Wandering Eyes

TIMONIUM, MD – With a $1.2-million son of Medaglia d’Oro leading the way, the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale concluded its two-day run in Timonium Tuesday with figures fairly in line with the auction’s 2017 results. In all, 333 juveniles grossed $24,868,500. The average dipped 2.3% to $74,680, while the median rose 8.6% to $38,000. From a catalogue of 600, 430 horses were offered and 97 failed to sell for a buy-back rate of 22.6%. That figure was 19.9% in 2017. In 2018, 28 horses sold for $200,000 or more. There were 27 hitting that mark a year ago. “It was a good sale from start to finish,” said Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett. “It was well-attended. We got people here that we haven’t seen before. It’s always good to see new faces and I think they went home with purchases that will get them into the winner’s circle quickly.” Bloodstock agent Dennis O’Neill made the biggest purchase of the auction when seeing off Donato Lanni to land a colt by Medaglia d’Oro (hip 565) for $1.2 million. It was the second year in a row the Midlantic sale produced a million-dollar juvenile. Last year’s sale was topped by a record-setting $1.5-million son of Curlin. Both juveniles were consigned by Hartley/de Renzo Thoroughbreds. “Our consignors have gotten so confident in bringing those type of horses to this marketplace,” Bennett said. “They love the racetrack and they love the area and the timing works. They’ve been rewarded in the past and are confident to keep doing it year after year.” Jimbo Gladwell, whose Top Line Sales sold 11 of 14 offered juveniles, was impressed with the depth of the market in Timonium this week, as well as buyers willing to look past a workout time. “If you put reasonable reserves on them, we’ve gotten them sold,” he said. “Reasonable reserves have gotten them moved. The top is more spotty than the bottom, there are a lot of trainers looking for good, usable, sound horses. The times aren’t playing as much a factor. It’s a breath of fresh air to have these trainers come in and just watch how they move and how they show and buy them with a little less time.” Medaglia d’Oro Colt Lights Up Midlantic Sale For the second year in a row, the Hartley/de Renzo Thoroughbreds consignment produced a seven-figure juvenile at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale when bloodstock agent Dennis O’Neill saw off a determined Donato Lanni in a protracted bidding duel to secure a colt by Medaglia d’Oro out of graded stakes winner Tapicat (Tapit) for $1.2 million Tuesday in Timonium. O’Neill was bidding on behalf of a new Middle Eastern client. “It’s a new guy from overseas,” O’Neill said of his client. “He just said he wanted the best horse in the sale and I thought this was it from day one, from the first time we laid eyes on him. We were hoping not to go that high. But we did and we’re really excited. We are looking for a Derby horse and we hope this is the one.” The youngster breezed a furlong Sunday in :10 1/5. WATCH: Hip 565’s under-tack preview “We loved the breeze obviously,” O’Neill said. “It was a sick breeze and he galloped out amazing. And then to see him on the end of a shank, we were hooked.” The colt (hip 565), the first foal out of Tapicat, was bred by Three Chimneys Farm and Besilu Stables and was purchased by Randy Hartley and Dean De Renzo for $475,000 at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale. “When I bought him, Dean wasn’t there because of the hurricane,” Hartley said Tuesday. “It was hard to buy horses at Keeneland the first day, so Dean was asking, ‘What are you all doing? You aren’t buying any horses.’ So I bought this colt and Dean showed up later. I wondered, should I let him see him or just wait until I get him home and can look him over and make sure he’s ok before Dean sees him. But I took him over to see him and he said, ‘I love him.'” Hartley/de Renzo sold seven juveniles at this year’s Midlantic sale for a total of $2,620,000 and an average of $374,286. In addition to the seven-figure juvenile, the operation sold a son of More Than Ready (hip 204) for $750,000 Monday and a colt by Tiznow (hip 533) for $425,000. The More Than Ready colt cost $500,000 as a yearling and the Tiznow was purchased for $250,000. “It’s a lot of risk to spend that much on a yearling and you worry about them from the time you get them home to the time you get them here,” Hartley said. “And you have to do the whole breeze show and everything has to go right and your horses have to perform.” Hartley said the auction’s dirt training track and placement in the calendar have made it a favorite of the operation. “For us to have a place to come later in the year to give these horses more time, it makes a big difference,” he said. “The biggest key for us is that we love training on the dirt. We buy dirt horses and for us to be able to come to a place and train and sell 2-year-olds on the dirt is very important. This sale has grown to be a top sale. People can feel good about bringing a top horse to this sale. I’ve been coming to this sale for 20 years and to see it grow is awesome.” After producing this Medaglia d’Oro colt, Tapicat sold in foal to Pioneerof the Nile to Summer Wind Equine for $2.2 million at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. She produced a colt by that sire in 2017 and a colt by Medaglia d’Oro this year. Speedy Union Rags Colt to Petersen Tangled Union, a colt by Union Rags (hip 561), who set himself apart from the crowd when he worked a bullet furlong in :10 flat Sunday in Timonium, set off fireworks in the sales ring Tuesday before ultimately going the way of California owner Michael Lund Petersen on a final bid of $925,000. The bay colt was consigned by Bobby Dodd and was purchased by Grand Oaks’s Brad Grady for $90,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling sale. “I have no words,” Dodd said of the result. “He was a nice horse. Everything went right and it ended right. That’s all I can say. I was expecting him to bring the upside of $500,000, but I didn’t know he would get that close to $1 million. I thought maybe we could get $650,000, maybe $750,000, but you never know when lightning is going to strike in this business. That’s why we do it.” While 24 juveniles shared the second fastest furlong work of :10 1/5 during last week’s under-tack preview, Tangled Union’s :10 flat work was something special, according to Dodd. WATCH: Hip 561 earned the bullet for this :10 flat move “That is huge on this racetrack,” he said. “I’ll take :10 2/5s all day on this track. :10 1/5 is awesome. :10 flat with a gallop-out like he had in :20 3/5, is unbelievable. Then he came back and he got by the veterinarians. And the horse had a good physical. We are truly blessed.” The New York-bred colt, bred by Avanti Stable, is out of Tanglewood Tale (Tale of the Cat) and is from the family of champion sprinter Housebuster. Petersen, a native of Denmark and founding shareholder in Pandora Jewelry, purchased two juveniles at the Midlantic sale. In addition to hip 561, he paid $625,000 for a colt by Mucho Macho Man (hip 278) during Monday’s first session of the auction. Both will be trained by Bob Baffert, who also trained Petersen’s Grade I winner Mor Spirit (Eskendereya). Tiznow Colt to Rice Trainer Linda Rice was extended to $425,000 to acquire a colt by Tiznow from the Hartley/de Renzo Thoroughbreds consignment late in Tuesday’s session of the Midlantic sale. Hip 533 is out of the stakes-placed Maryland-bred Southern Charmer (Dixie Union), a daughter of graded stakes winner Power Play (Fast Play) and from the family of graded stakes winner and Grade I-placed Frac Daddy. “He is a beautiful colt who worked great on the track,” Rice said after signing the ticket on the New York-bred juvenile for an undisclosed client. “He went in :10 2/5. For a horse of his size, with his pedigree, it was a magnificent breeze. His conformation is great and he has a lot of strength in his female family. We are excited to get him.” Randy Hartley and Dean de Renzo purchased the colt for $250,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale. WATCH: Hip 533 was one of several NY-breds to shine at the Midlantic Sale Bloodstock agent Jacob West, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client, went to $350,000 to acquire a son of Cairo Prince during Tuesday’s second session of the Midlantic sale. Consigned by Bobby Dodd, the juvenile is out of Perfect Pegasus (Perfect Pegasus), a half-sister to graded stakes winner Perfect Officer (Officer). Brad Grady’s Grand Oaks purchased the colt for $160,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton July sale. He worked a furlong last week in :10 2/5. “He was a lovely horse and obviously by a hot sire,” West said after signing the ticket on hip 418. “He performed well on the racetrack and jumped through all the hoops for everyone. It was pretty straightforward.” Of the colt’s destination, West added, “I don’t know if he’ll go East Coast or West Coast, they’ll figure it out.” As the juvenile sales season winds down, West saw more of the same during the two-day Midlantic sale. “It’s literally no different than any other sale,” he said. “Good horses are bringing good money. If they are bad horses, nobody wants them. It’s a love-it or hate-it market. It’s really what it’s been the last couple of years and that’s what it’s going to be for the foreseeable future.” Justin Phillip Colt Makes Sense for Centeno Victor Centeno, who served as an assistant to consignor Nick De Meric for 20 years, enjoyed a major pinhooking score of his own Tuesday in Timonium when selling a colt by Justin Phillip (hip 370) for $275,000. Centeno purchased the youngster for $6,000 as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. Consigned by Top Line Sales, the juvenile was purchased by Ro and Ward Williford. “He put the time in, trained him all year, and was rewarded,” Top Line’s Jimbo Gladwell said of Centeno. “He has done all the groundwork with him. We just took care of him here at the sale.” The chestnut colt is out of Miss Wined Up (Roman Ruler), a half-sister to graded stakes winner Midnight Hawk (Midnight Lute). He worked a furlong last week in :10 1/5. “When you get people like Mike Ryan and John Servis and other top horsemen on a horse, you get a pretty good idea he’s a good horse,” Gladwell said. “So hopefully, he’ll go on and be a good horse for them.” Allsop in Action for Big Lick Farm Carl Allsop, who has served stints with trainers Kiaran McLaughlin, Dominick Schettino, and Ralph Nicks, has teamed up with Reid Nagle and was busy in Timonium stocking Nagle’s Big Luck Farm with turf prospects. “I hooked up with him just a month ago in Ocala at Oak Ridge,” Allsop said just before heading to the operation’s Virginia base to prepare for the arrival of his three newly acquired 2-year-olds. “The plan is to house the horses in Virginia and run up and down the Midlantic, wherever we see appropriate races and the horses fit.” Nagle, former chairman of SNL Financial, decided to expand his racing operation after a successful 2017 season. “He just wants to improve on the stock and the quality,” Allsop explained. “He’s got the bug. He had a fantastic year last year. He shipped a very nice New York-bred, Lover’s Key, to Saratoga and won a stakes up there. And enjoyed every bit of it and he wants to have a repeat.” Reid trained Lover’s Key (Frost Giant), who he claimed for $50,000 last January, to a win in his Big Lick farm colors in the New York Stallion Series S. at Saratoga in August. Allsop’s shopping spree in Maryland included a $110,000 Tiznow filly (hip 5); a $65,000 Successful Appeal colt (hip 222); and a $190,000 Mineshaft filly (hip 425). “[Nagle] is targeting turf horses right now,” Allsop said. “He just likes the longevity prospects of the turf horses. And that’s where we are at right now. I think we pushed [the prices] out a little bit far today, but it’s the kind of horses he’s looking for. High risk, high reward–it’s the kind of animal you need to compete up and down that coast.” Allsop originally began working with McLaughlin in Dubai. “Kiaran McLaughlin brought me to America,” the Englishman said. “I was working for him, breaking in babies for Shadwell in Dubai. And then he invited me to join the New York operation. So I went backwards and forwards a couple of years, New York and Dubai. I stayed with him in New York when he became a public trainer.” He continued, “I was with him for five years and then discovered America was a big place with lots of opportunities. I hooked up with Dominick Schettino. I was with him for four or five years with MeB Racing and the Brooklyn Boyz. I had a great time with those guys. I teamed up with Ralph Nicks and I’ve been down south since 2013.” Nagle had been “tapping on his shoulder for a couple of years” before the two finally came up with a mutually agreeable plan. “I parted ways with Ralph Nicks last year and I’ve just been throwing a few things around,” Allsop said. “[Nagle] finally came up with a proposal and said the right things at the right time and I made a move.” Shortly after signing the ticket on his last purchase in Timonium Tuesday, Allsop was on his way to Virginia. “We will be based at Braeburn Training Center in Crozet,” he said. “It’s a great facility with a 5 1/2-furlong training track and a beautiful, safe surface. I am heading there now to set up camp with these three new ones to follow me.” View the full article

Cruiser skips past extra Mile purse, already Cup-bound View the full article

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Kranji Mile 2018 Horse Form View the full article

Just four hips after a Union Rags colt sparked a fury of bidding before hammering for $925,000, a son of Medaglia d’Oro caused another round of fireworks and Dennis O’Neill was the last man standing when the dust settled at $1.2 million, the highest price seen at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale thus far. The :10 1/5 breezed is the first foal out of GSW Tapicat (Tapit) and was bred by Three Chimneys Farm and Besilu Stable. He was purchased by consignor Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds for $475,000 at Keeneland September. View the full article

Hip 561, a son of GI Belmont S. winner Union Rags, lit up the ring in Timonium Tuesday when selling to Michael Lund Petersen for $925,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale thus far. Bred in New York by Avanti Stable, the juvenile is out of the Tale of the Cat mare Tanglewood Tale. Purchased for $90,000 by Brad Grady’s Grand Oaks at the Fasig-Tipton NY-Bred Sale, hip 561 was consigned by Bobby Dodd Tuesday. View the full article

The catalogue for the Inglis Great Southern Sale, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest weanling offering, is now available, the sales company announced early Wednesday morning. Comprised of 991 entries, the Oaklands Junction auction has been extended and will now run from June 17-21. A total of 571 weanlings and 300 broodmares are slated to go under the hammer, with weanlings by top sires like I Am Invincible (Aus), Written Tycoon (Aus), Sebring (Aus), Exceed And Excel (Aus), Lonhro (Aus), Medaglia d’Oro, Zoustar (Aus), Pierro (Aus), Fastnet Rock (Aus), Choisir (Aus), Tavistock (NZ), So You Think (NZ), and Hinchinbrook (Aus). Sires with their first weanlings to face the auction ring include Vancouver (Aus), Pride of Dubai (Aus), Dissident (Aus), Brazen Beau (Aus), Toronado (Ire), Rubick (Aus) and Night of Thunder (Ire). Last year’s sale was topped by the Group 3-winning mare Scarlet Billows (Aus) (Street Boss) (lot 497), who sold for A$460,000. Sons of More Than Ready (lot 204) and Written tycoon (lot 383) were the co-second dearest lots during the 2017 sale, selling for A$310,000 apiece during the select weanling portion. The aggregate for the four-day spread was A$15,225,700, with a clearance rate of 80%, as 665 sold of 940 catalogued. The average was A$22,896 and the median was A$9,000. “Breeders from around Victoria and from interstate have supported Great Southern with quality drafts,” commented Inglis Victoria Bloodstock Manager Simon Vivian. “It is exciting to know that such a substantial offering of quality weanlings will be on offer and I am confident there will be many pinhooking and racetrack success stories graduating from the 2018 sale.” View the full article

“Inside the Winner’s Circle, Presented by Keeneland” is a series showcasing graduates of the Keeneland September sale that have gone on to achieve success on racing’s biggest stages. When undefeated GI Kentucky Derby winner Justify (Scat Daddy) and champion Good Magic (Curlin) darted into a dense fog bank enveloping the far turn of Pimlico Race Course racing neck-and-neck at the front of the pack in Saturday’s GI Preakness S., Justify’s breeder John Gunther, just like everyone else, was left wondering what happened. After a few anxious seconds, the two chestnuts emerged from the cloud and, much to Gunther’s relief, it was Justify–the colt bred and raised at his Glennwood Farm–who held the advantage. Just as he has in his four previous starts, the ‘TDN Rising Star’ bounded across the wire in front, keeping his unblemished record in tact while securing the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. The victory was far from stress-free for the connections of Justify, although Gunther said he believed jockey Mike Smith asked the Bob Baffert trainee just enough to preserve the victory by a half-length over a surging Bravazo (Awesome Again). “Coming out of the fog, I wasn’t sure where we were,” Gunther said with a laugh. “I was highly nervous, but he still got the job done… A lot of people thought [Bravazo] was going to catch him. After watching the replay, Mike Smith basically hand rode him prior to the wire–he knew he wasn’t going to get beat, regardless of that other horse closing in on him.” While the fog made the outcome of the Preakness all the more suspenseful, Gunther said there was never anything clouding the picture during Justify’s development as a young horse. The son of the GSP Ghostzapper mare Stage Magic, by all accounts, was a man among boys by the time he stepped into the sales ring as lot 50 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale, ultimately hammering for $500,000 to China Horse Club and WinStar Farm. “He just turned out to be one of the best-looking yearlings we ever sold,” Gunther recalled. “He just got better and better after we sold him, and once he matured, he’s just got muscles on muscles, this horse. He is unreal–he’s the heavyweight champ.” As fate would have it, the heavyweight champ made a rapid ascent to the top of the game by winning each of his five bouts in a remarkably short period of time. A first-out maiden winner by 9 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita Feb. 18, he added an equally facile allowance victory there Mar. 11 prior to capturing the GI Santa Anita Derby by three lengths over MGISW Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro). From there, the hulking chestnut ran into the record books, smashing the “Curse of Apollo” by becoming the first Derby winner without a start as a juvenile before adding the Preakness Saturday. “It’s so gratifying when something this important happens,” said Gunther, who credits his daughter, Tanya, with much of the operational success at Glennwood. “There’s a lot of work in the mating, the foaling of the mare, raising the foal to the yearling stage and prepping the foal for the sale at Keeneland. For all of this to come together, it requires a lot of work. I have to thank the Glennwood staff, especially my daughter, who plans the matings of these mares.” Gunther explained that Tanya arranged the matings that produced both Justify and GII Wood Memorial hero and Kentucky Derby ninth-place finisher Vino Rosso (Curlin), as well as many of the other Glennwood Farm-breds who have gone on to achieve at a high level. Among their success stories is GI Travers S. and GI Cigar Mile H. winner Stay Thirsty (Bernardini), who passed through the Keeneland September sales ring for $160,000 as a yearling in 2009. More recently, the Gunthers have brought the likes of GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Tamarkuz (Speightstown; $325,000 yearling in 2011) and GI Hollywood Derby victor Mo Town (Uncle Mo; $200,000 yearling in 2015) to Keeneland as a gateway to success with their new connections. “It’s very important,” Gunther said of the buyers’ bench available at the September Sale. “A significant part is who ends up buying the horse. If you’re at the higher end of the game, breeding to higher priced stallions with good mares, they usually end up in the hands of a good owner with a good trainer. And that makes a big difference in terms of the future of the particular horse you’re selling. When they win these graded races, they just add to the value of the families you’re breeding and keeping long term. It all works out in the end.” Justify will likely be joined in the Belmont starting gate by fellow Glennwood homebred and Keeneland September graduate Vino Rosso. While Justify strode home 2 1/2 lengths clear of Good Magic (Curlin) in the Derby, Vino Rosso found himself in 18th place early and offered a belated, wide close to cross the wire ninth. Gunther said he looks forward to seeing both colts navigate the 12-furlong configuration of the Belmont. “I’m hoping for a one-two, naturally. Vino Rosso is bred to go a mile-and-a-half and handle the extra distance–it will be very interesting,” Gunther said. “It’s going to be a historic event for me. Myself and my family are going to be flying to New York to attend it. It will be something I’d certainly never want to miss.” Gunther admitted that the last three months have been a bit of a blur, watching his star yearling swiftly mature to become arguably one of the greatest 3-year-olds in recent memory. The Vancouver resident noted that the possibility of leaving an imprint on the history of the American Triple Crown is something that makes him particularly proud. “You have to pinch yourself to see if this is really happening,” Gunther said. “He wins the Preakness and all of a sudden you really feel you have a good chance to breed a Triple Crown winner. I don’t think there’s ever been a Canadian breeder who has bred a Triple Crown winner.” 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. Wednesday’s Insights features a relative of the top-class sprinter Superstar Leo (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}). 2.20 Yarmouth, Cond, £15,000, 2yo, 6f 3yT LEGENDS OF WAR (Scat Daddy) is another by the world’s most talked-about sire who was a stand-out at the recent Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up when selling for 900,000gns. Representing the Roaring Lion partnership of Qatar Racing Limited and John Gosden, the bay encounters Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s 500,000gns TATOCT purchase San Donato (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), a Roger Varian-trained relative of the top-class sprinter Superstar Leo (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}) and 2000 Guineas-winning sire Footstepsinthesand (GB). View the full article

For newly-married couple Nolan Ramsey and Katie Clawson, working and living in Canada has worked out perfectly. Ramsey, the assistant to trainer Mike Maker and grandson of prominent owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey, and Clawson, who gave up a promising race-riding career last fall because she preferred to gallop horses, are stabled at Woodbine Racetrack and renting a house nearby. Ramsey is used to moving every few months to oversee Maker’s fluid operation, so staying in one place for almost nine months has allowed he and Clawson to settle into a new environment. Ramsey has been to Woodbine a few times to race horses trained by Maker, including Sir Dudley Digges (Gio Ponti), who won the Queen’s Plate at 15-1 odds. The horse, who is back training at Woodbine, is owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who also won the 2016 GI E.P. Taylor S. with Al’s Gal (English Channel). For Clawson, in particular, this is a much more relaxed lifestyle– mentally and physically–compared to the hustle and bustle of last year when she was in her first full season as an apprentice jockey. “Before I even started riding races, I was of the mindset that I was going to ride forever,” she said. “I was going to be one of those old ladies riding races. But as soon as I kind of got into it and was officially a jockey and started riding races, literally the first day I realized I was no longer working a salaried job for a stable and I really missed that.” As a temporary compromise, she moved her tack full-time from Oaklawn Park to Indiana because it was close to home and she figured she could win one to two races a day. Aside from Nolan, few people knew her riding days were coming to an end. “I tried to keep that a secret as long as I possibly could, but the people who were close to me they knew,” she said. “But even for me, that was tough because I like to be open and up front and honest about things like that. So that was a struggle for me, but closer to the end people started to figure it out.” An early-morning training accident in August breezing a filly fast-forwarded the decision. The horse had mental and physical issues, and Katie figured she could correct them. Nolan, who was in Saratoga at the time, had already seen Katie overcome a broken neck because of her riding career and had advised her not to exercise the rogue horse. The horse ended up bolting to the outside rail by the gap and Katie was thrown off. “The people who saw what happened said it was like I did a couple of flips in gymnastics,” she said. She didn’t go to the hospital figuring she was physically okay. She called Nolan to tell him what happened and that she wasn’t hurt too badly. “My first reaction was to make sure she was okay and then I got mad at her,” he said. “She should have never been on that horse.” But she called him the next day and told him she was experiencing some physical problems. After taking a couple days off, she breezed a horse in the morning and raced another one later that day and finished a distant fifth in a field of seven. “I had no balance,” she said. “I found myself holding on to the mane the whole race, which is terrible.” She deduced that continuing to ride would further aggravate the effects of the concussion. A prolonged period out of the saddle proved to be a “blessing in disguise” for Clawson, who said she ultimately decided to let go of her career as a jockey permanently. She finished second in North America in apprentice wins with 82 and her mounts earned more than $1.8 million. She became a finalist for the year-end Eclipse Award for champion apprentice jockey, which was won by California-based Evin Roman. “I’m really happy with what I got to do,” Clawson said of her riding career. “I rode some really nice horses and I galloped some even nicer horse, which was even more fun for me. I got to go to Belmont, Saratoga and it was a lot of fun–but not something I wanted to long-term.” While Ramsey was overseeing a division at Gulfstream at the start of 2018, Maker decided to start a Canadian string in April at Woodbine instead of shipping horses in and out for specific races there. Ken Ramsey, who is Maker’s main client, fully supported the move. “Mike and my grandfather and a couple of other owners started claiming horses to run at this meet, specifically looking for Ontario-bred, Ontario-sired horses,” Nolan Ramsey said. “We claimed about 10 Ontario-breds this winter alone.” In April, exactly a year after they were engaged, Ramsey and Clawson wed in Kentucky. Shortly thereafter they moved to Ontario and rented a house near the track. They expect to train about 25 head. Ramsey’s experiences at Woodbine have given him an understanding of Canadian racing. In 2014, he came to Woodbine to watch We Miss Artie (Artie Schiller), the favorite for the Queen’s Plate. Ken Ramsey owned the horse, which was trained by Todd Pletcher. We Miss Artie went into the race as the favorite, but broke tardily and finished fourth. Ramsey saw the pageantry of the Plate firsthand. Two years later, Ramsey returned to Woodbine to oversee Sir Dudley Digges for Maker. The horse pulled off a major upset winning at 15-1 odds. Maker had to leave immediately after the race, but Ramsey stayed behind and had a chance to fully experience the post-race celebrations and the backstretch barbecue parties that are part of the Plate tradition. “It was just a really cool experience,” he said. Last year, Ramsey ran divisions for Maker across the States, so he was quick to embrace the chance to stay in one place for an extended period of time. The move allows Ramsey and Clawson to split their time up between Woodbine and Gulfstream in the summer and winter, respectively. Clawson said Woodbine has initially left a favorable impression in her first few months at the track. “I enjoy it from the standpoint of taking care of our horses,” she said. “Happy horses make me happy…It’s very oriented around the horsemen. People are friendly, like everyone says, so it’s kind of a refreshing thing to see.” A perfect fit, personally and professionally, for a newly married couple from the States. View the full article

Mark Currie, father of trainer Ben Currie, has been banned from training for two years after being found guilty of 16 charges related to raceday treatments, according to Racing.com. The charges related to activities of the elder Currie at the Toowoomba stables of his son on Mar. 24 and Apr. 7. Three others persons connected to Ben Currie have been banned in recent weeks. “While it is more than six weeks since the ongoing investigation began into suspicious activity at the Currie Racing stables in Toowoomba, it is expected to be sometime before it is concluded,” Queensland Racing Integrity Commissioner Ross Barnett said. View the full article

Churchill Downs will increase its overnight purses by 10% effective Thursday, May 31, the track announced Tuesday. Citing record wagering on races during the week of the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Longines Kentucky Oaks and an overall strong start to the spring meet, Churchill is slated to increase purses over the final 19 days of the 38-day spring meet, which concludes June 30. Total overnight purses offered for the meet are projected to be $13.1 million, up from the original forecast of $12.4 million. The daily average purse distribution, not including stakes money or Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF), will be $344,337 per day. That number grows to $601,456 when stakes and KTDF money is included. “Despite historic rainfall on Kentucky Derby Day, fans wagered at record levels on races presented throughout Derby Week at Churchill Downs, and it’s exciting that owners, trainers, jockeys and breeders who compete in our races will benefit from those increased business levels,” said Kevin Flanery, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack. View the full article

The National Steeplechase Association (NSA) is soliciting proposals to provide high-definition video services for all of its race meets, with an initial one-year contract period extending from this coming fall through next spring, it was announced Tuesday. The video services primarily will serve the stewards at approximately 30 race meets and will provide photo-finish capabilities at those meets. Initial expressions of intent to bid, accompanied by signed confidentiality agreements, are due by June 1, and the detailed proposals must be submitted by July 2. “We are a highly visual sport, and high-quality, high-definition video is crucial to steeplechasing in so many ways,” NSA President Guy J. Torsilieri said. “At New York Racing Association (NYRA) facilities and our own meets that have adopted high-definition video, we have seen vividly the importance of these superior-quality images.” Torsilieri said the NSA has received expressions of interest from both U.S. companies and overseas operations. The high-quality video would not only serve the NSA’s regulatory functions, but also provide an enhanced method of evaluating safety considerations for both horses and jockeys and a means to attract new participants through a more visually appealing presentation. For further information on the NSA’s request for proposals, contact Manager of Racing Operations Courtney C. Reid at courtneyreid@nationalsteeplechase.com. View the full article

Evangeline Downs will be hosting Louisiana Legends Night May 26 featuring the best Louisiana-bred horses currently in training competing against each other. View the full article

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races has added 11 new days to its 2018 live racing calendar following approval by the West Virginia Racing Commission at its May 22 meeting. View the full article

Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) called upon Congress to enact regulatory standards for states that pursue legalized sports betting in a statement issued Monday. The statement is the latest cautionary reaction from one of the major sports leagues in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling which struck down a federal law banning wagers on team sports last Monday. The decision has wide-reaching implications for the racing industry, as numerous tracks–led by Monmouth Park in New Jersey, which could be first to market in early June–are eyeing the addition of sports books. “Our fans, our players and our coaches deserve to know that we are doing everything possible to ensure no improper influences affect how the game is played on the field,” Goodell stated. “This…ruling by the Supreme Court has no effect on that unwavering commitment.” According to the statement, the NFL is seeking legislation that preserves the integrity of the game in a new landscape where legalized sports wagering is widespread. Goodell continued, “We are asking Congress to enact uniform standards for states that choose to legalize sports betting that include, at a minimum, four core principles: (1) There must be substantial consumer protections; (2) Sports leagues can protect our content and intellectual property from those who attempt to steal or misuse it; (3) Fans will have access to official, reliable league data; and (4) Law enforcement will have the resources, monitoring and enforcement tools necessary to protect our fans and penalize bad actors here at home and abroad.” While Goodell’s statement did not explicitly mention a request for compensation, the NBA and the MLB have previously called for legislation that would allow them to receive 1% of the gross handle on all of a league’s games as an “integrity fee” to help ensure games are conducted honestly. That suggestion was met with a strong push back from Dennis Drazin, CEO of Darby Development, which operates Monmouth Park on behalf of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. Drazin suggested the idea of an integrity fee is hypocritical, because it is often errors by league officials that impact the results of games and by association, would affect the outcome of sports bets. Moreover, opponents of integrity fees have asserted that legalized sports betting is inherently more regulated and therefore creates a safer environment for the leagues when compared to the illegal sports betting market. The arrival of sports wagering in New Jersey is currently under a delay as the state senate finalizes legislation. View the full article

World Horse Racing, a media company dedicated to telling the story of international Thoroughbred horse racing, was launched on Tuesday following a partnership between the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, Ascot Racecourse, Goodwood Racecourse and the Victoria Racing Club. The company will provide a unique digital fan experience across all major social networks and will be free to access via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. WHR aims to earn the respect of hardcore fans and attract new ones to the world of horse racing, with its focus on racing’s athletes and engaging personalities–human and equine–along with the festivals that stage these spectacles. WHR will also provide a platform of user-generated content that will allow the sport’s stars to connect with its fans. Ascot’s Chief Commerical Officer Juliet Slot said, “We already know horse racing is one of the most popular sports in the world, but we felt there was real potential to tell our brilliant stories to a much wider audience. World Horse Racing gives us the perfect platform to reach a new generation of fans and give a more compelling and engaging story arc compared to standard news coverage.” Added Breeders’ Cup CMO Bryan Pettigrew, “Breeders’ Cup continues to forge relationships and collaborate with international racing leaders to move the Thoroughbred industry forward. We anticipate a great partnership with Ascot, Flemington and Goodwood in promoting our sport on a global platform.” “In recent years, the sport has become increasingly global, and so it seems the perfect time for a collection of the world’s most important festivals to launch a new platform that will enrich the existing fans’ experience through some real behind the scenes and previously unseen content, as well as introducing racing to a new audience by focusing on the horses, the people and the sport,” said Goodwood’s MD Adam Waterworth. Neil Wilson, CEO of The Victoria Racing Club, said, “This is an opportunity to broaden our reach and engage with racing fans globally by highlighting our spectacular race days including the four days of the world-renowned Melbourne Cup Carnival, our events, our equine and human athletes and the people behind it all, to new and existing audiences. World Horse Racing is a must-follow destination for fans seeking original and exclusive stories on and off the track.” To view a video or find out more about World Horse Racing, go to www.worldhorseracing.com. View the full article

Record wagering at Churchill Downs during the week of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) have enabled the track to announce a 10% increase in daily purses for overnight races. View the full article

At a time when Japanese pedigrees are very much in the spotlight worldwide, the Japan Racing Horse Association has released the catalogue for its Select Sale of foals and yearlings on July 9 and 10 in Hokkaido. Saxon Warrior (Jpn) gave flagship Japanese sire Deep Impact (Jpn) a first British Classic winner when taking the G1 2000 Guineas on May 5, and he will keep his sire in the spotlight with a bid for the G1 Investec Derby on June 2. On the same day that Saxon Warrior won the Guineas, Select Sale graduate Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) won the GI Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. Japanese-breds have also continued to excel in Australia: Select Sale graduate Tosen Stardom (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) won a pair of Group 1s last spring, while Brave Smash (Jpn) (Tosen Phantom {Jpn}) won the G1 Futurity S. in February. The yearling session, which takes place on July 9, includes 243 yearlings including a first-crop American Pharoah colt out of the GI Santa Anita Oaks winner Crisp (El Corredor). The Deep Impact progeny include colts out of American champions Azeri (Jade Hunter) and Ginger Punch (Awesome Again), a filly out of American champion 2-year-old filly Awesome Feather (Awesome of Course) and a half-brother to GI Kentucky Derby and G1 Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). The G1 Fillies Mile winner Listen (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) has twice provided the top lot at this sale, and her Deep Impact yearling colt is catalogued. The 239-strong foal session includes Deep Impact colts out of Grade/Group 1 winners like Ria Antonia (Rockport Harbor) and Lightening Pearl (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) and a filly out of GI Spinaway S. winner So Many Ways (Sightseeing). King Kamehameha (Jpn) has a filly out of dual Grade I winner Weemissfrankie (Sunriver), while European Champion Sprinter Fleeting Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) has a colt from the first crop of Horse of the Year Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}). Click here for the full catalogue. View the full article

Epsom, UK—Perfect clarity is what we all seek when it comes to predicting how events will unfold on the Epsom Downs the weekend after next. How much a relatively restrained canter around racing’s equivalent of a helter-skelter ride will have told the trainers of the two Classic hopefuls which appeared for Tuesday morning’s Breakfast With The Stars remains to be seen, but we are at least several steps closer to gleaning who will or won’t be running. Clive Cox already has Perfect Clarity (GB), in his yard if not in his mind, though it has to be said that the trainer was as bullish as he has ever sounded in that appealingly understated way of his when it came to discussing the merits of the filly who could give her sire Nathaniel (Ire) a second Investec Oaks winner from just his second crop. “She’s only run twice so I’m really grateful to Epsom for putting today on. After winning the Oaks Trial down at Lingfield we’ve been really happy with her and today is another opportunity to give her more exposure,” said Cox after watching Adam Kirby put Bridget Drew and David Keast’s filly through a ten-furlong workout around Tattenham Corner and all the way down the straight behind stablemate Luire (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). “She’s a filly in which I have enormous confidence that she’s going to acquit herself well. She’s definitely the best middle-distance filly that I’ve had anything to do with. I’m very relaxed,” he added. “The Oaks picture has changed dramatically over the last two weeks. There are a lot of nice fillies out there—the Newbury winner [Sea Of Class]—and the whole picture is coming together very excitingly. With the timescale of my filly’s win at Lingfield and having a little airing here today, as long as we keep her fresh and well in the meantime I’m looking forward to it very much.” William Haggas, who won the Oaks in 2011 with Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), could potentially saddle two fillies for this year’s race. He had previously aired his doubts over the stamina reserves of Musidora S. winner Give And Take (GB) but she will now head for Epsom instead of her alternative option of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary. The daughter of Cityscape (GB) may well have stablemate Sea Of Class (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) for company after her breakthrough victory at Newbury on Saturday. “Give And Take will definitely run in the Oaks,” stated the trainer. “Nicholas [Jones] is an English owner-breeder and when you sit down and breed these horses and you dream, with all due respect you don’t dream of winning the Prix Saint-Alary, you dream of winning the Investec Oaks. For an English owner-breeder in particular, and I can’t stress this enough, this is the pinnacle.” Haggas continued, “James [Doyle] at the moment will ride her, but that depends what happens with Sea Of Class. Sea Of Class ran very well last week and didn’t surprise us very much but I feel at the moment that it’s all coming a bit quickly. “I emailed [owner] Mrs Tsui after Newbury and got a response this morning but I think we just need to speak in person and decide what to do. She’s quite keen to go and naturally says there’s only one Investec Oaks and you can go anywhere else whenever you want. Mrs Tsui will ultimately make the decision. I’ve got her in the Ribblesdale and we’ll put her in the Irish Oaks tomorrow. The French Oaks to me, although it’s a big supplementary, looks the right fit. It just gives her a month on from Newbury and then there’s time then to go on to the Irish Oaks. We’ll see. It’s very possible that they will both line up [at Epsom].” Neither of the Haggas fillies was in attendance for Breakfast With The Stars but Chester Vase winner and Derby hopeful Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) was, along with his owner Bernard Kantor, managing director of Investec, which this year celebrates ten years of sponsorship of the Derby meeting, an association which is set to continue to 2026. James Doyle was in the saddle, just as he has been for Young Rascal’s two victories this season, and the colt with a notably high knee action appeared to bowl along quite happily alongside Original Choice (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}), a winner recently at Wetherby. “This is going to get to [Bernard] big time if we can get the horse in top shape for the day,” Haggas said. “Obviously we’ve always tried to get a horse for the Derby for him. If he’s buying a yearling through Anthony Stroud he’s always looking to try to buy something to run well or win the Derby. It’s his company’s race and this is his passion. Bernard’s been a very good friend of mine for a long time, I’ve trained for him for 22 years and to have a runner for him on Derby day for him would be very special for me.” He continued, “Throughout the winter I thought the Derby would be too early for [Young Rascal] in his career but he ran a really good time at Newbury and he justified going to Chester. That form is probably not good enough at the moment but I think the horse is getting better. James was really quite impressed with him today.” Recent Derby winners Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) both appeared at Breakfast With The Stars before going on to Epsom glory, though lurking in County Tipperary is the QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior (JPN) (Deep Impact {JPN}), a worthy short-priced favourite to go a step closer to claiming the Triple Crown. Joining the breakfast bash by telephone, his trainer Aidan O’Brien issued a positive bulletin but wouldn’t yet be drawn on his exact line-up for the Derby, which could include as many as six runners from Ballydoyle, the same number fielded last year when 40/1 shot Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) swooped to victory. “We are happy with Saxon Warrior and it’s so far, so good with all the possibles. Obviously if they’re in good shape and they’re well, the lads like to give them their chance, like they did last year,” said O’Brien. Masar (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) was third to Saxon Warrior at Newmarket and will attempt to reverse the Guineas form as the sole representative for Godolphin from Charlie Appleby’s stable. “Going up in trip was always going to be his forte as a 3-year-old and he’s got the pedigree to go a mile and a half, for sure,” said Appleby, who will also run Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Oaks. “He’s settled very well this season and he’s a much more professional horse so I think he’s got every chance of staying the Derby trip. I’ve always been a strong believer that the Guineas is the best trial for the Derby and from what I’ve seen it does look the best trial at the moment. With Masar, I’m confident that if he gets behind horses he’ll switch off and relax. He and Wild Illusion have both taken their trials very well and our immediate plan after those races was to go for the Derby and the Oaks.” John Gosden had only one fewer than O’Brien to saddle for last year’s Derby and, another to join the press conference by telephone, he confirmed that Qatar Racing’s Dante S. winner Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) will take his chance. “He’s in splendid form and the owner is very keen that he goes for the Derby, so that is where he is going and I think that’s the right call,” he said. The trainer, who won last year’s Oaks with Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), has the favourite for this year’s race in Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a last-minute scratching for her scheduled appearance at Breakfast With The Stars owing to the warm weather in the south of England. “She’s fine, she’s just going out for a canter and she worked nicely on Friday,” her trainer assured the audience. “It was just the six hours on the road and a bit of heat coming home, I didn’t feel it was something she needed ten days before the race. She’s pleased us in everything she has done and we just felt she was better at home today than on the road.” Gosden went on to explain how Lah Ti Dar’s full-sister So Mi Dar (GB) missed her intended start in the Oaks two years ago after being startled by a lawnmower starting up while on her way home from exercise, causing her to fall and injure herself. He’s clearly taking no chances when it comes to having Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber’s homebred on song to avenge her sibling. View the full article

Steve Harman will stand down from his role as British Horseracing Authority Chairman in order to take up a new industry-wide role to engage with government to tackle the potential impact of last week’s FOBT announcement. The government’s decision to cut the maximum FOBT wager to £2 from £100 could mean a loss of £40 to £60 million per year for racing due to the threat of closure of betting shops. Harman’s BHA role will wrap up in November and he will work exclusively in his new role through 2019. He said, “This is the single biggest issue facing our industry and I welcome the opportunity to galvanise support to get the best possible deal for horseracing. This could mean a further reform of the levy to capture overseas betting and other changes we could seek to ensure that the funding of racing is secured for the future.” View the full article

It has been two-and-a-half years since Doyeni won his last race, but the Tony Cruz-trained seven-year-old can break that drought in the Le French May Trophy (1,800m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The gelding has only won one of his 22 career starts in Hong Kong – over this trip on November 21, 2015 – but has placed at his past two, most recently finishing third in the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m). While Exultant cleared out from his rivals, Doyeni was only a... View the full article

He might not be Werther, but John Moore hopes Circuit Glory can land his first Hong Kong victory in the Class Two Le French May Trophy (1,800m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. Both Werther and Tavidream, as Circuit Glory was called when racing in New Zealand, won the Championship Stakes, sparking comparisons between the two. “When the horse first came to my stable earlier this year, one of the owners said to me that he was better than Werther at the same stage in New Zealand,”... View the full article