Wandering Eyes

Reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) faces arguably his biggest test of the season as he cuts back to 1400 metres for the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin. It was 12 months ago that Beauty Generation, exiting a below-par seventh in the G1 Stewards’ Cup, atoned for that effort with a gritty head defeat of the progressive Beat the Clock (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) in this event. He would go on to win the G1 Champions Mile to clinch year-end honours and has not tasted defeat since, including imperious wins in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in December and in this year’s Stewards’ Cup (as the $1.15 chalk) last time out. While it is true that Beauty Generation is a far superior animal to this time last year, so, too, is Beat the Clock, and he comes into this rematch on the heels of a tough-as-nails success in the G1 Centenary Sprint Prize Jan. 20, besting dual G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint hero Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) by a neck. The John Size yard is also represented by the talented Conte (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}), who was no match for Beauty Generation in the Stewards’, but returns to the trip over which he won the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup H. two starts back. Despite the formidable competition, Beauty Generation’s trainer John Moore remains supremely confident. “It’s a fraction on the short side for him when you’re going in against Beat The Clock and Conte–this is probably their most preferable distance,” he told HKJC’s David Morgan. “But this horse, he is who he is, and I don’t think John Size will be wanting his two to take him on, they’ll sit and sprint.” Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) looks to make it three wins on the hop in the co-featured G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m). The G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) victor took advantage of an ideal set-up to easily account for Dinozzo (Ire) (Lilbourne Lad {Ire}) in the G3 Centenary Vase H. (1800m) Jan. 27. Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) looks to defend his title in the race in which he broke the two-minute barrier last year, but will have to avoid a speed duel, even if trainer Frankie Lor has suggested that his full-brother and 2018 Hong Kong Cup winner Glorious Forever (GB) (Archipenko) would not engage early. ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal) has yet to finish in the top three this season and was a latest fourth over an insufficient mile in the Stewards’ Cup. In an attempt to shake things up, trainer Tony Cruz reaches out for Tommy Berry, who partnered Pakistan Star en route to victory in the G1 Champions and Chater Cup. View the full article

After nearly a seven-month absence, Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza will return to the saddle Monday at Santa Anita. He’s been named to ride Gallantlystreaming (Ire) in the first race for Hronis Racing, LLC and trainer John Sadler. The 46-year-old has been sidelined due to a fractured vertebra in his neck which was sustained in a morning workout at Del Mar July 22. “At first, I thought I was done, I really did,” Espinoza said. “At that point, I was thinking this is it, that my health has to come first and I was thinking about, ‘What am I going to do with my life?’ But about three months ago, it kind of happened overnight. I started feeling better and I felt like I could make it back. I’m ready. It’s good for me to know that I’m 100% and I can come back now and do my job.” View the full article

Hard Not to Love (f, 3, Hard Spun–Loving Vindication, by Vindication), a half-sister to Queen’s Plate winner Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro) debuted with a front-running three-length victory Saturday at Santa Anita and became the second ‘TDN Rising Star’ of the afternoon. The 3-1 shot stepped right out to the early lead, zipped through fractions of :21.96, :44.77 and :56.85. She shrugged off the upper-stretch challenge of Flat Out Joy (Flat Out) and was easily the best to the wire, completing the six furlongs in 1:09.58. Over Emphasize (Overanalyze) was third. Hard Not to Love was a $400,000 KEESEP yearling. In addition to Canadian champion Wonder Gadot, she is also a half to stakes winner and graded stakes placed Solemn Tribute (Medaglia d’Oro). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Mercedes Stables, Scott Dilworth, David & Dorothy Ingordo & Steve Mooney. B-Anderson Farms Ont. Inc (On). T-John Shirreffs. View the full article

For the second consecutive year, Hronis Racing LLC was recognized as leading owner via total purse earnings by the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Hronis Racing also led all owners by number of California wins and number of stakes wins. Reddam Racing LLC brought home the award for most California starts. Hronis Racing runners earned a total of $3,838,910 in California last year, with 40 victories from 253 starts, including 12 stakes wins. Reddam Racing made 300 California starts in 2018 for earnings of $3,000,690. Both winners will be recognized at TOC’s Annual Meetings at Del Mar Racetrack Saturday, Aug. 10 and at Golden Gate Fields Saturday, Oct. 19. View the full article

Spendthrift Farm and Town and Country’s Get the Prize (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}–Hondo’s Way, by Giant’s Causeway) strode home a dominant three-length winner of his debut at Fair Grounds Saturday. The bay colt, an 8-1 shot, was away well and was soon at the head of affairs, setting fractions of :22.04 and :45.73 with New Frontier (Speightstown) in close attendance. He extended his advantage down the lane and continued to find more even as Bourbon Calling (Dialed In) closed late for second. New Frontier was third. The time for the six furlongs was 1:09.85. Get the Prize, a $125,000 Keeneland September yearling, sold for $410,000 after working a quarter in :21 flat at last year’s OBS March sale. His dam is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Nothing But Fun (Dixie Union). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $25,800. O-Spendthrift Farm & Town and Country. B-Diamond A Racing Corp (Ky). T-A Stall, Jr. View the full article

3rd-OP, $93K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 3:08 p.m. Todd Pletcher unveils a half-brother to his former pupil, MGSW and GI Belmont S. runner-up Commissioner (A.P. Indy), in INTREPID HEART (Tapit). Purchased for $750,000 at OBS April after breezing in :10 2/5, the gray is also a half to GSW & GISP Laugh Track (Distorted Humor); and the dam of Pletcher-trained brothers Vino Rosso (Curlin), winner of last term’s GII Wood Memorial S., and GSP ‘TDN Rising Star’ So Alive (Super Saver). The Robert and Lawana Low colorbearer is out of the Touch Gold mare Flaming Heart, a two-time stakes winner and GSP. Also debuting in this spot is Calumet Farm homebred Good as Money (Uncle Mo). The Steve Asmussen pupil is a son of two-time Canadian champion and millionaire Financingavailable (Kiridashi). TJCIS PPs View the full article

KARAMA (f, 3, Kitten’s Joy–Safarjal {Ire}, by Marju {Ire}) entered this debut with some hype, and came out of it with the ‘TDN Rising Star’ distinction. Pounded down to 9-5 despite a pedigree that seemed to lean particularly to turf, she zipped right out to a clear advantage through opening splits of :22.42 and :45.07. The homebred was still in command past the quarter pole, and was always doing plenty to fend off High Road (Quality Road) by about four lengths in 1:23.19. Karama hails from an extremely deep female family that includes highest-level winners like Nashwan, Nayef, Ghanaati, Lahudood (GB). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Shadwell Stable. B-Shadwell Farm LLC (Ky). T-Michael V Pino. View the full article

Copper Bullet will stretch out in his season debut Feb. 18 at Oaklawn Park, where he will take on an evenly matched field of 13 other older horses in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) going 1 1/16 miles. View the full article

13:00 Huntingdon Mr Pumblechook started his hurdle career with a couple of promising placed efforts in races that have both produced subsequent winners, so it was no surprise to see him gain his first victory at the third time of asking when romping home by ten lengths at Plumpton in December. He found Listed company […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Sunday 17th February appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

European Exports is a series where we catch up with people who have left their home countries to make a new life in racing in America. Today, we speak with Coolmore’s Robyn Murray. TDN: Where are you originally from? RM: I’m from Middleham in North Yorkshire, and it’s quite a big horse racing town. We have around 15 to 20 trainers there at any one time like Mark Johnston and Karl Burke, so I grew up around horses. My family was kind of involved in ownership. It was a fantastic place to be, getting to see some incredible horses. TDN: Did you work in racing there before coming over to America? RM: I did. I started off working in racing, and I rode out for a little while. I certainly wasn’t going to be the next Frankie Dettori, but I enjoyed it at the time. And then from working in racing I went on and did the English National Stud Course and took it from there. I was very lucky to be able to travel. I went to New Zealand, to Australia, to Ireland, and then came over here three years ago and haven’t left since. TDN: Is there anything you miss about home? RM: Not really. Obviously the weather’s a little bit chillier here during the winter, but I still get to go backwards and forwards because everything is so international you get to see everyone when the sales and the racing are on. {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"European Exports With Robyn Murray","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/311903279.sd.mp4?s=9d6478d34f34a7d4c5c080d9de946f45ffa373fc&profile_id=164","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/314514672.sd.mp4?s=a306d293085e5b37b7a8153e8ad79633640c115a&profile_id=164","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} TDN: What do you like about working in racing in America? RM: We’re so incredibly lucky here with having Keeneland just down the road for the racing and the sales, and Churchill Downs just up the road as well. It’s quite incredible to be so close by to everything and also Lexington is a beautiful place. There’s a lot of us English and Irish over here as well which kind of makes it like a home away from home. TDN: When you go back home, does your family make any comments on your accent? RM: A couple of people mentioned a slight American twang but then also people said Irish as well, which I guess considering I work around so many Irish people; neither way is a bad thing, but I think I’ve still got the Yorkshire hint in there. View the full article

Since racing on the Southern California circuit moved to Santa Anita Park the day after Christmas, KMN Racing's homebred Apache Princess has been unstoppable. View the full article

Copper Bullet will stretch out in his season debut on Presidents Day at Oaklawn Park where he will take on an evenly matched field of 13 other older horses in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) going 1 1/16 miles. View the full article

The Haefner family’s Moyglare Stud outside Maynooth in County Kildare has been a bastion of Irish breeding and racing now for half a century, and the farm’s black-and-white bodied silks have become part of the furniture of Irish flat racing. The stud’s association with Dermot Weld must be one of the longest- running in racing at the moment and despite the lack of a Group 1 winner since Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) landed the G1 Prince Of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot in 2015, such is the quality of the broodmare band that surely it can only be a matter of time before another top-level winner emerges from the Moyglare production line. The continued use of a stallion such as Galileo (Ire) will also surely give Moyglare Stud every chance of unearthing another star and, according to Moyglare’s bloodstock advisor Fiona Craig, that is who Free Eagle’s dam Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill) will visit this year. It will be a case of sooner rather than later also as the 16-year-old, who is also the dam of MGSWs Custom Cut (Ire) (Notnowcato {GB}) and Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), is empty this year having been rested in 2018. Another mare penciled in for a date with Coolmore’s perennial champion is Discreet Marq (Discreet Cat), a $2.4-million purchase by Moyglare at Fasig-Tipton in November 2014. She had won the GI Del Mar Oaks for previous owner and breeder Patricia A Generazio and was given a chance by Moyglare to add to that tally under trainer Christophe Clement. A Grade III win and a third in both the GI Matriarch S. and the GI Just The Game S. followed before retirement to the paddocks. All her matings so far have been with Galileo and she is due to foal in April. “Discreet Marq’s first foal is now a 2-year-old, a Galileo filly and she is training away in Dermot Weld’s and she is a nice filly,” Craig said. “We saw enough quality in the 2-year-old to keep the link with Galileo and have a lovely yearling colt out her also so it made sense to go back again this year.” Another American Grade I winner in the Moyglare broodmare band is Switch (Quiet American), who landed an elite double when winning the GI La Brea S. and GI Santa Monica S. at Santa Anita in late 2010 and early 2011. The 12-year-old is one of three Moyglare mares due to Galileo this year but she will be covered by Invincible Spirit (Ire) this season. Sea The Stars (Ire) is the choice for two of Moyglare’s black- type mares in Carla Bianca (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and Joailliere (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Carla Bianca won three stakes races in a row for Dermot Weld in 2014 and added to that tally when landing the G3 Meld S. in 2015. She was covered by Dubawi (Ire) for her first two seasons as a broodmare and is due this month. “Her first foal was a grey Dubawi filly which is always a positive for us and she is due to foal another Dubawi any day now,” Craig said. Joailliere was well-placed by Weld to gain her stakes win in a listed race at Dortmund in Germany in 2016, having been third in two Group 3s at The Curragh earlier that season and is expecting to Frankel (GB) and is also due this month. Only one mare on the farm is currently carrying a Sea The Stars foal and that is the great producer Es Que (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), the dam of four stakes winners including G1 Hong Kong Vase winner Dominant (Ire) (Cacique {Ire}) and last year’s G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris winner Listen In (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Es Que is one of two Moyglare mares who will visit Tally-Ho Stud stallion Kodiac (GB) this year, the other being former Ballymacoll Stud mare Liber Nauticus (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}). The G3 Musidora S. winner was purchased out of the Ballymacoll dispersal for 425,000gns in 2017 and since then her second produce, the 3-year-old filly Miss Celestial (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), has gotten the mare off to a good start winning twice as juvenile last year for Sir Mark Prescott and achieving a rating of 90. Liber Nauticus is currently carrying to Muhaarar (GB) and is due the middle of March. Apart from those going to Galileo, four other mares are also Coolmore-bound, with Group 3 winner Afternoon Sunlight (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a half-sister to G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Casual Conquest (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}), booked into Camelot (GB), while the recently retired Chateau La Fleur (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a winner at Dundalk in December, will have Fastnet Rock (Aus) as her first partner. Knowing You (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) continued to race last year while in foal to Mastercraftsman (Ire), but she didn’t manage to add to her two wins achieved the previous year and she will be covered by Zoffany (Ire) this year while Colour Bright (Ire) (Dream Ahead), a half-sister to Tha’Ir (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), will be tried with Starspangledbanner (Aus) as soon as she delivers her Nathaniel (Ire) foal. Other Irish studs to receive Moyglare support include Ballylinch Stud with Sorelle Delle Rose (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a winning full-sister to the remarkable Sovereign Debt (Ire), visiting Lope De Vega (Ire) and Derrinstown Stud, whose Tamayuz (GB) has been chosen to cover the multiple winning flat stakes performer and dual Grade 1-winning hurdler Unaccompanied (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Eight mares are scheduled to travel abroad to either England or France to be covered and they include Majestic Silver (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}), the dam of Carla Bianca and Joailliere. The 13-year-old was rested last year and will be covered this year by Dalham Hall lynch-pin Dubawi (Ire). Also Newmarket-bound are Rose De Pierre (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Terrific (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who are booked into Juddmonte’s Kingman (GB). Rose De Pierre, a stakes-winning daughter of the great race mare Profound Beauty (Ire) (Danehill), is carrying her first foal by Siyouni (Fr). Former Coolmore mare Terrific (Ire), a stakes-placed full-sister to Group 1 winners Jan Vermeer (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), was bought by Moyglare Stud for $1.9-million at Keeneland November in 2015. She was in foal to War Front at the time and that subsequent produce, a now 3-year-old colt called Tranchee (Ire), made a debut full of promise when third to G1 Vertem Futurity S. winner Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) at Naas last September and holds an entry in this year’s G1 Investec Epsom Derby and G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas. Terrific was covered last year by Fastnet Rock (Aus) and the timing of this interview was perfect. “Terrific actually foaled a lovely filly at 6.30 a.m. this morning,” Craig revealed on Tuesday. “We have been trying for ages to get a Fastnet Rock but we’ve had some bad luck up to this so we are delighted,” she added. Terrific also has a Dansili (GB) 2-year-old filly to hopefully represent her on the racecourse this year. Her name is Lilli Milena (Ire) and is the subject of a good homework report from Rosewell House. Both multiple stakes winner Mad About You (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) and her winning daughter Malinka (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) are also heading across the water with Mad About You scheduled to visit Muhaarar (GB) when she delivers her Dark Angel (Ire) foal. Meanwhile Malinka, who is due to Kodiac will, go to Whitsbury Manor stud to be covered by Showcasing (GB). Espoir D’soleil (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a half-sister to Afternoon Sunlight, will be covered for the first time this year and the Moyglare team have chosen leading French stallion Siyouni (Fr) to start her off. Moyglare Stud also keep a number of mares in America and among some familiar names who will be covered there are Tocco d’Amore (Ire) (Raven’s Pass). The 2015 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale topper obviously had her training issues, having run only twice, but she undoubtedly was talented as she went unbeaten in those two starts including in a listed race at Naas. The granddaughter of Flame Of Tara (GB) (Artaius) is being sent to War Front for her first cover while a return visit to the Claiborne stallion is the plan for G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Princess Highway (Street Cry {Ire}) who was also covered by War Front last March. “It was hard to find the right cover for Tocco d’Amore here as she is out of a Sadler’s Wells mare so we thought War Front might suit as she is a big staying type of mare,” Craig said. “We’ve been short of a star or two the last few years but we have retired some really nice mares in recent years that will hopefully be capable of producing some proper group winners. Unlike a lot of studs we are happier when we have filly foals as they are the future of the stud. We had some nice backend juveniles emerge last year like Mia Maria (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and Kiss For A Jewel (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and we are hoping they may develop into group-class fillies this year, as that’s really what we are trying to do here.” View the full article

French jockey Alexis Badel has crammed plenty into the final weeks of his stay in Hong Kong and the 28-year-old hopes the party is not finished just yet as he heads into the final meeting of his contract at Sha Tin on Sunday. He’s had a winner at the past two meetings, taking his tally for this stint to 10, and has also been busy away from the track as he prepares to say goodbye to the city where he has spent the last three winters. “I’ve been out quite a lot because I wanted... View the full article

John Size lives in hope of a Group One boilover in Sunday’s Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m), saying his duo of Beat The Clock and Conte are poised to strike if champion Beauty Generation is not on his A game. The master trainer said the clash – which sees the like of Beauty Generation and Conte dropping in distance while Beat The Clock steps up – makes for a “fascinating” race. Beauty Generation narrowly beat home Beat The Clock in the same race last year... View the full article

Superstar mare Winx easily won her 30th consecutive race Saturday as she began what is expected to be a farewell autumn campaign before drawing a close on her incredible career. View the full article

Winx won her 30th straight race to extend an Australian record on Saturday, dominating down the Royal Randwick home straight to claim her third Apollo Stakes. View the full article

Winx won her 30th straight race to set an Australian record on Saturday, dominating down the Royal Randwick home straight to claim her third Apollo Stakes. View the full article

Winx’s place in history is assured whether she wins the Apollo Stakes or not. View the full article

A measured ride by jockey Rafael Hernandez put Somelikeithotbrown in the winner's circle after the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes Feb. 15 at Turfway Park. View the full article

Simply Brilliant lines up for his first Group One contest in Sunday’s Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup, but he is not just be representing his connections, he is flying the flag for his super sire Frankel. The Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained galloper comes into the event after an impressive victory in the Group Three January Cup at Happy Valley and has been a model of consistency since arriving in Hong Kong from Britain in early 2017. Bred by Cheveley Park Stud and formerly among the 220-odd horses... View the full article

A’Isisuhairi and Krisna suspended View the full article

Former jockey agent Carolyn Conley will join Kentucky Equine Research (KER) as Thoroughbred Specialist effective Feb. 18. In addition to serving as agent for Brice Blanc and Stewart Elliott in California, Conley also hosted racing coverage and reported live on location for HorseRacing TV. She has also been a print journalist for the Dubai Racing Club and was a former exercise rider at both Southern California and Washington tracks. In her new role, Conley will work with Thoroughbred trainers, owners, and managers to match their stables with the proper equine nutrition products. Based in Versailles, Kentucky, KER advances the industry’s knowledge of equine nutrition and exercise physiology. View the full article

Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the GI Awesome Again S. and of the G2 UAE Derby, will begin his stallion career at Haras Abolengo, one of the most important argentinian farms, the same farm that bred champion and successful stallion Candy Ride (Arg) (Ride the Rails). Mubtaahij will join Abolengo’s stallion roster in association with his owner Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, who will support him with his broodmare band in Argentina. “Alejandro García Romero, manager of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa in Argentina, presented me with the opportunity to repeat the agreement we had made some years ago with UAE Triple Crown winner Asiatic Boy (Arg) (Not for Sale) and, after studying the horse we reached an agreement that will allow us to incorporate in our stallion barn a horse with excellent running power and great ability,” said Julio Menditeguy, owner of Haras Abolengo. Mubtaahij will stand along John F. Kennedy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Long Island Sound (War Front), Equal Stripes (Arg) (Candy Stripes) and Cosmic Trigger (Arg) (Sunray Spirit), the latter an undefeated half-brother to Candy Ride. View the full article

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), a not-for-profit grassroots organization that serves as Kentucky’s equine economic advocate, held its third annual KEEP Day in Frankfort Feb. 12. Representatives of the horse industry, ranging from racetrack and sport horse organization executives to administrators and students from equine academic fields to small horse operation owners, met with legislators. Topics discussed included the industry’s support for House Bill 175, which would make sports wagering legal in Kentucky, and Senate Bill 81, which would provide equine program funding at public institutions in the state. Bills recently introduced on equine cruelty were also on the menu of discussions. “Bringing together all of these different groups from the horse industry is critical to our work,” said Speaker of the House David Osborne, “because it shows lawmakers that the horse industry is speaking with a unified voice on the issues that impact them most. We certainly understand the importance that horses have in this state and appreciate KEEP bringing a full representation of the industry to Frankfort.” The horse industry generates $3.4 billion within the Commonwealth and its economy, KEEP says. View the full article