Wandering Eyes

Arrival dates of overseas horses, training saddlecloth and morning trackwork for Kranji Mile runners View the full article

The Guild on May 14 forwarded a Feb. 6 letter outlining its concerns about the alliance and its decision to withdraw from the group, which carries no regulatory authority but attempts to bring some level of consistency in safety policies to tracks. View the full article

In the wake of myriad concerns voiced by the Jockeys’ Guild in conversations with New York Racing Association (NYRA) management, the organization has resigned from its affiliation with the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance and demanded enhanced safety protocols in New York, according to a statement released Monday. Per the statement, the Guild was dissatisfied with the responses it has received from the NTRA in recent months and has lost confidence that thorough safety measures are being enacted at NYRA tracks. Conversations with NYRA management reached a boiling point Saturday when the start of Belmont’s 11-race card was delayed 37 minutes after the jockey colony requested a meeting. “There was never any intent to harm the owners, trainers, betting public and fans, nor was there ever any intention by the jockeys to cancel races,” the statement read, addressing Saturday’s incident. “The intent behind all of the concerns is to protect both the equine and human athletes, as well as provide adequate benefits for the jockeys who are regularly risking their lives at NYRA.” The Guild’s chief concern–and the most highly publicized one–is the matter of jockeys seeking an adjusted, higher scale of weights that places less stress on riders’ bodies. “For more than a year, the Jockeys’ Guild and the riders have talked with NYRA management concerning revising the scale of weights to a minimum of 118 lbs,” the statement read. “In order to make the current weights being used, jockeys are endangering their health, by sitting in the hot box, using extreme dieting, or alternative measures, to lose four to five pounds each racing day. In turn, jockeys can suffer severe dehydration and other health issues, which is not in the best interest of the owners, trainers, and betting public.” The Guild also voiced concerns over larger-than-desired field sizes in turf races, issues with the management of a retirement account for NYRA riders, unsatisfactory conditions in the jockeys’ quarters and concussion protocol. The statement pointed out that racing “still remains one of the only sports, professional or amateur, in the country that does not have some sort of standard in place with regards to concussions.” The Guild also questioned whether NYRA has adequate staff on hand to handle jockey injuries, leading to an associated fallout with the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance. “One of the greatest areas of concern for the Guild is the assurance that racetracks have proper medical personnel, including having paramedics on the racetrack, both during training and racing hours,” the statement read. “Since NYRA was initially accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance, the Guild was led to believe that NYRA had provided a properly equipped to transport ambulance, ‘staffed with at least one certified paramedic during training and two certified paramedics during racing hours.’ However, in October of 2017, after legislation was adopted in New York requiring paramedics, it was brought to the attention of the Guild and the NYRA jockey colony that this was not in fact the case, even though NYRA had been accredited several times by the NTRA.” The Guild statement indicated that its Industry Partner Agreement with NYRA had expired Dec. 31, 2017 and the two parties had yet to reach an agreement on new terms. Calling the lack of an agreement “troublesome” to the local riding colony, the Guild stated that in order to find common ground, NYRA would need to become more receptive to addressing their concerns. View the full article

If Untrapped can channel his best form May 18, a second graded stakes victory could be his for the taking when he faces eight others in the $300,000 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) at Pimlico Race Course. View the full article

Anthony Oppenheimer’s Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is a potential starter in the June 1 G1 Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom in place of the side-lined Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). The highest-rated horse in Europe last year, the G1 QIPCO Champion S. hero resumed with a superb reappearance in last month’s G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp. Connections initially suggested the son of Frankel could head for the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh before lining up in the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot, while the brilliant Arc heroine Enable was due to make her reappearance in the Coronation Cup. However, Enable was subsequently ruled out until August at the earliest after suffering a setback and after discussing plans with trainer John Gosden over the weekend, Cracksman’s owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer has revealed his charge may now be re-routed to Epsom. “We had a discussion about it and we are certainly considering running him at Epsom,” said Oppenheimer. “I don’t think we’ve made a final decision on it. Much will depend on the ground, as we wouldn’t want to run him if it’s firm. He’s been to Epsom twice, winning once and finishing third in the Derby, and although he’s got a long stride he seemed to handle the track fine.” Oppenheimer also did not scupper Royal Ascot dreams out of hand, although his 4-year-old would only have 19 days between the Coronation and the Prince of Wales’s. He said, “That’s certainly a possibility. That [Prince of Wales’s S.] is still a target.” View the full article

The 2018 Economic Impact Study produced by the American Horse Council revealed that Maryland’s horse industry adds more than $1.3 billion to the state’s economy. The report found that the horse industry’s total employment impact is over 21,000 jobs and that $500 million-plus is added from the horse racing sector alone. The report quantified the economic benefits generated from three of the main sectors of the horse industry; recreation, competition, and racing. It also enumerated the additional benefits the horse industry offers to the State of Maryland including land preservation, volunteerism, equine therapy and rehoming operations and educational opportunities at academic institutions. “Horses are a part of Maryland’s history and heritage, but this study confirms the important contributions that industry makes today to Maryland’s economy and way of life,” said Cricket Goodall, Executive Director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “As a part of the agriculture community horse farms are productive partners in protecting the environment and educating young people.” View the full article

Trainer Bob Baffert arrived in Louisville, Ky. Sunday night and said he loved what he saw while watching Justify (Scat Daddy) train at Churchill Downs Monday morning for the first time since the colt captured the GI Kentucky Derby May 5. Justify, who will seek to extend his unbeaten streak to 5-for-5 in Saturday’s 143rd GI Preakness S. at Pimlico, jogged to the front of the grandstand under exercise rider Humberto Gomez before turning around for a brisk gallop, picking up the pace throughout. “I just loved the way he went around there,” said Baffert, who flew back to California the day after the Derby. “He looks no different than he did before the Kentucky Derby, so we’re pretty happy where we are right now. He looks healthy. He didn’t lose an ounce of weight, which is important. That’s one thing about him. The next day [after the Derby] when I brought him out, he was so bright and full of energy, I was pretty impressed myself. Usually, all my Derby winners, it takes them about five days to really snap out of it. But he was pretty sharp the whole time. You can tell by their eyes, their body language that he’s enjoying it out there. He wanted to go faster than the rider [allowed]. That tells me he’s still on ‘go.'” Baffert said that Justify has been re-shod with a full shoe on his left hind foot and with the hoof adhesive Equilox added. Justify had been training in a “three-quarter” shoe, where the heel end on one side is cut back to alleviate pressure on a bruised area that manifested itself after the Derby. “Any time you run horses on a wet track, it’s very abrasive, especially that day,” Baffert said. “It burns their heels and that’s when bruised feet come out. I looked at it and said, ‘Start treating it,’ because when you get heat, you’ll get ‘scratches’ or cracked heels. But we jumped on it right away. He looked much better in the afternoon. We deal with these issues constantly in horse racing.” Baffert added that he would have stayed with Justify in Kentucky if he thought the foot issue was a major problem. The chestnut is scheduled to fly to Baltimore Wednesday and is expected to van to Louisville International Airport around 10:30 a.m. or shortly thereafter. The Tex Sutton Forwarding Company equine flight is expected to leave about noon and arrive at Baltimore-Washington International Airport about 1:30 p.m. Meanwhile, champion and Derby runner-up Good Magic (Curlin) became the first horse of the prospective Preakness field to arrive at Pimlico Monday morning. Traveling in a Sallee Horse van, which left New York at 6 a.m., the Chad Brown-trained Good Magic was unloaded at the Pimlico stakes barn at approximately 10:50 a.m. The lone Preakness probable on the worktab Monday was Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Tenfold (Curlin), who breezed a half-mile in :49 2/5 (14/24) at Churchill Downs for trainer Steve Asmussen. The homebred was last seen running fifth in the GI Arkansas Derby. “I thought he moved well–very athletic horse,” Asmussen said. “He’s doing good. As far as timing-wise, I felt [the Preakness] was good for him. I was disappointed with his run in Arkansas, but I think he can move forward from it. Where exactly that puts him with this 3-year-old group is yet to be determined. A very good measuring stick will be Saturday.” View the full article

Sky Sports Racing will broadcast the Melbourne Cup Carnival exclusively in the UK and Ireland after inking a long-term deal with the Victoria Racing Club, Racing.com reported on Monday. Under the agreement, Sky Sports Racing will cover all four days of the Carnival including the AAMI Victoria Derby Day, Kennedy Oaks Day and Stakes Day and the Lexus Melbourne Cup Day. Sky Sports Racing, the successor channel to At The Races, will also have on track exclusivity among UK and Ireland broadcasters. “Sky Sports Racing will be a great new home for the Melbourne Cup Carnival in the UK and Ireland,” said VRC Chief Executive Officer Neil Wilson. “We are very pleased that Sky will be supporting one of the largest racing events in the world and we look forward to working with them to showcase the racing and theatre of the Carnival across the four days.” Added At The Races Chief Executive Matthew Imi, “The Lexus Melbourne Cup is one of the most prestigious and famous races anywhere in the world and we are delighted to start this important new partnership with VRC. We will aim to maximise its exposure and convey the excitement of the week across our broadcast, digital and social channels.” View the full article

US Navy Flag (War Front), who won the G1 Middle Park S. and G1 Dewhurst S. last term, could head for the G1Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh on May 26 following his “inconclusive” fifth-place run in Sunday’s French equivalent at ParisLongchamp. The US-bred made much of the running in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, but stumbled rounding the home bend and after meeting interference in the final furlong, passed the post in fifth place. Several jockeys subsequently voiced their concerns about the condition of the ground, which led to a 30-minute delay to the French 1000 Guineas and a change of course. “We were happy with his run, considering what happened,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “We didn’t say anything when he came in at all, but these things happen. We went there to see about the mile, but it was a little bit inconclusive. He might come back to the [G1] Irish Guineas if the ground is nice [on May 26], then we could look at [Royal Ascot]. The Irish Guineas will tell us whether we go sprinting or stay at a mile.” View the full article

by John Phillips Read this. No, seriously, if you care for Thoroughbred racing at all and especially if you work or are invested in Thoroughbred racing or any of the many parts that surround it–click here and read this. Is this article unbalanced? Balance was not even attempted. Is the context accurate? It throws our breed in with the pro-slaughter Quarter Horse horsemen. Does it misrepresent our industry’s efforts and where our sport is heading? It makes it sound like we don’t even care, let alone spend increasing millions annually on horses retiring from the track. Can Thoroughbred racing expect more of this type of reporting? Absolutely. This is Preakness week and we should be reading and thinking about the awesome drama about to unfold on Saturday. Instead, this was what we got from the Washington Post. Run in newspapers across the country, this kind of story is killing our sport. And our sport no longer has the luxury of sports-page standing to combat such disastrous public relations. At this stage, the only thing that Thoroughbred racing can do, and must do, if we want to survive, is to address the issue even more earnestly and more completely. Window dressing will not suffice. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, in conjunction with its many partners, is the solution. The TAA has grown rapidly in just six years and now has 64 accredited partner organizations (understand that accreditation is not easy to attain) who operate 165 retirement and retraining facilities. The TAA alone will grant $3.5 million annually to help care for and retrain, if possible, Thoroughbreds coming off the track. That amount is increasing each year. (Click here for more information.) But the truth is, that $3.5 million and even combined with the funds raised by TAA partners, is not enough. As president of the TAA, I hear the excuses and complaints: “I make enough contributions,” or “I take care of my own,” and “The horses I breed are not the issue, therefore, it’s not my problem.” Well, the fact is none of us are doing enough to save our sport. Forget the moral issue; we are stewards of a sport that goes back hundreds of years, but our society has different demands upon us now and we either deal with those demands or perish. And yes, despite TAA efforts to spread the burden evenly, some may be doing more than others. But like a post position, sometimes it is not always fair. Try as we might, we don’t have time to be perfectly even. There are some individuals and organizations who understand the seriousness of the issue. But frankly, most individuals and organizations view this as “optional charity” and support the effort as long as it is voluntary and preferably as long as the bill goes elsewhere. So here’s the reality. There is no elsewhere. It is our sport to preserve. Only the substantial resolution to the welfare of Thoroughbreds exiting from racing competition, ensuring that they have a soft landing, will do. The investment in aftercare is better viewed as an insurance premium, as in a business expense, or if you prefer, an obligation to the sport. I am sure that Tom Brady doesn’t like paying into the NFL pension fund, as he’ll never draw a penny from it, but he does it because he has to, and because it keeps the sport healthy. With the TAA, our sport now has the basic infrastructure. TAA has research underway to tell us the scope of Thoroughbreds who are unaccounted for once they leave racing competition. The only real question is, do we have the will to substantially address the issue to the satisfaction of the public? The TAA monitors 20 revenue sources and is acutely aware of trying to be equitable, but we can only do so much. From big to small, be you breeders, owners, trainers, sales companies, racetracks, consignors, farm owners, syndicate managers, we must look to ourselves. We must all step up. If we don’t establish the complete truth to unwanted Thoroughbreds exiting the track as our ultimate defense, we can only expect more of these damning articles. And we will only have ourselves to blame. View the full article

We’ve become accustomed to seeing the powerful partnership of Messrs Magnier, Tabor and Smith carrying off Group 1 trophies but the Coolmore triumvirate has a strong rival in the Classic department from Gérard Augustin-Normand and Antonio Caro, who have enjoyed extraordinary success in France in recent years. As a sole owner, Augustin-Normand’s Classic dream started with Le Havre (Ire) (Noverre) whose 2009 win in the Prix du Jockey Club sparked a dramatic expansion in the Thoroughbred operation of the man whose ownership interests up until then had been primarily in trotters. An offer from a Japanese stud was rebuffed and Le Havre retired to what was then Haras de la Cauvinière (now Haras de Montfort & Préaux), with his owner dispatching Sylvain Vidal to the sales to recruit a broodmare band to support him. This he did with notable results. Avenir Certain (Fr) and La Cressonniere (Fr), members of Le Havre’s first and third crops respectively and trained like their sire by Jean-Claude Rouget, each pulled off the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches/Prix de Diane double for the Augustin-Normand/Caro partnership. In 2016, when La Cressonniere was in her pomp, Almanzor (Fr), a first-crop son of Wootton Bassett (GB), also gave the owners the Prix du Jockey Club before clinching the G1 Champion S. in both Ireland and England. The following year Augustin-Normand struck again, this time initially in partnership with Vidal, their support of another of their young stallions, Rajsaman (Fr), being rewarded with a Poule d’Essai des Poulains/Jockey Club double for his son Brametot (Ire). This €26,000 foal purchase was part-sold to Al Shaqab Racing just before his Classic victories. And we now see the rise of Olmedo (Fr)—yet another colt by a first-season sire, in this case Coolmore’s Declaration Of War—who is being pointed at the Jockey Club after narrowly gaining the verdict in the return of the Poulains to ParisLongchamp in what can only be described as controversial circumstances. ParisLongchamp Palaver It’s rare enough to have two Classics as consecutive races on the same day; rarer still to have the two interspersed by a jockeys’ protest and demands for the second race to be run on a different part of the track after U S Navy Flag slipped in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, run on the middle track. This is the situation in which the stewards at ParisLongchamp found themselves on Sunday amid growing concerns over the state of ground at France’s premier racecourse. The chief protestor over the last ten days has been Christophe Soumillon, who won the listed Prix de la Seine aboard Shahnaza (Fr) the previous Sunday and then refused to take up his later rides on the card, describing the ground as “terrible”. Shahnaza’s trainer Alain De Royer Dupre later withdrew Dolianova (Fr), one of Soumillon’s mounts for the day’s second listed contest. In a separate incident at Lyon-Parilly on Thursday, four horses fell during that day’s Quinté handicap and racing was subsequently abandoned, but not in response to earlier criticism about track conditions from the riders engaged that day. The horses involved suffered no serious injuries but jockeys Ronan Thomas and Theo Bachelot were taken to hospital, with the latter missing out on victory in Sunday’s G3 Prix de Saint-Georges aboard City Light (Fr) as a consequence. Emotions are understandably running high in the weighing-room, leading to a highly-charged, televised outburst from Soumillon ahead of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. His determined request, backed up by a number of his colleagues, was finally granted by Longchamp’s raceday committee after consultation with the trainers involved in the race and the fillies’ Classic was moved to the outer track, which was more recently the course upon which both Poules were run prior to Longchamp’s closure two years ago. Though some trainers, including Freddy Head, have been supportive of ParisLongchamp, there appears to be general feeling that insufficient care for the turf during the two-year hiatus, along with prolonged wet weather causing the first batch of meetings at ParisLongchamp to be run on heavy going, have led to undesirable conditions underfoot. On Monday, France Galop issued a statement announcing that the forthcoming meetings on May 17 and 24 will also be switched to the ‘grande piste’ or outer track as a “precautionary measure following the incident in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains”. Soumillon took to social media, stating, along with photographs of the track where U S Navy Flag was seen to lose his footing, “I’m not here to put oil on the fire, I’m trying to extinguish it, but let’s be brave and all tell the truth. Yesterday U S Navy Flag slipped.” Swiss Kissed With Success Track conerns aside, it was quite a day for Gestüt Zur Küste, the Swiss-based operation run by Christoph Müller which was responsible for breeding both the winner of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Teppal (Fr), and Dice Roll (Fr), who was beaten only a neck and a head when third in the Poulains. The filly and the colt are further linked by the fact that they are the offspring of the Juddmonte-bred half-brothers Camacho (GB) and Showcasing (GB). Müller, the chairman of Frauenfeld racecourse to the east of Zurich, explained, “The partners have about 30 mares, some boarding at Haras d’Ellon and some at Haras d’Etreham. The majority are owned solely but some are in partnerships with the Chambure family and with Thierry de La Heronniere. We’ve been doing this now for four years so these 3-year-olds are our first crop, which is amazing.” With his voice croaking after plenty of shouting at Longchamp on Sunday, he continued, “If you’d told me when we started that we’d have two runners in the Poule d’Essai I would have said it was impossible. It’s even more incredible that the two horses are by half-brothers. Generally we use speed more than stamina and the two stallions were quite inexpensive when we used them.” The Zur Küste team has breeding rights in 10 stallions, including Showcasing (GB), Wootton Bassett (GB), Almanzor (Fr), Zarak (Fr) and Le Havre (Ire). “We are a Swiss operation but we breed mostly in France and also send mares to Britain and Ireland,” he added. “It’s a thrill to see our name high up in the breeders’ list in France. It is a real team operation and our success has been helped by our involvement with two good studs in France. Crispin de Moubray is an advisor and we all share our ideas and our experience.” Gestüt Zur Küste has a young full-brother to Dice Roll on the ground alongside his dam Schlague (Pulpit), who also has a yearling filly by Elusive City (Ire). Teppal’s dam Jumanna (Fr) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) has a yearling colt by Showcasing and recently foaled another colt by Ajaya (GB). Royal Date For Royal Julius Olmedo may not be Royal Ascot-bound but it seems the likely destination for Royal Julius (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB}), who last season became the first black-type winner for his young Marseille-based trainer Jerome Reynier. On Sunday, the 5-year-old entire lifted him higher still with victory in the G2 Presidente della Repubblica in Rome and the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. is now in his sights. Having driven the horsebox to and from Rome, the slightly weary but happy trainer told TDN on Monday morning, “I’m sure he’ll be even better this year. Mentally he’s much stronger than last year and he feels stronger physically as well.” Royal Julius made his seasonal debut on the opening day of the new ParisLongchamp, finishing second to Air Pilot (GB) in the G2 Prix d’Harcourt, a performance which gave Reynier a boost. He continued, “I know he was a long shot in the Prix d’Harcourt but he came on a lot from his run there and I was very confident that I didn’t have to keep him to listed races. It’s a dream for me to have a horse to send to Ascot and it’s a race I’ve watched since I was very young. It would be special to go there with a bit of a chance. “Gérald Mossé felt there was still something left in the tank yesterday. He really liked the horse and is looking forward to riding him at Ascot. We now know that he can go on any ground—it was heavy at Longchamp and much faster yesterday, he nearly broke the track record.” With a rising profile that was outlined last year in a TDN feature, Reynier has resisted the temptation which has often proved irresistible to fellow trainers in a similar position in not allowing his stable to become too big too soon. “I have 40 boxes and 40 horses. I’m always full and I don’t want 41,” he said. “I just want to focus on my 40 and on quality over quantity. We have had 15 wins already this year and have horses at every level but we try to be as competitive as we can with a really good bunch of owners. “We had a winner in Longchamp [Ascot Spirit (GB)] one hour after the Rome win so it was very special also to have a winner in Paris on Guineas day.” Stars In The Making One of the biggest threats to the supremacy of Galileo (Ire) this season could come from his half-brother Sea The Stars (Ire), who looks to have some decent representatives both in the 3-year-old division and among his older runners. Harry Dunlop has a chance to follow in the footsteps of his Epsom Classic-winning father John and brother Ed after the front-running victory of Knight To Behold (Ire) in Saturday’s G3 Lingfield Derby Trial, while Lady Bamford’s homebred Stream Of Stars (GB) was an impressive recent maiden winner and holds a Royal Ascot entry for the G2 Queen’s Vase. This was the race in which subsequent G1 Goodwood Cup winner Stradivarius (Ire) first showed his mettle and he looks likely to head to York on Friday for the G2 Yorkshire Cup. Victory would qualify Bjorn Nielsen’s colt for a tilt at the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million. Sea The Stars could also be represented at York this week by Derby entry Al Muffrih (Ire) in the G2 Dante S., while recent G3 Gordon Richards S. winner Crystal Ocean (GB) is being aimed at the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup on May 27. Cloth Of Stars (Ire) is another with the talent to bag a big race this season providing his exuberance can be contained. Sea The Stars is not a sire one would readily associate with breeze-up sales but his sole filly at Arqana on Saturday sold for €400,000 to American owner-breeder Andrew Rosen. Perfect Two For v.2 It wasn’t all plain sailing at the Arqana breeze-up this year, though the sale fared better than most in the division. Whatever adjustments are made to next year’s breeze—a return to Saint-Cloud perhaps or a reduction in the number catalogued—one sale which received a mighty shot in the arm on Sunday was Arqana’s newest yearling auction, the v.2, which takes place immediately following its flagship August Yearling Sale. This one-day sale aimed at more precocious types appears to have found its niche, and both Sunday’s Classic winners at Longchamp, Olmedo and Teppal, graduated from the 2016 catalogue. Haras des Capucines consigned Olmedo, who was bought by his trainer for €100,000. Teppal, a €60,000 yearling from Haras d’Ellon, was sold on the following year from the Bansha House Stud draft at Arqana and follows The Grey Gatsby (Ire) as the second Classic winner to emerge from the French breeze-up. Con Marnane had a rare look of concern on his face during Saturday’s sale but that quickly turned to his more familiar beam after Teppal’s victory the following day. Should the Marnanes’ recent juvenile winner On A Session (Noble Mission {GB}) emulate Different League (Fr) (Dabirism {Fr}) by winning at Royal Ascot this year that smile will become wider still—and a session will definitely be on. View the full article

Ed and Lou work for the Maryland Jockey Club as assistant starters, but they do so much more. I first met them during the summer meet at Colonial Downs. I would see them in the wee morning hours walking hots–then again in the afternoon loading scared maidens into the gate or talking to a jock about how they wanted a certain horse’s stance. Long after the last race ended I would see them again, cleaning and re-bedding the stalls in the receiving barn for the next days occupants. Always with a smile on their faces. They were always working, some job or another, but smiling, laughing, having a good time–not once burdened by “the grind.” Ready with a high five and a “how’s it going?” Ed & Lou make the backside that much brighter every day. –Anonymous Submission View the full article

Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}–Hibaayeb {GB}, by Singspiel {Ire}), winner of the 2017 GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar last November, has been retired by Godolphin following a recurrence of old injuries. The Charlie Appleby trainee won half of her eight starts and earned $1,537,519. Off the mark at first asking, she landed the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac-Criterium des Pouliches next out in October of 2016, but did not return to the races until a second in last July’s G1 Falmouth S. Sent to Germany in pursuit of Classic success, the chestnut ran third in the G1 Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks), her first start over a mile. Fourth in both the Sept. 9 G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown and in Chantilly’s G1 Prix de l’Opera on Oct. 1, Wuheida was back in the winner’s circle with her Breeders’ Cup tally. In her lone 4-year-old start, she bounded to a four-length win in the G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket on May 6. “It’s unfortunate, but she had a few niggling injury worries that have resurfaced in the past few days, and after discussing it with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, we have decided to retire her,” said trainer Charlie Appleby. “She became Dubawi’s first Group 1-winning 2-year-old when she won the Prix Marcel Boussac at Chantilly [in October of 2016], and she was fantastic in winning at Del Mar. I am pleased she went out on a high with such an emphatic win at Newmarket. She was a very talented filly on the racecourse.” The second foal out of the G1 Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile heroine Hibaayeb who matured to take the GI Yellow Ribbon S. at three and the GII Sheepshead Bay S. at four, the Darley homebred is from the same female family as English champion Oh So Sharp (Ire) (Kris {GB}). View the full article

The inaugural Mystic Lake Northern Stars Racing Festival, featuring five stakes races worth a total of $500,000, will be held June 23 at Canterbury Park in conjunction with the fifth annual Jockeys and Jeans fundraiser to benefit the Permantly Disabled Jockeys Fund. At least 15 Hall of Fame riders are expected to be on hand to honor six of their fallen comrades, including Pat Day and Chris McCarron. Triple Crown winner Steve Cauthen is also committed to attending. “Combining Canterbury’s richest races with Jockeys and Jeans makes for a great evening of racing that will draw attention both locally and nationally,” said Canterbury President Randy Sampson. “Not only will we have some of the greatest jockeys from the past at the racetrack, but with $500,000 in purses, we will also attract some of the best active jockeys in the sport. Jockeys and Jeans is an important industry event supporting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and I know race fans will turn out to show their support.” Since its founding in 2014 by five former jockeys the all-volunteer group has raised nearly $750,000 for the PDJF which makes monthly payments of $1,000 to 63 severely injured former jockeys, including some 40 who are pari or quadriplegics. The group hopes to go over the $1 million mark this year. The day will also include a poker tournament and on Sunday, a half-dozen Hall of Fame jockeys will be part of foursomes playing in a golf tournament at Meadows at Mystic Lake Golf Course, all to benefit the PDJF. “If I used ten thousand words, I couldn’t thank our individual donors or Canterbury Park management enough,” said Jockeys and Jeans President Barry Pearl. “So many from all facets of racing have shown the same grit and determination to aid fallen riders those injured riders have shown in rebuilding their lives and Canterbury Park has not only opened its doors, but led us into new ways to raise funds for fallen riders. They have not walked but have run the extra mile.” Event tickets are $50 with seating limited, and can be purchased at canterburypark.com starting May 16. Those who cannot attend can donate to the PDJF on behalf of the Jockeys and Jeans Fundraiser at https://pdjf.org/donate/. For more information, contact Eddie Donnally at 818-653-3711 or eddonnally@gmail.com or Jeff Maday at 952-496-6408. View the full article

The Inglis Scone Yearling Sale concluded the sales company’s select yearling sale season with gains in several areas. For the year, Inglis sold 2079 yearlings, which grossed A$242,393,000 for a clearance rate of 86% and an average of A$116,560. The gross bettered 2017’s mark of A$219,410,250. It was the second record-breaking Inglis select sale season in a row. Twenty-two of the 33 A$1-million plus yearlings purchased from Australian Southern Hemisphere yearling sales went through an Inglis ring. The top-priced yearling was lot 400, a colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus) out of The Broken Shore (Aus) (Hussonet), who sold for A$2.3 million. Monday’s Book 2 session was topped by an A$45,000 son of Drumbeats (Aus) as lot 283. Offered by Winterfell Thoroughbreds, the brown yearling, a full to SP gelding Ringo’s a Rockstar (Aus), caught the eye of N Stephens of Queensland. The session ended with 68 yearlings sold for a gross of A$449,000 and a solid 85% clearance rate. The average was A$6,603 (-12.4%) and the median was A$4,000 (-33%). “The 2018 Inglis select yearling sale season has thrown up some challenges, but overall it has been a satisfying year,” said Inglis General Manager of Bloodstock Jonathan D’Arcy, reflecting on the conclusion of the Inglis select yearling sale season. “Among several highlights were the 34% growth at the Classic Yearling Sale and the broad spread of buyers at the top end of the Easter Yearling Sale. While Easter and Premier were marginally down on the previous year, they were both still very strong yearling sales, both clearing 85% and grossing the second-highest figures on record at both venues. I’d like to commend and thank vendors who entrusted us with their yearlings and were prepared to meet the market in the majority of cases throughout the year.” View the full article

1st-WOL, £5,800, Cond, 5-14, 2yo, 5f 21y (AWT), 1:02.39, st. DIVINER (IRE) (f, 2, Charm Spirit {Ire}–Water Fountain {GB}, by Mark of Esteem {Ire}), an Apr. 29 debut seventh when trying five furlongs in the deep mud at Salisbury last time, adapted well to this surface and showed early dash to set a solid tempo. In command throughout, the 11-8 pick was asked to stretch off the home turn and received a couple of educational taps in the latter stages to easily account for Where’s Perle (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) by five lengths, becoming the first winner for her Haras de Bonneval-based freshman sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The €14,000 Goffs Orby yearling is also the third winner out of the untested Water Fountain (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) and she is a half-sister to G3 Meld S. third Ponfeigh (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Make Believe (GB). Water Fountain, herself a daughter of MGSW G2 Prince of Wales’s S. heroine English Spring (Grey Dawn II {Fr}), is kin to MGISP G3 Prix Cleopatre victress Spring Oak (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) and Listed Lupe S. winner Fragrant Hill (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), who in turn produced six stakes performers headed by G1SW sire Fragrant Mis (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}) and G1 Prix Jean Romanet victress Alpine Rose (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}). Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $5,081. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Kingsley Park 8; B-Ennistown Stud (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. View the full article

With trainer Bob Baffert in attendance and a gaggle of media looking on, Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Justify continued his preparations for the May 19 Preakness Stakes (G1) with an energetic 1 1/2-mile gallop May 14. View the full article

Tenfold put in the standard week-of exercise the Steve Asmussen barn is known for, covering an easy half-mile in :49 2/5 at Churchill Downs May 14 in preparation for his expected start in the Preakness Stakes (G1) May 19 at Pimlico Race Course. View the full article

With less than three weeks to go until the G1 Investec Epsom Derby Festival, Aidan O’Brien and the team at Ballydoyle were more than generous with their time to allow a rabble of racing and bloodstock press get a peek inside an idyllic morning’s work on Monday at arguably the world’s most famous and most successful training operation. Having broken the record for the number of Group or Grade 1 winners in a year in 2017, one would think there weren’t many accolades missing from Aidan O’Brien’s mantelpiece but as we saw recently at Churchill Downs, racing is a great leveler and even the Ballydoyle maestro could not prepare for what ensued on the sloppy dirt track when Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy) trailed in last in the GI Kentucky Derby. Another iconic racing feat that has possibly been nagging at O’Brien’s boss John Magnier is the European Triple Crown, won last by Nijinsky II in 1970. The current Ballydoyle incumbents came agonisingly close to emulating the Vincent O’Brien-trained Nijinsky when Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) came unstuck in the final leg, the G1 St Leger at Doncaster in 2012 and hopes are high that Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) may be the one to bridge that 48-year gap. The now dual Group 1 winner and recent hero of the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket was one of 70 regally bred Thoroughbreds limbering up in the giant indoor exercise arena in Ballydoyle just before 8 a.m. on Monday morning. Just as he had done on several occasions in his juvenile season, Lancaster Bomber (War Front) cut out the early trotting, followed a few lengths back by Gustav Klimt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) with Saxon Warrior settled in about sixth place and they maintained similar formation as they made their way to the wood chip gallop for the first of two canters that morning. Talk soon came around to the main subject Saxon Warrior and after another weekend of Derby Trials his odds have hardened to a shade of odds on, despite Dermot Weld’s Hazapour (Ire) (Shamardal) enhancing his Epsom claims when putting a few of the other Ballydoyle Derby hopefuls in the shade at Leopardstown on Sunday. “He’s good, we’re very happy with him,” O’Brien said. “Going to Newmarket we were nervous, he was a drastic amount above his 2-year-old weight, which has rarely happened here before. Donnacha was riding him in his work, it was always nice work and he was very happy with him. To do what he did at Newmarket we were obviously delighted. With the Derby in mind we didn’t want to start over seven furlongs so we thought the mile up Newmarket would be a lovely place to start.” Knowing what little emphasis O’Brien places on winning trials and how much his charges improve from race to race–often running career bests late on in the season when other horses are tapering off–the performance of Saxon Warrior at Newmarket could easily set the stage for him to stake his claim as one of the greats. And to do so he could not have a better address than Rosegreen, Co. Tipperary. With stage one out of the way and given the brilliance he showed over a mile are we taking it for granted too much that he will be even better over a mile and a half and further? “We’ve always viewed him as a Camelot/Australia type of horse but the acceleration he showed from the 3 [furlong] pole was very pleasing,” the trainer said. “He has half a mile further and a different track to contend with but usually when they handle the dip in Newmarket they can usually cope with the contours of Epsom.” When pressed about a potential Triple Crown bid O’Brien deflected such a notion and said, “It’s never the be all and end all, every horse is taken individually and it will only come into the equation if we get through the next stage. But obviously it would be unbelievable to have a horse that could do it.” While Saxon Warrior is no doubt the number one Derby hope, O’Brien is not short of backup and as we saw last year when Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) sprang a 40-1 surprise one cannot dismiss the Ballydoyle second or even fifth string. “Obviously I haven’t spoken with the lads yet and no decision has been made but I suppose the second and third from the trial yesterday [Delano Roosevelt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and The Pentagon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})] will be on the team and probably the horse that ran at Lingfield [Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})]. Maybe Rostropovich, who won at Chester could go for the French Derby. I was very happy with the two at Leopardstown, it wasn’t a mad pace by any means. Sometimes the trials turn into the races themselves and the horses don’t progress the way you’d like them to. I thought looking at our horses that a mile and a half would suit them.” Last year Ballydoyle had the hot favourite Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Epsom Oaks but they didn’t reckon on bumping into the mighty Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and this year despite plenty of Ballydoyle ammunition the home side may have some tough nuts to crack including the John Gosden trained Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the Listed Pretty Polly S. at Newmarket and earner of a ‘TDN Rising Star‘ on debut. Last year’s multiple Group 1 placed 2-year-old September (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is on the easy list at the moment and will miss the race and Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) looks more like being aimed at the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, so O’Brien will send recent Listed Cheshire Oaks 1-2 Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Forever Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) towards the race he has won six times already. Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) missed her engagement at Leopardstown on Sunday due to the ground and could also go straight to Epsom. While O’Brien may come across through his media engagements as an intense individual with a touch of the ‘mad genius’ about him, in real life he is engaging, witty and he immediately strikes a rapport with visitors much in the same way as he addresses each of the circa 70 riders by name, enquiring about the well-being of their mounts as the string walks by after each canter. Training is a stressful game and while O’Brien doesn’t have to fret about many of the matters that his training colleagues do, such as filling the barns each year with nice horses, his role brings unique pressures, though in his dealings with the media these pressures are not evident in his demeanor. “This time of the year is tense as there is a lot going on and a lot of things changing and you’re just trying to give the best information to the people that are making the decisions,” he said. Those making the decisions in Ballydoyle can do so in the comfort that the quality of information is second to none. View the full article

History has an intriguing habit of repeating itself, with the latest instance concerning the former Aidan O’Brien champions Giant’s Causeway and Declaration of War. Giant’s Causeway retired to Coolmore after ending his career with a highly admirable neck second to Tiznow in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic on dirt. He was transferred to Ashford Stud after only one season in Ireland, but his Irish crop contained the Classic winners Footstepsinthesand and Shamardal. The curtain also came down on Declaration of War’s career after he had been narrowly beaten by Mucho Macho Man and Will Take Charge in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He too was to spend one season at Coolmore before being transferred to Ashford, and he too has now sired a Classic-winning son in his Irish crop, with Olmedo following in Shamardal’s footsteps in winning the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains. Declaration of War’s racing career hadn’t been quite as stellar as Giant’s Causeway’s but both won the G1 Juddmonte International and both earned champion status. Both also proved themselves equally effective over a mile and a mile and a quarter, with Declaration of War gaining his first Group 1 success when he took the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot. With Declaration of War winning two Group 1s, as opposed to Giant’s Causeway’s six, he stood his Irish season at €40,000, compared to Giant’s Causeway’s IR100,000gns. A direct comparison of the achievements of their respective first crops is therefore somewhat unfair. Also, it wouldn’t be realistic to expect Declaration of War’s first juveniles to be as precocious as Giant’s Causeway’s. While both horses were unbeaten at two, Giant’s Causeway was a Group 1 winner ranked the second-best juvenile in Europe, whereas Declaration of War had his line cast in much quieter waters by his then trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. The son of War Front didn’t make his debut until Nov. 10, when he decisively won a newcomers’ race over 1 1/16 miles on Pornichet’s all-weather track. Then in mid-December he trounced the opposition in a Class D contest over 7 1/2 furlongs of Deauville’s all-weather track. It was these full-of-potential displays by Joseph Allen’s homebred colt that brought him to the attention of the Coolmore partners, who bought into him and had him transferred to Ireland. Unfortunately, he didn’t race again until September and he tackled nothing more demanding than a pair of Group 3s on his return, confirming his aptitude for all-weather tracks when he landed the Diamond S. over 1 5/16 miles. At this stage Timeform rated him 116p, but his exploits as a 4-year-old bumped that up to 128. In other words, Declaration of War improved from two to three and again from three to four, in much the same way that his sire War Front had done during his three years on the track. This partly explains why the parallels between Giant’s Causeway and Declaration of War began to diverge at the end of their first year with runners. By the end of 2004 Giant’s Causeway had three group-winning 2-year-olds to his credit, including Europe’s unbeaten champion 2-year-old Shamardal and his fellow future Classic winner Footstepsinthesand. In the process he landed the title of champion first-crop sire, an achievement which sent his fee soaring from $75,000 in his fourth season to $200,000 in his fifth. Declaration of War’s start was quieter, although Olmedo helped turn the spotlight on him by achieving ‘TDN Rising Star’ status on his impressive debut. Olmedo also failed by only a short-head to land the G3 Prix des Chenes and finally came out best of the colts in Happily’s G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. There were also good efforts in Europe from his daughters Actress (a Group 1-placed Group 3 winner) and Eirene, while his American runners included the Grade III-placed Irish Territory. The Pulpit S. success by Speed Franco came in December, after Declaration of War’s 2018 fee had been set at $25,000–a reduction of $10,000 from last year. With Olmedo and Speed Franco becoming group/graded winners this year, to increase Declaration of War’s total to three, there is good reason for thinking that Declaration of War’s fee may be heading upwards before too long, though there has inevitably been a bias towards turf performers from his Irish crop. It will be fascinating to see whether this bias continues with his first American crop, which averaged over $100,000 off a fee of $40,000. I see no reason why he shouldn’t sire smart performers on both surfaces. After all, he showed top-class form on dirt and turf, as well as winning three times on all-weather tracks, and his pedigree contains plenty of accomplished dirt performers. His dam Tempo West was a half-sister to Union Rags, a GI Belmont S. winner who has four Grade I dirt winners from his first two crops. This dirt/turf debate is probably irrelevant to Olmedo, who seems to be ideally suited to a sound surface which allows him to quicken impressively. He was well bought for €100,000 as a yearling. His family once did sterling work for the late Daniel Wildenstein, who bought his fifth dam, the German 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner Schonbrunn. Southern Seas, a daughter of Schonbrunn, did particularly well, winning four times at up to two miles before developing into a highly effective broodmare. She numbered the G2 Prix Jean de Chaudenay winner Seurat and the late-developing Steinlen among her four stakes winners. Steinlen didn’t win in France until he was four and he then proved a revelation when transferred to D. Wayne Lukas in the U.S. Steinlen’s 16 wins from 35 American starts included the GI Arlington Million and the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile as a 6-year-old. He was seven when he gained the last of his four Grade I victories, in the Hollywood Turf H. Olmedo’s third dam Supergirl was an unraced half-sister to Steinlen. She produced another high-class performer in the G2 Prix Noailles winner Super Celebre, who in 2003 chased home Dalakhani in both the G1 Prix Lupin and the G1 Prix du Jockey-Club. Olmedo’s dam Super Pie is by the champion broodmare sire Pivotal but, like many daughters of this high-class sprinter, she demonstrated more stamina than her sire, winning a newcomers’ race over 1 3/16 miles at Deauville. Olmedo’s second dam, the Linamix mare Super Lina, was second in the G3 Prix Penelope and fourth in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary, so was suited by middle distances, so there is every chance that Olmedo will stay well enough to have a live chance of following in Shamardal’s footsteps even further, in the G1 Prix du Jockey-Club. View the full article

America’s legal gambling landscape was radically altered on Monday morning when the Supreme Court of the United States struck down a federal law that bars wagering on team sports, allowing individual states to pursue sports betting as they wish. The ruling is generally viewed as favorable within the U.S. horse racing industry because racetracks—at least at first—are viewed as likely to land some of the initial sports betting licenses because they are already regulated entities set up for the purpose of taking bets. The court’s ruling that the law was unconstitutional came about by a 7-2 vote. This story will updated as more details become available. Earlier this month, the TDN talked to Dennis Drazin about the implications of the case if it were ruled in Monmouth’s favor. View the full article

The Peter Ho Leung-trained Split Of A Second has been edging closer to a win and he gets his chance to make that happen at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The four-year-old has had five career starts and apart from his debut effort when he dropped out, he has been right around the mark. The gelding put the writing on the wall last start, coming from well back and rattling home for second, beaten a half-length by Clear Choice and now gets the opportunity to go one better in the first section of... View the full article

Voyage King was the victor of an eventful race at Sha Tin on Saturday and it was the performance of a horse who has plenty of upside. More than half the field in the Class Three Coloane Handicap (1,400m) was affected when Joao Moreira – who was suspended for two meetings and fined HK$100,000 – shifted in on Big Bang Bong, including Voyage King. Despite the interference, Macau jockey Peter Ho Wah-lun managed to keep the Frankie Lor’s three-year-old balanced and he finished off... View the full article

Five Churchill Downs-based Preakness Stakes (G1) contenders continued their final preparations May 13 prior to shipping to Baltimore for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. View the full article

Five Churchill Downs-based Preakness Stakes (G1) contenders continued their final preparations May 13 prior to shipping to Baltimore for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. View the full article