Wandering Eyes

Filly Sistercharlie (IRE) moved to eighth in this week's NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll after her third grade 1 win of the season in the Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) Aug. 11 at Arlington International Racecourse. View the full article

Australia can appear to be the envy of the racehorse-owning world, with New South Wales and Victoria often seemingly competing against each other to see which can be the more owner-friendly state. Few, if any, figures can take more credit for this happy state of affairs than Nick Columb, the former long-term President of Victoria’s Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners’ Association who passed away last weekend, aged 72. Columb arrived in Melbourne from Europe with his parents at the age of four, the family disembarking at Station Pier in 1950. They had had a torrid time, having escaped their native Romania after its occupation by Russia at the end of the war before making a tortuous journey across Europe to France and finally joining the tide of refugees heading for a new start Down Under in the Lucky Country. The young Columb took to his adopted homeland like a duck to water, so much so that Melbourne’s twin sporting loves, racing and ‘footy’, soon had him under their spell, bewitching him with passions which would light up his whole life. Having started out as a cadet journalist on the old Herald, Columb soon found that his outgoing, confident and enterprising nature made him ideally suited to being his own boss. A string of entrepreneurial projects set him on the road to success, eventually seeing him build up a property empire which included a pub and some private hospitals. Once established financially, he could enjoy the luxury of giving his passions free rein. Columb had been supporting Footscray Football Club from an early age. His commitment to his team reached its natural conclusion when he became the club’s President in 1989. By this time he was already one of the most prominent identities on Melbourne’s racecourses. The Australian racing landscape in the 1980s was very different to today. In the pre-shuttle days there was nothing like the same breadth of international participation, while syndicate ownership was in its infancy. There was still scope for individual local investors to enjoy consistent top-level success, and few illustrated this better than Columb. Buying wisely at the yearling sales, often in New Zealand, he raced a succession of top-class horses, trained for him by Ross McDonald at Epsom. In total, he owned the winners of 17 Group 1 races. The first of his stars was Magari (Aus) (Maybe Lad {Aus}), winner in the spring of 1982 of the VATC Marlboro Cup and the VRC George Adams H. Perhaps his greatest days came with the Blue Diamond /Golden Slipper double of Courtza (NZ) (Pompeii Court) in 1989 and the Caulfield Cup victories of Tristrarc (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) in 1985 and Imposera (NZ) (Imposing {Aus}) in 1988. Other particularly special occasions came courtesy of Tristarc’s wins in 1985 in the AJC Derby, Underwood S. and Caulfield S., and the South Australian Oaks triumphs of Centaurea (Aus) (Century {Aus}) in 1985 and Imposera (NZ) (Imposing {Aus}) in 1988. The natural extension of Columb’s high-prolife ownership success and of his assertive, ‘can-do’ organizational skills was what became arguably his greatest contribution to the sport: his Chairmanship of TROA from 1987 to 2001. Australian racing underwent massive changes during this period. Expansion and rationalization both literally and metaphorically brought the sport into the 21st century, with Columb one of the key figures throughout. His positive influence was not merely restricted to Victoria, but became national and international courtesy of his stints at the head of the National Racehorse Owners’ Association and the Asia Pacific Racehorse Owners’ Association. With Columb at the helm of the owners’ bodies, the principle was established and maintained that owners’ interests be kept to the fore at all times. The Australian Trainers’ Federation has been among those to pay tribute to Columb’s contribution to the sport. “Vale Nick Columb, a passionate industry participant, owner and a driving force behind TROA for many years. Racing is in a better place as a result of Nick’s contribution and poorer for his passing.” Former Australian Trainers’ Association Chief Executive John Alducci has reflected on Columb’s passing, “With Nick at the helm, he took TROA to another level. Anything he did, he threw everything into it and he was probably the most passionate person I’ve ever come across in racing. It’s a sad day for racing.” John Messara, another of the prime movers in ushering in the sport’s new era, has spoken particularly movingly of his friend and fellow industry-leader. “Nick Columb was the staunchest friend, always fearless, constantly innovative and deeply passionate about horse racing and so much else. He leaves an unfillable gap in Arrowfield’s world, and so many good memories and reasons to be grateful for his incomparable life.” Nick Columb’s business interests took a heavy hit in the crash of the early ’90s (famously, he observed wryly, “I went to bed a rich man, woke up a poor one”) but, while that setback prompted a major reduction in his ownership interests, it did not affect his commitment to furthering the owners’ cause as he maintained his position at the head of TROA until 2001. Subsequently, having previously been politically involved in both the Victorian Football League and racing, he further broadened his efforts to contribute to the community, throwing his hat into the city’s political arena by standing for Lord Mayor of Melbourne in the city elections of 2008 on the platform of ‘Passion for Melbourne’. Nick Columb’s final role within racing was as Senior International Racing Consultant for the Hong Kong Jockey Club, his duties including heading the Club’s buying team at international sales. The final champion with whom he was associated was the current Hong Kong star Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal) whom he and Mark Richards bought on behalf of the HKJC at the Arqana August Yearling Sale in France in 2014 for €180,000. Charismatic and hugely popular, Pakistan Star could fairly be described as one of the great characters of the racing world. One could say exactly the same about Nick Columb, a larger-than-life enthusiast who gave so much to the sport which he loved. View the full article

CHAMPION jockey Blake Shinn has thanked everyone for their support after he suffered a serious neck injury in a Randwick barrier trial fall, which has ruled him out for the spring. View the full article

Le Grange has Pennywise looking a million dollars View the full article

Peters keeps Skywalk going while force still with him View the full article

Trial win a boost for Affleck in his search of old star power View the full article

The $100,000 Bolton Landing Stakes for 2-year-old fillies drew a field of eight and will feature a trio of Wesley Ward trainees headed by his group 2 winner Shang Shang Shang. View the full article

Indiana Oaks (G3) winner Talk Veuve to Me and multiple graded stakes winner Midnight Bisou put in their last works before the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, breezing four furlongs on the Oklahoma training track Aug. 13. View the full article

Alpha Centauri is officially the best 3-year-old Irish filly since Ridgewood Pearl 23 years ago after her rating was upped 2lb to 124 Monday, a day on from her magical Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois (G1) display. View the full article

An investigative news story centered on not-for-profit tax documents filed by the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Inc., (NJTHA) has made public a $30-million debt that the NJTHA owes to Darby Development LLC, which is the firm that the horsemen’s group has contracted with to operate Monmouth Park. The Asbury Park Press broke the exclusive story Monday. A link to the full article is here. The article also raises the issue that Monmouth horsemen remain “in the dark” about how revenues from recently legalized sports betting will be shared, and what the eventual implications might be in terms of increased purses or a longer race meet. A Monday voicemail message requesting a comment from Dennis Drazin, the chairman and chief executive of Darby, was not returned prior to deadline for this story. In interviews earlier this summer, TDN‘s requests to learn more about any sports betting revenue-sharing agreement that might be in the works yielded “no comment” replies from track officials. “The management agreement between Darby and the non-profit NJTHA is unique among American racetracks; most tracks are owned and self-operated by large gaming companies, without relying on an outside firm,” the article explained. “Still, the head of Darby Development says the company is in no hurry to collect the debt, and a board member of the horsemen’s group says the recent introduction of sports betting at Monmouth Park has the potential to bring a financial rebound.” The article further noted that according to the NJTHA’s agreement with Darby, “that money is not payable until all obligations due to the [New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority] including lease payments and $9 million in loans to the NJTHA, are satisfied. The earliest that money could be taken by Darby is 2024.” The article said that when the track was on target to lose $8 million in 2012 and its ownership was in flux, Drazin, an attorney who was the former counsel to the NJTHA, “stepped down from his post as the chairman of the New Jersey Racing Commission and became an advisor to the horsemen, while Darby was formed to operate the track. Drazin indicated he had to prove his family had $20 million in assets before the Sports and Exposition Authority would lease the track to the horsemen.” The article quoted John Forbes, president of the NJTHA, as saying that, “Most all of the risk has been taken, quite frankly, by Drazin and his family. They’re the ones on the hook. That’s just a fact.” View the full article

Alpha Centauri is officially the best 3-year-old Irish filly since Ridgewood Pearl 23 years ago after her rating was upped 2lb to 124 on Monday, a day on from her magical Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois (G1) display. View the full article

Koji Maeda's Awardee was euthanized Aug. 6 after suffering fracture to his right hock during training at Daisen Hills, the training facility of Maeda's North Hills Farm.The news was made public Aug. 11. View the full article

Shadwell stallion Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) swept all before him in a quartet of European Group 1 sprints in 2015. Alayna Cullen sat down with Tom Pennington, Marketing and Nominations Manager for Shadwell Stud in England, to discuss Muhaarar and his exploits in advance of his first yearlings going to the sales. TDN: Muhaarar was an exceptional race horse, remind us about what he achieved in his career? Tom Pennington: Muhaarar was an outstanding race horse. He was trained by Charlie Hills and was a high class 2-year-old winning the G2 Gimcrack and then he was third in the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket. He progressed tremendously from two to three, winning the G3 Greenham on his seasonal debut, breaking the track record. After that he went on to the G1 French Guineas where a combination of the draw and the ground probably played against him. It was probably a blessing in disguise because from there we dropped him down in trip and he went to Ascot for the G1 Commonwealth Cup where he blew them away, winning in tremendous style and in a course record time. He went on to Newmarket for the July Cup and he beat older horses that day. He also won in France and then it all culminated at Ascot again for the G1 QIPCO Champion Sprint where again he was hugely impressive. In all he beat 15 Group or Grade 1 winners, so he was a high class, phenomenal horse. For a sprinter to go back to back in all those sprints, not many horses can do that and it’s just testament to how good he was. TDN: Aside from his racing performances what characteristics does he have that make him a great stallion? TP: I think it’s his looks. And his outlook. He’s so relaxed and I think he’s passed that on to his offspring. He’s a great mover as well, which he’s passed on too. He’s really stamped them like that, he’s super athletic and all his foals have got massive walks which commercial breeders are really looking for especially in the sales place and that’s why they’ve gone down so well at the sales. TDN: How have breeders received him from year one to now? TP: Very well and on the back of those first foals he covered a better book of mares in year three which I think is unheard of really, and he was oversubscribed again by more than 100 mares which is phenomenal. I think that just tells you all you need to know and we’re already getting busy again for next year. TDN: You mentioned that his first foals were well received, how would you sum up how they sold at the foal sales? TP: Phenomenally well. 11 sold for an average of £210,000. The median was even more, I think it was £220,000. The highest price was 290,000gns for a colt bred by Whitsbury Manor Stud and sold to Capital Bloodstock, that price was beyond our wildest dreams, we didn’t see that coming at all. But as I said, they’re all stamped, they all look like him, walk like him and I think that’s why they sold so well. TDN: Have you had any feedback from vendors bringing yearlings for sale this year? TP: Yeah it’s been very positive. We are hugely excited, the first six sell in Deauville this month. Henri Bozo has been a huge supporter and he has a filly out of Pacifique (Ire) whose first foal, by Dubawi (Ire), sold for €2.6 million. He also has a colt out of Prudenzia (Ire) and I think we all know how her yearlings go at Arqana, he’s a half to Magic Wand (Ire) who won the G2 Ribblesdale this year and G1 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita (Ire). Haras Du Cadran have got a very nice filly out of Avenue Gabriel (GB), a first foal, who looks phenomenal. There’s also a very nice horse coming from Ireland, a filly out of I’m In Love. We’ve got six there and hopefully they’ll get the ball rolling and set the precedent for the year to come. TDN: Of course Sheikh Hamdan is a massive supporter of his stallions, are there any nice homebreds that we can look forward to seeing on the racetrack? TP: I was in Ireland recently, at Derrinstown Stud, and I saw a very nice colt out of Rifqah, he looks very nice. I can’t wait to see him running next year. Of course this year His Highness sent 15 mares, including Taghrooda (GB) and Ghanaati, so we’ve really got behind the stallion. View the full article

The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association will hold its annual Northern California Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale Tuesday at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. Bidding begins at noon. Recent graduates of the auction include multiple stakes winner and Grade I placed Take the One O One (Acclamation {GB}), who was purchased for $47,000 in 2016. At last year’s auction, 95 yearlings sold for a total of $652,500. The average was $6,868 and the median was $3,000. A filly by Smiling Tiger, consigned by Harris Farm, brought the highest price in 2017, selling for $70,000. Click here to view the catalogue. View the full article

Jockey Blake Shinn, who won the G1 Melbourne Cup in 2008 aboard Viewed (Aus) (Scenic {Ire}), fell off of Pacific Legend (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) during heat 10 of the Randwick barrier trials on Monday morning and was initally thought to have sustained a concussion, reported Racing NSW. Taken to Prince of Wales Hospital, Shinn was diagnosed with fractures at C1 and C3 of his vertebrae. Shinn will be in a neck brace for six weeks and will be out of the saddle for at least three months. View the full article

Peter Brant’s FOG OF WAR (c, 2, War Front–Say {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) rallied from far back to capture his career debut in a driving rain at Saratoga Monday afternoon. Sent off as the 2-1 second choice off a steady series of preps in recent weeks, the bay lagged well off the pace and made piecemeal progress as Seismic Jolt (Kantharos) led through a quarter-mile in :22.55. Gaining steam as All About It (Violence) seized control in midstretch, Fog of War collared that rival inside the final furlong and edged past to score by a half-length. The final time for 5 1/2 panels was 1:03.92. Bought for $400,000 at Keeneland September, the Chad Brown trainee is out of European GSW Say (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who in turn is out of American MGISW turfer Riskaverse (Dynaformer). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $51,000. O-Peter Brant. B-Orpendale, Chelston and Wynatt (KY). T-Chad Brown. View the full article

Just five days out from an intended start in the G1 Winx Warwick S. at Royal Randwick on Saturday, Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) worked at Rosehill on Monday morning. The bay, hunting for her 26th consecutive win which would break Black Caviar (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus})’s record, had regular pilot Hugh Bowman in the irons (video). “I am happy with her preparation and Hugh said she feels great ahead of Saturday’s race at Randwick,” trainer Chris Waller posted on Twitter. View the full article

Sunday’s G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. hero Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) is now on a short break, and trainer Martyn Meade hopes his first Group 1 winner out of the historic Manton yard will lead to bigger and better things to come. Meade is eyeing the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket on Oct. 13, as the next goal for the Phoenix Thoroughbred-owned juvenile. “He’s come out of the race very well, there’s not a bother on him,” said Meade. “He’s going to have a bit of a break now and then we’ll get him ready for the Dewhurst, that’s the plan. To get a Group 1, so soon after moving yards, is a bit of a relief. We’ve won a Group 2 and a Group 3 as well, so it couldn’t have gone any better.” Advertise was bought by Phoenix Thoroughbreds Limited before finishing second in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot and has proved a shrewd investment, winning the G2 July S. as well as the Phoenix since. View the full article

Connections of Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) will let the dust settle before deciding on the next move for the top-class filly after she chalked up a fourth Group 1 win in a row at Deauville on Sunday. It will be at least a week before trainer Jessica Harrington and owners the Niarchos family look at the next move for the ‘TDN Rising Star’, who has been the star of the flat season so far. Alpha Centauri has plenty of options with races such as the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown next month and the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot and the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile later in the autumn likely to be considered. The daughter of Mastercraftsman left older horses in her wake as she added the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois to her victories in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Coronation S. and the G1 Falmouth S. earlier in the year. “It was very good. She was brilliant again,” said Harrington. “She was back home at 11 o’clock last night. She was fine and grand this morning. No thoughts at the moment. We’ll leave it a week or 10 days.” View the full article

Following last week’s Wrap, I realise I may be in danger of being labelled a rampant feminist but I’m afraid I’m about to beat the drum for the women again. Let’s start with the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, a weird and wonderful anomaly to the racing programme thanks to its team format but one which apparently grows in popularity each year and features among its four teams one restricted solely to female jockeys. Some folks bridle about the team being labelled ‘Girls’ but this shouldn’t be seen as being in any way derogatory. I turn 49 today and I’ll be delighted if anyone out there is still calling me a girl. Vastly preferable to old bat. The girls’ team was only added to the Shergar Cup in 2012 but the girls have now beaten the boys twice in those seven years, each time led by Hayley Turner, chief cheerleader for the event in general and this year joined by Hollie Doyle and Josephine Gordon. You won’t see a more polished ride than the one Turner gave Via Serendipity (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) to win the Shergar Cup Mile and her two other placed finishes meant that she also won for the first time the Silver Saddle, awarded to the day’s leading rider and named after the much-missed Alastair Haggis, who died in 2014 at the age of just 51. Alpha females The most heroic performances on the track this week from our four-legged friends were generally posted by females. Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) can now rightly lay claim to being the outright star of the season with her fourth straight Group 1 victory. That it should come in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois, the race sponsored by her breeder for more than 30 years and previously won by her great grandam Miesque (Nureyev) and grandam East Of The Moon (Private Account) made her success all the sweeter. There was also an all-female cast in the celebratory photograph as trainer Jessica Harrington was joined by Alpha Centauri’s owner-breeder Maria Niarchos and her niece Electra. Earlier on the Deauville card, juvenile Pure Zen (Fr) became the second stakes winner of the weekend for Zoffany (Ire) following the victory of Main Edition (Ire) in the G3 german-thoroughbred.com Sweet Solera S. at Newmarket. Pure Zen’s win in the Prix Francois Boutin came on just her third start for Myriam Bollack-Badel and her Italian owner-breeder Nicola Gallo of Scuderia Micolo, who bought her dam, Dolce Attesa (GB) (Dr Fong), for just £5,000 as a yearling through Federico Barberini. Deauville was also the scene of another major step forward for the David Lanigan-trained Worth Waiting (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), whose three-length victory in the G3 Prix Minerve was her fourth success in a row. Bred by Whatton Manor Stud and sold as a yearling for 40,000gns, Worth Waiting has twice been withdrawn from horses-in-training sales in the last year, most recently from the Tattersalls July Sale. The clue is quite clearly in her name and owner Saif Ali will be delighted that he kept patience with the filly who will surely take her chance in Group 1 company before too long. A second Group winner for the former top-class sprinter Bated Breath, Worth Waiting is a middle-distance filly through and through, which is no surprise given that her dam Salutare (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) twice won over a mile and seven furlongs, a distance well within the capability of Montare (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), the mare’s three-parts-sister and winner of the G1 Prix Royal-Oak. This family is discussed further in today’s column by Andrew Caulfield. Montare has herself gone on to produce Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for owner-breeder George Strawbridge, winner in 2016 of the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S., which is one of the possible end-of-season targets for Worth Waiting. Garswood’s Sister Impresses We’re edging towards the time of the year when the 2-year-old maidens become increasingly laden with top-drawer pedigrees. Only two of last year’s Tattersalls October Book 1 top ten have appeared so far on the racecourse. The first to win was Fantasy (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of Cassandra Go (Ire), and she was followed on Saturday by Zagitova (Ire), the Galileo (Ire) half-sister to Garswood (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) bought by MV Magnier and the Mayfair Speculators for 1.6 million gns. With the benefit of a July 14 debut at Newmarket behind her, Zagitova was the dominant force in Saturday’s Cork maiden which she won by 4.5 lengths and she may head next to the G2 Debutante S. She is out of the Cheveley Park Stud-bred mare Penchant (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) who was sold by the Thompsons back in 2010 for 21,000gns, the same year that her weanling son and subsequent Group 1 winner Garswood was sold for 19,000gns. He is now standing as a stallion at his birthplace and is currently represented by his first crop of runners. Following two Group winners in Cheveley Park’s own colours at Glorious Goodwood, the stud has enjoyed more reflected glory this weekend via Advertise (GB), who broke the Irish stronghold on the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. to become the first British-trained winner of the juvenile contest in 21 years. Trained by Martyn Meade and bought by his son-in-law Dermot Farrington as a yearling for £60,000, the son of Showcasing (GB) was bred by Cheveley Park Stud from the six-furlong winner Furbelow (GB) and is the fifth individual Group 1 winner this year out of a mare by the stud’s great flagbearer Pivotal (GB) following Cracksman (GB), Olmedo (Fr), Rhododendron (Ire) and Mikki Rocket (JPN). As a fast, young son of a popular sire, Advertise will doubtless already have plenty of stallion masters in hot pursuit. In time, he would make a commercially very desirable addition to the National Stud ranks in Newmarket, where his owner Phoenix Thoroughbreds already has an interest in freshman sire and fellow Meade/Farrington Group 1 winner Aclaim (Ire). Wertheimer Sires On The Up Cheveley Park Stud can also drawn plenty of encouragement from the increasingly good results for Intello (Ger), who has five black-type winners from his first crop including the G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Intellogent (Fr). The son of Galileo (Ire) recently completed his third season in Newmarket having stood his first two years there followed by two years at Haras du Quesnay. The Head family’s Normandy farm is also home to another Wertheimer-bred young stallion, Anodin (Ire), the brother to Goldikova (Ire) who narrowly lost out to Karakontie in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. His is perhaps not a name many people would have expected to be so prominent in the first-crop sires’ table this year but the 8-year-old son of the former Quesnay stalwart Anabaa has been quietly notching the winners of late and, numerically, is tied for fifth place on eight winners with Slade Power (Ire). His star performer to date is the Wertheimers’ Harmless (Fr), a rare non-homebred to run in the brothers’ colours, who won the listed Prix Roland de Chambure at ParisLongchamp and is unbeaten in three starts. Braveheart Bruce A Scottish-named, Chilean-bred Grade I winner in America by an Irish stallion is just the latest example of the shrinking world of bloodstock and Robert Bruce (Chi), the Fast Company (Ire) colt who has only just turned four by his southern hemisphere birth, was an intriguing winner of the Arlington Million. He left trainer Patricio Baeza in his native country over the winter to join Chad Brown, who also trained the imported runner-up, Shadwell’s Almanaar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a dual Group 3 winner during his days with Freddy Head. Owned and bred by Haras Convento Viejo, which stood Fast Company during his shuttling days, Robert Bruce is a son of the Chilean Oaks winner Lady Pelusa (ARG) (Orpen) from a family which stretches back to Idle Hour Princess (Ribot {ITY}), a sister to the Classic-winning duo of Ribocco and Ribero. The colt won four Grade 1 races during his unbeaten run in Chile, and his close relation Mister Fluff (Chi), by the same sire and out of a half-sister to Lady Pelusa, has been Grade 1-placed in the Chilean versions of the 2000 Guineas and St Leger for the same connections. Runner-up to New Approach (Ire) in the G1 Dewhurst S. of 2007, Fast Company wasn’t seen again on the racecourse and didn’t enter stud until four years later, starting at Rathasker Stud at €5,000. After four years he moved to Overbury Stud for one season in 2016. This was also the year his Irish 1000 Guineas-winning daughter Jet Setting (Ire) emerged, prompting a switch to Darley’s Kildangan Stud, where he remains and no longer shuttles to South America. Fast Company covered his smallest book the year he stood in Britain and some of the offspring of those 64 mares will be at the forthcoming yearling sales. Heading to Tattersalls October Book 2 is a half-brother to this season’s Group 3 winner Indian Blessing (GB) (Sepoy {Aus}), while a half-brother to Havana Grey (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) was bought by Godolphin for 85,000gns at last year’s foal sale. Not So Shambolic Start Computerised systems for racing colours make the choosing of owners’ silks a little dreary these days, despite the BHA’s attempts to liven things up by making the odd wacky design available. The most desirable colours remain the plain silks, though sadly one could no longer register shades such as the Duke of Devonshire’s ‘straw’ or Lord Howard de Walden’s ‘apricot’. It was a bonus then to see those straw colours being carried to a debut victory at Newmarket on Saturday by Shambolic (Ire), a Shamardal filly bred in partnership by the Duke of Devonshire with the Duke of Roxburghe out of Comic (Ire) (Be My Chief). This of course makes the John Gosden-trained filly a half-sister to the Hong Kong star Viva Pataca (GB) (Marju {Ire}), and the same stable is also home to the mare’s 3-year-old colt George Villiers (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is a dual winner to date for Princess Haya. Comic was 20 when Shambolic was foaled and this year she gave birth to a filly by Kingman (GB) on Feb. 3. Shambolic wasn’t the only well-related and impressive first-time-out winner from the Gosden stable last week. As the heatwave gradually abated, Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) gave us one last blast with a seven-length victory at Sandown. Lord Lloyd-Webber’s colt is a brother to So Mi Dar (GB) and Lah Ti Dar (GB), both of whom have impressed in Classic trials before meeting setbacks ahead of intended starts in the Oaks. Their dam is Waterhsip Down Stud’s celebrated treble Group 1 winner Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}). 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. Tuesday’s Insights features a half-sister to G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Nezwaah (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). 2.30 Chelmsford City, Cond, £12,900, 3yo/up, f/m, 8f (AWT) Mohammed Jaber’s UMMALNAR (GB) (Shamardal), a William Haggas-trained half-sister to 2014 GI Northern Dancer Turf S. victor Sheikhzayedroad (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), is burdened with an additional six pounds for registering a July 20 debut score at Newmarket and faces just three rivals in this return. Opposition includes Roger Varian incumbent Monteja (GB) (Shamardal), who is a hitherto unraced half to last term’s G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Nezwaah (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). View the full article

Catch him if you can. Well, actually, Goldencents (Into Mischief) already has–and others will doubtless be getting their act together soon, as their first juveniles mature and stretch out. But if Goldencents has edged into a midsummer lead in the freshman sires’ table, by winners and prize money, in other respects it is Uncaptured (Lion Heart) who leads the way at Ocala Stud in Florida. Four of his nine starters have won. Of these, two have promptly added a stakes success–and one of those is the only one of the crop so far to win a graded race. That was Catherinethegreat, who earned the first black type of the Saratoga summer in the 100th running of the GIII Schuylerville S. Previously a 10 1/4 length maiden winner at Gulfstream, here she blazed an opening quarter of 21.78 before cruising four lengths clear in 1:09.98. Catherinethegreat duly vindicated her status, at $170,000, as the most expensive of the 19 yearlings (from 23 offered) whose $47,880 average and $40,000 median–against a covering fee of $6,000–both qualified Uncaptured as the leading freshman outside Kentucky at the sales last year. She was bought by trainer Mark Casse for John Oxley, just like Uncaptured himself before they made him Canada’s first juvenile Horse of the Year in a generation. Casse bought Uncaptured for $290,000 at the Keeneland September Sale of 2011, in turn making him the priciest member of the final U.S. crop sired by Lion Heart (Tale Of The Cat) before his export to Turkey. Lion Heart, an unbeaten Grade I winner at two, had proceeded to finish runner-up in the Kentucky Derby–pluckily holding off all bar Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality) after throwing down the gauntlet from the front–and to win the GI Haskell Invitational. He offered breeders class, soundness and lovely motion. But not height. And his stock had only been allowed two seasons on the track before a package deal, also including Dehere (Deputy Minister) and Powerscourt (Sadler’s Wells), was agreed between the Turkish Jockey Club and Ashford Stud. The timing of Lion Heart’s exit could not have been much worse; or better, I guess, depending which side of the deal you stood. In 2010, their sire’s first year in Turkey, Kantharos won the GII Saratoga Special S. by seven lengths in an unbeaten juvenile season; Dangerous Midge, a slow-maturing member of his first crop, won the Breeders’ Cup Turf as a 4-year-old; Line Of David beat subsequent Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver (Maria’s Mon) in the GI Arkansas Derby; and, at Bill Graham’s Windhaven Farm in Ontario, an Arch mare named Captivating delivered a colt on March 19. Her son would become one of five GSW among the final American foals of Lion Heart. In fact Uncaptured would win six of seven starts at two, graduating from three black-type races on the synthetic at Woodbine to win the GIII Iroquois S. and the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. on dirt at Churchill Downs. Those wins had the look of a Kentucky Derby reconnaissance, but he proved unable to rise from relative shallows at three when his finest moment instead brought domestic prestige, in the Prince of Wales S. (second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown). And though back on an upward curve when beaten barely half a length by Palace Malice (Curlin) in the GII Gulfstream Park H. the following spring, he came out with an injury and that was him done. Still, he retired as a good-looking millionaire and those guys are seldom short of company in the Florida winter. His arrival at Ocala Stud in 2015–Oxley retaining a good stake–gave its clients an alternative to Kantharos, another son of Lion Heart who would soon be packing his bags for Kentucky after finishing seventh in the national rookie standings with seven black-type performers from 32 starters (moved to Hill ‘n’ Dale last year). Florida breeders took their cue, sending Uncaptured no fewer than 137 mares in his first season, 108 for his second and 140 last year. That made him the busiest sire in the state but he has entertained even more this time round: a bumper 173, in fact. That extraordinary fourth book shows how Uncaptured has overcome the usual inclination to “wait and see” a sire’s first runners. His debut at the 2-year-old sales can only have helped: of 31 hips, he shifted 28 at an average $114,500 and median $93,500–capped off by a $350,000 filly at OBS April. These are knockout returns for a $6,000 regional cover. “Really, there has been a huge buzz about the horse since day one; since the day we brought him to the farm,” said Ocala Stud manager David O’Farrell. “He was very well received by breeders locally–he’s a beautiful individual–and the momentum started building from the time his first foals hit the ground. “With the majority of stallions, especially in the regional marketplace, historically you do tend to see a blip in those third and fourth years. But you can see from the size of his third and fourth books the confidence he has been giving breeders.” Uncaptured appears an impressive specimen, evidently rather bigger and scopier than his sire. Just as important, however, is what Casse described as the “mind of steel” he brought to training and racing. Sure enough, already in midwinter his foals were being credited with an obliging disposition by major 2-year-old consignors. And then his very first starter won her debut as favorite over 4 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream in April. Next came Capture Your Dream, whose training for a small barn (smart work, Anna Varsi) was such that she was heavily backed against a Pletcher favorite for a maiden over the same track. She exploded through a 21.7 opening quarter and won by 10 1/2 lengths. Oxley promptly bought Capture Your Dream from owner/breeder Kathy Machesky–the filly is, after all, out of a half-sister to the dams of two others who punched above their weight in Ron The Greek (Full Mandate) and Musket Man (Yonaguska)–and moved the filly to Casse’s Palm Meadows barn. Last Saturday she became her sire’s second stakes winner in the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire S. So what’s happening here? The parallels with Kantharos plainly speak well of the stud who launched them both, and Uncaptured can only have profited from his former studmate’s example. “There’s no question Uncaptured stands on his own merit, but Kantharos certainly gave people confidence,” O’Farrell said. “They’ll have had his success in the back of their minds when they first came to look at Uncaptured. “But if you stood them up side by side, though they’re both good-looking sons of Lion Heart, you would see that Kantharos and Uncaptured are very different horses. Kantharos is a racehorse sire: he produced a high volume of runners. You can see the Arch in Uncaptured. He is just a gorgeous horse. “It’s always important to have a horse that can come to hand quickly, that can develop at two. But people were drawn not just to his precocity, but also to his physique.” Daughters of Arch have already produced I’ll Have Another (Flower Alley) and Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie), among others. Arch also causes a 4×5 echo in Uncaptured’s pedigree, as Lion Heart’s mother was a granddaughter of Hail To Reason–whose Roberto-Kris S line is extended by Arch. You would suspect there may be some turf angles to be worked through here. Remember that Uncaptured was himself adaptable, in terms of surface, while his dam Captivating had previously produced Dancing Raven (Tomahawk), a stakes winner over a turf mile and also over 6f on a synthetic track. “Uncaptured was a versatile horse,” O’Farrell remarked. “He broke his maiden at 4 1/2 furlongs, but was able to carry his speed over 1 3/16 miles at three. He started out on synthetics in Canada and moved onto the dirt at Churchill. Kantharos is proving versatile too, and that gives you reason to believe they can both go a long way. Because while a lot of commercial breeders rely on dirt horses, there’s definitely a move towards the turf: I really think racing is making something of a paradigm shift in that way.” Captivating, herself unplaced in two starts, is a half-sister to a number of multiple winners including a smart one in Gold Star Deputy (Silver Deputy), who set a couple of track records at around 10 furlongs in winning 11 races, including at stakes level. Another half-sister has produced a couple of Grade II-placed stakes winners, one of whom is the dam of triple Grade I winner Curalina (Curlin). Their stakes-placed dam Andrea Ruckus was by Bold Ruckus, Canada’s multiple champion sire–albeit a Florida-bred, as they might stress down at Ocala. Bold Ruckus was a zippy grandson of Bold Ruler and Raise A Native, but less familiar paths must be taken along the bottom line. In fact the next two dams are by Right Combination, who I think was unraced but was granted a place at stud as a son of Round Table out of a half-sister to Buckpasser; and Stratus, a son of the Derby winner (and inconsequential sire) Nimbus imported by E.P. Taylor. Stratus did manage to break a track record–over a mile and a half on turf at Atlantic City. He features here as a result of Taylor pairing him with the dam of Canadian champion older horse Giboulee, Victory Chant-herself bred from two foundation stones of the whole Windfields empire, Victoria Park and Orchestra. In some respects Victoria Park was a pathfinder for Northern Dancer, his Preakness and Kentucky Derby podiums emboldening Taylor that a Canadian-bred horse could take on the Bluegrass bluebloods in their own backyard. Since Taylor also bred Storm Bird, whose sireline extends through Lion Heart, he holds together both top and bottom lines for Uncaptured. So this story links polar points of the North American Turf, in Ontario and Ocala. For a long time its only link to the northeast was through Uncaptured’s barn nickname, “Whitey Bulger”–for a notorious Boston crime boss who spent 16 years on the run (i.e. uncaptured) from the F.B.I. Now he has a landmark winner at the Spa. One stakes winner does not a summer make; nor even two. But O’Farrell is adamant that this is only the beginning. “We stood Kantharos for Stonestreet and he’s now off to bigger and better things,” he said. “It does appear that Lion Heart is going to have a lasting impact, despite leaving when he did. He had that speed, and he carried it. “And the race that always stuck out to me, with Uncaptured, was his last one–against Palace Malice. That was a really solid field and arguably the winner ran his best race, but Uncaptured didn’t flinch the whole way round. So he wasn’t just a very quick 2-year-old, he could carry that speed a long way. Which is what we’re after. “He’s an awful nice stallion for us in Florida. It’s so exciting, to get these two stakes winners straight off the bat. And without knocking the pedigrees of these horses, he’s not started with the best mares in the world. We have some [coming through] on the farm we’re extremely high on. I think the word’s out. But the best is yet to come.” View the full article

The catalogue for the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, scheduled for Oct. 9-11, is now online. A total of 519 blue-blooded lots will go under the hammer in early October, all of them eligible for the £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus scheme. There are 47 siblings or half-brothers and sisters to Group 1 winners or Classic winners, and 246 lots are half or full-siblings to group or listed winners. Eighteen Group 1 or Classic-winning broodmares have yearlings catalogued. The top 20 active sires in Britain and Ireland are represented by 265 yearlings, with 166 yearlings by the top 10 sires. Europe’s leading sires are all represented, with Dubawi (Ire) the sire of 21 lots, Galileo (Ire) has an equal number and fourth-crop sire juggernaut Frankel (GB) sees 25 yearlings entered. Sea The Stars (Ire) fields 27 lots, Dark Angel (Ire) 20, and Kodiac (GB) and Invincible Spirit (Ire) have 23 and 17, respectively. New Approach (Ire), sire of this year’s G1 Derby winner Masar (Ire), is represented by seven yearlings, and Mastercraftsman (Ire), sire of standout miler Alpha Centauri (Ire) has five. France’s Siyouni (Fr) has 24 lots entered. U.S. sires are also well-represented, with yearlings by Blame, Distored Humor, Kitten’s Joy, Medaglia d’Oro, More Than Ready, Speightstown, Street Sense, Uncle Mo and War Front slated to go through the ring. “The catalogue for last year’s October Book 1 was outstanding and the 2018 renewal looks to be equally special,” said Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony. “There are a huge number of own or half-brothers and sisters to group and listed winners in the catalogue, but equally impressive is that 130 of the yearlings are out of group and listed winning mares, including many of the truly outstanding racemares of our time, and a further 76 are out of group and listed placed mares. Graduates of the October Yearling Sale have as ever enjoyed enormous success on the global stage headed by 65,000 guineas G1 Irish Derby winner Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), and the enormously popular £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus will again ensure that buyers have the chance to win unprecedented prize money by purchasing at Europe’s premier yearling sale.” View the full article

He was a valued and respected assistant to Todd Pletcher and was hired by Bridlewood Farm as their trainer, which gives him access to their first-class facility in Florida to train not only their horse but those for outside clients. Jonathan Thomas, just 38, has been busy building the groundwork for a top stable, one that some day could rival that of the premier trainers in the country. What he needed was a marquee horse to put him on the map. That’s no longer a problem. Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) is coming off a win in the GI $1.2 million Belmont Derby, has won stakes on both the dirt and grass and has proven to be among the gamest horses in the sport. His next assignment will likely come in the GI Travers S., where he could be the second choice behind Good Magic (Curlin) and where a win would only further raise Thomas’s profile. “The Travers and Belmont Derby are both obviously very important races,” he said. “For me, personally, it’s extremely meaningful. I think more important than that, for me being responsible for the career of Catholic Boy and showcasing his abilities and possibly putting him into a stallion barn down the road, that’s as meaningful as anything. He’s a deserving horse so are the clients that support us. Being able to deliver on a big day in the Belmont Derby was stellar for them.” Thomas literally grew up on Rokeby Farm in Virginia and surrounded himself with horses from a young age. He began as a steeplechase jockey until a serious injured forced him to look elsewhere. He was an assistant to Dale Romans, spent some time working in Saudi Arabia, and then worked as an assistant to Christophe Clement and Todd Pletcher. “Jonathan Thomas, he was a terrific assistant,” Pletcher said. “He’s a consummate professional, everything you’re looking for in an assistant trainer. He’s totally reliable, honest, good communicator, good horseman. We had some good years together. He did a great job, and I’m not surprised that he’s doing well on his own.” {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"Jonathan Thomas on the Rise","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/283927009.hd.mp4?s=e21372efc506971a0a92a1cf88bc2de886b80c1f&profile_id=174","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/279154669.hd.mp4?s=6cd103df93200bea1e30b99a712c015e8bd8695a&profile_id=174","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} In 2013, he left Pletcher to go work for Bridlewood and its owners, Leslie and John Malone. While he would be based for much of the year at their Ocala farm, he worked out an unusual arrangement with them as he would also be allowed to take on outside clients. “We want to make sure we’re doing the best job possible on both fronts,” Thomas said. “I’m very fortunate to have the team that I have and the support I’ve gotten from my clients. Good people and good clients make it easy enough.” Thomas says he currently has about 45 horses, which doesn’t include some of his 2-year-olds who aren’t quite ready for the races or horses coming back from layoffs. Things started slowly for Thomas, and as recently as 2016, he had only two winners on the year from 18 starters, and stable earnings of $34,485. Things started to turn around when he began to attract outside owners. Thomas discovered Catholic Boy at the 2016 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, where he RNA’d for $170,000. He was able to buy him after the sale for a “fair price” on behalf of owner Robert LaPenta. “He was a horse that Mr. LaPenta and his team allowed us to purchase and develop and he seemed to be doing real well in our system, so they left him with us. Thankfully, he did,” he said. Catholic Boy won his first two races on the turf, including the GIII With Anticipation S., which was Thomas’s first career stakes win. After running fourth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, he made his first try on the dirt and won the GII Remsen S. That had LaPenta, his fellow owners and Thomas, thinking GI Kentucky Derby. He ran respectably in the GIII Sam F. Davis at Tampa, finishing second, but followed that up with a well-beaten fourth in the GI Florida Derby. “He had a one off bleeding episode (in the Florida Derby), which was unusual,” Thomas said. “It was enough to explain the effort, which was a little below par for him. At that point in time, the right thing to do was to regroup. The Kentucky Derby is very important, but in our operation we never want to let it compromise the horse.” When Catholic Boy was ready, Thomas sent him back to the turf and the result was two remarkable efforts. In the first, the GIII Pennine Ridge S. and then the Belmont Derby, he gave up the lead to the Chad Brown-trained Analyze It (Point of Entry) in deep stretch, looked hopelessly beaten and then came on again to win. “He’s certainly the gamest horse we’ve trained,” Thomas said. “The first mile of those races I watched as a trainer and the last furlong to a quarter of a mile I watched as a fan. It was something to behold. Analyze It is a very good horse and he’s a good barometer for our horse’s effort. We’re very proud of him. This horse really grinds it out.” It might have made more sense to keep him on the grass but the connections want a definitive answer as far as his dirt ability goes, which they don’t believe they got in the Florida Derby. Barring a last-minute change of mind, the Travers will be next. “We owe it to the horse and to the clients to leave that option on the table,” Thomas said. “We’ve let the horse dictate our next step and I think we’ll continue to do that. The timing of the Travers is very good. If there’s something we don’t like we can always adjust, but it’s worth at least investigating.” Catholic Boy remains the only stakes winner Thomas has ever trained, but it’s not hard to envision his career taking off. Catholic Boy has given him exposure, new owners are starting to take notice and he shares many of the same traits that made Pletcher a star. Like his mentor, he’s polished, professional and ambitious. Does he see himself someday having a stable that rivals Pletcher’s? “I think as long as we can do a great job and do what’s best for our clients and our horses, I’d certainly be willing to head in that direction.” he said. “As long as we’re doing a quality job.” He has a long way to go, but he certainly seems to have the tools to succeed and now he’s got a horse everyone is paying attention to. The Travers will be a big race not just for Catholic Boy but for his trainer. View the full article

CHAMPION jockey Blake Shinn has suffered a serious neck injury in a Randwick barrier trial fall this morning and is unlikely to ride again this year. View the full article