Wandering Eyes

Big Brothers Pride (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was an easy two-length winner in her Oct. 16 unveiling tackling six furlongs at Chantilly, but slipped to eighth when upped in trip on seasonal return for the Mar. 14 Listed Prix Montenica atop the synthetic surface at the same venue last time. Making her third straight start there for Saturday’s G3 Prix Sigy, she relished the drop down to 5 1/2 furlongs and blitzed her opponents with a pillar-to-post triumph. Breaking sharply to lead from flagfall, the 21-2 chance was safely clear under minimal urging entering the final eighth and kept on strongly in the closing stages to secure a career high by four lengths from Happy Odyssey (Ire) (Camacho {GB}). “She won very well first time out, but the trip was a bit too much for her in the Montenica last time,” explained connections’ representative Ghislain Bozo. “We were considering a possible attempt at the [G1 Poule d’Essai des] Pouliches before her last run, but that is not in our thoughts now. We brought her back in trip for this race, it proved to be the correct move and speed is obviously her game. [Trainer] Francois [Rohaut] is not available today so we’ll have to see how she comes out of the race before making any decisions. Royal Ascot’s [G1] Commonwealth Cup could be a target.” Big Brothers Pride is one of five winners and fourth black-type performer for Listed Prix d’Angerville victress and GIII Monrovia H. runner-up Polygreen (Fr) (Green Tune). The bay is kin to last term’s G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), MGSP Listed Prix Amandine and Listed Prix Isola Bella victress Evaporation (Fr) (Red Ransom) and Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux third Ankle (Fr) (Shamardal). Her dual stakes-winning second dam Yxenery (Ire) (Sillery) is out of a MSW half-sister to G1 Grand Criterium runner-up and MGSW sire Truculent (Val de l’Orne {Fr}). Saturday, Chantilly, France PRIX SIGY-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 4-13, 3yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:04.51, sf. 1–BIG BROTHERS PRIDE (FR), 122, f, 3, by Invincible Spirit (Ire) 1st Dam: Polygreen (Fr) (SW-Fr & GSP-US, $173,671), by Green Tune 2nd Dam: Yxenery (Ire), by Sillery 3rd Dam: Polyxena, by Lyphard 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€400,000 Ylg ’17 ARAUG). O-Kin Hung Kei & Qatar Racing Ltd; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Framont Ltd & Beauregard Bloodstock (FR); T-Francois Rohaut; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, €53,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Happy Odyssey (Ire), 122, f, 3, Camacho (GB)–Casual Remark (Ire), by Trans Island (GB). (€5,000 RNA Wlg ’16 TATFBR; €6,000 RNA Ylg ’17 GOFFEB; €13,500 Ylg ’17 GOYRL; £14,000 2yo ’18 GOFBRE; €300,000 2yo ’18 ARQAEC). O-Yuesheng Zhang; B-Ciara Doyle (IRE); T-Nicolas Clement. €16,000. 3–Kenbaio (Fr), 126, c, 3, Kendargent (Fr)–Baia Chope (Fr), by Deportivo (GB). O-Guy Pariente; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Pascal Bary. €12,000. Margins: 4, 1 1/4, SHD. Odds: 10.50, 5.70, 24.00. Also Ran: True Mason (GB), Ilanga (Fr), Barbill (Ire), Vintage Brut (GB), Bravo Sierra (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Signing off at two with a win in the G3 Horris Hill S. over seven furlongs at Newbury in October, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) returned to the same track and trip on Saturday to stamp his class on the G3 Watership Down Stud Greenham S. Always travelling with ease in behind the leader Boitron (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), the 9-2 shot was committed by Jim Crowley approaching the final furlong and quickly took command. Despite drifting right, the bay held a relatively comfortable 3/4-of-a-length margin over Great Scot (GB) (Requinto {Ire}) at the line, with Urban Icon (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) 2 1/4 lengths back in third. MOHAATHER (GB), c, 3, Showcasing (GB)–Roodeye (GB) (SP-Fr), by Inchinor (GB). (110,000gns Ylg ’17 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Mrs R F Johnson Houghton (GB); T-Marcus Tregoning; J-Jim Crowley. £39,697. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, £68,187. View the full article

by Paul Vettise, courtesy TDNAus/NZ The last act has been played out to rapturous applause as the curtain came down on the glittering career of a superstar of the turf. Wonderful Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) bowed out to a rousing reception and one that shook Randwick to its foundations. Winx has held the racing world in awe for the last four years, undefeated in her last 33 appearances and a collection of records that have put together a play list that will be heard long and loud for years to come. And yes, she provided everybody with the send-off they clamoured for by demolishing her G1 Longines Queen Elizabeth II S. rivals. The old maxim that there are no certainties in racing simply didn’t apply to her. A sell-out crowd of 42,000 fanatical supporters had their dreams fulfilled when Winx waved goodbye with the panache only she could have showcased. On a wildly emotional afternoon at Randwick, the mare of the world did what she does best – win for fun. Winx was settled back of midfield and one off the fence by Bowman before he urged her around the field from the 700 metre mark and they swung widest into the straight. Winx was clear with 200 metres to run and coasted home clear of the gallant pair of Kluger (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) with Happy Clapper (Aus) (Teofilo {Ire}) home for fourth. “This is a fairy-tale ending. We weren’t sure we would get that, but how wonderful with that girl,” part-owner Debbie Kepitis said. “She is the most amazing, supreme athlete that I think I’ve ever seen and handled by the most supreme coach. It’s very exciting to have this come to fruition. Congratulations to everybody who has ever been involved with this wonderful mare. The farriers, the dentists and the chiropractors, every person – they all deserve accolades as well. Co-owner Peter Tighe also paid a special tribute to the conditioning skills of trainer Chris Waller, who celebrated his 100th Group 1 success in the Queen Elizabeth. “He’s the captain of the team. It’s been really exciting and it’s amazing what it’s all done for racing,” he said. Winx’s career was one littered with firsts. She owns a world record 25 Group 1 titles and her credits include a surely never to be beaten four consecutive G1 Cox Plate victories as well as quartets of wins in the G1 George Ryder S. and the Chipping Norton S. She has also won the last three Australian Horse of the Year titles. WATCH: Winx makes it 33 in a row in the Queen Elizabeth View the full article

Last seen finishing second to TDN Rising Star Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}) in Newmarket’s G2 Rockfel S. over seven furlongs in September, Dandhu (GB) (Dandy Man {Ire}) gave that peer a boost on Saturday when prevailing in a thriller for the G3 Dubai Duty Free S., registered as the Fred Darling. Held up in rear of the main group early by Gerald Mosse, the 8-1 shot who was a touch keen initially was brought to bear on Star Terms (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and TDN Rising Star So Perfect (Scat Daddy) approaching the final furlong. Getting her head marginally in front soon after, the chestnut managed to find the line first as Iconic Choice (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}) ground her way into her advantage with every lunge. In the photo, a short head was deciphered to be the margin between them, with the same distance back to So Perfect and 3/4 of a length to Star Terms as the quartet pulled away from the rest. DANDHU (GB), f, 3, Dandy Man (Ire)–Poldhu (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-The Dandhu Partnership; B-Barton Bloodstock (GB); T-David Elsworth; J-Gerald Mosse. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-0, £67,738. View the full article

Naas’s opener on Saturday saw Ballydoyle and American Pharoah off the mark at the first attempt in the 2019 Irish flat turf season as Peter Brant and Coolmore’s 2-year-old colt Monarch of Egypt made virtually all to win in convincing style over five furlongs. Roused from the break by Ryan Moore to sit in the firing line, the $750,000 KEESEP graduate who was sent off the 9-10 favourite extended approaching the furlong pole and hit the line strong with 2 3/4 lengths to spare over Ming Warrior (Ire) (No Nay Never), with In the Present (Karakontie {Jpn}) 1 1/2 lengths behind in third. Aidan O’Brien was emitting notable enthusiasm for the landmark winner. “You’d have to be excited about what we see at the moment,” he said. “Everything looks really right, but he was our first runner of the year so we didn’t really know what to expect. We’d be thinking of [Royal] Ascot, but he’ll have to run before then for experience. That’s what we always thought he was, an Ascot horse.” View the full article

He’s made it clear how much he loves the horse and jockey Grant van Niekerk hopes Big Party’s return to the racetrack coincides with a return to top form for the South African.After hitting the ground running in his first season in Hong Kong, things have slowed down for Van Niekerk and he has only ridden two winners since January 27 after notching 17 to that point.Two of his 19 winners have come aboard the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained Big Party and he is itching to climb back aboard the three… View the full article

Champion Australian mare Winx bid farewell Saturday by winning her 33rd race in a row, ending her glittering career on a high with an amazing four-year unbeaten streak.The world’s top-rated turf horse sprinted home to claim her third consecutive Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2,000m, in front of 50,000 boisterous fans at Royal Randwick in Sydney.The win stretched to 25 her unsurpassed number of Group One victories – the highest class of thoroughbred racing which attracts the best horses and… View the full article

Chris Waller believes the best is still to come for Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) after she stamped her class on the Group One Australian Oaks with another dominant win. The filly hasn't been straightforward to train and at times has struggled to settle in her races but the time and effort invested by the Waller team and jockey James McDonald has been rewarded with her racing manners finally complementing her ability. Despite a wide draw, McDonald was cool under pressure, easing Verry Elleegant bac... View the full article

Trainer John Moore says he still gets just as excited about taking young horses to the track for the first time despite knowing he’ll eventually lose them when the Jockey Club forces him to retire at the end of next season.Moore saddles up two-year-olds Aethero and Gala Night and the three-year-old Rewarding Shine in Sunday’s griffin race, the Amber Plate (1,000m), and says he will continue to target griffin races like he always has.“They are very nice yearlings, they are pretty well bred,”… View the full article

An inch-perfect ride by Leith Innes saw him guide race-favourite Felaar to a brave victory in Saturday’s Listed Royston Hospital Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) at Hastings. Touted as a stayer of real potential, Felaar had finished runner-up in the Bay Of Plenty Cup at his last start after defeating Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2200m) winner Rock On at Otaki prior to that. On the strength of those performances, Punters installed the Ekraar gelding as favourite for Saturday’s contest, slightly ahead of Gr.3 ... View the full article

If on-course patrons at Riccarton thought the noise after Who Dares Wins won last week was at fever pitch it got even louder on Saturday when he backed up to take out the Gr.3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m). Trainers Tony and Lyn Prendergast, who had performed a remarkable feat last week to get the imposing six-year-old gelding into the winner’s circle over 1600m after a four-month layoff, deserved even greater accolades after the Iffraaj gelding simply out-stayed his rivals over an ext... View the full article

Winx has finished her career with a classic run. View the full article

Classy three-year-old Beyond The Fort franked her gritty runner-up effort in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) last month with a comprehensive victory in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton. The Bill Thurlow-trained Niagara filly won her first two starts before tackling Group One company in the Oaks where she pushed eventual winner, Sentimental Miss to the wire. Thurlow was happy to trek her south from his Waverley base for Saturday’s contest after th... View the full article

Matamata visitor Princess Kereru signed off on an A+ report card for her current campaign when she scored a hollow victory in the Listed NZB Finance Sprint (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday. The Ken and Bev Kelso and Mark Donoghue-trained five-year-old claimed her second black-type victory for the season with an authoritative display in the hands of regular pilot, Cameron Lammas. Despite being on the back foot when the gates opened, Lammas soon had the Pins mare in a favourable mid-field position ... View the full article

Each Saturday NTRA and BloodHorse will provide a one-stop guide to the day's top stakes races in North America and beyond. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). View the full article

The Jockey and Equestrian Initiative, part of the world-class Sports Medicine Research Institute at the University of Kentucky, aims to conduct research on jockey and equestrian riding protection, safety, and performance. View the full article

Phoenix Thoroughbreds and KatieRich Stables' Lady Apple was the surprise winner of the $500,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park for 3-year-old fillies April 12, earning her first graded stakes victory. View the full article

Syahir, S John suspended View the full article

Monmouth Park’s Dennis Drazin, a key player in the legalization of sports betting in New Jersey, will be inducted into the Sports Betting Hall of Fame Apr. 25. In addition to being an advocate of sports betting and a horse owner, Drazin is chairman and CEO of Darby Development, which operates Monmouth Park. Drazin spent nearly seven years battling to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The Supreme Court ruled in his favor May 14, 2018, and Monmouth accepted the first legal sports wagers in New Jersey June 14, 2018. The decision changed the face of legalized sports betting in the U.S. after being restricted to just four states since 1992. “I’m honored to be recognized for my accomplishments in the industry and I look forward to continued success at Monmouth Park,” Drazin said. The ceremony will be held at the Sky Room in New York City in conjunction with the Betting on Sports America conference at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. View the full article

The journalistic team of Linda Carroll and David Rosner has been named winner of the 13th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, given yearly to recognize books written about horse racing. The winners were announced Apr. 10 at a reception held at the Ryan family’s Castleton Lyons near Lexington, KY. The writing duo of Carroll and Rosner co-authored “Out of the Clouds: The Unlikely Horseman and the Unwanted Colt who Conquered the Sport of Kings,” a biography of Hirsch Jacobs and Stymie. The book details the 1940s-era Cinderella story of the two, both of whom ended up in the Racing Hall of Fame. “This rags-to-riches story checked off all the boxes for me,” noted Kay Coyte, lead judge for the award. “It was beautifully written and thoroughly researched, reading more like a novel than a scholarly text. Horse racing in those days may have been recorded in black and white, but authors Carroll and Rosner brought out the Technicolor in telling the stories of these two champions and their supporting cast of characters.” Other judges included Caton Bredar and Jayne Moore Waldrop. The winners received a check for $10,000 and a Tipperary crystal trophy in the shape of the stone tower found at Castleton Lyons. Submissions for the 2019 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award must be received by Dec. 31, 2019. View the full article

LADY APPLE (f, 3, Curlin–Miss Mary Apples, by Clever Trick) snuck up the fence just in time to steal the show in the GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn Friday. Let go at 9-1, the bay saved ground in a joint third alongside Orra Moor (Orb) as Motion Emotion (Take Charge Indy) led Brill (Medaglia d’Oro) through a first half in :46.76. Maintaining her position on the backstretch run, Lady Apple slipped through a seam on the fence in the final sixteenth and kicked clear to score in 1:43.88. Motion Emotion was 3/4 of a length back in second and Brill held third. Phoenix Thoroughbred bought into the filly after her debut second at Keeneland in April and she was transferred from trainer Mark Hubley to Steve Asmussen. A neck second in Belmont’s Astoria S. in June, she was fifth in the GIII Schuylerville S. at Saratoga in July and fifth again in a Spa maiden special three weeks later. Earning her diploma in a sloppy Oaklawn sprint Feb. 7, the bay took to two turns no problem next out in Hot Springs with a two-length defeat of the re-opposing Irish Mischief (Into Mischief) Mar. 23. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-0. O-Phoenix Thoroughbreds & KatieRich Farms; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. View the full article

PALOMITA (f, 3, Into Mischief–Palomanegra, Grand Slam) broke alertly, cleared her inside competitors and never gave anyone a chance in the stretch to score a romping graduation in the Keeneland nightcap Friday. Bet down to 9-10 debuting Feb. 2 at Gulfstream, the bay was a distant second behind ‘TDN Rising Star’ Violencia (Violence) and showed six interim drills, capped by a half-mile move in :48 4/5 (34/109) here Apr. 6. Taking the bulk of the play once again to be 8-5, the $375,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream buy beat the blocks and went on with it easily through a sharp :21.90 quarter. Cruising around the turn under a hot-handed Javier Castellano, she gave her rivals the slip past midstretch and rolled home six lengths to the good in 1:11.77. Violent Lady (Violence) was second-best, while Doll Collection (Tapit), the second foal out of dual champion Groupie Doll (Bowman’s Band) won a three-horse photo for the show. The winner’s has a juvenile full-brother and her dam, a half to MGSW/GISP Falling Sky (Lion Heart), was bred to Kitten’s Joy last season. Sales History: $75,000 RNA Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $175,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP; $375,000 2yo ’18 FTFMAR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $56,000. O-e Five Racing Thoroughbreds; B-Kendall E. Hansen M.D. Racing LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. View the full article

Gutsy winner Mr Hooper became one of the first beneficiaries of the recent widening of rating bands on Friday night. After the Shamexpress three-year-old’s second win back in February when he carved up a Kranji Stakes Division 2 field, an eight-point penalty saw him rise to 63 points. Trainer James Peters could henceforth only run the Oscar Racing Stable-owned gelding in either Kranji Stakes C or Class 3 company. Mixed results ensued, though. He led and only weakened late ... View the full article

After just missing a top-level score last year, Delta Prince would not be denied April 12 at Keeneland, rallying from last to win the $300,000 Maker's 46 Mile Stakes (G1T) by open lengths. View the full article

Monarch of Egypt will become the first runner sired by Triple Crown hero American Pharoah when the 2-year-old lines up for Aidan O'Brien in the opening contest of Naas's April 13 card, the five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF race. View the full article