Wandering Eyes

It is a long time since Sandown’s G3 Matchbook VIP Henry II S. enjoyed elevated status in the staying program and a demotion from Group 2 level hardly helped in 2012, but Big Orange (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) came and conquered en route to bigger things 12 months ago and Thursday’s edition features a colt who could eventually be in that league in Weekender (GB) (Frankel {GB}). A grandson of Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), Khalid Abdullah’s homebred has the raw material to reach the top and the style of his two most recent outings when winning the Listed Noel Murless S.–only to be demoted behind Raheen House (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire})–and a conditions race at Chelmsford May 10 suggests he is on his way. John Gosden is not contemplating a tilt at the stayers’ holy grail at Royal Ascot, however. “I think the Gold Cup might be beyond him, distance-wise, I was thinking of bringing him back to a mile and a half,” he explained. “He just won so nicely over a mile-six we were keen to try him over two miles, as that would open up a lot more options.” If there is a Buckskin (Fr) or Ardross (Ire) or even a Papineau (GB) lurking it is him, but the Juddmonte homebred has some hardened group performers to test him including last year’s G1 Irish St Leger third Mount Moriah (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) who took the Listed Further Flight S. on his return at Nottingham Apr. 21. View the full article

Sir Michael Stoute’s record of nine winners of Sandown’s G3 Matchbook Brigadier Gerard S. includes the high-class Stagecraft (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), Opera House (GB) (Sadler’s Wells), Pilsudski (Ire) (Polish Precedent), Notnowcato (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) and Workforce (GB) (King’s Best). No pressure, then, for this year’s Freemason Lodge representative Poet’s Word (Ire) (Poet’s Voice {GB}) as he re-appears in Europe on Thursday evening. Second fiddle to Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Hawkbill (Kitten’s Joy) in the G1 Irish and English Champion S. and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, respectively, Saeed Suhail’s 5-year-old appears to have a class edge on his rivals. “It looks a good race for him without a penalty,” the owner’s racing manager Bruce Raymond commented. “He’s effective at a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half and Sir Michael has decided to go for this as an easier option before he goes to Ascot. We did toy with the [June 1 G1] Coronation Cup, but didn’t really see the point in taking on Cracksman (GB) again, so we’re hoping he can win this. It will either be the [June 20 G1] Prince of Wales’s S. or the [G2] Hardwicke [on June 23] next, this might help us decide.” Having beaten Stoute’s 2017 Brigadier Gerard winner Autocratic (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) impressively on his comeback in the 10-furlong Listed Magnolia S. at Kempton at the end of March, The Queen’s Fabricate (GB) (Makfi {GB}) ran into a better class of runner from that stable in Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G3 Gordon Richards S. over this course and distance Apr. 27. After that rival won again in Saturday’s G3 Aston Park S., the form of his short-head defeat reads well and he will be a tough nut to crack over his ideal trip. “He should be bang there again, but unfortunately for us it looks like Sir Michael will be a party pooper once more,” trainer Michael Bell said. “We’ll do our best and he’s in very good form.” Shadwell’s unexposed Laraaib (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) had a progressive profile in handicaps last term and he may have found Haydock’s G3 Rose of Lancaster S. a step too far at the time when a distant third in August. View the full article

The gains of the 2017 Hokkaido Training Sale of 2-year-olds were always going to be hard to beat, so the downturn at this year’s sale on Tuesday wasn’t entirely unexpected. However, 2018 did continue the general upward trend the sale had been enjoying yearly through 2016. The sale this year grossed ¥1,169,856,000, which was down by ¥115,236,000 from last year but up ¥51,192,200 from 2016. The average was ¥7,747,390 and median ¥6,048,000, and both were down from 2017 but up from 2016 figures. Each year, the Hokkaido Training Sale at Sapporo Racecourse attracts Asian buyers from all over the continent and this year was no exception, with groups from Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Korea in attendance. This trend should continue to grow with Quarter Back (Jpn), a 2017 graduate, running in the Singapore Guineas this Saturday. For the second year in a row it was also one of the international buyers who topped the sale. Hong Kong’s Yeong Hung Wae claimed a Bamboo Ere (Jpn) colt for ¥45,000,000 ($409,948). The colt was originally purchased for ¥7,000,000 ($63,769) at the October Autumn Sale as yearling and consigned by Yoshizawa Stables. Pyro grossed highest of any stallion at the sale with ¥56,160,000 for six lots sold. Thirty-one lots broke the ¥10-million barrier and six were over ¥20-million. Older stallions Neo Universe (Jpn) and Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn) did well in the sale with lots going for ¥26,000,000 and ¥22,500,000, respectively. Overall, from the 228 lots offered on the day, 151 sold with a 66.2% clearance rate. This was a decline from last year’s 74.52%; however, there were 20 more lots offered this year than last. While the JRHA’s Select foal and yearling sales still dominate the market in Japan, the training sale market is continuing to develop. As Japan continues to slowly shift away from the purchase of foals, as it has done over the past decade, the prospects for the Hokkaido Training Sale will continue to grow. ¥1,000,000 = $9,072/£6,799/€7,753/A$12,030 View the full article

Two-time winner Oscietra (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}–Black Caviar {Aus}, by Bel Esprit {Aus}), a daughter of Australia’s undefeated champion sprinter Black Caviar (Aus), has been retired Racing.com reported. Bred and co-owned by Neil Werrett, the bay retired with two wins in five starts and earnings of $28,052. Third at first asking behind G3 Blue Diamond Preview heroine Limestone (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}) at Flemington on New Year’s Day in 2017, the David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig trainee was off the mark at Geelong over the synthetic in August of that year. She would record her second victory two starts later at Ballarat, going 1000 metres–the same distance as her other four starts–on Feb. 25. “Neil Werrett spoke to us yesterday and the connections have decided to retire her,” said Ben Hayes to Racing.com. “She’s obviously extremely valuable as a broodmare and she’s retired structurally sound, but she was still feeling her knees and the ownership group believe she’s more valuable at stud now, as a two-time winner from five starts.” Oscietra is followed by Prince Of Caviar (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}), who will debut over 1200 metres at Ladbrokes Park Sandown on Saturday. Black Caviar has a yearling filly by Snitzel (Aus) and a weanling filly by More Than Ready. View the full article

Italian reinsman Frankie Dettori will ride Hazapour (Ire) (Shamardal) in the £1.5-million G1 Investec Derby at Epsom for owner the Aga Khan and trainer Dermot Weld. Dettori has won the world’s premier Classic twice, with Authorized (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) in 2007 and Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in 2015, with Weld’s sole success coming through Harzand (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) just two years ago. Harzand was the latest of the Aga Khan’s five winners, going back to Shergar (GB) (Great Nephew {GB}) in 1981. “It’s a great honour to ride for the Aga Khan,” he said. “He is a nice horse coming into the race and he put in a good performance in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown.” That victory in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial secured a place in the Derby line-up for Hazapour, who is from the same family as Harzand. The Shamardal colt was ridden by Declan McDonogh at Leopardstown, but Dettori will take over at Epsom, while trainer John Gosden has a Derby contender in Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy). That colt is owned by Qatar Racing, whose main rider is Oisin Murphy. Weld is currently without the services of stable jockey Pat Smullen, who was diagnosed with a tumour in March. “I’m very excited, but my thoughts go out to Pat Smullen,” added Dettori. “I’ve got the ride in unfortunate circumstances. I know Pat very well and he is a good friend of mine and we’ve been keeping in touch and I’m sure he will give me help about the horse. The Aga Khan’s breeding operation is steeped in history and this horse has got the right pedigree for it. The combination of Dermot Weld and the Aga Khan is amazing and the history they have in the Derby is amazing.” View the full article

Mr. Yuesheng Zhang’s Yulong Investments has been making headlines globally lately, with high-priced auction purchases in Australia, promising runners in Europe and plans to expand into the U.S. Yulong Park also staged the first-ever public auction of Thoroughbreds in Mainland China just last week. The TDN‘s Gary King caught up with Mr. Zhang to discuss these developments. GK: The name ‘Yulong Investments’ has made a significant impact on the global Thoroughbred industry over recent years. Are you happy with the progress so far? ZY: Yes, although it has taken a few years to kick-off, the initial few years being more of a trial period while I assessed the industry and respective markets globally. I am happy that we are currently on target to achieving what I have set for the team. GK: What is your main goal over the next five to 10 years? ZY: Now that I have managed to form my core team to assist in steering the group in its global equine operations, I have set my five-year goals on establishing a good breeding crop with a worthy stud farm that will eventually stand six to 10 stallions. GK: You have achieved plenty of success racing horses in Ireland (managed by Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland). What attracted you to racing in such a competitive country? ZY: Irish-bred horses have always proven to be solid. It is also a place where I formed many friendships and associations, hence my return to Ireland year after year. GK: Platinum Warrior, a Galileo colt purchased for €200,000 at Goffs Orby, finished fourth in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial for Michael Halford. He looks like a really exciting prospect? ZY: Hopes are high for this horse and the trainer thinks highly of it indeed. We are definitely hoping that he can be an entry in the Irish Derby with a few other stakes races in mind thereafter too. GK: You have bred a lot of your European-purchased mares on Southern Hemisphere time over the last few years. What European-based stallions have you used? ZY: The group currently has Southern Hemisphere weanlings on the ground by Frankel (GB), Invincible Spirit (Ire), Golden Horn (GB) and Kingman (GB), and mares in foal Southern time to Frankel and Kingman. We will continue to breed a few mares each year in the Northern Hemisphere and bring them to Australia. GK: Your primary focus in terms of breeding appears to be Australia. I presume the plan is to establish a stallion roster at some point? ZY: The Southern Hemisphere is my current focus for breeding, with Australia being the main focus where I currently have 70 mares based on our properties in Victoria. We also have 20 mares residing in New Zealand. A large number of the mares based in New Zealand are in foal to Preferment (NZ), in which we are vested. The team and I are in the process of developing a breeding facility at Nagambie and we are looking to secure stallions to stand under the Yulong banner in the very near future. A large number of mares are sent by Victorian breeders to the Hunter Valley each year to be bred, however, I would like to work towards offering Victorian broodmare owners the opportunity to send their mares to commercial stallions in their home state. GK: Are you happy with your current broodmare band in Australia (which includes Gypsy Diamond, the A$1.35-million topper at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale)? ZY: Yes, I am happy with the current broodmare numbers for now. While immediately improving on quality rather than quantity, the next few years will see us expanding our numbers here in Australia to approximately 120 mares. I would like to build a nice band of commercial mares that can be bred to some of the leading stallions in Australia and in turn, to offer their top-quality progeny to the market. GK: I believe you have dabbled a little bit in partnerships with Phoenix Thoroughbreds. Do you intend to form more partnerships in the future, with some of the big global operations? ZY: I am open to racing colts in partnership, albeit selectively and particularly those with stallion prospects. GK: You have three horses in training with Graham Motion. Have you plans to expand your operations in the U.S. at all? ZY: America is definitely within the group’s expansion plans. Having purchased the three as yearlings, in partnership with Eric Koh’s Team Cheval, Yulong Investments also purchased Wild Dude from America, which ran fourth in this year’s Golden Shaheen in Dubai. When I met Frank [Stronach] during my last visit to Keeneland I also indicated my willingness to support his racing initiatives, including in the Pegasus World Cup. GK: The first-ever organized Thoroughbred sale for racehorses on the Chinese mainland was held last Friday. Were you happy with how it went? ZY: Being an inaugural racehorse auction in China, there have been a real mix of reactions and expectations prior to Friday. However, the sales went fantastic with over 61% clearance rate at an average price in excess of RMB 300,000. The highest priced lot sold for RMB 1.35 mil. (US$211,171/£157,485/€179,415). I credit and thank the team for all their effort. GK: Do you plan on expanding the scope, in both quantity and quality, for future sales? ZY: The results have now raised expectations throughout the country and I would like to make sure that Yulong continues to set new and higher industry benchmarks and standards. View the full article

It was a night for the reigning champions at Happy Valley with Joao Moreira putting some more breathing space between himself and Zac Purton in the race for the jockeys’ title, while top trainer John Size captured the two features. Purton cut the lead to four wins after a big outing on Sunday, but the Magic Man pushed it back to six with a double – edging out the Australian on both occasions. Moreira captured the opening race on Jolly Amber, the first of a double for Ricky Yiu Poon-... View the full article

Suffolk Downs has reached an agreement with Fairgrounds Realty LLC and Fair Grounds Community Redevelopment Project Inc., the entities that own the Great Barrington Fairgrounds in western Massachusetts, for a long-term lease of the previously shuttered racetrack in Great Barrington to commence racing as soon as 2019, the companies announced today. Under the agreement, the Sterling Suffolk Downs company would refurbish the Fairgrounds property and operate a commercial race meeting at Great Barrington while continuing to operate simulcast wagering at its current location in East Boston, which has been embattled in a prolonged struggle with “This is a very exciting opportunity for us to help preserve and refurbish an iconic property in the heart of the Berkshires, to boost economic development in Great Barrington, continue live racing and preserve the hundreds of jobs, associated agribusinesses and working open spaces associated with the Massachusetts racing industry,” said Chip Tuttle, Sterling Suffolk Racecourse’s chief operating officer. “We are confident that we can do this consistent with Fair Grounds Community Redevelopment’s vision for sustainable preservation of the fairground property as a space devoted to community recreation and with a strong connection to its agricultural heritage.” Great Barrington was the host of the longest continually operating agricultural fair in New England. Horse racing started on the property in 1859 and it was regarded as the centerpiece of the Massachusetts fair circuit. Pari-mutuel wagering began at Great Barrington in September of 1940 and continued through 1983. The track last offered Thoroughbred racing 20 years ago in 1998. The grandstand, barns and track facilities still stand, though they will require restoration and repair. In addition to improvements to the track surface, grandstand and other facilities, SSR officials indicated that they would be looking at expanding the racing surface at Great Barrington from its current bullring configuration. “In its current condition, we are confident that we could conduct racing as soon as next year, should we need to,” Tuttle said. “There was traditionally strong support for racing here and we hope to attract fans from across New England and New York.” Suffolk Downs is scheduled to host three weekends of live racing this summer June 9-10, July 7-8 and Aug. 4-5. The Barrington property is currently owned by Bart and Janet Elsbach, who purchased the property in December 2012 with the goal of preserving the environmental health of the site. View the full article

Sterling Suffolk Racecourse, the company that operates Thoroughbred racing at Suffolk Downs, has reached a long-term lease agreement with the owners of Great Barrington Fairgrounds to begin racing there as soon as 2019. View the full article

1st-Great Yarmouth, £15,000, Cond, 5-23, 2yo, 6f 3yT, 1:11.36, g/f. LEGENDS OF WAR, c, 2, by Scat Daddy 1st Dam: Madera Dancer, by Rahy) 2nd Dam: Maxxi Arte (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire) 3rd Dam: Liyana (Ire), by Shardari (Ire) Legends of War (Scat Daddy), who fetched a tidy 900,000gns at Tattersalls’ recent Craven Breeze-Up, was unveiled by John Gosden at a track which hosted the initial victories of Dubai Millennium (GB) (Seeking the Gold) and Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), and the bay unleashed a display worthy of such luminaries to earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ status in stunning fashion. The newcomer was steadied to stalk the leaders in fifth through the initial fractions. Making smooth headway from halfway to challenge hard on the steel at the quarter-mile marker, the 2-1 second favourite seized control entering the final eighth and quickened clear of 7-4 chalk San Donato (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), going through the gears, to easily dispose of that market rival by an impressive four lengths. “Oisin [Murphy] rode him well and had him in behind the pace,” said Gosden. “He went through a narrow gap, but was a little green when hitting the front and the education he received today will bring him on. He’s a lovely 2-year-old and is very relaxed for a breeze-up horse. We’ll see how he is over the next 10 days or so and he’s certainly a horse which could look at a race like the [June 19 G2] Coventry [S. at Royal Ascot].” Legends of War is the second foal, and first scorer, for a daughter of Listed Viejas Casino H. victress Maxxi Arte (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and is kin to yearling filly by Majesticperfection and a filly foal by English Channel. Maxxi Arte’s second dam Lisanna (Ire) (Alleged) produced G3 Prix Minerve heroine Linnga (Ire) (Shardari {Ire}), GI San Juan Capistrano Invitational third Liyoun (Ire) (Shernazar {Ire}) and Lilissa (Ire) (Doyoun {Ire}), who in turn is the dam of MSW Irish highweight and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup runner-up Livadiya (Ire) (Shernazar {Ire}) and G3 Prix Vanteaux placegetter Liska (Ire) (Bigstone {Ire}). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £9,704. 1ST-TIME STARTER. O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-DP Racing (KY); T-John Gosden. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Long Dirt division begins May 26 with Salvator Mile at Monmouth. View the full article

Veteran jockey Steve "Cowboy" Hamilton is indebted to his son, Wes, for helping him to make a comeback on the Maryland circuit after a 10-year absence from competition. Wes may someday owe much of his success to the tutelage of his father. View the full article

Selling a subsequent Royal Ascot winner is always a great boost to a breeze up business, and when Le Brivido (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) won the G3 Jersey S. at the Royal Meeting last year it was just the kind of result Mick Murphy and Sarah O’Connell were craving to give their burgeoning breeze up operation some extra gravitas. The pair has been preparing and consigning 2-year-olds for a number of years under their Longways Stables banner and the fruits of their labour and racecourse success were borne out at Arqana earlier this month when they sold another son of Siyouni for €385,000. The colt was a brave 100,000 gns pinhook at Tattersalls last October and Murphy said he felt the success of Le Brivido was certainly a factor in the generous return seven months later. “We had some very nice horses at Arqana and they breezed exceptionally well,” he said. “Le Brivido winning last year was a big help, it generates extra interest in your draft and then if you have quality horses people have that extra confidence to purchase from you.” While Arqana was great for Murphy and O’Connell, much like a jockey or trainer who are deemed only as good as their last winner, pressure is back on for the next and final breeze up sale of the season at Goresbridge this week. Longways will present six 2-year-olds to showcase themselves up the straight at Gowran Park on Thursday ahead of the auction on Friday and the couple are hoping to finish up the season on a good note. “It’s been a long season but a rewarding one. As everyone knows the market isn’t straightforward but there is still demand for a nice horse so fingers crossed that carries through to this week. It’s a big catalogue so the clearance rate will be tested. However, racecourse results this year are again proving that breeze up sales are a source for top-class horses. The filly that won the French Guineas [Teppal (Fr) (Camacho {GB}] is just one prime example. Con Marnane sold her for €105,000 and she is worth many multiples of that now.” Longways sold a Super Saver colt at Arqana for €120,000, having purchased him for $35,000 at Keeneland last September, and Murphy said he is hoping some other acquisitions from that trip will fare similarly this week. “We have a very nice Noble Mission colt out of a Rahy mare (lot 35). He goes very well, the dam is a half-sister to three stakes horses so he has plenty going for him. He is nice individual and Noble Mission had his first winner from his first runner so they can’t knock the sire. The Data Link [lot 68], she’s sharp and she’s a fast filly. She is out of a mare who won a listed race as a 2-year-old and has already bred two winners so she won’t be long coming to hand.” Murphy and O’Connell don’t mind taking a chance on first season sires and the trio of freshmen that represent them this week have certainly made a positive impression at this early stage of the season. They offer a filly by Bungle Inthejungle (GB) as lot 98 and a colt by Charm Spirit (Ire) as lot 134. Both stallions are off the blocks early with winners and O’Connell said, “We like first-season sires, if they click you can get quite lucky. Obviously it’s a chance you take but thankfully it’s a strategy that has worked out fairly well for us so far. Charm Spirit’s first winner won by five lengths and then he had another winner two days later. Our breezer is out of a black-type mare and goes well so he should be popular.” Several vendors have already hailed Goresbridge as their favourite breeze-up sale of the year; some reckon it’s because it’s the season finale while others maintain it’s the quality of the Guinness in the bar. Whatever the reason, the sale has only gone one way in the last 10 years and that is up, and while someday that progress may halt, Murphy and O’Connell said they believe it won’t be for lack of effort from those who run and market it. “Martin [Donohoe] and ITM do a very good job promoting the sale,” Murphy said. “They usually manage to get a decent clearance rate and the quality of horse has risen year-on-year. They look after people really well and the service they provide on sale day is second to none.” While many breeze-up vendors may take a well-earned break next week, Murphy and O’Connell cannot afford that luxury as they are in the throes of moving their whole operation from Tipperary to Waterford in what is an exciting project that should stand their business in great stead in the future. “We’ve sold Longways and we will be moving to Ardmore in county Waterford to Sarah’s home-place. We’re building a new purpose-built yard and putting in a breeze-up gallop so we will have everything we need on site,” Murphy said. The couple are under pressure to have everything in place in less than three months’ time when the other side to their business kicks back into gear. “It’s all systems go to be ready for early August. That’s usually when we take in a batch of horses for pre-training every year. We pre-train mostly for Willie Mullins and also a few for Henry De Bromhead and we could have up to 20 at any given time for them between August and May. Historically, breaking and pre-training was the major part of our business and something we are privileged to be doing but the last few years the breeze-up operation has grown and it’s now about 50:50 between the both,” Murphy said. While a change of address is in the offing there will be no branding change when it comes to the team selling breeze-up horses in the future. “The breezers will continue to be sold under Longways, I’ve spent too long building up that name to let it go and it’s also been lucky for us. We sell yearlings and National Hunt stores as well and they will be sold under the name Ardo Farm, which is the name of the farm we are relocating to,” Murphy added. With so much going on it will be touch and go for the pair to take in a minibreak to the Berkshire area of England next month to cheer on some Longways graduates at Royal Ascot. Chief among them will be Le Brivido, who is likely to step up in grade and trip following his encouraging comeback run in the G3 Abernant S. over an inadequate six furlongs at Newmarket in April. “He is going for the Queen Anne S. and hopefully there might be a filly we sold running later in the week so it would be a shame for at least one of us not to be there, even from a networking point of view,” O’Connell said, before her other half chipped in wistfully, “Sarah might make it to Royal Ascot but I might well be stuck at home on a building site.” View the full article

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

Fortune favours those who brave a Lion View the full article

First Group 1 ride for Troy See comes in pairs at Super Saturday View the full article

Kranji Mile tracknotes Wednesday May 23 View the full article

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