s opening session on Tuesday when their Galileo colt out of Posset (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) was bought by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for 1.1-million gns. Galileo ended the day with three seven-figure fillies sold. Those also included: Lot 276, Clare Castle Stud’s Galileo filly out of the stakes-producing Brooklyn’s Storm bought by Robert Nataf of Horse France. Nataf did not disclose his client, but said the filly would be trained in Chantilly; and Lot 298, Barronstown Stud’s full-sister to its G1 St Leger and G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) bought by MV Magnier for 1.2-million gns. Another Sales Queen For Newsells… Newsells Park topped the sale on day one with their Galileo colt out of Shastye (Ire) (Danehill), a mare that has become a perennial sales queen for the operation. Newsells has another mare building a good sales ring reputation of her own, however, in Yummy Mummy (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), whose Dubawi (Ire) colt (lot 202) was scooped up by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock, with Anthony Stroud standing alongside Sheikh Mohammed, for 1.2-million gns. Yummy Mummy’s first yearling offered for sale was a Danehill Dancer (Ire) filly that made 350,000gns from MV Magnier at this sale in 2013, and she went on to be the Guineas and three-time Group 1-winning Legatissimo (Ire). The year of Legatissimo’s Classic exploits, MV Magnier had to go to 750,000gns for the mare’s Redoute’s Choice (Aus) filly later named Smoulder (GB), and Blandford Bloodstock spent 870,000gns on a Shamardal filly out of Yummy Mummy at this sale two years ago. Yummy Mummy produced another Dubawi colt this year and is back in foal to that sire. Le Havre Filly To Gosden… Le Havre (Ire) had just two yearlings catalogued for Book 1—a colt and a filly—and it was the latter who was one of the leading lights of Wednesday’s session at Tattersalls when sold to John Gosden for 850,000gns. Competition was fierce for the half-sister to dual Group 3 winner Home Of The Brave (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), a late scratching for The Everest, to be run at Randwick on Saturday for A$13-million. American agent Shawn Dugan was involved in the skirmishes along with the duo of John Camilleri and Hubie de Burgh, the eventual underbidders, but it was Gosden with the greater reserves, standing alongside Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock, who signed for the filly. Harry McCalmont’s Norelands Stud consigned lot 266 on behalf of her owner Bob Scarborough, who listened to the bidding via telephone from Australia. “We’re delighted with that. She’s a beautiful filly and was very well-liked. There were four or five individual bidders on her past the half-million mark,” McCalmont said. Adrian Nicoll, who had been on the phone to Scarborough throughout, added, “We bought the mare privately for Bob last year when she was in foal to Frankel and with this filly at foot. Sadly she lost the foal.” The filly’s dam Blissful Beat (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}), an unraced half-sister to Group 3 winner Suggestive (GB) (Reprimand {GB}), was bought at the Goffs November Mare Sale for €30,000 by Marc-Antoine Berghgracht on behalf of the Drions’ Ecurie du Grand Chene. Her first foal Home Of The Brave was initially trained in Newmarket and was disqualified after winning the G3 Minstrel S. at two after failing a post-race drug test. He went on to claim two Group 3 wins at three and five, the second in Godolphin’s colours, before being exported to Australia at the end of last year. Ammerland Splits Duties… Dietrich von Boetticher, owner of Germany’s Gestut Ammerland and breeder of Lope De Vega (Ire) and Hurricane Run (Ire), is in Newmarket this week and has been involved on both sides of transactions. Ammerland is co-breeder with Newsells Park of the G1 Grand Prix de Saint Cloud winner and recent Arc fourth Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Von Boetticher bought out his partner when purchasing his Kingman (GB) half-brother (lot 185) for 600,000gns through agent Crispin de Moubray. Ammerland also bought Merry Fox Stud’s Dubawi (Ire) half-sister to G1 Middle Park S. winner Charming Thought (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 229) for 400,000gns and later sold, through Ronald Rauscher, lot 279, a sister to the G3 Killavullan S. winner Blue De Vega (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) for 800,000gns. The filly is a great grand-daughter of Von Boetticher’s champion racemare Brittania (Ger) (Tarim {GB}), who later became the dam of his multiple Group 1 winners Borgia (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) and Boreal (Ger) (Java Gold). A Kitten For Dugan… Throughout this fortnight Ted Voute is consigning 12 yearlings by America’s champion sire-elect Kitten’s Joy on behalf of the stallion’s owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey. The filly with the most eye-catching pedigree—lot 295, a sister to G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner and Lanwades Stud sire Bobby’s Kitten, and also to multiple graded stakes winner Camelot Kitten—became the most expensive Kitten’s Joy yearling to be sold in Europe when the hammer was brought down in favour of Shawn Dugan at 700,000gns. Angus Gold of Shadwell was also in pursuit, as was underbidder Teddy Grimthorpe. “We knew she was the best we had brought here,” said Voute. “It was good to see Juddmonte involved, I actually thought that Shadwell were going to buy her.” The consignor also offered that the Ramseys sent 10 mares to Newmarket to be covered by Bobby’s Kitten, who will have a selection of his first foals for sale this winter. Strike One For WH Bloodstock… Mimi Wadham and Violet Hesketh of WH Bloodstock had a draft of one this week, a Showcasing colt (lot 316) who was their first Book 1 yearling. The son of Crystal Gal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), offered on behalf of his breeders Victoria and Anthony Pakenham, is certainly not a horse they will forget in a hurry after he sold for 650,000gns to Phoenix Thoroughbreds, who outbid MV Magnier. “We’re over the moon,” said Victoria Pakenham. “Lucy Wadham trained Crystal Gal so we wanted to give him to Mimi and Violet to do, as we hoped it would give them a good opportunity in their first year consigning. They’ve had such good training and have been planning this for ages and, my God, what a great job they’ve done.” Crystal Gal, a grand-daughter of G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Classic Park (GB), was bought by the Pakenhams for 150,000gns and later won the Listed Dick Hern Fillies’ S. She is two-for-two with her runners to date, both winning fillies by the Pakenhams’ 2006 Derby winner Sir Percy (GB), including the listed-placed Galmarley (GB). The mare has another filly foal by Sir Percy on the ground and is in foal to Muhaarar (GB). “I was almost in tears even before he went in,” said Mimi Wadham, “and then as the price kept going up it was just amazing. We had such faith in him and it was heartening to see so many good people believe in him like we did.” Phoenix Thoroughbreds, who bought four yearlings through the session, returned quickly to secure lot 323 for 500,000gns. Bred by Jimmy Murphy at Redpender Stud, the Dark Angel colt is a brother to G2 Champagne S. winner and young Tara Stud sire Estidhkaar (Ire) and a half-brother to the former champion 2-year-old Toormore (Ire) (Arakan) from the unraced Danetime (Ire) mare Danetime Out (Ire). Many Happy Returns For Lord Derby… All breeding operations are built on dreams and since Peter Stanley purchased A Huge Dream (Ire) for €280,000 in Deauville five years ago, the 9-year-old Refuse To Bend (Ire) mare has largely lived up to her hopeful name, delivering a stakes winner via her first foal Mrs Gallagher (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and now a 750,000gns sales-ring return courtesy of her third foal, a chestnut filly by Starspangledbanner (Aus) (lot 205). Stanley, who owns New England Stud, bought the mare for a partnership which included his brother Lord Derby—breeder of the outstanding Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and her dual Derby-winning son Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire})—and Chris and Carol Kilroy. “I completely fell in love with the mare in Deauville and she was the only one I bid on,” said Stanley of the half-sister to dual Group 1-winning miler and young stallion Xtension (Ire) (Xaar {GB}). “I bought her because she is so good-looking and she has a great step. She seems to be passing that on to her offspring, which is a help.” It’s not only A Huge Dream’s first daughter who has improved the page since purchase. The mare’s half-sister Beatrix Potter (Ire) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) is now the dam of Godolphin’s top-class sprinter Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and it is Godolphin who will race his relative after Simon Crisford outbid Teddy Grimthorpe. Stanley added, “William Jarvis did a great job training Mrs Gallagher to be a stakes winner and she is actually returning to the stud even though we don’t own her.” The transaction, which was the highest price paid for a Starspangledbanner yearling in the Northern Hemisphere, brought extra cheer for Lord Derby, who was celebrating his 56th birthday on Wednesday. View the full article

Sam Houston Race Park will kick off its 2019 live racing season on Friday, January 25. The 32-day Thoroughbred meet will continue through Saturday, March 30. View the full article

Discreet Lover, upstart winner of the Sept. 29 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, put in his first workout since being placed on the vet's list in the wake of that victory, breezing four furlongs in :48.63 at Parx Racing Oct. 10. View the full article

Before the Hammer is a series presented by Keeneland that spotlights consignors, their stories of success and their featured offerings at the upcoming Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale from Nov. 5 to 16. John G. Sikura, the president of Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales, is content to be a man of few words regarding his 103-horse consignment at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. With standouts like in-foal champion Lady Eli (Divine Park), who sells as hip 111, and weanling half-sisters to 2016 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song) and 2015 older male Eclipse Award winner Honor Code (A.P. Indy) among Hill ‘n’ Dale’s 19 Book 1 prospects, you can see why Sikura would prefer to let the horses do the talking for him. “Certainly Lady Eli is a classic and unique offering,” Sikura said. “She’s the headliner of our consignment at Keeneland. She’s a household name, a champion, and a mare of immense class.” Lady Eli’s story will always be emotionally compelling considering she started her career 6-for-6 with wins in the 2014 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and the 2015 GI Belmont Oaks before stepping on a nail and was away from racing for over a year in 2015-16 before regaining top form with three additional Grade I wins in 2016-17. The adversity-overcoming turf distance specialist was never worse than second in her career until a trip-troubled 2017 GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, when she was banged around and stepped on from behind while battling into the first turn, contributing to a seventh-place finish in what was to be her lifetime finale. After that race, it was revealed she lost a hind shoe and suffered significant lacerations and puncture wounds to both hind legs. “She’s international in scope and in foal to War Front,’ Sikura said. “He led the September sale in yearling average, and he’s a fantastic, internationally respected sire. Lady Eli is very special, and we’re honored to present her.” Hill ‘n’ Dale traditionally has a strong weanling presence at Keeneland November and 2018 will be no different, with 14 of them placed in Book 1. “We sell a half sister to Arrogate (hip 28),” Sikura said. “She’s sired by Tapit–a supremely unique offering. We also sell a Curlin filly, a half to champion Honor Code-(Hip 188) another unique offering.” Arrogate finished third in his 2016 debut, then the racing world ran out of superlatives trying to describe his upward career arc as he ripped through seven consecutive wins, including a track-record victory in the GI Travers S. followed by sizzling scores in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, GI Pegasus World Cup, and GI Dubai World Cup. Honor Code was off the board only once while winning six of 11 lifetime starts, capturing graded races at ages two and four. His Grade I wins were the Metropolitan H. and Whitney S., both in 2015. That same year, a War Front-sired weanling half-brother to Honor Code that Hill ‘n’ Dale consigned to Keeneland November sold for $2.6 million. Overall, Sikura said, “We have a very strong consignment. We sell mares by Galileo. Multiple mares in foal to Curlin. Group 1 quality fillies. A great array of weanlings by War Front, Curlin and others. So I’m very happy about our consignment and I think it’s a special group of horses.” When asked to gauge the temperature of the current marketplace, Sikura said the heat of the economy in general is being reflected in the results of recent auctions. “We’re dealing–at least for the moment–with a North American economy that’s very robust,” Sikura said. “The tax changes have been very beneficial to our industry. I think that’s helping to drive money into the marketplace, and because of depreciation and tax advantages, it can’t be overstated how significant those law changes have been. When you’re in a speculative, high-risk business and essentially you’re protected with tax law changes that enable you to write off expenses and losses, it makes the venture [less risky], and that’s something that everybody is looking to do.” Sikura continued: “The September sale was up double digits. Buyers have a high threshold of scrutiny for the physical horse. Does the horse vet? Does it meet all of the checklists? And if they do, there’s plenty of money-more money in this market here than there has been in several of the past [years]. Sikura summed up: “Multiple buyers target a few horses, and if you’re fortunate enough to have one of those, you’re rewarded. We feel that we have several of those kinds of individuals this year-by the right sire, out of the right mare, and they look the part and meet that very stringent marketplace criteria.” View the full article

When Knicks Go (Paynter) won the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity Saturday at Keneeland, it came as major shock to anyone following the race in the U.S. The 2-year-old was the longest shot on the board at 77-1 and was coming off a distant third-place finish in the Arlington Washington Futurity. In Korea, they didn’t exactly see it that way. The colt is owned by the Korean Racing Authority, which controls racing in that country. Trying to improve breeding and racing and in Korea, they have acquired dozens of stallions from the U.S. and have set up their own stable in America. It consists of 10 horses. Their approach is to be aggressive and never count their horses out, no matter what they might look like on paper. “We’re definitely going to the [GI] Breeders’ Cup Juvenile,” winning trainer Ben Colebrook said. “The KRA is pretty aggressive in their placement of horses. If we were first, second or third in this race, they wanted to go to the Breeders’ Cup, because it is a big deal for them to have horses participate on the international stage. If a horse has a shot to be in a big race, they want to be in it. They proved to be right Saturday.” For the KRA, the first step was to go after stallions in the U.S. They weren’t looking for superstars, but quality horses that performed well in the biggest U.S. races. The No. 1 stallion in Korea is Menifee, winner of the GI Haskell Invitational and the GI Blue Grass in 1999. Other stallions who have done well in Korea include Take Charge Indy, Hansen and Tiz Wonderful. Step two was to buy and race in the U.S., with the hope that they could find horses on their own who would go on to become stallions. They’ve shown no interest in buying expensive horses, but have done well shopping in the middle market. One of their first purchases was J.S. Choice (Congrats), bought for $75,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Sale. He finished second in the GIII Pilgrim S. and then was unplaced in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. They did even better with Mr. Crow (Tapizar), a $150,000 purchase at the 2016 OBS March 2-Year-Old Sale. He ran second in this year’s GI Vosburgh S., beaten 1 1/4 lengths by possible GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint favorite Imperial Hint (Imperialism). Knicks Go, an $87,000 2017 Keeneland September purchase, was the first U.S. stakes winner for the KRA. “Yes, this a major breakthrough for us,” said Jun Park, who represents the KRA in the U.S. and acts as a liaison with Colebrook, who is their only trainer here. “They want to see that this experiment will work. They had some theories, but didn’t know how it would work out. They are pleasantly surprised how quickly we have had a big success. We now have a Grade I winner, and have been doing this only three years.” The KRA is not flying by the seat of its pants when it comes to the U.S. sales. Anything but. Park said the authority has taken a very scientific approach when it comes to its search for horses, one that includes nicking patterns and genetic testing. The name Knicks Go has nothing to do with the New York basketball team. Rather “Knicks” is the name of the nicking program the Koreans use. “We have our own genetic nicking program,” Park explained. “That’s the main reason we are doing this. They have their own genetic program to identify good race horses and also good potential stallion prospects. It’s all done with scientific data. With Knicks, we got a hair sample and sent it to a company to analyze the whole genome. They look at the map of the genes and will identify which ones have the highest potential.” As far at the Breeders’ Futurity goes, it’s not hard to argue that Knicks Go just got lucky. Jockey Albin Jimenez sensed there was little pace in the race and got to the front and nursed his horse along on the lead through fractions of :47 2/5 and 1:12 3/5. Not only did they not catch him, he pulled away in the stretch for a decisive 5 1/2-length win. Nonetheless, he goes down in the record books as a Grade I winner. “He was at home running over a track he really loves,” Colebrook said. “He has always trained like a good horse and we hadn’t lost any confidence in him. He was untested at two turns, and I thought maybe he would like two turns because of the way he trains. He has a high cruising speed and that is another attribute that serves him well.” Now that Knicks Go is a Grade I winner, it would seem that he is a perfect candidate to return to Korea some day to stand at stud. But Park said that isn’t necessarily the plan. If they continue to develop quality horses in the U.S., the KRA will stand some here and may even open its own farm in Kentucky some day. That way they can have access to better mares and have a better foundation to produce horses that can contribute to the quality of racing in Korea. “As you know, they have brought many stallions into Korea from the U.S.,” Park said. “They like to experiment, to identify potential stallion prospects. That’s why they started buying at the U.S. sales. They won’t necessarily go to Korea. If they have a good race record, have a Grade I win, and if there is some demand in the United States, they plan to stand stallions in the U.S.” View the full article

Gavin Cromwell is eyeing a trip to the Breeders’ Cup for Princess Yaiza (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) following her big-race victory in France. The 3-year-old has run some tremendous races in defeat this term, perhaps most notably when third behind Sunday’s Arc runner-up Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in a listed race at Newbury in June. After being touched off in a listed event at Galway on her penultimate start, Princess Yaiza was stepped up to Group 2 level for the Qatar Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp on Saturday and claimed a determined success in the hands of Andrea Atzeni. Her trainer Cromwell said, “It was a big ask, running her in a Group 2, so it was great to see her go and win. It definitely won’t be her last run of the year. She has an entry in the Italian Oaks, so there’s a small possibility she’ll go there, but I’d say it’s more likely she’ll go to the Breeders’ Cup. The Filly & Mare Turf is a 1 3/8 miles this year, which will suit her. We’re looking into it. Her owner is American and is keen to go.” View the full article

Dark Vision (Ire) (Dream Ahead) will not run again this season following his disappointing display in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster last month. The son of Dream Ahead was bought by Godolphin after extending his unbeaten record to three in the G2 Vintage S. at Glorious Goodwood. Mark Johnston’s charge was rated the biggest threat to G1 2000 Guineas favourite Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) on his latest appearance on Town Moor, but never seemed to be going at any stage and trailed home last of the six runners. Johnston later revealed Dark Vision would be sent for a bone scan at the Newmarket Equine Hospital as he feared his may have fractured his pelvis. However, Charlie Johnston, assistant to his father, said, “Nothing really came out of the scan. There’s no serious injury anyway. We’re going to give him a break now. He’s finished for the year. We’ll have to speak to the owners about what we do with him next spring. Whether we give him a prep run somewhere or go straight to one of the Classics, we’ll see.” View the full article

Watership Down’s much-anticipated Dubawi (Ire) colt out of Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) (Lot 325) has moved to the top of the leaderboard at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale after being purchased by David Redvers on behalf of Qatar Racing for 3.5-million gns on Wednesday evening. The bay is a full-brother to stakes winners Too Darn Hot (GB), So Mi Dar (GB) and Lah Ti Dar (GB). View the full article

Discreet Lover, upstart winner of the Sept. 29 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park, put in his first workout since being placed on the vet's list in the wake of that victory, breezing four furlongs in :48.63 at Parx Racing Oct. 10. View the full article

After notching his 400th Hong Kong winner, David Ferraris launched an impassioned plea for owners to get behind the trainers based at the Olympic stables. Ferraris slammed the rumours and innuendo surrounding the facilities shared by himself, Michael Freedman and Michael Chang Chun-wai, saying they just need more support. “This bad rap the Olympic stables have been getting is a load of bulls**t,” Ferraris said. “If someone says it is no good they all believe it – a lot... View the full article

G1SW Lancaster Bomber (War Front-Sun Shower {Ire}, by Indian Ridge {Ire}) has been retired and will stand at the National Stud in Newmarket in 2019. The Aidan O’Brien trainee’s stallion career will be managed by the Avenue Bloodstock team of John Ferguson, Mark McStay and Amy Lanigan. Lifetime breeding rights will be sold and the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup hero will command a fee of £8,500, Oct. 1, SLF. Bred by the Sun Shower Syndicate in Kentucky, the bay was off the mark at second asking at Leopardstown at two and ended his season with back-to-back Group 1 seconds in the Dubai Dewhurst S. and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. At three, Lancaster Bomber played the bridesmaid in the G1 St. James’s Palace S. at Royal Ascot, in Woodbine’s GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile S. last September and in the 2017 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar from a nine-start campaign. Third in the G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. second up at Newbury in May, he landed the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh and retires with earnings of $1,422,743 and a mark of 18-2-5-1. “Lancaster Bomber has always been held in very high regard by Aidan and the team at Ballydoyle,” said MV Magnier of Coolmore. “We have placed a lot of faith in his sire War Front, and thankfully it is being rewarded. We have retained some breeding rights in Lancaster Bomber and feel that his retirement to the National Stud in Newmarket affords him an excellent opportunity to make an impact as a stallion.” Out of the placed Sun Shower, Lancaster Bomber is a half-brother to three-time Group 1 winner and French highweight Excelebration (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), to MGSW Mull of Killough (Ire) (Mull of Kintyre) and to Shivalik Showers (Ind) (Dancing Forever), a MSW in India. His third dam G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Sarah Siddons (Fr) (Le Levanstell {GB}) foaled G1 Irish Oaks victress Princess Pati (Ire) (Top Ville {Ire}), as well as the great granddam of G1 Irish St. Leger winner Wicklow Brave (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}). View the full article

A bitter and divisive power struggle that has been simmering behind the scenes for years within the Stronach family is about to boil over very publicly in a court of law. Frank Stronach, the 86-year-old Canadian business titan who is renowned within the Thoroughbred industry as a breeder and owner of racehorses and for building North America’s largest conglomerate of racetracks, filed a bombshell lawsuit in a Toronto court Oct. 1 alleging that the daughter he appointed to run his empire, Belinda Stronach, has mismanaged the family’s chief assets and trust funds while forcing her father out of control of the fortune he created. Belinda Stronach, 52, is the chairman and president of The Stronach Group (TSG), which operates, among numerous other holdings, Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course and Portland Meadows. According to the lawsuit, she has also been a trustee of three family trusts and a beneficiary of one of them. Alon Ossip, the chief executive of TSG, is named as a co-defendant. His role, according to the lawsuit, involves allegedly conspiring with Belinda Stronach in “a series of covert and unlawful actions…that have been contrary to the best interests of, and to the overwhelming detriment of, other members of the Stronach family.” The 73-page lawsuit, which TDN obtained from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, lists 39 demands for relief that Frank Stronach is seeking via court trial, including the removal of Belinda Stronach and Ossip from all corporate officer and trustee positions related to the Stronach empire. According to the suit, Frank Stronach is also seeking three separate forms of financial redress: • $250 million (CDN) in compensation to the plaintiffs, family trusts, and TSG entities for “all losses, damages or harm suffered as a result of the Defendants’ unlawful or oppressive conduct.” • $250 million (CDN) in damages “against Belinda and Alon…for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust, and unlawful means of conspiracy.” • $20 million (CDN) in “punitive, aggravated, and/or exemplary damages” against Belinda Stronach and Ossip. “At the heart of the proceeding lies a series of unlawful actions undertaken by Belinda, together with Alon and others associated with them, to appropriate Stronach family assets for their own personal benefit,” the suit contends. “Belinda and Alon appropriated control over the business and assets of TSG after having concealed their actions from Frank [and other family members] during the period from at least 2011 to November 2016 when Belinda and Alon took the position, for the first time, that Frank was no longer in control of, and had no role in running, the family empire.” The lawsuit alleges “a complete break-down” of relationships within the Stronach family as a result of the ongoing strife. Frank’s wife, Elfriede, is named as a co-plaintiff. Two of Frank Stronach’s grandchildren, Nicole and Frank Walker, ages 25 and 27, respectively, are also named as co-defendants. They are Belinda Stronach’s children, and both served as trustees of family assets from 2013-17, according to the suit. Phone messages requesting comment from both Belinda Stronach and Ossip that were left with their respective assistants at TSG’s Ontario offices did not yield calls back prior to deadline for this story. The rags-to-riches rise of the Austrian-born Frank Stronach is well known within the racing industry, and he has been honored with numerous awards during his ascendancy from a small-scale Ontario horse owner and breeder to a global Thoroughbred power player. Over the course of six decades, he concurrently enjoyed commercial success as an auto-parts magnate, and several of his early racing holdings were intertwined with that firm, Magna International. As Frank Stronach’s scope and scale of investment within Thoroughbred racing grew, he formed Magna Entertainment Corporation (MEC) in 1999 to keep his racing interests separate from the automotive business. Belinda Stronach came on board with MEC in 2001 as its chief executive, although she briefly stepped away shortly thereafter for a run in Canadian politics. Over the decades, as his wealth grew, Frank Stronach formed various trusts to share the fortune with family members. According to the suit, even though other family members were eventually named as trustees, it was understood that the patriarch would always retain “Super Trustee” status. “All members of the family, including Belinda, understood and agreed that Frank would maintain control of the family business as the creator of the family’s wealth,” the suit contends. By the first decade of the 21st century, MEC began morphing into TSG, which is described in the suit as “a complex network” of 253 Stronach family-owned corporations, trusts, and other entities established in various jurisdictions around the world. By 2013, Frank Stronach assumed the title of TSG’s “founder and honorary chairman,” while Belinda Stronach and Ossip took on greater day-to-day executive powers within the company. Ossip, according to the suit, was paid a $1 million annual salary and was given roughly 5% interest in certain TSG assets. “From virtually the moment this arrangement was entered into, Alon failed to fulfill his most basic obligations as CEO of TSG,” the suit alleges. “Instead, he breached repeatedly his legal equitable and fiduciary duties.” In September 2013 Frank Stronach stepped away from his racing ventures and resigned leadership positions with two family trusts in order to fulfill a lifelong goal of leading a party that would get elected to the Austrian Parliament. His party got voted in, but by January 2014 he resigned from its active leadership and returned to Ontario to re-immerse himself in TSG, assuming that everything was “business as usual.” But according to Frank Stronach’s version of events detailed in the lawsuit, it wasn’t. “Frank later learned that during this period Belinda and Alon seriously neglected the business of TSG and [had] abused their positions of authority,” the suit states. “They did so in order to conceal significant cash flow issues, and to favour their own personal interests at the direct expense of rights and interests of other members of the Stronach family.” In fact, the suit contends, it wasn’t until November 2016 that, “Belinda and Alon informed Frank for the first time that TSG was facing significant liquidity issues. This came as a surprise to Frank and raised red flags about their management of TSG.” The suit then details a litany of alleged power plays initiated by Belinda Stronach and Ossip, including their refusal to let Frank Stronach act on routine business transactions. “Belinda and Alon were confrontational, disrespectful and insubordinate,” the suit alleges. “They demanded that Frank take steps to rein in or terminate all expenditures and investments being made by him on behalf of TSG…. Belinda and Alon also took the position, for the first time, that Frank had no authority to act in the name of any of the businesses owned or operated by TSG…. They asserted that Frank had no signing authority or ability to access corporate funds.” Ossip, according to the suit, also threatened to fire any TSG employees who carried out orders from Frank Stronach. “Alon belittled and embarrassed Frank, and did so with the blessing and encouragement of Belinda,” the suit contends. Eventually, Frank Stronach insisted to his daughter that Ossip be terminated. The suit alleges that Belinda Stronach only paid lip service to her father’s request, telling him that Ossip would be “suspended” and play no further role in TSG business, when in reality, the two allegedly “collaborated covertly” to keep Frank Stronach from figuring out that Ossip was still actively involved. The suit alleges that Frank Stronach then began making repeated requests to see documentation about TSG’s finances, but “for well over a year, Belinda stonewalled and deflected Frank and his advisors.” On Jan. 9, 2017, Frank Stronach reappointed himself to several family trusts, taking over control from his two grandchildren. The next day Belinda Stronach fired back, saying it was not legal for him to do so. And on Jan. 15, 2017, “Belinda once again wrote to Frank, and stated that she would not allow him to ‘take control’ of the family business,” the suit contends. Over course of the next year, according to the suit, Frank Stronach tried to reconcile the family fiasco as best as he could without bringing the entire affair before a court of law. But the suit contends that strategy hasn’t worked, and that Belinda Stronach to this day continues to “dismantle and sell off other [non-racing] assets that form part of the Stronach family empire.” Among Belinda Stronach’s alleged malfeasances, the suit contends, are demands for distributions from the family trusts, the hiring of unqualified friends to fill TSG positions “at exorbitant salaries,” and the submission of bogus TSG reimbursement requests for “hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal expenses…associated with parties, vacations for Belinda and her children, limousine rides and expensive meals, none of which related to legitimate business expenses.” The defendants have 20 days from the date the suit was initiated to file a response with the court. View the full article

In an Oct. 10 release, the British Horseracing Authority reported that scientific research into equine vision has led to a trial of a new fence and hurdle design to further improve safety in jump racing. View the full article

Arrowfield, which co-bred the son of Redoute's Choice with The Aga Khan, will now manage his racing and stud careers. View the full article

Two leading world organizations, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) and the International Stud Book Committee (ISBC), are to work together on ways to combat gene doping in Thoroughbreds. View the full article

Whichever Breeders' Cup juvenile race recent Futurity Stakes winner Uncle Benny runs, owner Ara Aprahamian is excited to have his first starter in the World Championships. View the full article

Everest-bound Clements has high hopes for Siam Vipasiri View the full article

A colt by popular young sire Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile) out of a mare who was purchased for just $1,000 fetched a record final bid of $340,000 from leading owner John Oxley to top Tuesday’s select session of the OBS October Sale in Central Florida. Oxley also acquired the 2017 OBS October topper, going to $275,000 for Strike Silver (Violence), who in the 12 months since just missed in the GIII Sanford S. ahead of a worst-to-first victory in the Oct. 7 Indian Summer S. at Keeneland. The previous record of $335,000 was established in 2000. Statistically, the select portion of the sale was largely on par with the results from 2017. A total of 124 horses changed hands for gross receipts of $5,464,000. The average of $44,065 represented a modest 2.2% increase over last year, while the median remained level at $30,000. “It was a sale very similar to last year and very similar to what we’ve seen over the last few years,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. Seven unique buying entities accounted for the session’s nine six-figure horses, and Wojciechowski views that variety as a positive step in the right direction. “One of the goals in moving the sale from August to October was to increase that buyer base and that’s something that we’re working on,” he said. “We are starting to see some positive aspects with that.” Similarly, the day’s top nine horses were each by a different sire, including a pair of Florida stallions–in one case a sire that has since been relocated to Kentucky. “We were very happy to have such a nice variety of horses,” said Wojciechowski. “We had the Cairo Prince and an American Pharaoh, but it’s also nice to see a sire like Uncaptured and other more tried-and-true sires like Kitten’s Joy.” The first of two open sessions kicks off Wednesday at noon. For full results visit www.obssales.com. Cairo Prince Colt Makes OBS History… Sales-topping hip 138 was consigned to the October sale by Stuart Morris, agent for the partnership of J. R. and Katie Boyd’s Brick City Thoroughbreds and Stuart and Meg Turlington’s Stoney Lane Farm. The quartet teamed to purchase the colt privately from his breeder Mulholland Springs. “We picked him out of a group of horses,” Boyd said. “He just looked really fast, a big walk, great physical. We loved his hip and his sire. They raise seriously good horses there at Mulholland Springs and they are very easy to work with.” The group, who sold a colt by Lea for $200,000 at Keeneland September, said the Cairo Prince represented their biggest success to date. “He well exceeded our expectations,” Boyd said. “We thought $150,000 or $200,000 max. Chad Johnson from OBS came very hard for this horse. He said this horse would sell very well and he sure was right. Stuart Morris did just an outstanding job with the colt and we thank the Good Lord, OBS and Mulholland Springs!” Boyd is the stepson of Robby Harris and he credited his stepfather and his late mother Mary with being his mentors. Likewise, Turlington attributed his success to the teachings of his father Ed, who passed away three years ago. “We really feel like there were a couple of angels watching over us,” Boyd said. Nothing Upsetting About Minutia… By her own admission, Mulholland Springs’s Martha Jane Mulholland had her eye on a Quiet American mare either side the newly turned 4-year-old filly Minutia (Concord Point) at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton February Sale. To Mulholland’s utter surprise, it took only the upset bid of $1,000 to take home the filly, an earner of just over $9,000 at the races. “I was there to buy a pretty mare and I thought it was just ridiculous that she was selling for that price,” said Mulholland, who bred Tuesday’s topper. “When we got her home, it was hard to figure out which mare cost $80,000 and which cost $1,000, she was that pretty.” There was much to like about the mare’s colt from the outset, Mulholland said. “He was a stunningly beautiful colt, extremely powerful with a really classy head,” she recollected. “And I always thought Cairo Prince would make a good stallion and I have always had a lot of confidence in Brereton Jones,” she added, referring to Cairo Prince’s stallion home at Airdrie Stud. “I’m thrilled for J.R. and his partners and I hope to high heaven he runs well,” she concluded. Uncaptured Accounts For Top Filly… A Summerfield-consigned filly from the second crop of Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured (Lion Heart) was hammered down to Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables for $210,000 to lead the session’s fillies. A half-sister to the stakes-winning It’s High Time (Gone Astray), hip 145 is out of a half-sister to GISW Black Seventeen (Is It True) who was bought back on a bid of $7,000 when carrying this foal at the 2017 OBS Winter Mixed Sale. View the full article

An Oct. 8 visit to Turfway Park revealed giant tents set up in the parking lot for a sale on Adidas shoes and athletic wear, but there was no visible sign of any physical progress on renovations outlined in February by track management. View the full article

AFTER thousands of outraged Sydneysiders took to the Sydney Opera House to protest over a six-minute light display that has divided the city, Racing NSW says it has learnt some lessons. View the full article

A full field of 14 fillies will vie for the final Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” spot in Wednesday’s GII Jessamine S. at Keeneland, a qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Chad Brown won last year’s renewal with ‘TDN Rising Star’ Rushing Fall (More Than Ready), who followed suit with a decisive score at the World Championships, and he has once chance to repeat with Fierce Scarlett (Scat Daddy. Fifth on debut sprinting over the Saratoga lawn Aug. 10, the $320,000 OBSAPR proved she just needed more distance when graduated by 4 1/2 lengths going away after a wide journey in a two-turn test over a yielding course at Belmont Sept. 15. Jorge Abreau takes on his former boss with a pair of contenders in Moravia (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Espresso Shot (Mission Impazible). Formerly campaigned in Europe, Moravia broke her maiden at third asking at Leopardstown June 7 and was second in the G3 Silver Flash S. there last time July 26. She receives Lasix for the first time in the U.S. debut. Third in an Aug. 16 grass sprint against fellow Empire-breds at Saratoga, Espresso Shot donned cap and gown next out in a 1 1/16-mile off-the-turfer Sept. 14. The greatest threat to Brown’s morning-line favorite, however, appears to be coming from the Great White North in the form of My Gal Betty (Point of Entry). A debut winner sprinting over the Woodbine synthetic May 20, she crossed the wire first in that venue’s My Dear S. July 7, but was disqualified and placed third for interference. Taking to the grass with aplomb with a 4 1/4-length decision in the Catch a Glimpse S. Aug. 25, the bay missed by just a length when second in the one-mile GI Natalma S. on the Woodbine lawn Sept. 16. View the full article