Wandering Eyes

After seeing him tossed from pillar to post, jockey Derek Leung Ka-chun believes he is closer to solving the perplexing case of Pingwu Spark.The big grey has raced over distances from 1,200m to 1,800m against Group One talent this season and shown promise, but has struggled to find the extra length needed to win.With a rating of 115, Pingwu Spark is clearly trainer Benno Yung Tin-pang’s best horse and as such, he has raced him at every possible chance.Lining up on Sunday in the Class One… View the full article

Injured jockey Silvestre de Sousa will ride at Sha Tin on Sunday after passing a fitness test on his injured back.The Brazilian, who boasts a full book of 11 rides with several winning chances, was rated only a “50-50” chance to ride on Sunday after pulling up sore at Wednesday night’s Happy Valley meeting.It is understood De Sousa first suffered the injury in the second race after sustaining a heavy blow from a rival horse while riding the Manfred Man Ka-leung-trained All Best Friends .De… View the full article

Each week, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond, including approximate race times and television coverage. View the full article

While a thorough investigation and analysis of the Santa Anita main track continues, representatives of The Stronach Group (TSG) have announced that several new safety and welfare initiatives will be put into place whenever racing resumes at the Arcadia, California, oval. “We’re looking forward to returning to normal, but it will be a new normal,” said Tim Ritvo, Chief Operating Officer, TSG. “The safety of our equine and human athletes remains our highest priority. We need to work together and continue to create not only our own internal audits, but an open and honest dialogue with all of the stakeholders and evaluate best practices at other racetracks around the world.” Santa Anita will require all trainers to provide 24-hour advance notice to track officials if they intend to breeze a horse, a move designed to allow track veterinarians to assist in identifying possible ‘at-risk’ horses through the evaluation of past performances, workout data and a physical inspection. Additional vets have been hired by Santa Anita to observe all horses entering and exiting the track each morning. A previously announced change will see the first 15 minutes of training following the opening of the main track reserved exclusively for horses working for an official clocking. According to the track, the decrease in traffic will provide an overall safer environment. The Stronach Group will for the first time employ a Director of Equine Welfare, a position that will be held by an accredited veterinarian. This individual will be tasked with oversight of all aspects of equine well-being and will front a new ‘Rapid Response’ team for injuries. This group will be responsible for conducting transparent investigations of all factors involving the injury, as well the communication of their findings to the racing and general public. Santa Anita will also introduce a ‘House Rule’ that will require total transparency with regards to veterinary records. This will mandate that all vet records for a given horse follow that horse through any trainer or ownership change, including a claim or a private sale. A similar rule has worked well at TSG’s Gulfstream Park. “This has worked very well at Gulfstream Park,” said Ritvo. “There was some pushback from the trainers at first, but this is the best thing for the horse. Now, everyone has bought into the process as they realize they are also on the receiving end of this information intended to understand the full medical history of that horse.” TSG reiterated its commitment to work with the California Horse Racing Board and other industry stakeholders in evaluating racetrack safety, with a goal of establishing a “culture of health and safety throughout all of the racetracks, creating checks and balances, intervention strategies and working together to identify factors to help mitigate risk to horses and riders.” TSG will continue to engage Dr. Mick Peterson of the University of Kentucky, veteran trackman Dennis Moore and other independent experts to continually review the racing surface. “Every one of us, from our Chairman and President (TSG) Belinda Stronach, to our employees, to every trainer and owner and person who works in the stable area, we all have deep, deep love for horses,” said Ritvo. “It’s why we get up every day. It’s all about the horses. Human medicine is more advanced than equine medicine, so if there is new technology or equipment that will assist in increasing the ability to discover our pre-existing injuries, we’re going to invest in that technology and bring it to our horsemen.” View the full article

As a thorough evaluation of Santa Anita's main track continues, The Stronach Group has announced several new safety and welfare measures, which will be put in place when racing resumes at Santa Anita Park in the coming weeks. View the full article

Taking on a field of six other fillies and mares, Wonder Gadot could not get past Go Google Yourself in the stretch of the March 8 optional-claiming allowance at Oaklawn Park, finishing runner-up in the one-mile race. View the full article

Vorster lands Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at second week in Australia View the full article

S John out three months; Iskandar, Rodd suspended, Murray fined View the full article

“The National HBPA understands everyone in the Thoroughbred racing industry loves and has steadfast passion for our equine athletes. We know that owners, trainers and jockeys who deal each day with these amazing animals understand this deep connection. To those of us who have lived this life, our horses are members of our family. The loss of one horse causes concern for every racetrack, every employee and every equine organization in the industry. The National HBPA and our affiliates stand fast in the promotion of safety in and for the racetrack, as well as surface testing and equine safety and welfare initiatives. The NHBPA applauds the California horsemen’s groups, the California Horse Racing Board and the track ownership and management at Santa Anita in utilizing all the expertise available to study and resolve the current issue because we believe the safety of the horse and rider is the number one priority of the industry. We are certain the thorough investigation underway will result in a safer environment for our equine and human athletes as we continuously strive for the safest conditions.” View the full article

A Super Saver filly (hip 305) from the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment was among the stand-outs during Friday’s under-tack preview for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, covering a quarter mile in the day’s fastest clocking of :20 2/5. The $100,000 Fasig-Tipton July acquisition is out of the Grade II-placed Macha (Majestic Warrior). A Super Saver colt earned the :20 1/5 quarter-mile bullet here two years ago and subsequently sold for $625,000. Named Mourinho, he was second in the GII Bob Hope S. and annexed the Smarty Jones S. Twelve youngsters tied for the fastest furlong breeze of :9 4/5: Hip 198, a Stay Thirsty colt consigned by Omega Farm, Agent II (video). Hip 206, an Uncle Mo filly consigned by Sequel Bloodstock on behalf of breeders Chester and Mary Broman (video). Hip 230, an Into Mischief colt consigned by Halcyon Hammock Farm (video). Hip 232, a Race Day colt consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent IV (video). Hip 235, a Discreet Cat colt consigned by Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds (video). Hip 240, a Bernardini colt consigned by Kings Equine, Agent IX (video). Hip 255, an Uncaptured filly consigned by S G V Thoroughbreds (video). Hip 277, a Majestic City filly consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent X (video). Hip 281, a Midshipman filly consigned by S G V Thoroughbreds (video). Hip 326, a Secret Circle colt consigned by McKathan Bros., Agent III (video). Hip 346, an Uncle Mo filly consigned by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent II (video). Hip 374, a Union Rags filly consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent X (video). The third and final under-tack session begins Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. Sale sessions Tuesday, Mar. 12 and Wednesday, Mar. 13 begin at 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.obssales.com. View the full article

The Cheltenham festival handicaps are the most hotly contest handicaps all year, We have studied all the races and have picked one standout horse in a handicap on each day of the festival. The last time we previewed handicaps we put up Royal Hunt Cup winner at Royal Ascot at odds of 33/1, don’t miss […] The post Cheltenham 2019 Handicap Hopefuls appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

All great performers deserve a final curtain call and, thanks to her connections, multiple graded stakes winner Hawksmoor will get one more chance to strut her stuff when she goes to post in the Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) March 9. View the full article

After two quiet days, the training track at Santa Anita re-opened Friday morning—an obvious relief to those trainers whose horses have been restricted to exercise around the barn. But at the forefront of many minds among those present at Santa Anita early Friday morning was the issue of what safety protocols, other than track maintenance, will be instituted to reduce the high fatality rates that have marred the track’s current winter-spring meet. Indeed, this issue was raised at a trainers meeting Friday morning at Santa Anita, said California Thoroughbred Trainers executive director, Alan Balch. “There’s no question that the attention is on horsemanship and preparation of horses, and everyone needs to be extremely careful, even in sending horses out to jog, gallop and everything else,” said Balch, when the meeting concluded. “It should go without saying, with an abundance of caution we want to make sure that trainer have a heightened sense of responsibility.” Balch also said that the horsemen had an “extended conversation” about a number of other safety and racing-related issues, including the condition book, numbers of races, race distances on turf, and intimidation of horsemen to run. “We as an organization do not have the authority to approve the condition book,” Balch added. “Our understanding is that the [Thoroughbred Owners of California] shares our concerns about number of races, use of the turf course, and the levels of races being run.” On Thursday, TDN spoke with California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) Executive Director, Rick Baedeker, who explained that Santa Anita and the CHRB could employ a similarly rigorous version of safety initiatives instituted at Del Mar in 2017 to tackle the high numbers of equine fatalities that occurred the year prior. “Reinvigorating the program that was implemented at Del Mar is apparent to all of us,” he said. Though many of the same initiatives are already in place at Santa Anita, officials explain they haven’t been enforced as intensely as at the San Diego venue. During the 2016 summer meet at Del Mar, 17 horses were fatally injured during training and racing. During the 2017 summer meet, that number was cut to five. These numbers were again relatively low during last year’s summer meet. Perhaps the most visible step that Del Mar took in 2017 was to employ veteran track superintendent Dennis Moore to reconfigure the dirt surface to match the geometric shape of Santa Anita’s main track. On top of that, the facility used the Jockey Club’s InCompass system to provide a daily itinerary of horses that fell within two categories: horses that hadn’t raced for a period of 120 days or more, and those that hadn’t started before four years of age or older. That same list also included other important information, like whether the horse had previously been on the vet’s and Steward’s lists, as well as the date of its last two workouts, the distances and times. Two additional state veterinarians were drafted in to assist the usual team of official veterinarians to routinely monitor horses flagged a relative risk of catastrophic injury. By the time any flagged horse made it to the usual pre-race examination, they had been seen-typically multiple times-in the preceding weeks and months. As an additional layer of scrutiny, past performances were pulled on entry day, to identify other horses not included on the daily InCompass list, but whose profiles caused concern. This included horses being dropped in claiming price, and those shipping in from Northern California or out-of-state—horses that hadn’t been previously examined by the track or state veterinarians. What’s more, the horsemen along with a state veterinarian and safety steward posted on the grounds seven days a week were asked to keep their eyes peeled for any warning signs during training. Interestingly, two official veterinarians were posted at the Santa Anita training track Friday to watch morning exercise. According to officials, many of the same procedures employed at Del Mar have been in place at Santa Anita. For example, the InCompass system is still used to produce the same list of possible at-risk horses for added scrutiny. However, these same officials explained that a reduced number of official veterinarians at Santa Anita, as compared to Del Mar, meant these flagged horses weren’t examined as frequently. At Del Mar, for example, a state veterinarian was situated on the racetrack grounds seven days a week. At Santa Anita, an official veterinarian was only required to be on the grounds five days a week. Balch expresses surprise that the safety measures instituted at Del Mar weren’t enforced as vigorously at Santa Anita. “That’s a surprise, as I thought they were. I don’t know why they wouldn’t be,” said Balch. “I thought that was standard operating procedure for the racing board now,” Balch added. “We support that [same intensely enforced set of safety policies] 100%.” Baedeker admitted that a lack of personnel at Santa Anita made the program difficult to maintain at the same level as at the San Diego venue. “Admittedly, we haven’t had as many veterinarians examining the horses as we used to during the Del Mar meets, but that’s a scenario that can be addressed, and will be,” he said. “There’s going to be expense involved, but that’s fine, we have no choice.” One of the biggest benefits of the intensive pre-race examination system, said Baedeker, was the increased awareness it generated. “The trainers became more used to it,” said Baedeker. “They may not have known a horse they had gotten a month ago had issues. Then they were.” Baedeker stressed the up-in-the-air nature at the moment behind any possible alterations to safety and integrity protocols at Santa Anita. Mirroring Balch’s comments, Baedeker flagged the Santa Anita condition book as a possible place for change—”restrict the condition book to a degree, so that certain horses in certain races aren’t run,” he said. Baedeker also raised the possibility of curbing the races on a card to a “reasonable” number. “Those 11 race cards may not be appropriate,” he said. Baedeker said that the state “can only do so much,” and that “we really need the association to step up. All indications show they are, and they’re willing to do what they can going forward,” he said.” He added that the CHRB is eager to hear “any idea” that could be employed as a potential fix. The next board meeting is scheduled Mar. 21. “In terms of board action, anything and everything is on the table when it comes to solving this problem,” he said. TDN reached out to Santa Anita and the TOC for comment on what safety protocols could be employed in the immediate future at Santa Anita. This story will be updated if necessary. 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 Fountain of Youth S. – Bourbon War (+$250) obviously got a set-up, but he ran a very nice race to be a fast-finishing second. Bankroll: $9420. GII Tampa Bay Derby – The Right Path strikes me as a horse who will clearly appreciate two turns. He looked good winning his six-furlong debut back in November, and had every right to pack it in last out at Gulfstream when a very awkward spot pretty much throughout, but fought on well for third before being moved up a slot by the stewards. I’m not entirely sure where he’ll be early, as he’s got a lot of cruising speed and could get sucked into sitting too close to the front, but if he works out the right stalking trip he should keep going in the lane. He’s by Quality Road out of an unraced Bernardini half-sister to Fed Biz from a huge female family, so the pedigree appeal’s certainly there. Selection: #8 The Right Path (15-1). GIII Gotham S. – My first inclination was to just take Instagrand–who still has every right to pick up where he left off and prove one of the best members of a pretty promising crop–but the amount of other speed signed on and the cross-country ship makes me hesitant to take too short of a price. Haikal was very brave to eventually squeeze up a tight spot on the rail in the Winkfield. He’s the one I’m most confident will be finishing late. He may be closing into a distant second behind Instagrand, but place money’s fine too. Selection: #5 Haikal (6-1). GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks – I really struggled with this one… How about Five Star General? It looks like his connections were trying to get him on the grass last year, but he won twice in off-the-turfers. He was floated pretty wide into the first turn of the Sam Davis last time, and just ran an overall weird race–maybe he didn’t like that quirky surface. He figures to work out a much cleaner stalking trip this time, and that could mean a return to form pver a turf-friendly surface he may appreciate. Selection: #3 Five Star General (6-1). Sherack: GII Fountain of Youth S. – Bourbon War fell too far back early for his own good and put in a huge stretch rally to finish a promising second. In your face, DiDonato. Oh.. wait. You picked him too? Bankroll: $830. GII Tampa Bay Derby – Dream Maker and Win Win Win are both awfully imposing and worthy favorites off their last two victories, but I’ll shop for a little value with Outshine. The son of Malibu Moon wasn’t the flashiest 1x winner by any means while covering plenty of ground in his seven-furlong comebacker at Gulfstream, but he certainly ran like a horse that would appreciate more distance after leveling off nicely in deep stretch with first-time blinkers. Considering all the success that trainer Todd Pletcher has had at Tampa Bay in these preps in recent years, this is a hard horse to pass on if he’s anywhere near his morning-line quote. Selection: #6 Outshine (8-1). GIII Gotham S. – With so much speed signed on in the Gotham, my immediate inclination was to go with a closer. While the talented stretch-running Haikal certainly makes a ton of sense from a dynamics standpoint, a horse he defeated last time is where I’ll end up. Tikhvin Flew broke his maiden like a good thing first out in a live race over this course in early January, then was really against the track when third with a wide trip as the favorite in the Jimmy Winkfield. He’s drawn well on the outside here, has a bullet five-furlong work since and could get first run on what figures to be a lively early pace at a big price. Selection: #8 Tikhvin Flew (12-1). GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks – Somelikeithotbrown, third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and a sharp winner of Turfway’s Battaglia Memorial in his comebacker, is clearly the horse to beat and should work out a perfect trip sitting just off pacesetters Dynamic Racer and Five Star General. Take the short price. Selection: #10 Somelikeithotbrown (8-5). DeRosa: GII Fountain of Youth S. – Vekoma was third. Bankroll: $680. GII Tampa Bay Derby – Selection: #7 Win Win Win (5-2). GIII Gotham S. – Selection: #6 Instagrand (1-1). GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks – Selection: #8 Twelfthofneverland (12-1). Click for Tampa Bay Derby, Gotham & Jeff Ruby Steaks Ultimate PPs from Brisnet.com. View the full article

6th-AQU, $68K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m, 4:07 p.m. Eric Fein, Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel teamed up for the $1 million FTSAUG buy LITANY (Curlin) and the sophomore debuts in this spot for trainer Chad Brown. The son of Grade I winner River’s Prayer (Devon Lane) has been working steadily at Brown’s Palm Meadows winter base, most recently breezing a half-mile in :49 3/5 (4/32) Feb. 24. The Brown stable is also represented by Shadwell Stable’s $360,000 KEENOV buy Hizaam (Bernardini). The 4-year-old is out of an unraced half-sister to champion Untapable (Tapit) and GISW millionaire Paddy O’Prado (El Prado {Ire}). TJCIS PPs View the full article

Sixties Song, an easy winner of the 2017 Longines Latinoamericano (G1) at Valparaiso, is back for a repeat bid March 10 at Club Hipico de Santiago. The $500,000 race, at 1 1/2 miles, is South America's richest race. View the full article

All great performers deserve a final curtain call and, thanks to her connections, multiple graded stakes winner Hawksmoor (IRE) will get one more chance to strut her stuff when she goes to post in the Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) March 9. View the full article

It’s always among the key questions on everyone’s mind as 2-year-olds begin racing when Keeneland opens in April and the first-year sires have their first chance to show off their progeny. In this ongoing series, we have sought the opinion of several top judges as to who will be on top of the podium when 2019 is in the books. LINDA RICE, Trainer AMERICAN PHAROAH “Based on what I saw at the yearling sales last year, American Pharoah is the obvious choice. He had a lot of very attractive physicals at the yearling sales. They may not be the precocious types, but they really stood out among the yearling crop. I think the American Pharoahs are going to be pretty pricey at the 2-year-old sales. They certainly were as yearlings. I’d love to have a few along the way, but I don’t think I’m going to go after him at this stage because I worry that with all the hype, and considering he was a Triple Crown winner, they’ll be overpriced. Then again, maybe he’ll be such a good sire that they’ll get even more expensive in years to come and these ones will prove to be a value. “I’m a little biased on this one, but a horse I am rooting for is Palace as a juvenile sire. He is a son of City Zip and I trained him and City Zip. He is a multiple Grade I winner at Saratoga (the 2014 Forego and Vanderbilt). He was a great physical himself and from what I saw at the yearling sales, I think they may come out running as 2 year-olds. Compared to his stud fee, he did very well at the yearling sales. He had a modest book of mares and they were selling quite well. There’s been some buzz about his babies. I don’t have any yet, but I will make sure I see all of them that are selling at the 2 year-old sales.” View the full article

The Curragh will host its first official meeting after a two-year redevelopment slightly later than planned, on May 6 rather than Apr. 13. The originally scheduled Apr. 13 card will be transferred to Naas. Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive Officer of Horse Racing Ireland, said, “While the redevelopment is progressing well, the HRI Board has decided to de-risk the situation and give certainty to the industry and public by delaying the public opening of the new Curragh facility until it is completely finished and fully tested. Instead a trial raceday will take place during the week commencing Monday, Apr. 15, which together with the extra time, will allow all operational elements of the racecourse to be fully tested.” The official opening of The Curragh will then take place on Friday evening May 24, the beginning of the newly-formed three-day Curragh Spring festival which will also feature the Tattersalls Irish 1000 and 2000 Guineas on May 25 and May 26. View the full article

With racing in limbo at Santa Anita Park, there is nevertheless an abundance of stakes action across the country and across all divisions Saturday. View the full article

Michael Trombetta is one of a number of trainers of aspiring 3-year-olds looking for success, but also looking for questions to be answered this time of year, as he sends out his young star Win Win Win in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). View the full article

5th-TAM, $22.5K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 2:14 p.m. LNJ Foxwoods homebred ZIP DRIVE (FR) (City Zip) makes her career bow in this test for trainer Arnaud Delacour. LNJ advisors Alex Solis and Jason Litt scooped up this first timer’s blue-blooded dam, SW & MG1SP Hi Dubai (GB) (Rahy), for $320,000 carrying a foal by Medaglia d’Oro at the 2013 Keeneland November Sale. A full-sister to European champion Fantastic Light, Hi Dubai also hails from the family of Australian Group 1 winner Your Song (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}); MGISWs Swift Temper (Giant’s Causeway), Turbulent Descent (Congrats) and Alpha (Speightstown); and Canadian champion Key to the Moon (Wajima). Gainesway homebred and fellow firster Indigo Gin (Lemon Drop Kid) also boasts a big pedigree. Her dam Lady Bingo (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is a daughter of GISW Sharp Lisa (Dixieland Band) and a full-sister to Irish Highweight Housesofparliament (Ire) and GISW Foundry (Ire). This is also the family of GISW millionaire Sprint at Last (Silver Deputy) and MGSW & GISP Sharp Susan (Touch Gold). e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Repatriated Gem (GB) (Medaglia d’Oro) also makes her career bow in this spot. Out of a full-sister to GISW Awesome Humor (Distorted Humor), the gray hails from the family of MGISW and freshman sire Constitution (Tapit); GISW Emcee (Unbridled’s Song); and GSWs Jacaranda (Congrats) and Surfer (Distorted Humor). TJCIS PPs View the full article

Jockey Scott Stevens has been selected by a nationwide vote of his peers as the winner of Santa Anita’s 2019 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. In winning this year’s Woolf Award, Stevens, 58, joins his Hall of Fame brother Gary, the 1996 Woolf winner, in becoming the only pair of brothers to win the Award since its inception in 1950. One of five Woolf Award finalists, Stevens outpolled fellow riders Joe Bravo, Kerwin Clark, John Davila, Jr. and Julien Leparoux. Born Oct. 6, 1960 in Caldwell, Idaho and the son of a trainer and former rodeo queen, Stevens was raised with horses and broke his maiden on May 30, 1976 at Les Bois Park in Boise, at the age of 15. Stevens has amassed more than 4,800 wins from more than 32,400 career mounts. A helpful source of information and guidance to younger riders, Stevens remains active this winter at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, AZ, where he’s a nine-time leading rider. Stevens, who resides in Phoenix with his longtime partner Pam Isles, has two grown children, a daughter, Jessica and a son, Jake. View the full article

Well, if they were being anything like as prescient, at the end of last summer, as they have proved to be in flying him across a continent for his first run since, then everything is going to work out just fine. For while Bob Baffert has had the rug pulled from under his feet, with the abrupt suspension even of training over the track where he was about to relaunch two rather more accomplished colts, OXO Equine’s Instagrand (Into Mischief) had already booked a magic carpet east. Flying 2,500 miles for the GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct Saturday has turned out a lesser logistical challenge than trying to run on his home track. No less paradoxically, however, Instagrand resurfaces under nearly as much scrutiny as will (eventually) Baffert’s divisional champion, Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}), and his fellow Grade I winner Improbable (City Zip). That’s because of owner Larry Best’s decision to take Instagrand off the track after he duplicated a 10-length maiden success in the GII Best Pal S. last August. His unorthodox intervention generated plenty of comment at the time—and a lot of people will now be curious to see whether it pays off. In fairness, Best’s whole point was to take the long view. Hoping to see the horse fulfill his potential with maturity, at three and even four, he resolved to stop on a thriving 2-year-old—after a total 126.2 seconds of competition—in the hope of avoiding the burnout he’d seen in so many adolescent horses sacrificed, so to speak, at the Triple Crown altar. He noted how Instagrand had graduated from the rigours of a 2-year-old sale, while showing the kind of wholehearted attitude that might soon send the fuel gauge the red if not managed carefully. As such, a Grade III race in March is not where Best’s strategy should be judged. Because even if Instagrand begins to look like a Kentucky Derby horse today—and whether he is really in that mould is another story—then his owner will continue to do only what he feels best for the horse’s long-term interests. (He has already specified that he would rather win the Derby and Travers than the Triple Crown.) What most provoked some observers, however, was not so much the specifics of his argument as the fact that he was candidly over-ruling a veteran horseman in Jerry Hollendorfer. In Europe, certainly, owners of the old school historically consider it not just foolhardy, but somehow ungentlemanly, to seize the steering wheel from the professional horsemen they hired. (Albeit you do see cases over there where trainers would actually benefit from a little less tenderness to their vanity.) That would seem rather less true in the U.S., these days at any rate. After all, hard-headed barn transfers and jockey switches have long been routine when a horse suggests that he could reciprocate proven, elite handling. But the bottom line today seems to be—well, the bottom line. The guy who pays the bills (and let’s not forget Instagrand cost Best $1.2 million; nor that he essentially does his own shopping) will typically feel entitled to have his opinion not only heard but heeded. In this case, moreover, we’re looking at a fellow whose self-same “gut” feel for a left-field decision put him in a position to spend all this dough in the first place. Increasingly, even Hall of Fame trainers find themselves dealing with a vocal new generation of owners, many much younger than Best but fully accustomed to having their voices heard. Compared with the era of the old breed-to-race sportsmen, then, it can be nearly as important to read and guide a patron, with empathy and tact, as to be able to manage his horse. Now the irony is that many horsemen would urge Best that the way to get a runner to last is actually to give him a foundation at two; that early seasoning is not just about the Triple Crown, but about his chances of coming out the other side. To some, then, the fact that so many horses derail after the Classics is precisely because they typically get a shallower grounding than great names of the past. To others, yes, the way Justify (Scat Daddy) tore up the rulebook will only encourage the vogue for a lighter schedule. But he didn’t last either. Perhaps longevity is sooner about the type of horses we breed today, than the kind of options they take in their youth. Anyway, who said ‘rulebook’? What rulebook? Horses come with as many different needs as people (including owners). Just look at the different paths Hollendorfer is taking with Gunmetal Gray (Exchange Rate) and Galilean (Uncle Mo). Sure, it was a risk for Best to turn down a bird in the hand, with Instagrand. But training Thoroughbreds, as the same barn was tragically reminded just days ago with Battle Of Midway (Smart Strike), is never free of risk. It’s perfectly reasonable to back off a bullet breezer, bred the way Instagrand is, who has detonated like that in two races; and just to let that bone grow without constant strain. Nor are there rules about the type of horse he can or can’t be. Last year, remember, Into Mischief managed to get a son (and one out of a Gilded Time mare) into the Derby frame. True, the little we’ve seen of Instagrand has been wild speed; and, sure enough, he is being flown coast to coast for a one-turn mile. But there was something auspiciously controlled and fluid about the way he attacked the 11 fleeting furlongs of his juvenile career. So it’ll be fascinating to see how he gets on today, and hereafter. But he’s a horse. He’s not trained with a cookie cutter. There’s never a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to plan a horse’s career, so long as the people around him keep doing what they believe will serve his interests best. View the full article

Phoenix Thoroughbreds’s Phoenix Ladies Syndicate, which has been in operation in Dubai since November, has expanded into Saudi Arabia, and will having horses running by the start of that nation’s new season. Phoenix Thoroughbreds Chief Executive Officer Amer Abdulaziz recently visited Saudi Arabia to attend it’s top race, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, and he said, “I am very grateful to the Prince, the Equestrian Club and [leading owner] Khalid Mishref for their invitation and hospitality to attend such a wonderful event. It was an honour to witness such a great race up close and have a look around the fantastic facilities at Riyadh Racecourse. Saudi Arabia is a country with huge ambitions for the sport, and we want to be part of that, in addition to opening new opportunities for ownership. I had some very productive discussions, and without the support and encouragement we received we wouldn’t be able to proceed down this path. I want to thank everyone involved in those meetings, and I look forward to having regular runners there with Phoenix Ladies.” View the full article