Wandering Eyes

Cozmic One (Bernardini), the first foal out of the great Zenyatta, did not inherit his dam’s talent on the racetrack, but he has proven to be am excellent show horse and a wonderful ambassador for the off-the-track Thoroughbred. Young equestrienne Isabela de Sousa, daughter of Hidden Brook’s Sergio de Sousa, partnered with Jerry and Ann Moss to guide Cozmic One through his new career, which included competing in last year’s Thoroughbred Makeover at the Kentucky Horse Park. The TDN team first met with de Sousa and Cozmic One about this time last year, which resulted in an Eclipse Award-winning multimedia piece published in the July, 2018 edition of the TDN Weekend. Associate Editor Christie DeBernardis returned to de Sousa Stables recently to check in with Isabela and Cozmic One. They discussed the Makeover, his current status and future plans in the following video and Q&A. TDN: First, tell us how the Makeover went. ID: The makeover went really well. We had a lot of people come out and support us, which was one of our main goals. It was really cool to see all of Cozmic One’s fans come out and watch him. I think he was one of the most-watched horses at the Makeover. At his stall, we had a bunch of fans coming up to him, and getting photos with him, and getting pictures, and hanging out with him. He really enjoyed all the attention. And, at the end of the day, it did what we wanted. We wanted to bring more publicity to the Makeover and more awareness for the retired racehorses. At the end of the day, I think we did that. There were a lot of people who came out to support him and the other thoroughbreds and watch us and the Makeover. It was also really cool because (Zenyatta’s owner) Ann Moss, came out and supported the cause. She got to see him go, and she got to see what the Retired Racehorse Project is about. For Zenyatta Day, they had auctions for prizes like Zenyatta’s shoes or halter, and they donated the money to the Retired Racehorse Project. We’re really grateful for Ann and their support, and it has raised way more awareness to retired horses and to what they can do in a second career. {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"Checking in One Cozmic One","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://vimeo.com/334015613","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/323293477.sd.mp4?s=d43e3cca49f87b543a7a1b16884285e22eeada63&profile_id=165","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} TDN: You turned him out this winter and just let him be a horse. ID: Every winter we turn our thoroughbreds out. My dad’s horse still goes out every winter, and he’s 14 and is one of the best thoroughbreds we’ve ever owned. We think it’s really good for them because time heals everything, or most things. And it’s good when you’re taking their shoes off and putting them in a field, letting them get a hair coat, and letting them be a horse. It really helps their mind, it helps their body. This year this horse has more hip than he did last year, and his build is very different than last year. It’s a great detox from the track and I think it really, it really helps their mind and I think they really enjoy it and it does wonders for horses. TDN: So now you’re just coming back from working with him. How has he been? ID: He’s been great, he’s very happy to be back, he’s very happy to be the center of attention every day now. He remembers almost everything I taught him last year, and we’re going to keep building on that and we’ll just, we’ll see where it goes. But he’s been great. He loves to work and he loves being in the barn. TDN: Any plans yet or goals for him for 2019? ID: We really want to have fun with this horse. We really enjoy him and his personality and we think he’s very talented. Hopefully we’ll go to the Horse Park and once we get him back, and we’ll show him in some of the thoroughbred classes and see what he wants to do. The post Checking In On Cozmic One appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

All eyes were on Electrical Storm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) ahead of Sunday’s Hot Streak Maiden S. over five furlongs of Newemarket’s Rowley Mile course, but Godolphin’s half-brother to Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) met a rival of significant substance in Cheveley Park Stud’s Threat (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). In reality always galloping all over his rivals, one of which in Spanish Angel (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) opted to lead him for a furlong or so, the chestnut who traded at 10-1 was taking control with two furlongs remaining as Electrical Storm began to come on strong from behind. Driven on by the presence of that 2-5 favourite, Threat responded to Tom Marquand’s urgings to extend uphill and score with authority by 2 1/4 lengths, with Godolphin’s other runner Path of Thunder (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), a 375,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up graduate, 3 1/4 lengths back in third. “He’s got his quirks–I had to get on him in the pre-parade ring, but hopefully that run will take the edge off him,” his rider said. “Once he’s moving he’s alright, its probably that he just finds everything so easy at home and we haven’t really taken the sting out of him with a hard piece of work yet. Six furlongs will be right up his street and he can only go forward from this run. He’s comfortable on that ground and I’d say he’ll prove to be fairly versatile on what we’ve seen at home.” Trainer Richard Hannon was making no secret of his regard for the 100,000gns Tattersalls December Foal purchase. “Is he a Coventry horse? Absolutely,” he said, referring to the ever-coveted G2 Royal Ascot prize June 18. “We loved him at home and I didn’t really want to run him over five, but when they work like he has you’ve got to do something. He’s a proper horse, no question about it. A very nice colt who could be anything and can only get better. He’s a big boy and I wanted to wait for six, but he’s just so naturally talented I had to run.” Threat’s speed is surprising given his pedigree, being out of a Niarchos mare Flare of Firelight (Birdstone) who raced three times between a mile and 9 1/2 furlongs and is a half to the listed-winning That Which Is Not (Elusive Quality) who was also runner-up in the 2017 G2 Prix Corrida over 10 1/2 furlongs. They are out of the former Warren Place flag-bearer Shiva (Jpn) (Hector Protector), who upstaged Daylami (Ire) in the 1999 G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup as well as placing in the G1 Champion S. and G1 Eclipse S. Her half-sister Light Shift (Kingmambo) captured the 2007 G1 Epsom Oaks for Sir Henry Cecil before producing the G1 Juddmonte International and G1 Eclipse S. hero Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who stands at Cheveley Park Stud. Shiva is also a full-sister to the group-winning sire Limnos (Jpn), who was at his best over a mile and a half, while the third dam Lingerie (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) also boasts among her descendants the multiple grade one winner Main Sequence (Aldebaran), further underlining the middle-distance bent of this family. Flare of Firelight also has a yearling filly by Slade Power (Ire). 5th-Newmarket, £12,000, Mdn, 5-5, 2yo, 5fT, :59.90, gd. THREAT (IRE), c, 2, by Footstepsinthesand (GB) 1st Dam: Flare of Firelight, by Birdstone 2nd Dam: Shiva (Jpn), by Hector Protector 3rd Dam: Lingerie (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB) Sales history: 100,000gns Wlg ’17 TATFOA. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $10,227. O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-La Lumiere Partnership (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. The post Footstepsinthesand’s Threat a New Rising Star At Newmarket appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Though he did nothing wrong in Saturday’s GI Kentucky Derby, jockey Tyler Gaffalione was a central player in the bumping incident that led to the historic disqualification of Maximum Security (New Year’s Day). Yet, Gaffalione said the Churchill Downs stewards never spoke to him after the race. “They never spoke to me,” he said. “To be honest, I thought there’d be an inquiry. I was surprised that there wasn’t.” Gaffalione rode War of Will (War Front), who was just outside Maximum Security when the latter came out near the top of the stretch and collided with Gaffalione’s mount. That set off a chain reaction that led to War of Will bothering Long Range Toddy (Take Charge Indy). Bodexpress (Bodemeister) was also affected and had to be steadied by jockey Corey Landeros. After a delay of about 20 minutes, Country House (Lookin At Lucky), who crossed the wire second but did not appear to be affected by the bumping incident, was declared the winner. One obvious reason that the stewards did not make it a priority to talk to Gaffalione is that he did not claim foul. However, he said there have been times during his brief career when he has been interviewed by stewards when he did not lodge an objection or was not in a position to have his horse moved up or down due to a disqualification. “It depends. Every track has different ways of handling things,” he said. “There have been instances where I might have finished last, but something happened and I was in the mix and they asked me of my opinion of that. With everything going on Saturday, I’m sure the stewards had their hands full.” When asked why he did not claim foul, Gaffalione said that he discussed doing so with trainer Mark Casse, but they saw no benefit in doing so. “When I got off the horse I went to see Mark,” he said. “We finished eighth, so we felt it really wasn’t necessary. We thought that was the stewards’ job in a race like that, especially a race like the Derby. If they felt there was something wrong they should have put up the inquiry sign and there was no inquiry. If we finished fourth or fifth and could have been moved up and gotten more money for the horse, owner and trainer, I definitely would have claimed foul. But we had nothing to gain from it.” Gaffalione said at the time of the incident, War of Will was traveling easily and he sensed that he had a legitimate shot of winning the race. “Going into the turn I was sitting behind Luis Saez on Maximum Security,” he said. “I was just kind of following him around there. The horses outside of me looked like they were starting to back up a little bit and they were both longshots. So I wanted to advance my position, move forward a little bit. So, I got outside of Luis. It seemed like his horse kind of switched leads on him and kind of went out. Luis did nothing wrong. Things happen out there. Horses see things and get spooked; there’s a lot going on. At that point, we had just started to make our initial run and I had plenty of horse. Luis’s horse stopped all my momentum, I definitely had to take a good strong hold of him to make sure we didn’t clip heels. He definitely bumped into me a couple of times. It was unfortunate.” Would he have won if not bothered? “It’s tough to say,” he replied. “I think the horse had every chance to be 1-2-3 if nothing happened. I had a lot of horse around the turn. And he’s a strong horse who usually finishes strong. He stopped his momentum. I’m not sure if he would have beaten the winner, but he definitely would have given him a run and I think we definitely would have finished in the top three.” It was a much improved effort from War of Will after he had finished ninth as the heavy favorite in the GII Louisiana Derby and Gaffalione believes a major victory is right around the corner for his colt. “I’ve always been so confident in this horse,” he said. “I know he’s special and he’s showed it so many times. He’s just been a little bit unlucky in his last two starts. Hopefully, moving forward, he can get a clean trip and show everybody what he can do. We all believe in him and everyone else will soon enough.” The post Gaffalione: Stewards Never Spoke to Me appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Newmarket’s Listed Tweenhills Pretty Polly S. has become an influential Epsom Oaks prep, with Taghrooda (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) all successful in recent years and Shadwell’s Maqsad (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) won with enough ease in Sunday’s edition to suggest she could be in the same territory. Sent off the 5-4 favourite after her mile maiden win here last time Apr. 16, the bay who cost 775,000 as a Goffs November Foal was waited with off the early pace and when sent forward by Jim Crowley took command with comfort approaching the two-furlong marker. Extending clear from there, she had five lengths to spare over the G1 Fillies’ Mile fourth Shambolic (Ire) (Shamardal) at the line. “I was impressed with her–she travelled well and settled well and appeared better at the trip,” trainer William Haggas said. “She’s got a bit of speed and lots of stamina on the dam’s side and is in the [G1 Prix] Saint-Alary [at ParisLongchamp May 26], the French Oaks [the June 16 G1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly] and the [May 31 G1] Epsom Oaks, so she has lots of options. I’m not sure it was the strongest renewal of this race, but she won easily and when Jim [Crowley] went to go he was surprised how easily he got there. He said the pace collapsed at the two. She ran a beautiful race here first time and then was beaten easily at Yarmouth, so I was rather deflated after that but racing is a strange game.” MAQSAD (FR) (f, 3, Siyouni {Fr}–Amerique {Ire} {MSP-Fr}, by Galileo {Ire}). (€775,000 Wlg ’16 GOFNOV). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Dayton Investments Ltd (FR); T-William Haggas; J-Jim Crowley. £28,355. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1, £37,461. The post Siyouni’s Maqsad Impresses In Pretty Polly Romp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Unusually, Galileo (Ire) was without a representative in the 2000 Guineas, but his one shot in Sunday’s G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket turned out to be a 14-1 winner in Hermosa (Ire) from the usual source of such talent in the Ballydoyle stable. Runner-up in the G1 Fillies’ Mile and G1 Criterium International, the full-sister to top-level winners Hydrangea (Ire) and The United States (Ire) had all the ingredients to make a serious impact in this Classic and like stablemate Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) 24 hours earlier lacked only the commitment of the betting public. Wayne Lordan set out to make the most of her finest assets, namely toughness and durability, and by halfway she was comfortably clear. Briefly headed by Angel’s Hideaway (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) with two furlongs to race, the bay was soon back in command and that Galileo resilience saw her power to the line for a length success from compatriot Lady Kaya (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), with the 7-2 favourite Qabala (Scat Daddy) a neck away in third. “She likes to bowl along and saves a bit, so when I saw her flick an ear I was happy,” her rider said, who rode Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in 2017. “She’ll stay a mile and a quarter no problem and she’s a very easy ride–you can out her anywhere.” This is the fourth time that Aidan O’Brien has won both Newmarket Guineas over the weekend and his fifth renewal of this Classic and he was pointing at the May 31 G1 Epsom Oaks afterwards. “Her sister got a mile and a half in soft ground at Ascot, so we always thought she would stay and be an Oaks filly,” he explained. “She’s very laid-back and lazy with a great mind. She got passed and came again, so that’s a great sign. It’s such an advantage to have Galileo’s influence and he’s going to be so massive for years to come. It’s that will-to-win that makes them so different and they are so genuine when push comes to shove. They will get down on their knees for you when the real fight comes.” Sunday, Newmarket, Britain QIPCO 1000 GUINEAS S.-G1, £500,000, Newmarket, 5-5, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:36.89, gd. 1–HERMOSA (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire) 1st Dam: Beauty Is Truth (Ire) (MGSW-Fr, $226,426), by Pivotal (GB) 2nd Dam: Zelding (Ire), by Warning (GB) 3rd Dam: Zelda (Ire), by Caerleon 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Beauty Is Truth Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Wayne Lordan. £283,550. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Fr, 8-3-2-1, $678,588. *Full to Hydrangea (Ire), G1SW-Eng & Ire, G1SP-Fr, $1,313,667; and The United States (Ire), G1SW-Aus & GSW-Ire, $1,684,244; and 1/2 to Fire Lily (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 5-7f, MGSW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Fr & GSP-Eng, $412,541. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Lady Kaya (Ire), 126, f, 3, Dandy Man (Ire)–Kayak (GB), by Singspiel (Ire). (€15,000 Wlg ’16 GOFNOV; €12,000 RNA Ylg ’17 TIRSEP). O-Joanne Lavery; B-John O’Connor (IRE); T-Sheila Lavery. £107,500. 3–Qabala, 126, f, 3, Scat Daddy–Entwine, by Empire Maker. ($300,000 Wlg ’16 FTKNOV). O-HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani; B-Eutrophia Farm (KY); T-Roger Varian. £53,800. Margins: 1, NK, HD. Odds: 14.00, 11.00, 3.50. Also Ran: Angel’s Hideaway (Ire), Fairyland (Ire), Just Wonderful, Iconic Choice (GB), Iridessa (Ire), Look Around (GB), Dandhu (GB), Star Terms (GB), Garrel Glen (GB), Mot Juste, Skitter Scatter, Fleeting (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. The post Galileo’s Hermosa Dominates the 1000 Guineas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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Fourth in the 12-furlong G1 Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp when last seen in September, Saif Ali’s Worth Waiting (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) put that stamina to full effect when capturing the G2 Charm Spirit Dahlia S. over nine furlongs at Newmarket on Sunday. Staying close to the pace-setting Nyaleti (Ire) (Arch) throughout the early stages, the 3-1 second favourite who also took the G3 Prix Minerve in August was sent to the front with 3 1/2 furlongs remaining by James Doyle. Maintaining a strong finishing effort all the way to the line, the bay registered a length verdict over that rival, with last year’s G1 1000 Guineas Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) disappointing again in third. The 5-4 favourite Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was only fourth, a nose further behind. “Mentally she’s very stable and relaxed and has a temperament second to none,” her rider said, referring to how she took a lengthy delay to the start in her stride as Rasima (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) needing re-shoeing. “Her form last year was over further than this, but she’s got a high cruising speed and I wanted to use that stride.” 1–WORTH WAITING (GB), 126, f, 4, by Bated Breath (GB) 1st Dam: Salutare (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells 2nd Dam: Contare (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB) 3rd Dam: Balenare (GB), by Pharly (Fr) (40,000gns Ylg ’16 TAOCT). O-Saif Ali; B-Whatton Manor Stud (GB); T-David Lanigan; J-James Doyle. £56,710. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, 8-5-2-0, £157,608. The post Bated Breath’s Worth Waiting Takes the Dahlia appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Club chief steward Kim Kelly says the interference that cost Maximum Security the Kentucky Derby in controversial fashion would not have happened in Hong Kong – and he hopes it is the catalyst for change.Why would it have not happened in Hong Kong? Because the Jockey Club (and most other racing jurisdictions) use the “Category One” method of resolving protests, while the USA is a proponent of “Category Two”.At a basic level, the difference is that under “Category One” rules, once you… View the full article

Star trainer John Moore has moved to within striking distance of champion trainer John Size for the championship after a treble at Sha Tin on Sunday.The Australian has been in hot form of late and joined Size’s protege Frankie Lor Fu-chuen on 53 winners for the season – seven behind Size – after the wins of Sunny Boy, Smart Rocket and Grand Chancellor.Moore has trained 13 winners since April, compared to Lor’s 10 and Size’s six over the same period.It is understood that both Moore and Lor are… View the full article

One-time Derby hopeful Ho Ho Khan has cemented his position as one of the most promising stayers in Hong Kong with a commanding victory in the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m).The New Zealand import shone through in the rain-affected affair which provided the highlight to an otherwise dour day at Sha Tin on Sunday.After starting the season with a rating of just 71, Ho Ho Khan has progressed through the grades to become one of the most consistent performers, giving his trainer… View the full article

It wasn’t hard to know how race three at Riccarton was unfolding on Saturday afternoon, you just had to listen to the roars of the large group on-course to support race favourite Morweka. The speedy Showcasing mare had the members of the Galloping Wekas Syndicate Number Two and their many friends roaring with appreciation as she streaked clear in the home straight to win the rating 82 1200m contest by more than seven lengths. Syndicate member, Joe Wallace, who was on hand to witness the triump... View the full article

Wagering from all-sources was the highest all-time on both the Kentucky Derby Day program and on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) race Saturday, May 4. View the full article

Talented filly Burgundy Belle made it three wins from five starts when successful in the Crown Prosecutor Cup (1400m) at Trentham on Saturday, providing Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards with his 92nd win of the season. The daughter of Burgundy had been in the reckoning for last week’s Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), but connections took a patient approach with the three-year-old and were rewarded with a three and a-quarter-length success on the heavy10 Trentham surface. “We thought ... View the full article

Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Laughing Fox posted his first career stakes victory in the inaugural $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational Stakes May 4 at Oaklawn Park and earned an automatic berth to the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1). View the full article

Wagering from all-sources was the highest of all time on both the Kentucky Derby Day program and the 145th GI Kentucky Derby itself, which was won by Country House (Lookin at Lucky) in a controversial DQ. Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program totaled $250.9 million, an 11% increase over the 2018 total and previous record of $225.7 million. Wagering from all-sources on the Kentucky Derby race increased 10% to $165.5 million from the previous record of $149.9 million set last year. This year’s wagering record includes $4.1 million of handle wagered in Japan with this being the first year the Kentucky Derby has ever been offered for wagering in the country. Attendance of 150,729 decreased 4% compared to last year, as the threat of an all-day rain forecast kept many fans away. “We are deeply grateful to all of the fans of the Kentucky Derby around the world who once again made this an amazing and memorable experience,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”). “We expect the Kentucky Derby Week Adjusted EBITDA to reflect another record with $4.5-to-$6.0 million of growth over last year.” The post Derby 145 Sets All-Time Wagering Record appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lightly raced three-year-old Ignored produced one of the day’s highlights when she overcame a tardy start to win against the older horses at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Savabeel filly was expected to be prominent in the rating 72 1600m event, but looked to have blown her chances when coming out of the starting barrier awkwardly and losing five lengths to the rest of the field. Rider Darren Danis didn’t panic as he allowed his mount to find a steady rhythm... View the full article

Last year’s Grand National Steeplechase (5500m) winner, Shamal, looks like he is right on track to add another coveted jumping prize to his locker after he took out the Ken & Roger Browne Memorial Steeplechase (3900m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Te Rapa event is the traditional lead-up to the Signature Homes Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) in a fortnight, a race where the Zabeel eight-year-old will look to improve on his fourth placing in 2018. Unsighted since finishing third in the Great Norther... View the full article

Mrs. Jerry Shields, E.J.M. McFadden Jr. and LNJ Foxwoods' Country House finished second to Maximum Security in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) but was awarded the win via disqualification. View the full article

Slam Dunk Racing's Maxim Rate got a perfect trip under Kent Desormeaux in the $100,000 Senorita Stakes (G3T) May 4 at Santa Anita Park and prevailed by a half-length. View the full article

After what had to be the most agonizing 20 minutes of their collective lives, the Churchill Downs stewards disqualified Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) after he crossed the wire first in the 145th running of the GI Kentucky Derby Saturday and placed him 17th. It was the first time in Derby history that a horse had been stripped of the win due to an infraction on the racetrack. The beneficiary was 65-1 shot Country House (Lookin at Lucky), who was declared the winner and gave Hall of Famer Bill Mott his first win in the sport’s most important race. This is sure to go down as one of the most controversial Derbies in history. In Maximum Security, you had a horse that led 18 others across the wire and was much the best. That he impeded other horses is not why he won. He was just better than everyone else. Meanwhile, Country House, the official winner, was not bothered and nothing that Maximum Security did cost him from winning the Derby the conventional way. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Yet the stewards absolutely made the right call. They did their job, and went by the rule book. They also didn’t buckle under the pressure that comes with adjudicating the Kentucky Derby. They treated this as if it were a $5,000 maiden claimer at Turfway Park, which is exactly how it’s supposed to happen. Here’s the Kentucky Racing Commission rule: “A leading horse if clear is entitled to any part of the track. If a leading horse or any other horse in a race swerves or is ridden to either side so as to interfere with, intimidate, or impede any other horse or jockey, or to cause the same result, this action shall be deemed a foul.” There’s no doubt that Maximum Security, who was ridden by Luis Saez, interfered, intimidated and impeded other horses. Nearing the top of the stretch, he ducked out and knocked into War of Will (War Front), which started a chain reaction. War of Will was forced into Long Range Toddy (Take Charge Indy), who took up sharply. Maximum Security was placed one position behind Long Range Toddy. War of Will finished eighth and was moved up to seventh. Neither War of Will nor Long Range Toddy had any chance of winning. At best, War of Will might have finished fifth if not bothered. Long Range Toddy was already a beaten horse when the incident occurred. To make the story all that more strange, Flavien Prat aboard Country House claimed foul, even though his horse was not bothered. Tyler Gaffalione on War of Will, the horse who was really mugged, did not. You can’t blame the stewards. But you can argue all you want that the rules covering disqualifications in North America are all wrong. The newly formed racing think tank, The Thoroughbred Idea Foundation, covered this subject in its first ever white paper back in November. The organization explained that when it comes to disqualifications, there are two systems in place, one used in the U.S. and Canada and another used virtually everywhere else in the world. The U.S. rules are called Category 2 rules by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). Basically, under Category 2 rules, a horse will be taken down if it interferes with another horse and/or does something that causes another horse in the race to finish further back than it would have otherwise. Under the Category 1 system, a horse is only taken down if the horse it bothered clearly would have finished ahead of the offending horse if not for the incident. That was not the case in the Derby. The official IFHA Category 1 rule reads: “If, in the opinion of the Staging Authority’s relevant judicial body, a horse or its rider causes interference and finishes in front of the horse interfered with but irrespective of the incident(s) the sufferer would not have finished ahead of the horse causing the interference, the judge’s placings will remain unaltered.” “In no other country in the world but the U.S. or Canada would Maximum Security have come down,” said TIF Executive Director Pat Cummings. “One hundred percent he would have stayed up.” I had never given much thought to which system is better, but the Derby opened up a Pandora’s Box. You had a deserving winner, a horse that ran the rest of the field off its collective feet, yet got disqualified because he bothered two horses that were going nowhere in the stretch. You had a horse declared the winner of the most important horse race in America who was “beaten” because he wasn’t good enough. Even Mott admitted that on NBC that Country House was not bothered by Maximum Security. This is an issue the sport needs to take a serious look at. In light of what happened Saturday at Churchill Downs, doesn’t it seem like our system makes no sense? Yes, Maximum Security deserved to come down, but only because of a Kafkaesque situation that unfolded due to rules that need to be revisited. The post The Stewards Were Right, But The System is Wrong appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Gary West, owner and breeder of Maximum Security, reacted graciously to his colt's disqualification in the May 4 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). View the full article

The connections that own Country House, awarded the 145th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), came together after the colt broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park Jan. 17 of this year in his third career start. View the full article

The connections that own Country House, awarded the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), came together after the colt broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park Jan. 17 of this year in his third career start. View the full article

Making his season debut May 4, Canada's reigning champion male sprinter Pink Lloyd won the third straight edition of the $125,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine. View the full article

Country House, a 65-1 longshot, won the 145th Kentucky Derby on Sunday (AEST) after the unprecedented disqualification of wire-to-wire leader Maximum Security. View the full article