Wandering Eyes

Featuring a sale-topper and a €12,000 vendor buy-back, the field for the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains has colts bought at all levels of the market, with only three of the 11 runners never having passed through a sale ring. Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration Of War) Bred by Jean-Pierre Dubois under his Dream With Me Stable banner, Olmedo could become a first Classic winner not just for his young sire but also for Arqana’s V2 Sale, having been bought there for €100,000 by Jean-Claude Rouget. Dice Roll (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) Giacomo Algranti’s G3 Prix Djebel winner is also an Arqana graduate and was bought by Amanda Skiffington for €130,000 at the October Sale. He’s the fourth foal of the Pulpit mare Schlague (Fr) and was bred by the Swiss-based Gestut Zur Kuste. Hey Gaman (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) A vendor buy-back at 100,000gns as a Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling and subsequently withdrawn from the Craven Breeze-up last year, the Rabbah Bloodstock homebred is the first foal of the stakes-placed Arsaadi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who died the year after he was born. The mare’s second and final foal, also by New Approach, was bought by Godolphin for 240,000gns last October. U S Navy Flag (War Front) Bred, like his dam Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), by Coolmore associates, the brother of treble Group 1 winner Roly Poly is a grandson of Butterfly Cove, a Storm Cat half-sister to Fasliyev (Nureyev). Infernal Majesty (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) Another Arqana October Sale graduate, Infernal Majesty was bought for €55,000 for owner Jean-Louis Bouchard by Gerard Larrieu. He was bred in partnership by Antoinette Tamagni and Cocheese Bloodstock, who bought his Niarchos-bred dam Healing Dream (Fr) (Montjeu {Ire}) as a yearling for €17,000. Louis d’Or (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) Bought by his trainer Tony Castanheira for €27,000 at the Arqana October Sale, this Wildenstein-bred colt is out of a sister to the G1 Gran Premio di Milano winner Sudan (Ire) (Peintre Celebre). Magic Bibou (Fr) (Panis) Bred by Sebastien, Stephane and Romuald Joucla in partnership with Eric Dupont, Magic Bibou races in the colours of Francis Teboul’s Gemini Stud, which also campaigned the multiple Grade 1-winning hurdler Gemix (Fr), who now stands at Haras de Victot. Teboul was also the co-breeder of G2 Prix du Muguet winner Jimmy Two Times (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}). His dam Hidden Magic was bought as a 2-year-old for €12,000 at Arqana’s December Sale in 2007. Wootton (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) Guido Sels of Ecurie Haras de Quetieville, which raced the colt for his first start until Godolphin bought him privately, bred both Wootton and his dam, the Group 3-placed winner American Nizzy (Fr) American Post (GB). Quetieville was also the birthplace of G2 Lonsdale Cup winner and G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Max Dynamite (Fr). Il Primo Sole (GB) (Raven’s Pass) A graduate of three sales at three different auction houses, the dual winner was sold by his breeder Biddestone Stud as a foal for 20,000gns. He then returned to the ring for the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, at which Mags O’Toole bid €40,000 for him on behalf of Eddie O’Leary who breezed him at Goffs UK where he was bought for £55,000 by Blandford Bloodstock. Biddestone also bred his dam Sweet Alabama (GB) (Johannesburg), having bought grandam Alybgood through Hugo Merry for $18,000 at Keeneland in 2009. Francesco Bere (Fr) (Peer Gynt {JPN}) This grandson of Sunday Silence was unsold at €12,000 at the Arqana V2 Yearling Sale when offered by Haras de la Haie Neuve, which stands his sire. After winning the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen d’Elevage, he was offered at the Arqana Arc Sale but again didn’t reach his reserve, being unsold at €400,000. Bred by the Regnier family, he is out of a Hector Protector half-sister to Sir Prancealot (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). Kings Shield (Scat Daddy) The Rosemont Farm-bred top lot at last year’s Craven Breeze-up Sale when sold for 675,000gns was purchased privately by pinhooker Jim McCartan after being bought in for $65,000 at the Keeneland September Sale. View the full article

• Jimmy Barnes, the chief assistant overseeing ‘TDN Rising Star’ Justify (Scat Daddy)’s training in Kentucky, said Hall of Famer Bob Baffert is expected to fly to Louisville Sunday evening. The GI Kentucky Derby winner is scheduled to fly to Baltimore Wednesday and is expected to land at about 1:30 p.m. Justify galloped 1 1/2 miles Saturday. “Justify couldn’t be looking any better,” Barnes said. “Going into Baltimore this next week, I couldn’t be happier with how he looks.” Barnes said that the minor foot bruise that surfaced the day after the Derby “looks like it’s completely behind us. Those things take sometimes 48 hours to resolve themselves, so now we just march forward to Baltimore.” • Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who like Baffert has won the GI Preakness S. six times, is scheduled to run Derby sixth-place finisher Bravazo (Awesome Again) and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Sporting Chance (Tiznow) in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. “I think [Justify] has a great chance [to win the Triple Crown]; I wish I had him,” Lukas said. “There’s no horse out there right now that can stop him on this run. Ironically, we’ll have two Triple Crown winners in a short period of time. I really think it could happen. “But you can’t concede anything. My job is to spoil the dream. That’s what I get paid for. I’m a good friend of Bob Baffert’s, but when the gate opens, he’s on his own.” View the full article

After losing the top spot at Arqana briefly to Frankel (GB), Scat Daddy ended the sale on a high when his colt from Mocklershill, a half-brother to the Grade II-placed Carried Interest (Henny Hughes), was sold to Jamie McCalmont on behalf of MV Magnier for €825,000. View the full article

2nd-CUR, €17,500, Mdn, 5-12, 2yo, 6fT, 1:21.18, hy. LAND FORCE (IRE) (c, 2, No Nay Never–Theann {GB} {GSW-Eng & MGSP-Ire, $143,999}, by Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), who hit the board in his Apr. 13 debut going five furlongs at Naas last time, was slick from the gate and established control within a matter of strides upped one panel here. Dominating throughout, the 11-10 favourite was shaken up approaching the final eighth and kept on strongly under mild coaxing to easily account for Vocatus (Ire) (Vocalised) by 2 1/4 lengths, becoming the second winner–and first in Europe–for his freshman sire (by Scat Daddy). “He came forward lovely from his first run and we’re delighted with him,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “We were a bit worried about the heavy ground over six furlongs, but he came forward lovely and [jockey] Donnacha [O’Brien] was very happy with him. He’s a hardy horse and is going to take racing so he could come back here for the [May 26 Listed] Marble Hill [S.].” Land Force is the fourth scorer for G3 Summer S. victress Theann (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the €350,000 GOFORB yearling is thus kin to GI Rodeo Drive S. and GI First Lady S. heroine Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Australia (GB). Theann is a daughter of MGSW G1 July Cup runner-up Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) and is herself a half-sister to MG1SW Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who in turn produced three stakes winners headed by MG1SW Irish highweight Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $14,837. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Mrs Evie Stockwell (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. View the full article

1st-SRO, €14,300, Mdn, 5-12, 2yo, c&g, 1200mT, 1:12.9, sft. THE WORLD IS YOUR (IRE) (c, 2, Ruler of the World {Ire}–Contemporary {Ire} {GSW-Fr} by Alzao) jumped fast and set a decent pace along the rail. He began to tire approaching the 200 metre pole and fought bravely, holding on by a head from the fast finishing L’Imperdibile (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}), with the pair six lengths clear of the rest of the field. The colt is the first runner and winner by the 2013 Derby hero Ruler Of The World (Ire). The dam Contemporary (Ire) (Alzao) wont the G3 Prix Miesque in France in her juvenile campaign. She produced the fast and precocious Ottone (GB) (Dutch Art (GB)), who landed the G3 Premio Primi Passi at two but failed to fulfill the promises following his move to Hong Kong where he landed some placings. Sales history: €22,000 Ylg ’17 SGASEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €5,525. VIDEO. O-Scuderia Incolinx. B-La Nuova Sbarra (Ire). T-Nicolo Simondi. View the full article

Having missed out on the G1 1000 Guineas on Sunday, Bye Bye Baby (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) offered quick compensation when winning Saturday’s G3 Plusvital Irish EBF Blue Wind S. at The Curragh to get on the increasingly-crowded magic bus to Epsom. This early highlight is in contrast to her 2-year-old profile, when she was a slow learner who took four starts to get off the mark but did so at the expense of the classy Altyn Orda (Ire) (Kyllachy {GB}) by two lengths over seven furlongs at Newmarket in late September. That day she was ridden positively and it was the same story again here as Seamie Heffernan set out to make it a test from the front on the 11-4 second favourite. By the time she had passed the two pole, the daughter of the promoted 2010 Epsom Oaks runner-up Remember When (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) had the race in safe keeping and her rider who carried a pound overweight was happy to cajole her to the line. She had a comfortable two-length advantage there over the even-money favourite Jaega (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who had beaten Wednesday’s Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) convincingly on her debut. “She’ll go to Epsom next,” Aidan O’Brien commented. “She’s very straightforward, very uncomplicated and stays well. She’s a very well-bred filly, too.” Only eighth when favoured for the Listed Salsabil S. over 10 furlongs Apr. 22, Bye Bye Baby was performing in line with several of the yard’s runners in recent days in finding more than a stone on their seasonal debuts. “You’d be delighted with that and she came forward lovely from Navan,” O’Brien added. “On their first runs I’m never surprised. Obviously we’ve seen the improvement can be out of this world sometimes. When they start off, they start off, and you just want them to progress. The first day is just the start.” Bye Bye Baby, whose juvenile campaign also featured a win in the Listed Staffordstown Stud S. over a mile at Navan and third in the G3 Killavullan S. at Leopardstown in October, is already one up on her dam who went to Epsom a maiden and retired that way. Her sister Wedding Vow (Ire) captured the G2 Kilboy Estate S. and ran second in the G1 Nassau S., while her brother Beacon Rock (Ire) was an out-and-out stayer whose career highlight came when taking the G3 Gallinule S. here. Remember When’s half-brother, the champion Dylan Thomas (Ire) (Danehill), was able to garner the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for the establishment and is one of two Classic winners out of Lagrion (Diesis {GB}) alongside Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) who like this filly took her time to build into a top-class performer. With the unbeaten G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Queen’s Logic (Ire) (Grand Lodge) also featuring along with her GSW descendants Lady of the Desert (Rahy) and Queen Kindly (GB) (Frankel {GB}), this is rare stock. Remember When’s 2-y-o colt by Galileo has received a title of gravitas in T.S. Eliot (Ire), while her yearling is the sixth by that sire. It is clear that Aidan O’Brien is heading to Surrey with plenty of angles despite having two valid favourites for each Classic in Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Perhaps something unprecedented is in the offing. “We’ll have to keep going away and see what happens,” he explained. “The lads will decide how many they want to run. If they are there we’ll let them run. We’ll all learn together, because really from the trials you don’t know. You don’t know what is a good trial or an ordinary one, so we’ll let them in there together and find out together.” Saturday, Curragh, Ireland PLUSVITAL IRISH EBF BLUE WIND S.-G3, €75,000, CUR, 5-12, 3yo/up, f/m, 10fT, 2:14.09, hy. 1–BYE BYE BABY (IRE), 121, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire) 1st Dam: Remember When (Ire) (G1SP-Ire & SP-Ire, $146,679), by Danehill Dancer (Ire) 2nd Dam: Lagrion, by Diesis (GB) 3rd Dam: Wrap It Up (Ire), by Mount Hagen (Fr) 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Remember When Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Seamus Heffernan. €44,250. Lifetime Record: 8-3-1-1, $109,350. *Full to Wedding Vow (Ire), GSW-Ire & G1SP-Eng, $316,572; Beacon Rock (Ire), GSW-Ire & MGSP-Eng, $234,948; and Bound (Ire), SW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Jaega (Ire), 121, f, 3, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Farranjordan (GB), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €15,000. 3–Clear Skies (GB), 135, m, 5, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Out West, by Gone West. (500,000gns Ylg ’14 TATOCT). O-John P McManus; B-Deerfield Farm (GB); T-Aidan O’Brien. €7,500. Margins: 2, NK, 2 1/4. Odds: 2.75, 1.00, 10.00. Also Ran: I’m So Fancy (Ire), Panstarr (GB), Easter Lily (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

Just three lots after Grove Stud’s son of Scat Daddy set a new top mark of €700,000 at Arqana, La Frenee’s Frankel (GB) half-brother to Grade I winner Backseat Rhythm (El Corredor) took over that mantle when making €770,000 from Avenue Bloodstock. View the full article

With Scat Daddy’s stock only continuing to rise, members of his final crop have been in hot demand at this year’s breeze-up sales, and he moved into the top spot at Arqana on Saturday when Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Dermot Farrington went to €700,000 for Grove Stud’s colt out of the stakes-winning Kaloura (Ire) (Sinndar). View the full article

A More Than Ready colt pinhooked by Grove Stud from Keeneland September is the top lot at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale after turning his $160,000 yearling pricetag into €575,000. The colt, secured by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock, is out of the listed-winning Generosity (Unbridled’s Song) and a half to the listed-winning Integrity (Hard Spun). View the full article

Joao Moreira increased his lead in the jockeys’ championship, but Saturday’s Sha Tin meeting ensured the door is still open for Zac Purton after the Magic Man copped a suspension and HK$100,000 fine. The Hong Kong Macau Trophy card was dominated by the stewards from start to finish – and the look on chief stipe Kim Kelly’s face an hour after the last race confirmed it wasn’t by design – with fines and suspensions thrown around like losing betting tickets.... View the full article

The lightly raced Leicester (Aus) (Wanted {Aus}) has rarely been far out of it in nine starts, and on Saturday he continued his ascent with a first Group 1 win in the G1 South Australian Derby. Leicester broke his maiden at third asking for trainer Darren Weir on Jan. 31, and assumed favouritism for this off the back of a score in the G3 Chairmans S. last out two weeks ago. Racing prominently throughout, the bay gelding hit the lead under a drive at the 100 metre pole and ran out by 1 1/2 lengths to give Weir his third straight win in the race. “We got some good advice from a few people that told us to try to get in front of a few and try to have him in the box seat and that’s what Damian did,” Weir told Racenet. “He needed that run to show that turn of foot. Had he had a tough run, and all that sort of stuff, I doubt he would have been able to run the trip, but the way [jockey] Damian [Lane] rode him, it was just absolutely perfect. He switched him off, got him into the right spot and, more importantly, he didn’t press the button until the last 200 metres.” Pedigree Notes… Leicester is the first produce of his dam, who has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old filly by I Am Invincible (Aus) named Seles (Aus) and another filly to follow by breeder Yarraman Park’s standout sire. Her 2017 colt is by I Am Invincible’s studmate Hinchinbrook (Aus), a three-quarter brother to Snitzel who is also enjoying a good season with the likes of Group 1-winning 2-year-old Seabrook (NZ) to his credit. Click for the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree. Saturday, Morphettville, Australia SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DERBY-G1, A$602,020, SAJC, 5-12, 3yo, Open Set Weight, 2500mT, 2:38.95, Good. 1–LEICESTER, 56.5, g, 3, by Wanted 1st Dam: Defy the Odds (GB), by Galileo (IRE) 2nd Dam: Fully Invested (USA), by Irish River (FR) 3rd Dam: Shirley Valentine (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB) 1ST GROUP 1 WIN (A$10,000 Wlg 2015 WI Sydney Weanling & Broodmare Sale) O-P A Willetts & G J Johnson; B-Yarraman Park Stud Pty Ltd NSW; T-D K Weir; J-Damian Lane; A$386,020. Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-1, A$535,730. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Rezealient, 56.5, g, 3, Sebring–Pretty Penny, by Encosta de Lago. O-P J Mullen, Mrs R J Mullen, Ms X Huang, W L Hoey, S Ioannidis, S Ioannidis, G B Medved, J L Medved, M Wu, Ms E Lee, Ms T J Medved, J L Tam & Ms Y Zhang; B-Shadow Glen Stud Pty Ltd VIC; T-D & B Hayes & T Dabernig; J-Jamie Kah; A$102,000. 3–Runaway, 56.5, g, 3, Manhattan Rain–Catshaan, by Catrail (USA). (A$150,000 Ylg 2016 WI Sydney Easter Yearling Sale) O-M J Kent, T R Folsom, S Ducat, C Tognolini, D A Wright & Ms K Waterhouse, Rosemont Stud Pty Ltd (Mgr: A P Mithen), G1g Racing & Breeding (Mgr: Mrs T L Vogel) Newbies (Mgr: J Davies; B-Rosemont Stud VIC; T-G Waterhouse & A Bott; J-S Baster; A$48,000. Margins: 1.5 len, 2.0 len, 2.1 len. Odds: 3.00, 20.00, 12.00. Also Ran: Tropical Lightning, Won Won Too (NZ) , High ‘n’ Dry, Money Maher, Into Rio (NZ), Main Stage (NZ), Sherrif (NZ), Nothin’ Leica High, Savaheat (NZ), Box on Collins, Tangled, Civil Disobedience (NZ), Silent Command. Click for the Racing Post result. View the full article

This looked a decent prep for the June 2 G1 Epsom Derby and so it proved, with Neil Jones’s Knight To Behold making all under Richard Kingscote to slam Ballydoyle’s well-supported Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by 3 1/4 lengths. Sent off at 7-1, the Newmarket conditions scorer who hails from the family of the St Leger hero Millenary (GB) (Rainbow Quest) looked to be doing too much out on his own but kept piling on the pressure as the 8-11 favourite tried hard to peg him back in the straight. There was a further seven lengths back to Corelli (Point of Entry) in third, lending it further gravitas. Trainer Harry Dunlop is keen to have a tilt at the blue riband now. “That was very exciting and he’s improved a lot from last year,” he said. “He’s quite hard to gauge, as he was very babyish last year but was up for it today. The Derby certainly is an option and I know Neil Jones is keen on Royal Ascot as well. The way he won here, he has to have a go at the Derby–he quickened away and should improve quite a lot for this, as we’ve had niggly little things go wrong with him and the team have done a great job.” KNIGHT TO BEHOLD (IRE), c, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Angel of the Gwaun (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells. O-Neil Jones; B-Abergwaun Farms (IRE); T-Harry Dunlop; J-Richard Kingscote. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, £43,477. View the full article

English (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), winner of the G1 All Aged S. two years ago, hadn’t seen the winner’s enclosure in 14 months, but she righted that wrong in a big way on Saturday when posting a mild upset in the G1 Doomben 10,000 and setting herself up as a candidate for the A$13-million The Everest on Oct. 13. Under cover two lengths behind last year’s Everest winner Redzel (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) turning into the straight, English hit the front on the inside of Redzel at the furlong pole when put to a drive by Tim Clark, while Le Romain (Aus) (Hard Spun) swamped the favourite on his outside. Impending (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) came with a late rally to nip Le Romain for second, but the wire came in time for English. Second favourite In Her Time (Aus) (Time Thief {Aus}) was never a factor when it mattered and beat three home. English had last been seen finishing sixth, beaten almost six lengths, in the G1 TJ Smith S. on Apr. 7. “We came up here very confident that she was feeling well within herself and we freshened her up after the T J Smith deliberately to bring her through this carnival,” Adrian Bott, co-trainer with Gai Waterhouse, told Racenet. “I thought the races would really suit her up here. There was a bit of give in the ground which was probably the key as well. We’ll keep her up here now, obviously there are races like the BTC Cup, she’s got a nomination for the Stradbroke and maybe the Tatt’s Tiara back to the fillies and mares grade. It is all open to her at the moment and I guess with a win like that you’ve also got to see if we can keep her in training and look at the race like The Everest again.” Pedigree Notes… English is the second foal out of the triple group winner Court. That mare had a few unlucky years post-English for Newhaven Park, with a dead foal and a barren year, but her next foal, the subsequently stakes-placed Al Naifa (Aus) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}), made up for lost time when garnering a winning bid of A$1.8-million from Sheikh Khalifa at Inglis Easter last year. Court’s most recent reported produce is a yearling filly by Snitzel (Aus). Saturday, Doomben, Australia DOOMBEN 10,000 S.-G1, A$710,121, BRC, 5-12, Open WFA, 1200mT, 1:09.58, Soft. 1–ENGLISH, 56.5, m, 5, by Encosta de Lago 1st Dam: Court (MGSW-Aus, A$484,300), by Anabaa 2nd Dam: Splish, by Zeditave 3rd Dam: La Papaya (USA), by Alleged (USA) O-Newhaven Park (Mgr: R J, S O, J W & R C Kelly, G A Walker & N S Agostini); B-Newhaven Park Stud NSW; T-G Waterhouse & A Bott; J-Tim Clark; A$437,121. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo & 3yo Filly & Ch. Female Sprinter-Aus, 25-6-4-1, A$3,441,071. *1/2 to Al Naifa (Redoute’s Choice), SP-Aus. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Impending, 58.5, h , 4, Lonhro–Mnemosyne, by Encosta de Lago. O-Godolphin; B-Darley NSW; T-James Cummings; J-D J Browne; A$143,500. 3–Le Romain, 58.5, g, 5, Hard Spun–Mignard, by Strategic. O-A Carusi, A P Agius, L Nicaj, A Labbozzetta, G Serratore, J Altamura, Miss M Bilusic & Mrs S Livaja; B-Mr A Carusi NSW; T-K A Lees; J-G Schofield; A$73,500. Margins: 0.2 len, 0.4 len, 0.6 len. Odds: 10.00, 11.00, 15.00. Also Ran: Redzel, Spieth (NZ), Care to Think, Burning Passion, Most Important, In Her Time, The Mission, Monsieur Gustave, Houtzen. Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree. View the full article

California Whip is yet to live up to the expectations that followed his impressive arrival in Hong Kong 18 months ago but the five-year-old’s victory in the Class One Hong Kong Macau Trophy (1,400m) suggests he might be heading in the right direction. With Neil Callan aboard, the gelding dug deep in the straight to reel in leader Calculation and trainer Tony Cruz has his sights set on the Group Three Sha Tin Vase on May 27, potentially followed by the Group Three Premier Cup on June 24.... View the full article

Shimmer And Shine’s injury frustrations where quickly forgotten at Sha Tin on Saturday, with the Tony Millard-trained three-year-old saluting in the Class Four Macau-Taipa Bridge Handicap (1,000m). A philosophical Millard was quick to look forward after the gelding grabbed Lunar Zephyr in the shadows of the post to notch his maiden win at start number three. “I’m certainly very happy with that, it was a nice win and we will most probably go for 1,200m. He’s a nice horse... View the full article

Wootton and Olmeda put a gap on their rivals in the Group Three Prix de Fontainebleau last month and they are expected to do the same in Sunday’s Group One Poule d’Essai des Poulains (1,600m) at Longchamp. While Henri-Alex Pantall’s Wootton got the chocolates on that occasion, the trainer of the runner-up, Jean-Claude Rouget, believes they are clearly the top three-year-olds in the country. “Obviously, I hope that we can come out on top on Sunday, but either way I think... View the full article

Curatolo suspended thrice for careless riding, outed six days all-up View the full article

Three Chimneys Farm's Will Take Charge was represented by his first winner when his daughter Tijori won on debut at Santa Anita Park May 11 in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. View the full article

It's been quite an adventure for jockey Sophie Doyle since she came to ride full time in the United States in 2013. This summer, another chapter will be written in her story when she competes at Arlington International Racecourse for the 2018 meet. View the full article

It's been quite an adventure for jockey Sophie Doyle since she came to ride full time in the United States in 2013. This summer another chapter will be written in her story when she competes at Arlington International Racecourse for the 2018 meet. View the full article

New York-bred Mind Your Biscuits, winner of the March 31 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Gulf News (G1), turned in his first timed workout at Belmont Park since returning from a freshening at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. View the full article

A West Virginia-based trainer with a 1-for-43 lifetime record is suing PNGI Charles Town Gaming, LLC, for at least $110,000 in losses, claiming track management concocted “bogus” and “outrageous” allegations against him and engaged in “unlawful” business interference and “intentional infliction of emotional distress” when it ejected him in 2015 over unorthodox and allegedly unsafe horsemanship practices. A lawsuit filed by Harold Dodson demanding a jury trial was initially filed in Jefferson Circuit Court, but was removed to United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia at the request of the defendant on Apr. 27. PNGI also filed a motion last week in federal court to dismiss the suit based on “failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.” According to the civil complaint, on Dec. 7, 2015, Dodson received a letter from PNGI revoking his assigned stalls and prohibiting him from exercising or ponying horses at Charles Town Races. When Dodson protested to the track’s stewards, the stewards advised management that they could not restrict the plaintiff’s privileges under his valid exercise rider/pony rider permits. Two days later, Dodson received a second PNGI letter that stated “you are hereby notified that you have been ejected for an indefinite period for conduct detrimental to the best interest of racing.” Dodson, at that time, had no rulings listed against him in the Thoroughbred Regulatory Rulings Database Dodson subsequently appealed the ejection to the West Virginia Racing Commission (WVRC), which ordered track management to provide written reasons outlining “the specific conduct giving rise to the ejection,” as is required by state law. Although PNGI did not provide the written reasons, the complaint alleges, track management “ultimately defended its position by making allegations regarding (1) bedding in stalls; (2) training methods utilized by Dodson such as walking a horse backwards; (3) attempting to exercise a sore horse; (4) entering a nine-year old horse that had not raced before and that was put down in its third race; (5) having an outrider injured when his horse [fled]; and (6) generally entering poor performing horses in races at PNGI.” On Apr. 19, 2016, the WVRC ruled that PNGI violated the statutory written notice requirements for ejection and upheld Dodson’s appeal, noting that: “Ultimately, Dodson did not violate any rules of racing…. PNGI represents that it ejected Dodson in order to protect the safety of the horses and people working in the industry…. At the same time, [testimony] demonstrated that Dodson has been compliant throughout the process…. He has never been disciplined by the stewards or ejected by the track other than in this instance…. Although Dodson utilized training methods that raised safety concerns, the issues were addressed and rectified.” Despite the WVRC ruling in his favor, Dodson, according to the complaint, was “forced to engage in a fire-sale/giveaway of horses he had on PNGI’s premises. It further caused him to lose future opportunities for business development/horse acquisitions that had been promised to him [by an owner]. Plaintiff further suffered severe emotional distress as a result of PNGI’s attempt to take his livelihood from him.” Dodson is seeking $100,000 in damages to compensate for the sudden liquidation of his assets (the horses), plus $10,000 in lost wages and an unspecified amount in punitive damages. View the full article

Tijori (f, 2, Will Take Charge–Anchorage, by Tapit) became the first winner for freshman sire Will Take Charge in style with a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance on debut at Santa Anita. Off at odds of 2-1, the Kaleem Shah colorbearer left the gate running and held a narrow advantage through an opening quarter in :22.33. She switched leads right on cue and blasted away in the stretch to graduate by three lengths. Factor of Two (The Factor) was second. The final time for 4 1/2 furlongs was :52.69. Sales history: $130,000 wnlg ’16 KEENOV; $260,000 yrl ’17 FTNAUG; $525,000 2yo ’18 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Kaleem Shah Inc.; B-Rosilyn Polan (Ky); T-Simon Callaghan. View the full article

After 2 5/8 grueling miles, it took a photo finish picture to separate them in the G1 Grand National Hurdle S. last October. Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow) hit the line first by a nose, followed by hard-luck Modem (GB) (Motivator {GB}), who in turn was a nose ahead of All the Way Jose (Senor Swinger). They will meet again Saturday when the jump-racing action moves to Nashville for the GI $200,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle S., this time for an even more grueling three miles. All starters carry 158 pounds on the sloping Percy Warner Park course. Robert A. Kinsley’s Modem, the runner-up four times in Grade I races since his arrival in the U.S., was given the winter and much of the spring off. He will be making his first 2018 start for trainer Elizabeth Voss and will be ridden by Jack Doyle, currently the leading rider on the National Steeplechase Association circuit. Buttonwood Farm’s All the Way and Gillian Johnston’s Mr. Hot Stuff, both Grade I winners prior to their New Jersey match in the Grand National, have each made one start this year and finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the GII Temple Gwathmey Hurdle H. in Virginia Apr. 21. Racing Hall of Fame member Jonathan Sheppard, who is currently leading the NSA trainer rankings, will saddle All the Way Jose, whom he bred. Darren Nagle, last year’s champion jockey by wins and close behind Doyle this year, will ride the 8-year-old Pennsylvania-bred. Jack Fisher has imported top Irish jockey Danny Mullins for a repeat trip aboard Mr. Hot Stuff. Fisher-trained Kremlin (Eskendreya), a maiden winner at Iroquois last year and a handicap winner Apr. 28 at the Queen’s Cup Steeplechase in North Carolina, likes the front end and can be expected to contest the early pace with All the Way Jose. The youngster of the Iroquois field is Zanjabeel (GB) (Aussie Rules), who landed on American shores last fall and quickly won two stakes races for novices, or horses in their first seasons of racing over fences. The 5-year-old, now owned by Rosbrian Farm and Wendy and Ben Griswold, has two second-place finishes this season, first in the GI Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup Hurdle S. and then in the Temple Gwathmey. Ricky Hendriks, currently second to Sheppard in the trainer standings, will put Ross Geraghty in the saddle. Irv Naylor has had plenty of success in Nashville, most recently with Eclipse Award champion Rawnaq in the 2016 edition of the Iroquois and before that with Tax Ruling in 2010 and 2011. He is taking two shots at this year’s Iroquois, with Grade III winner Jamarjo (Ire) (Marju {Ire}), who was fourth by 3 3/4 lengths in the Grand National; and Sempre Medici (Fr) (Medicean {GB}), who was pulled up in the Temple Gwathmey and made little impression when fifth in the G2 David Semmes Memorial Hurdle S. last Saturday in Virginia. View the full article

GI Kentucky Derby hero Justify (Scat Daddy) had another good morning at Churchill Downs Friday–he galloped 1 1/2 miles like he had on Thursday. The ‘TDN Rising Star‘ and heavy favorite for next Saturday’s GI Preakness S. had been the focus of much attention and speculation after exiting his Derby romp with an apparent bruised heel. “One of the most remarkable things about him is his capacity for recovery respiratory-wise,” said Dr. Kevin Dunlavy, the veterinarian overseeing Justify’s care in Kentucky. “He’ll go out and train, it could be a strong gallop, and within minutes he’s completely caught his breath. His recovery seems maybe superior to the average horse.” Bob Baffert’s assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes was pleased with what he saw Friday as well. “That’s his normal self out there: high energy level, feeling very good, had a good bounce in his step, going over the track perfect,” he said. “Couldn’t fault anything he’s doing right now. Everything looks great.” View the full article