Wandering Eyes

Multiple champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after he appeared at Reading Magistrates' Court on Thursday afternoon where he admitted to driving over the limit for alcohol. The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol. He was not asked to plead on another count of failing to cooperate with a preliminary test at the roadside. A four-time champion jockey, Murphy was charged by postal requisition on June 19 after he drove his grey Mercedes A Class off the road and into a tree in Hermitage, Berkshire, in the early hours of April 27. He rode a double at Windsor the following day when employed by trainers Richard Hughes and John and Thady Gosden. Murphy was officially charged on the Thursday of Royal Ascot week, when he rode another double, this time courtesy of Arabian Story and Never So Brave – trained by Saeed bin Suroor and Andrew Balding respectively. He ended the showpiece meeting with five winners in total. Murphy spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address, but apologised via his barrister Alex Di Francesco KC before the verdict was delivered. “Mr Murphy accepts that he made a great error on his part and is remorseful,” Di Francesco said. “He wants to make three apologies: firstly to the passenger and to convey how grateful the circumstances were not worse, he wants to apologise to the public and other road users, and lastly to those who he works with.” The post Multiple Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy Pleads Guilty To Drink Driving Offence appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The fifth installment of the 2025 OwnerView webinar series took place on July 1 focusing on the development of young horses with panelists Niall Brennan (Niall Brennan Stables), David O'Farrell (Ocala Stud), trainer Lindsay Schultz and retired pinhooker Eddie Woods. Gary Falter, the project manager for OwnerView, moderated a panel discussion. The conference is hosted by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Keeneland, and Stoll Keenon Ogden. The panel was sponsored by OCD Pellets. According to O'Farrell, it's important to start working with foals as soon as possible if they are nursing and healthy. “You know they would follow their mother if you let them and they'd lead right into the stall,” he said. “But it's hugely important that you go ahead and put the mini halter, the figure eight halter, on and coax them down the shed row and teach them to lead right off the bat.” The panelists agreed that starting horses should be done slowly and quietly. “The slower you go, the better it is. If you get into a rush, it ends up a mess,” Woods said. Brennan concurred. “If you go a little too quickly with it and frighten them, then that's a different story,” he said. “We just take our time, and similar to Eddie, we spend about a week in the stall with the riders just playing with them, putting the tack on them, turning them around, and just judging them individually.” Another theme was starting and working horses together. “We send them out in groups, especially for the first while that they're at the track,” said Schultz. “And if we don't have a group then you might send them out with a pony. The first part of the process, they always go in company.” The next session entitled 'Buying at the Sales and Digital Sales' will be held Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. ET. The full schedule may be viewed here. There is no fee to register for the series, but registration is required. Click here for video of the July 1 webinar. The post OwnerView Webinar Covers The Development of Young Horses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Lion In Winter has been supplemented for Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, which could have a field of up to 10 runners. The most recent win for Coolmore's son of Sea The Stars came over the same distance of seven furlongs (1400m) in last year's G3 Acomb Stakes at York, a race in which subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court (Justify) finished third. Also added to the field at Thursday's confirmation stage was Apollo Fountain (No Nay Never). Trained by Andre Fabre, he won the Listed Prix Yacowlef last season for Juddmonte, who could also be represented by the Harry Charlton-trained Cosmic Year, who was runner-up to fellow Kingman colt Field Of Gold in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. Also among the entries is Godolphin's Shadow Of Light (Lope De Vega) and the Christopher Head-trained Maranoa Charlie (Wootton Bassett), who was recently sold to the Yorkshire-based Bond Thoroughbreds operation. The post The Lion In Winter Added to Prix Jean Prat Field appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

This Saturday sees the inaugural running of the Irish EBF Pat Smullen Stakes at Naas, with the Listed contest having attracted eight runners from seven different stables. Run over a mile, the race is part of the Smullen Series, launched this year by the Irish EBF and consisting of 18 middle-distance races for two- and three-year-olds. Daytona (Wootton Bassett), a winning debutant last month at Gowran Park, is among the field and his trainer Aidan O'Brien was keen to target the race which is named in honour of his late brother-in-law, the nine-time Irish champion jockey. O'Brien said of Daytona, “He won nicely in Gowran the first day when Jack [Cleary] rode him. Wayne [Lordan] rides him in Naas. We think he's a nice horse and we think the trip should suit him. “Obviously, it's in memory of Pat and that makes it very special for us and we're delighted to be running what we think is a nice horse in the race. We like him, we think he's a classy horse.” Joe Foley, chairman of the Irish EBF Chairman, said, “The new Irish EBF Pat Smullen Stakes is the launch pad for the Smullen Series and an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of an Irish racing hero, Pat Smullen. The Smullen Series showcases the Irish EBF's commitment to middle-distance horses where two-year-olds now have a range of races from July to the end of the season each worth €25,000 over a mile and a mile-plus. “For the following season they can link into the existing Spring Series of middle-distance races creating a pathway to the €200,000 Gowran Classic as a three-year-old. The objective of the series is to provide breeders, owners and trainers of middle-distance horses with valuable races for two and three-year-olds while promoting the breeding and racing of stamina horses. We are delighted to have Frances [Crowley] and her family to the races on Saturday to present the new Pat Smullen perpetual trophy.” The post Pat Smullen Stakes Spearheads Series for Middle-Distance Youngsters appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Andrea Atzeni thinks a return to Sha Tin could pay dividends for Colourful King when he lines up in the Class Two Philip Chen Trophy (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Saturday evening. The Blue Point galloper was a two-time winner from five starts in Australia before arriving in Hong Kong, where he has won twice for trainer David Eustace. Beaten on debut at Sha Tin, he has subsequently gone from strength to strength at the Valley, winning a pair of Class Three races over the 1,000m trip before two near...View the full article

In this monthly BH interview, Karen M. Johnson profiles young racing personalities.View the full article

Godolphin's G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes hero Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) will face five opponents after a select half-dozen were confirmed for Saturday's £1-million G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. The John and Thady Gosden trainee, who has drawn stall five, encounters fellow four-year-old Sosie (Sea The Stars), who will bid for a fourth success at the highest level for the Andre Fabre stable from the neighbouring stall four. The Classic generation enjoys strong representation and features G1 2000 Guineas hero Ruling Court (Justify) and G1 Prix du Jockey Club victor Camille Pissarro (Wootton Bassett). The TDN Rising Stars have been allocated stalls one and two, respectively. The field is completed by last term's G1 Futurity Trophy first and second Hotazhell (Too Darn Hot) and Delacroix (Dubawi), who will renew rivalry from stalls six and three. The post Six Confirmed For Saturday’s Eclipse, Ombudsman To Undergo Sosie Test appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Irish sports stars TJ Reid, Bernard Dunne, Rachael Blackmore, Danny Mullins, and Ursula Jacob are lending their support to the annual Hurling for Cancer Research match, which has raised more than €1.6m since its inception. The event, which is now backed by supermarket chain Centra, was the brainchild of trainer Jim Bolger and jockey Davy Russell 14 years ago. It is set to take place this year at Netwatch Dr Cullen Park on Monday, August 18 at 7.30pm. “It's become a very special day in the calendar, especially for the kids, but also because it creates so much awareness about cancer, especially among men,” said Kilkenny hurling superstar TJ Reid. “The game's obviously not competitive in one sense. It's nice to just come out and express your skills and a great day to share a dressing room with past and present legends of the game and from other sports too. “Last year was the biggest year because we had the biggest names, players like [Limerick's] Cian Lynch, Gearoid Hegarty, Tom Morrissey and some of the Clare lads. It's getting harder now to get a spot.” Tickets for the match are €10 for adults and €5 for children, and can be purchased at selected Centra and SuperValu GAA Ticket Agent stores or online at www.hurlingforcancer.ie. All proceeds from ticket sales and donations will go directly towards funding life-saving cancer research. The post Stellar Line-up for Annual Hurling for Cancer Research Match appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Francis Graffard is considering the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes as an option for Daryz (Sea The Stars), who retained his unbeaten record when winning Sunday's G2 Prix Eugene Adam. Nemone Routh, racing manager for Daryz's owner-breeder The Aga Khan Studs, said, “We're slightly scratching our heads with Daryz and we would need to sit down with Princess Zahra as well as there are several options we can take with the horse. “I know Francis is quite interested in the idea of bringing him to the Juddmonte International and he's obviously done very well over that trip and we've only ever run him him over a mile and a quarter, so it is the right trip for him. It would be a big ask as Sunday was only his fourth start, but he's an improving horse and we're really excited by him, he's bred in the purple and a proper horse.” Daryz's stablemate and fellow Aga Khan-bred Calandagan (Gleaneagles), who holds and entry for the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, was second to City Of Troy in last year's Juddmonte International, and claimed his first Group 1 victory on a good day for for his oconnections in Sunday's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. As a gelding, he was prevented from running in last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe but that would not be an issue for Daryz, who is a half-brother to the late G1 Prix Ganay winner Dariyan (Shamardal). Routh continued, “We have an eye on the Arc at the end of the year, but [Daryz] needs to run before that and there are several different races he could run in. He could have a traditional prep for the Arc in the Prix Niel or he could take in something like York. “We'll have to weigh everything up with him as he is still a little immature, but he's improved with every race and York is definitely an option. We will just have to see what is the right option as we haven't quite figured that out.” The post York Under Consideration for Progressive Daryz appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus. Cambridge Stud is offering six well-credentialled mares – Critical Angel (NZ) (O’Reilly), Friwi (Almanzor), Runway Queen (Star Witness), Stellar Maccartney (NZ) Tavistock), Western Belle (Domesday) and Ziffel (NZ) (Zabeel). They are all being offered in foal to Cambridge Stud stallions. “We’re very fortunate that Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s significant investment in yearling sales and their own breeding programme leads to a number of high-class fillies and mares coming off the racetrack to join the broodmare band every year,” Cambridge Stud’s sales and nominations manager Scott Calder said. “That obviously means we have a large broodmare band that’s continuing to grow, and the challenge that creates is that we need to regularly sell mares just to keep our numbers at the same level. “But the fact that we’re selling these mares shouldn’t reflect badly on them in any way. These mares all have plenty going for them, with deep pedigrees and carrying pregnancies to our Cambridge Stud stallions. We think this sale will provide a great opportunity for buyers to secure some mares that they could go on to have a lot of success with. “A young mare like Friwi is coming off the track, carrying her first foal and has a very bright future in front of her, while several of the others have progeny on the racetrack and have already achieved good results with their yearlings in the sale ring. There’s plenty happening in the families and there could be a number of pedigree updates to come.” Friwi, Runway Queen, Stellar Maccartney and Ziffel are all being offered in foal to Sword Of State. The Group One-winning son of Snitzel has made waves with his first yearlings this season, averaging over $200,000 and selling for up to $540,000. “Those Sword Of State pregnancies are going to be a real drawcard,” Calder said. “His first yearlings have sold amazingly well this season, and that continued at the National Weanling Sale at Karaka last week with demand for his progeny remaining very strong. “Sword Of State is our most popular stallion going into the new season. These mares will have Sword Of State foals on the ground within the next few months, giving people an opportunity to quickly secure his progeny without the expense of breeding to him themselves.” Friwi is by Almanzor out of the winning So You Think mare Brisida. The pedigree page is stacked with German black type, with Brisida’s half-brother Brisanto (Dansili) being Champion 2YO Colt in Germany in 2014 while second dam Briseida (Pivotal) won the German One Thousand Guineas (1600m). Briseida is the dam of eight winners from nine foals to race. She has produced three individual stakes winners and is the granddam of the Listed winner and Group Two-placed Pappalino (Makfi). “There’s so much that can be said about Friwi,” Calder said. “She comes from a high-class family and is a really good-looking Almanzor mare retiring off the track. I think she has a lot going for her and I see her as a very good match for Sword Of State.” Lot 62 of the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale Runway Queen. Photo: Supplied Runway Queen is a half-sister to the dual Group One winner Stratum Star (Stratum) and the multiple Group Three winner and Group One placegetter Prague (Redoute’s Choice). Runway Queen’s full-sister Red Velvet Swing (Star Witness) is the dam of this season’s Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) placegetter Declichy Boulevard (Snitzel). Runway Queen was herself a winner over 1300 metres in Australia. “Runway Queen comes from a family that’s had huge success on the racetrack, but has also been highly sought after in the sale ring with a couple of million-dollar yearlings,” Calder said. Tavistock mare Stellar Maccartney comes from the family of Group One winners Fairy King Prawn (Danehill) and Cosmic Endeavour (Northern Meteor). Critical Angel is by O’Reilly (NZ) out of the Group One-winning Centaine mare Critic (NZ). Herself a winner over 1200 metres and a second placegetter in the Group Three Vanity Stakes (1400m), Critical Angel has made her mark as a broodmare with her son Scathing (Trusting) winning three races and finishing fourth in the Group Three Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) and Fred Best Classic (1350m). Western Belle is a half-sister to the Group One winner Regal Power (Pierro) and Group Two winner Action (Pierro), while their stakes-winning dam Broadway Belle (Redoute’s Choice) is a half-sister to the multiple Group One-winning star mare Arcadia Queen (Pierro). Ziffel, a half-sister to the Group Two winner and multiple black-type producer Amelia’s Dream (Redoute’s Choice), has had yearlings sell for up to $500,000 and is the dam of the multiple winners Earl Of Devon (NZ) (Tavistock) and War Of Succession (NZ) (Tavistock). Bidding is open in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus with the first lot closing from 7pm (NZT) on Wednesday 9th July. View the full article

The inclement weather didn’t dampen Robyn Ayton’s spirits at Ashburton on Thursday, with the local trainer posting her first double courtesy of Lady Bankside (NZ) (Belardo) and Tellme You Loveme (NZ) (Tavistock). “That was my first double, so it was nice to do it on the home track, it was fantastic,” Ayton said. “They have both been working well, they look great and have done nothing wrong, so I was hopeful heading into today.” Ayton was particularly hopeful about the chances of Lady Bankside in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m) after the mare finished runner-up over the same distance at Timaru last month. The daughter of Belardo jumped well from her wide gate and was pushed forward early by apprentice jockey Donovan Cooper to take an early lead. She relished the heavy conditions and skipped away to a 3-1/2 length victory, securing a welcome bonus for her connections. “I was a little bit apprehensive about the draw (11), but she got to the lead easily enough and once she got there and found the rail she was in a happy place,” Ayton said. The five-year-old mare will now likely step up in distance, something Ayton had intended on doing before the Pearl Series race was added to the Ashburton meeting. “She would have gone 1400m today, but it was her last chance at a Pearl Series, so I dropped her back down for the 1200m because she was eligible for it,” Ayton said. “I think she would like to go a bit further.” Later on the card, Cooper once again donned Ayton’s silks when hopping aboard Tellme You Loveme ahead of the Dunstan Horsefeeds (2200m), and the seven-year-old daughter of Tavistock was looking to recapture some form after a couple of disappointing runs. The pair sat parked for the majority of the journey before finding the lead at the 800m mark. They didn’t relinquish their advantage and hugged the rail for the remainder of the journey, pulling away in the concluding stages to win by 3-1/4 lengths. “She was tough and she tried hard,” Ayton said. “I was disappointed with her last start, but she has always been honest.” Tellme You Loveme’s record now sits at six wins, but Ayton is unsure when she will add to it, citing difficulty in finding a suitable target in the near future. “There is not a lot coming up for Tellme You Loveme, there are not many open handicap staying races down here,” she said. The weather continued to deteriorate as the meeting progressed, and it was subsequently abandoned following race seven due to visibility and safety issues. “We must have had luck on our shoulder today,” Ayton said. View the full article

Blair Orange driving one hundred winners in a season might not seem like a big deal but as the seven-time premiership winning driver approaches three figures again, it’s just as important as the first time. “I remember the first time I got it done (2014) as it was with Donsmedad at Addington for the late Mike Austin who gave me so many opportunities early on. When I started out at Tim Butt’s, driving a winner was a goal so I never take any win for granted,” he added. It would be the 12th consecutive season Orange has racked up three figures, equalling the record held by Maurice McKendry. He currently shares the second-longest streak (11 seasons) with Dexter Dunn and Tony Herlihy. Herlihy still holds the record for the most 100-win seasons overall, with 17 to his name – although they weren’t all back-to-back. The gun driver has a number of good opportunities at Addington on Friday but has decided to head South on Sunday for the Invercargill meeting with a near full book of drives. “I’ve looked at the next 12 months and note there will be a lot more clashes with Canterbury meetings on Sundays so I will just have to weigh things up each week. I have had such great support in Southland and driven a lot of winners for some terrific people and that will definitely play a part going forward.” Amongst his book on Friday are the Cran and Chrissie Dalgety pair of Sugar Babe and Magician. The former is a last-start winner likely to face her stiffest opposition from her stablemate Forever Dream, whilst Magician takes on a strong field full of form in the Dallas and Sam Boyd Mobile Pace. The son of Captain Treacherous went a sound race first up when 7th behind the flying Akatea, so is likely to strip a lot fitter with the Diamond Racing pair of Miki Knows and Always B You likely to prove the hardest to beat. On Sunday his book includes the Mark Jones-trained pair of Ultimate Gladiator (R4) and Tact Tena, the latter in the final race. She has been in excellent form at Addington including a last-start 3rd behind the smart Ocean Of Tears but does have a 2nd row draw to contend with this week. View the full article

The $34,000 Classique Landscapers Silk Road Final for trotting fillies and mares has drawn a terrific field full of form this Friday night. As is often the case at Alexandra Park the Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett team dominate the trotting races numerically and have three very good chances this week. Two of those, Courmayeur and Melsadele have differing form lines and share the co back mark of 25m as they clash for the first time in their respective campaigns. The former galloped and took no part last week whilst Melsadele was a dominant winner of the TAB Metro Final . ‘’Courmayeur was the victim of the false starts and got very wound up so it would be best to forgive her on that and go on her excellent 2nd behind Halberg a fortnight earlier. She has to be driven for her speed so requires a bit more luck than Melsadele who has been super in both of her runs this time in. She was 2nd in both the NSW and NZ Derby’s and can really stay so Todd (driver) has more options so is the top pick of our three”. The third of the training couple’s runners is Shesgold who is three weeks between runs but gets in off the front. “We are happy with her and she races well in a fresh condition. She will be driven by Benjamin Butcher. Of that stable’s opposition, Sans Au Revoir is well placed being off the front and gets another 15m off Melsadele compared to last time when she was 3rd. The Roydon Downey trained 7yo was a winner the week earlier and has struck up a good association with gun junior driver Harrison Orange. Ocean Eyes is the only filly in the race but has won two of her last three and was driven on both occasions by her driver tonight Zachary Butcher whilst you can never count out the former oaks winner Con Grazia Love who had little luck last time but had been very good in her previous two attempts. Earlier in the night American Me gets a chance to repay the punters in the IRT.Your Horse Our Passion Handicap Pace. The Brett and Tim White trained 8yo was a dominant winner first up in his northern campaign but was a victim of circumstances when beaten and short odds over the shorter 2200m last time. He’s back to the 2700m this week, generally steps very quickly and is only 10m behind his biggest threat Mantra Blue. View the full article

Emerging Kiwi pacer Betterthancash is in the $300,000 Rising Sun field. As expected, a tentative flight to Brisbane for Chariots Of Fire winner Bay Of Biscay and his stablemate War Dan Buddy will not go ahead tomorrow. Trainer Emma Stewart scratched the pair and her Inter Dominion trotting hopeful Harold Smith last night from Saturday’s Albion Park meeting. Co-trainer Stacey White was thrilled to learn Betterthancash was in the field. “You feel for the connections of those horses and the club to lose a star like Bay Of Biscay from the race, but we’re very happy to get a run,” she said. Betterthancash gives NZ two genuine players in the Rising Sun, a race restricted to three and four-year-old pacers. The other is Mark and Nathan Purdon’s three-year-old, Rubira. The Purdons combined to win the inaugural Rising Sun in 2021 with former superstar mare Amazing Dream. Rubira is $5.50 second favourite from barrier three, while Betterthancash firmed from $12 to $8 after being guaranteed a run. He will start from three-out on the back row (gate 10). Betterthancash thrilled new trainers David and Stacey White with a terrific second to fellow Kiwi Pinseeker at Menangle last Saturday week. It adds to a big opening Inter Dominion night for the Kiwis at Albion Park. Inter Dominion trotting hopefuls Bet N Win, a stablemate of Betterthancash, is $1.50 to win his first heat from barrier one. In the other trotting heat, Oscar Bonavena is $2.50 against likely leader London To A Brick ($2.10). Even NZ’s lone pacing series hopeful, the Jonny Cox-trained Pinseeker, gets a chance for crucial early points from gate three in race four. Earlier, brilliant Kiwi filly Captains Mistress is $2 favourite from the pole in the Rising Sun Consolation (race one). Her task has been made a lot easier with Betterthancash and Jacks Ultimate Fury both getting starts in the Rising Sun itself. View the full article

Gabriel Duignan's Echo Sound (Echo Town) might not be perfect but she's pretty darn close. The winner in her latest start in the GIII Miss Preakness Stakes will try to make it back-to-back graded wins for trainer Rusty Arnold in Saratoga's opening day feature, the GIII Victory Ride Stakes. According to Arnold, a win in the 6 1/2-furlong test for sophomore fillies would be special for more reasons than simply its placement on the calendar. “We've targeted this race because of the distance, and it's also a special race to me since I trained Victory Ride,” Arnold said. “It would be nice to win. You don't get many chances where you get to run in a race named after something you had. It's a great opportunity and I can't wait to give it a try.” A winner in her career debut at Ellis Park last summer, the bay won her next two–an optional claimer at Churchill Downs in September followed by a score in Keeneland's Myrtlewood Stakes in October. Situated a little farther off the pace than usual in Churchill's 6 1/2-furlong Fern Creek Nov. 30, the half-sister to GSW Pick of the Litter (Kitten's Joy) came up 2 1/2-lengths short of Impulse Buy (Speightstown), while finishing a neck ahead of favored Shisospicy (Mitole), who won three of four subsequent starts including the GIII Mamzelle at Churchill. “She's doing very well. She doesn't have a bad race, and what I like about her is she has won at Ellis Park, Keeneland, Churchill and Pimlico,” Arnold explained. “In five starts, she's won at four different racetracks, so she doesn't need to be on her favorite track.” He added, “We thought she was nice, but you never know until they run. She did everything right, she's a big strong filly, and she hasn't done anything wrong since Day 1. All her races have been good. We're taking a step up in competition and we'll see what we have.” Asked about tactics for her first start in New York, Arnold said, “I think I'll leave it to Luis [Saez]. She'll lay right off horses, and I don't think she's ever going to be way back, but she'll lay off of them and if there isn't a ton of speed, she has no problem being there. It's a very good thing for her.” The post Near Perfect Echo Sound Looks to Add Another Notch to Her Belt in the Victory Ride appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New Zealand Champion jockey Opie Bosson’s hunger for riding has returned, and he has announced he will make a comeback to the saddle in the new season. The revered hoop announced his retirement last December, admitting he was a spent force, but his passion for the sport has been reignited following a six-month break and he is excited to return to the competitive amphitheatre of the track next month. “It has been at the back of my mind for a little while now,” Bosson said. “I have still been riding track work, and there are a lot of nice horses coming through. “I didn’t really lose a lot of fitness, and I have got the hunger back again that I lost. I decided about eight weeks ago that I wanted to come back, so I have been training hard.” Weight was an ongoing battle for Bosson throughout his riding career, and he cited continual wasting as one of the driving factors behind his retirement decision last year, but he said he is finding it relatively easy returning to riding weight this time around. “I really needed the break to get my head right and the body right, and everything seems to be going well,” he said. “I have been working on bringing my weight down naturally without having to get in saunas and stuff like that. I haven’t missed a meal, and the weight is coming down perfectly.” Bosson enjoyed his stint away from racing, spending more time on hobbies and socialising outside of racing circles, but he is excited to return to the races and reunite with some familiar faces. “I have done a lot of fishing and met a lot of people outside of racing as well, I really enjoyed the summer,” he said. “But I have got the hunger back that I lost and I’ll start riding at the start of the new season.” Bosson was aligned with leading New Zealand stable Te Akau Racing prior to his retirement, and he will renew that association in the new season, citing Te Akau principal David Ellis as a major player in his return. “I have pretty much been living out at Te Akau Stud, training and working on the farm there. They have been so good to me,” Bosson said. The fresh start will also come with a change in riding agent, with Bosson parting ways with longtime associate Aidan Rodley. “Michael Coleman is going to do my rides for the new season,” he said. Bosson tasted plenty of success on both sides of the Tasman, most notably aboard Te Akau’s Group One darling Imperatriz, and while Te Akau’s Cranbourne base is now firing on all cylinders, he said he would like to concentrate on his homeland before setting his sights further afield. “I haven’t really thought about it (Melbourne) at this stage,” he said. “I just want to get back going in New Zealand first.” A major milestone is looming for the 44-year-old, who currently sits on 2146 career wins, with Bosson just one win shy of 100 Group One victories, and he is looking forward to chasing down the elusive target. View the full article

Awapuni trainer Mark Oulaghan’s star hurdler Berry The Cash (NZ) (Jakkalberry) will commence his bid to defend his Hospitality NZ Canterbury Grand National Hurdles (4200m) crown when he competes on the flat at Otaki on Saturday. The eight-year-old gelding will have his first race since his two-run Australian campaign in autumn, which netted a pair of fourth placings in the Brierly Steeplechase (3450m) and Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m). “They were reasonable runs (in Australia), but it was a learning curve, and I think if we went back again we would do things a little bit differently, but I was happy enough with the way the horse went,” Oulaghan said. The son of Jakkalberry returned to New Zealand for a freshen-up, with the aim of heading to Riccarton in August to try and win his third successive Grand National Hurdle title. Oulaghan is happy with the condition of Berry The Cash and is looking forward to lining him up in the Vets On Riverbank Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. “He seems pretty well, it is just a mile race, which will be a bit short, but it will be a good gallop for him and somewhere to kick him off,” he said. “We might back him up at Woodville the following Sunday (over hurdles) and if he gets through that alright, he will go straight to Riccarton.” Berry The Cash’s Champion Jumper stablemate West Coast will also follow a similar path to try and secure a record fourth consecutive Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) title. He will also just have the one prior jumping assignment before Riccarton, having had a slow and progressive build-up on the flat, including a ninth placed effort over 2200m at Trentham last Saturday. “He was plodding on at the finish (last Saturday),” Oulaghan said. “It wasn’t a startling run, but he probably went as good as he can go. He will probably go to the steeplechase at Woodville before Riccarton, that’s the plan.” Berry The Cash will be joined in his weekend contest by stablemate Semper Magico, with the 10-win gelding looking to recapture some form on the flat. “I thought we would give him another mile, and he can go 2000m next start,” Oulaghan said. Homebred gelding Pinkerton will also head to Otaki to line-up in the Cavallo Farms and Chris Rutten Bloodstock Handicap (2200m), with Oulaghan hoping the seven-year-old can improve on his last start placing. “His run there last week was good,” he said. “He doesn’t like the track too puggy, so it all depends on what it is like. I think if it is a loose track he will be a real show, especially with a light weight.” Further north on Saturday, Super Spirit and Kentucky Boy will trek up Sate Highway One to contest the Waikato Hunt Cup (3900m) at Te Rapa. “Super Spirit has been a bit disappointing,” Oulaghan said. “We will probably put a hood on him on Saturday and just try to ride him along a bit more. I think the ability is there, but he is not putting a big effort into it. Hopefully we can turn that around. “Kentucky Boy should go a good race, it is his grade. We expect him to do something.” Prior to the weekend, Oulaghan will have a two-pronged attack at his local synthetic meeting on Friday, headlined by in-form gelding Jack Morrison in the McVerry Crawford 2140. The five-year-old son of Darci Brahma has thrived on the surface, winning his last three races at the track, and Oulaghan is hoping he can extend his picket fence form line on Friday. “He seems to really like the synthetic,” Oulaghan said. “He has got a bit of weight (62.5kg), but the field looks pretty much the same field that he raced against a couple of weeks ago, so hopefully he can do the same thing.” Oulaghan will also line-up Main Street in the J & J Walters Limited 2140 in a bid to reinvigorate the gelding. “He raced in the hurdle race at Wellington and was disappointing, he didn’t jump as well as he can,” he said. “We just thought we would try something different, so he can have a run on the synthetic.” View the full article

A fresh Waihaha Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls) will be looking to bounce back to form when he heads north to Te Rapa on Saturday to contest the Group One Turf Bar Sprint (1200m) first-up. Initially trained in Sydney by John O’Shea, the Sacred Falls gelding won five and placed in five of his 22 starts across the Tasman, including placing in the Gr.3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) and two editions of the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m). He returned to New Zealand last year to the care of Guy Lowry, who bred the now seven-year-old in partnership with Waikato Stud, and he resumed with a placing over 1000m at Trentham last October before finishing last over 1200m at Otaki a month later. He has since enjoyed some time in the paddock and has made one public appearance ahead of his resuming run this weekend when unplaced in his 1000m trial at Foxton last month. Leah Zydenbos, who trains the gelding in partnership with Lowry, has been pleased with his progression this preparation and is looking forward to getting a gauge in him ahead of mapping out his future targets. “He is an older horse now, so he has taken a while to get going, but it looks like it will be a nice, heavy track at Te Rapa. He loves the heavy going so we are excited to get a line on him,” she said. “We thought his trial was good. As he has gotten older, he has started doing less without blinkers on, but we were happy enough with him. “We are taking everything race-by-race at the moment. The only disappointment of his career was his last start before we sent him out for a spell. There are no big plans as yet, we just want to see how he is going.” Closer to their Hastings base, Lowry and Zydenbos will also be represented at Otaki on Saturday by Eyegeegee in the Aquashield Roofing Handicap (1200m). The Little Avondale Stud-bred and raced gelding pleased with his first-up fourth placing over 1200m at the Kapiti Coast track last month, and his trainers are looking for an improved showing this weekend. “He had a great first-up performance for fourth. He stays at 1200m on a heavy track and has a three-kilo claimer, so he should be competitive,” Zydenbos said. Meanwhile, the stable will have a strong hand at Awapuni’s synthetic meeting on Friday, heading to the Palmerston North venue with seven runners. Their charge will be led by consistent six-year-old Gohugo, who takes a string of placings into the Milton Park Stables 1200. “Gohugo is a consistent old lad,” Zydenbos said. “He didn’t pull up too well after his last start, we freshened him for a week, and he certainly did well in that paddock. We never know what he is going to give us, but we know he always tries hard.” Three-year-old gelding No Trumps pleased with his last start runner-up performance and will make his third raceday appearance in the Pukemarama Siviculture 1700. “He was an impressive second there last time. He steps up in distance and another bold performance is expected,” Zydenbos said. He will be joined in his race by stablemate Uncle Ken, who will be making his debut for owner-breeder Waikato Stud. “He is a nice horse who will get better over ground,” Zydenbos said. “We are just looking forward to seeing him under a little pressure at the races.” Five-year-old mare Pepperoni will also make her debut in the Bryce Newman Racing 1200, and Zydenbos is hoping her owners can be rewarded for their patience. “The owners have done right by the horse and given her plenty of time,” she said. “We were happy enough with her trial and her jumpouts in this prep so hopefully her owners are rewarded for their patience.” She will be met in the race by stablemate and last start placegetter Sunshine Ale. “She can be a slightly difficult mare, but Amber Riddell rode her nicely last time and she gets on aboard again,” Zydenbos said. The stable’s Awapuni representation will be rounded out by debut placegetter Kayzino in the J& J Walters Limited 2140 and enigmatic four-year-old It’s Amelia in the Royal Racing With Adam Scott 1400. “Kayzino is a stayer on the rise,” Zydenbos said. “We are really happy with her debut and a step up in distance on the synthetic track should suit. “It’s Amelia has had a lot of turns now. She has started favourite in most of her runs and has disappointed. She has certainly got a lot of ability but just can’t seem to put it together on raceday.” View the full article

Well-performed sprinter Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy) has progressed well since his resuming effort and with the addition of headgear at Te Rapa, he’s expected to be more of a force to be reckoned with. The son of Burgundy will step out in the Group One Turf Bar Sprint (1200m) on Saturday with promising apprentice Jack Taplin to retain the ride. Mercurial only beat one runner home when he returned to action on the course three weeks ago following a five-month break, but trainer Stephen Marsh was satisfied with the six-year-old’s effort. “I didn’t mind him first-up and he didn’t have the blinkers on. He needed the run and he’s taken natural improvement, I just hope we don’t get too much rain,” he said. “He’s an easy horse to ride, he’s ideal for an apprentice so Jack will ride him again.” Mercurial has met and matched the best short-course performers in his career with victory in the 2024 Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) off the back of a third in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m). He hasn’t won since his success at Trentham and Marsh is likely to take a more conservative approach in the coming months. “We’ve got a pretty good bunch of sprinters in New Zealand, and we’ll target the next level down of races with him,” he said. “Hence the reason we’ll give him two or three runs this time in before a freshen-up and then go through the later spring or summer without targeting the major sprints, there’s still good money to be made.” Mercurial has already proved to be a grand money-spinner for his breeder-owners with more than $590,000 banked from six wins and 18 minor placings. Stablemate Sinhaman (NZ) (Tivaci) will bid to turn his fortunes around when presented third-up for the UBP Te Awamutu Cup (1600m). The Tivaci four-year-old was an encouraging third when resuming two runs back and then finished midfield on the synthetic track at Cambridge. “He’s a capable horse and didn’t get a lot go right for him the other day,” Marsh said. “He carried a big weight (60.5kg) and got caught a bit wide and had to be exposed a bit early. “He’s back down in the handicap and if he handles the track, I’m sure he’ll race very well.” Meanwhile, Billy Lincoln (NZ) (Belardo) will tackle the John F Grylls Memorial Classic (1400m) ahead of a possible trip to the Central Districts for the $100,000 Polytrack Championship (1400m) on August 3. He has consecutive runner-up finishes on his home all-weather track to his credit. “He’s going really well and thought with three weeks between the Cambridge synthetic meetings, we’d give him a run on the grass,” Marsh said. “He might be one who heads down to the final at Awapuni for some bigger money,” Marsh said. View the full article

Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award. As lead re-trainer, Kennedy works alongside EventStars’ founder Gina Schick to rehome approximately 300 retired thoroughbreds into sporthorse homes on a yearly basis, and her recognition was a timely tonic for the organisation. “It’s been an emotional time here recently, so it meant a lot to the team,” Kennedy said. “Rod (Schick) and Gina have done incredible things with this place and what she has created over the past 15 years with EventStars is amazing. “It’s very much a team effort, EventStars and Windsor Park are one big family and just to be a part of it is phenomenal, it’s a very humbling experience and I feel very privileged. “Thank you also to Entain for putting on these awards.” Prior to entering the rehoming space, Kennedy had ridden on raceday as an amateur and over fences, the latter coming during her time working for Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers. “I had friends in the South Island who raced jumpers and I ended up riding a few of them at home one day,” she said. “I thought that was pretty cool and I just went racing from there. “I ended up working for Kevin Myers and had a couple of stints there, and now I’m in Cambridge working for Gina. I had a bit of a background in racing and younger horses, so it made it a little bit easier for me to make that transition, already having had a feel for the green thoroughbreds.” After Sunday’s awards, it was back to business as usual for Kennedy this week, with the current group of thoroughbreds going through a carefully managed routine where they are given every opportunity to succeed in a suitable home. “It’s all dependent on how many horses we’ve got in at the time, but at the moment, we’re ticking along through the winter,” she said. “We’ve got thoroughbreds from around the country, but also coming from the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “For their first couple of rides, we’ll work them here to get a bit of a feel for them, then they’ll go for a hack around the home farm. If we can, we like to get them on the float within the first week and out to a different arena and a different place to go hacking, to get more mileage and experience. “We are able to see where their strengths and weaknesses are, so we can place them into the right home environment. “Gina is the driving force behind the marketing, communications and everything of that nature, which she is extremely good at, and I’m just learning about parts of that now. She’ll cast an eye over every horse and make an assessment on which home she thinks would be suitable, which typically is the same as the rest of the team. “We work very well as a collective.” Kennedy’s passion for the breed is evident outside of work as she is often out competing with two of her own retired thoroughbreds. “I’ve loved the thoroughbreds for a long time and they’re one of a kind,” she said. “They’ve got a really cool attitude, they want to do the best that they can. “They’re very trainable and willing, and they suit a range of different people. You find the top-level horses, but there are a lot of horses that just suit the average battler like myself. “I have two of my own, both from Kevin Myers’ barn. I’ve had one of them for eight or nine years, he’s travelled around New Zealand with me and done a bit of everything. “The other was a steeplechaser and I got him four or five years ago, he was Angela’s (Illston) horse and was in my barn at the time, and I just adored him. He’s a Rip Van Winkle, so naturally he’s a nice jumper and the dream is to go two-star eventing with him in the next 12-24 months.” View the full article

Nick Vaccarezza, 25, won his first race from 12 starts as a licensed trainer June 30 at Presque Isle Downs. Although every conditioner's first victory is a special accomplishment, Vaccarezza's was unique because it occurred in a stakes race. Off at even-money odds, Keeneland-based shipper Golden Afternoon (Goldencents) prompted the pace and drew off by 2 1/2 lengths to capture the $100,000 Tom Ridge Stakes over six furlongs. The win was also sweet because Golden Afternoon is owned by a partnership of friends (Eddie and Pat Greco, Scott Jaffe, and Michael Cloonan) headed by Carlo Vaccarezza, Nick's father. Earlier this year, Carlo stepped away from a 10-year training career while continuing his decades-long involvement as an owner, capping a transition plan for the family's racing stable that was several years in the making and centered on Nick taking over the day-to-day care of 14 Kentucky-based horses. Nick Vaccarezza told TDN in a Tuesday phone interview that his first training win was a goal he had pursued ever since he can remember. “My dad was always involved with horses, and when I was growing up in Florida he would always bring me to Calder,” Vaccarezza said. “My first word was 'Go!' so this horse thing has been instilled in me since before I could even speak. I could read a Racing Form by age six. And when I found out I was too tall to be a jockey, I started betting on myself that I was going to be a trainer. I've wanted to train forever.” The Vaccarezza family's involvement with Thoroughbreds afforded Nick access to some high-profile trainers to help him learn the trade–Dale Romans, Chad Brown, and the late H. Allen Jerkens among them. But while Vaccarezza's statistical slate as a trainer is still relatively blank, away from the racetrack he has already dealt with more adverse, life-altering experiences at age 25 than most people encounter in an entire lifetime. Vaccarezza on his way to his first win | Coady Media On Feb. 14, 2018, Nick, then a senior, and his brother, Mike, a sophomore, survived the deadliest mass shooting at a high school in United States history, walking out of their Parkland, Florida classrooms alive after a gunman with a semi-automatic rifle killed 17 people and injured 18 others. Through a fundraiser at a Boca Raton restaurant owned by their father 11 days after the shooting, Nick and Mike raised $160,000 for the families of the victims, and the Vaccarezza racing stable would later name a racehorse in honor of a friend of Nick's who had been slain at the school. Then, seven years later, right after taking out his training license in early 2025, Nick Vaccarezza was diagnosed with Stage 1 testicular cancer. Vaccarezza underwent surgery May 5, barely missed any time under the shedrow, and said he has been declared cancer-free at all his follow-up checks in the two months since the procedure. “Thankfully, I don't need any chemotherapy or anything yet,” Vaccarezza said. “But it's looking good so far. It's watch and wait. Every two months blood [monitoring], every four months scan.” A trainer's education While Vaccarezza does not shy away from discussing the Parkland shooting or his bout with cancer, he does not frame those events as life-defining experiences. Horses and the track are Vaccarezza's world, and he said the seeds for his schooling to be a trainer were planted more than two decades ago when Pat Greco, one of the current partners in Golden Afternoon, gave the broodmare Hay Jude (Wavering Monarch) to his father. Carlo Vaccarezza bred Hey Jude to Tiger Ride, and he named the foal she produced in 2005 Little Nick, honoring his then-toddler son. The gelding won nine races from 40 starts, including three black-type stakes. Two years later, Hay Jude produced a foal by Spanish Steps. Named Little Mike, after Nick's younger brother, the 14-for-30 gelding, owned by their mother, Priscilla, won four Grade I turf stakes, including the 2013 Breeders' Cup Turf. Little Mike was trained by Romans, and Nick Vaccarezza hung out at the barn of the Eclipse Award-winning trainer as often as he could as an adolescent, soaking up horsemanship and even being allowed to hotwalk horses for Romans while in middle school. Golden Afternoon wins the Tom Ridge Stakes | Coady Media By 2014, Carlo Vaccarezza had started training the horses he owned, and he shared stalls in the same Gulfstream Park barn as Jerkens in what was to be the Hall-of-Fame trainer's last year before his passing. Nick Vaccarezza said Jerkens, then 86, took him under his wing that winter, mostly by talking to the 14-year-old. “If you want to learn something, you can learn something from talking to anybody, whether it's a homeless guy or the president of the United States,” Vaccarezza told TDN, recalling the experience from 11 years ago. “There's always something to learn from someone new.” But Vaccarezza said he really hit it off with one of Jerkens's younger assistants, Fernando Abreu, who let him inside stalls to observe close up how skilled grooms do their jobs, and later allowed Vaccarezza to rub horses himself by age 15. As Vaccarezza built up his barn skills and learned more about the logistics of operating a stable during his mid-teen years, Abreu eventually introduced him to his brother, Reynaldo, then an assistant for Chad Brown, who was in the midst of winning four of five eventual Eclipse Awards for outstanding trainer. After Vaccarezza graduated from high school in 2018, Brown offered him a job under his shedrow. Vaccarezza did well enough as an assistant that Brown even allowed him to handle a small string at Saratoga for part of 2019. “Chad showed me how an operation of that size has to be run, and how it runs,” Vaccarezza said. But Vaccarezza's plan at the time had been to take off just one year of education between high school and college. He stepped away from Brown's stable and enrolled at the University of Kentucky (UK) for the fall 2019 term. After two months at college, Vaccarezza felt that it wasn't working out the way he had hoped. He talked to his parents about quitting school, then called Brown to see if he could have his job back. The trainer welcomed him back to the Florida division, but Brown told Vaccarezza not to give up entirely on pursuing an education. “One thing Chad always told me was that he can teach me everything he knows about a horse,” Vaccarezza said. “But what he cannot teach me is how to become a good businessman. And he's such a great trainer because he's a great businessman.” Everything was going smoothly for Vaccarezza for about five months. Then the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world, and the 20-year-old opted not to travel with Brown's stable when it shipped north to New York. As the early months of the pandemic morphed into summer, Vaccarezza decided to relocate back to Lexington. His father was opening a new restaurant there (one of three in Kentucky that Carlo owns), plus the family's racing outfit was stabled at Keeneland. “The 2020 [GI Kentucky] Derby was in September, so I went up there,” Vaccarezza said. “My dad ran three horses on Derby day, and they all ran really bad. So I said, 'This is my time that I need to work for my dad and turn his barn around; try everything that I learned from Chad, and apply it to my dad's horses.'” The stable started winning races. Reynaldo Abreu even ended up coming over to work for the outfit. Vaccarezza put in his hours during the mornings and on race days, but also decided to take some classes at UK. “I thought it would be an extra card in my pocket if I went and did a pre-veterinary course,” Vaccarezza said. Once he took part of the course load, Vaccarezza decided it would be worth it to actually end up with a diploma, so he completed the work in four years and finished with a degree in equine science and management. Celebrating after the Tom Ridge Stakes at Presque Isle | Coady Media “So fast-forward to 2024,” Vaccarezza said. “Reynaldo left our barn on good terms. We brought in trainer Mike Dilger for a year. And Mike took the job knowing that I was soon to take over completely. My dad wanted to see if I was ready to do it on my own. Last year we had a great year. We won at 25%, and were in the top three like 50 or 60%. We did pretty well for only having 10 to 14 horses at a time. “I was pretty eager to train,” Vaccarezza explained. “And we kept pushing it back to, 'Let's wait until you graduate school. Let's wait this. Let's wait that.' “But I think I was waiting on Golden Afternoon,” Vaccarezza said. “We had aspirations to try and run him in the Derby, and that would have been my first big horse that put me on the map.” Golden Afternoon had broken his maiden for trainer Carlo Vaccarezza at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 8, 2024. The gelding subsequently ran second in the Grade II Bourbon Stakes on the turf at Keeneland, then won an allowance/optional claimer on the grass at Fair Grounds, all at age two. In an effort to mark the family transition with a well-meant contender, Nick Vaccarezza's first starter as a licensed trainer ended up being Golden Afternoon's sophomore debut, in the Jan. 18, 2025 GIII Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds. The gelding was fourth, beaten only 2 1/2 lengths, at 25-1 odds. Vaccarezza was elated to be off and running in his training career. Then he felt something wasn't right with one of his testicles. “It was all of a sudden,” Vaccarezza said. “Around February, after I had taken out my license, we were at Fair Grounds still, and it started to swell up. I thought maybe I had just sat on it when I was riding a pony, but it never really went back down. So when I got back to Keeneland in March, I got it checked out, and they basically immediately said they had to take it out.” 'Every day a blessing' As his doctors performed tests and scheduled the surgery, Vaccarezza continued to run the stable. Golden Afternoon, the barn's big hope, was transitioned back to the turf. But after finishing second in the $100,000 Black Gold Stakes at Fair Grounds, he was badly outrun in both the GIII Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland and in the GI American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on the Derby undercard, finishing eleventh and ninth, respectively. Forty-eight hours later, on the Monday after Derby day, Vaccarezza had his cancerous testicle surgically removed. Nick Vaccarezza | Courtesy of Nick Vaccarezza Now, eight weeks later, Vaccarezza is both reflective and optimistic about his prognosis. “It hasn't stopped me. It hasn't slowed me down at all. I missed a couple of days of work,” Vaccarezza said. “It actually makes me a lot more grateful to do what I do. Because life is so short, and every day that you get is a blessing. And I just really want to thank God for everything He's done in my life.” Shipping Golden Afternoon to Presque Isle for Monday's stakes was an experiment in cutting the gelding back in distance and trying a synthetic surface for the first time. Vaccarezza said he caught a big break in getting five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. to ride. Both Irad and his brother, Jose Ortiz, had just ridden at Churchill over the weekend, and were planning on driving more or less past Presque Isle on their way to Saratoga for this week's races. The Ortiz brothers have both known Vaccarezza since he was a teenager, and they agreed to make a slight detour on their road trip to help out. “Irad only rode the horse because of me, really. He knew I needed to win my first race. And he'd already won on Golden, and he knows that he's a nice horse. It was nice that they came,” Vaccarezza said. “They've been like big brothers to me for the past five or six years. Irad and Jose keep me in line and make sure I'm doing the right thing. They've kind of invested in me, as well, and it's inspiring to see that guys who are that successful, I can reach out to any time and they can give me advice on anything in life,” Vaccarezza said. “We gave Golden a little class relief and a cut back in distance, and he showed how dominant he can be,” Vaccarezza said. “To have my dad there, and to hold the trophy for my first win, in a stakes, with Irad and Jose there, and my brother there, it was really special to have all my guys in my winner's circle for my first win,” Vaccarezza said. Vaccarezza spoke to TDN Tuesday evening just after pulling into the parking lot of one of his father's restaurants in Lexington. He was hosting all of his stable help for a celebratory dinner in honor of the team getting a stakes win the day before. The next morning, the entire outfit would be getting ready to ship west from Keeneland to Ellis Park for the summer meet. “I've only got two hands and I have 14 horses,” Vaccarezza said, deferring credit for the win to his team. “It would be impossible to do it all by myself.” The post After Surviving a School Shooting and Cancer Surgery, a 25-Year-Old Trainer Savors His First Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When Texas Derby winner Instant Replay runs in the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) at Horseshoe Indianapolis July 5 it will be with a new owner: Wathnan Racing.View the full article

A new ownership group is bringing fresh energy to Cambridge Raceway, as the Taylor Street Syndicate begins to make its mark on the track. The Taylor Street Syndicate, established by Cambridge Raceway, was created with the goal of offering everyday people the opportunity to experience the thrill of harness racing ownership. Launched through the popular Taylor Street Club and extended to their friends, the syndicate now boasts around 40 enthusiastic members. Currently, the group owns three horses, and tonight, one of them takes to the track. Amaretto Delight lines up in race 4, the Gregory Equine Mobile Pace (6:44p.m.) The 3-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight is trained locally by Nicky Chilcott and is the first of the syndicate’s horses to make it to the races. The filly made her debut last week at Cambridge Raceway, where she ran a strong second after trailing the leader and darting up the passing lane in the home straight. Syndicate manager Peter McDermott says that moment was a milestone for the group. “We were really pleased. It’s early days, but it’s nice to see her showing a bit of promise. It’s actually taken us quite a while to get our first horse to the races, so our members were pretty excited to see her go around.” While she may not have turned heads early in her education, trainer Nicky Chilcott is encouraged by the filly’s recent development. “She’s probably a typical Bettor’s Delight – she really hadn’t shown me a lot,” Chilcott explains. “But she has improved a huge amount since her last preparation. I was delighted with her first-up run. You wouldn’t get too carried away with it because it was a very sedate pace and 1-2-3 the fence is where they finished. Look, she can only do what she did, and she seems to have come through the run well. She’s probably not going to get the same favours tonight, but we just hope she races honestly and runs home well again.” Peter McDermott is hopeful of a good turnout from syndicate members trackside tonight. “They do turn up, not in great numbers,but I’d say after last week, there will be a few more on course with the hopes that she’ll go one better.” Looking ahead, the Taylor Street Syndicate will be open to new members from January 1st, with anyone interested in harness racing encouraged to get involved. It’s a grassroots initiative helping to grow ownership and build excitement from the ground up — one race at a time. View the full article

As much as the New York Racing Association is offering three graded turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, the leader of that division could be one-and-done in the series. View the full article

Godolphin's Think Big stretches his speed beyond 5 1/2 furlongs for the first time in nine months when he faces a high-quality field of older horses in the $175,000 Kelso Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article