Wandering Eyes

In the first of a series, Tom Frary looks back at the standout British-trained juveniles of last season and considers who will be most prominent during their key Classic season. I was listening to the BBC World Service the other day and the programme in question was about unpredictability, with an established fund manager explaining how they operated in such a volatile, changing environment. “It’s touchy-feely,” he confided to the reporter and that struck a chord. I think the same synonym can be applied to the torchlight search during this darkened section of the year for the boutique Thoroughbreds of the forthcoming season. Of course, all will point to 2018’s benchmark performer, the chief of the ‘TDN Rising Stars’, Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), as the peak of the pyramid. Rightly so, as this latest and best product of the increasingly remarkable Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) was head and shoulders above his peers throughout a busy two-month period. It is not so much guess-work where this vibrant runner is concerned, as he’s already passed the age-old test of the Dewhurst with honours, over the same strip as the Guineas on ground which was way too fast for him. That was as good a performance in that examination as I’ve seen since Frankel (GB) in 2010, and if he isn’t out of the same kind of category I’ll be amazed. Dar Re Mi is becoming one of those legendary broodmares and it’s as if each mating with the gilt-edged Dubawi is raising the bar. He has everything and I’m sure after he wins the Guineas he’ll stay a mile and a half too. His sister Lah Ti Dar (GB) found the St Leger too sharp in September and Too Darn Hot could even be Triple Crown material, as he is the right type of intelligent racehorse who can adapt quickly and he has plenty in hand on his contemporaries. Aside from 2019’s “good thing”, another ‘TDN Rising Star’ who is sure to make a considerable impact is Shadwell’s Jash (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who just succumbed to fellow ‘TDN Rising Star’ Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never) in a proper renewal of the Middle Park. Jash is a top-class sprinter in the making and he was simply brilliant at Salisbury the time before the Middle Park. Connections are keen to have a tilt at the seven-furlong Greenham, so the Guineas is on their minds and with the top-class Hibaayeb (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and her daughter Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the family it is understandable. However, the Commonwealth Cup seems more his bag and it would be no surprise to see him excel there and reverse 2-year-old form with Ten Sovereigns. Another with speed as his forte is ‘TDN Rising Star’ Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who went to the sidelines soon after upstaging Advertise (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in the Coventry at Royal Ascot. There were shades of Dawn Approach (Ire) in that ‘lone ranger’ performance, but the Juddmonte homebred is from a precocious family and it is a concern to me that both Helleborine (GB) (Observatory) and Fair Eva (GB) (Frankel {GB}) failed to build on excellent juvenile performances. Kingman’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Sangarius (GB) looks to have more distance to run to these eyes, hailing from the dynasty of Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) and belonging to that unrivalled nursery of Sir Michael Stoute’s. Although he was well beaten in the Dewhurst, some of Freemason Lodge’s great runners of the past were similarly tried without distinction in the leading juvenile contests as much for the education as the bare result. His dynamic debut performance in a novice contest on Newmarket’s July Course was one of my enduring memories of last season and I fully expect him to ultimately prove the second-best horse to emerge from the Dewhurst in time. Godolphin’s epic 2018 season was just the beginning, with ‘TDN Rising Star’ Quorto (Ire) another Dubawi set to hit the heights and carry on the operation’s new wave. His efforts in the Superlative and the Vincent O’Brien National S. mimicked those of his sire’s and the son of the Oaks-placed Volume (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) could be the one to provide the true line to how good Too Darn Hot truly is next term. Charlie Appleby also has two other ‘TDN Rising Star’ sons of that standard-bearer in the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l’Elevage scorer Al Hilalee (GB), a son of the classy Ambivalent (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) who is open to any amount of improvement, and the impressive Nottingham maiden winner Space Blues (Ire), who is out of the G2 Challenge S. winner Miss Lucifer (Fr) (Noverre). Saeed bin Suroor also has a golden ticket in Royal Marine (Ire) (Raven’s Pass), who oozes class. At Doncaster on his second start, he performed heroics to beat subsequent ‘TDN Rising Star’ Turgenev (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), and he carried on the momentum when collecting the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day. His trainer has proven he retains all of his guile and ability with the likes of Farhh (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) and Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) throughout a recent quiet spell in his initially explosive career, and Royal Marine is a colt who can continue his resurgence. Where the “touchy-feely” stuff comes in concerns the darker types and there is one who excites in the William Haggas-trained colt Skardu (GB) (Shamardal). Sent off at 33-1 for his debut in a seven-furlong maiden at Newmarket in September, Abdulla Al Khalifa’s homebred chestnut performed heroics to come from a compromising position and win with authority. He is a son of Diala (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) who interestingly was tried in the 1000 Guineas by this yard off a similar maiden win. The same stable has the filly Rainbow Heart (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}), Sunderland Holding’s daughter of the G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Sea of Heartbreak (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) who was an eight-length scorer over the same track and trip in October to earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ status. Where the fillies were concerned, the Gredleys’ Pretty Pollyanna (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) retains pole position among the Brits in a category overwhelmed by the Irish with her scintillating success in the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at Newmarket’s July meeting leaving a burn on the collective memory. The relative of the high-class User Friendly (GB) threatens to stay the Guineas trip well on pedigree and was coming back at the end of the Fillies’ Mile. Despite her defeat in the G3 Princess Margaret S., the Ed Walker-trained Royal Intervention (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) remains a fascinating prospect, with the half-sister to Gorella (Fr) (Grape Tree Road {GB}) having previously excelled in Newmarket’s Listed Empress S. Ralph Beckett has some smart fillies once again and Dancing Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) cut a real dash when off the mark at Doncaster on debut in October, while Roger Charlton has a live prospect in Andrew Rosen’s Fashion’s Star (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). She took a seven-furlong Newbury conditions event on her sole start, which is often a pointer to bigger things, and as a descendant of the G1 Preis der Diana heroine Next Gina (Ger) (Perugino) could turn out to be a genuine Oaks contender. Our next Winter Warmers installment will reflect on the top juveniles in Ireland in 2018. View the full article

Frankie Lor Fu-chuen’s Australian import Furore did not set the world alight with his debut Hong Kong run but it was enough for one prominent trainer to declare him as his pick for this season’s Derby. The high praise was earned after the four-year-old was posted wide for most the 1,400m trip last month against a strong pace and fought on well to finish seventh. Dealt no favours with a wide draw on that occasion, Furore will again have to do it the hard way from barrier 13 when he... View the full article

The smaller the field, the bigger the upset. That is the motto legendary jockey Douglas Whyte will carry into Sunday’s Group Three Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (1,000m) when he rides promising three-year-old Styling City. Just six horses will contest the feature event of the day, in what is the equal-lowest number in the race this decade after the same amount lined up in 2016. The race has had traditionally poor numbers, however, with it attracting a full field just once since 2010. Because of... View the full article

Already among the top owners in California, brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis of Hronis Racing topped the North American earnings list for the first time in 2018. View the full article

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America has passed the halfway mark in its ongoing efforts to raise funds necessary to build a multi-purpose building and chapel on the grounds of Belmont Park. The 5,000-square foot facility will cost approximately $800,000 to build, according to Humberto Chavez, the chaplain in New York. Personal donations of $100,000 have been made by Lisa and Kenny Troutt of WinStar Farm, Kristine and Chris Kay, New York Racing Association (NYRA) CEO & President and Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson. Owner Michael Dubb, who donated the two trailers where the Chaplaincy is currently housed, has pledged his donation in building materials for the entire facility. Chavez said that ground-breaking ceremonies for the Chaplaincy Center are tentatively scheduled for the Spring of 2019 with a completion date targeted for the Fall of 2019. The new facility will include office space for the chaplain and his staff, areas for recreation, non-denominational worship, and confidential counseling. There will also be a storage area for the food pantry, and a room to be known as the Cot Classroom, in honor of the late Cot Campbell, who passed away in October 2018. “To have a facility like this has been a dream of mine for the past 15 years,” Chavez said. “Thanks to those who have already made commitments and to those who will be doing so, the backstretch community will now have a place where people can relax, unwind, worship and learn new skills.” View the full article

Multiple grade 1 winner Bellafina didn't show her best in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), but after some time off she'll start her 3-year-old campaign back home in the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) Jan. 6 at Santa Anita Park. View the full article

Already among the top owners in California, brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis' Hronis Racing topped the North American earnings list for the first time in 2018. View the full article

Fasig-Tipton will be the title sponsor of this year’s GII Holy Bull S. and GIII Hurricane Bertie S. at Gulfstream Park. The Fasig-Tipton Holy Bull S., a prep for 3-year-old Classic contenders, will be run Feb. 2, while the Fasig-Tipton Hurricane Bertie, for 4-year-old fillies and mares at seven furlongs, will be part of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series Jan. 26. “Fasig-Tipton is pleased to sponsor these two prestigious races at Gulfstream Park,” said Boyd Browning, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fasig-Tipton. “The world-class racing, hospitality and facilities at Gulfstream Park greatly enhance the experience for both buyers and sellers at our Two-Year-Olds-in-Training Sale, which takes place on Mar. 27, 2019. Sales graduates continue to excel around the world and this year’s catalogue will be loaded with quality horses.” View the full article

All-sources handle at race meets at the New York Racing Association’s Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course reached $2,113,408,494 in 2018, according to figures released by NYRA Friday. With 10 full race days and three partial cards cancelled due to weather–and 193 races taken off the turf–average daily handle over the 219 days of racing in 2018 was $9,650,267. In 2017, just 98 races were taken off the turf over 225 days of live racing, leading to all-sources handle of $2,191,731,339. The 2018 season featured 2,038 races at NYRA tracks, or 52 fewer than in 2017. View the full article

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International, SF Racing and Head of Plains Partners’ Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Ire}), a Grade I winner on turf and dirt last year, will return to the grass for his 2019 debut in the Jan. 26 $7-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park. “We debated about whether to run him on the dirt or the turf,” WinStar president and CEO Elliott Walden said Friday. “The nice thing about Yoshida is he’s a Grade I winner on both surfaces. We felt like with Audible (Into Mischief) [also co-owned by WinStar and expected to start over the main track in the GI Pegasus World Cup] being in the other race, this was a good place to start.” Yoshida, a ‘TDN Rising Star,’ opened 2018 with a win in the GI Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. He won the GI Woodward S. in his first start over the dirt at Saratoga last September and was most recently fourth in the Nov. 3 GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. “He’s done great,” Walden said. “He had a little bit of a break for the month of November and then started back training. He’s had three breezes at Payson Park and Bill [Mott] is really happy with him. He’s continued to fill out and do well and we’re excited about the upcoming year with him. He’s unbelievable. He’s been a good horse from Day 1.” View the full article

In the first full year after the NTRA successfully completed a campaign to have the U.S. Treasury and IRS change rules on reporting and withholding of pari-mutuel winnings, wagering on U.S. races saw its largest single-season growth in 18 years. View the full article

Traditionally run seven weeks after the GI Belmont S. and four weeks prior to the GI Travers S., the 2019 GI Haskell Invitational will be run July 20. The change was made because Monmouth officials were informed that, if the race were run on its normal date, it could not televised on the NBC family of networks. To ensure television coverage, the race had to be moved to the July 20 date, which is a Saturday. The Haskell has traditionally been run on a Sunday. The story was first reported by the Asbury Park Press. “If we wanted to retain national television coverage for the race, we had no other choice,” said Dennis Drazin, who heads the management group that operates the track. “We either had to move the race or lose coverage. This is a our signature race and it’s a world-class race. This is not a race that we wanted to be unavailable on a national network. I don’t know this for sure, but had we gone without the TV coverage, we were worried that the Haskell might also lose its status as a ‘Win-and-You’re-In’ race for the Breeders’ Cup.” In addition to having a $1-million purse, the Haskell has normally attracted many of the top 3-year-olds in training because of its spot on the calendar. It was far enough removed from the Belmont, that most trainers of Triple Crown starters had their horse ready to go for their summer-fall campaigns by the time the Haskell rolled around. There was also enough spacing between the Haskell and the Travers that trainers were usually open to the idea of running in both races. It’s unclear how the change in dates will affect the type of field the Haskell gets. The worry is that, if trainers feel that they need more time for their horses to recover from the Triple Crown races, they might instead chose the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga. That race will remain seven weeks after the Belmont. “This could be a double-edged sword,” Drazin said. “For people who want to run in the Travers, they’ll now have more time between races if they go in the Haskell. But I understand we’re cutting it close when it comes to where the race is positioned as far as the Belmont goes. We might lose a horse or two where they want more time after the Belmont and gain a horse or two that likes the idea of the five-week gap between the Haskell and the Travers. We had to weigh these options and we decided in the end that it was critical to retain TV coverage.” There could be more changes at the 2019 Monmouth meet as it appears that an influx of at least $10 million will be added to the purse account. There is legislation pending in the state capital of Trenton that would provide the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries with an annual subsidy of $20 million to boost purses. Half the money would go to Monmouth and the other half to the Standardbreds at the Meadowlands. Though the legislation has several more hurdles to clear, it is supported by virtually every major politician in the state and is expected to pass. Monmouth should also have additional money for purses from its cut of sports betting revenue. Drazin said it’s too early to tell how much money that may involve. With more money available for purses, management is weighing two options. One is to raise purses across the board for the entire meet. The other is to use the money for a two-to-three week period around the Haskell to have a championship-type meet within the regular meet. If that were to happen, Drazin said purses during that period would be about $500,000 a day. Drazin also has plans to extend the Thoroughbred meet at the Meadowlands, which, over the last few years, has included only a handful of dates with turf racing only. He would like to see 20 days of racing at the Meadowlands and have the harness track converted so that dirt racing could resume there. Drazin says, by law, the Thoroughbreds get first preference on the fall dates, but he has been negotiating with Meadowlands owner Jeff Gural. According to Drazin, Gural has asked that the expansion of the Thoroughbred meet at the Meadowlands be put off until 2020. View the full article

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, SF Racing, and Head of Plains Partners' Yoshida will be returning to the grass for his 2019 debut in the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T) Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

On the first Saturday of 2019, the programs for newly turned 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park get going. View the full article

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International, SF Racing, and Head of Plains Partners' Yoshida will be returning to the grass for his 2019 debut in the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T) Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Headlining the Keeneland January Sale this year is the 2017 Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old filly, Abel Tasman, who sells as hip 288 during the auction’s opening session this coming Monday. We went out to visit the mare at Taylor Made Farm last week and to talk to Mark Taylor about the six-time Grade I winner’s selling points. TDN: You found out, I’m assuming, kind of late in the year that you’re going to have Abel Tasman in the consignment. How did that come about? MT: Well, we’ve had a great relationship with the Cleary boys out at Clearsky, as well as China Horse Club, for a number of years. China Horse Club bought a really nice mare off of us a few years ago, named Embellish the Lace, and got to know them better through that. This year we actually partnered on a race horse with them, Sassy Sienna, and we’ve sold yearlings for them. We sold a really nice War Front colt in 2017 in September. They’re doing big things in the business and we’ve been fortunate enough to develop a good relationship with them. There was a comfort level there. The Cleary boys, we knew their father and we’ve been friends with them and selling horses with them. They sell mostly their own at the yearling sales, but we help them out and anytime they need our two cents worth, we’re always involved with those guys. I think that’s how it came to fruition, and I think everybody knows selling these kind of mares is something that Taylor Made puts a lot of emphasis on and that’s our bread and butter. TDN: She’s a unique mare in her talent. She’s a Grade I winner at two, three and four. Talk about her accomplishments on the racetrack and what she was able to accomplish, first as a 2-year-old with Simon Callaghan and then with Bob Baffert. MT: She’s just one of those very rare versatile horses that have so much talent, that you can’t really pigeon hole her. It’s very hard to beat her, because if she goes with you, you’re in trouble, and if you go out and she sits back and relaxes, you’re at her mercy. She’s going to run you down in the stretch. Physically, what I love about Abel Tasman is when you breed to Quality Road, you’re hoping to get one that looks like her. She’s very similar to him in that she’s got tons of length. She’s got this beautiful, elegant, long neck. Bob Baffert actually alluded to that in the one interview I saw. “Got that neck.” Beautiful deep shoulder on her. Very long, mare just covers a lot of ground. Good hip and she’s roomy. It’s the way I call it. She looks like one of those mares that can carry a lot of foal. That’s what I like to see in mares. TDN: What has her progression been like on the farm since the Breeders’ Cup? MT: She’s been at Clearsky, where she was raised, with Barry Robinette. He runs the Cleary boys’ farm out there. I really like the way she’s going since the Breeders’ Cup. She was obviously light coming in off the track. Tight, fit and been running all year. But if you can see her transition from then until now, I think she’s put on right at 100 pounds. You think about this mare when she gets pregnant and what she’s going to look like next summer. She is just going to be awesome. And she’s just now starting to kind of let down and think, maybe it’s time to be a mom now. She’s getting turn out time and just getting into that routine. So, it’s been really cool to see her, the way she’s transitioning, starting to head into the breeding season. TDN: Quality Road had a huge 2018 and has really established himself as a top sire, particularly of females. MT: Quality Road is a horse that I think a lot of people always believed in. He was such a fantastic racehorse himself. He set track records, is very versatile, was fast, he could stretch out to a mile and an eighth. Everybody believed in him and I think it took him a while to just get over the hump, as it does with some of these great sires. He’s showed great promised early, but then in 2018 it was just, “Wow.” I think he’s clearly one of the very, very best stallions in North America, and he gets respect from around the world. I mean, he’s had really good horses in Europe, so I think that’s maybe what differentiates him a little bit, is that he’s a superstar in America, but he’s had horses go over to Europe and run very well, Japan. So I think he’s truly an international sire. Even though Abel Tasman never got to run on the grass herself, I think her pedigree opens her up to where she can be mated with sires from around the world. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see her offspring competing in Group 1s at whatever racing jurisdiction they end up in. TDN: Have you gotten much international interest in her, from Japan? From Europe? MT: We’ve gotten significant interest. She’s definitely on the top buyers’ radar screens. The one thing that I’m trying to convey to all of the buyers that have interest is is that this isn’t a situation where China Horse Club or the Cleary boys are just trying to buy one another out. I think they’re both there and they’re genuine sellers. I think everybody knows that she’s a very valuable mare, and she’s not going to be cheap. But you’re not going to be battling where one side or the other says, “Oh, I’m just going to go there and I’m bidding with 50-cent on the dollar or whatever, and I’m going to buy everybody out.” We saw a little bit of that in November, where partners were buying other partners out. I think that we’re dealing in this situation with two very genuine sellers and she’s going to have a fair reserve and that’s what I’ve been trying to communicate to everybody that’s called me so far. TDN: The stockmarket has been schizophrenic, to say the least, over the past month. How might that affect the sale, and just what are your thoughts coming to January in general? MT: January is a sale where you get the entire spectrum of the bloodstock world covered. You’re going to have very cheap horses and you’re going to have some very, very expensive horses. You’re going to see that we’re dealing with different strengths at different levels. I think what we’ve seen in the global economy, what we’ve seen in our stockmarket here domestically, I think that it’s a little bit of a, ‘we don’t know what’s in the future or on the horizon.’ Uncertainty is never really a good thing for the horse business. I think if you look at mares like Abel Tasman she’s sort of recession proof, because she’s collector’s status and those horses hold their value more. But going into next year, I think there’s strength at the top, but I think that more and more breeders have to be careful. They’ve got to make the right decisions. They’ve got to make the right culling decisions when they’re selling, and then they have to try to raise the best product they can. It’s not an easy game and when you get below the top, you’ve got to really, really try to tighten up all those different variables that you can control, and then hope you get a little luck with the vetting and those kinds of things to find success. View the full article

A story by BloodHorse.com online news editor Jeremy Balan that brought the fire at San Luis Rey into full focus earned a media Eclipse Award. View the full article

A story by BloodHorse.com online news editor Jeremy Balan that brought the fire at San Luis Rey into full focus, earned a media Eclipse Award. View the full article

Christie DeBernardis and Patty Wolfe have earned the Eclipse Award for Audio/Multi-Media Internet for their piece chronicling the journey of Cozmic One, first foal of champion Zenyatta, from the racetrack to the show ring through the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) and the careful eye of 17-year-old show rider Isabela de Sousa. The entry appeared first online in the July edition of TDN Weekend, a publication of Thoroughbred Daily News and can be viewed here. The story of Cozmic One is told by DeBernardis, who came up with the idea, wrote the text, took the pictures and interviewed de Sousa on camera, and Wolfe, who shot and produced the video of de Sousa, in which the young rider extols the opportunity of second careers for retired racehorses and the success of Off-the-Track Thoroughbred (OTTB) programs. The video captures Cozmic One and the young de Sousa together with the rider discussing her process of choosing Cozmic One, previously owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, as her next mount in the RRP sponsored Thoroughbred Makeover competition. De Sousa is then seen riding Cozmic One in a “demo event” at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in April 2018, as well as at her home, where Cozmic One resides with his pal and fellow OTTB Isle of Giants. “We are truly honored and humbled that our work was chosen for an Eclipse Award,” said DeBernardis, an associate editor at TDN. “It is our industry’s highest honor and what we all strive for day in and day out. There are so many talented writers and photographers in horse racing that we are lucky to know and work with, so to be selected as an Eclipse winner among such an exceptional group is beyond flattering. I am very grateful to my family, friends and everyone at the TDN who have supported me and made this possible. I am also thankful to have met Sergio and Isabela de Sousa, who inspired this piece and welcomed me into their home and stable. And, I can’t forget Cozmic One, who attracted many readers to this story and shined a new light on retired racehorses.” Wolfe, who produces videos for TDN, added, “I am humbled to be recognized with this extraordinary honor. Working with the TDN on their visual media initiative has already been the most fulfilling (and fun) part of my career. Christie’s vision for this story was spot on, and I’m grateful we had the chance to help Isabela and Cozmic One tell their story.” Judges in the Audio/Multi-Media Internet category were Ashely Cline, founder and publisher of the equestrian lifestyle blog, EquestrianStylist.com; Brian Nadeau racing analyst for Horseplayer Now and Amy Zimmerman, Santa Anita Park Vice President and Senior Associate Producer for NBC Sports. View the full article

In the first full year after the NTRA successfully completed a campaign to have the U.S. Treasury and IRS change rules on reporting and withholding of pari-mutuel winnings, wagering on U.S. races saw its largest single-season growth in 16 years. View the full article

A record $2.010 billion was wagered on races at Gulfstream Park in 2018, representing a $122.7 million increase over the previous record in 2017. View the full article

14:25 Sandown – Tolworth Hurdle Saturday’s feature is a fascinating renewal of the Tolworth Hurdle with a number of potential hurdling stars set to battle it out over 2miles. The powerful connections of Rathhill have every right to be excited after their 6yo accounted for a smart field last time out on his hurdling and […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Saturday 5th January appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Trainer Chad Brown's 2018 season was his best yet, highlighted by 20 grade 1 wins and $27,546,057 in stable earnings, about $570,000 shy of the all-time North American record set by Todd Pletcher in 2007. View the full article

Trainer Chad Brown's 2018 season was his best yet, highlighted by 20 grade 1 wins and $27,546,057 in stable earnings, about $570,000 shy of the all-time North American record set by Todd Pletcher in 2007. View the full article

Craig Bernick of Glen Hill Farm in the U.S. has long been an advocate of diversification and utilising international bloodlines. TDN‘s Gary King chatted with Bernick about the European-based stallions he plans to use in 2019. GK: Could you let us know which European-based stallions you plan on using this season? CB: Here’s the complete list: Most Beautiful (GB): Kodiac (GB) Take a Deep Breath (GB): Saxon Warrior (Jpn) Modern Love (Ire): Zoffany (Ire) Deer Valley: Frankel (GB) How (Ire): Lope De Vega (Ire) Easter (Ire): Kingman (GB) Galileo Gal (Ire): Kingman (GB) GK: Galileo Gal [a half-sister to Alpha Centauri] was an expensive purchase for $1.4-million at Fasig-Tipton November. Did you buy her with Kingman in mind? CB: When I bought the mare, Shane Horan from Juddmonte immediately texted and said he would love her for Kingman. That made a lot of sense to me and we had been thinking about that horse anyway. Kingman was such a great racehorse. I know he ran at two but he won everything except the Guineas at three. His 2-year-olds look even more precocious than he was. He’s a horse that I’m more than happy to breed to with Galileo Gal and Easter. GK: Lope De Vega had a remarkable year at stud in 2018, especially with Newspaperofrecord (Ire)’s win in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Did that influence your decision? CB: We have used Lope De Vega before. We sold the mare Earring in foal to him at Tattersalls December this year [purchased by Charlie Gordon-Watson Bloodstock for 925,000gns]. I have followed Lope De Vega since the start and every year it seems that he’s improved. His horses run early and they seem to stay around. He’s the type of horse that will continue to be a really good stallion. With the mare being by Galileo (Ire), he’s a really good match. She’s a very pretty mare, walks well, and probably had more ability than her race record suggests. She has a great pedigree so I think that’s a good mating for her. GK: Where do you typically board your mares in Europe? CB: We basically board them all at Norelands Stud in Ireland. Then the mares that are bred to stallions in England, Norelands will arrange everything. Once the mares are in foal they all come back to Norelands to be foaled. GK: When do you make the decision about which ones you’ll race in Europe versus the U.S.? CB: We plan for those matings to be European horses. The mares are all European-bred, have form there, a lot of the relations are in Europe, so they basically belong there. If we decide to put some of the horses in training and they look like they might be prospects for America, we could consider that. The one mare going over, Deer Valley, to Frankel has a fantastic pedigree and is a listed winner. She could maybe be the only one that might come back, but the rest of them belong over there. View the full article