Wandering Eyes

Ricky Yiu Poon-fai is trying to keep a lid on the boom surrounding Voyage Warrior but knows he has something special on his hands after his exciting sprinter made the most impressive debut of the season at Sha Tin on Sunday.The three-year-old had already made a big impression at the trials and punters were on board – backing him into $1.55 favouritism – with the only query over whether he could replicate those performances on race day.Any doubts were quickly erased as Voyage Warrior pinged from… View the full article

Coming off a 4 1/4-length victory in a maiden race at Fair Grounds Race Course, Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards seemed ambitiously placed in the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), but trainer Bret Calhoun was willing to gamble. View the full article

Champion jockey Zac Purton is out to make good on last-start beaten favourite Prince Of Gems after being denied clear running in the straight three weeks ago.The Dennis Yip Chor-hong-trained four-year-old was a red-hot $1.7 favourite in his second start after a dominant debut win from barrier 13 but could not get a run at them in his second go.Trouble loomed for Purton when he tried to pierce a gap between the two leaders while rounding the turn after travelling one back on the rail.“Joao … View the full article

A 3 3/4-length victory under Sophie Doyle sent the 3-year-old daughter of Istan straight to the top of the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with a 105 points total, more than enough to make the 14-horse field May 4 at Churchill Downs, View the full article

Thoroughbred Champions Training Center's Gladiator King went gate-to-wire March 23 to win the first graded stakes of his career in the $100,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Coming off a 4 1/4-length victory in a maiden race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards seemed ambitiously placed in the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2). View the full article

When it rains it pours for Al-Arabiya View the full article

Miss Dusty secures third win in Stewards' room View the full article

Logan sticking solid with Chan pays off View the full article

Drop-back style suits Golden Years View the full article

Horses' body weights March 24 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings March 24 View the full article

Coming off a 4 1/4-length victory in a maiden race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards seemed ambitiously placed in the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2). View the full article

22-1 shot outdueled Spinoff in the stretch; favored War of Will ninth. View the full article

Ed DeRosa of TwinSpires.com takes on TDN’s Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap each prep race leading up to the GI Kentucky Derby. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets-highest bankroll after Arkansas Derby/Lexington day wins. DiDonato: GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby – It was another profitable prep with Spinoff getting second (+$340), but I hear Sherack’s footsteps after that great longshot selection of By My Standards. Bankroll: $10,665. GIII Sunland Derby – Truthfully, I didn’t really understand the infatuation with Cutting Humor in the GIII Southwest, and he checked in seventh as the chalk that day. He was trapped out four deep for pretty much the entire race, however, and moved too soon into a pace that collapsed. He was flattered to an extent when Southwest third finisher Long Range Toddy came back to take the GII Rebel, and perhaps more so by Bourbon War, who beat him at Gulfstream two back before his close second in the GII Fountain of Youth. It’s not hard to envision a pace collapse given the complexion of this field, and Cutting Humor is certainly one of those who should benefit. Selection: #5 Cutting Humor (8-1). Sherack: GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby – Back in business! Big run from By My Standards to pull off a 22-1 upset after sitting a perfect trip. Bankroll: $4730. GIII Sunland Derby – Between the anticipated hot early pace and question marks surrounding the likely favorites, this looks like a good spot for Cutting Humor to finally put it all together. A strong second behind the talented Bourbon War with a wide trip in his mid-January comebacker, nothing seemed to go his way when favored in the GIII Southwest last time. While he doesn’t appear to be the easiest horse to ride (encouraging to see Johnny V aboard again), he could sit a dream trip if able to settle early. Selection: #5 Cutting Humor (8-1). DeRosa: GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby – Bankit finished seventh at 22-1. Bankroll: $680. GIII Sunland Derby – We are likely to get an overlaid price on Anothertwistafate for two reasons: he’s coming off a synthetic score in the El Camino Real Derby, and Bob Baffert is shipping in Mucho Gusto. The reality, though, is Anothertwistafate has been just as fast as these, is proven at the distance, and offers the right price to win this. He’s also the type of horse I’d look to back in the final Kentucky Derby Future Wager off a win here. Selection: #2 Anothertwistafate (3-1). Click here for Sunland Derby Ultimate PPs from Brisnet.com. View the full article

It all came down to the bob of a head for Bricks and Mortar and Markitoff March 23, in one of the most memorable runnings of the $300,000 Muniz Memorial Handicap (G2T) that patrons of Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots have ever seen. View the full article

A freshening brought Core Beliefs back to the form that carried him to victory in the Ohio Derby (G3) in 2018 as he launched a strong three-wide move for the lead on the turn and then outfinished runner-up Silver Dust while drifting in the stretch. View the full article

22-1 shot outdueled Spinoff in the stretch; favored War of Will unplaced. View the full article

BY MY STANDARDS (c, 3, Goldencents–A Jealous Woman, by Muqtarib) became the first graded winner from his MGISW sire (by Into Mischief)’s first crop with a 22-1 upset in the GII Louisiana Derby. The bay kept a close eye on the leaders from a ground-saving fourth through moderate early splits. Slipping through on the fence to take the advantage in early stretch, he was confronted by Spinoff (Hard Spun) to his outside, but kept on finding to skip clear of that rival in the final strides and secure his spot in the gate for the Run for the Roses. Favored war of Will (War Front) never threatened and finished well back. Runner-up on debut in a sloppy Churchill sprint Nov. 24, By My Standards filled the same spot in a two-turn test at Fair Grounds Dec. 22 and was third next out in NOLA Jan. 19. He broke through last time with a 4 1/4-length graduation going 1 1/16 miles over this strip Feb. 16. Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-1. O-Allied Racing Stable LLC; B-Don Ladd (KY); T-Bret Calhoun. View the full article

A freshening brought Core Beliefs back to the form that carried him to victory in the Ohio Derby (G3) in 2018 as he launched a strong three-wide move for the lead on the turn and then outfinished runner-up Silver Dust while drifting in the stretch. View the full article

A freshening brought Core Beliefs back to the form that carried him to victory in the Ohio Derby (G3) in 2018 as he launched a strong three-wide move for the lead on the turn and then outfinished runner-up Silver Dust while drifting in the stretch. View the full article

STREET BAND (f, 3, Istan–Street Minstrel, by Street Cry {Ire}) sprung a 10-1 upset and stamped her ticket to Churchill Downs with a decisive score in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Street Band saved ground in a close-up joint third as heavily favored MGSW Serengeti Empress (Alternation) took up her preferred position at the head of affairs, clocking comfortable early splits pf :24.12 and :47.48. The pacesetter called it quits in the lane and Liora (Candy Ride {Arg}) took control, but Street Band was ranging up on her heels and powered past in the lane to win by three lengths in 1:44.54. Closing out her sophomore campaign with a third-place finish in a NOLA optional claimer Dec. 21, Street Band opened her sophomore account with a nose victory over this strip Jan. 13 and was fourth to Serengeti Empress last time in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 16. Lifetime Record: 8-3-0-2. O/B-Cindy & Larry Jones & Ray Francis (KY); T-Larry Jones. View the full article

The Hong Kong Jockey Club staged its first-ever races on the Chinese Mainland March 23, with an audience including top government officials from throughout the region. View the full article

Gregorian (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}–Three Days In May {GB}, by Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) has been relocated to Rathasker Stud after standing his first four years at The Irish National Stud. A three-time group winner who placed four times at Group 1 level, including the St James’s Palace S., the Queen Anne S. and the Darley July Cup, Gregorian was retired to stud in 2015 and sired 83 foals from his first crop, 52 of which have made the races and 15 of which are winners. A half-dozen of his starters are already stakes-performers, including multiple Group 3-placed Chynna (GB), GSP Queen Jo Jo (GB) and MSP Gypsy Spirit (GB). “Gregorian has relocated to Rathasker,” the stud’s Maurice Burns said. “We are very grateful to the National Stud for all the care and attention that they have afforded to him throughout his tenure there.” View the full article

The Hong Kong Jockey Club hosted its first-ever raceday at the new Conghua Racecourse in Mainland China Saturday. The historic Exhibition Raceday was conducted in collaboration with the Conghua District Government and was a significant day for Hong Kong racing, as it marks the first time in the Club’s 135-year history that Hong Kong horses have been raced competitively in the Mainland. Apart from Hong Kong-based horses, the five races on the day featured 16 of the 21 Hong Kong-based trainers and several of the top jockeys and followed Hong Kong’s rules of racing. Everything in the HK$3.7-billion Conghua facility is a replica of a race day in Hong Kong, from the design of the parade ring, to the racetracks, to the broadcasting centre to how the raceday is being held. Betting is banned in Mainland China, but the races were shown in Hong Kong on a 15-minute delay. The event attracted a crowd of close to 3,000 people, the majority of which were tourists from other provinces in China. One vision of the Conghua Racecourse is to make contributions to the tourism development of the Conghua District, famous for its natural hot springs resorts and lychee farms. Tickets for the event started from RMB 99 (USD 15) and were sold out in two weeks. The first race, the 1200m Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy, was won by Nordic Warrior (Ire) (Dutch Art {GB}), with trainer Richard Gibson and Jockey Matthew Chadwick producing the historic first race win at Conghua Racecourse and marking the start of a new era for horse racing in the Greater Bay Area. “Absolutely this is a very big buzz and big career moment to win the first race here in Conghua and Matthew gave the horse a wonderful ride and we are delighted,” Gibson said after the race. “From the moment this race came on our radar, we targeted this horse for the race. We expected the pace to be very strong, we know our good horse is a finisher and Matthew gave him a wonderfully cool, calculated ride.” “It couldn’t have gone better, it was basically a textbook ride and he was too good on the day. It’s first time up here for a meeting like this and I’m very happy to be part of it,” Chadwick said. “I did say when I got the job in Hong Kong I wanted to be the first winner in Conghua,” Gibson remarked. “If you look back at the press conference, I said that in quite a loud voice. I’m looking forward to training here, our horses are doing great here and it’s great to be part of history today and to get the Cup from (HKSAR Chief Executive) Mrs Carrie Lam is obviously an extra privilege for us as well,” Gibson said. Gibson is not the only trainer on the day who would like to train at both Conghua and Sha Tin. First-season conditioner Jimmy Ting won race two and has now won with his first runners at Conghua, Sha Tin and Happy Valley this season. “I am very happy. I don’t really know how to say about winning the first time at each track but I am happy,” Ting said. “And if later I set up a stable here in Conghua, today’s race day is a good experience for me.” Conghua racecourse was officially opened Aug. 28, 2018 and nine trainers in Hong Kong, including the legendary John Moore, are now training horses out of both Conghua and Hong Kong. The Club is looking to add another four trainers to set up dual-site stables by July this year. The Conghua Training Centre is the only internationally-recognized Equine Disease Free Zone in Mainland China and maintains strict biosecurity measures enable horses in Conghua and Sha Tin to carry the same health status. Horses were shuttled from Hong Kong to Conghua for the raceday in specially designed horse floats. “The facilities are second to none here at Conghua,” said Moore. “I know it’s a ways from Hong Kong, but I’ve had horses here for quite a while now and I have no complaints whatsoever. It’s a fantastic training complex and I’ll be fully utilising it.” Moore sent out the Silvestre de Sousa-ridden The Createth (Aus) (Henrythenavigator) to win the day’s fourth race. The Exhibition Race Day was attended by government officials from Beijing, Guangdong and Hong Kong. “The next step for us is definitely a review and I can see that we have now in a way have comfort to host another race meeting next year,” said Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Chief Executive Officer of the Club. “It is about the sport and that it is entertainment of course. Conghua is a complement to Hong Kong, not a substitution.” View the full article