Wandering Eyes

Jockey Karis Teetan believes an injury enforced lay-off could have done sprinter Montreal the world of good.The lightly raced five-year-old has had just three starts in Hong Kong since arriving more than a year ago after being dogged by a number of health issues.The Australian import immediately impressed after arriving with a rating of 76, winning his second start up the Sha Tin straight by more than two lengths before going on to falter when going around the bend in June last year.Since then… View the full article

Trainer John Moore believes it is only a matter of time before his classy galloper Good Standing wins again and hopes Saturday’s Class One Hong Kong Macau Trophy (1,400m) can provide the platform.The 99-rated gelding has consistently been around the mark this season but has managed just one win in nine starts after being narrowly beaten by the likes of Waikuku and Champion’s Way in recent times.As frustrating as minor placings are to Moore, the master trainer does not believe his five-year-old… View the full article

Frankie Lor Fu-chuen and his brother-in-law Peter Ho Wah-lun teamed up for a winner on Hong Kong Macau Trophy Day a year ago and the pair are hoping for another fruitful family reunion at Sha Tin on Saturday.Ho, who rode in Hong Kong before moving to Taipa racecourse in 1998, and Lor team up three times on a big day for the visiting jockey.Ho has scored seven rides from a host of different trainers – including The Alfonso in the day’s feature, the Class One Hong Kong Macau Trophy (1,400m) – but… View the full article

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike has taken a seven-strong team to Queensland to tackle the rich spoils on offer in the sunshine state over the coming months. He will kick off the Queensland campaign for two of those runners this weekend when Terra Sancta and The Bostonian contest feature races at Doomben on Saturday. Both four-year-olds experienced a stellar campaign in Queensland last year, with Terra Sancta winning three of her four starts, while The Bostonian was undefeated in his three race campa... View the full article

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike has had to farewell two talented gallopers in the last week. Exciting two-year-old Subpoena has crossed the Tasman after a sale was finalised following her impressive debut victory at Te Rapa last month. “Subpoena has been sold to clients of Chris Waller’s,” Pike said. “She headed to Sydney on Monday. “She is a very talented filly. She beat Rainbow Dash and beat her quite easily that day and Rainbow Dash has come out and won the stakes race (Listed Waikato ... View the full article

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Ron Lombardi, who races under the banner of Mr. Amore Stables, will send out the grade 1-winning homebred Firenze Fire in the six-furlong stakes for older horses May 11 at Belmont Park, and he fully understands the importance of a victory. View the full article

Zy boots home first Kranji double View the full article

Clements Japanese-bred 4YO gives rivals no Quarters View the full article

Perfect three from three for Baertschiger View the full article

Horses' body weights May 10 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings May 10 View the full article

For boutique thoroughbred nursery Sunlight Trust, this has been a week to remember. The group, made up of Murray and Marg Hardy along with Mills Reef Winery founder Paddy Preston, celebrated a win in their colours at Matamata on Wednesday by Caballero, which followed a dominant trial victory at Cambridge earlier in the week by an unnamed Jimmy Choux filly. But the clear highlight came in Adelaide last weekend, where Princess Jenni surged out of a traffic jam to win the Gr.1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m... View the full article

Marconi added a second consecutive stakes victory to his resume in the rescheduled Flat Out Stakes May 9 at Belmont Park. View the full article

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For owner Ron Lombardi, there's much more involved in the Runhappy Stakes than a $150,000 purse. View the full article

Bourbon Lane Stable and Lake Star Stable’s Bourbon War (Tapit) breezed five furlongs in 1:01.67 (XBTV video) over a fast Belmont main track Thursday morning and remains on track for a start in the May 18 GI Preakness S. at Pimlico Race Course. “I thought it went great,” trainer Mark Hennig said following the work. “He was a little aggressive. We put those short-cup blinkers on him to make him more aggressive and I sent him off with [stablemate] Carlino (Lemon Drop Kid). I think he was just being sharp. He got away from Carlino early and basically just kind of maintained that margin. “It wasn’t quite how I wanted to draw it up,” Hennig admitted. “I thought they would be right together, but I can understand that Bourbon War was a little more amped up. Carlino likes to come from the clouds.” A son of GISW My Conquestadory (Artie Schiller), Bourbon War defeated subsequent GIII Sunland Derby winner Cutting Humor (First Samurai) in a January allowance at Gulfstream, then just missed catching Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) in the GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. the following month. Pace compromised when fourth to Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) in the GI Xpressbet Florida Derby, the $410,000 Keeneland November weanling was originally penciled in for this weekend’s GIII Peter Pan S. at Belmont, but Hennig elected to call an audible. “I watched the Derby and kept on top of all the developments through the week,” Hennig said. “Omaha Beach (War Front) isn’t part of the scene, Haikal (Distorted Humor) isn’t part of the scene. If Omaha Beach runs in the Derby and wins by 10, maybe we’d go a different direction, but the way it unfolded, the Florida horses ran superb and we felt like we deserved to be competitive with those horses, as we were all winter.” Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call for the Preakness. Warrior’s Charge To Be Supplemented… Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables LLC’s Warrior’s Charge (Munnings), ultra-impressive in winning his two most recent starts at Oaklawn Park by a combined 12 1/2 lengths, will be supplemented to the Preakness, trainer Brad Cox confirmed Thursday. Not an original nominee to the Triple Crown, the Florida-bred colt must be paid up at 10% of the Preakness purse, or $150,000. “The owners got together and thought with some of the [Derby] horses not going back in the Preakness–I don’t want to use the word short field but not a full field yet–they’re definitely going to entertain it,” Cox said. “But we’re pointing to it, and as of right now, we would enter in the race.” Warrior’s Charge is set to be one of two in the race for Cox, who will also saddle GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. winner Owendale (Into Mischief). Javier Castellano has accepted the mount aboard Warrior’s Charge. The post Preakness Prattle: Bourbon War Tunes Up at Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A group of six severely injured military veterans who participated in a charitable Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) event at last Saturday’s GI Kentucky Derby got more than they bargained for in terms of roller coaster emotions when an equine meet-and-greet with two of the race’s contenders turned into a two-day plot-twister of a thrill ride that culminated with some of the vets getting into the Derby winner’s circle clutching donated win tickets on the 65-1 winner. The pre-Derby backstretch visits for the veterans were coordinated by Sentient Jet, a longtime Thoroughbred racing corporate sponsor, as part of a multi-year awareness campaign in support of the nonprofit HFOT, which builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for disabled post-9/11 veterans. “Many of these veterans are single or double amputees,” said Andrew Collins, the president and chief executive of Sentient, of the six guests his firm hosted on Derby day. “In certain cases, some of these vets are missing a leg or both legs. And I believe the bulk of them, if I’m not mistaken, have received Purple Hearts.” They were Army Specialist Brett Bondurant, Marine Corporal Travis Echols, Marine Staff Sergeant Matthew Wheeler, Army Sergeant Josh Wetzel, Marine Sergeant Dustin Johns, and Army Sergeant Richard Doyle. The highlight of the pre-race festivities was scheduled to be a Thursday morning barn visit with Derby favorite Omaha Beach (War Front). The name Omaha Beach is significant in United States military history because it the beach on which the majority of allied casualties were suffered on D-day 75 years ago this year. But Omaha Beach had to withdraw from the Derby with an entrapped epiglottis the night before the veterans’ visit. “We knew about it the day before,” Collins said. “In fact, he heard about it directly from the jockey, Mike [Smith]. Everybody was stunned, but I think everybody felt worse for Mr. [Rick] Porter, the owner, than what it meant for us.” The connections of Omaha Beach still graciously allowed the meet-and-greet to take place. Luckily, the agenda also included a barn visit with a lesser-known Derby contender who would actually be running–Country House (Lookin At Lucky). Just like with Omaha Beach, the veterans met the horse and the entire behind-the-scenes training team of Country House, and were invited to make “the walk” on Saturday from the stable area to the Derby paddock with the horse. They were also told to head down to the winner’s circle in the longshot event that Country House won the race. Not all of the HFOT veterans were able to walk with Country House to the paddock because of the mud and adverse weather conditions on Saturday, but several did, Collins said. Collins said the veterans were invited to spend Derby day in the Sentient suite, where he described them as some of the “most respectful” members of the entourage. He said the veterans just seemed honored and awed to have met the injured favorite and the longshot contender. As part of the invitation, Sentient also gave each of the veterans a $150 betting voucher. “Some of them actually did bet that directly on Country House,” Collins said. “One put the full $150 on the nose to win.” When Country House rallied to cross the wire second, Collins said the HFOT veterans “were going crazy thinking that’s amazing that he even placed.” Then came the foul claim from Flavien Prat, and the entire 22-minute disqualification process unfolded in agonizing fashion as the veterans realized what was at stake. When Country House got elevated to the victory, the entire Sentient group charged down to the winner’s circle–including two of the veterans who fought through the throng despite their injuries. “They were caught up in the excitement, and the feedback that I got from them was that it was just like getting caught up in battle,” Collin said. “They got to not only experience history, but to feel like they were a part of it, and that was a big deal.” The post For Military Vets, Roller Coaster Ride to Derby Winner’s Circle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Expectations have been high for Robert and Lawana Low’s Intrepid Heart (Tapit) ever since he hammered for $750,000 at OBS April, and they’ve grown to the point where the imposing gray will be a clear favorite to punch his ticket to the GI Belmont S. in Saturday’s GIII Peter Pan S. at Big Sandy. Opening his career going a mile Feb. 18 at Oaklawn, the Todd Pletcher trainee couldn’t have been much more impressive, shaking off a stiff pace challenge and running away in the stretch to a 7 3/4-length score, easily good enough for ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors. He was much busier in the closing stages Apr. 5 at Keeneland, but overcame a wide trip and surged late to stay unblemished by a half-length. Intrepid Heart is a half-brother to 2014 Peter Pan and GI Belmont S. runner-up Commissioner (A.P. Indy). Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm’s Global Campaign (Curlin), another ‘Rising Star’, looms the clear main danger. Universally tipped as a good thing when 11-10 on debut Jan. 5 at Gulfstream, the $250,000 Keeneland September purchase didn’t disappoint, cruising by 5 3/4 lengths in hand. He repeated with another easy victory there Feb. 9, and ran creditably when fifth after chasing a sizzling pace in the GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. last out Mar. 2. The Stanley Hough trainee tuned up for this with swift a five-furlong breeze in :59 2/5 (3/43) Apr. 27 at Churchill. Gary and Mary West and Jason Servis look to get one back after getting disqualified out of GI Kentucky Derby glory last Saturday with $110,000 Keeneland November grad Final Jeopardy (Street Sense). A dominant first-out winner Dec. 9 at Gulfstream, he was third when favored in the Limehouse S. there Jan. 5. Registering a sharp allowance score Mar. 3, he earned a trip to the GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 6 at Aqueduct, but endured a rough trip before finishing with some late interest to be sixth. The post Intrepid Heart Tries to Stay Unbeaten in Peter Pan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The May 11 Vagrancy at Belmont Park will be the first step on the comeback trail for Separationofpowers as well as the beginning of a new path that will be filled with one-turn stakes for the remainder of the year. View the full article

Applications for The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program’s (T.I.P.’s) two annual awards, the Thoroughbred of the Year Award and the Young Rider of the Year Award, are now available online at tjctip.com. Applications are due June 30, 2019. The T.I.P. Thoroughbred of the Year Award recognizes a Thoroughbred that has excelled in a non-competitive career, such as equine-assisted therapy or police work. The award includes a $5,000 grant to the non-profit organization associated with the horse or, if no organization is associated with the horse, to a horse-related charity chosen by The Jockey Club. The T.I.P. Young Rider of the Year Award recognizes young riders, 18 or under as of Jan. 1, 2019, who own or lease a Thoroughbred for use in 4-H, Pony Club or other activities. The winner(s) will be determined through an essay contest with a total award of $5,000 that can be applied to the college of their choice or to their participation in an event that furthers their involvement with horses. The post T.I.P. Non-Competition Award Applications Available appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On a day they had originally been granted permission to review the patrol footage of the GI Kentucky Derby, Gary and Mary West, the owners of the demoted Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) issued a statement to further address the much-talked-about disqualification. The statement read, in part: ‘On the Monday morning following the race we filed a formal “protest, objection and appeal” letter with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission seeking the opportunity to be heard “forthwith” by the full Commission. That request was summarily denied only hours later that same day. In denying our request, counsel for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission reminded us that it was a “privilege” to participate in horse racing in Kentucky. And we agree–however, that “privilege” comes with an obligation for fair, full and transparent treatment by the Commission of its licensees. That did not occur here. Faced with Commission’s denial of any recourse we are left to evaluate our legal options, which we are now doing. We believe that with a just and proper hearing of our case Maximum Security will be restored as the rightful winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby.’ Maximum Security arrived at Monmouth Park earlier this week and has already been declared a non-starter for next week’s GI Preakness S. The GI Belmont S. remains a possibility, with the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. July 20 a longer-term option. The post Wests Issue Another Statement on Derby DQ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday’s Insights features a half-brother to a G1 2000 Guineas runner-up. 2.00 Ascot, Mdn, £10,400, 2yo, f, 5fT DIVINE SPIRIT (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was last month’s 850,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up topper who debuts for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby. A half-sister to the G2 Gimcrack S. and G2 Mill Reef S. third Raucous (GB) (Dream Ahead), she is joined by the operation’s debutante Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a Saeed bin Suroor-trained daughter of the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches third Rahiyah (Rahy). 2.35 Ascot, Mdn, £15,000, 3yo, 11f 211yT SWIFT WING (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) is the latest progeny out of Lady Bamford’s Gull Wing (Ire) (In the Wings {GB}) and a full-brother to the high-class pair Eagle Top (GB) and Wings of Desire (GB) and also the G2 Park Hill S. scorer The Lark (GB). Like the former two, the April-foaled chestnut is trained by John Gosden as is George Strawbridge’s similarly unraced Kesia (Ire) (Australia {GB}), a 300,000gns Tattersalls Foal Sale purchase who is a granddaughter of Juddmonte’s classy Daring Miss (GB) (Sadler’s Wells). 6.35 Cork, Mdn, €13,000, 3yo, f, 10f 10yT SOUTH SEA PEARL (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) debuts for Ballydoyle in what could be an informative maiden and is a 800,000gns Tattersalls October full-sister to the stable’s dual G3 Curragh Cup winner Ernest Hemingway (Ire) and a half to the G3 Prix d’Aumale winner Toulifaut (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Moyglare Stud Farm have two Dermot Weld-trained newcomers engaged, with Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) particularly noteworthy as a half-sister to the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. hero Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and the high-class Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}). 7.35 Cork, Mdn, €16,000, 3yo/up, c/g, 10f 10yT UP HELLY AA (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) debuts in the Niarchos silks for the Willie McCreery stable that masterminded a G1 Matron S. success out of the dam Fiesolana (Ire) (Aussie Rules). He encounters two Ballydoyle representatives including George Strawbridge and Coolmore’s Fresno (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a son of the breeder and part-owner’s star mare Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who was wel-beaten on his sole start at The Curragh is August. 8.40 Wolverhampton, Mdn, £5,800, 3yo/up, 7f 36y (AWT) BARAAJEEL (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) represents Shadwell and Owen Burrows who teamed up with his G2 Hungerford S.-winning and G1 2000 Guineas-placed half-brother Massaat (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Also a half to last year’s G1 Commonwealth Cup hero Eqtidaar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), the homebred meets a potentially smart Saeed bin Suroor trainee in Jalaad (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) who took a Doncaster maiden in style last month. The post Observations for May 10 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Patrons at Belmont will get a very early look at a multiple Grade I winner Saturday, as Klaravich Stables’ Separationofpowers (Candy Ride {Arg}) headlines the GIII Vagrancy S. in her 4-year-old debut, carded as the day’s first race. A slam-dunk ‘TDN Rising Star’ when unveiled with an 11 3/4-length romp two summers ago at Saratoga, the $190,000 Keeneland November pickup annexed the GI Frizette S. two starts later at this oval. Fourth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, the bay had an abbreviated 3-year-old campaign, but one that included a game conquest of the GI Longines Test S. back at the Spa. She was last seen retreating to finish fourth in the GI Cotillion S. Sept. 22 at Parx. The distant two-three finishers behind streaking Come Dancing (Malibu Moon) in the GIII Distaff H. look to pose the biggest threats to the returning chalk. Tobey Morton’s Pacific Gale (Flat Out) earned a career-high 98 Beyer when second at 26-1 in the aforementioned Distaff, and Stonestreet Stables’ Dawn the Destroyer (Speightstown), beaten 14 lengths while third, looks to get back to the form that saw her capture the Interborough S. Jan. 25 at Aqueduct. The post Separationofpowers Returns in Vagrancy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Nun the Less will be giving seven pounds to the rest of the Hanshin Cup field but will still be tough to collar as the consistent 7-year-old looks to go a flat mile at Arlington International View the full article