Wandering Eyes

Il Mercato (Arg) (Not For Sale {Arg}), a last out winner of the G1 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini Dec. 15, was scheduled to depart Friday from Buenos Aires to Miami to continue his racing career in the U.S. under the care of trainer Chad Brown. Owners Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stable have purchased an interest. Ricardo and Nicolas Benedicto’s Stud Rubio B, original owners of the bay, will retain an interest as well. According to Kumin, Fernando Diaz-Valdes brokered the deal. “The horse won an extremely prestigious race in South America and we think he can be a top-level turf horse going long in the U.S.,” Kumin told TDN. “He will get to Chad and we will give the horse plenty of time to acclimate to America, and if all goes well, he will be pointed to a summer and fall campaign. We have been successful bringing horses to the U.S. from South America in the past with horses like two-time Grade I winner Dacita (Chi) (Scat Daddy), and Chad was also successful with Robert Bruce (Chi) (Fast Company {Ire}) and Wow Cat (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky) last year, so we hope we can get lucky with this one.” Bred by La Pasion, Il Mercato held off former champion Sixties Song (Arg) (Sixties Icon {GB}) to win the 2018 Pellegrini. He was also third behind For the Top (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}) in the G1 Gran Premio Nacional-Argentine Derby, upon whom he turned the tables in the Pellegrini. A Nov. 9 foal, Il Mercato was previously trained by Juan Carlos Maldotti, a four-time Pellegrini winner. With his victory in the Pellegrini, Il Mercato earned a spot to run in the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita Park as part of the ‘Win and You’re In’ program that the series. “Having qualified for the Breeders’ Cup by winning the Pellegrini opened doors to different situations, and to keep a piece of the horse and to think big was very exciting for us,” said Nicolas Benedicto. “The horse will have a great trainer with Mr. Brown; he already showed that South Americans fit him well, as with Robert Bruce and Wow Cat. Our partners are important and very serious. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Julio Biancardi who, when he bought the horse at our farm, invited us to participate.” View the full article

The Irish National Stud is offering breeders who purchase a season to G1 Prince of Wales’s S. winner Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) this year a free return in 2020. Free Eagle, who is out Moyglare Stud’s prized broodmare Polished Gem (Ire) (Danehill)-and therefore a half-brother to Group 2 winners Custom Cut (Ire) (Notnowcato {GB}) and Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB})-has his first runners in 2019. Although he was at his very best at four when winning at Royal Ascot, he was a 5 1/2-length winner on debut in August of his 2-year-old year and three weeks later was second to Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Trial S. He stands for an advertised fee of €12,500. “When the Irish National Stud purchased Free Eagle to stand at Stud we had great belief that he would become a successful stallion,” said Irish National Stud Chief Executive Officer Cathal Beale. “We have huge confidence in Free Eagle and we want to reward the breeders that share our belief and use the horse in 2019 with a free cover back to him for 2020. It is more important than ever to look after our breeders and with the competitive price points across our roster and this new ‘Free Eagle, Free Return’ scheme, we will be doing just that.” View the full article

Last weekend marked the arrival of Santa Anita’s latest vice president and racing secretary, Steve Lym, who had journeyed south after 43 years at Woodbine. A horseman for the first 11 years there, he trained for a period in the late 1980s–Lym was an employee of the track in various capacities for the other 32. He last held the position of Woodbine’s director of racing. “I’ve given up a steady position of 32 years at Woodbine to come here,” he said, of his career leap. “It’s a big move.” Lym has sat on numerous international boards and committees, including the Breeders’ Cup Selection Panel, the International Federation of Horseracing Authority World’s Best Racehorse Ranking Committee, the North American Ratings Committee and the Canadian Graded Stakes Committee. It’s his role, however, as Woodbine’s former racing secretary that probably best prepares for the sometimes thankless task of trying to appease both the horsemen and the racetrack itself. “A racing secretary has to balance both ends of it,” he said, diplomatically. “I’ll take my skills and transfer them over here, and at the end of the day, hope we’ll have a jump in field size and that things are running smoothly.” Married with children–“I have two boys, one’s turning 21 in a couple months and the other one’s just turned 19, so they’re in university”–Lym traveled alone. “But, once I get settled, my wife will come down and stay with me, and if [the boys] want to come, they can come, too.” The following is a version of our conversation Thursday, edited for brevity and clarity. TDN: You’ve mentioned in interviews that you’re looking for a “balanced” program. Can you elaborate? Some have taken that to mean more cheaper races. SL: I keep using that word “balanced.” But can cheap horses survive in California? No, I don’t think so. So, as much as we’re trying to have a robust program with big fields, we have to be careful how we accomplish that. TDN: You’ve also compared the similarities in the business models between Woodbine and Santa Anita. What are those similarities? SL: At Woodbine, we have a strong horseman’s group you have to deal with, like here. We have a similar breeding program where it’s away from everything. Woodbine also has some big owners and some big trainers where it’s hard for the average guy to compete against. I think that’s somewhat similar here. [At Santa Anita you have] some outfits that are big, and there’s lots of horses–well bred, high-powered horses that the average guy can’t compete against, and you’re looking for the Cal-bred horse to even out the field. I think I have the experience managing that. At the end of the day, we just want bigger fields–somewhere the smaller outfits get the chance to win plenty of races. TDN: Interesting you mention that. One of the things Santa Anita recently instituted was a different purse distribution model, designed to give smaller trainers a larger slice of prize money. What are your thoughts on the inherent tension between larger and smaller stables? SL: [At Woodbine] we have trainers that have gotten bigger, and a lot of smaller trainers have gone out of business. California seems to be the same. To be honest and truthful, I don’t know the best way to counter that. I don’t think you can tell [owners] who to go to. I think what we need to do is encourage the big trainers to run their horses, and if they can’t, then we’re going to take measures. But I’m not looking to take business away from anyone. TDN: One of the things frequently bandied around is the idea of a tighter stall limit. Would that work to level the playing field? SL: We went the other way [at Woodbine]–we increased the stall limit. And the reason we did that was, if you have 2,000 stalls and 4,000 applicants, stalls wise, then yeah, you can have a limit, depending on how many trainers you have. Again, you can’t dictate to owners who they give horses to. But it seems like here, there’s not enough demand for stalls. We give out every stall here, plus the overflow at San Luis Rey [Downs] and Los Alamitos. But is still seems like there’s empty stalls here. Not mentioning names, I’ve seen where they’ve given out 30 stalls to a trainer, and now they have 10 [stalls] empty. What do you do in a situation like that? If you give 40 stalls to someone, and there’s 10 stalls empty beside them, and they’ve got 20 horses at Los Alamitos, and they want to bring in 10 extra horses, then there’s 10 extra horses we can pull from and take entries on. To me, it would depend on demand. I would lean towards limiting stalls, but I think it’s impractical right now. What we need to work on is how to get new outfits out here. If we don’t have enough competition here, then we have to work on getting people in here–just like Del Mar. The more trainers here, the better it is, obviously. What we need right here is buy in from everyone–there’s not a single management [strategy]. We need the horsemen and the horseman’s associations to buy in–it’s a partnership. We’re trying to create an environment where we have better fields, more opportunities, better betting prospects for the customer. TDN: Ok, so what can you do to make sure the horses stabled here run here, and that you get maximum efficiency from your inventory? SL: That’s right in my wheel-house. That’s where we need to make some changes. We’ve just put something in the overnight tonight that says anybody who wants to enter a horse outside of Santa Anita must get permission from us first. We do not put any disciplinary action on this. We want to make sure that when someone says, ‘I have to go away because there’s no race,’ that there actually is no race for them here first. We’re not going to stop Justify running in the Kentucky Derby. The second step is to maximize our horse population. We know exactly what we have on the backstretch. We know you have 40 horses here, and we know what class those 40 horses are. And so, if you have six maiden special weight horses in your barn and we have a maiden special weight, the horses have all worked a week before the race, but you’re not running in it, why is that? We’re going to phone you, and we’re going to ask. [And so], we’re going to put a matrix in to rate trainers on their performance based on starts per stall and how much money they make per stall, so we can see who’s participating and who’s not participating in an orderly detailed fashion–not just, ‘hey, that guy doesn’t run many horses.’ We can quantify it with numbers how you’re doing, and we will show you that data. TDN: Did you institute that at Woodbine? SL: Yes. TDN: For how long? SL: About 10-12 years. We grade trainers in quartiles. Top quartile trainers are good customers, and they get the stalls they need and want. If you’re a high-profile trainer and you’re at the bottom of the quartile, even though you have lots of horses, then we’re going to take a look at stall allotment and act accordingly. TDN: This system is contingent on having a good handle on your inventory, right? SL: I’m going to bring some different things in here to measure that more precisely. At Woodbine, I developed a system through [The Jockey Club’s] InCompass. At the push of the button, you could categorize 3,000 horses in three minutes. It would give you a list of horses, whether they’re on the grounds, their class, whether they’re state-bred or not, last race, last work-out, distance. Once you have access to data like that in a timely fashion, then you can be more proactive [with trainers] in the way you write the book. ‘You’re supposed to be in that race, why aren’t you? This isn’t a training center. We have training centers. This is a racetrack–we want you to run.’ TDN: In saying that, we’ve lost multiple training facilities like Hollywood Park and Pomona in recent years, and all trainers, but especially some of the trainers who naturally take longer preparing horses, are now pretty restricted in where they can do that conditioning. Do you also factor that side of things when you’re putting trainers into quartiles? SL: Yes, we did that at Woodbine, and I think we’ll do that here. So, again, we don’t want people to hurt horses. We don’t want people to rush horses. That’s not what this is about. This is [targeting] someone who’s going to have a horse at the racetrack for seven months getting ready for a race. You don’t need that long to get a horse ready. But we’re not trying to be unreasonable. There are setbacks–horse gets sore-shins, has to start all over again. But we’re looking for the unreasonable. Some trainers take a long time to get ready, some trainers take an awful long time. I am asking them to be efficient and run their horses when they’re ready to run. TDN: How did you manage this quartile system with the horsemen at Woodbine? Were you hands on? SL: The racing office is on the backstretch. Did I walk the backstretch? I wouldn’t say I walked it every day, but my office was always open–I had a good relationship with the horsemen. I would think I was fairly popular. If you’re talking baseball management style, I was a player’s coach. I think my job is to help make the track be profitable and do all the right things to make money for the racetrack, but if the horsemen don’t make money, you’re in trouble, too. TDN: What did the horsemen at Woodbine think about the system? SL: They understood why that was because one of the things we did, we posted it, so you could see where you are, how you’re doing. TDN: What would happen to those in the bottom quartile? SL: Every spring when we were doing stall allotments, we would use that data and send out warning letters, and say, ‘hey, you’re in the bottom quartile, three-quarters of the year is over, this will affect how many stalls you’re getting next year. Step it up.’ It would also help the small guys looking for stalls. If we saw a guy with four or five stalls, and the first year he’s in the top quartile, he’d get one or two stalls extra. And if he did it again, we’d say, ‘wait a minute, this guy is on the move.’ We’re inclined to help him. Sometimes it goes the other way. My time as racing secretary, I don’t think I dipped below 8.8 [field size] average. We even had a couple years where we were plus nine, and that’s for a 130- to 140-day meet. TDN: Interesting you mention that. Research out of the University of Louisville proved that at Woodbine, handle positively correlated with field size, to an extent. SL: Our [former] vice president at Woodbine, his hypothesis at the beginning was field size, field size, field size. And we found out, that wasn’t exactly the case. It’s field size plus quality. Regardless of whatever anyone says, we know that big fields with good horses get bet more than just big fields. If you get an eight-horse field with good horses, they’ll bet more on that than a nine-horse maiden claimer for cheap. TDN: What are your thoughts about Santa Anita’s “ship and win” program? And do you think the “ship and win” programs at Woodbine would fit the mold here? SL: We didn’t have the greatest success with those ones–it could have been too early [to tell]. We’re going to try to run more turf races here [at Santa Anita], and we need to know what we can offer to get trainers to come here. The first is a more even program–not necessarily a cheap program, but one with more races, including more opportunities on the turf. There are certain things more prevalent in some jurisdictions than others. I think training horses in California is expensive, I think living in California is expensive, and you have to take that into account of how horsemen are. TDN: A number of graded stake races at Santa Anita were downgraded last year. How concerned are you about that? SL: I think that’s a trend everywhere–maybe highlighted a little more here. Yes, there’s a slide in quality here. TDN: How do you reverse that trend? SL: Good question. It’s the health of the industry overall. The strength of the breeding product. People racing their horses here. Obviously, if Chad Brown brings some horses here, it’s going to increase the quality. Same with Todd Pletcher. Listen, some of the best horses come from California, so there’s no doubt that we have good horses here. We’ve got to get them to come here and stay here, because, if you have the one good horse and he beats everyone by 10 lengths, that race doesn’t look like a true Grade I–it looks like an average race with a Grade I horse in it. TDN: Are you going to actively petition trainers to come here? SL: We’re hanging a sign that we’re open for business. We are definitely open to anyone who wants to come and race here, and we will encourage them, and we will help them acclimatize and settle into the California way of racing. We’re going to create an environment where we treat our local guys well, but we’re accepting of people who want to come here and race and help our product. TDN: At Santa Anita, historically there has been a relatively high turn-over of personnel under the Stronach Group. Will that affect the way you do your job? SL: No, I’m going to give it all that I have. Obviously, I’m going to try to accomplish what they need to accomplish. I want California racing to prosper while I’m here, and I think we will. And you’ve got to remember, [former racing secretary] Rick Hammerle was here for 15 years, so I don’t think that’s a big turn-over. I’m confident in what I can offer Stronach, and I’m confident that we’ll make California racing better. View the full article

Whatton Manor Stud, halfway between Grantham and Nottingham, has thrived under the Player family for over 40 years. TDN‘s Gary King sat down with Ed Player to discuss the farm’s strategy, and breeding plans for the 2019 season. GK: It’s obviously an extremely busy time at Whatton Manor. Would you run through some of the mares on the farm, and their breeding plans for the season ahead? EP: We’ve got Elpida, who is the dam of Sporting Chance (GB) (Kodiac {GB}). He was a very smart 2-year-old last year, winning a couple of nice races, including the G3 Prix Eclipse at Maisons-Laffitte. He’s trained by Simon Crisford. The mare is owned by Ropsley Bloodstock/St Albans Bloodstock, and she’s going to Kingman (GB) this year. She’s in foal to Ardad (Ire) at the moment–obviously that foal will be bred on a similar line to Sporting Chance. It will be pretty exciting to get a Kingman out of the mare. She breeds a very nice foal, and her Champs Elysees (GB) colt made 90,000gns in Book 3 last year [purchased by Kevin Ross Bloodstock]. GK: Have you had a couple of Kingmans on the farm before? EP: Yes, we’ve had quite a few. Historically we’ve had a good few of George Strawbridge’s at Whatton Manor. We had Look Around (GB) who was born and bred here. She won a nice listed race last year at Sandown for Andrew Balding. We have Ensemble (Fr), whose 2-year-old called Felix The Poet (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}} is in training with Archie Watson. He won twice last year and we think he could progress further this year. Chica Loca (Fr), who is in foal to Siyouni (Fr), she’s also going to Banstead to visit Kingman. Her 2-year-old is with Andrew Balding and he broke his maiden nicely in October at Newbury. He’s called Good Birthday (Ire), he’s by Dabirsim (Fr), and King Power bought him for €500,000 at Goffs Orby. GK: You’re clearly an admirer of Kingman. What impressed you most about his first juveniles last year? EP: We’ve always been huge fans of Kingman. Looking at the Kingmans I saw they were all big rangy kinds of horses, and none of them particularly look like 2-year-olds to me. He had lots of really nice winners throughout the year, and tellingly a few really impressive looking ones at the back end as well. John Gosden’s Calyx (GB) was a brilliant winner of the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot which really got the ball rolling. They just look like types that will improve massively from two to three. I still think there’s a lot of trainers who haven’t run them, so you’ve got some lovely ones to come out early this season. We’ve always loved him, we’ve always used him, and we’d love to use him more going forward. GK. How about some of the other mares on the farm. What have you planned for them? EP: Salutare (Ire), the dam of Worth Waiting (GB)–who was fourth in the G1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp for David Lanigan-is returning to Bated Breath (GB) this year. It just seemed the obvious thing to do. GK: Bated Breath is clearly a rich source of winners, and seems like great value at £10,000. EP: We’ve done well with him; we obviously bred Worth Waiting. We also bred a nice horse called Awe (GB), who is with William Haggas. Awe is the half-brother to Headway (GB) and he won his maiden really well for China Horse Club. So we’ve had a couple of good ones; everything we’ve had by Bated Breath has been a winner. We’re big fans of the stallion. We’ve got a couple of mares in foal again, but this particular mating made sense. We are pretty hopeful that Worth Waiting might win a Group 1 this year. David Lanigan thinks she’s strengthening up the whole time. He was a bit disappointed she didn’t win the Vermeille, she just went a bit quick. So a full-brother or full-sister to Worth Waiting would be pretty exciting for us. GK: When do you make the decision about which horses you are going to sell, and what you plan to retain? EP: Salutare is getting on a bit, she’s 19 now. We’ve got an Al Kazeem (GB) yearling filly which we are going to keep. If Worth Waiting was to go on and win a Group 1 and someone wanted to buy the Bated Breath for lots of money, I think we’d probably accept it. But we would be very happy to keep it as well. Another mare who is getting on a bit but has been a great servant is Our Poppet (Ire), the dam of Overdose (GB). She’s 22 now, she’s got a Kingman yearling, she’s in foal to Mayson (GB), and she’s going to go to Lightning Spear (GB). GK: What do you find most appealing about Lightning Spear? EP: We’re big fans of Lightning Spear and we are going to send three of our own mares to him. We feel he was a hell of a good racehorse, he’s everything you’d want in a stallion. He’s a horse that could quicken, he was incredibly tough, he was pretty consistent, he was sound, and he’s a lovely looking individual. Pivotal (GB) is obviously going incredibly well. So why wouldn’t you want to use Lightning Spear? We’re also keen to support local studs. Tweenhills has made a real effort to get lots of good stallions, so we are thrilled with that. GK: Are you sending any mares to Roaring Lion? EP: We’ve got a mare for him called Minwah (Ire). Her yearling by Dark Angel (Ire) made 420,000gns and he’s going to Sir Michael Stoute. She’s in foal to Lope De Vega (Ire). We just thought her make and shape would really suit him. GK: Roaring Lion will clearly get a ton of support at stud. What do you like most about the son of Kitten’s Joy? EP: He was just an exceptional racehorse. When you go and see him, he moves so beautifully, and you can see why he was a runner himself. He’s so light on his feet, beautifully balanced, and he was incredibly consistent. He took everything in his stride and if he breeds them like him, they will be racehorses. There’s absolutely no doubt about that. It’s also nice for us not having to travel all our mares to Ireland or France. It just makes life a lot easier if we have farms standing good stallions in this country. GK: I suppose that leads to the inevitable question about Brexit and its potential implications. Is the uncertainty impacting on your decision making? EP: It’s not, whether that’s right or wrong. I like to think that it will all be sorted out. But the people negotiating the deal don’t know what’s going to happen, so what chance have we? You talk to all the shippers, and they think they can solve it whichever way it falls, but it’s just going to be a pain if there are custom checks and everything else. GK: Has the market, particularly the struggles at the bottom to middle end, influenced your strategy this year? EP: It has definitely impacted our decisions. You have to be very careful which stallions you use. Where possible we always try to use proven stallions, but you can’t do that for every mare. So you mix that in with so-called sexy first-season stallions, and then you always have to take a punt on some second- and third-season stallions as well. You just have to back your judgment on those. We’re using stallions like Twilight Son (GB) at Cheveley Park; we think he’s bred some lovely looking foals. We liked what we saw, we think he’s a lovely looking horse, so we’re going to use him on some of our mares. We’re backing stallions like Almanzor (Fr) at Haras d’Etreham, and we are using Shalaa (Ire) at Haras de Bouquetot. They are the kind of nice second- and third-season stallions that we’re choosing. Aclaim (Ire) at the National Stud is another one along those lines. But we do try to use proven stallions as much as possible. We’ve been big supporters of Showcasing (GB) over the years. We are sending another mare to him this year, and he covered two of our own last year as well. We try to be very careful with what we use but you’re always going to get some wrong. Following on from the results last year, we are trying not to cover mares that we don’t think are going to get into a premier sale. GK: I’m sure we have probably skipped over a few more high profile mares on the farm… EP: We’ve got a couple of other pretty nice mares including God Given (GB). She was an extremely talented Group 1 winner, and is going to Lope De Vega this season. She’s a beautiful-looking mare by Nathaniel (Ire). I still feel like Lope De Vega has got further to go. We are big admirers of what he has achieved at stud. He’s getting a bit expensive for our own mares, but I think he’s going to keep getting better and better. He had an exceptional year last year, including Newspaperofrecord (Ire)’s win at the Breeders’ Cup, and I don’t see why he won’t keep going. Montare (Ire), the dam of Journey (GB), has a Dubawi (GB) yearling, she’s back in foal to Dubawi and she’s actually another one going to Kingman. Thankfully we have three other mares going to Siyouni (Fr) as well. GK: We have been running a series on value sires in TDN recently. Who do you consider as a value sire, at both the proven and unproven stage? EP: I think Overbury’s Cityscape (GB) represents exceptional value at £5,000. He’s got a lot of very good horses from a small first crop, and his stats are exceptional. I think he’s still underrated and he’s certainly a stallion that we will be using on some of our mares. Another proven one that we like is Camacho (GB) at Yeomanstown Stud in Ireland. He’s still very good value at €12,000, especially after siring Signora Cabello (Ire) and Teppal (Fr) last year. And of the unproven, I think Lightning Spear is good value for the reasons discussed earlier. I also think Shadwell’s Muhaarar (GB) has been reasonably priced since the start at £30,000. I suppose now is the time to see whether they can run or not, but I can’t see why they won’t. View the full article

Arqana has released a catalogue of 497 horses for its February Mixed Sale on Feb. 12 and 13, and the conclusion of the Issam Fares dispersal and the start of the Marquise de Moratalla dispersal should provide some highlights. The Fares dispersal through Haras de Manneville began at Arqana December with the sale of four in-foal mares, headed by the €550,000 Zghorta Dance (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), and that Group 3 winner’s dam, Ana Zghorta (GB) (Anabaa) will be offered in February as lot 91 in foal to Intello (Ger). The 3-year-old colt Noormandy (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), a two-time winner for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, will be offered as lot 75. His dam, Wedge Trust (Ire) (Zamindar), brought €115,000 in December. Out Of Town (Fr) (Kentucky Dynamite), a 4-year-old filly who is three times listed-placed, will be next as lot 76. The Fares dispersal, which numbers 43 horses in total, also includes yearling fillies by Camelot (lot 95) (whose dam made €280,000 in December) and Siyouni (Fr) (lot 98), as well as stakes performer Symba’s Dream oftline(Vindication), the dam of three stakes horses and in foal to Charm Spirit (Ire) (lot 110). The Channel Consignment will offer 12 fillies and mares on behalf of the estate of Marquise de Moratalla, who campaigned the likes of G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Tin Horse (Ire). That dozen includes Graciously (GB) (Shamardal), a half-sister to G1 Falmouth S. winner Giofra (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) in foal to Invincible Spirit (Ire) (lot 119); Red Whisper (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}), a two-time winner last year at three from the family of Tin Horse (lot 29); and G3 Prix Chloe winner Wilside (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), the dam of stakes winner Sarigan (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}) in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB) (lot 122). The Channel Consignment will also offer several horses for Al Shahania Stud, including Pacific Pride (Storm Cat), a granddaughter of La Lorgnette in foal to Teofilo (Ire) (lot 166) and Middlemist Red (Unbridled’s Song), a half-sister to Grade I winner Eden’s Moon (Malibu Moon) in foal to Make Believe (GB)(lot 194). Fairway Consignment offers the Group 3-placed Mark Of An Angel (Ire) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}), the dam of GIII Santa Barbara S. and G3 Park Express S. winner Queen Blossom (Jeremy), in foal to Le Havre (lot 368). The 73 horses in training catalogued include the Andreas Wohler-trained 3-year-old Revelstoke (GB) (Toronado {GB}), a winner last year and third in the G2 Gran Criterium (lot 42). View the full article

15:00 Ascot – Bet365 Handicap Chase The Clarence House Chase is the feature race of the day but with only three runners and Altior an extremely short price to make it a perfect seventeen wins over jumps we instead turn our attention to a competitive-looking handicap for our Saturday race preview. We begin by looking […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Saturday 19th January appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

In the second of a series (click here for part one), Tom Frary looks back at the standout Irish-trained juveniles of last season and considers who will be most prominent during their key Classic season. Finding the future celebrities of Ireland’s Classic generation these days is relatively easy, with Ballydoyle almost qualifying as a country in its own right. With the mechanics at the incomparable Rosegreen establishment temporarily out of order for a spell during last summer, it would hardly have been a surprise if their A-list was diminished in form in 2019 but that is not the case. Aside from the leading members of their Classic troupe, opponents will also be extremely wary of the potential of Aidan O’Brien’s less-obvious lurkers. It has to be remembered that Dubawi (Ire) was considered a certainty for the 2005 Guineas which ultimately went the way of the less manifest Footstepsinthesand (GB), while the 1000 heroines Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and even last year’s Oaks winner Forever Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) were virtually unconsidered at this point of their respective years. Interestingly, Ballydoyle’s top 2-year-old of last year was a sprinter. ‘TDN Rising Star’ Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never) came along at a time when the ship was only just beginning to steady itself again in August but he shone through on his Curragh debut. That performance was a sensation in itself and a rare demonstration of natural bent on a racecourse introduction from a stable now renowned for its softly-softly approach with its greenhorns. Untried beyond six furlongs, he just had the edge over Shadwell’s Jash (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) on his final start in a terrific renewal of the G1 Middle Park S. which suggested that the mile may not be beyond him. He does hail from a family with staying power, as the dam Seeking Solace (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was at home over 11 furlongs, so there is hope he will get it if Coolmore strike out on that path. His sire’s influence does seems very strong, however, and with the Commonwealth Cup offering such lure it could be that he takes the “Caravaggio route” and sticks at speed tests such as the G3 Lacken S. early on. Ballydoyle’s 2000 Guineas hopes are the G2 Futurity S. winner Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who has already been brushed aside by the Dubawi pair of Quorto (Ire) and Too Darn Hot (GB), and the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy winner Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). While visually the latter did not come across as another Camelot (GB) or Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in his narrow defeat of Phoenix of Spain (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) at Doncaster, that was a third quick outing in just four weeks against tough opposition. There is genuine merit in his fast ascent and he is one of those “naturals” his trainer so often talks about. If there is a minor concern where his Guineas prospects are concerned, it is that his dam Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) did very little at three after a highly promising juvenile campaign, but Magna Grecia has a touch of “Footsteps” about him and must be feared in the mile Classics. Aidan O’Brien’s middle-distance prospects are headed by the solid G2 Beresford S. one-two Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Mount Everest (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who will probably head down the tried-and-trusted G3 Ballysax S.-G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. route. They are full-brothers to two under-performers who were evidently held in the highest regard by their trainer in Sir Isaac Newton (GB) and Yucatan (Ire), respectively. Mount Everest came across as a slow learner at two, but his high-class dam Six Perfections (Fr) (Celtic Swing {GB}) is a broodmare who has been gradually getting there as she sows her precious seed. Sticking to the territory theme, Norway (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is another fascinating type and it is intriguing that he took the same path when winning the Listed Zetland S. as last year’s G1 St Leger hero Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). A full-brother to Ruler of the World (Ire), he could easily end up in the G2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot and at Doncaster in September as his predecessor did for a stable who have played a major part in lifting the staying scene to its current heights. Speaking of the Leger, the 10-length Thurles maiden winner Constantinople (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) also has that on his dance card as a full-brother to the promoted and later demoted 2015 winner Bondi Beach (Ire). With the virus interrupting the usual momentum, the darker ones from Ballydoyle could be worthy of even greater respect in 2019 and the once-raced U S S Michigan (War Front) is one of stand-outs. A full-brother to the classy War Dispatch and George Patton, the grey created a lasting impression on his debut when second at The Curragh in June. As far as the operation’s fillies are concerned, the extremely likeable G2 Lowther S. and G1 Cheveley Park S.-winning ‘TDN Rising Star’ Fairyland (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) is another for the sprints from midsummer onwards, while the staying types Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Fleeting (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) are certain to be there or thereabouts as the various European Oaks come around. However, the extraordinary Goddess (Camelot {GB}) could easily eclipse them if she can get back from a dismal effort in the G3 Silver Flash S. and recreate her ‘TDN Rising Star’-earning July Leopardstown maiden performance. Her full-sister Athena (Ire) had not shown half of her ability at the same stage and that fellow descendant of Urban Sea (Miswaki) still managed to add another top-level victory to her eminent dynasty as a 3-year-old. Also a close relative of the high-class Montjeu (Ire) pair of Bracelet (Ire) and Wading (Ire), with the latter being the dam of the Rockfel-winning ‘TDN Rising Star’ Just Wonderful (Dansili {GB}), Goddess could yet be a luminary in the category of Peeping Fawn (Danehill) and Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Another ‘TDN Rising Star’, the seven-furlong Gowran Park maiden winner Chablis (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-sister to The Pentagon (Ire), is another who is bound to make her presence felt as the G1 Epsom Oaks nears. Away from Ballydoyle, there was real strength in depth in Ireland in 2018 with Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s unbeaten Madhmoon (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) readily accounting for some smart representatives of that yard on his two starts which included the G2 Champions Juvenile S. on Leopardstown’s Irish Champions Day card. His trainer Kevin Prendergast knows this family inside out, as it also features his recent Irish 2000 Guineas hero Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), and there is a perfect blend of speed and stamina to suggest another Classic victory for the veteran handler is feasible. Patrick Prendergast’s incredible over-achiever Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) went from unlikely successes in the Silver Flash and G2 Debutante S. to a more widely-expected one in the country’s pinnacle contest for 2-year-old fillies, the G1 Moyglare Stud S. Anthony and Sonia Rogers’s relative of the likes of Soldier of Fortune (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Intense Focus (Giant’s Causeway) punches well above her weight and is almost a female Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) in the making. One of Scat Daddy’s rare surprise packages, she could easily prove to be the nation’s signature filly at the end of 2019. Joseph O’Brien upstaged Senior on two big stages last term and one of them was in Newmarket’s G1 Fillies’ Mile, where Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler of the World {Ire}) ousted Hermosa and the British femme fatale Pretty Pollyanna (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). She will be out to prove that was no fluke this season as she bids to maintain her trainer’s golden start to his new career, while talisman handler Dermot Weld has his customary clutch of potential. Khalid Abdullah’s Gowran Park maiden scorer Tankerville (Kitten’s Joy) is a fascinating Derby prospect as a son of the GII New York S. scorer Starformer (Dynaformer), while among his fillies is Moyglare Stud’s homebred Kiss For a Jewel (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). Only seen once when second in a maiden at Galway in October, she is a daughter of the high-class Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}) who is a real project for the master of Rosewell House. Our next Winter Warmers installment will reflect on the top juveniles in France in 2018. View the full article

Ed DeRosa of TwinSpires.com takes on TDN’s Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap each prep race leading up to the GI Kentucky Derby. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets–highest bankroll after Arkansas Derby/Lexington day wins. DeRosa: GIII LeComte S. – As defending champion of the Triple Crown Throwdown, I’m already feeling the pressure to repeat, and that pressure intensified when staring down a 14-horse field in the Lecomte S. to kick things off Saturday at Fair Grounds. The field is so competitive that the morning-line favorite is 9-2, and while an $11 winner is always welcome, the field is so competitive (you’re going to hear that a lot about this race) that it’s impossible for me to take one of the public choices in either GII Kentucky Jockey Club runner-up Plus Que Parfait or splashy maiden winner War of Will (6-1 on the morning-line, but could go favored). The Lecomte is the final leg of a $100,000 all-stakes Pick 4 (as well as the second leg of the late Pick 4 that ends with race 14), and from a wagering perspective, I’d like to be live to several horses, including speed threats #11 Tight Ten and #13 Manny Wah, but the combination of speed inside (e.g. #2 Malpais) and their outside posts has me looking elsewhere for my on top (i.e. Throwdown) selection. Tackett is the play. The West Virginia-bred gelding has shown versatility pressing the pace on debut going six furlongs before winning both two-turn efforts–gate-to-wire in the maiden breaker and then just off the pace against winners (including next-out winner Owendale). This one will need to improve, but 6-1 is an OK price based on pace ratings indicating that he can sit close to a fast pace and still have some kick late. Selection: #3 Tackett (6-1). Sherack – GIII LeComte S. – Between the wide-open, full field, week-out draw and potential for an off track, I must have changed my mind about this race a good four of five times already. I finally decided on Tight Ten, who looked like a good one in his first three career starts last term before concluding the year with an eventful ninth-place finish after hitting the rail around the first turn in the Juvenile. Although green at times throughout the campaign (he also bounced into the rail in the Churchill stretch while running away to win impressively at first asking), the speedy Winchell homebred was very game in defeat in both the GII Saratoga Special and GIII Iroquois. He particularly battled on nicely in his two-turn debut in the latter, dueling throughout and surviving an early pace that really fell apart late. While it’s fair to question how far he wants to go, Tight Ten has more than enough early zip to get himself into a good position on or near the lead here, is battle-tested and comes in fresh from the always loaded Asmussen barn. That’s more than enough for me, especially if he’s near his morning-line quote of 8-1. Selection: #11 Tight Ten (8-1). DiDonato – GIII LeComte S. – There’s some chance Hog Creek Hustle won’t love this two-turn trip (his half-brother Majestic Dunhill {Majesticperfection} is a late-running sprinter), but I think he might just be the most talented runner of the bunch and will give him one more chance to stretch out. His late rally on debut caught the eye back in August, and his non-effort in the GIII Iroquois was simply too dull to be believed–I won’t take that as a sign that he can’t go long. His Churchill allowance tally over seven furlongs off the bench was particularly impressive as he really inhaled his competition while far out in the track, and it was further flattered when three who finished behind him came back to score. He missed the break in the Sugar Bowl and was probably going to find the six panels a bit sharp anyway–plus that pace came back slow on figures. Selection: #6 Hog Creek Hustle (12-1). Click for Lecomte Ultimate PPs from Brisnet.com. View the full article

It was great to see the Go North Weekend announced this week. The three-day festival will provide an opportunity to give horses a late-season aim in the Northern racing circuit. Anything that supports the North is good, as we have been badly let down by some of the bigger tracks in trying to race the profile […] The post Donald McCain Blog – Weekend Runners & More appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Ascot OLBG.com Mares’ Hurdle If You Say Run was Grade 2 placed around this time last season and she finished runner-up to Mia’s Strom in a listed event most recently. She is a rock solid mare but would be vulnerable to an improver. Magic Of Light has taken her form to new heights this season, […] The post Weekend Preview – Altior Takes Aim At The Clarence House appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

After enduring the heartbreak of five Group One seconds in the space of 12 months, jockey Sam Clipperton reckons he is “about due” for a breakthrough. The talented jockey will jump aboard the John Size-trained D B Pin on Sunday in the Group One Centenary Sprint (1,200m) after being runner-up in the Hong Kong Sprint on international day last month. The Australian has endured a tough run of late, with his rides all but drying up since the arrival of Size’s stable jockey Joao... View the full article

19:45 Kempton Derek Shaw looks to have a fantastic chance of landing the lucky last with his 6yo Le Manège Enchante. The horse hasn’t won since 2017, but was denied a run at a vital stage on his seasonal bow and then followed up with a very good second at Chelmsford last time out. Reproduction […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Friday 18th January appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Horses' body weights January 18 View the full article

Track conditions and course scratchings January 18 View the full article

Early scratchings January 18 View the full article

Baertschiger gets Be Bee back to his best View the full article

Lonhro Gold goes all the way View the full article

No Fun No Gain shows his serious side View the full article

A Classic and fitting tribute for late owner George Tay View the full article

Finger Lakes Racetrack in upstate New York is again authorized by the state to spend up to $2 million from its casino capital account on a new turf track, according to a budget plan released this week by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. View the full article

Anticipating extreme cold, the New York Racing Association has canceled its scheduled holiday racing card at Aqueduct for Monday, Jan. 21. Training at both Belmont and Aqueduct will also be closed Monday. “We made this decision in the best interests of the safety of all participants, and to provide horsemen with ample opportunity to plan the best course of action for their athletes and staff,” said Martin Panza, NYRA’s Senior Vice President of Racing Operations. View the full article

Finger Lakes Racetrack in upstate New York is again authorized by the state to spend up to $2 million from its casino capital account on a new turf track, according to a budget plan released this week by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. View the full article

Sam-Son firster DESERT RIDE (f, 3, CandyRide {Arg}-Fun in the Desert, by Distorted Humor) produced a stunning turn of foot and sustained a 2 1/2-furlong rally to graduate at first asking Thursday at the Fair Grounds and become the afternoon’s second ‘TDN Rising Star.’ Only fairly away and void of any early speed thereafter, Desert Ride caboosed the field for the opening half-mile beneath Shaun Bridgmohan and raced unhurriedly into the second turn. Pulled out widest of all at the five-sixteenths marker, the bay filly jumped into the bridle and steamed down the center of the turf course to win by a widening margin in the finish. The final time was fractionally faster than that clocked by the 4-year-old Ruffina (Street Cry {Ire}) two races earlier. Desert Ride is the first foal for her dam, herself a debut winner and unplaced in stakes company in her lone subsequent appearance. Fun in the Desert is a daughter of Sam-Son’s Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old filly Eye of the Sphynx (Smart Strike), also the dam of 2009 Queen’s Plate hero and champion 3-year-old Eye of the Leopard (A.P. Indy), MSW & MGSP Hotep (A.P. Indy) and MGSW & GISP Deceptive Vision (A.P. Indy). Eye of the Sphynx’s SW half-sister Quiet Cleo (No Louder) was the dam of Sam-Son’s Canadian Horse of the Year Quiet Resolve (Affirmed). Fun in the Desert is represented by the 2-year-old filly Saturday Sun (Sky Mesa) and a yearling full-brother to Desert Ride. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O/B-Sam-Son Farm (ON); T-Neil Howard. View the full article

City of Light settled in nicely at Gulfstream Park Jan. 17 on the morning after shipping cross-country from his Southern California base for a scheduled start in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 26. View the full article

On a night where four of the seven winners carried Godolphin silks, Poetic Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a half-sister to champion juvenile Teofilo (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) no less, came from off the pace to win the global powerhouse’s seventh G2 Cape Verdi title at Meydan for trainer Charlie Appleby on Thursday evening. Fellow Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor provided the exacta with Asoof (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). It was the fourth consecutive year the royal blue colours had been carried to victory in the $250,000 1600-metre event and Appleby’s second Cape Verdi, having saddled Certify (Elusive Quality) in 2017. One of three for the Boys in Blue in the featured event of the night, Poetic Charm’s pilot James Doyle wore the blue cap and the 4-year-old filly justified that faith in no uncertain terms. Poetic Charm stayed well covered up in sixth while full of run as Monza (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) led the field down the backstretch. Still showing plenty of zest at the half-way mark, the bay lacked racing room as the septet neared the straight. Monza conceded the advantage to Asoof, who had stalked from second for much of the journey and Poetic Charm burst through a seam to challenge the bin Suroor runner a quarter mile from the line. By the 200-metre mark, Poetic Charm had ground a half-length clear and she stretched away to win by four lengths. Asoof hit the line 1 3/4 lengths in front of Furia Cruzada (Chi) (Newfoundland), who had rated in midpack and rallied late, while Godolphin’s Victory Wave (Distorted Humor) was another 2 1/2 lengths behind in fourth. “I was a bit short of room for a moment, but once the gap opened, I knew I had the horse underneath me and she picked up in style,” said James Doyle. “She has a lot of speed, this filly, and could win over seven [furlongs/1400m], but the extra furlong and nine furlongs in the [G2] Balanchine should not be a problem.” Added Appleby, “James gave her a peach of a ride in getting her switched off. I was always confident turning in as she was travelling supremely well and has a finishing kick. She put the race to bed nicely. She’s been training a lot better this winter than she was last year. She is a stronger individual and more mature. She’s done that well and I see no reason why she shouldn’t see out the Balanchine as well. That is the only race left over here for the fillies and mares so she’ll have a stab at it. I’m sure she’ll run a pretty big race.” A winner of the Listed Prix de la Couchere at Longchamp on Sept. 5, Poetic Charm would not settle in the Oct. 19 GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. at Keeneland over 1 1/16 miles and ran off the board in her final start prior to her Meydan debut on Thursday. Pedigree Notes… One of 162 black-type winners for her sire and the third group winner for her dam after Teofilo and G3 Derrinstown Stud One Thousand Guineas Trial victress Bean Feasa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Poetic Charm is followed by unraced sophomore colt Just You Wait (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and a yearling half-brother by Dark Angel (Ire). Her second dam is a full-sister to GI Blue Grass S. hero War (Majestic Light) and a half to MGISW Judge Angelucci (Honest Pleasure). Victorian Queen (Victoria Park), the Cape Verdi winner’s third dam, was a two-time Sovereign Award victress as Canadian champion grass horse and older mare in 1975. Speirbhean visited the court of Dubawi once again last spring. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Thursday, Meydan, Dubai CAPE VERDI SPONSORED BY AZIZI DEVELOPMENTS-G2, $250,000, Meydan, 1-17, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:36.46, gd. 1–POETIC CHARM (GB), 126, f, 4, by Dubawi (Ire) 1st Dam: Speirbhean (Ire) (SW-Ire), by Danehill 2nd Dam: Saviour, by Majestic Light 3rd Dam: Victorian Queen, by Victoria Park 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. $150,000. Lifetime Record: SW & GSP-Fr, 10-5-1-0, $244,202. *1/2 to Teofilo (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Ch. 2yo Colt-Eur, Hwt. 2yo Colt-Ire & Eng, G1SW-Ire & Eng, $645,596; and a full to Bean Feasa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), GSW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Asoof (GB), 126, f, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Lady’s Purse (GB), by Doyen (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Saeed bin Suroor. $50,000. 3–Furia Cruzada (Chi), 126, m, 7, Newfoundland–Nuestra Machi (Chi), by Hussonet. (180,000gns RNA HRA ’16 TATDEC). O-Avaz Ismoilov; B-Haras Dadinco (CHI); T-Erwan Charpy. $25,000. Margins: 4, 1 3/4, 2HF. Also Ran: Victory Wave, Peri Lina (Tur), Monza (Ire), Mia Tesoro (Ire). Click for the Racing Post chart. Video. View the full article