Wandering Eyes

Horses' body weights March 22 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings March 22 View the full article

Early scratching March 22 View the full article

William H. 'Wolf' Wolfendale III, a winner of nearly 1,700 races in a training career that dated back to the mid-1960s and was spent primarily in Maryland, died March 18 at home. View the full article

If the current state of affairs at Santa Anita is the equivalent of equine lemons, well, the team at Glen Hill Farm is happy to try to make some lemonade by sending their talented turf sprinter/miler Caribou Club (City Zip) into the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Racecourse Mar. 30. The relatively lightly raced 5-year-old won Laurel’s Henry Clark S. over a mile last April before postion a first success at graded level in the seven-furlong GII Connaught Cup S. at Woodbine in early June. A fast-finishing third to next-out GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint repeater Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic) in the GIII Eddie D. S. down the hill Sept. 28, he stretched out to annex Del Mar’s GII Seabiscuit H. going a mile and a sixteenth Nov. 24 and most recently handled Stormy Atlantic with relative ease in the GIII Joe Hernandez S. on the cutback Jan. 1 Originally penciled in for the GI Kilroe Mile earlier this month, Caribou Club came into consideration for a race like the Al Quoz when racing was suspended and the Kilroe rescheduled for the same day as the Al Quoz. “[Trainer] Tom [Proctor] and I were really on the fence between the Kilroe Mile and Dubai and we actually decided on the Kilroe Mile because it was Mar. 9 and we were just anxious to run the horse,” said Craig Bernick, President and Chief Operating Officer of Glen Hill Farm. “But then when all of the issues happened at Santa Anita and they pushed the race back, the Kilroe Mile became the same day as Dubai and he’s probably a little better sprinting than he is going a mile. The horse can do both. But we thought the horse is doing so well, we might as well try. He added, “I know it’s a tough race, but he can go from cruising to top speed probably as fast as any horse we’ve ever had,” Bernick continued. “I think he’ll kind of suit a straight course and we think a lot of the horse. We’re really looking forward to running him.” In addition to Stormy Liberal, Caribou Club will face the likes of Godolphin’s Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal), Sands of Mali (Fr) (Panis), 2017 Al Quoz winner The Right Man (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and the talented Australian-based duo of Viddora (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) and Brave Smash (Jpn) (Tosen Phantom {Jpn}). View the full article

After pondering a trip to Dubai with their star dual-surface sprinter, the connections of World of Trouble (Kantharos) will stay home and contest the GI Carter H. Apr. 6 at Aqueduct, co-owner Michael Dubb confirmed to TDN Thursday. The story was first reported by Daily Racing Form. “He’s just a relatively young horse and we didn’t want to ask him to do too much too soon,” Dubb said of passing on sending his 4-year-old colt overseas for either the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen or G1 Al Quoz Sprint Mar. 30 at Meydan. “We didn’t want to risk the possibility of sapping him for the season and thought it was important to take it one step at a time.” Announcing himself with a 13 1/2-length romp in the Pasco S. last winter at Tampa Bay Downs, the bay finished third when favored while stretching out in the GII Tampa Bay Derby. Running a strong fourth after contesting a scorching pace in the GII Woody Stephens S., World of Trouble annexed the Quick Call S. and Allied Forces S. when switched to grass and just missed by a neck against eventual champion Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. He closed out his sophomore campaign with a dominant conquest of the FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire S. back in Oldsmar and captured the washed-off Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S. last out Jan. 26. Dubb added that after potentially picking up his first first graded stakes victory in the Carter, the Jason Servis trainee could be pointed to a big-money event on GI Belmont S. day, although on which surface is up in the air. “We would look at the [GII] Jaipur or possibly the [GI] Met Mile,” he said. “We’ll just handicap the opportunities and discuss it amongst me and Jason, the partners, and we’ll figure it out. We’re going to let the Carter tell us whether we want to stretch him out and stay on dirt or go back to sprinting on turf.” A return trip to the Breeders’ Cup remains the year-end goal for World of Trouble, but surface as well as distance will weigh in the decision. While last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint was contested over 5 1/2 furlongs on a traditional course, this year’s renewal will return to the downhill course of Santa Anita at 6 1/2 furlongs. World of Trouble has never gone longer than six furlongs on grass. “That’ll factor in, but it’s a long way off, so we’re happy to just take it one race at a time,” Dubb said. View the full article

That the whipping of horses during a race may soon be barred at Santa Anita represents a seismic shift in the history of American horse racing but has largely been buried under the torrent of news coming out of California relating to breakdowns, The Stronach Group’s (TSG) efforts to end all raceday medication and the fight by horsemen to keep Lasix legal. It hasn’t helped that TSG has been so focused on other issues that its representatives have had little to say about the “house rules” they intend to enact regarding whipping; what will and will not be allowed and what the penalties will be for riders who violate the rules? But the whipping controversy will have a moment under the spotlight Mar. 28 at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), a meeting that should clarify most of the questions that have so far been unanswered. The CHRB will propose amendments to its already established rules regarding the use of the riding crop that will, for all intents and purposes, outlaw whipping at not just Santa Anita but all California thoroughbred tracks. If the proposal passes, jockeys will still be allowed to carry a whip, but they will not be permitted to strike a horse in anyway except when they feel doing so is necessary for the safety of the horse or the rider. Currently, California jockeys may strike a horse three times in succession, but then must give the horse a chance to respond before striking it again. “I can tell you this does not call for the elimination of the whip, you can still carry it for safety purposes, but you can’t use it for any other reason than that,” said CHRB Executive Director Rick Baedeker. “Essentially, I believes these are the same rules that The Stronach Group is looking to implement.” Baedeker said that not only will a jockey be fined and/or suspended should they whip a horse, but the horse they are riding could be disqualified. “Say horses are coming down the stretch in a multi-million dollar Breeders’ Cup race and the jockey just says, ‘the heck with it’ and uses the crop because he thinks it will give him a better chance of winning the race, our rules will allow for that horse to be disqualified.” The CHRB Board members will have to vote in approval of the rule changes, but it is highly unlikely that the new guidelines will be shot down. If the new rules are adopted, it is unclear how long it will take before they are implemented. With all the bureaucracy involved, it is not unusual for there to be a seven to eight-month waiting period between the time a racing rules is approved in California and is implemented. Though there doesn’t appear to be any way that the California jockey colony can prevent the rule change, some jockeys may not approve. Baedeker said he has met with many jockeys and while they are concerned, he said they are well aware of the public relations problems the rash of breakdowns have caused Santa Anita and the need for change. “I think there was no question from all our call the other day with the Guild and the jockeys that the riders do understand the current situation,” Baedeker said. “It’s almost like they’re a bit wistful. I understand it’s easy for me to make my arguments because I don’t make my living riding horses. I’d be surprised if the push-back from the riders is too strong. Naturally, I would expect there would be some.” Triple Crown winning jockey Victor Espinoza said his policy is to always follow the rules and that he will do so when and if changes regarding the whip are made in California. “I think I’ll be the one put at a disadvantage because I am the strongest jockey out there,” he said. “If that is going to be the rule and that is the case, I always follow the rules. That’s it. I think some horses will be affected, definitely. There are laid-back horses that don’t want to do anything on their own. But most of the horses are trained to run and bred to run, so I don’t think it will affect most of them that much.” Terry Meyocks, the national manager of the Jockey’s Guild, said his primary focus will remain the safety of the riders. He said he had no plans “to go to war” with Santa Anita or the CHRB, but added that he felt the perception that the whip is cruel to horses is way off base. “We don’t think it’s harmful to the horse,” he said. “Everybody in the industry has done a terrible job educating the public. The poppers that are now used on the crop are much softer and do not hurt the horse. As for the what Santa Anita and the CHRB is trying to do, we’ll see what happens. Hopefully, there will be more discussions and everybody will do what’s best for the industry.” View the full article

Jockey Phillip Makin has announced his retirement from the saddle through injury and is going straight into the training ranks. Makin broke a bone in his neck and hurt his back in a nasty fall from Eyecatcher (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) at Redcar in August, and has decided this was the right time to hang up his saddle and concentrate on his next career as a trainer at his North Yorkshire base. “I had it at the back of my mind a little bit and it just accelerated with that fall,” Makin told Sky Sports Racing. “The recovery was slow. It was on the back-burner a little bit before I got that fall. It was just a natural follow on that we got cracking really.” The former jockey could be represented by his first runner as early as next week. He added, “I got my licence 10 days ago. I didn’t have anything immediately to run, but hopefully by the end of the month we’ll have something. I made my first entry for Wednesday next week. There’s a horse at Southwell that might go there and there might be a horse at Doncaster for their first meeting. There’s about 23 [horses] at the minute. We’ve got space for quite a few more. It will keep us busy enough.” Makin rode the first of more than 900 winners in 2002 and his best every tally in a year was 111 in 2009. His big-race successes included the G2 Gimcrack S. on Blaine (GB) (Avonbridge {GB}) in 2012 and the G2 Sky Bet York S. on Tullius (Ire) (Le Vie Dei Colori {GB}) in 2015. View the full article

As a pre-emptive strike to keep the GI Preakness S. from being moved from its historic Baltimore home, civic leaders filed a Mar. 19 lawsuit against the owners of Pimlico Race Course that petitions for “condemnation” of the track, which is the legal term for the taking of property by eminent domain. Tucked in near the end of the civil complaint filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court is a one-paragraph demand that largely escaped scrutiny in the initial reporting of this case: The plaintiffs want not only the track’s physical property, but also the “trademarks…and other intangible and intellectual property…associated with the Preakness.” Is this a valid legal argument? Can the city really lay claim to the naming rights and brand of the second jewel of the Triple Crown even though it is a federally registered trademark that belongs to the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC)? The answer is yes, according to two Washington, D.C., attorneys who specialize in trademark law–although both experts told TDN that the complexities of the case will make it challenging for the city to prove its point. “Theoretically, legally speaking, this could happen,” said attorney Josh Gerben. “But it’s a very high bar that the city would have to hit here…. Basically, the question is, ‘Does the city of Baltimore have [such an] overriding public interest that it could actually acquire the trademark by force?'” Attorney Michael Kondoudis agreed: “The key is this: Trademarks are treated as property, just like a piece of land,” he said. “And that last count [in the lawsuit], which isn’t laid out in much detail and looks like it was tacked on at the end, actually could be troublesome and the most contentious part of it.” In separate phone interviews, both trademark lawyers pointed to sports-related cases involving the 1982 relocation of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders to Los Angeles and the 1984 move of the Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis that could be relevant in the Preakness suit. Although those legal seizures over control of the franchises failed (in general, because the plaintiffs couldn’t prove that their state’s interest outweighed the interstate commerce burden on the NFL), Kondoudis said those precedents “support the proposition that seizure of a professional sports team’s trademark is possible, contingent on the satisfaction of certain requirements.” Kondoudis said the question of jurisdiction will be the major factor in the Preakness trademark case. The complaint was filed in a Baltimore court, which only has jurisdiction over Baltimore property. And according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the owner of record for the “Preakness Stakes” trademark is “Maryland Jockey Club of Baltimore City.” The question of jurisdiction could have been different, Kondoudis said, if co-defendant The Stronach Group (TSG), which owns the MJC, had instead been listed as the trademark’s owner, because TSG’s principal place of business is in Canada–well outside the jurisdiction of the Baltimore court. TSG could try to retroactively amend the trademark ownership or even try to get the venue of the court changed, but either way, jurisdiction “is certainly going to be something that will be litigated, I can tell you that,” Kondoudis said. “This is gong to get highly contentious, and to be honest with you, most judges don’t like these types of cases because they don’t like infringing on private property,” Kondoudis said. “It generally offends our notions of fair play. But [eminent domain] is authorized, and it does happen, and this is a definite risk. And so Pimlico and [TSG]’s legal team need to take it seriously, because it does look as if [based on] where that trademark is said to be owned and located, their trademark could be attached to the case. And that’s bad news. Because even if they didn’t have to run any more races at the track, the only one that matters is the Preakness. That’s the essence of branding. A race by any other name is not the Preakness. “This is me speculating, but I would think they would not be all that concerned about losing the [physical Pimlico] property [in exchange for just compensation],” Kondoudis continued. “Let’s be honest: It’s a dump. How could you really sell it? It may take years to sell to somebody who would redevelop it. But that last count, for that trademark, is the one ironically that could be the sleeper out of all of this, because that name means everything.” And what would be a viable defense for TSG and MJC? “The best thing they can do is work with the city to try to find some way to settle this, which I think is the intent behind the complaint in the first place,” Kondoudis said. “I cannot believe the city wants that property. [The city] wants the track to be running, they want the revenue, and they want the prestige that goes with [the Preakness].” In general, Kondoudis explained, eminent domain seizures are problematic for defendants, regardless of whether they involve physical or intellectual property. “When there’s a valid taking through eminent domain, the private party’s hands are pretty much tied. All they can do is fight about the amount they receive for it,” Kondoudis said. “And so what is the [defendants’] last line of defense? They need to come up with a number, and justify a monetary amount. “But their very first line of defense should be jurisdiction,” Kondoudis summed up. “And they should probably fight in the news media and in popular culture, and take it to social media. They should try to put pressure on the politicians the way the politicians are putting pressure on them.” View the full article

Two-time grade 1 winner Bellafina and Chasing Yesterday, a grade 1-winning half sister to American Pharoah leave Southern California behind for the suburbs of El Paso in the March 24 Sunland Park Oaks. The 1 1/16-mile race is worth $200,000. View the full article

John Sadler does not ship from Southern California often, but when he does, he can be quite a force with which to reckon. View the full article

The fallout from events still unfolding at Santa Anita have re-sparked the fires simmering under a number of horse welfare issues. Few, however, have galvanized such a swift phalanx of action as that of bisphosphonates–drugs used in humans to tackle degenerative bones diseases like osteoporosis. Their use in racehorses, however, has proven controversial. On Thursday, prominent Kentucky Derby-winning owner, Vincent “Vinnie” Viola, committed $500,000 towards vital research behind these drugs and a better system of detection, according to Terry Finley, founder and president of West Point Thoroughbreds. “He is absolutely laser-focused on these issues,” said Finley of Viola’s pledge, adding that Viola is challenging other owners to “stamp this out, and stamp it out right away. He talks the talk, and he also walks the walk.” In 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of two bisphosphonates–Tiludronate (Tildren) and Clodronate (Osphos)–in horses four and older to help control the clinical symptoms associated with navicular syndrome. But many in the industry are concerned about the off-label use of these drugs, especially in young horses, including those being prepared for the sales. That’s because, rather than strengthening bones as intended, misuse of these drugs could make them weaker, more susceptible to fractures. According to Finley, a group of individuals and organizations are also in the process of drafting a letter to be sent to the managing partners of veterinary clinics servicing racehorses around the country, appealing to veterinarians to discontinue use of these drugs on horses less than four years of age. “Call it what you will, an appeal, a request, a demand, they’ve got to step up. I know the vast majority of vets want this drug to be used the right way on horses who are 4-year-olds and older. They have taken an oath to do right by the horse. It’s very clear that the administration of these drugs to yearlings and two-year-olds isn’t doing right by the horse,” said Finley, who added that it took Viola “30 seconds to decide that he was going to be a major supporter of this effort.” Two key points… California Horse Racing Board Executive Director Rick Arthur said there are “two key points” to bisphosphonates. The first? They can act as an analgesic for bone pain. The second? Bisphosphonates are toxic to certain cells vital to bone re-growth. “This means the normal bone repair process is inhibited,” said Arthur. Bisphosphonates are currently unregulated in the U.S., though the TDN reported Wednesday that the Mid-Atlantic region will propose a partial ban of these drugs. In comparison, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) implemented in 2017 a 30-day stand-down period from racing following the administration of any bisphosphonate. What’s more, if a horse under the age of three years and six months is administered therapeutic bisphosphonates, they “will not be qualified to run under the BHA Rules of Racing at any point in its life,” the rules state. These drugs, however, are difficult to regulate. And part of the conundrum is that too little is currently known about how long they remain in the horse’s system. “We have the ability to detect it in blood and urine up to about 100 days post administration now,” said Mary Scollay, equine medical director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. “But we don’t know how that correlates to duration of effect,” she added. Another unknown? The length of time that bisphosphonates stay in the bone–potentially years–and how they behave for that duration. Then there’s the question of how to look for it. “It’s not clear that we’ve got a terribly reliable method for detecting it in the bone,” said Scollay, who added that acquiring bone samples from live horses is clearly not an option. Most of the research thus far has been from “fracture fragments” through injured horses, said Scollay. “And we have not detected bisphosphonates. But again, are we looking in the right place? There’s a lot we don’t know yet.” Indeed, there’s still so much unknown about the way bisphosphonates affect the physiology of the racehorse, with the bulk of the drug research done on humans and on animals other than horses. Nevertheless, we do know enough to support the fears of a growing number of leading industry figures. What are they, and how do they work?… In order to understand how bisphosphonates work, it’s important to know that bones are (or should be) in a continuous state of regrowth and renewal. This dynamic, adaptive process maintains the bone’s delicate balance of rigidity and flexibility. And at the crux of this process are cells called osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Osteoclasts dissolve, break down and absorb–as part of a process called resorption–damaged or weakened bone tissue at the site of a fracture. Osteoblasts follow behind, adding new bone to fill and mineralize the holes left by the osteoclasts. This is the fundamental, on-going mechanism at play, from large fractures down to the microfractures sustained by horses and humans on a daily basis. “Every time you walk up the stairs, you’re going to get a microfracture somewhere in your body,” said Arthur. “It might be a tiny little thing, but you’re going to go through that, and your body’s going to repair it.” When it comes to degenerative bone diseases, bisphosphonates inhibit the work that osteoclasts do, thereby preventing the breakdown of bone tissue–a useful tool for tackling osteoporosis. But problems may arise if bisphosphonates are used to treat, say, sesamoiditis in a yearling being prepared for the sales. While an X-ray may give the outward impression that the bone is healthy, in actual fact, the bone tissue could be made up of dead material that’s never cleaned away in the usual manner–what experts liken to a ticking time bomb, when that potentially compromised bone is put under the duress of training and racing. Bisphosphonates also appear to stunt healing. Veterinarian Dr. Larry Bramlage has been outspoken about the threats that these drugs pose to racehorse populations. In this article in the Paulick Report, Bramlage explains that fractures typically show improvement after only a couple of months. But in horses treated with bisphosphonates, original fractures are sometimes visible as much as 14 months after injury, he said. On top of that, studies have shown that that, in cases where bisphosphonates have effectively treated lameness, it’s difficult to know just how much of the improvement was due to the drug’s pain-killing effect. Experts say analgesia post-treatment can last up to a couple of weeks. Use in older horses… Nevertheless, bisphosphonates can be of benefit, especially to older horses suffering navicular disease, back pain and osteoarthritis. California-based practicing veterinarian Ryan Carpenter said he uses the drug on horses only in light training, primarily on sore shins, and never close to a race, he said. “If you use a small dose in a specific area extremely infrequently, I believe it’s a safe tool that we have in our tool box,” he said. But, “if you want to just start giving all horses bisphosphonates in systemic or full-body doses, I think you’re going to get into some serious trouble,” Carpenter added. “We’ve seen people who have done that, and they’ve regretted the decisions they’ve made.” Carpenter said that Tildren and Osphos, non-nitrogenous bisphosphonates, aren’t as powerful as their nitrogenous cousins, and he questions whether they’re as potent as is largely suspected. “You have to have the osteoclastic signal for the osteoblast to follow, to lay down new bone,” said Carpenter. “That’s true. But where I think we’ve failed with these bisphosphonates is that we assume that it’s an on and off switch-either they’re all on, or they’re all off.” Nevertheless, “because it’s got such a negative press, I have a very direct conversation with the owner or the trainer as to why I’m doing it and why I think it’s a good case,” Carpenter said, who added that his approach to the drug has become increasingly more conservative over the years. Industry voices… As to how ubiquitously these drugs are used throughout the industry, the answer appears to be largely anecdotal. “I wouldn’t have a clue if it was [used on] 2% of the foal crop or 22% of the foal crop or 32% of the foal crop. I have a feeling it’s low, but I seriously don’t know,” said Gray Lyster, president of the Consignors & Commercial Breeders Association (CBA), who added that, of the people he has spoken with, use of bisphosphonates has been on specific individuals rather than a blanket program. “My responsibility immediately is to try to figure out, or at least try to educate our membership as to ‘hey, nobody’s sure what the potential side effects are of these drugs, and if you’re using them, you need to educate yourself. As do all of us,'” Lyster added. “It’s a little bit of a fact-finding mission for me, to be honest, and the CBA board.” Niall Brennan is a prominent sales consignor based in Florida. He said that he and his veterinarian, Jonathan McLellan, with Florida Equine Veterinary Associates, were alerted to the possible dangers of bisphosphonate use in young horses a few years ago, and as such, have avoided using them on the horses he prepares for the sales. “Now that it’s out there, and we can all agree that it should be banned [for off-label usage], why did it get to this stage?” Brennan said. “Do you blame the pharmaceutical companies for not being more pro-active in pointing out what it should be used for? Do you point to the vets who were allowing their clients to use it? I think there’s blame to be shared. The bottom line is, when there’s a lot of money at stake, some people tend to check their ethics at the door, and that’s what it really comes down to.” As to the research component of the issue, Dionne Benson, executive director and chief operating officer at the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC), admitted that “we haven’t had any meaningful research breakthroughs [in recent years], and it’s actually gotten to the point where it’s quite frustrating.” As such, “the RMTC is working with the Grayson-Jockey Club Foundation and the [American Association of Equine Practitioners], and we’re assembling a group to essentially put together the questions we need answered,” Benson added. The unanswered questions, said Benson, include the following: What are the pharmacodynamics of bisphosphonates? Exactly how long does the analgesia last? If we give it to 2-year-olds and we exercise them, do we see any difference in uptake? “And in the event we can take a sample from the bone, will we be able to find it?” Benson said. “We need to see how this affects horses when they get it when they’re young, when they’re exercised. We need something that’s really relevant,” Benson said. “It’s certainly going to take more than one project, and they’re not going to be short-term projects, but it’s gotten to the point where we simply have to do it.” View the full article

According to figures released by officials at Oaklawn Park Saturday night following the running of a $2.845-million program anchored by $750,000 divisions of the GII Rebel S., total combined handle on the local product was $16,221,639, breaking the previous record of $16,159,77 established on Arkansas Derby day 2018. According to the track, attendance for the Rebel card has increased every year since a crowd estimated at around 30,000 watched future Triple Crown hero American Pharoah romp home by 6 1/4 lengths in 2015. Attendance climbed to 35,000 in 2016, was up to 36,000 in 2017 and roughly 37,500 in 2018. Total handle was $8,443,176 in 2015, $9,124,972 in 2016, $10,752,313 in 2017 and $10,771,984 last year to set records for March and a non-Arkansas Derby Day. Mark Lamberth of Batesville, AR, is an owner and vice chair of the Arkansas Racing Commission, told the Oaklawn notes team that the Saturday scenes were reminiscent of when Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) invaded from California for the GI Apple Blossom Invitational in 2010. Zenyatta raced away to defeat Brownie Points (Forest Wildcat) by over four lengths in her first start over a conventional dirt track. “It was one of those magical days,” Lamberth said Sunday morning. “When Zenyatta pranced, I mean the crowd just swooned and, of course, she won easy. I thought yesterday was like that, from top to bottom. [On Saturday], we had $100,000 maiden special weights, great horses and the crowd was really into it. It was a festive atmosphere. I just think it was the best day I’ve had at Oaklawn in a long time.” The Rebel was the final local prep for the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 13, typically closing day in Hot Springs, but the Oaklawn meeting extends into early May for the first time in 2019. View the full article

Ramzan Kadyrov’s G1SW North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with Richard Mullen in the irons, breezed 1400 metres in 1:27 even in company at Satish Seemar’s Zabeel Stables on Tuesday ahead of a start in the $12-million Dubai World Cup on Mar. 30. Assistant trainer Bhupat Seemar caught the final three 200-metre splits of the work in :11.9, :11.8 and :11.6. The likely favourite, who won the 2018 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 and has scored in both the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 on Jan. 10 and the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 on Feb. 7, appears in fine fettle. “All is well,” Satish Seemar told the Meydan notes team. “He kind of ate up the time as he liked. Each furlong was stronger than the one before and Richard was happy when he jumped off him. He’s had his big work and will have an easy work next week, five or six days out. When our horse has run a proper race, no horse has been a problem for him.” View the full article

Point-to-pointer Sonru (Ire) (Jeremy) (lot 119) took top honours at the Tattersalls Ascot March Sale on Thursday, selling for £50,000 to Melbourne 10 Racing. Consigned by Donnchadh Doyle’s Monbeg Stables after romping by 25 lengths in a maiden at Turtulla on Mar. 10, the bay is out of a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Inistioge (Ire) (Supremem Leader). At the close of sale, 126 of the 154 horses offered sold (82%), with a gross of £936,300. The average was £7,258 and the median was £3,500. “Today’s sale has been well supported by Irish and UK vendors and has offered purchasers the opportunity to buy all categories of bloodstock,” said Tattersalls Director of Horses in Training Sales Richard Pugh. “We welcomed a broad bench of purchasers, both domestic and international with countries represented including Germany, Poland, Sweden, The Netherlands, Jersey and Libya. Today’s results measured well against last years and it was really pleasing to produce a clearance rate of 82% along with a top price of £50,000.” View the full article

A new breeding scheme has been unveiled for G2 Coventry S. hero Rajasinghe (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) by his owner Phil Cunningham of Rebel Racing. In an effort to support the commercial breeders that send mares to the G2 July S. third, those that intend to sell the resulting offspring as a weanling would see some or all of the £5,000 stud fee refunded if the foal failed to make £15,000 at auction based on a production cost of £10,000. If a commercial breeder wanted to sell the offspring as a yearling, the scheme will refund some or all of the stud fee if a yearling failed to realise £20,000 at the sales based on a production cost of £15,000. The bay is currently standing his first season at the National Stud for £5,000 and his breeding career is being managed by Avenue Bloodstock. “Rajasinghe had so much ability and natural talent; that was something his trainer Richard Spencer and our Rebel Racing team never doubted,” said Cunningham of the course record setter. “We are adamant that Rajasinghe has all the credentials to become a top class stallion. However we also are also fully aware in order for him to make his mark at stud he needs the support of the best breeders and their mares. This is our way of saying ‘we’re all in this together’ and it clearly demonstrates our confidence in Rajasinghe’s future as a stallion.” For more information on the breeding scheme, please contact Tim Lane or Joe Callan of the National Stud or Avenue Bloodstock’s Mark McStay. View the full article

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Nakayama and Chukyo Racecourses, the latter of which features of pair of talented group-winning American-breds entered for Sunday’s Group 1 sprint: Saturday, March 23, 2019 5th-CKO, ¥9,550,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200mT DERMA KATRINA (f, 3, Ghostzapper–Ruthian, by Rahy) was well-beaten in her first two trips to the post, but grew up a bit during a freshening and improved to be a very good third in her sophomore debut Mar. 10. A half-sister to GISW Rutherienne (Pulpit) and GSW Ruthenia (Pulpit)–the dam of MSW & GSP Pubilius Syrus (Candy Ride {Arg})–Derma Katrina was a $100K purchase out of the 2017 Keeneland September sale. B-Payson Stud Inc (KY) Sunday, March 24, 2019 2nd-NAK, ¥9,550,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m MAQUIS (c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Life Well Lived, by Tiznow), a $350K KEESEP acquisition, has twice finished runner-up from four career appearances, including a strong effort behind fellow US-bred Cosmo Robinson (Take Charge Indy) on his dirt debut at Tokyo last November. The half-brother to GISW and new Japanese sire American Patriot (War Front) is also related to SW Well Humored (Distorted Humor) and MGSP Muqtaser (Distorted Humor). His dam, purchased by Japanese interests for $1.25 million in foal to American Pharoah at KEENOV in 2017, is a full-sister to G1 Dubai World Cup hero Well Armed and a half to GSW Witty (Distorted Humor) and GISP Helsinki (Distorted Humor). B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY) 11th-CKO, Takamatsunomiya Kinen-G1, ¥210k ($1.9m), 1200mT A pair of promising American-bred short-trackers take their chance in this first of two top-level sprints on the annual racing calendar in Japan. MOZU SUPERFLARE (f, 4, Speightstown–Christies Treasure, by Belong To Me) tries the Group 1 level for the first time, but is in flying form, having led throughout to win the G3 Ocean S. (1200m) in 1:07.1 Mar. 2 (see below, gate 14). The half to GSW Sacristy (Pulpit), bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables LLC, gets Yutaka Take back in the irons. MR MELODY (c, 4, Scat Daddy–Trusty Lady, by Deputy Minister) became his sire’s lone Japanese SW to date when lifting this track’s G3 Falcon S. last March (video, gate 10) and was subsequently a close fourth in the G1 NHK Mile Cup. He has but one start at this distance, but did set a 1300m track record on Tokyo debut in late 2017. Bred in Kentucky by Bell Tower Thoroughbreds, Mr Melody was most recently a troubled seventh in the G3 Hankyu Hai Feb. 24. View the full article

Godolphin’s GSW Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has returned to Charlie Appleby’s Moulton Paddocks and is preparing for a crack in the Apr. 7 G2 Prix d’Harcourt at ParisLongchamp, Racing Post reported on Thursday. A winner of the G3 Autumn S. as a juvenile and ParisLongchamp’s G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange on Sept. 22 after almost a year on the sidelines, the 4-year-old has spent the winter in Dubai. “Ghaiyyath looks fantastic and has done well over the winter out in Dubai,” Appleby told Racing Post. “He did a couple of bits of work out there and will work again here at the weekend. He’s a colt we’ve always liked but I didn’t want to start him back in a Group 1 straight away–the Prix d’Harcourt looks a good starting point as it’s usually run on soft ground, which he likes. The plan would be to use the d’Harcourt as a prep for the [Apr. 28 G1] Prix Ganay, and hopefully Ghaiyyath will be a major player in both races.” View the full article

Prominent owner and breeder Everett Dobson has been appointed a Keeneland Trustee and will succeed Lane’s End Farm owner Will Farish, who has served as a trustee since 2006. Farish will remain on the Keeneland Board of Directors. Dobson was named to Keeneland’s Board in September 2018. A native of Cheyenne, OK, Dobson races horses under his Cheyenne Stable banner and is also the owner of Candy Meadows Farm near Lexington, where his broodmare band numbers around 30. He serves on The Jockey Club’s Board of Stewards and is a Breeders’ Cup Director. He is Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chairman of the American Graded Stakes Committee. Dobson is the CEO of Dobson Technologies and subsidiaries, operating a 3000-mile fiber-optic network and a managed IT business serving customers in his home state and North Texas. He is also a minority owner of the National Basketball Association’s Oklahoma City Thunder franchise. Dobson joins Claiborne Farm Chairman Seth Hancock and William M. Lear, Jr., chair emeritus of Stoll Keenon Ogden, as a Keeneland Trustee. “Everett Dobson has demonstrated his commitment to the Thoroughbred industry through his service to industry organizations such as The Jockey Club, Breeders’ Cup, TOBA and the American Graded Stakes Committee,” Hancock said. “His values are consistent with those of Keeneland: betterment of the horse industry.” A native of Houston, TX, Farish has been a member of the Keeneland Board of Directors since 1985. At Lane’s End, he has stood the likes of A.P. Indy, Gulch, Kingmambo, Mineshaft and Smart Strike while breeding better than 300 stakes winners. “Will Farish has been a tremendous champion of Keeneland during his nearly 35 years of service on the Board and as a Trustee,” Lear said. “His invaluable support has taken many forms–from the board room, to major consignor and buyer, to leading owner, and to sponsor of the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. His expertise and stature are unrivaled in the industry.” Chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs from 1992-2001, Farish has also been a Steward and Vice Chairman of The Jockey Club and a Director and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Breeders’ Cup. He also served the United States as Ambassador to the Court of St James from 2001 to 2004. View the full article

Here’s a full rundown of horse racing television and radio for TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and Sunland Derby (G3) weekend. View the full article

After an off-the-board finish in the Fasig-Tipton Holy Bull Stakes (G2), Federal Case is scheduled to return to one-turn races March 23 in the $100,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

7th-OP, $91K, Opt. Clm. ($50K), 3yo, f, 6f, 5:14 p.m. A pair of ‘TDN Rising Stars’ will face off Friday in Hot Springs as they both make their highly anticipated sophomore debuts. The morning-line nod was given to Phoenix Thoroughbred’s LYRICAL LADY (More Than Ready), who summoned $625,000 at OBS March after breezing in a sharp :20 3/5. Taking the field from gate-to-wire for a dazzling debut victory at Saratoga July 20, the Steve Asmussen pupil tired to fifth as the favorite next out in the Spa’s GII Adirondack S. Aug. 11 and has been on the shelf since. OXO Equine’s $1 million FTKJUL topper Brill (Medaglia d’Oro) also comes off a lengthy layoff, having made her last start Sept. 29. Overcoming a bad start and wide trip in her Del Mar unveiling July 18, the Jerry Hollendorfer trainee rallied to a good-looking victory, but could only manage fourth behind the talented Bellafina (Quality Road) as the favorite in the GI Del Mar Debutante S. Sept. 1. The bay was third to the Sunland Oaks-bound Bellafina when last seen in the GI Chandelier S. going two turns at Santa Anita in September and should appreciate the cutback in trip for this return. TJCIS PPs View the full article

Tattersalls and Newmarket Racecourses have inked an expanded partnership deal for the next three years, it was announced on Thursday. Tattersalls will continue to support the G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. during the Moet & Chandon July Festival, and they will also sponsor the G2 Tattersalls July S. and the G2 Princess Of Wales’s Tattersalls S. The auction house will also continue to sponsor the G3 Tattersalls S. (registered as the Somerville Tattersalls S.) and the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction S. on the Rowley Mile during the Gold Season. In addition, both the Craven and Guineas breeze-ups will be conducted over the Rowley Mile course in April and May, respectively. “We are delighted that Tattersalls have elected not only to maintain their existing sponsorships at Newmarket Racecourses but to expand their portfolio and we look forward to watching some of the world’s best horses compete for the five prestigious Tattersalls-sponsored prizes during the next three years,” said Amy Starkey, Regional Director of Jockey Club Racecourses, East Region. Added Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony, “The Group 1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. is the flagship Tattersalls race sponsorship in Britain and we are delighted to extend our support of Newmarket Racecourses’ Moët & Chandon July Festival by adding two such prestigious Group 2 races to our extensive sponsorship portfolio…Our sponsorship of the G2 Tattersalls July S. and the G2 Princess Of Wales’s Tattersalls S. reinforces our commitment not only to Newmarket Racecourses, but also to supporting British racing in as many ways as we can.” View the full article

This week is a recap of the 1992 victory by Line in the Sand in the Louisiana Derby (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course. The recap in the March 28, 1992 magazine, written by Bill Mooney, carried the headline: "Crossing A Line Before The Finish." View the full article

Addressing your thoughts, questions and statements about Hong Kong racing. Have something to say? Send a tweet to @SCMPRacingPost.Citron Spirit takes the Class One Happy Valley Vase (1,800m), his sixth win in Hong Kong since being purchased from France, he’s now won over £1m in prize money, rarely out the first three in 33 runs – @SackvilleDonaldThe Ricky Yiu Poon-fai trained gelding is one of the most genuine horses in Hong Kong – and he’s always underrated by the market – so Wednesday night’s… View the full article