Wandering Eyes

The Graham and Michael Eade-trained Orepuki Lad has taken out two southern cups this season and the Riverton galloper is being set to add another to the mantle when he contests his home cup on Saturday. The son of Raise The Flag has won four of his 14 starts, including the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) and Invercargill Gold Cup (2600m) and Graham Eade said it would be a great thrill to take out the Listed Carriers Arms Hotel Riverton Cup (2147m) this weekend. “It would be great to win our ho... View the full article

Sacred Sham makes Kranji debut after bleeding setback View the full article

Easy Does It as Gray’s promising four-year-old returns View the full article

West Point Thoroughbreds' Kanthaka kicked off his 4-year-old season with two on-the-board finishes in graded stakes company, and he'll attempt to return to the winner's circle in the $200,000 Kona Gold Stakes (G2) April 20 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

When news broke on social media late Monday night that more than 25 yearlings bred by her family’s Richard Barton Enterprises were located at Kaufman Kill Pen near Forney, Tx., Kate Barton of Barton Thoroughbreds near Santa Ynez, Ca., was horrified. The yearlings had all been sold in different groups at various times to Randy Leighton from Running Horse LLC of Stevinson, Ca. “We were beyond shocked and overwhelmed,” said Barton. “Sickened. We immediately started addressing it. It was so hard with it being in [a different state]; who to believe and who not to. We came to the conclusion that the best option was just to pay the price that they were asking: $850 a yearling. We paid that directly via credit card.” There were 26 Barton-bred yearlings at the lot. One had already sold through online postings. The ransom for the remaining 25 totaled $21,250. Barton does not know how the 25 yearlings came to be at the kill pen. She said on social media Leighton has failed to take any responsibility for the situation. Barton said there is rumored to be a bad strain of strangles at the facility, so the yearlings will be quarantined for at least a month at the Barton family’s ranch near Duchesne, Utah, and evaluated thoroughly by veterinarians. Arranging for transport for that many horses on short notice has been a challenge, said Barton. The first truck is scheduled to arrive at the kill pen Thursday morning to load the horses and will make the 20-hour trip bringing them to Utah. “We are going to evaluate each one on an individual basis,” said Barton. “It’s hard with them being in Texas right now and not being able to put eyes on them. Re-homing or adoption is a possibility; we also may keep some ourselves. I think we just need time to evaluate what is best for the horses.” When asked what made her rescue such a large number of yearlings that she no longer owned, Barton said the family wanted to step up to show responsibility for the horses they’d bred. “These horses weren’t ours anymore, but we wanted to take responsibility,” said Barton. “I think this is a valuable lesson in checking that buyers are thoroughly well-established with the intentions to do what is best for the horse and give them a good home. Also, it’s important for people to know that if something doesn’t work out with those horses you sell that you’re willing to take the horse back. We would rather find a solution than have something like this happen.” View the full article

Grade 1 winner Discreet Lover will make his first start in more than five months April 20 when he kicks off his 2019 campaign by facing 10 rivals at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in the $1 million Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2). View the full article

Alwaysmining has reeled off five consecutive victories, the past four in stakes, heading into the $125,000 Xpressbet Federico Tesio Stakes April 20 at Laurel Park. View the full article

Trainer William E. Morey is scheduled to appear before the Santa Anita stewards May 2 after a March 29 incident in which an assistant trainer allegedly administered a substance containing an alkalinizing agent to two horses entered that day. 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 Uncle Mo debuting in Ireland. 1.50 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,000, 3yo, c/g, 7fT RUM BABA (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) debuts for Charlie Fellowes, who is set to move into Bedford House Stables in the town and as a full-brother to the G1 Nassau S. winner Sultanina (GB) could have as big a future as his trainer. Normandie Stud’s homebred will probably require a stiffer test than this in time, so a bold show can only be a positive. 2.25 Newmarket, Novice, £8,000, 2yo, 5fT ELECTRICAL STORM (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is one of a quartet from the Godolphin ranks, with Ryan Moore booked by Saeed bin Suroor for the ride on the homebred half-brother to Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). Charlie Appleby’s Full Verse (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) is much more bred for this task, being a 600,000gns TATOCT son of the G2 Queen Mary S. heroine Anthem Alexander (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). 3.00 Newmarket, Novice, £15,000, 3yo, 7fT ALMASHRIQ (War Front) holds a 2000 Guineas entry as he bids to build on a promising winning start at Newcastle in December. The son of the G3 Prestige S. winner Theyskens’ Theory (Bernardini) could be one for the French equivalent if he shines here, but first he will have to get past King Power Racing’s dual winner Fox Champion (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), an Andrew Balding-trained 420,000gns graduate from last year’s Craven Breeze-Up. View the full article

The under-tack preview of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, which has been modified to avoid expected heavy rain and winds in Central Florida in the coming days, continued with a third session Wednesday. With Friday and Saturday’s session of the breeze show cancelled, previews will be extended Thursday and a Sunday session has been added. A filly from the first crop of Carpe Diem had the day’s fastest quarter-mile breeze of :20 3/5, while five 2-year-olds shared the fastest furlong-breeze time of :9 4/5. Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables sent out hip 532 to work the bullet :20 3/5 quarter-mile Wednesday. The $75,000 Keeneland September purchase, from the first crop of GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway), is out of Rebuke (Carson City), a half-sister to Group 1 placed Rebuttal (Mr. Greeley). “She worked as good as one can work,” Dunne, who sells the juvenile on behalf of Bob Verratti, said. “She is a really straightforward filly and has gotten better every step of the way.” The filly is typical of the offspring of the young sire that Dunne has handled this winter. “I was not a fan of them as yearlings and didn’t buy any of them,” Dunne admitted of the Carpe Diems. “But we had several sent to us. They were straightforward to break, but didn’t do anything to really impress you. But the more we’ve done with them, the better they’ve gotten and the more impressive they’ve been. And this filly fits that profile. She was a very unimposing, straightforward and no-nonsense filly when we broke her and then she’s just gotten better and better every step of the way and just seems to want more.” Tommy and Lori Fackler’s Best a Luck Farm sent out a filly from the first crop of GI Arkansas Derby winner Danza (Street Boss) (hip 478) to work the co-bullet furlong in :9 4/5. Out of Polish Silk (Polish Pro), the bay juvenile is a half-sister to stakes winner I Got It All (Tiz Wonderful). “We were hoping she would work well,” Lori Fackler said. “She’s just done everything right. She is very athletic and she’s just an elegant filly. When we took her over to OBS, she just floated. So we had our fingers crossed that everything would go well and it did today.” The Facklers purchased the filly for $74,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October sale. “She is a classy-looking filly and she’s just gotten better and better every day,” Fackler said. “She’s wonderful to be around and very level-headed.” In addition to pinhooking two to four juveniles a year, Best a Luck Farm also pinhooks weanlings to yearlings and the operation has a broodmare band of a dozen head. Among the band is Slew’s Quality, who is the dam of 2018 Eclipse champion and GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint winner Shamrock Rose (First Dude). Best a Luck sold Shamrock Rose for $120,000 at the 2017 OBS April sale and will offer her half-brother by Stay Thirsty (hip 638) next week in Ocala. The colt will breeze at OBS Thursday. “We’ll see tomorrow, but we’re hoping everything goes really well for him,” Fackler said of the juvenile. In addition to Shamrock Rose, Best a Luck also bred 2014 GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Dance with Fate (Two Step Salsa). “As little as we are, that’s been really exciting for us,” Fackler said of the dual Grade I winners. “It’s kind of neat for the little people because it’s usually the big people that run through a couple hundred a horses a year to break and we just have a handful. It makes it really special.” De Meric Sales sent a daughter of Quality Road (hip 444) out to work the furlong in :9 4/5. Out of Paris Rose (Accelerator), the bay is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Decelerator (Dehere). Hip 453, a colt by Speightstown, also worked in :9 4/5. Out of Pay Lady (Seeking the Gold), the bay is a full-brother to Grade I winner Lighthouse Bay and is consigned by Scanlon Training and Sales as agent for Bruno DeBerdt’s Excel Bloodstock. A filly from the first crop of GI Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern (Offlee Wild) (hip 517) also shared the bullet :9 4/5 work time. Consigned by Harris Training Center, the bay is out of Queenie Cat (Storm Cat), a half-sister to champion Vindication (Seattle Slew). Completing the :9 4/5 works Wednesday was hip 538. A daughter of Malibu Moon, the bay filly is out of Red Hot Bertie (Tabasco Cat) and is a full-sister to multiple graded stakes placed Cue the Moon (Malibu Moon). She is consigned by Steve Venosa’s SGV Thoroughbreds. With severe weather forecast for the coming days, OBS has cancelled the Friday and Saturday sessions of the breeze show, extended Thursday’s session to include hips numbers 609-912, and added a Sunday session for hip numbers 913-1221 to breeze. “They’re trying to make the best decision on the weather that they can,” Fackler said of the change to the schedule. “A 20-30 mph headwind is a lot to try to overcome.” Tuesday’s first session of the four-day April sale will begin at noon to give buyers additional time to look at horses. The Wednesday through Friday sessions will begin as scheduled at 10:30 a.m. View the full article

Racetrack CEO Bruce Swihart said he's rewarding horsemen who have stuck it out through a challenging meet. View the full article

Midway on the turn of the much-anticipated maiden race, Tesorina looked like her Triple Crown-winning sire as she cruised along with a clear lead, but she weakened and finished third behind two Mike Repole-owned, Todd Pletcher-trained fillies. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK—A broken rein that could have signalled disaster for lot 122 and cool-headed jockey Gary Halpin during the breeze shows on Monday instead led to a repeat gallop at the end of the session during which Oak Tree Farm’s Invincible Spirit (Ire) colt showed professionalism and talent to post one of the fastest gallops of the day. That impressive take two meant that the half-brother to dual Group/Grade 1 winner Erupt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) topped the second session of the Craven Sale on Wednesday evening, selling to 575,000gns to Sheikh Mohammed after agent Anthony Stroud outbid Justin Casse. Bred by the Niarchos Family, the colt was bought privately for €90,000 after failing to find a buyer in the ring at the Goffs Orby Sale. Norman Williamson, who struck on Tuesday with a great pinhooking return via a 300,000-guinea son of Farhh (GB), was again the man responsible for another decent profit. He said, “He proved that he is a good sound colt, he did a fantastic breeze and is a lovely horse. I have been lucky with the breeder before.” That luck came through the sale of subsequent Grade 1 winner and Kentucky Derby hopeful War Of Will (War Front) at the Arqana Breeze-up last May. Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm ended the sale with the leading vendor tag, selling four juveniles for a total of 1,135,000gns. Stroud said, “[The colt] showed a remarkable temperament to essentially breeze twice and did a good breeze the second time. He is from a strong Niarchos pedigree and Norman does a great job producing these horses.” Godolphin added another three juveniles to Tuesday’s haul of four, accounting for almost 3 million gns of the sale’s turnover of 10,343,000gns, a drop overall of 22% on last year. The average was also down, by 14%, at 121,682gns, but the median was up by 13% to 85,000gns and the clearance rate also improved to 78%, with 85 of the 109 juveniles offered being marked as sold. Early in the session Stroud had also signed for lot 78 at 280,000gns. The Medaglia d’Oro first foal of Henrythenavigator mare Fire And Flame, a half-sister to G1 Champagne S. winner A P Valentine (A P Indy), had failed to reach his reserve at Keeneland and was bought in for $190,000 but later bought privately by Eddie O’Leary, who consigned him through his Lynn Lodge Stud. Shamardal colt for Hong Kong The pick of Grove Stud’s draft is likely to end up racing in Hong Kong, where his sire Shamardal advertised his merits via Group 1-winning son Pakistan Star (Ger). Lot 134, by that same world-class stallion and out of a half-sister to the G1 Coronation S. winner Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), will remain initially in Newmarket to be trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam after being bought by American-based agent Sam Wright on behalf of an undisclosed Hong Kong client for 340,000gns. Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock, the colt is the first foal of the unraced Patronising (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), whose illustrious aforementioned half-sister is also the dam of six-time Group 1 winner Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). He was previously bought by Brendan Holland for 150,000gns during Book 2 of the October Sale. Rabbah turned vendor for the following lot through the ring, 135, a son of young Darley stallion Night Of Thunder (Ire) who was bought from breeder Clare Castle Stud for €65,000 at the Orby Sale. This time around the chestnut colt out of the listed-placed treble winner Permission Slip (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) changed hands between Sheikh Mohammed and his associates when he was knocked down to Godolphin for 300,000gns, having been consigned by Houghton Bloodstock. Harvey has the Competitive Edge An Irish-bred first-crop daughter of Ashford Stud’s Competitive Edge (lot 93) was one of the earlier highlights of the session when knocked down at 280,000gns to Daithi Harvey. The filly was bought as a yearling at the Goffs Sportsman’s Sale by Cian Hughes of CH Thoroughbreds for €32,000 and made plenty of appeal to her new buyer on both pedigree and her performance on the Rowley Mile on Monday. “She’s a gorgeous filly who vetted cleanly and posted pretty sharp sectionals in her breeze,” said Harvey. “Her dam was 107-rated and got ten furlongs which gives us hope that she will make up into a nice 3-year-old. She doesn’t look like she has been too hard trained.” The daughter of the dual winner and twice Group 3-placed Hug And A Kiss (Thewayyouare) will be trained by Gavin Cromwell on behalf of Lindsay Laroche of Highland Yard. Though Cromwell has most recently been in the news as the trainer of Champion Hurdle winner Espoir d’Allen (Fr), he also struck with notable success for American owner Laroche on Arc weekend when Princess Yaiza (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) won the G2 Qatar Prix de Royallieu. “We had a lot of luck with Princess Yaiza,” added Harvey, who also bought that filly for Laroche. “We were particularly looking for a filly at this sale. Lindsay is developing a breeding operation so if she proves to be stakes class she could end up there.” For consignor Cian Hughes, who learned the breeze-up trade under the tutelage of ace consignor Jim McCartan of Gaybrook Lodge Stud, the six-figure sale was a huge return on his initial outlay for his sole offering at the sale. He said, “I was in the US and saw some by the sire and thought they were nice horses. Her page caught my eye in the yearling catalogue—her dam was Group 3-placed in France—so I took a look at her. She is a lovely filly and I didn’t think we’d be able to buy her.” Another Star For Bermuda? The Bermuda Thoroughbred Racing syndicate has already been rewarded for buying at the Craven Sale with Queen Of Bermuda (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), a 230,000gns purchase last year through John and Jake Warren who went on to win the G3 Firth of Clyde S. and listed Prix de la Vallee d’Auge among her four victories. This time around Jake Warren went to the same price for lot 79, a daughter of No Nay Never out of the winning Woodman mare First Breeze. The half-sister to listed-placed sprinter Master Speaker (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was consigned by the Star Bloodstock team who bought her for for £40,000 at Goffs UK last August. “We had some luck last year with Queen Of Bermuda and Simon Scupham is keen to make the next investment for the syndicate—let’s hope the success can be replicated,” said Warren. “She did a cracking breeze and looks a real Royal Ascot filly. She will stay to be trained in Newmarket and is likely to go to the same trainer as Queen Of Bermuda.” The trainer is William Haggas, who earlier in the day had saddled Skardu (Ire) (Shamardal) to win the G3 Craven S. Star Bloodstock, which is comprised of Micky Cleere, Matt Eves, Byron Rogers and Noel McDonnell, enjoyed a good sale, finding homes for all five 2-year-olds offered at an average price of 124,000gns. These included the fast-breezing son of Orb (lot 76), who was one of two purchases on the night for the Cool Silk Partnership at 120,000gns. Rounding up the facts and figures from the first of Tattersalls’ two breeze-up auctions this spring, Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “An improved clearance rate and a good cross-section of buyers, both domestic and overseas, are positives to take from the 2019 renewal of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale. We deliberately catalogued fewer 2-year-olds than last year and understandably the turnover has reflected this decision, but it was definitely prudent to keep a tighter rein on the numbers.” He continued, “The sale has as ever produced some outstanding pinhooking successes, most notably Tally-Ho Stud’s outstanding 850,000gns Kingman filly, who is the highest-priced filly ever sold at a European Breeze-up Sale, and it has been encouraging to see new faces from Hong Kong and the USA participating as well as a significant number of buyers from throughout the Gulf region active at all levels of the market. Trainers have also responded positively to the new £15,000 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Bonus and we look forward to rewarding owners for their confidence in the Craven Breeze-up as the season unfolds. In the meantime we look forward to the forthcoming Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up and Horses-in-Training Sale which features a further 172 quality Breeze-up 2-year-olds and 132 horses in training.” View the full article

A proposed phasing-out of race-day Lasix starting in 2020 that is being discussed by track operators in Kentucky and New York has yet to formally involve representatives from the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), Eric Hamelback, the group’s national chief executive, told TDN Wednesday afternoon. “The groups that own racetracks have every right to discuss safety measures for the industry. Any kind of discussions for safety are positive discussions,” Hamelback said. “But there were no direct discussions with the HBPA about this as a proposal. I checked with the Kentucky HBPA, and there wasn’t even a formal discussion. The overall feeling–mine and theirs–is we certainly need to listen to what any track wants to propose as a safety measure. “But at this point all horsemen are going to take the same stance” regarding Lasix, Hamelback continued. “We are, and are going to continue, to follow what the veterinary leadership tells us is best for the horse. We can continue to be labeled as obstructionists, but I like to think that [by keeping the status quo] we’re acting in the horses’ best interest and acting alongside with the veterinary leadership community on this issue.” On Apr. 16, Daily Racing Form first reported that officials from Churchill Downs, Keeneland, and the New York Racing Association are set to announce a plan–possibly as early as this week–that would prohibit race-day Lasix usage for 2-year-olds starting in 2020. The ban would “then be expanded to all stakes at the tracks in 2021,” including the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont S. Joe Appelbaum, the president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, confirmed via phone that he knows a phase-out plan is in the pipeline, but he wanted to defer commenting on it until the tracks make an official announcement. Hamelback said the HBPA would be comfortable participating in Lasix discussions with Kentucky tracks so long as veterinary leadership groups like the American Association of Equine Practitioners are also consulted. In 2017, when proposed Horseracing Integrity Act legislation sought to end national use of race-day Lasix, the AAEP released a statement that read, in part, “The AAEP’s current policy on race-day medication administration endorses the use of furosemide [Lasix] to help mitigate the occurrence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in the racehorse. This policy is based on the overwhelming body of international scientific and clinical evidence.” When asked if he thought the proposed Lasix phase-out was more of a public-relations reaction to a potential national welfare crisis brought about by 23 recent equine fatalities at Santa Anita Park instead of a true “what’s best for the horse” plan of action, Hamelback chose his words carefully before responding. “I agree that the situation that we’ve been placed in has been exacerbated in a public reactionary form,” Hamelback said. “But I think we can all agree that Lasix isn’t the cause. What happened at Santa Anita is multi-factorial. The only thing that we probably all know is that Lasix wasn’t a factor. So what I would encourage people to do is not make a reactionary response and paint yourself in a corner by removing something that A) Is in the best interest of the horse; B) We know didn’t cause the breakdowns, and C) What will happen when a fatality does occur in a race where there was no Lasix administered on race day? I don’t want to be driven by public perception if it’s not in the best interest of the horse.” Hamelback continued: “I do have a strong opinion about not caving to public pressure just because someone clamors or uses an incorrect semantic that Lasix is ‘dope.’ I take offense to that. Lasix is a choice. You don’t have to use it. I don’t want [any potential policy] it to be a knee-jerk reaction. And I don’t think our industry should cave to public pressure from those outside the industry on something that they’re not involved with and may not have as much working knowledge of as those of us in the industry have.” View the full article

NAYIBETH (f, 2, Carpe Diem–Le Relais, by Coronado’s Quest), whose first-crop sire (by Giant’s Causeway) loved Lexington as evidenced by his romps in the 2014 GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity and GI Toyota Blue Grass S. the following year, became the WinStar resident’s first winner from his first starter and a ‘TDN Rising Star’ to boot Wednesday. Having fired a number of bullets at Turfway and over this strip, the 1-5 favorite beat the gate like a typical Wesley Ward trainee and had only stablemate Owlette (Frac Daddy) at her heels as she zipped along. Getting away from that runner a bit heading for home, she cruised the line about three lengths to the good. There was a large gap back to third place. Nayibeth stopped the clock in :51.54–fellow Ward firster Chili Petin (City Zip) took :52.65 to complete the same trip in the day’s second race. The winner is a half to Soldat (War Front), MGSW, $622,760. Stonestreet–who also campaigned fellow ‘Rising Star’ Carpe Diem after purchasing him for a co-sale-topping $1.6 million at the 2014 OBS March sale–bought dam Le Relais for $800,000 in foal to Blame at the 2011 Keeneland November sale. The half-sister to GSW/MGISP Mulrainy (Star de Naskra) produced a Ghostzapper filly last April but was not bred back that season. Sales history: $230,000 yrl ’18 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Ramon Tallaj. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holings LLC (Ky). T-Wesley A Ward. View the full article

Dundalk, €15,000, Mdn, 4-17, 2yo, 5f (AWT), 1:00.33, st. KING NEPTUNE (c, 2, War Front–Agreeable Miss, by Speightstown), Ballydoyle’s second 2-year-old runner of the season, started as the 11-10 second favourite and broke on terms before finding himself behind the other trio of runners. Coaxed through to the lead with just over a furlong remaining, the bay drew away to score by 3 1/4 lengths from Yesterdayoncemore (Ire) (No Nay Never). Jockey Donnacha O’Brien told Irish Racing.com, “He was fairly straightforward and professional, not as green as I thought he would be. He bounced out and travelled, quickened up nicely and will be better with another furlong.” After the race there was great scrutiny of the state of the Polytrack which many feel is past its best and he added, “The surface was fine on him. He’s a War Front and it felt good on him. It’s firm in places, but you can go down five or six inches in other places.” The winner is a full-brother to Faydhan, who was unable to live up to the abundant promise of his debut success for Shadwell and John Gosden but who was third in the Listed European Free H. before retiring to Italy’s Allevamento di Besnate. A late May foal, King Neptune is a grandson of the GII Princess S. winner Sweet and Ready (El Prado {Ire}). The unraced dam, who is a half-sister to two stakes performers including the GIII Arlington Oaks runner-up Sweet and Flawless (Unbridled’s Song), also has a yearling full-brother to the winner. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $10,425. O-Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier; B-Frank Hutchinson (KY); T-Aidan O’Brien. View the full article

National Thoroughbred Racing Association Charities has announced a $100,000 grant to enable the University of Kentucky to further support equine surfaces and safety research under the direction of Mick Peterson, director of UK Ag Equine Programs. The funds will be used to renovate existing space within the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment to create the NTRA Charities Equine Surfaces and Safety Laboratory in an effort to allow UK to make a meaningful impact on the sport of horse racing through surface and safety research. Peterson is a nationally known expert in surface safety and faculty member in the UK Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. “NTRA has reviewed variations on this proposal for nearly two years and we are very pleased to see it go forward. The job does not end here. We anticipate continued calls on the industry to fund specific surfaces research projects undertaken in this new laboratory,” said Steve Koch, executive director, NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance. Dean Nancy Cox added, “The UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is committed to our signature equine industry in all ways. In particular, we are dedicated to all aspects of safety in our sport. This gift allows us to do important research to assist Thoroughbred racing and to create a pipeline of experts to serve racetrack safety.” The grant will allow for expanded research, according to Peterson. “This laboratory will allow us to do racetrack surfaces testing on a larger scale to permit us to replicate surface properties using maintenance equipment on the surfaces, which have been observed on racetracks but are not well understood,” Peterson said. “Understanding racetrack maintenance is key to providing a consistent racing surface regardless of the weather.” View the full article

MO MYSTERY (f, 2, Uncle Mo–Tabitha, by Tale of the Cat) finished with a flourish to take the first 2-year-old race of the NYRA season. Part of a 2-1 entry coupled with Micromillion (Micromanage), the homebred broke well and tracked from third off the fence as favored Tesorina (American Pharoah) rushed away to lead. My Mystery needed to do better in upper stretch as she dropped back and Tesorina looked long gone, but the dark bay eventually figured it out. Once she did, she took off with an impressive kick to run by the leader and score by a widening 3 1/2 lengths. Micromillion, who was away awkwardly, caught the pacesetter for second. My Mystery stopped the clock in :54.22. The winner’s third dam is Tizso (Cee’s Tizzy), a full-sister to Tiznow and the dam of GISW and young sire Paynter (Awesome Again). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Repole Stable. B-Repole Stable Inc (Ky). T-Todd A Pletcher. View the full article

With a forecast of heavy rain and high winds in the coming days, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company has altered the breeze schedule for its upcoming Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. The company has cancelled both Friday and Saturday’s sessions of the under-tack preview. Thursday’s session has been expanded to include hip numbers 609-912 and a Sunday session has been added for hip numbers 913-1221 to breeze. The Thursday and Sunday sessions will begin at 8:00 a.m. The sale will be held next Tuesday through Friday. Tuesday’s first session will begin at noon to provide buyers additional time for inspection. The remaining sessions will begin as scheduled at 10:30 a.m. View the full article

5th-Newmarket, £10,000, Mdn, 4-17, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:28.43, g/f. CLERISY (GB) (f, 3, Kingman {GB}–Exemplify {GB}, by Dansili {GB}), who registered a Dec. 10 debut third tackling a shade over seven furlongs atop Wolverhampton’s synthetic surface in her only prior start, broke alertly and was steadied off the far-side pace racing in the centre of the track throughout this seasonal return. Shaken up passing the quarter-mile marker, the 8-1 chance challenged entering the final furlong and was ridden out on the climb to deny Gentlewoman (Ire) (Shamardal) by a neck. Following the win, Sir Michael Stoute indicated that York’s May 17 Listed Michael Seely Memorial S. was a likely target, a contest the trainer won in 2005 with subsequent G1 Sun Chariot S. and G1 Lockinge S. heroine Peeress (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and in 2013 with Pavlosk (Arch), whose son Derevo (GB) (Dansili {GB}) shed maiden status at Chelmsford City last week. Clerisy becomes the third winner out of a winning half-sister to MG1SW European champion juvenile filly Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy) and the homebred bay is a half-sister to last term’s GI Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}). Her dam Exemplify (GB) (Dansili {GB}), herself produced by a sibling of the MGISW duo Sightseek (Distant View) and Tates Creek (Rahy), has the hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Eyewitness (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and a yearling colt by Kingman (GB) to come. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $9,151. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. View the full article

6th-Newmarket, £10,000, Novice, 4-17, 3yo, 10fT, 2:08.47, g/f. JALMOUD (GB) (c, 3, New Approach {Ire}–Dancing Rain {Ire} {Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 9 1/2-11f, G1SW-Eng & Ger, $932,081}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who was second over this trip on debut on Newcastle’s Tapeta in November, set out in front which was the style in which his illustrious dam captured the G1 Epsom Oaks, G1 Preis der Diana and G2 QIPCO British Champions Fillies’ and Mares’ S. Turning the screw on his rivals inside the final two furlongs, the 15-8 favourite had two lengths to spare over the well-backed newcomer Cape Cavalli (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) at the line. “He did it very nicely and is probably a mile-and-a-half horse in the making,” jockey William Buick said. “He travelled beautifully and quickened up well.” Dancing Rain looks set to repay the 4million gns Godolphin paid for her at the 2013 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, given that her second foal and first runner was the classy Magic Lily (GB) also by New Approach who earned TDN Rising Star status with an eight-length debut win here before running a close third in the G1 Fillies’ Mile. Her outstanding family includes the G1 Epsom Derby hero Dr Devious (Ire), the European champion 2-year-old filly Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and her G1 2000 Guineas-winning son Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Dancing Rain, who at the time of her sale was the first Oaks winner carrying a foal to be offered in the past 50 yards, also has a 2-year-old filly by Dubawi (Ire) who should elicit plenty of excitement when she appears. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $10,999. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. View the full article

In the wake of The Stronach Group’s ban on race-day Lasix announced last month, tracks in New York and Kentucky are in discussions on a plan to instate the same restriction in stakes races and races for 2-year-olds, according to a report from the Daily Racing Form Tuesday. The story goes on to say that the plan “would go into effect for 2-year-olds in 2020 and then be expanded to all stakes at the tracks in 2021” according to three anonymous officials with knowledge of the talks. Officials at NYRA and Keeneland did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In response to its spate of breakdowns over the winter, Santa Anita moved to ban Lasix Mar. 14 in a decision that seemed certain to have ripple effects across the country. The announcement came in an open letter from The Stronach Group Chairman and President Belinda Stronach that called on all of racing’s participants to respond boldly to the public pressure being put on the sport, largely by animal rights activists. This story will be updated as it develops. View the full article

Thursday’s final day of the Craven meeting at Newmarket is more low-key than the previous two, with the G3 bet365 Earl of Sefton S. the sole black-type event on the card. Whether ‘TDN Rising Star’ Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}) can revive a tarnished reputation is probably the key question in this year’s renewal of the nine-furlong stepping stone to the big middle-distance contests of the summer. Mark Johnston was bemused by the performances of the son of his beloved Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}) after a fourth placing in the G1 2000 Guineas last May but a wind operation could be the difference. “I spoke to Mark Johnston on Monday and he is pleased with Elarqam’s condition and is very happy with his work,” commented Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. “Everything went wrong for him last year from the Irish Guineas onwards, so we pulled up stumps, touched up his wind and gave him a long break and now we are happy with him. He had a hairline fracture of his pelvis and you can never be sure how these things have healed, but his last pelvic scan, in December, was very good. Everything is a question mark for him. We just need to see him back as last year went downhill and we know he is better than that.” Also representing Shadwell is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Mustashry (GB) (Tamayuz {GB}) and despite his overall record suggesting he is one of this race’s leading lights, he has a five-pound penalty to burden him having won Doncaster’s seven-furlong G2 Park S. and the G2 Joel S. here in September. Gold added of him, “I saw Mustashry on Monday and he has started to come to himself and Sir Michael is happy with the way he is going. He is a very solid performer who has been a great servant to us and hopefully he will go on again this year. Jim Crowley had the choice of which one to ride and has plumped for Elarqam.” Of the eight juveniles who line up for the Montaz Restaurant British EBF Novice S., half of them represent Godolphin and Ryan Moore is a rare booking for the operation on the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Electrical Storm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), which could be highly significant. A homebred half-brother to Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), he was the subject of a recent name change and if he can win over Britain’s minimum trip with his pedigree he could be one of the special ones. On a big day for the Maktoums, the British EBF bet365 conditions S., which serves as a virtual European Free H. for lightly-raced types, sees Shadwell’s Newcastle debut scorer and 2000 Guineas entry Almashriq (War Front) have his first start on turf for the John Gosden stable. View the full article

For a few moments after Captain Boss crossed the line in the second race at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, depending on who you listened to, Grant van Niekerk was either going to be suspended for six months or had produced a superb piece of horsemanship.Thankfully for all involved, it was the latter as the South African did a remarkable job to keep the Tony Millard-trained gelding out of trouble after the bit slipped through his mouth and twisted his headgear, leaving Van Niekerk with… View the full article

2nd-Newmarket, £15,000, Mdn, 4-17, 3yo, 8fT, 1:39.51, g/f. UAE JEWEL (GB) (c, 3, Dubawi {Ire}–Gemstone {Ire} {SW & GSP-Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was well away to shadow the pace in second from the outset of this Wood Ditton S. for newcomers. Looming large passing “the bushes” approaching the quarter-mile pole, the 10-11 favourite bounded to the fore soon after and lengthened clear under urging once finding the far-side rail inside the final furlong to score by an impressive five lengths from Al Hadeer (War Front). “He didn’t instantly accelerate, but he lengthened well all the way to the line and I think he’ll get a little further,” said winning trainer Roger Varian. “We liked him last year, but couldn’t get a run into him because of sore shins. He’s trained well this year, I thought he’d run well and we’ll review his condition over the next few days to see how he comes out of this. I think we’ll look at the Listed Newmarket S. back here at the Guineas meeting and that might be where we go.” Half-brother to the unraced 2-year-old colt Nugget (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) and a yearling colt by Kingman (GB), he becomes the second winner produced by Listed Silken Glider S. victress and G3 Park Express S. runner-up Gemstone (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself out of a half-sister to G1 Irish 2000 Guineas-winning sire Bachelor Duke (Miswaki). Sales history: 400,000gns Ylg ’17 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $12,663. 1ST-TIME STARTER. O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Highclere Stud & ORS Bloodstock (GB); T-Roger Varian. View the full article