Wandering Eyes

Since the Eclipse Awards were initiated in 1971 the only rule has been that there are no rules. Want to vote for a $12,500 claimer for Horse of the Year? Well, you’d be making a fool out of yourself, but nowhere does it say you can’t do that. For the longest time, there was something almost endearing about a system that was so simple, and, much more often than not, the voters got it right. But this is a far more complicated business than it was 47 years ago and there are some areas and categories that are now crying out for some sort of criteria to help guide the voters. That, and it’s time to add a new category–turf sprint champion. The Eclipse Award for leading owner has became a mess. By most standards, Sol Kumin had the best year among all owners in 2017. According to Liz Crow, Kumin’s bloodstock advisor, Kumin and his various partnerships owned pieces of 26 graded stakes winners and seven Grade I winners. She said both totals were more than double the runner-up in each category. He rarely owns a horse without partners, sometimes multiple partners. Yet, Kumin and the multiple stable names he runs under received 19 votes, 124 fewer than the winner. Juddmonte Farms. How is that possible? It’s because no one knows exactly how partnerships should be handled? What percentage did Kumin own of each horse? What about his partners within his partnerships? And why does he run under so many different stable names? That only further confused voters and likely cost him any chance of winning an Eclipse Award? Kumin had another great year this year, but the same questions that dogged his candidacy last year will likely keep him from winning again. Kumin is in the middle once again of what could be another Eclipse Award controversy. At the time Justify (Scat Daddy) started his career, his owners were WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing LLC. Along the way, Kumin’s Head of Plains Partners LLC and Starlight Racing bought in. In the needlessly secretive world of horse racing, we never were told what percentage the two newcomers owned and who owned what when it came to his racing career versus his stud career. If you want to vote for Justify’s owners for an Eclipse Award, should it be only the original three or the five that were there at the end? And if Voter A voted for the WinStar, China Horse Club and SF Racing LLC trio and Voter B voted for all five owners, should those votes count as one and the same? What if someone voted for just Kumin? Should that vote be included with all the other Justify owners? “The growth of partnerships and hidden ownership interests, including the percentage controlled by each individual owner, has made it challenging to present a complete picture to Eclipse Awards voters,” said NTRA Chief Operating Officer Keith Chamblin. “We continue to examine ways to improve the statistical data provided to voters, but there are no easy solutions.” Agreed. There is nothing anywhere close to an easy solution to this dilemma, but someone has to come up with an answer. It’s too late for 2018, but for the following years, I believe a committee needs to be formed to study all possible Eclipse Award candidates in the ownership category, put out a detailed biography of exactly who they owned, how much of each horse they owned and how many graded and Grade I stakes they won. Only the people or stables chosen by the committee will be eligible for the award. Without that sort of information, it’s impossible for a voter to make an educated choice. On this next point, not everyone will agree, but something needs to be done to make sure that the championships of North American racing are won by North American horses. Voters tend to fall in love with one-race wonders who come in from Europe and win a Breeders’ Cup race on the grass. To me, nothing that a horse accomplishes outside of the U.S. or Canada should count one bit toward their Eclipse Award credentials. The G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is a tremendous, prestigious race, but the last time I checked it is held in Paris, France and not Paris, Kentucky. So why should a horse get credit for winning that race–or any other foreign race–when it comes to deciding the championships of U.S. racing? Let’s make American racing great again. American voters’ love affair with foreign horses is going to be tested this year. There are some people that are so infatuated with Arc-GI Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) that they are prepared to vote for her for not just the filly and mare grass championship, but for Horse of the Year. In some years, years where no American horse among a particular division did anything to distinguish themselves, you can make a valid case for voting for a European Breeders’ Cup winner. But that’s not the case this year. Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) had an outstanding year. Trained by Chad Brown, she won four Grade I races, all of them on U.S. soil. That includes a win in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Who’s the better horse, Sistercharlie or Enable? Most likely, it’s Enable. But that’s not the point. What Sistercharlie accomplished in the U.S. far outweighs what Enable accomplished in the U.S. She should be a slam dunk choice for the Eclipse in her division, yet it would come as no surprise of she were to lose. What’s needed is an adoption of the rule used for Canada’s championships, the Sovereign Awards. Because they don’t want interlopers from the U.S. coming in, winning one big race and stealing a Sovereign Award from a deserving Canadian horse, no horse, age three or older, is eligible for a Canadian championship unless they have run at least three times in Canada. Two-year-olds must have had at least two starts in Canada. The same rules should apply to the Eclipse Awards, though Canadian races should be included. The Eclipse Award committee showed that it is willing to adapt to the times when it distinguished between the male and female turf and dirt championships in 2015. The problem was that turf horses were winning the championships for outstanding older filly and mare or horse. Not only had those awards traditionally been given to dirt horses, but once people started voting for grass horses in those categories there became an imbalance that had to be dealt with. A grass horse was eligible for two championships, the grass championship and the traditional older female or male championship. A dirt horse was restricted to only one Eclipse category. It was an easy fix and reflected a changing time where grass racing has exploded in popularity. With grass racing more important now than ever and with the graded stakes committee having made a grass sprint, the Jaipur S. a Grade I, it’s time to establish a grass sprint Eclipse Award. (I want to thank colleague John Pricci for coming up with this idea. He said he’s fine with me stealing it from him). The committee also upgraded five races to Grade IIs and three of them were turf sprints, the GII Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, the GII Eddie D. and the GII Twin Sprites Turf Sprint. Turf sprints are no longer an afterthought in American racing and deserve their own championship. When Kumin wins 85% of all the turf sprint stakes run in this country under 43 different stable names, we’ll deal with that problem at an appropriate time. View the full article

Vibrance aims to throw a splash of gravy on what has already been a career season for trainer Mike McCarthy when she faces five challengers in the $300,000 Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course Dec. 8. View the full article

Vibrance aims to throw a splash of gravy on what has already been a career season for trainer Mike McCarthy when she faces just five other challengers in the $300,000 Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course Dec. 8. View the full article

The Series, a new addition to the flat racing calendar that will see branded teams compete in 48 races across eight racecourses in England, Ireland and Scotland, was launched by Championship Horse Racing on Thursday. Scheduled to be held on eight consecutive Thursday evening from July 25-Sept. 12, The Series will take place at Ayr, Epsom Downs, Goodwood, Haydock Park, Leopardstown, Newbury, Newmarket July Course and Sandown Park. Races will be worth over £100,000 each, and will be in addition to the British Racing Fixture List, requiring approval of the British Horseracing Association. Each team will have a racing manager, four jockeys and a squad of 30 horses. Jeremy Wray, Chief Executive of CHR, said, “Agreeing the likely racecourse schedule is a key milestone for CHR. Over the next few months we’ll be announcing the teams and the media partners who will broadcast The Series across the world. They are great locations and have superb facilities for summer evening racing that promises fans something they’ve never experienced before. Fans will be encouraged to engage with the teams and our aim is to help tell the stories about the10s of thousands of people involved in the sport.” View the full article

New York owners and breeders Barry and Sheryl Schwartz have joined WHOA and expressed their support for the Horseracing Integrity Act. “Sheryl and I would like very much to join WHOA,” Schwartz said. “We have been in racing for more than 40 years now and never in that time has the need been greater for a regulatory bill to be put into effect.The general public is as skeptical as ever about drugs being used in racing and in many cases they are correct. When I was Chairman of New York Racing Association, I tried very hard to take back the penalty phase of dealing with violators. I was continually rebuffed by the state legislators. I believe if violations and penalties come under federal jurisdiction, we will take a major step in driving that element out of our industry. This is too great a game to be tarnished by a few bad apples.” View the full article

Shades Of Night (General Quarters–Whitepark Bay, by Giant’s Causeway) has joined Stonewall’s Prestige Stallions for the 2019 season for $1,000 live foal guaranteed. The 4-year-old won one of his seven starts for earnings of $41,910. View the full article

Fans can have breakfast with Santa, get a free 2019 Maryland Jockey Club calendar and have a chance to choose from gifts valued at more than $10,000 Dec. 8 at Laurel Park. From 9:30 a.m. to noon, a breakfast buffet will be served in the sports bar and Santa will be there to take pictures. Lucky fans in attendance will be selected throughout the day to choose a wrapped package from under Laurel’s Giving Tree, which will have gifts including flat screen TVs, iPads, game systems and more. All fans at Laurel will receive a 2019 calendar, courtesy of the MJC. View the full article

Jockeys Joe Bravo, Kerwin Clark, Joe Davila, Jr., Julien Leparoux and Scott Stevens are the finalists for Santa Anita’s George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. The winner will be announced in late February. The Woolf award can only be won once and recognizes riders whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual and Thoroughbred racing. The ballot for voting will be distributed to jockeys across the country. View the full article

Grade 1 winner Glorious Empire is expected to make his first start since a last-place finish in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) in the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) Dec. 15 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Grade I-winning millionaire Long On Value (Value Plus–Long Message, by Orientate) will stand in Florida at Pleasant Acres Stallions for $2,500 for the 2019 breeding season. “Helen and I are excited to have the millionaire, Long On Value, join our roster here at Pleasant Acres Stallions, said Pleasant Acres’ owner Joe Barbazon. “He brings stamina and resilience on dirt or turf–going short or long. Breeders should find a lot to like about Long on Value.” Winner of the 2014 GII Twilight Derby and 2015 GIII Canadian Turf S. during his tenure for Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Long On Value finished second in the 2017 G1 Al Quoz Sprint and third in that year’s GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile. Purchased by trainer Brad Cox for $100,000 at that term’s Keeneland November Sale, the 7-year-old made just two starts for his new conditioner, winning the Might Beau Overnight S. at Churchill June 2 and closing out his career on a high note in the GI Highlander S. at Woodbine June 30. The bay retires with a record or 32-9-5-5 and earnings of $1,136,253. View the full article

Wallace, known as "The Voice of Oaklawn" for decades, began calling races at the Hot Springs track in 1975 and called a record 20,191 consecutive races before ending his streak Jan. 28, 2011. View the full article

The inaugural “Tampa Bay Owners Club” contest gives fans a chance to be part of a fantasy syndicate ownership group. Anyone 18-and-older attending Saturday’s card is eligible to participate, with paid admission. Upon entering the track at either the main Grandstand or Clubhouse entrance, fans will receive a contest entry blank. To participate, they must fill it out completely, then deposit it in a box corresponding to their selection for the seventh race. Anyone who correctly picks the winner becomes part of the “Tampa Bay Owners Club” fantasy syndicate. In the event of a dead-heat for first place, two sets of winners will be declared. Winners will receive many of the perks associated with Thoroughbred ownership each time the winning horse returns to action during the current meeting, including free admission, a Tampa Bay Downs racing program, a mutuel voucher, concession-stand discounts and a pin identifying them as a “Tampa Bay Owners Club” member. Members of the “Tampa Bay Owners Club” also will be admitted to the paddock before their horse’s races and to the winner’s circle whenever their horse wins again. Contest winners will be contacted via e-mail whenever their horse is entered at Tampa Bay Downs. “We’re hopeful a lot of fans will enter the contest and return to the track each time their new horse competes,” Margo Flynn, Tampa’s VP of Marketing and Publicity, said. “Along the way, we think being part of the ‘Tampa Bay Owners Club’ will give people a chance to learn about the myriad challenges and incredible rewards that come with owning a racehorse.” View the full article

Unveiled to much fanfare July 28 at Del Mar, Summer Wind Equine’s half-sister to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) Chasing Yesterday (Tapit) did not disappoint, cruising to an easy 4 1/4-length graduation and ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors. A pair of stakes wins later, she takes a major step on the GI Kentucky Oaks trail with her first try around two turns in Saturday’s GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos. Disappointing when seventh as the favorite in the GI Spinaway S. Sept. 1 at Saratoga, the Bob Baffert-trained chestnut bounced back with a game tally in the Anoakia S. Oct. 14 at Santa Anita. She followed up with a hard-fought victory in the Desi Arnaz S. Nov. 12 in San Diego, but her final furlong time of :14.40 leaves some questions about how far the homebred wants to go. Baffert, as he does in the Los Alamitos Futurity, will have a second stakes-winning ‘Rising Star’ as backup, in Mother Mother (Pioneerof the Nile). Romping by 6 1/2 lengths on debut July 22 at Del Mar, the dark bay was second in the GI Del Mar Debutante next out before pickup up her first black-type success with a 1 3/4-length conquest of the Rags to Riches S. Oct. 28 at Churchill. Vibrance (Violence) looks to build on an encouraging longshot performance in the GI Tito’s Handmade Vodka Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. A second-out graduate Aug. 29 at Del Mar, the $155,000 Keeneland September buy was a no-match runner-up to Bellafina (Quality Road) in the GI Chandelier S. Sept. 29 at Santa Anita, but beat that rival and six others home when filling out the trifecta at 35-1 under the Twin Spires. With the inside draw and tactical speed, the bay figures to work out an advantageous trip under Flavien Prat. Calumet Farm’s Oxy Lady (Oxbow) will try to prove her last race was no fluke as she ships in from trainer Jack Sisterson’s Keeneland base. Breaking her maiden at Belterra with just a 54 Beyer, the homebred stepped forward to be third at 20-1 in a Lexington allowance Oct. 10 and took another huge leap to upset the GIII Tempted S. by five lengths at 36-1 Nov. 2 at Aqueduct. The 94 figure she earned for that effort is easily tops in this group, but the second, third and fourth finishers have all regressed off their respective numbers in subsequent efforts. View the full article

Terry Wallace, Oaklawn’s announcer for 37 years, passed away at age 74 following a lengthy illness. Known as “The Voice of Oaklawn” for decades, he began calling races at the Hot Springs track in 1975 and called a record 20,191 consecutive races before ending his streak Jan. 28, 2011. Wallace stepped down as announcer following the 2011 season, but remained a popular ambassador for the track until his retirement in 2017. “Terry was one of the legends of Oaklawn,” Senior Vice President Eric Jackson said. “For generations of Arkansas racing fans, he was the voice of Oaklawn and for a time he was the most recognized voice in the state. It’s a very sad day for the Oaklawn family as we have lost an important part of our history.” Originally from Cincinnati, Wallace got his start announcing at River Downs in his hometown as well as Great Barrington, Louisiana Downs, Ak-Sar-Ben and Horsemen’s Park. He was inducted into the Nebraska Racing Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. Wallace was also active in the fight against cancer, serving on the boards of several local charities, including the Garland County chapter of the American Cancer Society Leadership Council and his efforts have helped raised nearly $3 million to fight the disease. He was also worked diligently with the United Way. Wallace is survived by his wife, Alice, two sons, one daughter and four grandchildren. View the full article

Longtime California trainer Kenny Nettles died Dec. 3 after a battle with cancer, according to his friend Scott Craigmyle, who works in the Los Alamitos Race Course racing office. Nettles was 80. View the full article

Bob Baffert certainly didn’t have much trouble winning the GI Hollywood/Cash Call Futurity at Hollywood Park, taking the trophy home six times. Since that event has moved to Los Alamitos, however, Baffert has been perfect, capturing the new Los Alamitos Futurity four times in four runnings. Saturday, he appears likely to push that record to five-for-five with an imposing duo in the six-horse affair. The most probable winner is, ironically, Improbable (City Zip). Getting up to score by a neck when debuting at 2-5 Sept. 29 at Santa Anita, the $200,000 Keeneland September graduate earned a ‘TDN Rising Star’ nod when romping by 7 1/4 impressive lengths in the Street Sense S. Nov. 2 at Churchill. The chestnut hasn’t missed a beat since then, showing four workouts, including a best-of-67 five furlongs in :59 4/5 Dec. 3 in Arcadia. Should Improbable not be up to the challenge, Baffert also starts another stakes-winning ‘Rising Star’ in Michael Lund Petersen’s Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man). Hammering for a whopping $625,000–62 1/2 times his sire’s stud fee–at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic after a :21 1/5 quarter-mile breeze, the chestnut debuted with a four-length success at even-money over this track Sept. 20, and stayed unblemished with a front-running score in the GIII Bob Hope S. Nov. 17 at Del Mar. The second and fourth finishers behind Mucho Gusto that day re-oppose in Rockingham Ranch’s Savagery (Bellamy Road) and Jay Em Ess Stable’s Extra Hope (Shanghai Bobby), respectively. Michael Stinson’s Dueling (Violence) stands an outside shot, dropping out of a sixth-place run in the GI Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. View the full article

Thoroughbred Charities of America’S 29th annual Stallion Season Auction and Celebration will be held Wednesday, Jan. 2 through Sunday, Jan. 6. “Our annual auction is our most important event on the calendar as it raises the majority of the funds that we distribute to approved charities each year,” said Erin Crady, executive director of TCA. “There are a variety of ways to support the auction including the donation of stallion seasons, the donation of non-season items for the silent auction, sponsorships, program advertising, and ticket purchases. Our grants are only possible because of the generosity of our donors.” The fundraiser opens with an online auction beginning at 9 a.m. Jan. 2 and continues through 3 p.m. Jan. 4. Bidding by telephone will be available Jan. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Interested bidders may register on starquine.com or tca.org. The majority of seasons will sell during the online auction however approximately eight seasons will be sold in the live Select Season Auction & Celebration Jan. 6 at the Keeneland Entertainment Center in Lexington. Non-season items including experiences, services, and memorabilia will also be offered and will be available for online bidding. View the full article

It’s Justify. He won the Triple Crown. He’s undefeated. What he did in a short period of time. All of the above. Take nothing away from Accelerate. I think he’s a really, really good horse. But I don’t know if any horse could have done enough to beat Justify, at least in my mind. To say any horse that wins the Triple Crown should automatically be Horse of the Year is a little over simplistic. There could be extenuating circumstances. Let’s say he gets beat a couple of times and he wins one of the Triple Crown races only because another horse bolted. Strange things like that could happen. Buy, yes, unless there are extraordinary circumstances, I believe that any horse that wins the Triple Crown should be Horse of the Year. It’s a pretty hard thing to do. We could go another 30 year and not have another Triple Crown winner. Bailey is an Eclipse Award voter. View the full article

It’s been 16 years since trainer Ken McPeek had one of those whirlwind seasons where he seems to fire one bullet after another. With the 2-year-old Signalman (General Quarters), the impressive winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 24, McPeek is heading into the winter with the goods to make a run to the GI Kentucky Derby. Signalman, who McPeek picked out as a yearling, has been the highlight of a banner year in which he has scored graded stakes wins with horses like Restless Rider (Distorted Humor), Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve), Princess Warrior (Midshipman), Cairo Cat (Cairo Prince) and Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy). Signalman is his brightest star now, and his effort in vanquishing 13 rivals in the Kentucky Jockey Club has the veteran conditioner dreaming big. Signalman is owned by a partnership that includes McPeek’s wife Sherri and their Magdalena Racing stable, as well as Tommie Lewis and David Bernsen. “Overcoming a 14-horse field is pretty amazing,” McPeek said. “He’s gutsy.” Back in 2002, McPeek had a similar embarrassment of riches with studs like Harlan’s Holiday, who was favored in the Kentucky Derby, but finished seventh. He won the GII Louisiana Derby with Repent, who had already won the Kentucky Jockey Club but kept running second behind highly accomplished rivals such as War Emblem and Medaglia d’Oro. When War Emblem looked like he was going to take down the Triple Crown for fun, McPeek pulled into Elmont, New York with Sarava and spoiled the party to the tune of a 70-1 upset in the GI Belmont S. Meanwhile, 2002 also saw McPeek’s Take Charge Lady annex six stakes races, including the GI Ashland S. and the GI Spinster S. Since then, McPeek has had plenty of success but has not gone on this kind of a roll. During a brief hiatus from training in 2005 to take care of his terminally ill mother, he famously picked out a yearling for $57,000 that turned out to be the Hall of Famer Curlin (Smart Strike). McPeek compares the looks of Signalman to that one in the sales ring favorably. “Curlin had the body of a Greek God, but had a vet issue,” McPeek said. “This horse had the body of a Greek God [but without any vet issues].” In Signalman’s case, the hammer price was even further discounted. At last year’s Fasig-Tipton October sale, McPeek scooped the son of Turkey-based sire General Quarters (Sky Mesa) up for $32,000. In many ways, the modest price mirrors the story of General Quarters himself, who was bought as a yearling for $20,000 and claimed in his debut for $20,000 by the late trainer Thomas McCarthy. Those prices didn’t prevent General Quarters from running off with the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. and GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. To find gems like Signalman at the sales, McPeek fields a team that includes Dominic Brennan and farm manager Alan Shell, who employ a unique strategy that analyzes the speed genes of the young horses. “Going to a horse sale is the ultimate challenge,” he said. “You have to get through your horses and your clients’ budget. I won’t buy one unless I think it has graded stakes ability.” McPeek liked the pedigree of Signalman and General Quarters. He noted the influence of Pulpit, the grandsire of General Quarters. Signalman also has the Hall of Fame turf runner Manila in his dam’s family. But McPeek isn’t focused as much on pedigree when he makes his purchases. “I put a lot more emphasis on the conformation than the pedigree,” McPeek said. “He can make his own pedigree.” Not to say he is dismissive of pedigrees. He’s been studying them since he was growing up in Lexington with his father, a horse owner and homebuilder. McPeek bought his first racehorses in college when he saw a dispersal book laying around in a Kentucky bank, liked the pedigrees and flew out to Washington to buy some Thoroughbreds he ended up flipping for a profit. He purchased Signalman in his own name and sold 40% to Lewis, a client of his whose promising graded stakes winner Ten City (Run Away and Hide) (another McPeek bargain find at $12,000) had fatally broken down in the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity earlier that month. Lewis named Signalman after her husband Travis, who was a signalman on destroyers and aircraft carriers in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Adding to the name’s significance, General Quarters is the Naval code for “all hands on deck.” Lewis said she is “overwhelmed” at the colt’s early success, which included a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Futurity and a strong third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile prior to his breakout score in the Kentucky Jockey Club. “I’ve been in the business 35 years and I’ve never had a horse of this caliber,” said Lewis, an Oklahoma native whose father owned Quarter Horses. Lewis met her husband working for General Electric before they decided to pursue a living buying drive-in movie theaters in the 1970s. Meanwhile, Signalman’s minority owner David Bernsen, known for partnering with Rockingham Ranch and co-owning champion sprinter Roy H (More Than Ready) and two-time GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic), has known McPeek for years–but this is their first racehorse together. Several years ago, while Bernsen was doing consulting work, he invited McPeek out to Australia to see the racing farms and business there. After that visit, McPeek ended up building Magdalena Farm, where he trains and turns out horses in a way similar to the Australian approach. McPeek thinks a lot of the success he is having lately is because he is picking out his own horses again at the sales after a period of letting others do the selecting. Some of his best horses were those that he selected at the sales, like Take Charge Lady, Repent and Tejano Run. Of his best runners, McPeek compares Signalman to Tejano Run, whom he bought for $20,000 at the 1993 Keeneland Yearling Sale and went on to run second in the 1995 Kentucky Derby. While the plan for now is to give Signalman a rest before gearing up for a return in Gulfstream Park’s GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 2, McPeek said the heavy lifting is over with Signalman. The foundation has been laid. “I think the hard part’s already done,” McPeek said. “Now it’s just a matter of timing.” View the full article

Following on the heels of a record Tattersalls December Foal Sale, the four-day run of the December Mare Sale concluded at Park Paddocks in Newmarket on Thursday with an overall December Sale aggregate of 99,837,357gns, just 5% below last year’s record haul of 105,255,000gns. A total of 1,527 lots split between foals, yearlings, and fillies and mares, changed hands with a clearance rate of 76% , two ticks below 2017’s 78%. The median settled at 22,000gns (-12%) and the average was only 4% lower than in 2017 at 65,381gns. At the conclusion of the 2018 Tattersalls December Sale on Thursday, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony commented, “Annual turnover a fraction below last year’s wide margin record of 331 million guineas, as well as record Tattersalls October Yearling and December Foal Sales are genuinely positive statistics to reflect upon, not only for Tattersalls, but also for the wider industry. Equally positive has been the sustained global demand we have experienced throughout a December Mares Sale which has provided a highly successful conclusion to the 2018 Tattersalls sales season and enhanced its reputation as probably the world’s most international breeding stock sale. “There have been numerous highlights in 2018, most notably market leaders in every category, including Europe’s highest priced Breeze Up 2-year-old, the world’s highest priced yearling, Europe’s highest priced broodmare and horse in training and the 16 highest priced foals in Britain and Ireland, but the feature that has dominated the Tattersalls sales season has been the unrelenting demand for the best Thoroughbreds to be found in Europe, if not the world. The upper sector of the market has been truly vibrant in all categories and the abiding memory from this week has been the extraordinary competition for the outstanding fillies and broodmares which lit up the sale on Tuesday evening.” “We were conscious that the catalogue perhaps lacked the depth of the record breaking 2017 renewal which featured the Ballymacoll Dispersal and the likes of Marsha and Zhukova, but Tuesday’s sale all but matched last year’s spectacular levels, with buyers from every continent in the world all making a significant contribution to a truly memorable session,” Mahony added. “In addition to the seven fillies and mares selling for 1 million guineas or more, we had 22 break the 500,000-guineas mark, second only to last year’s record number, and an unprecedented 79 and 147 lots selling for 200,000 guineas and 100,000 guineas or more. “The huge number of overseas buyers has been particularly encouraging for all concerned with the top 20 lots selling to buyers from Britain, Ireland, China, Dubai, France, Japan, Kuwait and the USA, while a strong Australian and New Zealand contingent also made its presence felt. Equally gratifying has been the participation of buyers at all levels of the market from throughout the Gulf region as well as Germany, India, Morocco, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and Uzbekistan, all of whom have clearly demonstrated the unwavering demand for quality European bloodstock and contributed to the best December Sale clearance rate this century.” He concluded, “Tribute, as ever, must also be paid to the vendors who have brought some outstanding fillies and mares to the sale. It is their support which makes the Tattersalls December Sale an unmissable annual event for so many international buyers and it has been wonderful to see not only British and Irish breeders rewarded, but also their French, German and Italian counterparts who also recognise the Tattersalls December Sale as the premier sale of its type in Europe.” Despite the quieter nature of Thursday’s sale, the Mare Sale’s four-day run ended with 83% or 728 lots finding new homes, an increase on 2017’s 79% clearance rate. They collectively grossed 60,712,100gns (-11%), while the four-day Mare Sale average (83,396gns) and median (20,500gns) were both down 18%. The star of Thursday’s action was Poyle Dee Dee (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 2305), who brought 68,000gns from Tweenhills and is a half-sister to G2 Lowther S. heroine Jemima (GB) (Owington {GB}). Already the dam of three winners, and in foal to Tweenhills’s own Hot Streak (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), the 13-year-old was consigned by The National Stud. She has a yearling Hot Streak colt who made 55,000gns on the bid of Tally-Ho Stud at the 2017 December Foal Sale, before reselling to Shadwell for 150,000gns during the Tattersalls October Sale. “Her colt really was the pick of the Hot Streak yearlings,” said Hannah Wall of Tweenhills. “He was bought by Shadwell and is going into training with John Gosden–he really is a lovely horse. This mare is back in foal to Hot Streak and will probably visit Zoustar (Aus) next spring.” A total of 113 lots sold on Thursday for an aggregate of 609,500gns (-7%) and a clearance rate of 74% (+1%). The median remained unchanged at 3,00gns, and the average rose 2% to 5,394gns. View the full article

After winning the first 13 races of his career in Mexico and sweeping that country's Triple Crown, Kukulkan (MEX) will take on the top horses from his region in the $300,000 Caribbean Classic Stakes Dec. 8 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Jockeys Joe Bravo, Kerwin Clark, Joe Davila, Jr., Julien Leparoux, and Scott Stevens have been announced as five finalists for the 2019 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. View the full article

Racing Post NAP 20.45 Kempton Jamie Osbourne’s yard is on a real role at the minute and has been in excellent form of late. Your Band really made huge strides when winning on handicap debut last month at Lingfield staying on strongly at the finish to pick it up on the line and with only a 3lb rise for that narrow win, the 3yo looks primed for another big run here this evening. The on-song Nicola Currie in the saddle is another huge plus for the team as she is in the midst of a real coming of age season in terms of winners and she might just add another to her tally here so Your Band gets the confident nod here in very moderate company. The main danger will likely come from Rod Millman’s unexposed 3yo Singing the Blues who may just benefit from the step up in trip and the move into handicap company. YOUR BAND (WIN) – NAP 18.30 Dundalk Hey Pretty was touched off here a fortnight ago over course and distance when running an absolute blinder and he runs off the exact same mark here tonight in this apprentice handicap. John McConnell has his team in great nick this term with winners on both sides of the Irish sea. Donagh O’Connor is a very capable assistant and he should be able to gain compensation tonight and land the spoils. La Novia is raised 7lb for his cosy victory last time out and rates the biggest danger to the selection bidding to follow up that win. HEY PRETTY (WIN) Dundalk: 17.30 Nigg Bay (E/W) 18.00 Libras Power (WIN) 18.30 Hey Pretty (WIN)* 19.00 Kody Ridge (E/W) 19.30 King’s Field (WIN) 20.00 Far Reach (E/W) 20.30 Chateau La Fleur (WIN) 21.00 Jon Ess (E/W) Exeter: 12.25 Mr Lando (E/W) 13.00 Waterloo Warrior (WIN) 13.30 Samarquand (WIN) 14.05 Creep Desbois (E/W) 14.35 Black Op (WIN) 15.10 Garrane (E/W) 15.40 Jasmin Des Bordes (WIN) Kempton: 17.15 Tamerlane (E/W) 17.45 Little Rock (WIN) 18.15 Adamantly (E/W) 18.45 Debbonair (WIN) 19.15 Astonished (E/W) 19.45 Drakefell (E/W) 20.15 Flaming Marvel (WIN) 20.45 Your Band (WIN) NAP Sandown: 12.50 Darebin (WIN) 13.20 Torpillo (WIN) 13.55 Warthog (E/W) 14.25 Down the Highway (E/W) 15.00 Hey Bill (E/W) 15.30 My Brother (WIN) Sedgefield: 12.10 Mac Cennetig (E/W) 12.40 Ettila de Sivola (E/W) 13.10 Trooblue (E/W) 13.40 Schiaparannie (WIN) 14.15 Socksy (WIN) 14.50 The Big Galloper (E/W) 15.20 Big Bad Bear (WIN) The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Friday 7th December appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

As usual, Hong Kong holds a strong hand for its biggest day, the Longines Hong Kong International Races Dec. 9 at Sha Tin Racecourse. View the full article

HONG KONG–During a Thursday morning press conference, about one hour prior to the barrier draw for Sunday’s Longines Hong Kong International Races, trainer John Moore explained how reigning Horse of the Year Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}), once pigeon-holed as a one-dimensional, need-the-lead type galloper, had matured into a more versatile sort. After landing gate 12 in a field of 14 for the G1 Hong Kong Mile, Zac Purton may just have to resort to plans B or perhaps even C from that wide alley. During that presser, Moore had some very enlightening comments about Beauty Generation’s feet and a potentially alarming penchant to drift in his races. The gelding was the easy winner of the G2 BOCHK WM Jockey Club Mile three weeks back, even as he was finishing off near the outside rail. “I think the horse is getting into a little bit of a habit–he has a tendency to get his head on the side on the right and tends to hang out that bit,” Moore said. “When [jockey] Zac [Purton] rode him [Thursday] morning, he fanned on the corner and it appeared he was hanging out that little bit. But afterwards we went through with a fine-toothed comb–with the vet and the farriers–and as far as we’re concerned he’s sound.” Beauty Generation is one of three Hong Kong horses back to defend titles in their respective races. Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) proved narrowly best from gate four in last year’s G1 Hong Kong Sprint, but is drawn further out in nine this time around. Now trained by Frankie Lor, the 6-year-old will have to contend with four former John Size stablemates, including Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), who will have to go from barrier 11 for Joao Moreira. “It’s always a concern with the draw, especially for the sprinters,” said trainer John Size, shortly after being handed the wide berth for Hot King Prawn. “But he’s got some speed so he can overcome most things with his natural pace. I haven’t looked closely at the foreign horses, but normally you’ve got plenty of speed and normally he can go from the gate. He’s been in that predicament and I think that with the pace that he’s got he might begin smartly.” Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) looks to put them back-to-back in the G1 Hong Kong Cup and will most certainly go forward from the seven hole beneath Purton. His year-younger full-brother Glorious Forever (GB) effectively dueled Time Warp into submission when the pair finished well down the field in the G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup Nov. 18, and there were intimations that there would be no such suicidal tactics in the Cup. “We won’t be going head-to-head with Time Warp,” Lor insisted. That plan could now be out the window, given that Glorious Forever was handed the inside box in the field, reduced to nine by the scratching of last year’s runner-up Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) with a tendon issue. If the pace is on, that could set things up nicely for the Moreira-ridden Sungrazer (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}, gate six) or his compatriot Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}, gate two). With the better part of 500 metres to the first turn, the draw for the G1 Hong Kong Vase is perhaps somewhat less consequential, but trainer Charlie Fellowes was not especially pleased with having drawn 14 of 14 for his stayer Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}). “The one job I’ve had to do since I arrived and I’ve messed it up,” mused Fellowes. The race’s highest-rated runner, Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), secured a good spot in barrier four, while his protagonists Eagle Way (Aus) (More Than Ready), Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Mirage Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) were assigned gates nine, 10 and 13, respectively. ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal) should get a cushy run from gate two beneath William Buick. View the full article