Wandering Eyes

Peter McKay had contemplated turning out his talented sprinting three-year-old Cavallo Veloce after his stakes placing at Hastings earlier this month. The Matamata trainer was delighted with the O'Reilly colt's performance in the Listed NZB Finance Sprint (1200m), chasing home previous-start Gr.3 Waikato Stud Plate (1200m) winner and Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1200m) runner-up Princess Kereru and subsequent Gr.2 Easter Handicap (1600m) winner Endless Drama. "I was halfway thinking he'd done enough. He... View the full article

The connections of Bowies Hero hope a change of scenery and some class relief help the grade 1 winner get the 2019 season off on the right foot in the $250,000 San Francisco Mile Stakes (G3T) April 27 on the grass at Golden Gate Fields. View the full article

OCALA, FL – Thursday’s fourth session of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training may have gotten off to a slow start, but business picked up throughout the day and the session culminated with the sale’s second seven-figure transaction and figures well ahead of last year’s record-setting auction. Bloodstock agent Jacob West, acting on behalf of Robert and Lawana Low, made the day’s highest bid when going to $1.2 million to acquire a colt from the first crop of Grade I winner Liam’s Map. The gray (hip 898) was consigned by Wavertree Stables. Through three sessions of the four-day sale, OBS has sold 508 juveniles for $56,088,500. The average of $110,410 is up 15.3% from last year’s corresponding figure of $95,746 and the median is up 18.2% to $65,000. The buy-back rate stands at 20.6%. It was 19.1% at the end of last year’s third session and improved to 18.2% with the inclusion of post-sale transactions. The 2018 April sale set records for gross, average and median and is on target to better all of those figures this year. “We’re pleased. I don’t want to say surprised,” OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said when asked if the strong results had been expected. “We saw the entries coming in and we saw the quality of horses and it was impressive. So, based on the horse flesh that we’ve seen in the barn and the pedigrees in the book, I guess in some ways it could be expected. But we are pleased with the outcome and pleased to see consignors are being rewarded for bringing in nice horses.” Jacob West made the sale’s second seven-figure bid Thursday, following a $1-million Quality Road filly sold Wednesday. “When the Quality Road filly sold with de Meric, I remember somebody said that is the only million-dollar horse and I thought to myself, ‘God, I hope that is the case,'” West admitted after signing for the Liam’s Map colt. “It has been strong for the right ones. I say it all the time, things really haven’t changed with the market. The good horses sell well and what the public deems as bad, nobody really wants. I know people hate hearing that, but it’s the truth. It is kind of a harsh market. If they fall in love with it, they are going to give you a lot of money for it.” The April sale concludes with a final session Friday and Wojciechowski is expecting the competitive market to continue. “I think there are a lot of good horses tomorrow–we’ve heard that on the sales grounds,” he said. “There are plenty of good horses left for day four.” Friday’s session gets underway at 10:30 a.m. Liam’s Map Colt Lives Up to the Hype A colt from the first crop of MGISW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Liam’s Map had plenty of buzz going into the OBS April Sale and lived up to the hype and then some Thursday, topping the session on a final bid of $1.2 million from bloodstock agent Jacob West, who was acting on behalf of Robert and Lawana Low. Hip 898 was the second seven-figure sale of the auction, which saw a Quality Road filly reach $1 million during Wednesday’s session. “I don’t use the term loosely, but he was a freak,” West said. “I loved him from the second I saw him. There was a little bit of buzz before the sale. When you here the buzz and then they show up on the track and do everything the right way, they vet clean and they are from a good consignor, you get excited about them. When I went and saw him, I was totally in love. He was a physical specimen unlike anything I had seen in a while. I loved him. He has the right pedigree and I am lucky to have clients that trust me. I hope the Lows come up with a good name for him because he is the man.” As for the price, West said, “That was the last bid. I have probably never prayed more. When I put in that last bid, I was just praying Ryan Mahan would drop that hammer because that was the number Mr. Low told me to go. When I had to go to that number I was nervous and started saying a couple of Hail Marys.” Hip 898 is the highest-priced offspring thus far for first-crop sire and GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map, who stands at Lane’s End Farm. When asked his impressions of the son of Unbridled’s Song, West said, “We raised him as a young horse as Taylor Made. We sold him and Jimmy Crupi bought him. He was a freak on the racetrack. Todd won’t use the word freak either that often, but he will tell you that horse did things that a lot of horses he has had in training never did.” Bred by Phillips Racing Partnership, Hip 898 is out of the unraced Bernardini mare Amazement, who is a daughter of MGISW millionaire Wonder Again (Silver Hawk) and a half-sister to Japanese SW & MGSP Red Raven (Smart Strike). The striking gray colt breezed in :20 4/5 for consignor Ciaran Dunne of Wavertree Stables, who purchased the horse for $50,000 on behalf of Ron Fine. “He was as well received as any horse we have ever brought to this sale,” Dunne said. “He performed. He looked the part. The really great thing is that Ronald Fein owned him and him and his wife Suzanne have been in the horse business for 30 years. His dream has always been to sell a million-dollar horse and this is it, so there you go.” As expected, Fein was quite pleased as he exited the back walking ring following the sale. “I always wanted to have a million-dollar horse and now we’ve got him,” Fein said. “Physically, he was nice when we bought him and it was like the good fairy sprinkled some stardust on him and he kept growing and growing and growing. We broke him and he trained absolutely beautiful.” He added, “There is nobody better than Ciaran. We are delighted. I have been with Ciaran Dunne for 18 or 19 years and he is the best.” —@CDeBernardisTDN Phoenix Makes Their Presence Known Phoenix Thoroughbreds had been keeping a relatively low profile through the first two days of OBS April, but they made their presence known Thursday, purchasing a $750,000 daughter of Into Mischief (hip 787). “I feel like I have good taste, just expensive,” Phoenix’s Tom Ludt said with a laugh. “She is beautiful. She’s smooth, she’s balanced, everything you want and you have to pay for them right now. She seemed really within herself and comfortable during the breeze.” As for the price, he said, “That was my last bid! It really is the truth.” Purchased by de Meric Sales for $220,000 at Keeneland September, the :21 1/5 breezer is a half-sister to SP Divisor (Harlan’s Holiday) and hails from the family of GSW & GISP Puxa Saco (Dehere). “She has been unbelievable,” said Tristan de Meric. “She was big and immature when we bought her. She is a May foal. She was already 15.2 [hands] at the September sale and she has continued to grow and go the right way. She never had an awkward stage. She stayed balanced and is just very athletic. She is a really nice filly and did everything right for us.” The de Merics have done quite well during this auction, including selling Wednesday’s $1-million Quality Road filly, who was also a $220,000 KEESEP buy. Nick de Meric gave his son Tristan the credit for both hip 787 and the $1-million filly. “We put a package together and the horses have been stepping up,” Tristan de Meric said. “They have jumped through all the hoops and people have been there for them. It is just a refreshing feeling to see the market like this. We stuck our necks out a little bit and bought more expensive yearlings than we usually do and they have kind of come through. We are really proud of them and thankful for our partners.” —@CDeBernardisTDN Ghostzapper Colt Rewards Davies Julie Davies was short-listing yearlings at last year’s Keeneland September Sale when she noticed a son of Ghostzapper at the Gainesway consignment. When the yearling RNA’d for $80,000, Davies approached Gainesway’s Brian Graves with a proposal. “I had short-listed him for somebody else, so that’s how I saw him,” Davies explained. “He RNA’d and I approached [Graves] and asked if I could train him and they let me take a leg. I really liked the horse, so I thought there was no harm in asking.” The partnership proved profitable Thursday in Ocala when the colt sold for $600,000 to Stetson Racing LLC. “He has never done anything wrong,” Davies said. “He has been an absolutely perfect horse to train.” Hip 789 is out of group-placed Underwater (Theatrical {Ire}) and is a half-brother to group-placed Investissement (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}). He worked a furlong in :9 4/5 during last week’s under-tack preview. Graves’s pinhooking partnership Clear Ridge Stables purchased the colt for $110,000 as a short yearling at last year’s Keeneland January sale. Of the colt’s final price tag Thursday, Davies said, “You go in hoping that this might happen. I knew he could possibly bring that money, but did I go in expecting him to go that high? No. I am elated with the result.” @JessMartiniTDN Street Boss Colt to Stonestreet A colt by Street Boss will be joining Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables after selling for $535,000 to the bid of the farm’s John Moynihan. “A lot of our colts are a little bit later maturing and this one kind of fit a spot for us,” Moynihan said of the purchase. “It looks like he’ll be fast and he’s ready to go. Barbara will decide [on a trainer].” The dark bay colt (hip 856), bred and consigned by Ocala Stud, is out of the unraced Woodland Park (Bernardini), a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Forest Heiress (Forest Wildcat). Forest Heiress is a half-sister to Wildcat Heir, a stallion who was a stalwart at Ocala Stud for years. The operation’s history with the family was instrumental in purchasing Woodland Park, with this foal in utero, for $55,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale, according to David O’Farrell. “It’s a family we’re very familiar with–it goes back to our foundation family,” O’Farrell said of Woodland Park’s appeal. He added, “We think Bernardini could be a really good broodmare sire. She is a young mare and in foal to a horse we know can get runners. We look for value and try to get some variety.” The young Street Boss colt impressed the Ocala Stud team right from the start. “We were very thrilled with him,” O’Farrell said. “He was such a cool horse from day one. The whole broodmare crew loved the foal. He was the favorite. Our broodmare manager’s son nicknamed him Nippy. He is 10 and this is the first horse that he’s fallen in love with and he has the horse bug because of this foal. The foal loves people and he has a great personality. He’s never had a bad day in his life.” As for Woodland Park, O’Farrell said, “She just had a foal by Uncaptured and we are probably going to breed her back to Girvin this year.” @JessMartiniTDN Twirling Candy Colt Heading West Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni went to $500,000 to acquire a colt by Twirling Candy on behalf of Sheikh Rashid Humaid Al Noaimi Thursday in Ocala. The bay (hip 760) will be trained by Bob Baffert (ThoroStride walking video). “Bob was here for a couple of days and he really liked the horse,” Lanni said. “We feel lucky to get him. It’s been very tough to buy horses. They’ve got to jump through all the hoops and there are a lot of hoops to jump through. The ones that do it, bring good money. This horse did everything you asked him to do on the track. He came home good and he looked the part. It gets harder and harder to buy those horses. ” The juvenile, who worked a quarter-mile last week in (:20 4/5), is out of Tough Market (Suave), a half-sister to the multiple stakes winner Law Enforcement (Posse). He was bred by Machmer Hall, which was co-breeder and co-seller of a $335,000 daughter of Twirling Candy during Monday’s opening session of the April sale. The operation’s Carrie Brogden was quick to congratulate Lanni on the purchase, smiling broadly and saying, “Twirling Candy!” “I like Twirling Candy,” Lanni said. “He was a really good racehorse and he is throwing runners. I like the sire a lot and this was a beautiful colt.” Hip 760 was consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables and was purchased by Dunne for $140,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton July sale. “I liked all the same things about him in July that I liked about him here,” Dunne said. “He’s a tall, stretchy colt with a beautiful profile. He’s a beautiful mover like he displayed on the racetrack. We were fortunate enough that he traded his walk into a breeze.” While the youngster’s page was on the light side, Wavertree has had success this spring banking on the power of the individual over pedigree. The operation sold a son of Sky Kingdom for $875,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale. “We toyed with the idea of taking [hip 760] to Miami, but we figured two with no pedigrees down there might be too much,” Dunne said. He continued, “We don’t look too much at pedigrees. Larry Best was here the other day and asked, ‘How can you buy this pedigree?’ Because if he looks like that and has pedigree, he’s going home with him. We need to give up something to get them bought and normally what we give up is pedigree. Unfortunately, you can’t breeze the page down the lane.” @JessMartiniTDN De Seroux Remains Active in Ocala Bloodstock agent Emmanuel de Seroux continued his juvenile buying spree during OBS April’s third session, scooping up a filly by Bernardini for $500,000. He was acting on behalf of Mr. Ito from Grand Farm in Japan. “She has a fantastic pedigree and Mr. Ito is building a racing division with top pedigrees that he wants to keep as broodmares later,” said de Seroux, who purchased champion Caledonia Road on Ito’s behalf for $2.3 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. “She was a very good mover. She worked very well on the track. She has nice action and is a very nice filly. She has some turf influence in her pedigree, which he likes for Japan.” Out of the Carson City mare Wilshewed, Hip 847 is a half-sister to Grade I winner Stormello (Stormy Atlantic) and GSW My Best Brother (Stormy Atlantic). She is a full-sister to graded winner Gala Award and SW & GISP ‘TDN Rising Star’ Cherry Lodge. A :10 flat breezer for consignor Randy Bradshaw, the bay was purchased by Rosedown Racing for $400,000 at Keeneland September. Bradshaw sold this filly’s year-older half-sister by Medaglia d’Oro to Steve Young for a sale-topping $1.1 million at last year’s renewal of this auction. —@CDeBernardisTDN Hills Continues Shopping for Sea Gull Trainer Tim Hills added a third horse to the list of new acquisition for Patrick Welsh’s Sea Gull Capital, going to $300,000 for a colt by The Factor (hip 729) during Thursday’s session. A :10 flat worker, hip 729 is out of MGSP Tarrip (Green Desert) and is a half-sibling to Irish SW Planchart (Gio Ponti). Bred by Castleton Lyons, the bay was acquired by Adalberto Lazano for $50,000 at Keeneland September and was consigned here by Off the Hook. “He is a big horse,” said Hills. “I always worry about a big horse being hard on himself, but he moves like a cat. When you watch the video, he just floats over the track. The guys at the barn say he is really laid back, so he is really easy on himself. But, when he goes, he is there. I always rode horses, so I always look for a horse that could carry me around, but I don’t exercise my horses anymore. He looked like a two-turn horse and that is what my owner wanted.” During Tuesday’s opening session, Hills purchased a pair of juveniles for Sea Gull Capital, a $430,000 Hard Spun colt (hip 207), who topped the session; and a $130,000 Girolamo colt (hip 135). “I have bought three because my owner stepped it up big time,” Hills said. “I was always the guy that hunts around for bargains, but I don’t think the market is great for lesser horses. The owner is a Wall Street kind of guy, so he is going for it.” —@CDeBernardisTDN American Pharoah Filly to Calhoun A filly by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of a full-sister to Tapit will be joining the barn of trainer Bret Calhoun after bloodstock agent Josh Stevens made a final bid of $275,000 to acquire her for owner Tom Durant during Thursday’s session of the OBS April sale. “What’s not to like about her?,” Stevens asked. “She’s out of a full-sister to Tapit. Obviously, the American Pharoahs have shown a little bit of success so far. I think if you could ever get a good American Pharoah, you’d love to have them, let alone with the pedigree she has. She did everything right, breeze, stride and she was very well-mannered at the barn. Tom is a guy who predominately wants to buy colts, but a filly that has her residual value, that’s something that really stood out for him.” Out of the unraced Tap of the Day (Pulpit), hip 275 was consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, LLC. That operation purchased the filly for $280,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. She worked a furlong at last week’s under tack show in :10 1/5. Asked if he expected to get the filly Thursday, Stevens said, “You just have to keep coming up here. We didn’t really think we would be able to buy her, but I always like to come up here and give it a shot and if we don’t, we just move on to the next one.” Stevens had made two previous purchases at the April sale, going to $270,000 for a son of City Zip (hip 492) and $150,000 for a colt by Goldencents (hip 571). “I bought a couple for Chester Thomas, who we got By My Standards for, and then I worked with Bret all week,” Stevens said. “He’s been up there training the horse for the Derby and he came down for a day or two and we worked through the barns together. And we have a couple more to try on, too.” Thomas would understandably be high on offspring of Goldencents; the sire’s GII Louisiana Derby winner and GI Kentucky Derby contender By My Standards, purchased by Stevens for $150,000 at last year’s OBS April sale, is by the young Spendthrift stallion. “It’s been good that I’ve been busy, I haven’t had a whole lot of time to think about it too much,” Stevens said of the lead-up to the Derby. “I wish I could have had more time to go to the barn more than I have been, but when they post those videos of the workouts, that sure makes me feel better. Every day you wake up just praying that you don’t get that call. And touch wood, in a couple of days we’ll be good.” @JessMartiniTDN View the full article

He was among the initial entries for the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) but John Moore’s three-year-old Styling City will instead aim for a more achievable target at Sha Tin on Sunday.While Styling City was a respectable sixth behind Beat The Clock at Group One level two starts back, the chances of him outdoing that horse and the likes of Mr Stunning and Australian thunderbolt Santa Ana Lane at the top level this weekend would have been slim.While he has saluted in Class Two level… View the full article

Rodd indisposed, replacement riders for Friday View the full article

Early scratchings April 26 View the full article

Sacred Rebel too good at second win View the full article

Simon Kok rides first winner since return from Tasmania View the full article

Big Hearted win despite the rawness View the full article

Positive tactics get Howl back in winning form View the full article

Horses' body weights April 26 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings April 26 View the full article

Joey Ramsden, Jason Lim, Tim Fitzsimmons to join Kranji training ranks View the full article

Freshman sire Palace Malice was represented by his first winner from his first runner, as Jeff Morris and Constance Wickes' Letsstaypositive defeated a field of six other 2-year-olds April 25 at Keeneland. View the full article

Edited Press Release Bob Ehalt will receive the David F. Woods Award for excellence in journalism and Steve Heuertz the Jerry Frutkoff Preakness Photography Award, sponsored by Nikon, Thursday, May 16 at the Alibi Breakfast at Pimlico Race Course. Ehalt’s story on the 2018 Preakness, titled ‘Baffert and the Triple Crown: Two out of Three Ain’t Bad? It’s Unprecedented,’ appeared on the site thoroughbredracing.com on May 20, 2018. A two-time recipient of the David F. Woods Award, Ehalt was awarded the Joe Hirsch Memorial Writing Award in 2014 and 2018. He is a native of Queens Village, N.Y., near Belmont Park. “It is truly an honor to be presented with this highly respected award and be included among so many great and talented recipients,” Ehalt said. “I’m thankful to Pimlico and the Maryland Jockey Club for their continued support of this award that honors David F. Woods and recognizes the tremendous efforts of the journalists who cover this historic event.” Heuertz’s photo of Preakness and Triple Crown winner Justify racing in front of Pimlico’s grandstand will be recognized with the Jerry Frutkoff Award for excellence in photography. His photo appeared at The Horse Resource and in Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred magazine. A resident of Chicago, Heuertz frequents Arlington International Racecourse and Hawthorne Race Course and attends the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup. The Alibi Breakfast, which began in the 1930s on the porch of the historic Pimlico Clubhouse, features a gathering of media, owners, trainers, jockeys, horsemen and fans to celebrate the Preakness and gain interesting and humorous race predictions. For tickets to the Alibi Breakfast go to: https://www.preakness.com/alibi-breakfast. View the full article

A new, cushioned riding crop designed by retired Hall of Fame jockey Ramon Dominguez was used during Thursday’s live racing program at Laurel Park to positive reviews from the local jockey’s colony. The Maryland Jockey Club purchased the first batch of 50 crops on behalf of its riders. “So far, everything is good. We’ve had no complaints,” six-time Maryland meet champion Sheldon Russell said. The new crop has a larger, cushioned padding at the end designed to have less impact on horses. Some Laurel riders began experimenting with it during a special Easter Monday program. “It’s a little bit of a different design than we’re used to riding with, but the handle and the flexibility is very similar,” Russell continued. “As long as it’s safer for the horses, we’re all on board. We’re trying to make it safer for the horses and safer for the game. We don’t want any problems. Everything’s good. The horses seem to be running; if anything, they’re running a little bit faster, time-wise. Everything seems to be going smoothly, so onward and upward.” Spring meet-leading rider Trevor McCarthy, Maryland’s two-time overall champion, won Thursday’s eighth race and said, “I really like it. I think it’s great for the horses.” View the full article

The governor of New Mexico abruptly fired the five-member state racing commission by email late on Wednesday and replaced the entire board with a new quintet of regulators on Thursday. Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham’s unexpected clean sweep of the commission was executed against the controversial backdrop of a sixth and final racino license that was supposed to have been awarded last December and was on the agenda for a special meeting this coming Tuesday. According to the Quay County Sun, the politically charged license-awarding process has been held up in the courts for nearly six months because one of the applicants, Hidalgo Downs LLC, claimed late in 2018 “that an independent feasibility study commissioned by the agency was flawed, and it alleged [racing commission chairman Ray] Willis had a conflict of interest with one of the Clovis applicants.” According to the Sun, “the attorney general’s office instructed the commission to not award a license until the legal dispute was resolved. [Then] the other four license applicants objected to [an] announced settlement earlier this month between Hidalgo and the commission, saying they didn’t have any input with the agreement. Judge Carl Butkus refused to approve the settlement until hearing out their complaints.” Media outlets in New Mexico first got wind that some sort of behind-the-scenes political change was in the works early on Apr. 25 when the racing commission sent out a notification that that an Apr. 30 special meeting related to the awarding of the sixth license was canceled “until further notice” and the commission’s executive director, Ismael “Izzy” Trejo, would only cite “fast-moving developments” as the reason. Willis told the Sun on Thursday that “I’ve never been fired before, especially by email. Evidently, the governor and her people have different ideas on how to proceed.” View the full article

Next month marks the 10th anniversary of Old Friends at Cabin Creek. No place is more telling of how racing fans and the general public feel about racehorses. It is like a fan club for horses. Fifteen racing stars are currently living happily ever after at Old Friends, with a combined 624 starts, $8,894,911 earned, and 116 trips to the winner’s circle. “The fact that the horses acquire many new loyal fans and visitors while they are retired here is remarkable,” said Joanne Pepper, owner of the farm and head of Old Friends at Cabin Creek. “The horses are so valued even though they aren’t racing.” These aren’t just any horses. Roaming these paddocks, and expecting treats, are the likes of Commentator, Be Bullish, and Will’s Way. A fan favorite is Zippy Chippy, now 26, who started 100 times and chose never to break his maiden. Every year in January, Cabin Creek holds a birthday party for all of the horses. In 2019, more than 400 people attended. Soup is served and it is all donated by local restaurants. It is a major fundraising event for the horses as well as feel-good event for everyone. The farm gives guided tours in the summer and people are already buying their tour tickets for this coming summer. Tours are mostly led by nine-year volunteer June Shaw who is also the Backstretch Tour Supervisor for NYRA at Saratoga. She volunteers every day at Cabin Creek and is one of 40 unpaid workers who help Pepper with the horse care, meticulous cleaning of the paddocks every day, and fundraising. “This is a wonderful place,” said Shaw. “I used to see Thunder Rumble on the track when I was giving tours and then I got to take care of him here. I love giving tours at Cabin Creek because the visitors are so moved and grateful that the horses have this safe home for life. They are also thrilled to be able to pet and give treats to most of them.” Many new visitors arrive through via the Saratoga Visitors Center as well as by word of mouth. They do no advertising. “Cabin Creek is an attraction for vacationers to the area from all around the world,” said four-year veteran volunteer Dan Milliman. “I’m a racing fan. I came for a tour and stayed on as a volunteer three days a week.” The Peppers joined Old Friends, based in Kentucky, as a satellite, and took in their first retiree, Moon Shadow Gold, 10 years ago. Cabin Creek is named for Bobby Frankel, the late Hall of Fame trainer. In reflecting on success of the endeavor, Pepper didn’t imagine she would have so many visitors and volunteers. “The birthday party and the August party grow every year as does the number of visitors,” said Pepper. “I didn’t imagine it would be so big. It takes a lot of people to manage the fundraising and the tours. We couldn’t do it without the amazing volunteers.” The unique personalities of these formidable athletes are on really display in this environment. Currently, the only stallion on the farm is Will’s Way. Cosmonaut was gelded this year at age 17 for health reasons. Over the years, Pepper has had to say goodbye to Travers winner Thunder Rumble, Crusader Sword and Behrens among others. “I can’t really say that I have had a favorite,” said Pepper. “But my relationship with Thunder Rumble was like no other that I have had with a horse. He was tough when he got here and he taught me a ton. We figured it out and I know he loved me too.” Will’s Way and Thunder Rumble lived in paddocks next to each other and would often race up and down the fence line in what the farm dubbed the Cabin Creek Travers. Then they would rest right next to each other as well. “I feel so blessed that not only am I able to give these horses a happy home but also that I can promise to be there for them to the very end,” said Pepper. “They deserve that. Racing needs to make the promise of aftercare for life–whether through adoption or sanctuary–to every horse and then new fans will come to the sport.” To officially celebrate the 10-year milestone, Old Friends at Cabin Creek is having a cocktail party honoring the legacy of trainer Bobby Frankel at Saratoga National Golf Club on Sunday Aug. 4 at 6:30 p.m. Click here for more information and to buy tickets. The tour season opens July 2 and runs through Aug. 31. For more information, call Joanne Pepper at 518-698-2377 or go to https://oldfriendsatcabincreek.com/. Diana Pikulski is the editor of the Thoroughbred Adoption Network. View the full article

After starting the day with the final offerings for Session 1, Bloodstock South Africa’s National Yearling Sale stepped down a notch for Session 2 which will make up the remainder of the sale, which runs through Friday. After an exciting opening session on Wednesday that was highlighted by an R9-million (£484,355/€560,940) record-priced Silvano (Ger) colt two lots from the end of trade, Thursday’s action didn’t cause quite as many sparks but nonetheless there were some notable transactions. The joint top lots of the day came through the ring back-to-back and were both offered by Wilgerbosdrift Stud, which had also sold the record-priced colt 24 hours earlier. The first was a son of South African champion and globetrotting group winner Soft Falling Rain (SAf) (lot 233) who was knocked down to Jehan Malherbe’s Form Bloodstock for R2-million (£107,634/€124,652). The bay is a half-brother to the G1 SA Fillies’ Classic winner Athina (SAf) (Fort Wood). Next through the ring was another son of Silvano (lot 234), and he was scooped up by Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire})’s owner/breeder Bjorn Nielsen for R2-million. The colt is out of a half-sister to globetrotting sprinter Kavanagh (SAf) (Tiger Ridge {SAf}), and it is also the family of sires Mutakddim and Frost Giant, while further down the page the fourth dam is the GI Beldame S. winner Dance Number, dam of the excellent producer Get Lucky. A trio shared the day’s second-highest price of R1.3-million (£69,962/€81,023): lot 202, a son of Querari (Ger) knocked down to Malherbe; lot 212, a Dynasty (SAf) colt picked up by Nick Jonsson; and lot 218, a son of Captain Al (SAf) secured by David Ferraris. Session 1 of the National Yearling Sale saw 185 of 215 through the ring sold for an aggregate of R96,070,000 (£5,170,233/€5,987,650), which was down 3% on last year’s figure despite 14 more yearlings sold. The average, at R519,297 (£27,945/€32,365), was down 11%, while the median dipped 21% to R250,000 (£13,453/€15,581). Statistics for Session 2 of the sale will be published in Saturday’s TDN upon conclusion of the sale. View the full article

D J Stable and Cash Is King LLC’s Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old filly Jaywalk (Cross Traffic), a latest third in the GI Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 6, turned in her final prep for next Friday’s GI Kentucky Oaks by working five-eighths of a mile in a smart :59.20 over the Keeneland main track. The move was originally scheduled to take place Friday, but was pushed forward owing to the threat of rain in Central Kentucky. Jaywalk galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.60. “That was exactly what we wanted,” Tyler Servis, son of trainer John Servis, told the Keeneland press office. “She left [the five- furlong marker] like a bear. She left there running. I had her in :11 3/5 for the first eighth. She looked like she wanted to do it. She galloped out really well.” Jaywalk will make the short trip over to Churchill by van Sunday around noon after training at Keeneland that morning. Javier Castellano has the call in the Oaks. View the full article

After announcing that he was cancer-free in August 2017, longtime owner Rick Porter wasted little time reloading his stable at that summer’s yearling sales. At Keeneland September alone, Porter’s Fox Hill Farm purchased 10 yearlings for a total of $3.025 million. And that group doesn’t include this term’s GI Arkansas Derby winner and probable GI Kentucky Derby favorite Omaha Beach (War Front), who was acquired privately from the Eaton Sales consignment at that sale after RNA’ing for $625,000. “[Trainer] Larry [Jones] had told Reiley McDonald, who was consigning the horse for Coolmore, that he thought he was the best-looking physical he had seen in the sale,” Porter said during NTRA’s National Teleconference Thursday. “But he didn’t put him on the short list to show me because he knew I wasn’t a fan of grass horses, particularly, and he was going to bring too much money with that pedigree and those looks. Looking back on it, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he brought a couple million dollars. I don’t know what happened– he had a little tiny vet issue, but my vet didn’t have a problem with it. We called [Dr.] Larry Bramlage and asked him to look at the X-rays. And he said, ‘Rick, don’t let this interfere with you purchasing him.’ I made Reiley an offer and he took it and the rest is history.” On the board in his first three attempts on grass, including a pair of narrow defeats, Omaha Beach broke through at fifth asking in a big way with a nine-length graduation going seven furlongs in the Santa Anita slop. He defeated champion Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) in his first attempt in stakes company in a thrilling renewal of the split-division GII Rebel S., then added the Arkansas Derby in style with a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure. Omaha Beach, a half-brother to champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway), was produced by a daughter of blue hen mare Take Charge Lady (Dehere). “It’s great to have another good horse,” said Porter, who campaigned 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace (Saint Liam) as well as the brilliant two-time champion Songbird (Medaglia d’Oro). “It really came at the right time for me. And I’m just very fortunate.” Porter has been represented by five previous Kentucky Derby starters, headed by runner-up finishes via Hard Spun (Danzig) in 2007 and the filly Eight Belles (Unbridled’s Song), who tragically broke down after the wire, the following year. “I’ll never forget it obviously, but I won’t be thinking about it when we run in the Derby,” Porter said of the late two-time graded winner. “It was a fluke. She took a bad step, then another one. I don’t dwell on it, is all.” Post-time favorites are a perfect six-for-six since the ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’ points series began with the 2013 Run for the Roses. Porter also co-owned Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy), who finished 18th as the 7-2 choice in Mine That Bird (Birdstone)’s Derby in 2009. “I feel very good about Omaha Beach’s chances,” Porter said. “It gets me a little nervous when we’ve got all this hype about him. I was fairly confident when Hard Spun ran in 2007. Friesan Fire went off the favorite and beat one horse… I feel like I have a better chance than I did before, but it’s 20 horses–it’s a tough thing–and there’s a lot of good competition. We’re just hoping for a good trip.” Omaha Beach’s Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella is winless from six previous Derby starters, with his best finish coming with Soul of the Matter in 1994. “It means a lot to me, Mike [Smith] and Dick,” Porter said. “This may be my last shot. I think every owner would like to win the Kentucky Derby.” Porter concluded, “We won a lot of big races. But this would be the icing on the cake.” 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. Today’s Observations features a half-sister to a Derby winner returning. 4.35 Sandown, Novice, £10,000, 3yo, f, 9f 209yT SPARKLE ROLL (FR) (Kingman {GB}) is placed in the race won by Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) in 2008 by John Gosden, so there is some weight of expectation from Kin Hung Kei, Qatar Racing and Laurent Dassault’s half-sister to Wings of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}). The €750,000 Arqana August graduate was successful on rain-softened ground over a mile at Haydock in September and so has to give seven pounds to the maidens including King Power Racing’s once-raced King Power (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the 2.5million gns Tattersalls October Book 1 sensation who represents Andrew Balding’s in-form stable. View the full article

8th-Keeneland, $59,104, Msw, 4-25, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :52.37, ft. LETSSTAYPOSITIVE (f, 2, Palace Malice–Jazzminegem {SP, $147,243}, by Mineshaft) was the easiest of four-length winners Thursday, giving her freshman sire (by Curlin) his first career winner and her trainer a sweep of the day’s two juvenile maiden events. Bet down to 4-5 favoritism, the chestnut jetted away from the gate and quickly opened up a sizable advantage that never shrunk, leaving runner-up Samurai Cause (First Samurai) well in her wake. Stakes-placed Jazzminegem produced a colt by Shanghai Bobby in 2018 and a filly by Bodemeister this year. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Jeff Morris & Constance Wickes; B-Highclere, Inc. & Springtown Show Stables (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. View the full article

Officials at Churchill Downs have announced that they have opened three 50/50 charitable gaming raffles for Kentucky Derby week. The raffles will be held Thursday, May 2 (Thurby), Oaks Day Friday, May 3, and on Kentucky Derby day itself, Saturday, May 5. Participants will have the opportunity to win half of each day’s ticket sales. The other half will go towards the Churchill Downs Incorporated Foundation to support its charitable industry initiatives, including Thoroughbred aftercare, permanently disabled jockeys and arts and educational opportunities for backside employees. The CDI Foundation will guarantee $50,000 for the Derby day raffle. Tickets may be purchased from now until Thurby, Oaks Day and Derby days, respectively, at www.derbygives.com. Tickets will also be available for all three Derby raffles beginning with the opening night program at Churchill Downs. Tickets are $5 each and are open to individuals 18 and over who are legal residents of the United States. View the full article

A colt from the first crop of Liam’s Map lit up the board late in Thursday’s session of the OBS April Sale when selling for $1.2 million to bloodstock agent Jacob West, acting on behalf of Robert and Lawana Low. The gray colt, who worked a quarter during last week’s under-tack show in :20 4/5, is out of the unraced Amazement (Bernardini) who is a daughter of multiple Grade I winner Wonder Again (Silver Hawk). The colt was consigned by Wavertree Stables and was purchased by Ciaran Dunne for $50,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. The colt was the second of the four-day sale to bring seven figures. A filly by Quality Road sold for $1 million Wednesday. View the full article