Wandering Eyes

Moonbeam next for Preditor, then Triple Crown View the full article

Kellady thrilled to be back on Mr Dujardin View the full article

Early scratching September 2 View the full article

Opry rallied from last in the stretch before closing strong from the outside in the final furlong for an impressive maiden-breaking effort Aug. 29 in the $150,000 With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) for juveniles at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

Godstone Farm's freshman sire Well Spelled had his first black-type stakes winner Aug. 29, when his son Well Graced upset a field of seven other 2-year-olds to win the Strike Your Colors Stakes at Delaware Park. View the full article

With the heavy hitters in the handicap division sitting out the Sept. 1 $750,000 Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets at Saratoga Race Course, Tapwrit has a prime opportunity to both look and act the part of the proven talent he is. View the full article

Opry rallied from last in the stretch before closing strong from the outside in the final furlong for an impressive maiden-breaking effort Aug. 29 in the $150,000 With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) for juveniles at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

Trophy Chaser (Twirling Candy) romped to a 15 3/4-length victory in a six-furlong Gulfstream Park maiden special weight Aug. 25. The 96 Beyer Speed Figure he earned for that 1:09.50 clocking vaulted him to the top of the list for the highest Beyer rating recorded by a juvenile so far this season. Bet down to 4-5 odds Saturday after running second, beaten a neck, July 15, Trophy Chaser broke smoothly, stalked in second, and always appeared primed to pounce while forcing the issue outside of and about 1 1/2 lengths behind a 14-1 pacemaker. Three-eighths out, jockey Leonel Reyes nudged Trophy Chaser to advance to the lead over the sealed and sloppy surface, and the colt poured it on while sailing three wide off the turn and through the stretch. He widened to an insurmountable winning margin while only having the reins shaken at him and being shown the whip briefly, finishing under his own power and not fully extended. Trophy Chaser is owned by JCA Racing Stale LLC and is trained by Juan Carlos Avila. The colt sold for $35,000 at KEENOV in 2016, RNA’d for $55,000 at KEESEP and was bought by his current owner for $42,000 at OBSMAR. Chance Timm, the director of stallion seasons at Lane’s End, which stands Twirling Candy, said Trophy Chaser’s 96 Beyer caught his eye, and it could be indicative of the stallion’s “speed that carries” trait that is always in demand in the marketplace. “I was super-impressed by that performance,” Timm said. “Any 2-year-old that goes 1:09 and change for six furlongs second time out, it’s certainly worth noting. It looked like the horse galloped out big as well, so it looks like he’s got a big future.” Of Twirling Candy, Timm said “I think he’s exceptional value, and at his point, we hope he’s sitting on a breakout couple of big crops. This crop now is the first crop of bigger and better-bred books off the back of his early 2-year-old sales results. And at $25,000 [stud fee] I think he’s a very solid, proven sire option at that number.” The other juveniles to run a 90+ Beyer so far this season are: •94 = Bellafina (Quality Road) in the Aug. 5 GII Sorrento S. at Del Mar •92 = ‘TDN Rising Star’ Instagrand (Into Mischief) in the Aug. 11 GII Bet Pal S. at Del Mar •91 = ‘TDN Rising Star’ Tale of the Union (Union Rags) in an Aug. 26 MSW at Del Mar •90 = ‘TDN Rising Star’ Mucho (Blame) in an Aug. 4 MSW at Saratoga. View the full article

Bob Baffert said there isn't a race target set for West Coast but indicated he'll get more clarity on the situation when the colt gets up to Santa Anita Park after Del Mar closes for the summer and works six furlongs. View the full article

Opry (c, 2, Declaration of War–That Voodoo Youdo, by Speightstown) came flying late to earn his diploma and black-type badge in one foul swoop in Saratoga’s GII With Anticipation S. Wednesday. The dark bay closed well to be third in a seven-panel off-the-turfer here Aug. 11 and was given a 7-2 chance in this stretch out and switch to the lawn. Breaking a step slow while also taking a hard right, the dark bay was quickly straightened out and positioned along the hedge by Javier Castellano, trailing the field as Joyful Heart (Kitten’s Joy) clocked opening splits of :23.29 and :47.91. Still last with plenty of work to do turning for home, the $180,000 KEESEP buy came alive in the final furlong, unleashing a powerful late rally down the center of the track to win going away in 1:42 flat. Even-money favorite Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown) was second and the pacesetter held for third. Opry is the seventh maiden to win the With Anticipation and this was the sixth win in this event for Todd Pletcher in its 14 runnings. Opry is the fourth graded stakes winner for second crop sire Declaration of War (War Front) and the fifth black-type victor. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1. O-Cheyenne Stables & Gaillardia Racing; B-Crosshaven Bloodstock (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. View the full article

NYRA will offer fans a chance to take a photo with the Triple Crown trophy at Saratoga Sept. 3 from 12:30p.m. to 2 :30p.m. A donation of $10 is suggested to benefit the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots. “Designed by one of the world’s foremost internationally-renowned sculptors, the magnificent new Triple Crown trophy is both classic and contemporary and was specifically created to celebrate one of the greatest achievements in sports,” said NYRA CEO and President Chris Kay. “NYRA is pleased to support these Marine volunteers, who have given so much to preserve and protect our nation and our freedom, and selflessly donate their time to ensure children have toys during the holiday season. We encourage fans to join us in supporting a great cause while capturing a special memory with the new Triple Crown trophy.” View the full article

Undefeated ‘TDN Rising Star’ Instagrand (Into Mischief), dominant winner of the GII Best Pal S., is favored at 4-1 in the GI Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile future wager. His red hot sire is the 7-2 favorite in the BC Juvenile Sires Future Wager second pool. Wagering opens Friday at noon and concludes Sunday at 6:00p.m. with 23 unique betting interests and one “All Others” wager. Currently sitting second at 6-1 is fellow ‘TDN Rising Star’ Roadster (Quality Road), who is scheduled to run in the upcoming GI Del Mar Futurity. GII Saratoga Special S. winner Call Paul (Friesan Fire) and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Mucho (Blame) are both quoted at 8-1. View the full article

Champion West Coast (Flatter) returned to the worktab at Del Mar Tuesday morning for the first time since finishing second in the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 31, covering a half-mile in :48.80 under Dana Barnes (11/28). “Hopefully he will be ready for the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic if all goes well with his training,” Hall of Famer Bob Baffert said Wednesday afternoon. “I am very happy with him. It is going to be tight, but we could also run in the [GI] Clark [H. at Churchill Downs Nov. 23].” On the worktab for Baffert Wednesday were GI Del Mar Futurity-bound ‘TDN Rising Star’ Roadster (Quality Road), who worked five panels in 1:00.20 (6/33); and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}), who breezed a best-of-33 five furlongs in :59.60. View the full article

The visitation and funeral services for John Asher have been finalized. View the full article

Bob Baffert said there isn't a race target set for West Coast, but indicated he'll get more clarity on the situation when the colt gets up to Santa Anita Park after Del Mar closes for the summer and works six furlongs. View the full article

Prairie Meadows Vice President of Racing Derron Heldt, track superintendent Lamont Marks, and starter Tom Benjamin were inducted into the track’s Hall of Fame Friday, Aug. 10. “I am sincerely flattered to be recognized by Prairie Meadows for my contributions to the racing operation. My crew and I have always done our best to give the horsemen a safe and fair racetrack,” said Marks. View the full article

Woodford Thoroughbreds will be consolidating its operations to its Ocala, FL, farm Jan. 1 and the Kentucky farm will be closed. However, Woodford will still breed their mares in Kentucky. “Unfortunately, Matt Lyons, who has managed the Woodford Farm operations for the past 10 years has chosen not to relocate to Florida,” said Woodford owner John Sykes. “Matt has done a fantastic job in building the Woodford brand and elevating Woodford’s standing in the industry. Matt will continue to direct Woodford operations until the transition is complete and will provide advisory services to Woodford, as needed.” John Gleason will, in addition to his role as trainer and general manager of the racing and training division, assume the role of farm operations. Gleason has been with Woodford for five years. Shannon Castagnola will assume a new role as Director of Marketing and Client Relations. She will look at ways to provide our clients with access to our horse produce while in their development regardless of what stage they are in. Also included on the Woodford Team will be Lincoln Collins of Kern Thoroughbreds. Collins will provide advisory services to Woodford’s bloodstock division. He will be responsible for mare acquisition, breeding plans and will directly oversee Woodford’s Thoroughbred holdings. Woodford is, likewise, pleased to announce that Beth Bayer will become Director of Sales consignment at Woodford. By agreement, Beth will continue her farm operations and sales consignment at OBS in the January and October sales. Woodford will sell its produce through Bayer’s consignment for those two sales events beginning in 2019. “We welcome these two seasoned veterans to the Woodford Team,” said Sykes. “They will begin participating in the Woodford Operations effective October 2018 but will assume their primary roles January 1, 2019. I greatly appreciate Matt Lyons for his leadership at Woodford. Words cannot express my personal feelings for Matt and his wife Michelle for the contributions they have made. I look forward to continuing our relationship in the years to come and wish them the greatest success.” View the full article

The visitation and funeral services for John Asher have been finalized. View the full article

DONCASTER, UK–Trevor and Libby Harris produced the Goffs Premier Sale’s top lot two years ago and there was a sense of deja vu as the couple’s Lordship Stud offering delivered the highest point of the second afternoon’s trade. That particular £280,000 individual turned out to be Yafta (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), recent winner of the G3 Hackwood S. for Richard Hannon and Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, and pattern race dreams will undoubtedly be held by the new connections of his close relative. On that same day at Doncaster in 2016, John Dance had spent an unprecedented £220,000 on the filly who has made his name as an owner, this season’s G1 Prix de Diane S. winner Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). It was Dance who swooped for Lordship’s lot 267, consigned like Yafta by Highclere Stud, when Daniel Creighton signed for her for £240,000 on his behalf. Their latest acquisition is a daughter of Acclamation (GB) representing the same Swiss Lake family that the Harrises Newmarket operation have nurtured so carefully. Although her dam Swiss Kiss (GB)(Dansili {GB}) did not hit the heights on the track to such an extent as siblings like Swiss Diva (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Yafta’s dam Swiss Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), her smart genes make her a valuable commodity. “We like this place,” said Trevor Harris with a smile. “I’m pleased. She’s going to a good home and will be well bred up. Swiss Kiss lost her pregnancy last year but she’s in foal to Dark Angel.” As with on Tuesday, when he had also been active, Dance was not on the scene and Creighton spoke on his behalf. “She was just a lovely mover–very Acclamation,” he said. “She has the pedigree and John is in to breeding so it’s a very alive page. John and [wife] Jess came here Sunday and Monday and loved her.” “We’ll decide on the trainer–it might be Karl Burke again if they want to go down the same route. We beat Angus Gold to buy Laurens and have done it again here.” On Laurens herself, who was a slight disappointment in last week’s G1 Yorkshire Oaks S., Creighton revealed: “She’ll go back in trip; basically she didn’t stay. They had to give it a go and see if they could go down the Arc route with her but there’s the likes of the Matron and the Champion S. at Ascot left.” Action during the rest of the session appeared to reflect the wider theme of the current market. As with last week’s events at Arqana, there was good money for the right horse and a total of 18 individuals reached six figures on the day. Such standards have been set over in recent times that it was understandable to note that trade was still a little patchy. A new Premier record had still been set through the £380,000 made early on Tuesday by lot 20, the Newsells Park Stud-consigned son of Gleneagles (Ire), and that figure never looked likely to be toppled. The overall clearance race from the 473 yearlings offered was a healthy 89%, up 1% on 12 months ago. However, the aggregate was £19,084,500, which was 3% down, with the average falling 11% from £50,687 in 2017 to £45,331. The median also dropped 5% to £35,000 from £37,000. Goffs UK’s managing director Tony Williams said: “We came into this sale determined to break the £300,000 mark and to do so is a huge achievement as we smashed the previous record by £100,000, setting a new high of £380,000. That’s a real statement for this sale and the type of yearling it now attracts and, along with the Classic winner Laurens, encapsulates the evolution this sale has undergone.” “This sale has undergone six consecutive years of growth and to match last year’s record-breaking figures was always going to be tough. However, we have achieved the second-highest figures in this sale’s history for which we are delighted and to finish with a clearance rate of 89% demonstrates the strength of the market here at Doncaster.” “We have received overwhelming praise from our vendors and buyers alike on what has been a very strong sale and it will be interesting to reflect on the figures as the sale season continues. I would like to thank our vendors and buyers who came from around the world and wish them all the very best.” Angel Rises For Highclere… Highclere later provided what was to prove the third-highest seller of the day by consigning lot 318 for £170,000. The son of Dark Angel {Ire} and G3 Ballyogan S. winner Age Of Chivalry (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a half-brother to three winners already, ought to be a sharp sort for Richard Hannon to get to grips with after Peter and Ross Doyle secured the final bid. “I thought he was the best of the sale,” Ross Doyle said whilst Hannon set the wheels in motion for an as-then unnamed owner. “We’ve had a lot of success with the stallion and the mare looks decent, so it made a lot of sense.” From very similar lines a little later was lot 337, a son of Kodiac (GB) out of Age Of Chivalry’s dam Aravonian (GB) (Night Shift), who won a maiden in her racing career but has fared considerably better as a broodmare. He caught the attention of Shadwell’s Angus Gold at £135,000. “The mare has a bit of age on her now, but he’s a good, athletic sort who was bought to go to Mark Johnston,” Gold said. Gold had to dig deeper into the Shadwell reserves and up to £190,000 for lot 388, a professional-looking son of the increasingly popular Showcasing (GB). He is a third foal of listed winner City Image (Ire) (Elusive City), and from the immediate family of the outstanding French mare Elusive Wave (Ire) (Elusive City). “He’s a smashing horse – one of the most straightforward I’ve seen all week,” Gold said. “He looked a 2-year-old and I think a lot of people wanted him so I thought we might struggle. I valued him at around £200,000, so I’m thrilled we got him.” Shadwell ultimately laid out £1,435 on 13 yearlings and were jostling for supremacy with SackvilleDonald as the sale’s top purchaser. That honour narrowly fell to the latter, with 25 at a total of £1,453,000 including the Gleneagles top lot. Cheveley Repeats Pattern… David and Patricia Thompson’s Cheveley Park Stud might generally be regarded as sellers but such a successful business will always need to replenish its stocks and managing director Chris Richardson saw off the likes of Joseph O’Brien for lot 301, a Dark Angel (Ire) filly out of Wiltshire Life (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) for £150,000. “She was very athletic and Mrs Thompson was interested in her from a pedigree point of view because it’s the same cross as with Juliet Capulet, who we won the Rockfel S. with,” Richardson explained. It was two years ago that at Goffs Orby that Cheveley Park had acquired Juliet Capulet from Yeomanstown for €235,000. Richardson has a little more on his plate at the moment with the Thompsons reviving their interest in the National Hunt sphere. Their most famous chaser to date was Party Politics (GB), who carried Patricia Thompson’s purple and pink silks to success in the 1992 Grand National at Aintree. Those colours, however, have been retired and in future, the National Hunt horses will also run in the usual Cheveley Park livery of red, white and blue. “Jumping is more Mr Thompson’s interest and Mrs Thompson thought it was better that the colours were changed around,” Richardson added. “There are quite a few more horses now, with some trained in Ireland by Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott and Henry de Bromhead.” First Crop Update… There will be scant opportunities to purchase the progeny of The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who died from laminitis earlier in the year after producing only two tiny crops. As John Quinn had prepared the late stallion to win the G1 Prix Morny S., it was no surprise to see the Yorkshire trainer showing interest in his only offering at the sale, lot 384. However, he was seen off in the end as the son of Chickasaw, consigned by Mark Dwyer’s Oaks Farm Stables, went to Con Marnane for £32,000. “My brother David trained [the dam’s half-brother] Santo Padre, so I know the family well,” Marnane explained. “He’ll probably come back here to breeze, and if he doesn’t sell, we’ll race him.” There was also interest in several other new sires. Yeomanstown’s Gutaifan (Ire) hit £100,000 on two occasions through lot 308 and lot 420, whilst these sales have also seen the first yearlings from Tweenhills’s Hot Streak (Ire), and his lot 501 closed the sale. A son of Irishstone (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and half-brother to winning Acclamation colt Stone Of Destiny (GB) ended up in David Redvers’s hands for £105,000. Thankfully, Starspangledbanner himself is still going strong and he was responsible for the day’s final serious piece of theatre. Lot 477, a grey colt with a distinctly brown hue, provided as much relief as delight for Anna Sundstrom’s risk-taking pinhooking venture. She had bought the son of Glowing Star (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) for €78,000 last November and the bidding here eventually rolled up to £140,000 until he was knocked down to Cormac McCormack on behalf of “a new and enthusiastic client.” “I was so nervous,” Sundstrom admitted. “He was the most beautiful foal. I was worried about the colour but that’s the Clodovil coming through. I bought about 10 [to pinhook] and it’s a lot of money invested for me. We bred Home Of The Brave so I have always loved Starspangledbanner. I bought two last year and the other is selling at Goffs Orby.” View the full article

Though champion Good Magic (Curlin) did not come out of his lackluster performance in the GI Travers S. with any apparent problems, his owners have decided to send him to Stonestreet Farm in Lexington in order to give him an extended break. Stonestreet is the co-owner of Good Magic along with Bob Edwards’s e Five Racing. “We’ll go back to Kentucky and will get him checked out and then turn him out and let him be a horse for a little bit,” Edwards said. “We’ll let him tell us what he wants to do next. He’ll get treated like a king at Stonestreet. Once he’s in Kentucky, we’ll let the horse tell us what he wants to do. He doesn’t look terrible. He was a little dull personality-wise after the race. He’s a competitor and maybe he was disappointed in himself. He’s back to his old self, happy and friendly. It’s nice to see him back that way.” Edwards believes that a long campaign finally caught up with Good Magic. “It was probably a combination of things, including going through the Derby preps and the [GI] Kentucky Derby and the [GI] Preakness and then the [GI] Haskell. It was a long campaign and it takes a lot out of a horse. He just didn’t fire. He came out of the gate a little off and just couldn’t make up the speed. It was a speed-oriented race. That 1-2-3 spot around the track was super fast that day. The winner ran an unbelievable race and deserved to win. He deserves some time off. He’s done real well by us and he hasn’t been out of training at all and has been running hard since the [GII] Fountain of Youth and now deserves a break.” Good Magic was never a threat at any point in the race, which was won by Catholic Boy (More Than Ready). He broke awkwardly, but managed to move into sixth down the backstretch. From there, though, he began to back up and finished ninth of 10. He was beaten 15 1/2 lengths. Edwards, who, during his brief time as an owner, has not experienced many setbacks, admits he was a bit numb after the race. “You have to draw a line through it,” he said. “It’s his only bad race and everybody has a bad race now and then. I had my 24-hour period of mourning. We’re not used to getting pounded like that. I texted [Stonestreet’s] Barbara [Banke] and asked what the acceptable mourning period is and she said one day. Like any sport you have to have a short memory” Because the Haskell is a ‘Win and You’re in” race for the Breeders’ Cup, Good Magic will not have to pay entry fees to enter the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. “We have a free pass to get into the Breeders’ Cup and we don’t want to waste it,” Edwards said. “If the horse tells us he wants to go there we’ll go there. If it doesn’t look like he’s ready we won’t go.” A well-bred horse who is a Grade I winner at two and three, Good Magic has already established his credentials as a sire, but Edwards said that it is likely he will run next year. “He’s a competitor so I expect he’s going to want to sign another year contract and compete again,” he said. “I had dinner with Barbara a few nights ago. They’re not opposed to running him next year and neither am I. There’s some big money races out there. Look how well they did with Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}).” As for the other top horse in his barn, Edwards said that Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) came out of her win in the GII Lake Placid in good shape and will be pointed for the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. “She’s a monster,” he said. “She’s something special. She’s only a few stalls apart from Good Magic and it’s amazing how much bigger than him she is.” View the full article

5th-DEL, $34K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m70ydsT, post time: 3:15 p.m. ET MONKEYS UNCLE (Uncle Mo), a $180K Fasig-Tipton July yearling, breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5 and was hammered down to Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stable for $300K at this year OBS March Sale. The February-foaled dark bay is a granddaughter of MGISW Lazy Slusan (Slewvescent), the dam of GISW Last Full Measure (Empire Maker). TJCIS PPs 7th-SAR, $75K, Msw, (S), 2yo, 5 1/2f, post time: 4:24 p.m. ET POPPY’S DESTINY (Orb) fetched $175K at last year’s Keeneland September sale and improved into a $300K OBSMAR breezer after drilling a furlong in :9 4/5. The dark bay is a son of Canadian stakes winner Plethora (First Samurai), a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed juvenile Congo (Johannesburg). The deeper female family includes European Group 3 winner Long Lashes (Rock Hard Ten). Risp (Violence), a son of MSW & MGSP Five Star Momma (Five Star Day), was the most expensive of his sire’s 31 foals to sell as weanlings in 2017, hammering to Sullimar Stables’ Mary Sullivan for $275K at KEENOV. TJCIS PPs View the full article

A colt by Unusual Heat topped the Barretts Select Yearling Sale when selling for $250,000 to Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable Tuesday at Del Mar. The yearling (hip 11) was one of six to bring $100,000 or more during the one-session auction and three of those six-figure offerings were purchased by Siegel. Siegel, who purchased last year’s sale-topping daughter of Bodemeister, also acquired a colt by Goldencents (hip 33) and a filly by Fed Biz (hip 83), both for $130,000 Tuesday evening. In all, 42 yearlings grossed $2,632,000. The average of $62,667 was up 52.6% from a year, while the median jumped 56.3% to $50,000. With 38 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 47.5%. The sale-topping yearling was bred and consigned by Harris Farms and is from the final crop of Unusual Heat, who stood at the Coalinga nursery and led the sire lists by earnings in California in four straight years. “The mare might not have been bred to Unusual Heat had he not stood at the farm,” said Harris Farms general manager Dave McGlothlin. “It was such a fitting way to go out with the last crop of his yearlings to have the sale topper at Del Mar.” The yearling is out of Cinema Paradisa (Capote), who was purchased by Harris Farms for $34,000 at the 2005 Keeneland November sale. The colt is a half-brother to multiple stakes placed Moving Desert (Desert Code) and Sambamzajammin (Heatseeker {Ire}). “We referred to him as a rock star because he was just a standout from the time he was foaled,” McGlothlin said of the sale topper. “We talked about him when he was 60-90 days old in a little paddock adjacent to the foaling barn, how outstanding he was at the time, and he maintained that throughout.” While polarized markets–with high demand for only the top offerings–have been the norm at auctions across the country in recent years, McGlothlin said the issue is magnified in California, as reflected in the sale’s hefty buy-back rate. “The upper end always does well,” he said. “I was disappointed in the number of RNAs. We would have liked to see it a little stronger in the middle of the sale. But the market is what it is. I think it’s just a matter of us having the right product for the buyers. We need to define our product probably a little more.” “[The market] is even more polarized in California,” McGlothlin continued. “We don’t have the depth of the market that exists back East with the availability of venues for them to race. We’re out here on the island.” The Select Yearling Sale was the final auction to be conducted by Barretts at Del Mar. The sales company will host one final sale, the Fall Sale of Yearlings and Horses of Racing Ages in Pomona Oct. 16. Fasig-Tipton will host a 2-year-olds in training sale at Santa Anita next June and plans for a yearling sale in Arcadia in late September. McGlothlin said an influx of commercial stallions was pivotal to the success of the California breeding industry going forward. “If we bring in some more strong stallions, I think the industry will support them,” he said. “But, as farms, we need to do that to give them viable options. I think we need to do more to bring in those types of stallions.” View the full article

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will be honored with Donna Barton Brothers, Jim Gluckson and Marty McGee during the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters 59th annual awards dinner Oct. 31 at Whiskey Dry by Edward Lee in Louisville, Kentucky. Smith will receive the Mr. Fitz Award for typifying the spirit of racing. Barton Brothers, one of the leading female jockeys of all time when she retired in 1998, will receive the Jim McKay Award for excellence in broadcasting. Gluckson, a longtime publicist and head of media relations for Breeders’ Cup, will receive the Joe Palmer Award for meritorious service to racing. McGee, who has been with Daily Racing Form since 1992, will receive the Walter Haight Award for career excellence in turf writing. View the full article

The two men who know Saxon Warrior better than anyone believe the best is yet to come, with Aidan O'Brien stressing the Juddmonte International (G1) was simply part one of a three-race autumn series. View the full article

Multiple Grade I winner Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky–Issues, by Awesome Again) will stand at Lane’s End Farm at the conclusion of his racing career, the farm announced Wednesday. “Accelerate has proven to be the best mile and a quarter horse in training in America,” said Lane’s End’s Bill Farish. “In his five starts this year, he’s won four, including three Grade Is and has run three of the five fastest Beyers all year: 115, 111, 110.” Campaigned by Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler, Accelerate was most recently a romping 12 1/2-length winner of the Aug. 18 GI TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar. His 2018 campaign has also included victories in the GI Santa Anita H., GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita and GII San Pasqual S. He bested champion Arrogate to take last year’s GII San Diego H. and, as a sophomore in 2016, he won GII Los Alamitos Derby and was third behind Tamarkuz and Gun Runner in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. “Accelerate has been a superstar from the beginning,” Sadler said. “He was a good 3-year-old, running third to two very good horses in the Breeders’ Cup, he beat Arrogate as a 4-year-old, and this year he’s proved he is one of, if not the best, active horses in America.” Accelerate’s sire Lookin at Lucky is a son of Lane’s End’s champion sire Smart Strike. “Accelerate is the kind of horse that we seek out, that we believe in,” Lane’s End owner Will Farish said. “Tough, sound, fast, Classic distance handicap horses. These are the type of racehorses that have made Lane’s End Stallions what it is today.” On the board in 18 of 20 starts to date, Accelerate has won eight times and earned $2,312,480. “We have been very fortunate to own a horse of Accelerate’s caliber,” said Kosta Hronis. “Undoubtedly, he will be an exciting addition to the Lane’s End roster and we look forward to following his stallion career upon retirement from racing.” View the full article