Wandering Eyes

O’KEEFFE (f, 2, Munnings–Coco Ecolo {SP, $170,222}, by Johannesburg) showed speed and dug in late to graduate at first asking on the Arlington polytrack. Picked up for $275,000 at OBS March after breezing a furlong in :10 flat, the dark bay was away in midpack as the 3-5 choice but soon blitzed to the front from her outside draw to show the way through a :22.86 quarter. Challenged by $250,000 OBSMAR grad Agi’s Cait (Tale of the Cat) into the final furlong, O’Keeffe found another gear late to repel that foe by 1 1/2 lengths on the wire in :52.34. The winner has a yearling half-brother by Quality Road and her dam was bred to Clubhouse Ride last season. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $19,200. O-Carolyn Wilson; B-K & G Stables (KY); T-Larry Rivelli. View the full article

The biggest news in racing last week was the decision to pull Audible (Into Mischief) from the GI Belmont S. The decision was made by trainer Todd Pletcher, who said he wasn’t happy with the way the horse was training. Audible is a $500,000 purchase at the 2-year-old sales and, now, will not be facing Justify (Scat Daddy), a $500,000 purchase at the yearling sales and a horse going for the Triple Crown in the $1.5 million Belmont. Both are owned by a collection of owners led by WinStar Farm and the China Horse Club, two of the sport’s most prominent and richest owners. Then there were the reports that the goliath Coolmore is going to step in and pay $60 million for the breeding rights for Justify, a development WinStar has said is still up in the air. Those are head-spinning numbers and further evidence that the sport has never been more skewed toward the wealthiest, most prominent breeders and owners. They have the most money, they buy the best horses, they hire the best trainers, they seem to win all the major races. This is America. Nothing wrong with that. Then again, isn’t is nice to see the little guy with the over-achieving horse do some good every once in a while? That’s owner Adam Staple and his gelding Page McKenney (Eavesdropper). The story begins way back in 2013 when Staple, then a poker dealer at the Las Vegas casinos, decided to claim a horse. Trainer Mary Eppler saw something she liked in Page McKenney and claimed the horse on behalf of Staple for $16,000. It certainly wasn’t about the pedigree. Sire Eavesdropper now stands in Libya. Yes, Libya. Whenever you claim a horse for $16,000, you’re not expecting much, and Staple was perfectly happy when Page McKenney went on to win a $25,000 claimer and a starter allowance. He was just getting started. Page McKenney won a Pennsylvania-bred stakes race at Penn National in August 2014. It was his first of 14 stakes wins, and two of them are graded wins. He has 22 wins overall. The latest came Saturday at Monmouth in the GIII Salvator Mile. Sent off at 7-1, he won by a half-length over Shaft of Light (Smart Strike). His career earnings now stand at $1,870,940. “There are so many big owners now and with all these big powerhouses doing these partnerships, it’s harder and harder for the little guy to fit in and win graded races,” said Staple. “You don’t want to think you’re the last of a dying breed, but sometimes I feel that way. When you win with a horse like this, you really do think, ‘Hooray for the little guy.’ It really is a special thing.” Page McKenney earned $354,400 in 2017, but finished the year with an eighth-place finish in the GIII Harlan’s Holiday S. Off that race and with the horse having turned eight, Staple began to wonder if the run was over. Instead, the gelding started off 2018 with a win in a restricted stakes at Gulftstream and then finished a competitive fourth in the GII Gulfstream Park Hardacre Mile S. The Salvator Mile was not an easy field, but Page McKenney was clearly best. “Every time you think it’s winding down and then you see it’s not over yet,” Staple said. “He’s been training so well and has no physical ailments at all.” Page McKenney has never started in a Grade I race and has made only seven starts in graded company. Staple says he sometimes regrets not trying the toughest level of competition at least once, but says that Eppler has managed the horse perfectly and that’s a primary reason Page McKenney is still going strong at age eight. “Mary has been trying not to do over do it with him,” he said. “For him to maintain his form for this long, you just shake your head and realize it’s just part of the whole insanity of this story.” The Salvator Mile is part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series and there are bonuses given to the point leaders in each division. The GIII Philip H. Iselin S. is next on the MATCH schedule, so that is likely where Page McKenney will go next. With the money he’s made with Page McKenney, Staple has bought some other horses, but none have turned out to be anything like the star of the stable. With Page McKenney now eight, Staple realizes the run can’t last much longer. When it ends, he knows his life is going to change. “You can’t stop worrying that things are going to start winding down and if the rest of the barn isn’t performing especially well, all of that is going to make a big difference,” he said. “I’m still an average middle class guy and that gives you a different perspective on life. Losing a horse like this affects someone like me a lot more than the WinStars or Coolmores of the world. They can always move on to the next great horse. I can’t. It really forces you to reflect on life and how, for me, it won’t be long until things are back to normal.” A Big Day for Accelerate With Justify rightly grabbing all the headlines this year, with Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) dominating in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational and with West Coast (Flatter) considered the leading active older horse in the country, Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky) has flown under the radar this year. But it’s time to take him seriously and, if Justify does not win the Belmont, as a possible Horse of the Year candidate. He turned in a 111 Beyer when cruising to an easy 4 1/4-length win in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita. The field may not have been what he will see in a GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, but it was far from soft. It included City of Light (Quality Road), who had just beaten Accelerate in the GII Oaklawn H., and the vastly improved Dr. Dorr (Lookin at Lucky) from the Bob Baffert stable. Accelerate has never been better and runs his best races at a mile-and-a-quarter, which bodes well for his chances in the Classic. As a side note, it looks like this may have been the last ever Gold Cup, which used to be the Hollywood Gold Cup. All indications are that Santa Anita will move the GI Santa Anita Handicap to the same date on the calender as that race very much to needs to get away from the GI Dubai World Cup, a race it has little chance of competing with. The Battle of the Brothers Here’s a rarity: Little brother Brother Chub (Hey Chub) got the better of his big brother Chublicious (Hey Chub) in Saturday’s John J. Reilly Handicap at Monmouth for New Jersey-breds. The 6-year-old won by 2 1/2 lengths over the 7-year-old. Both are out of the mare Sassy Broad and were bred by Joe-Dan Farm. It was the fourth straight win for Brother Chub. View the full article

Terry Hamilton and Brian Lynch are nothing if not persistent, especially where 7-year-old Heart to Heart is concerned. View the full article

With a heavy downpour overnight in Louisville, trainer Bob Baffert's assistant Jimmy Barnes slightly adjusted the plans for undefeated Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Justify May 27. View the full article

Jockey Tommy Berry arrived in Hong Kong late last summer with the highest of hopes as the number one rider for the almighty John Moore stable. But the winners were few and far between and that retainer ended several weeks ago, with just 13 victories from the first 74 meetings to show for it. Berry had trialled ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal) to the satisfaction of Hong Kong’s stewards ahead of his run in the G1 Audemars Piguet QE II Cup a month ago, but the Aussie had already committed to Japan’s Danburite (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) and watched as Pakistan Star sailed home to a ground-breaking success. Given a golden opportunity by trainer Tony Cruz to take the ride aboard Pakistan Star in Sunday’s G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, Berry produced the 5-year-old in upper stretch and the duo went on to a never-in-doubt success. “I..have to thank Tony and the connections,” Berry told HKJC’s Andrew Hawkins after riding his third winner on the program. “I know myself, if I’d told the connections that I was going to put on a jockey that had ridden 13 winners and that was out of form, I’d be second-guessing what Tony was doing, but they have stuck solid since I rode him in the trial before the QEII. There were nights I’d be laying in bed, waiting for the call to tell me that I wasn’t on him because my form hadn’t been good enough. “Today, though, I’ve been in the zone and it’s felt like everything used to be for me,” he continued. “It’s amazing when you get here on a day like this and you have Tony and the connections trusting you with a horse like this, it gives you confidence. Hopefully this is a turning point, it’s been a tough season but today means a lot.” Trying the metric mile and a half for the firs time, Pakistan Star fell out of the gates and edged down on to the rails to slipstream his stablemate Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), the second choice off his course-and-distance tour-de-force in the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup H. three weeks back. As expected, there was no pace on whatsoever–the 1200m split was a dawdling 1:17.49–but Pakistan Star always had the front-runner in his sights, and when Eagle Way (Aus) (More Than Ready) rolled up three wide on the turn, Berry pressed the button and was alongside Exultant as heads were turned for home. From there, it was academic, even if Pakistan Star felt a crack of the whip inside the final furlong, as he finished his final 400m in :21.70 to post a convincing success. Gold Mount (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}), runner-up to Pakistan Star in the QE II, ran on smartly from the tail to complete a Cruz-trained 1-2-3. The conditioner confirmed Pakistan Star would be put away for the rest of the year, with the International Races in December his next major objective. “It’s going to be an all-domestic programme I think,” Cruz said. “The fact he sees out 2400m means that we could consider the [G1 Longines Hong Kong] Vase, but the [G1 Longines Hong Kong] Cup is the biggest race in Hong Kong and he might be the best horse here. I think the 2000m suits him better, too.” WATCH: Pakistan Star doubles his Group 1 tally Sunday Pedigree Notes: Bred by Gestut Wittekindshof, Pakistan Star caught the eye of the HKJC’s Mark Richards at the 2014 Arqana August Yearling Sale and plucked him out for €180,000. Despite rogue antics at the HKIS breeze-up, he realised a nice profit for the Club, selling for HK$6 million, and was turned over to Cruz. The winner’s dam is a multiple stakes-winning daughter of Group 1 winner Next Gina, while third dam Night Petticoat won the 1996 G2 Preis der Diana and was responsible for highweight and 2002 G1 Deutsches Derby hero Next Desert (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}) as well as four other black-type earners. A Mastercraftsman (Ire) half-sister to Pakistan Star fetched €235,000 from Bertrand Le Metayer at last year’s BBAG September Yearling Sale–third-highest price at the auction–and Nina Celebre foaled a filly from the first crop of Golden Horn (GB) in 2017 that is set to be consigned to this year’s Tattersalls October Sale by Stauffenberg Bloodstock. Pakistan Star is one of 19 individual top-level scorers for his sire, a son of the late Giant’s Causeway. Other Group 1-winning sons of Shamardal in Hong Kong include Able Friend (Aus) and Dan Excel (Ire). Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong STANDARD CHARTERED CHAMPIONS & CHATER CUP-G1, HK$10,000,000 (£951,278/€1,085,406/A$1,681,286/ US$1,274,290), Sha Tin, 5-26, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:27.42, gd/fm. 1–PAKISTAN STAR (GER), 126, g, 5, by Shamardal 1st Dam: Nina Celebre (Ire) (MSW-Ger, SP-Ity), by Peintre Celebre 2nd Dam: Next Gina (Ger), by Perugino 3rd Dam: Night Petticoat (Ger), by Petoski (GB) ‘TDN Rising Star‘ (€180,000 Ylg ’14 ARQAUG; HK$6,000,000 HRA ’16 HKIS). O-Kerm Din; B-Gestut Wittekindshof; T-Tony Cruz; J-Tommy Berry; HK$5,700,000. Lifetime Record: 16-5-5-0, HK$35,656,200. Click for the eNicks report & five-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+. 2–Exultant (Ire), 126, g, 4, Teofilo (Ire)–Contrary (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). O-Eddie Wong Ming Chak; B-Ballygallon Stud Limited; T-Tony Cruz; HK$2,200,000. 3–Gold Mount (GB), 126, g, 5, Excellent Art (GB)–Dolcetto (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (10,000gns Ylg ’14 TATOCT). O-Pan Sutong; B-Mrs L H Field; T-Tony Cruz; HK$1,000,000. Margins: 1 3/4, 2 3/4, 1. Odds: 7-10, 12-5, 29-5. Also Ran: Eagle Way (Aus), Chemical Charge (Ire). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today’s Observations features a well-bred Flaxman Stables representative. 2.20 Saint-Cloud, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 2yo, f, 6fT Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd’s PATH OF TOTALITY (War Front), a supplementary entry for this debut, is a half-sister to last term’s G3 Flame of Tara S. victress Liquid Amber (Kitten’s Joy) out of MGSW GI Personal Ensign S., GI Spinster S. and GI Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic placegetter Pachattack (Pulpit). The Andre Fabre incumbent faces nine rivals including Vrai (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who is kin to 2011 G1 Middle Park S. runner-up and G2 Railway S.-winning sire Lilbourne Lad (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), from the Henri-Francois Devin barn. 3.05 Windsor, Cond, £5,800, 2yo, 6f 12yT SO HI STORM (IRE) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) is a half-brother to Xtension (Ire) (Xaar {GB}), who annexed the 2009 Vintage S. as well as hitting the board in that term’s G1 Dewhurst S. and the following year’s G1 Prix Jean Prat before posting a career high in Sha Tin’s 2011 G1 Champions Mile. Opposition to the Karl Burke trainee includes fellow Northern raider Seductive Moment (Ger) (Shamardal), who is a son of 2006 G3 Prix Chloe victress Sexy Lady (Ger) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), representing the Mark Johnston stable. View the full article

Now that Carlos Laffon-Parias has his trip right, SARL Darpat’s Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper) is a force to be reckoned with and was able to build on his return success in Saint-Cloud’s G2 Prix du Muguet over a mile at the start of the month to garner Sunday’s G1 Churchill Coolmore Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp. Tackling another 300 metres here, last year’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club third was confidently anchored in last early by Olivier Peslier eight lengths off his useful pacemaker Oriental (Jpn) (Smart Strike). Sent up the inner turning for home, the 4-5 favourite showed the acceleration that differentiates a group 1 horse from the rest to cut down the British raider Almodovar (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) passing the furlong pole en route to a 1 3/4-length success. Recoletos’s trainer is looking at taking on Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the June 19 G1 Queen Anne S. now. “It was not the plan to be held up in last place, but he broke slowly which he can do once in a while,” Laffon-Parias explained. “We had a good pacemaker and a top-class jockey. There is no stress when Olivier Peslier is in the saddle, because he never panics. We’ve won so many top-class races together and my career owes him so much. He gets older, but is always at the top of his game so why change a winning partnership? Running here was the logical step after winning the Muguet, but we will now revert to a mile and go to the Queen Anne S.” Following his prior group wins in the Muguet, G2 Prix Greffulhe and G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange, Recoletos is out of the unraced Highphar (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}) whose 3-year-old filly Castellar (Fr) (American Post {GB}) took the G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud for the same connections on Monday. They share their GII Garden City Breeders’ Cup H.-winning second dam Pharatta (Ire) (Fairy King) with the G3 Premio Verziere scorer Cartaya (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), while Pharatta is kin to the G2 Premio Ribot and G2 Grosser Preis von Dusseldorf-winning sire Crimson Tide (Ire) and two other useful performers in Tamarind (Ire) and Arosa (Ire) all by Sadler’s Wells. The third dam Shademah (Ire) (Thatch) is a half-sister to the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Shakapour (Ire) (Kalamoun {GB}) and is also the dam of the G1 English and Irish Derby hero Shahrastani (Nijinsky II). Highphar’s 2-year-old is a full-sister to Recoletos named Villalar (Fr). Sunday, Longchamp, France CHURCHILL COOLMORE PRIX D’ISPAHAN-G1, €250,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-27, 4yo/up, 9f 55yT, 1:52.80, g/s. 1–RECOLETOS (FR), 128, c, 4, by Whipper 1st Dam: Highphar (Fr), by Highest Honor (Fr) 2nd Dam: Pharatta (Ire), by Fairy King 3rd Dam: Sharata (Ire), by Darshaan (GB) 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-SARL Darpat France (FR); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias; J-Olivier Peslier. €142,850. Lifetime Record: 10-6-0-1, €612,833. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Almodovar (Ire), 128, g, 6, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Melodramatic (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells. O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-Roger Charlton. €57,150. 3–Trais Fluors (GB), 128, c, 4, Dansili (GB)–Trois Lunes (Fr), by Manduro (Ger). O/B-Haras de Saint Pair (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €28,575. Margins: 1 3/4, 2, 1GF. Odds: 0.80, 5.50, 6.60. Also Ran: Taareef, Wild Chief (Ger), Oriental (Jpn). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Labelled a TDN Rising Star due to her exciting early juvenile form, the Niarchos Family’s Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) picked the right stage to mount a serious comeback after some worrying reversals to annexe Sunday’s G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh. Attracting support into 12-1, the imposing grey who was only 10th in the G3 Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial over seven furlongs on heavy ground at Leopardstown Apr. 14 was always comfortable travelling towards the rear under Colm O’Donoghue. Allowing Ballydoyle’s 33-1 shot Could It Be Love (War Front) a sizeable advantage, the homebred steadily gathered her in and despite drifting left late on managed to do so to score by 1 3/4 lengths, with 3/4 of a length back to the 5-4 favourite Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in third. View the full article

It was not surprising to see a son of Deep Impact (Jpn) take Sunday’s G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), but it was not the one most would have expected, with Wagnerian (Jpn) posting a mild 12-1 upset and the heavily favoured 2-year-old champion Danon Premium (Jpn) checking in sixth in a blanket finish after being bottled up on the rail through the stretch run. Wagnerian went unbeaten in three starts at two, including the G3 Hai Nisai S. over 1800 metres at Tokyo in November, and he was 1 1/2 lengths second to Danon Premium on seasonal debut in the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi S. up to 2000 metres on Mar. 4. The bay perhaps lost some favour with punters, however, when checking in just seventh behind Epoca d’Oro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) over that same trip in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) on Apr. 15. It was Epoca d’Oro who bounced out of the barriers to grab the lead in the Tokyo Yushun, while Danon Premium scored a sweet spot on the fence and right on his heels from the one hole. Wagnerian was forced wide around the first bend from gate 17, and settled about five lengths off the pace and three wide down the backstretch. As they turned into the straight, Danon Premium didn’t appear to initially respond when his rider went to the whip, and he was soon locked into a pocket as Cosmic Force (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and Wagnerian drew alongside, with Epoca d’Oro clinging to the lead. Wagnerian at last hit the lead under a drive just strides from the wire as an onslaught of late runners surged to make it a tight finish. Pedigree Notes… Deep Impact won the 2005 Tokyo Yushun on his way to the Japanese Triple Crown, and Wagnerian is his fourth winner of the Classic as a sire, following Deep Brilliante (Jpn) in 2009, Kizuna (Jpn) the following year and Makahiki (Jpn) in 2013. Wagnerian is Deep Impact’s 36th Group 1 winner. Wagnerian is out of Miss Encore (Jpn), a daughter of Deep Impact’s Shadai barnmate King Kamehameha (Jpn) who has also produced the listed-winning and Group 3-placed Tenderly Voice (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Sunday, Tokyo, Japan TOKYO YUSHUN (JAPANESE DERBY)-G1, ¥419,260,000, Tokyo, 5-27, 3yo, c&f, 2400mT, 2:23.60, fm. 1–WAGNERIAN (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn) 1st Dam: Miss Encore (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn) 2nd Dam: Broad Appeal, by Broad Brush 3rd Dam: Valid Allure, by Valid Appeal 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern Farm; T-Yasuo Tomomichi; J-Yuichi Fukunaga ; ¥227,482,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0. *Full to Tenderly Voice (Jpn), SW & GSP-Jpn, $393,219. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Epoca d’Oro (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Orfevre (Jpn)–Daiwa Passion (Jpn), by Forty Niner. (¥34,000,000 wnlg ’15 JRHAJUL) O-Hidaka Breeders Union; B-Toru Tagami; ¥87,852,000. 3–Cosmic Force (Jpn), 126, c, 3, King Kamehameha (Jpn)– Mikrokosmos (Jpn), by Neo Universe (Jpn). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥53,926,000. Margins: HF, NK, NO. Odds: 11.50, 9.50, 222.70. Also Ran: Etario (Jpn), Blast Onepiece (Jpn), Danon Premium (Jpn), Go for the Summit (Jpn), Stelvio (Jpn), Admire Alba (Jpn), Stay Foolish (Jpn), Time Flyer (Jpn), Kitano Commandeur (Jpn), Sans Rival (Jpn), Grail (Jpn), Oken Moon (Jpn), Generale Uno (Jpn), Gendarme, T O Energy (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart and video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. View the full article

If anyone can empathise with Tommy Berry’s struggles in his first full-time season in Hong Kong it is fellow freshman Michael Freedman, who has endured his own challenging start to his time at Sha Tin. The two mates have had plenty of near misses together so it was fitting on Berry’s big bounce-back day that Freedman provided one of his three winners, giving the trainer a timely boost as well. “It’s nice to be part of that for sure because we’ve been good friends... View the full article

So game when second in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket three weeks ago, John Dance’s Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) had to be every bit as tough again on Sunday to register a second top-level success in the G1 The Gurkha Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary at ParisLongchamp. Sent straight to the front by PJ McDonald, last year’s G1 Fillies Mile and G2 May Hill S. heroine was tackled and briefly headed by Flowrider (Street Cry {Ire}) approaching the furlong pole and for a stride or two it looked as if she could capitulate. Rallying to see off that threat soon after, she had to take off the gloves as TDN Rising Star With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) forged up her inner using the cutaway rail but the visiting 7-10 favourite proved equal to the task to score by a short head. Trainer Karl Burke was every bit as relieved as he was delighted afterwards. “She’d definitely be better with a lead, but with today’s small field and her long action and stride we knew it’d be difficult to get one,” he admitted. “The jockey told me she was sleeping in front and would have kicked himself if she’d been beaten. She is so brave and such a fighter. She trained well after the Guineas and the initial plan was to go for the Irish 1000 Guineas, but we feared fast ground at The Curragh. After the rain fell in Paris on Friday, we decided to come here instead. She has won a group 1 as a 2-year-old and a group 1 as a 3-year-old and we’ll come back to France for the [June 17 G1] Prix de Diane [at Chantilly]. Two long road trips is perhaps too much for her in the space of three weeks, so next time we’ll fly her over. I’ve not yet won a Classic, but she’ll probably be favourite so it’ll be fingers crossed on the day.” With You’s trainer Freddy Head will also be there for the rematch and he said of the runner-up, “I’ve got mixed feelings and am disappointed to see her beaten so narrowly, but delighted to see her run so well on her first start of the year. I’ve had all manner of problems with her and haven’t been able to train her as I’d wished, so she should come on a lot for the run and we’ll bring her back in the Diane.” Laurens will undoubtedly get further than this 10-furlong trip in time, with her dam Recambe (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) a half-sister to the Hong Kong Derby hero Salford Mill (Ire) (Preintre Celebre). The third dam Raysiya (Ire) (Cure the Blues) is the second dam of the G1 Prix de l’Opera heroine Kinnaird (Ire) (Dr. Devious {Ire}). She in turn produced the G2 Royal Lodge S. scorer Berkshire (Ire) (Mount Nelson {GB}) and features as the second dam of the G2 July S. hero and G1 Middle Park S. runner-up Ivawood (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) who was also third in both the G1 English and Irish 2000 Guineas. Sunday, Longchamp, France THE GURKHA COOLMORE PRIX SAINT-ALARY-G1, €250,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-27, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:08.39, g/s. 1–LAURENS (FR), 126, f, 3, by Siyouni (Fr) 1st Dam: Recambe (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire) 2nd Dam: Razana (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire) 3rd Dam: Raysiya (Ire), by Cure the Blues (£220,000 Ylg ’16 GOUKPR). O-John Dance; B-Bloodstock Agency Ltd (FR); T-Karl Burke; J-P J McDonald. €142,850. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 6-4-2-0, €717,173. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–With You (GB), 126, f, 3, Dansili (GB)–In Clover (GB), by Inchinor (GB). O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-Freddy Head. €57,150. 3–Soustraction (Ire), 126, f, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Mathematicienne (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias. €28,575. Margins: SHD, 2, NK. Odds: 0.70, 3.00, 8.00. Also Ran: Flowrider, Tosen Gift (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Following 13 tries at the highest level, Lancaster Bomber (War Front) finally hit the jackpot as he made all in dynamic fashion in Sunday’s G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh. Looking ready for this 10 1/2-furlong trip when a rallying third behind stablemate Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in last Saturday’s G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury, the 10-3 shot was sent into the clear from the outset by Seamie Heffernan and was still bounding away as another fellow Ballydoyle trainee Cliffs of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) gave pursuit along with the 5-4 favourite Defoe (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) in the final two furlongs. It was the former of that duelling pair who won that battle, but the imposing bay up ahead was continuing to roll on and he found again to extend and prevail by two lengths, with 1 1/2 lengths back to Defoe in third. Highly effective when ridden prominently on ground quicker than good, Lancaster Bomber had managed a second under those conditions in last year’s G1 St James’s Palace S. at Royal Ascot but was also in that spot under more waiting tactics behind Oscar Performance (Kitten’s Joy) in Santa Anita’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and behind World Approval (Northern Afleet) in both the GI Woodbine Mile and GI Breeders’ Cup Mile last term. Part-owner Michael Tabor, whose silks he sports, was on hand to pay tribute to the tough customer. “He’s one of those horses who has tried his heart out every year and hasn’t quite done it, but today was his day,” he said. “I did think when he was that far clear that it is very hard for horses to make that ground up and Seamie was obviously confident he would stay the trip. Those fun horses are really invaluable.” Lancaster Bomber is the third group and fourth black-type winner for Sun Shower (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), whose best was the high-class MG1SW miler Excelebration (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) who ended up with this stable and spent the majority of his career chasing the tail of Frankel (GB). Still able to win the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois for Ballydoyle and G1 Prix du Moulin and G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) when with Marco Botti in that rival’s absence, he is also a half-brother to the MGSW nine-furlong specialist Mull of Killough (Ire) (Mull of Kintyre {Ire}). Sun Shower’s second dam Sarah Siddons (Fr) (Le Levanstell {GB}) landed the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas here and the G1 Yorkshire Oaks, as well as finishing runner-up in the G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Prix Vermeille. She produced three black-type winners, most notably the G1 Irish Oaks heroine Princess Pati (Ire) (Top Ville {Ire}) and the G2 Great Voltigeur S. winner Seymour Hicks (Fr) (Ballymore {Ire}). Still to come from Sun Shower is the as-yet unraced 3-year-old full-brother to Lancaster Bomber named Chief of War and a yearling colt again by War Front. Sunday, Curragh, Ireland TATTERSALLS GOLD CUP-G1, €300,000, Curragh, 5-27, 4yo/up, 10f 110yT, 2:14.05, g/f. 1–LANCASTER BOMBER, 129, c, 4, by War Front 1st Dam: Sun Shower (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire) 2nd Dam: Miss Kemble, by Warning (GB) 3rd Dam: Sarah Siddons (Fr), by Le Levanstell (GB) 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Sun Shower Syndicate (KY); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Seamus Heffernan. €177,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SP-Eng, MGISP-US & GISP-Can, 18-2-5-1, $1,422,743. *1/2 to Excelebration (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 7-9.5f, Hwt. Older Horse-Fr at 7-9f, MG1SW-Fr, Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 7-9.5f, MG1SW-Fr, G1SW-Eng, GSW-Ire & Ger, $2,663,259; Mull of Killough (Ire) (Mull of Kintyre), MGSW-Eng & SP-Aus, $583,787; and Shivalik Showers (Ind) (Dancing Forever), MSW-Ind. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Cliffs of Moher (Ire), 129, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)–Wave (Ire), by Dansili (GB). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Markus Jooste; B-Wave Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €60,000. 3–Defoe (Ire), 129, c, 4, Dalakhani (Ire)–Dulkashe (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Darley (IRE); T-Roger Varian. €30,000. Margins: 2, 1HF, 5HF. Odds: 3.30, 1.75, 1.25. Also Ran: Reckless Gold (Ire), Success Days (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Incentives are the hidden foundations of global racing. Ownership incentives are the reason why one in every 244 Australians is a racehorse owner. Stallion tax incentives are the reason why the Irish stallion industry grew to be a world leader. Betting incentives are the reason why the Hong Kong Jockey Club is the largest taxpayer in Hong Kong, as well as, admirably, the largest community benefactor. Want to know what levers to pull to help our sport? Examining incentives is the answer. We now are in an era where sports betting has been legalised in the U.S. and fixed odds betting terminals stakes have been reduced in the UK. With this potential decrease in racing revenues we must learn to do more with less as an imperative to the survival of our industry. Racing can’t just ensure it has incentives, we must incentivize the right people in the right areas with the right amount. Our primary incentive has traditionally been prize money. Carefully managed, the current financial resources can generate more returns and more importantly, more impactful societal change. In Silicon Valley, support was not being given to female-led start-ups. This led innovator Anu Duggal to found the Female Founders Fund which supports a generation of talented women that are building businesses. These women-led businesses have flourished and provided excellent returns allowing for support for another cohort of female entrepreneurs. Racing doesn’t have to accept its current financial proposition of prize money for performance as the only medium in which we reward investment in our industry. If we want prize money to incentivise future investment, we need to reflect on how we allocate prize money today. Horse owners are rewarded in two ways on the racecourse: prize money and capital appreciation. The current allocation system fails to acknowledge the latter. Does an increase in prize money of a Group 1 race have a corresponding impact on the talent it attracts? It’s doubtful that beyond the multi-million prize money races, that trainers are making decisions based on prize money when entering the uppermost echelon of our sport. They make these decisions hoping to enhance asset value. Racing jurisdictions should focus on increasing the minimum values of each type of race. This will provide more effective support to the grassroots where the capital appreciation effect of a win isn’t as profound, but the horse still needs to pay its way. This approach doesn’t need to be a celebration of mediocrity. Maidens deserve more support. A maiden is the very first pay out that a horse owner receives. The immediacy of that centres a buyer’s mind. If you buy a yearling and win a 40k maiden, the windfall could be a huge dent in outlay fostering further investment. We should develop our bonus initiatives but not lose sight of what we’re trying to create–a more exciting return for a wider proportion of talented racehorses that deserve that reward. An industry-backed Racing Venture Fund could redefine the incentives to having a horse in training. According to the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, prize money for racing globally is currently €3.6-billion. And yet, we’ve never seen a creative redirection of that massive resource outside further prize money initiatives. A Racing Venture Fund, just like the Female Founders Found, could set the parameters of issues it wants to support–more turf horses in the U.S., more National Hunt mares in UK and Ireland or more stayers in Australia. Buying groups could then apply for support contingent on them adhering to the criteria around purchase. The buyer could then be rewarded with a credit against sales price or perhaps staged payments against training fees (which would help trainers provide a better value offering without incurring further financial hardship). In return, the fund would receive a share of the horse which could generate further returns to tackle the issues. A Venture Fund doesn’t need to be limited to the racecourse. It could provide investment in a riding school trying to get off the ground that uses Thoroughbreds, widening the net of safe rehoming options. It could support tech starts-up looking to improve equine health but have costly initial research and developments cost. The capital costs of racing are massive, this venture fund can lessen the barriers to entry that some face and grow the pie for everyone. Incentives can be gimmicky, and an important line needs to be followed that they meet our best interests. There is no point in starting a Venture Fund if that fund will be manipulated by participants before walking away. We also can’t redirect our prize money to such an extent that it would alienate our biggest investors. However, we must explore and nuance our offering to the modern age to get the best out of what we have in our wonderful sport. So how can racing still pack a bigger punch while avoiding the gimmicks? Perhaps we need to forget about a punch and a simple nudge will do. Developed by Professor Richard Thaler (who won a Nobel Prize for his insights), nudge economic theory suggests consumer behaviour can be incentivised by small suggestions and positive reinforcements. Using nudge theory, the UK government recently circulated letters informing taxpayers that nine out of 10 people in their area pay their taxes on time, and as a result on-time tax payments increased by at least 15% in every area targeted. A taxpayer, in such a simple and clever way, feels incentivised to comply so as to adhere to social norms in their area. Racing should look to provide nudges of its own. A buyer at the sales could be told that upon buying their first horse at the sales they’ll receive discounted sales commissions for their next horse purchase as a thank you. A racegoer could be encouraged to bring their friends by sending them a discount code ahead of their birthday to come racing. A breeder could be influenced to breed to a staying stallion by reminding them that there are 50% more stakes races for horses over middle distances than sprint distances in their country. Small, inexpensive steps, but all that could lead to big results for our game. Our sport is driven by an irrational dream, that the yearling we buy will win the Kentucky Derby. That the first-season stallion we picked out is the next Snitzel. That the filly we bred is going to win the Queen Mary. Our trust in that irrationality shouldn’t prevent us from providing a better return on investment for those dreamers. Incentives can act as signposts as to how we direct the wonderful journey on which a racehorse can you bring you. We know where our levers are, it’s time we figured out how to pull them. View the full article

Paul O’Sullivan is hopeful the progressive Sacred Ibis will return next season as a better horse after the four-year-old scored an impressive victory in the Class Three California Memory Handicap (1,400m). After Class Four wins at start two and three, Sacred Ibis took time to find his groove in Class Three but O’Sullivan says an 11-week break proved just the tonic. “The two previous starts he just started to tail out and I said to the guys ‘this could become a nasty... View the full article

Tommy Berry admits he lay awake at night expecting to be punted off Pakistan Star ahead of the Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. Heading into the meeting with just 13 winners for the season – the most recent on March 25 – the 27-year-old wasn’t sure he would have put himself on if he was making the decision. But the show of faith from trainer Tony Cruz and owner Kerm Din was rewarded tenfold with a perfect ride as Pakistan Star emphatically accounted for... View the full article

Fresh off his Group One double in Singapore on Saturday, Zac Purton continued his golden run with victory aboard Winner’s Way in the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m) on Sunday. Purton delivered the “perfect” ride after Winner’s Way was a touch slow away and settled seventh in the field of eight, following the rail before pulling out at the 300m and booting to the front. For trainer Tony Cruz, Purton’s touch was crucial after Winner’s Way struggled to seventh... View the full article

Jockey Julio Felix recorded the 3,000th win of his career in a photo finish aboard Ragnar Korthase's Carnoustie on May 25 at Arlington International Racecourse. View the full article

In his seventh season of racing, Adam Staple and Jalin Stable's hard-hitting Page McKenney showed the same determination that has brought him back year after year. View the full article

Kenjisstorm found a perfect trip behind the speedy What a View and inherited the lead turning for home, but Itsinthepost surged by in the final sixteenth to win by 1 1/4 lengths. View the full article

Carlos H. Marquez, Jr. notched his 3,000th victory in North America when he guided Savemethelastdance to a two-length score in the seventh race May 26 at Arlington International Racecourse. View the full article

The Jersey Shore is known for bringing out the wild side in some. For Money Multiplier, a venture to the area has once against brought out his winning side. View the full article

American Post gelding now has seven grade 2 victories. View the full article

Rusty Arnold contemplated shipping Miss Kentucky out of town for her next stakes try. Instead, the venerable trainer opted to keep the hometown girl in her own backyard—and she responded by delivering her most impressive outing yet. View the full article

DP Racing's Sophie P (GB) figured to take a step forward in her second U.S. start, but a win in the $300,000 Gamely Stakes (G1T) May 26 was a leap. View the full article

SOPHIE P (GB) (m, 5, Bushranger {Ire}-Fountains Abbey, by Giant’s Causeway), sixth in the GII Royal Heroine Mile S. in her U.S. debut in April, came with a late flourish to out-bob Madam Dancealot (Ire) (Sire Prancealot {Ire}) and nab a lucrative Grade I. Pacesetter Madam Stripes (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}) settled for third, while even-money choice Hawksmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) could only manage fifth after a very tardy start. Previously based in Great Britain with trainer Mike Smith, Sophie P took a pair of Musselburgh handicaps last October within eight days of each other before selling for 160,000gns at Tattersalls December. Lifetime Record: 21-5-5-1. O-DP Racing. B-New Hall Stud (GB). T-James Cassidy. View the full article