Wandering Eyes

Prominent owner and pioneering human heart surgeon Mark DeDomenico passed away Saturday aged 87, leaving behind a storied legacy in human and equine health. “The first thing he taught me when I went to work for him was that the word 'can't' isn't in the vocabulary,” said Mike Puhich, trainer and director of horse operations at the Pegasus Training and Rehabilitation Center in Redmond, Washington, owned by DeDomenico. “He'd say 'I want this, this, and this.' And I'd say, 'Doctor Mark, I can't do that.' And he'd say, 'I know, that's why I want it done by Wednesday.' He was a very tough guy and hard guy to get to know. But once you got to know him, he had a heart of gold. He always had a vision that was always higher than what anybody else could ever think of,” said Puhich. As an owner, DeDomenico's name will forever be associated with Blind Luck, the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly of 2010. DeDomenico owned her in a partnership that included the trainer, John Carver and Peter Abruzzo. Blind Luck's career comprised victories in the 2010 GI Kentucky Oaks and 2010 GI Alabama S. as part of a six-time Grade-I winning spree. DeDomenico also co-owned the Jeff Bonde-trained She's a Tiger, who passed the post first in the 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, only to be disqualified to second behind Rio Antonia. “We had some really good horses, and he expected the best,” said Puhich. “But when he didn't get the best, he rolled with the punches and went on to the next.” DeDomenico hailed from the family that created Rice-A-Roni and owned the Ghirardelli Chocolate company. But Puhich–who had known DeDomenico since he was a child–described him as very much a “self-made man.” “He made his own money–he did it on his own, which I thought was very impressive,” said Puhich, who said that DeDomenico transferred many of the lessons he had gleaned from the world of human health to that of rehabilitating racehorses. “Usually when you do surgery on a horse, you cut their value in half. But 85% of the horses we did got back to the way they were, which I thought was an amazing stat,” said Puhich. “Our exercise program, there's swimming in an underwater treadmill. A synthetic surface. A training model for when they come back–not as many days off as normal. They're in the pool 14 days after surgery instead of standing in the stall three months. He changed that standard–he changed that whole protocol. Everybody does it this way now,” said Puhich. “He studied the body very well,” said Puhich, who added that DeDomenico had, only months before, sold a successful fitness program that catered to people with health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure. He also helped invent and promulgate the coronary heart bypass. “He did a lot of good things in health care. There wasn't a horse or a person he didn't think he could save,” said Puhich. When asked to sum up what DeDomenico meant to him and others, Puhich responded, “just what a good person he was. And how much he loved horse racing and people in general. Helping people and helping horses–I think until you got to know him, you wouldn't really see that side of him,” Puhich added. “But it was a sincere side, and he did a lot.” The post Prominent Owner Mark DeDomenico Passes, Aged 87 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Last Friday’s stunning Alexandra Park debutante Princess Meritaten faces an even tougher task when she returns for the $100,000 Woodlands Stud Queen of Hearts this week. Princess Meritaten’s win had to be seen to be believed as she flew home from a seemingly hopeless position to win on her northern debut last Friday. It looked the perfect lead-in to this Friday’s Group 1 but the Canterbury mare has not fared well in the barrier draw for the fillies and mares mobile 2200m. She has drawn the outside of the front line and to make matters worse she has Mr Kaplan (1), Lady Of The Light (4) and somewhat surprise entry Duchess Megxit (6) drawn inside her. Most would expect Lady Of The Light to lead and in a deep field with 12 runners if Princess Meritaten gets back she is going to have to round up some good horses again. The other $100,000 mares event on the card is the first running of the TAB Queen of Diamonds Trot which has drawn a 13-horse field but with only a 10m spread in the handicaps. The big winners in the handicaps are last-start winners Con Grazia Love (R63) and Faith In Manchester (R62) who get in off the front line after well planned campaigns. This year’s Auckland Cup winner Better Eclipse adds some class to the $60,000 Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup as the open class pacers, well at least some of them, move north after a busy time down south. The meeting also contains the latest heats of the two Metro series, one each for pacers and trotters. To see the Auckland fields click here View the full article

A big Auckland meeting, featuring two $100,000 Group 1s, will highlight harness racing action this week. Manawatu will kick start the week with eight races today (Tuesday) starting at 4.21pm with Oamaru tomorrow and then Winton’s meeting on Thursday. Friday Night Lights will feature an Auckland-Addington double-header. The $100,000 Group 1 TAB Queen of Diamonds Handicap Trot and the Queen of Hearts Pace for the Fillies and Mares will be the night’s two features, along with the $60,000 Group 2 Franklin Cup and the latest Northern Metro Pacers and Trotters heats ahead of their $35,000 finals on December 31 . Addington will host the East West Fencing Summer Cup while the Rangiora Summer Cup will be raced on the grass on Sunday. Poutama with good chances today at Manawatu By Brigette Solomon Pukekohe based driver Andre Poutama heads South to Manawatu Raceway today with a full book of drives and confident he has at least two winning chances. Of his eight drives, seven are for local trainer (and uncle) Stephen Doody whose in-form team is always one to watch out for on their home track. “It’s not a bad book of drives” says Poutama “they’ve all been racing well and finishing thereabouts and there are a couple that I think are capable of winning tonight with the right trip.” Poutama’s first drive is on the locally trained Mr Monty in the Hawera Harness Racing Jan 31/Feb 2nd Handicap Trot over 2500 metres. The Majestic Son gelding has finished fourth and second in his prior two starts. “His last couple of runs have been ok and he’s gotten around safely, but if he can finish off like we know he can, he’ll be more than capable of finishing in the placings, ” says Poutama, “It’ll be a matter of seeing if we get the best version of him tonight.” In the maiden events, Races 2 and 3, Poutama is confident about both Million Dollar Chic (R2) and Jetasi (R3). “Million Dollar Chic is due a win and has run three seconds in her last three starts, she’s racing consistently well” says Poutama “I think she’s capable of winning tonight.” The Bettor’s Delight filly was narrowly beaten by 0.8 lengths here on November 21 and was still taking ground off the winner Bigger The Bettor when crossing the line. In just a six horse field, she starts tonight’s race from barrier two. Meanwhile Jetasi starts the Summer Grass Track Racing @ Hawera Mobile Pace from barrier six after placings from just six starts. “She’s been unlucky in her last three runs being held up or not quite getting the best trip,” says Poutama, “she’s been going good and working well and she could pick one up very soon.” “My parents actually have a share in her too, so it would be great to get a win on her for them while she is still eligible for the two-year-old bonus as well.” In Race 5, the Hawera Harness Racing is Good To Go Are You? Mobile Pace over 2000 metres, Poutama drives Blue Chip Lou, who he considers a good value runner tonight. The three-year-old filly finished second in her last start with a bold finish when beaten by talented stable mate Doo You Want Me. “She went really good last start and has been really consistent lately,” says Poutama, “It’s taken her some time, but she finally seems to have put it all together and knows her job, so I think she’ll give a good performance tonight.” In Race 7, the Grass Track Racing @ Hawera Is the Only Way Handicap Trot, Poutama partners Johnny Who, off 35 metres. The What The Hill gelding is another of Doody’s team who have been racing consistently well and heads into tonight’s race off the back of second placing at Cambridge in the Thames Trotters Country Cup three weeks ago. “He went really good last start at Cambridge,” says Poutama, “he’s one of the better ones in this field alongside Manchester In Time, and I think he’ll be thereabouts again tonight.” “I think Johnny Who and Jetasi are probably my top picks of the night.” Poutama’s other drives of the evening are Becker – R4, Jahi – R6, and Bailey’s Pitch – R8. Racing gets underway tonight with Race one at 4.21pm View the full article

A large crowd, including more than 100 anticipated alumni, is expected to attend the University of Arizona's Global Symposium on Racing Dec. 9-11 in Tucson.View the full article

Explore an array of exciting racing promotions from top horse racing bookmakers on Tuesday, December 10. Enhance your betting experience with enticing bonus back offers, designed to add extra thrill to your wagers. Discover these top-tier promotions to maximize your betting potential today. The top Australian racing promotions for December 10, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Bet and win up to 4th place. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to pickleBet to Claim Promo Same Race Multi – Select 2-4 runners in the same race to get bigger odds Available from approximately 8:30am local track time on race day. Availability dependent on field size. Neds T&C’s Apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Blonde Boosts Elevate Your Prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Best Tote and Starting Price Guarantees a dividend equal to the highest of the official win dividend paid by the three Australian TAB pools or the official starting price. Maximum stake: $2,000. 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% of winnings in cash Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds only. PlayUp T&Cs Apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Daily Multi Insurance Any race. Any runner. Any odds. Get a bonus back if your multi loses. Check your Vault for eligibility Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing thoroughbred bonus promotions for December 10, 2024. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. Horse racing promotions View the full article

Frankie Dettori has been involved in a legal battle with HMRC over his anonymity, after using a “tax avoidance scheme”, it can now be reported. After the lifting of his anonymity on Monday, Dettori said in a statement, “A few years ago I employed the services of professional specialist tax advisers to look after mine and my family's financial affairs. A structure was created and I was told that it had been approved by HMRC. Years later HMRC is now challenging that structure. My former advisers have since been dismissed.” He added, “My new advisers and management team are working hard to unravel the mess that I have been put in. They are also working closely with HMRC to resolve the matter as swiftly as possible.” The jockey can be named after losing a challenge over his anonymity in proceedings at a specialist tax tribunal, after HMRC and several media organisations said he should be identified. “The fact that the taxpayer may be in the public eye and may prefer the public not to know about his affairs does not justify the principle of open justice being restricted,” Hui Ling McCarthy KC, for HMRC, said in written submissions, describing the structure used as a “tax avoidance scheme”. In a judgment in November, Mr Justice Miles and Judge Thomas Scott ruled in favour of HMRC and the media, resulting in Dettori being named in Monday's ruling. A spokesperson for HMRC added, “We welcome this decision, which represents an important win for the principle of open justice. We're committed to ensuring everyone pays the right tax under the law, regardless of wealth or status.” The post Frankie Dettori Named After HMRC Anonymity Battle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Cruz Ramirez (Good Magic), a 2-year-old debut winner at Laurel Sunday, has been supplemented to Fasig-Tipton Digital's December Sale. Racing for NET Racing and trained by Brittany Russell, the $165,000 Fasig-Tipton October graduate went wire-to-wire to win the six-furlong maiden special weight contest as the odds-on favorite (video). A half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Secret Circle (Eddington), she is catalogued as hip 346 and is consigned by Elite. Bidding for the December Digital Sale opened last Thursday. Bidding on hips 1-305 closes Tuesday, beginning at 12 p.m. ET. Bidding on hips 306-670 closes Wednesday, also beginning at 12 p.m. ET. The post Laurel Maiden Winner Added to Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dr. Mark Dedomenico, who reached racing's heights on the track as an owner of 2010 champion filly Blind Luck and off the track with the Pegasus Training and Rehabilitation Center near his Redmond, Wash., home, died Dec. 7. He was 87.View the full article

Thirty years after introducing the Kentucky Cup, which eventually fell out of favor when overshadowed by richer races, Turfway Park is launching another lucrative day of racing on Dec. 14—the Turfway Park Synthetic Championships.View the full article

Graded stakes winner Five Star General (Distorted Humor–Party of Interest, by Bernardini) will begin his stud career next season at Covilar's Owl Hollow Farm in Floyd, Virginia. Covilar, founded by Dr. Josep Bassaganya-Riera, acquired a 50% ownership share in the 8-year-old stallion through a strategic partnership with existing owner Kenny Alhadeff. Since acquiring Owl Hollow Farm in 2021, Covilar has worked to transform the property into a modern, world-class breeding facility. Five Star General's pedigree, performance and versatility aligns with Bassaganya-Riera's long-term vision for the farm, according to a release from Covilar Monday. “Five Star General is the ideal stallion to begin expanding Covilar and Owl Hollow Farm,” said Bassaganya-Riera. “Thanks to our partnership with Kenny Alhadeff, we're thrilled to offer breeders a top-class stallion right here in Virginia. Our unique breeding program has already produced two crops of foals from Snapy Halo (Arg), sired by top Southern Hemisphere producer Southern Halo. Our breeding programs are designed to maximize performance, speed and stamina of the offspring. We believe that the addition of 'Ike' as our leading stallion is a natural choice and excellent complement to our emerging Thoroughbred breeding program.” Five Star General, nicknamed 'Ike,' is a seven-time stakes winner and captured the 2019 GIII British Columbia Derby. He hit the board in 28 of 39 starts–including 19 black-type events–with 13 wins and earnings of $902,202. “We've been thrilled with the success of Five Star General, one of the most special horses our family has had the privilege of owning,” said Alhadeff. “We're looking forward to partnering with Covilar to launch 'Ike' as a sire and to bring this accomplished stallion prospect to breeders in the Mid-Atlantic region. The partnership is exceptionally beneficial to our family, to Covilar and Owl Hollow Farm's plans, and to breeders in the Virginia and mid-Atlantic region. I am elated to be partnering with Dr. Josep Bassaganya-Riera, and his determination to improve the breed is thrilling. What better place than Virginia?” Five Star General, who was purchased by Alhadeff for $110,000 at the dispersal of the estate of Glen Todd at the Fasig-Tipton Digital May Sale in 2022, ran in five straight renewals of the Longacres Mile, placing all five years and winning the Emerald Downs race the last two years. “I've been in Thoroughbred horse racing my entire life. My grandfather, Joe Gottstein, founded Longacres Racetrack in the Seattle area in 1933,” Alhadeff. “In 1935, he created the Longacres Mile with a purse of $10,000, the richest race at the distance at the time. Winning back-to-back Longacres Miles with Five Star General is a highlight of my entire career as an owner. I've had the privilege of racing over 100 Thoroughbreds, and Five Star General's continued display of endurance, desire and courage has been breathtaking. His improbable stretch run in the last race before retirement is best described by legendary jockey Joe Bravo, who said 'The horse willed it. He's a warrior.' When a Thoroughbred runs from ages 2 through 8–winning every year–it tells you something very important about their durability and desire.” Five Star General's dam Party of Interest is a half-sister to multiple graded winner Criminologist (Maria's Mon), dam of multiple graded winner Inspector Lynley (Lemon Drop Kid), as well as to the dam of graded winners Tammy the Torpedo (More Than Ready) and Seek and Destroy (Verrazano). “Five Star General is what all breeders should be looking for: speed, soundness, exceptional looks and a stallion's pedigree,” said bloodstock agent Chad Schumer. “We have great confidence in his ability to pass on those sought-after traits.” Five Star General will stand for an introductory fee of $6,000 for the 2025 season and breeding incentive programs will also be available. For additional information, contact Covilar stallion manager Craig Whitlow at craig@covilar.com or visit www.covilar.com. The post Five Star General to Stand at Virginia’s Owl Hollow Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The new Maryland Jockey Club announced the stakes schedule for the 2025 winter-spring meet at Laurel Park, which will feature 25 stakes worth more than $2.6 million in total purses.View the full article

The new Maryland Jockey Club announced the stakes schedule for the 2025 winter-spring meet at Laurel Park, which will feature 25 stakes worth over $2.6 million in total purses.View the full article

Staton Flurry wanted to park that trophy on his shelf. He wanted to win the Oaklawn Park owner's title so badly he could taste it. The hometown product who calls Hot Springs his backyard and sports that wide grin, knew the race was going to be a good old-fashioned Arkansas throwdown. Flurry sweated it, stayed up late strategizing and for months did everything humanly within the rules to secure the prize. Let's put it this way, if he had a jockey's license he might have donned his distinctive black and white silks with the giant snowflake imprinted on them and attempted to ride some winners himself. Not really, but it makes for a good yarn. It was not easy, but Flurry accomplished what he set out to do, collected 26 wins throughout the meet and hoisted the crystal vase in the Larry Snyder winner's circle amid a cheering crowd, which included some of his closest friends. “We got off to such a bad start two years ago, I think I went one for 31 starting out,” said Flurry. “When you fall behind too soon it's tough, but we were able to rally. I think I ended up fourth in the standings and missed it by five or six wins. Last year, I was like it's now or never because I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. It's stressful doing a title run, I can tell you that.” The Hot Springs native, who operates a cluster of parking lots in and around the track, elevated his status on the racing scene a few years back with the likes of MGSW Mr. Misunderstood (Archarcharch) and MSW Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire), who were both tutored under trainer Brad Cox. Staton Flurry with Florent Geroux after a Mr. Misunderstood win | Coady Photography As most know, Flurry initially partnered with Qatar Racing to campaign MGISW Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) before adding Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. Pope then bought out her partners with a $5 million bid during Keeneland November. The relationship with Cox started in 2013 when the two of them used to spend time mining the claiming ranks. Flurry has branched out to other conditioners since then such as Cipriano Contreras, Kevin Martin and Dan Ward, but continues to be loyal to Cox. “Kevin is one of my closest friends and he's the one who introduced me to Brad,” said Flurry. “He thought this was the next big up-and-coming guy that I should be with and he was right. But I am going to continue to use other trainers too and spread the wealth a bit.” With some more complicated bookkeeping ahead, the Oaklawn meet opened last December with Flurry Racing Stable changing its tactics. The decision was an easy one: go after the owner's title. How to unfurl a strategy amid competition that is so fierce with loads of big outfits in the mix is the hard part. The purse structure is like a Godzilla magnet and you throw in the claiming game–where there is a whole lot of shaking going on–and the racing office hums like a Bitcoin mining operation. The issues are evident. If owners enter too many of their horses in lower level claiming events seeking wins, they can easily lose good stock and deplete their numbers. The reverse is, if you choose to stay away from these races your outfit could be missing out on wins, which is how you compete for the title. “We came in and we wanted to be aggressive,” said Flurry. “Whether we did it the right way, the wrong way, I think it was the only way to do it. I know there were some we probably dropped a little too far on, but when you're only given a certain number of races in the condition book where your horse fits, then sometimes you got to run them whenever you can. If you wait for a higher-priced race, then there's no telling when that moment will come up. Lot of factors at stake.” Flurry says it all comes down to timing. A horse might be ready to run after a string of solid works, but then the weather might go to pieces. January in Hot Springs can produce icicles as big as Bowie knives and conditions dictate terms. As the Oaklawn meet goes on, the claiming races take on even more value, especially since the allowance and optional claimers draw like stakes. “One horse we entered 13 times and finally said this race is going, let's be in there,” he said. “It was about half of what we paid for them, but she won, she got claimed, and we still made a profit. That's the good thing about Oaklawn, you can do that, still make a profit. It's not the most ideal thing that I want to do or really any horseman wants to do, but okay it's kind of the hand you're dealt.” Sprinting towards the endgame, the race began to tighten as Flurry was taken on by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who is a juggernaut. When you operate a business like the parking lots, there is no place to hide from folks. They pat you on the back about the wins, but they also bring up the losses. There is no escape. Carbone at Oaklawn | Coady Media “We started out the meet super strong,” Flurry said. “We had an eight to ten race lead, then at one point with less than a month to go, Steve [Asmussen] and I were tied. I didn't want to be the guy that led the entire time, then lose it right there at the end. I put a lot of pressure and stress on myself. Honestly, it was more of a relief or more vindication than excitement.” After securing the top prize, Flurry Racing is content to scale back its operation this time around as the new meet opened last Friday. The lineup includes some budding juveniles and prospects like 'TDN Rising Star' Carbone (Mitole), a 3-year-old homebred who has the potential to make his mark sprinting under Asmussen. “I'm in a partnership in Carbone with Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt and I've really enjoyed getting to know Steve [Asmussen] and working with him. I've got some decent 2-year-olds that we think have potential, so I'm excited to see what they turn into. I've had several people the last few years ask me to partner with them. We will bring some new owners into the game and this will be their first opportunity to own a horse.” Now that the daily pressure is less so, the owner with the snowflake silks is enjoying what is to come now that he has parked that elusive trophy. As Staton Flurry will tell you, pulling off that feat at your hometown track is no small task because a trip to the winner's circle should never be taken for granted. The post After Parking Owner’s Title, Flurry Relaxed As Oaklawn Opens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I got into racing via horses who had nothing to do with racing, as it is for many people with no family ties to rely on. Horses were a side hobby for me due to competitive swimming taking up enormous amounts of my time (a contentious topic in my house when I entered those famously stable teenage years) and my introduction to Thoroughbreds was, ironically, thanks to a mistake on my part. I had asked my instructor once what the fastest horse in the world was, as someone had erroneously told me it was the Morgan, and after she got done laughing at us, she cleared up any misconceptions on who in fact carried that crown. We'd only ever ridden or worked schoolmasters with traces of famous Thoroughbred stallions in their pedigrees, and to that point they'd been the fanciest creature my young eyes had ever seen. When I asked if she'd ever consider having a pure-bred in her program, she quickly declined the suggestion. From there, the internet was my best friend. The more I saw, the more fascinated I became, and the wilder the dreams became of riding a fancy former racehorse. My first experience with them in action was through my TV screen, however, thanks largely to either TVG or HRTV (whoever carried the most Florida racing at the time). The winner was a grey, it was on the main track. That's all I remember of it now. I wish I could recall their name because I'd love to know how they did after retirement. By my high school years, I'd experienced Barbaro, Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra, and Goldikova, and I was watching the races every afternoon when I got home from school. Swimming became an annoying side thing I entertained because of the 'sunk cost' fallacy, to my parents' great disappointment, but they eventually accepted that my heart had gone to something else. Still, I had no clue that I would end up working in the industry. I knew I wanted to study something revolving around horses, but the finer details were not my strong point. What came after was largely an afterthought. For all its talk as being a changing point for others, university didn't change much for me. And boy did I try to find other interesting things to pursue outside of racing. Considering my job(s), the effort was an abject failure. My major step into the industry came by way of an internship with the syndicate Pocket Aces Racing, and they haven't gotten tired of me, yet. Then came quick stints in other positions around Kentucky farms, and here I am today, taking up space in one of the industry's major publications. Do I wish I'd taken a less roundabout path? Sure. In the end though, I don't know if I would be willing to change anything to do that, so I'll take what I've been dealt. It's been an interesting ride to get here. The post How I Got Hooked On Racing: TDN Staff Writer Patrycja Szpyra appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There is no little poignancy in the timing of Acclamation (GB) making his permanent exit from the stage just as his most celebrated offspring, Dark Angel (Ire), stands on the cusp of being crowned champion sire in Britain and Ireland. As the mares sale got underway at Tattersalls last Monday, the news filtered through that Acclamation, who had been officially retired only a matter of weeks beforehand, had died at the age of 25. His passing, though at a good age and with his legacy already assured, will leave a void at Rathbarry Stud where he stood for 21 consecutive seasons. Paul Cashman, whose late father Liam bought Acclamation to stand at Rathbarry, said, “Back in those days, those type of sires could get going a bit easier. Would they get going now? That's the question we have to ask ourselves. With everything having become so polarised you nearly want a Group 1-winning horse now to catch people's eyes, but back in those days, and we're talking 20-odd years ago, more horses got a chance. “You were buying the horse, the individual and the race record and taking a punt that it would work. As we've all seen, that outcross has really worked. It has clicked with a lot of the lines that are there now. Not too many horses can be a sire of sires, and now he is coming through as a broodmare sire – he's doing it every which way.” By Royal Applause (GB), his is the branch of the Northern Dancer line primarily associated with speed, through the champion two-year-old Try My Best. He in turn sired the Queen Anne Stakes winner Waajib (Ire), whose two Group 1 winners were the six-furlong specialist Royal Applause and, at the other end of the spectrum, the Adelaide Cup winner Apache King (Aus). Acclamation's dam, Princess Athena (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}), was, like Royal Applause, both fast and precocious, winning the Queen Mary Stakes for David Elsworth. She was unfortunate not to also become the dam of a Royal Ascot winner when Acclamation ran into the Aussie monster of a sprinter that was Choisir (Aus) when second in the King's Stand Stakes back in 2003. By then he was already a multiple winner, and he would go on to finish third behind Oasis Dream (GB) and The Tatling (Ire) in that year's Nunthorpe Stakes before landing consecutive wins in the Starlit and Diadem Stakes. Acclamation made his final appearance on the track in the Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin during the international meeting which, only this weekend, featured his highest-rated son, the Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior (Ire), who became the first horse to secure three victories in the Hong Kong Cup. Bred in Ireland by Corduff Stud and Timothy Rooney, Romantic Warrior is something of an outlier in Acclamation's portfolio in that ten of his group wins have come over ten furlongs. As versatile and durable as he is talented, however, the six-year-old has also won over six, seven and eight furlongs. Romantic Warrior's own legacy will be as one of the best Hong Kong-trained horses of the modern era, who has represented the island with honour in winning Australia's Cox Plate and the Yasuda Kinen in Japan. Closer to home, it is Acclamation's stallion sons who have cemented his own position in the pantheon of influential sires. Furthermore, the day after Acclamation's death was announced, two of his granddaughters, Vertical Blue (Ire) and Believing (Ire), both by Mehmas (Ire), sold for 3.2 million and 3 million gns respectively at Tattersalls, following the previous year's December Mares Sale when another granddaughter, 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet (Ire), by Aclaim (Ire), fetched 2.2 million gns. And it is one of Acclamation's own daughters, the late Marsha (Ire), who still holds the filly/mare sale record in Europe having fetched 6 million gns back in 2017. Along with Mehmas and Aclaim, Acclamation's sons Equiano (Fr), Attendu (Fr), Expert Eye (GB), Lilbourne Lad (Ire), Bouttemont (Fr), Johnny Barnes (Ire) and Harbour Watch (Ire) have all ended up at stud, but it is far and away Dark Angel who has made the greatest impression in this role to date. Mehmas, bred on the same cross with Machiavellian, may yet challenge for that accolade, but it was Dark Angel, from Acclamation's debut crop, who first put his sire's name in lights. There arguably could not be a more admirable conduit for this line than Yeomanstown Stud's grey, winner of the Middle Park and Mill Reef Stakes in his sole season of racing. That branch line has a decent chance of continuing a good while yet. This year's champion miler Charyn (Ire) is the latest to join the stallion ranks, at Sumbe, where he will stand alongside another of Dark Angel's sons, Angel Bleu (Fr) and his grandson Golden Horde (Ire). Darley has Harry Angel (Ire) and another son, Raging Bull (Fr), is at Gainesway in Kentucky. Other stallions to be carrying Acclamation's line at stud include Pyledriver (GB), in some ways the unlikeliest of middle-distance heroes but a hero nonetheless. By the short-lived Harbour Watch, his superb record included the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Coronation Cup, Hardwicke Stakes, King Edward VII Stakes and the Great Voltigeur. It will be intriguing to see how he fares at the Beeches Stud in Coolmore's National Hunt division, where he covered 109 mares this year. It could perhaps be argued that Acclamation has a stronger record through his male progeny, but two of his seven Group 1 winners to date are female, with Makarova (GB) having recently emulated Marsha in winning the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp's Arc meeting. Money maker! Romantic Warrior banks HK$22.4m with victory to leapfrog Golden Sixty (HK$167.17m) as horse racing's world record earner (HK$177.32m)… @LONGINES | @mcacajamez | #HKIR pic.twitter.com/I8UBh4yt4M — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 8, 2024 It will be interesting to see how My Sister Nat (Fr), the Grade III-winning half-sister to Sottsass (Fr), Shin Emperor (Fr) and Sistercharlie (Ire) fares as a broodmare for Peter Brant's White Birch Farm, while Croom House Stud's Sweepstake (Ire), a stakes winner from Acclamation's first crop, is already well established in this role as the dam of the Australia (GB) brothers Broome (Ire) and Point Lonsdale (Ire) as well as Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). The Commonwealth Cup winner Eqtidaar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was another Group 1 winner out of an Acclamation mare. His half-brother Massaat (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) narrowly missed out on that accolade when second in the 2,000 Guineas to Galileo Gold (Ire), which he followed up by winning the G2 Hungerford Stakes. With 24 foals reported on the ground this year, Acclamation covered 16 mares in his final active season this spring. There are then still a number of chances for his record to be enhanced further. That it is so impressive in the first place owes a lot to the temperament he imparted, according to Cashman. He said, “As we've just seen with Romantic Warrior flying the flag again at the weekend, it just shows you what Acclamation's offspring are like: they are honest, they are tough and they want to win. A horse's temperament is half the battle and that's what he put into his horses. They are very honest and game horses, that shone through, and breeders bought into it.” Cashman continued, “Gay [O'Callaghan, Yeomanstown Stud] broke the mould when he bought Dark Angel as a two-year-old to stand at stud. That wasn't being done at the time and it was half frowned upon, but you could see what Gay was getting at because Dark Angel was a very good two-year-old but there wasn't the racing programme then and you had to have an above-average three-year-old to go up against the older sprinters because they were so battle-hardened. “That Machiavellian line [with Acclamation] really clicked for Gay and then for Tony and Roger [O'Callaghan, Tally-Ho Stud] with Mehmas, it's the same thing as well. They are so tough and honest, and Mehmas this year has broken the record for the most number of two-year-old winners in a season. “As my father said at the time, Acclamation was very good to us and to a lot of people. He was good for young mares to get them up and running with winners on the board, and to kick on to another level. He was a very commercial horse for a lot of people.” Jockey James McDonald said of Romantic Warrior on Sunday as his earnings were boosted to just shy of £18 million to become the highest-earning racehorse of all time, “He's the best, forget the rest.” For just that one horse alone, Acclamation would have earned a place in the history books, but we will remember the rest, too, especially those whose sons and daughters continue to add to what is already an unforgettable legacy. The post Farewell to a Stallion Thoroughly Deserving of Acclaim appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The GIII General George Stakes and GIII Barbara Fritchie Stakes highlight a 25-strong stakes schedule worth a combined $2.6 million for the winter/spring meet at Laurel Park. The seven-furlong events are part of a Feb. 15 card that also includes the John B. Campbell Stakes and Nellie Morse Stakes, each carrying a $100,000 purse. Three-year-old males and females feature on programs scheduled for Feb. 22, with the one-mile Miracle Wood Stakes for sophomore boys and the seven-furlong Wide Country Stakes for the girls. Those two events serve as lead-up races for the Private Terms Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth for the colts and geldings and the Beyond The Wire Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. In turn, those two contests serve as the middle legs of series that concludes with the Apr. 19 Federico Tesio Stakes and the Weber City Miss Stakes, each offering the winner berths in the GI Preakness Stakes and GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, respectively, as part of the 'Preakness Preview' day. The Laurel Park winter-spring meet will be the first presented by the new TMJC, a nonprofit entity under the auspices of the state's Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA). The MTROA will take control of day-to-day racing in Maryland on Jan. 1. The new TMJC has increased the purse of both the Federico Tesio and Weber City Miss by $25,000. Those races will now be worth $150,000 each. “We look forward to building a new era in Maryland racing,” said Bill Knauf, President and General Manager of TMJC. “The General George and Barbara Fritchie are historically important races, and our Preakness Preview Day will be a showcase event for 3-year-olds.” The post General George, Fritchie Highlight Laurel Winter/Sprint Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dr. Mark Dedomenico, who reached racing's heights on the track as an owner of 2010 champion filly Blind Luck and off the track with the Pegasus Training and Rehabilitation Center near his Redmond, Wash. home, died Dec. 7. He was 87.View the full article

A 1/50th share in the Aga Khan Studs stallion Zarak (Fr) has been added to the Arqana December Online Sale. A breeding right to Haras de Bouquetot's Thunder Moon (Ire) has also been catalogued, as has a 1/40th share in National Hunt sire Castle Du Berlais (Fr). The auction takes place on Tuesday, December 17 from 3pm to 5pm, French time, with all 12 lots being shares or breeding rights in French-based stallions, including Hello Youmzain (Fr). The post Zarak Share the Highlight of Next Arqana Online Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New investors at the elite level of our sport are clearly being well briefed in the odds they need to overcome. But if nobody can have failed to notice one operation pronouncing itself “Resolute,” only gradually are people becoming as aware of another that had already been branded as “Determined.” As we'll see, a certain staunchness is not only innate to Matt Dorman of Determined Stud but has also been fortified by experience, some of it as challenging as life can throw at us. The upshot is a conspicuous sense of purpose, whether in business or beyond. Dorman could scarcely have started more modestly on the Turf, with a marginal stake in a $5,000 claimer with Phil Schoenthal in Maryland some 15 years ago. By the time he sold his business in 2020, however, he could execute an exponential leap long planned for his program, assembling as many as 20 broodmares that fall. Those and subsequent investments–including several in partnership with existing Bluegrass powerhouses–are gradually beginning to cycle through to wider attention. For instance, a Curlin colt co-bred with John Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale was sold to Coolmore for $1.3 million at the September Sale. At the same auction, Dorman played up some of those winnings on a 410,000gns Twirling Candy filly for his racing division. Partnership interests on the track meanwhile include a piece of champion juvenile elect Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), and similar involvement in fellow Keeneland graduate Getaway Car (Curlin). (These two, 1-2 in the GI American Pharoah Stakes, proceeded to run 1-4 at the Breeders' Cup.) “There's a lot of action now,” Dorman acknowledges. “When we sold the company, it had a very big tax bill. And, right or wrong, the horse business is a great way to optimize your tax situation. Instead of doing it over three or five years, it made sense to do it in one or two. We bought a bunch of runners, hoping to improve their pages. But we also bought broodmares that we knew we could sell weanlings out of, so that we could get cashflow going in one year. At the end of the day, I'm a cash guy. Cash-on-cash return is important. Obviously it doesn't always work out, but you just have to deal with the highs and lows the same.” Dorman admits that it was difficult diverting from an initial commitment to his native state, albeit a few appropriate mares remain there. “We're hardcore Maryland, born and raised,” he says. “Originally I was going to build out everything there. But once I started ramping up, and got more experience, I realized how often these broodmares need the clinic–and that 30 minutes could decide everything. You can't buy four or five $800,000 mares and then run out of time because the clinic isn't close enough. Or you can, but it's not my kind of business plan. It was a great property, I loved it up there, but it didn't make sense.” By that stage, Dorman had already hit it off with Sikura and benefited from his counsel, reliably as sage as it is direct, as he scouted and passed up various Kentucky farms. Finally he found one, off Mt. Horeb Pike, that satisfied every specification. “Unfortunately Ed Hudon had passed away, but he'd done a great job with Sierra Farm,” Dorman explains. “And it was turnkey: 200-plus acres, barns, staff, everything. Compared to what I would've had to do in Maryland, it was a no-brainer.” Dorman had been introduced to Sikura by one of their mutual trainers over dinner. He remembers explaining what he was trying to do and Sikura just giving him a look. “You don't have any stallion shares,” he said. “You'll go broke on stud fees.” “I don't like to go broke on anything,” Dorman replied. “But how the hell do I get in? I'm from Maryland, up against all these Kentucky folks that have been around for generations. New money is always treated different.” But Dorman, within that category, was himself different. “I knew that when the self-made folks come in and want immediate change, that never ends well,” he reflects now. “So I've tried to take a longer-term approach.” Sikura said he'd look into what he had: maybe he could sell Dorman a share or two. Later that same night, he texted the names of two stallions and what the number would be. “I stayed up all night, built out a new spreadsheet, figured out a couple of assumptions,” Dorman recalls. “Some people answered calls in the middle of the night and at the end I'm like, 'This makes sense.' And then the tax consequences made it easier, too. So next morning I walked in the cafeteria, saw John, stuck out my hand and said, 'It's a deal.' And he's like, 'What are you talking about?' 'I'll buy those shares.' And ever since we've had a great relationship. John has an incredible eye and I have a moderate checkbook. It's a good combination.” As the program has matured, Dorman has also forged ties with Lane's End and Gainesway. Relationships, and doing his own due diligence, remain as key now as they have been throughout his business career. “I was always my own CFO,” he says. “When we brought in private equity, I did the deal. And I always drove sales.” All that said, the fundamental spur to the business he established was strictly personal. In 1996, one of Dorman's sisters was murdered by a man who had been released from a psychiatric hospital without the safety net of community care. In the hope of sparing other families such trauma, Dorman started developing an electronic health record for behavioral and mental health. “So, yes, we were mission-based,” he says. “I told my two remaining sisters, and my parents who were alive at the time, that we would not be saying anything for 10 years. But after that time we were like, 'Maybe there's value to the story.' That's when we started talking about it. But it's tough. We lost a baby sister that night. I was working for a little tech company at the time, Lockheed Martin, so knew a little bit about technology, and was just amazed that there was no follow-up after he was discharged. I have a nephew who doesn't have his mom. I saw what he went through, what my parents went through. There's a lot of things that are avoidable thanks to technology. So I thought maybe we can have some good come out of this.” Having started in a townhouse basement, Credible Behavioral Health expanded across 38 states and took Dorman somewhere he had never envisaged. A portion of the proceeds, along with an ongoing percentage of his successor enterprise, is devoted to a mental health foundation, while Dorman's wife runs the largest mental health and rape crisis center on the eastern shore of Maryland. Strictly in terms of the way the business thrived, however, can Dorman apply any lessons to the notoriously unpredictable world of bloodstock? “When you're building a software company, and trying to create stability, the concept of recurring revenue is big,” he explains. “When we're buying mares, looking for quality pages, we work on the principle of getting two live foals out of three– and that if one of those two can be a really good one, better again. “But also just thinking long-term. A lot of people are very focused on short-term trading. I understand that, if you're in sales, and you're a certain kind of farm. I think it's because we've more of a long-term vision that all of a sudden it's now getting real busy. And for both that recurring revenue, and having that vision, quality partnerships are big.” But internal relationships are equally important. The Kentucky farm is run by an “awesome” third-generation horseman in Scott Mallory; David Ingordo has become invaluable to the team; while 15 horses in training are divided between Mike Trombetta and Cherie DeVaux. One of the most cherished horses from the early days, developed by Schoenthal, was a $20,000 yearling that the novice Dorman insisted on buying in 2012. Sonny Inspired (Artie Schiller) won a bunch of stakes and nearly $650,000. Sonny Inspired | Maryland Jockey Club “Sonny's at the farm, just living the life,” Dorman says. “He's a great character, phenomenal with kids. When horses arrive on lay-up, he takes them in his paddock and tells them how they, too, can end up in retirement here. He was named for my father, whose gang nickname, growing up in Brooklyn, was Sonny.” Arthur Dorman was plainly the source of his son's inborn determination, besides also being his route into racing. “He was an eye doctor and served in the Merchant Marines and the U.S. Army during World War II,” Dorman recalls. “He was also a state senator for the first 37 years of my life. And in Maryland, politics and racing go hand-in-hand. He was very close with [Laurel supremo] Frank De Francis, we used to go to the track all the time and I just really enjoyed it. From right back then, in my goal book, it was like, 'When I hit this amount, I want to build out a racing stable.'” The turning point was the 2006 GI Kentucky Oaks. “We'd lost all our money,” he recalls with a chuckle. “I had 300 bucks left. And I put it all on Lemons Forever, who was the longest shot. And there we were, standing on our chairs, screaming as she turned for home. She paid a ton and I'm like, 'How's this work?' “I got more into reading the Form, and what struck me was the money people were paying for horses. The business model of getting people liquored up and excited, getting them betting? That's great, I respect the tracks for that. But the real business model is breeding. And when I started looking into it, I saw that it was great to have a racing stable, but what you really wanted was the broodmares. And that's a long game. You got to last the course. But it's a wonderful game if you can.” Now a family man himself, with four teenage sons, Dorman will always have a corrective whenever the vagaries of the Thoroughbred test that staunchness. Indeed, some of his horses are named in unobtrusive honor of the sister he lost. “She was very different than the rest of us, but she just had bad luck,” he reflects. “The rest of us are just very fortunate. We work hard, yes, but basically we're fortunate. Anyway hopefully we've made some good come out of it.” To have prospered via such tragedy naturally gives rise to complex emotions. But strictly in terms of discovering where his business skills could thrive, Dorman admits that selling the company left a different kind of void. “I failed miserably at being retired,” he says wryly. “Anybody will tell you that. And so I started another software company last year, this time an electronic health record in physical therapy. That's really important, too, especially to veterans.” In the end, everything Dorman does will always have a family inspiration behind it: whether a single night of tragedy, or the broader legacy of a patriarch who had always led by example. “My father was self-made and, unlike a lot of politicians, he was home every night,” Dorman says. “He was a doctor first and a legislator second. And very independent. That was back in the 'machine' days, but he did the right thing even when it would cost him. He was phenomenal. Didn't say a whole lot, but when he did, it meant plenty. And it was him that taught me you can do whatever you want. You just need a vision, to stay true to your word, and treat people how you want to be treated. If you can do all that, life gets easy.” The post Dorman ‘Determined’ To Play The Long Game appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Report from JapanView the full article

My Denysse, a 35-1 longshot, won the My Dear Girl Division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Nov. 30 for trainer, owner, and breeder Ruben Sierra. The Venezuelan moved to the United States when he was 17, and now owns a farm near Ocala, Fla.View the full article

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Pair clash with strong books at the city circuit’s nine-race card on Wednesday.View the full article

The Racing Integrity Board (RIB) has completed its review of the animal welfare audit program. Following valuable feedback from industry stakeholders we are introducing a revised system of steward’s inspections. This change underscores our commitment to addressing industry concerns and establishes an inspection model that emphasises practicality, enhances collaboration, and ensures a balanced and effective approach to compliance monitoring. At the same time, it reinforces our legislative responsibility to uphold high standards of animal welfare. By transitioning from the formal audit program to this more streamlined and cooperative process, we aim to maintain consistent standards, minimise disruption, and strengthen our partnership with the industry. Key Features of the New Approach Inspections · Stewards will conduct inspections both with or without prior notice to ensure standards are consistently met. · Inspections will be conducted respectfully, with discretion applied when key individuals, such as trainers or senior staff, are unavailable. In such cases, the inspection may be postponed. Practical and Efficient Process · The new inspections are distinct from previous audits, focusing on practical, targeted checks using a revised checklist. · This approach ensures efficiency while maintaining compliance with critical welfare and integrity standards. Focus Areas for Inspections · Maintenance of treatment records and medication practices. · Compliance of tack and equipment. · Verification of stable records in the code database (traceability). · Visual health and welfare assessments of animals. Collaborative Engagement · Stewards will work closely with trainers to address any areas needing attention, emphasising resolution and improvement over penalties. · The inspections are designed to minimise disruption to stable routines while maintaining a high standard of integrity. A Commitment to Continuous Improvement We recognise the value of open communication and ongoing dialogue with industry stakeholders. Your feedback is crucial to refining this process, and we encourage you to share your thoughts on how these inspections are implemented. Thank you for your cooperation as we implement these changes. If you have any questions or require further information, please contact the RIB at nick.ydgren@rib.org.nz. View the full article

The Kiwi challenge to win the Australasian Young Drivers Championships (AYDC) starts at Menangle in Sydney tomorrow (Tuesday). Crystal Hackett (above), Sam Thornley (below) and Kerryn Tomlinson will compete against Australia’s top talent over nine heats, with the opening two heats both over a mile, at 5.12pm and 6.22pm. All three will debut brand new driving suits for the occasion. For Hackett it’s her third AYDC while Thornley’s last appearance was in 2022 when he was leading for much of the championships, only to finish second. This will be Tomlinson’s first championships, though she did qualify in 2020 only for the event to be cancelled because of the pandemic. She is vying to follow in the footsteps of her sister Sheree, who won the AYDC in 2018. Representing New South Wales, Joshua Gallagher is the defending champion after winning last year’s championships in Queensland. The drivers competing in the 2024 Australasian Young Drivers Championship (in alphabetical order) : Corey Johnson (South Australia) Crystal Hackett (New Zealand) Ewa Justice (Victoria) Jacob Duggan (Tasmania) Josh Gallagher (New South Wales) Kerryn Tomlinson (New Zealand) Kyle Symington (Western Australia) Sam Thornley (New Zealand) Taleah McMullen (Queensland) Will Rixon (New South Wales) Tuesday night drives : Race 4 (Heat 1) – 5.12pm 1609m 2 Double Said – Sam Thornley 4 Specialize Lou – Crystal Hackett 11 Fiftyshades Cresco – Kerryn Tomlinson Race 6 (Heat 2) – 6.22pm 1609m 1 Silver Mystique – Kerryn Tomlinson 7 Cabana – Crystal Hackett 9 Our Chiquitita – Sam Thornley Schedule : Tuesday (Dec 10) – Menangle (2 Heats) Wednesday (Dec 11) – Bathurst (2 Heats) Thursday (Dec 12) – Penrith (2 Heats) Friday (Dec 13) – Newcastle (2 Heats) Saturday (Dec 14) – Menangle (1 Heat) – ID24 Finals night. We will have regular updates on hrnz.co.nz and across our social media channels. View the full article