Wandering Eyes

Satisfaction was the overwhelming emotion for Zac Purton as he secured the 2017-18 jockeys’ championship, but his dethroned rival Joao Moreira faced a gaggle of emotional fans who wanted a moment with their departing hero as the season wound up at Sha Tin on Sunday. The contest for the title had captured the imagination of racing fans worldwide as the tenacious Australian fought back to claim his second title and halt the Magic Man’s run at three, but it was the sort of occasion... View the full article

A photo of the closing stages to the 807th and final race to the 2017-18 season will make a great poster – Douglas Whyte beating the next two champions Zac Purton and Joao Moreira in a thrilling three way finish. “You couldn’t have scripted that better,” said Brett Prebble afterwards. “What a great way to end the season.” Well, there would have been one way, if Prebble himself had chimed in late and finished his illustrious Hong Kong racing career on a high.... View the full article

At the start of this season, nobody – no sane person anyway – thought Zac Purton could beat the unbeatable winning machine that was Joao Moreira but on Sunday the Australian finally broke the Magic Man’s spell. Purton is heavier than his rival, he gets less support and Moreira had previously beaten him by margins so wide it left little hope, but yesterday, after a titanic duel that captivated world racing, the 35-year-old completed mission impossible. Right from the start,... View the full article

Seventh on debut over seven furlongs at The Curragh a fortnight earlier, Ballydoyle’s Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) raced behind the leading pair early. Rousted along by Donnacha O’Brien to take command with a quarter mile remaining, the 10-11 favourite stayed on powerfully to score by eight lengths from Yonkers (Medaglia d’Oro). After running through the rail after line, the winner received favourable mention from his jockey. “They are so green first time up they don’t let themselves down, but he’s a lovely horse who did it really nice,” he said. “He’s a smart horse.” The winner is a half-brother to the G1 Railway S. winner Bounding (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}). View the full article

Campaigned over seven furlongs and a mile until Sunday, Godolphin’s G1 Prix Jacques le Marois runner-up Inns of Court (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) successfully dropped to six furlongs for the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis at Maisons-Laffitte to suggest he could make into a leading sprinter. Held up towards the rear early by Mickael Barzalona, the 13-10 favourite who was last seen finishing second in the seven-furlong G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at ParisLongchamp June 30 was sent to the lead 150 metres out and surged clear for an emphatic two-length verdict over the prolific winner King Malpic (Fr) (King’s Best), with 3/4 of a length back to the leading Spanish sprinter Abrantes (Spa) (Caradak {Ire}) in third in a solid renewal. Sunday, Maisons-Laffitte, France PRIX DE RIS-ORANGIS-G3, €80,000, Maisons-Laffitte, 7-15, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.55, g/s. 1–INNS OF COURT (IRE), 127, c, 4, by Invincible Spirit (Ire) 1st Dam: Learned Friend (Ger), by Seeking the Gold 2nd Dam: Lune d’Or (Fr), by Green Tune 3rd Dam: Lune d’Or (Fr), by Noir et Or (GB) O-Godolphin SNC; B-Darley (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr, 10-5-3-0, €351,390. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–King Malpic (Fr), 127, g, 5, King’s Best–Sablonniere (Fr), by Verglas (Ire). (€6,000 Wlg ’13 ARQDEC). O-Ecurie Lafeu; B-Ecurie Skymarc Farm (FR); T-Thierry Lemer. €16,000. 3–Abrantes (Spa), 127, g, 5, Caradak (Ire)–Abril (Fr), by Anabaa. O-Cuadra Bidasoa; B-Rafael Usoz Lopez (SPA); T-Guillermo Arizkorreta Elosegui. €12,000. Margins: 2, 3/4, HD. Odds: 1.30, 6.00, 23.00. Also Ran: Presidency (GB), Signs of Blessing (Ire), Time’s Arrow (Ire), Cheikeljack (Fr), Arecibo (Fr), My Lea (Ire). Scratched: Finsbury Square (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Not seen since finishing fourth in the G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp Apr. 15, Godolphin’s Gyllen (Medaglia d’Oro) made light of the absence on Sunday when providing Andre Fabre with a 16th success in the G2 Prix Eugene Adam at Maisons-Laffitte. Settled fourth early, the 4-1 shot was sent up the rail by Mickael Barzalona to beat Crossed Baton (GB) (Dansili {GB}) to the lead 300 metres from the post and assert for a length success, with the G1 Prix du Jockey Club third Louis D’Or (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) disappointing in third, 1 3/4 lengths away. The race was marred by the fall of the long-time leader Native American (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) in the closing stages when he was fading and beaten. “His runs early in the season took quite a lot out of him and he is a very light horse, so that’s why he had such a long break,” Fabre explained. “He has really strengthened up a lot in the interim and is a lovely mover on this ground. That was a nice performance and he’ll run at Deauville now in either the [Aug. 15 G2] Prix Guillaume d’Ornano or the [Aug. 26 G2] Grand Prix de Deauville, with the first option the most likely as he has no penalty in that.” Sunday, Maisons-Laffitte, France PRIX EUGENE ADAM (GRAND PRIX DE MAISONS-LAFFITTE)-G2, €130,000, Maisons-Laffitte, 7-15, 3yo, 10 1/2fT, 2:09.74, g/s. 1–GYLLEN, 126, c, 3, by Medaglia d’Oro 1st Dam: Miss Halory, by Mr. Prospector 2nd Dam: Halory, by Halo 3rd Dam: Cold Reply, by Northern Dancer 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Godolphin SNC; B-Godolphin (KY); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-0, €140,100. *1/2 to Stormalory (Storm Cat), GSW-US, $181,245. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Crossed Baton (GB), 126, c, 3, Dansili (GB)–Sacred Shield (GB), by Beat Hollow (GB). O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-John Gosden. €28,600. 3–Louis d’Or (Ire), 126, c, 3, Intello (Ger)–Soudanaise (Ire), by Peintre Celebre. (€27,000 Ylg ’16 AROCT). O-Camille Garnier; B-Dayton Investments Ltd (FR); T-Tony Castanheira. €13,650. Margins: 1, 1 3/4, 18. Odds: 4.00, 2.00, 2.30. Also Ran: Moonlightchampagne (Fr). DNF: Native American (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

The difference between winning and losing a race can be minuscule, but on Sunday at Sha Tin coming up a metre short has most likely cost trainer Almond Lee his career. Lee needed one more win to reach the Jockey Club’s performance benchmark of 16 for the season – something he has failed to do twice before – meaning one of the six horses he was saddling up had to stick their head across the line first for him to keep his licence. He had two favourites on the 11-race card, Best... View the full article

Derek Cruz couldn’t stave off retirement but true to his hard-nosed nature, the popular horseman went down fighting with a win at the season finale to end his long and illustrious career on a high. While Cruz is in New Zealand tending to yearlings at his family’s Winmark Racing stables in Cambridge, his son Martin was on hand to speak for the stable after Elusive State’s surprise success. “We went down swinging and while we knew it would be tough, I think we had a great... View the full article

Zac Purton has dethroned Joao Moreira to claim the 2017-18 jockeys’ championship on the final day of the Hong Kong season. The Australian secured the title with a victory aboard Caspar Fownes’ Rise High in the eighth race at Sha Tin to give himself an unassailable lead. Purton held a four-win edge over the Magic Man at the start of the day, but the Brazilian made it interesting as he took the opener with Cash Courier. For the second time, Zac Purton is Hong Kong's Champion... View the full article

Axelrod broke his maiden for a $50,000 tag at Del Mar last August, but he had steadily improved and climbed the class ladder from there. That ascent culminated in a 12-1 upset in this lucrative event under the Indiana Grand lights Saturday night. Fourth off his graduation score in the Oak Tree Juvenile at Pleasanton in September, Axelrod his the bench after a starter/optional claimer at Santa Anita the following month. He resurfaced down the hill there Apr. 6, finishing a very close third before checking in fourth–again not far from a victory–under identical conditions May 17. The Florida-bred returned to dirt and a route in the GIII Affirmed S. June 10, and outran his 23-1 odds to be second behind Saturday’s GIII Los Alamitos Derby runner-up Draft Pick. Squeezed out at the start and back to third last while saving all the ground early, Axelrod sat in a joint last down the backside as Trigger Warning showed the way. The pacesetter threatened to run away from them as he opened up through six furlongs in 1:11.52, but Axelrod made a big move to slingshot past foes heading for home. He sliced through a seam inside of favored King Zachary (Curlin) at the head of the stretch, and kicked on resolutely to make it just in time. “I thought he broke sharp. It looked like there was plenty of pace up in front of him,” said winning trainer Mike McCarthy, who had stayed back home in California to attend his 7-year-old daughter’s swim meet. “I saw the opening quarter in :23 2/5. Florent [Geroux] seemed to be fairly content with his position. Turning up the backside, he was able to save some ground. Coming to the three-eighths pole, it didn’t look like anyone was really running away from him. He was able to maintain his position. Obviously, when Florent wheeled him outside around the turn and switched leads and kind of started picking off horses at the quarter pole, I thought he was liable to go ahead and get a check. And then coming to the eighth pole, it looked to me like he was able to find that extra gear and get his nose down at the wire–and I couldn’t be happier. I’m very happy for the horse, very happy for my whole team and very thankful that Florent rode him with some confidence, and that made all the difference for us.” King Zachary, a seemingly breakout winner of the GIII Matt Winn S. last out, seemed to be run off his feet early and couldn’t muster enough late. “He broke good,” said rider Robby Albarado. “I shoved on him to get him some position there. It seemed like it was conducive to speed all day. I didn’t think they went overly quick, but I caught myself kind of chasing a little bit up the backside just trying to keep him in the race. He felt great physically. By all means, I didn’t lose any confidence. I do believe he’s a top horse. I’m going to stick with that and hope they continue on the plan to go after the big fish with him, because he’s a big horse. I think when you see him go a mile and an eighth, a mile and a quarter, you’ll see him start to spread himself out a little bit.” Pedigree Notes: Axelrod was the third U.S. graded winner Saturday by Medaglia d’Oro or a son of Medaglia d’Oro, following a win by Elate (Medaglia d’Oro) in the GII Delaware H. earlier in the day and a convincing tally by Talk Veuve to Me (Violence) in the GIII Indiana Oaks one race earlier. Figarella’s Queen (Medaglia d’Oro) was second in the Oaks. Axelrod has a Kantharos half-brother who was a $65,000 OBS Winter Mixed short yearling earlier this year and a foal half-sister by Overanalyze. Saturday, Indiana Grand INDIANA DERBY-GIII, $500,000, Indiana Grand, 7-14, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.00, ft. 1–AXELROD, 117, c, 3, by Warrior’s Reward 1st Dam: Volatile Vickie, by Elusive Quality 2nd Dam: Explosive Meg, by El Gran Senor 3rd Dam: Royal Devotion, by His Majesty 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($25,000 Ylg ’16 OBSWIN). O-Slam Dunk Racing; B-Hidden Point Farm Inc. (FL); T-Michael W. McCarthy; J-Florent Geroux. $290,000. Lifetime Record: 8-3-1-1, $360,925. *1/2 to Trelawny (Three Wonders), SP, $524,038. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Trigger Warning, 119, c, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Magic Appeal, by Successful Appeal. ($6,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP). O-Brinley Enterprises LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Mike L. Rone. $100,000.3–Title Ready, 121, c, 3, More Than Ready–Title Seeker, by Monarchos. O/B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $55,000. Margins: HD, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 12.40, 6.10, 4.40. Also Ran: King Zachary, Dark Vader, Funny Duck, The Money Dance, Givemeaminit, Blame the Rider. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. View the full article

In the July 14 edition of the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) at Indiana Grand, Talk Veuve to Me stopped hinting at her ability and made a clear-cut statement with regard to her upside. View the full article

A change in tactics led to a change in fortunes for Slam Dunk Racing's Axelrod in the $500,000 Indiana Derby (G3) July 14. View the full article

Brad Cox and Florent Geroux stayed busy the afternoon of July 14, scoring two of four consecutive $100,000 stakes on the Indiana Derby (G3) undercard at Indiana Grand Race Course. View the full article

In the July 14 edition of the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) at Indiana Grand, Talk Veuve to Me stopped hinting at her ability and made a clear cut statement with regards to her upside. View the full article

Second in two tough spots in her last two outings, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Talk Veuve to Me made the grade Saturday night as an overwhelming favorite. Away without incident, the dark bay chased in second under a firm hold through splits of :23.17 and :46.66. She took over with total ease midway on the bend, and rider Julien Leparoux hadn’t moved a muscle as they straightened. Figarella’s Queen looked for a brief second like she might make the favorite work for it, but Talk Veuve to Me hit another gear when called upon and she cruised away to score as she pleased while wrapped up late. “I’ve been watching her races–she’s got that tactical speed,” said Julien Leparoux, who was partnering with Talk Veuve to Me for the first time. “[Molecules] wanted to be on the lead, but [Talk Veuve to Me] relaxed beautifully off of [that one]. She’s push button. On the second turn, I just let her go on her own. I didn’t really ask her. She went to the lead and relaxed again and went on in the straight again. She’s a very nice filly.” Second behind Harbor Lights (Shackleford) in her Ellis unveiling some 11 months ago, Talk Veuve to Me resurfaced at Fair Grounds Mar. 25 to romp by 11 1/4 lengths ahead of two next-out graduates including now two-for-three stablemate Abounding Joy (Quality Road). Team Valor International bought in off of that race, and the investment looked a promising one when the she completed the exacta in the GII Eight Belles S. May 4. She was second last time in the GI Acorn S. June 9 behind GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), and was testing two turns for the first time here. “She showed what I was expecting her to show,” said trainer and co-owner Brisset. “It was maybe a little quicker than what I was thinking on paper. But she took the lead pretty easy. You could see that she was looking around a lot, just went to the wire cruising.” He continued, “She’s very unlucky being born in one of the best years–how many good fillies do we have this year, between Monomoy Girl, Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) and Red Ruby (Tiznow) and I’m sure I’ve left out some. It’s a very, very strong year for 3-year-old fillies. I don’t know where everybody wants to go. She may have to face them and turn the table on some to be in the top three. But we are what we are.” Pedigree Notes: Talk Veuve to Me is the seventh stakes winner and second graded winner for her second-crop sire (by Medaglia d’Oro). Her dam, a full-sister to SW and MGSP Winning Point, sold for $40,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale with the winner in utero. She sold a year later to Korea Bloodstock for just $1500 in foal to Shackleford. Saturday, Indiana Grand INDIANA OAKS-GIII, $200,000, Indiana Grand, 7-14, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.15, ft. 1–TALK VEUVE TO ME, 115, f, 3, by Violence 1st Dam: Biblical Point, by Point Given 2nd Dam: Bibical Sense, by Blushing Groom (Fr) 3rd Dam: Star in the North, by Northern Dancer ‘TDN Rising Star‘ 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($45,000 RNA Wlg ’15 KEENOV; $20,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP; $95,000 RNA 2yo ’17 OBSMAR). O-Team Valor International, Rodolphe Brisset & Stephen McKay; B-JSM Equine LLC (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset; J-Julien R. Leparoux. $117,600. Lifetime Record: GISP, 5-2-3-0, $319,400. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Figarella’s Queen, 121, f, 3, Medaglia d’Oro–Nereid, by Rock Hard Ten. ($250,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP). O-Qatar Racing Limited, Hunter Valley Farm and Detampel, Marc; B-Baumann Stables, Edward Bradley & Dr. Aaron Sones (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $39,200. 3–Kelly’s Humor, 116, f, 3, Midnight Lute–Cauy’s Humor, by Distorted Humor. ($29,000 Ylg ’16 FTKFEB; $35,000 Ylg ’16 OBSAUG). O-Thrash, Ike and Dawn; B-Chappell Alpine Farm (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $21,560. Margins: 4 3/4, 6 3/4, HD. Odds: 0.10, 13.70, 9.00. Also Ran: Skeptic, Harbor Lights, Molecules, Diamondcoat. Scratched: Haynesfest. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. View the full article

Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman's Once On Whiskey grinded away on the outside and just found enough in the final furlong to edge Draft Pick, the last-out Affirmed Stakes (G3) winner, by a head at the wire. View the full article

Endeavor Bloodstock's 2-year-old gelding Big Drink of Water scored his first stakes victory in the $100,000 Victoria Stakes July 14 at Woodbine. View the full article

Endeavor Bloodstock's 2-year-old gelding Big Drink of Water scored his first stakes victory in the $100,000 Victoria July 14 at Woodbine. View the full article

Curvature fends off late assaults to score first-up View the full article

Allez la France as Placais smashes five 'goals' in View the full article

Dream Derby day for Placais and Takaoka with Jupiter Gold View the full article

Zaki makes no mistake on Eye Guy View the full article

Xiong Fong gets his X-factor back View the full article

Baertschiger's smart 2YO Thrusts his way into reckoning View the full article

Horses' body weights July 15 View the full article