Wandering Eyes

Tenma is trainer Bob Baffert's eighth consecutive Starlet winner and 11th for him overall, as well as the fourth one owned by Charlie and Susan Chu's Baoma.View the full article

Getting blinkers off following an uninspired third in her most recent start in the GII Oak Leaf at Santa Anita in October, Tenma (Nyquist) went to the front and never looked back, rolling to a confident victory in Saturday's GII Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos. Hustled to the front by the newcoming Juan Hernandez, the Baoma Corp runner quickly encountered Look Forward (Bolt d'Oro), a debut winner at Del Mar last month, who pressed her from the inside through an opening quarter in :23.41. With the pair continuing to exchange blows through a reasonable :48.25 half, the leaders kept each other close rounding the home turn. Remaining in lockstep with their noses pointed to the wire, Look Forward gained a brief advantage in the lane but it was a stubborn Tenma who regained the winning thread late to easily best her rival. Favored Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words), who finished runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last out, rounded out the trifecta, well behind the top two. “I worked her before her first race and then again last week and she went really good,” said Hernandez. “With the blinkers off she relaxed perfectly and was really enjoying herself out there.” A neck winner under Kazushi Kimura in her career bow at Del Mar in August, the $850,000 OBSAPR grad followed up with a nose score ahead of Vodka With a Twist in the Sept. 7 GI Del Mar Debutante Stakes before her initial lifetime defeat last time out. The victory represented the eighth for her Hall of Fame trainer, who also conditioned Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018), Bast (2019), Varda (2020), Eda (2021), Faiza (2022) and Nothing Like You last year. He won the race three times when it was known as the Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park with Excellent Meeting (1998), Habibti (2001) and Streaming (2013). “It's great to win the Starlet again,” said Baffert. “She had been training really well. She took a step back after Del Mar, so that's why we decided to pass the Breeders' Cup [Juvenile Fillies]. She was back to her old self and I thought she would bring her A game today and Juan (Hernandez) is riding with such confidence.” Pedigree Notes: Bred by TV celebrity chef Bobby Flay, the $200,000 Keeneland September yearling flourished into an $850,000 OBS April juvenile after Donato Lanni secured the flashy filly for Boama Corp. Tenma is the second foal for Amaganssett, purchased for $875,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale in 2018. Second dam Twirl (Ire) is a full-sister to Irish Group 1 winner Misty For Me (Ire), herself responsible for MG1SWs U S Navy Flag and Roly Poly, both by War Front. Additionally, Misty For Me is also the dam of Group 1 scorer Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who in turn produced a pair of black-type winners. Unraced Amagansett, who produced a colt by Munnings in 2023, sold for $400,000 at last season's Fasig-Tipton November Sale. After a mile and sixteenth duel #5 TENMA ($7.00) draws away from #4 Look Foward to win the $200,000 Starlet Stakes (G2) at @losalracing for trainer @BobBaffert – his eleventh victory in this race. The 2yo daughter of @DarleyAmerica's Nyquist is owned by @BaomaCorp. pic.twitter.com/NdbBJ5GspB — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 8, 2024 The post Nyquist’s Tenma Back on Top in Starlet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

KimDon Racing's Tizzy in the Sky continued her proficiency over the racing surface at Aqueduct Racetrack by capturing the $200,000 Go for Wand Stakes (G3) Dec. 7 under hot-riding Flavien Prat. View the full article

Trainer Brian Lynch saddled the winners of the Inaugural and Sandpiper Stakes for owner Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing.View the full article

It's easy to look back and wonder about "what if?" Yet there are times when a bright future can outweigh all of that. The 3-year-old colt Locked surely fits nicely into that mold.View the full article

By Brigette Solomon A training double and a driving treble made for a very successful night for Bob Butt at Alexandra Park on Friday. The Woodend trainer-driver’s trek north saw him win with two of his own horses, Princess Meritaten and Gold Bullion, with Princess Meritaten being a standout winner for the night with her success in the Group 3 Caduceus Club Northern Breeders Stakes. From barrier nine, Butt settled Princess Meritaten back in the field one off the fence and four back, while race favourite Lady Of The Light led up in a soft tempo. There were no mid race moves, and Butt was in no rush, awaiting the home bend before making his run wide on the track where Princess Meritaten let down to display blistering speed to clinch the win by a length over the second placed Dance Til Dawn, with Lady Of The Light third. “I was rapt with the way she let down tonight, from where I was I would have been happy to run into the placings but she just had too much speed for them,” said Butt, “she’s got a heap of gate speed and can race handy too so we’ll just be hoping for a good draw for the Queen Of Hearts next week now.” Racing in the famous Brian O’Meara colours, it was also somewhat fitting the Princess Meritaten should win on the same night as O’Meara’s great horse Christian Cullen led out the field at Addington for the race named after him – the Group 1 $200,000 The Christian Cullen for 4YO pacers, won by Rakero Rocket. O’Meara co-bred and co-races Princess Meritaten who has now won seven from 13. She is now a $1.90 favourite in the fixed odds markets ahead of the Group 1 Queen Of Hearts on Friday. Immediately following his first win, Butt was back in the winner’s circle with Gold Bullion in the Thames Members Handicap Trot. In his first start at Alexandra Park and off a 20 metre handicap, Gold Bullion stepped away smoothly to settle second last in running where he remained until the final lap. From the 600 metre mark Gold Bullion shifted out to sit three back in the three wide line which was led by Pantani. With his horse full of running, Butt took the gelding to the extreme outside on the final bend and once balanced up he sprinted home strongly to hit the line and win by a nose over Halberg who was bold in defeat. “He was good tonight and finished the race off nicely,” said Butt, “I’m pretty happy with both of them heading into next week’s races.” The four-year-old gelding by Father Patrick is raced, and was also bred, by Butt’s grandparents Robin and Jackie Butt, and has now recorded six wins and just over $96,000 in stakes. His next assignment is the Listed Dunstan Icandoosit Handicap Trot at Alexandra Park on Friday. The wins from the pair of Butt trained horses were impressive, and the success continued for Butt when he drove a third consecutive winner for the night with the Arna Donnelly trained Little Spike who took out the Noel Fox Memorial Pace. View the full article

Te Akau Racing and Fortuna Racing have a remarkable association with two-year-old fillies and they unveiled another exciting prospect at Trentham on Saturday in the form of Marokopa Falls (Hellbent). The daughter of Hellbent was not fully tested in her sole trial appearance at Taupo on November 26, and in a compact four-horse juvenile field on debut, she closed a $3.50 second-favourite behind race-winner Too Sweet ($1.80). Each of the quartet jumped positively and with plenty of early speed, Too Sweet found the rail and the lead as they descended down the TAB chute. Marokopa Falls shadowed the filly throughout and got on even terms as they straightened, and after breaking away from Abbakiss and Ferrari, the pair set to fight out the finish with Marokopa Falls finding an extra kick under Craig Grylls to score by a half-length at the post. Grylls, who currently leads the national jockey’s premiership narrowly over Sam Spratt, was complimentary of the filly’s first-up effort. “She was well prepared for today,” he said. “She hopped away nice to sit outside the leader, was little bit green coming across the junction, as they quite often can be, but once balanced she let down really nicely. “She was very professional, a nice mover, and for her first go after only one trial it was pretty impressive.” Mark Walker, who prepares the Te Akau contingent alongside Sam Bergerson, indicated Marokopa Falls would return to Trentham at short notice, with the Gr.2 Happy Hire Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) her next assignment. “She has a lot of natural ability and will take further improvement from the trip away and the win,” Walker said. “Her next start will be in the Group Two Wakefield Stakes and it would be great to get some black type at just her second start.” The stable won last year’s edition of the Wakefield with subsequent Group One-winning filly Captured By Love, who like Marokopa Falls, was purchased out of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The latter was secured by David Ellis and Fortuna Racing’s John Galvin for $57,500, the exact figure the pair outlaid to buy their 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle. In the early stages of her illustrious career, Melody Belle won the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), a race Marokopa Falls is ineligible for as an Australian-bought filly. Galvin was on course to witness the victory, alongside several members of the Fortuna Marokopa Falls Syndicate. “It was a lovely win from a lovely filly that the team obviously have a lot of time for,” Galvin said. “It’s not usual for us to send a two-year-old to the races off the back of one trial, so going there today gave us an indication of what the trainers think of her. She was very professional and relaxed in the birdcage and she showed those same attributes during the race. “She was bought for the same price as Melody Belle, so if she could be half as good as her then we’d have to be very happy, wouldn’t we?.” View the full article

Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Sunday, December 8. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximise your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for December 8, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Sunshine Coast All Races | Same Race Multi 3+ Leg Bonus Back Up To $50 If 1 Leg Fails Place a 3+ leg Same Race Multi bet on any race at Sunshine Coast this Sunday and if 1 leg of your multi fails, get up to $50 back in Bonus Cash. Market available from approximately 8:30am local track time on race day. Neds T&C’s Apply Login to Neds to Claim Promo 25% Boosted Winnings – Werribee & Sha Tin Get 25% Boosted Winnings paid in BONUS CASH. Fixed win only. First bet only. Cash bet only. Max Bonus $250. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to pickleBet to Claim Promo Sunday Bonus Back 2nd ALL RACES at Sha Tin Auto-applied in Bet Slip. Limits apply. Min 6 runners. Fixed odds only. T&C’s apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo Same Race Multi – Select 2-4 runners in the same race to get bigger odds Available from approximately 8:30am local track time on race day. Availability dependent on field size. Neds T&C’s Apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Blonde Boosts Elevate Your Prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Best Tote and Starting Price Guarantees a dividend equal to the highest of the official win dividend paid by the three Australian TAB pools or the official starting price. Maximum stake: $2,000. 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% of winnings in cash Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds only. PlayUp T&Cs Apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Bet and win up to 4th place. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to pickleBet to Claim Promo Daily Multi Insurance Any race. Any runner. Any odds. Get a bonus back if your multi loses. Check your Vault for eligibility Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing thoroughbred bonus promotions for December 8, 2024. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. Horse racing promotions View the full article

For jockey Flavien Prat, it was an unforgettable trifecta. In one fell swoop, he managed to break the record for stakes wins in a year, tie the mark for most graded stakes victories, and come up an intriguing Triple Crown prospect.View the full article

Age 7 and still at the top of his game, Get Smokin can still win races under various conditions.View the full article

Noted Kentucky horseman Craig Bandoroff will receive the Uphill Push Award and speak at the 10th annual fundraiser for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) to be held at Gulfstream Park Jan. 11th, according to a press release from the Jockeys and Jeans organization. Each year the award is given to the person who provides the most meaningful help to the 60 jockeys who suffered career-ending injuries. In December of 1974, Bandoroff was the leading apprentice jockey at Monmouth Park and Garden State Park. In a race his mount bolted towards the inside rail shortly after the start and his right arm was paralyzed. Despite adversity, Bandoroff's passion for Thoroughbreds and racing remained intact. A graduate of the University of Virginia and University of Kentucky, Bandoroff and his wife Holly founded Denali Stud in 1990 on leased land and with a handful of mares. Today, the property includes 800 acres as Denali is one of the nation's leading consigners. In 2023, Bandoroff turned over the day-to-day operations to his son, Conrad. “As a young man, all I wanted to be was a jockey,” he said. “But as the saying goes, 'God had a different plan.' Any success I have had is a result of many people believing in me. My ability to overcome my accident is because my parents were on my side during a very difficult time. I share this award with Holly and with them. Bandoroff has been a consistent donor to PDJF, and has helped Jockeys and Jeans raise funds for disabled riders. “It's obvious Bandoroff shares their same overcoming spirits,” said Dr. Eddie Donnally, interim Jockeys and Jeans president. “His story has been an inspiration to many, and I know it will touch the hearts and souls of all who attend, especially our sports fallen riders. All of us at Jockeys and Jeans are pleased to provide him with a platform to share his life's adventure. He looked adversity in the eye and conquered it; something those former jockeys in wheelchairs do every day of their lives.” “I guess we don't stop to think that what we did inspires other people,” said Bandoroff. “It's gratifying to know that perhaps I have. I am honored and gratified to receive this award.” Click here to purchase tickets. The post Craig Bandoroff To Receive The 2024 Jockeys And Jeans Uphill Push Award appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Saturday 6 April 2024 Group 1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) Manawatu Racing Club at RACE Trentham Move To Strike (AUS) [Not eligible] Saturday 26 October 2024 Group 2 Callander Presnell Stakes (1600m) Australian Turf Club at Royal Randwick Prost (AUS) [Not eligible] Wednesday 30 October 2024 Group 2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) Waikato Thoroughbred Racing at Te Aroha Racecourse Savaglee (NZ) Saturday 2 November 2024 Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) Victoria Racing Club at Flemington Racecourse Aeliana (NZ) Saturday 9 November 2024 Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (1600m) Canterbury Jockey Club at Riccarton Park Savaglee (NZ) Saturday 16 November 2024 Group 1 Barneswood Farm One Thousand Guineas (1600m) Canterbury Jockey Club at Riccarton Park Captured By Love (AUS) [Not eligible] Savaglee and Aeliana are the only eligible winners so far. Savaglee is headed to Australia to seek Grp wins. Aeliana just beaten in the Caufield Guineas. Probably heading for Australian Grp 1 races.

Trainer Brad Cox appears well positioned to potentially win a third Kentucky Oaks (G1) in the spring. He trains Immersive, Good Cheer, and Muhimma—winner of the Dec. 7 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack.View the full article

Connie K bowed out a winner Dec. 6 at Oaklawn Park and retired as the winningest Arkansas-bred female of all time with earnings of $620,612.View the full article

In only his second start of the season, Eclipse Thoroughbreds and Walmac Farm's Locked (Gun Runner-Luna Rosa, by Malibu Moon) closed from off the pace to annex Aqueduct's GII Cigar Mile Saturday. Reserved off a sharp early pace by Johnny Velazquez, the $425,000 KEESEP yearling purchase was in contention approaching the quarter pole and found himeself withing striking distance of the late-leading Mullikin (Violence) straightening for home. Finally overhauling the GI Forego winner midstretch, the 2-1 chance drew off to score by two lengths. Post Time (Frosted) closed to be third. Final time for the 8-furlong test was 1:34.52. Named a TDN Rising Star at two, Locked also won last season's GI Breeders' Futurity prior to a third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita. He won his seasonal debut going seven panels at the Big A Oct. 19. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-2, $960,650. O-Eclipse Thoroughbreds & Walmac Farm; B-Rosa Colasanti (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. LOCKED ($6.30), under @ljlmvel, took advantage of a pace and flew home to win the $500,000 Cigar Mile (G2) at Aqueduct. @PletcherRacing trains the Gun Runner (@Three_Chimneys) colt for owners @EclipseTBP and @WalmacLLC. Play the finale: https://t.co/R7YWKvTAyu pic.twitter.com/YVhmV9UcnV — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 7, 2024 The post Gun Runner’s Locked is Loaded in Cigar Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Adam Hamilton A shock third round heat defeat and tricky barrier draw has seen Kiwi-owned mare Queen Elida’s odds drift sharply for the Inter Dominion trotting final. The Brent Lilley-trained mare, who has run third in the past two finals, was $3 for the final before last night, but is out to $6.50. She will start from barrier five and despite having loads of early speed, her two main dangers – The Locomotive (gate four, $1.55) and Keayang Chucky (three, $5) – hve drawn inside her for the 2300m race at Menangle next Saturday night. The biggest shock of the trotting series came when Queen Elida was rundown late after a perfect run by underrated Victorian Parisian Artiste in the second of last night’s heats. Driver Chris Alford opted to trail leader Royal Dan instead of pushing for the front and had Parisian Artiste on his back. Royal Dan was gone at the 350m, so Alford popped out and went for him, but despite Parisian Artiste hanging and veering out a lot in the last 150m, he got up to snatch the win. Emerging mare Aldebaran Vera made late ground for third to give trainer Marg Lee, of Keayang Zahara fame, a remarkable three finalists. Keayang Chucky and Keayang Stuka being the others. Former top Victorian juvenile The Locomotive also went through the heats unbeaten after winning a thrilling stoush with the classy Keayang Chucky last night. Jason Lee led on Keayang Chucky, but was happy to trail and stalk The Locomotive and got with 2.1m in a blazing 1min55.5sec mile rate for 2300m, just 0.1sec outside the winner’s own track record. “I was wary of how good and sharp the horse was trailing me so I tried to take some gas out of him with the 27.6sec down the back,” The Locomotive’s trainer-driver Brad Hewitt said. “The plugs are in, but the cord broke so maybe there was still even more there. Once the other horse first came at him, he was never going to get me.” Last year’s Inter Dominion runner-up Mufasa Metro made ground from a long way back for third to make the final, but he was still beaten almost 25m last night. Plymouth Chubb, who ran extra well in his first two heats, got well back and made no impact back in sixth spot raising queries about how well he’s handling the series. GRAND FINAL DRAW Front Row 1. Toro Stride ($151) 2. Aldebaran Vera ($26) 3. Keayang Chuckie ($5) 4. The Locomotive ($1.55) 5. Queen Elida ($6.50) 6. Mufasa Metro ($26) 7. Aldebaran Zeus ($31) 8. Speedy Lover ($151) Back row 9. Keayang Stuka ($51) 10. Royal Dan ($41) 11. Plymouth Chubb ($15) 12. Parisian Artiste ($8.50) 13. Courage Stride (1st emerg, $151) 14. Constantinople (2nd emerg, $151) Don Hugo new favourite for Pacing Final A back row draw has made life a lot harder for Kiwi-owned Minstrel in next Saturday night’s $500,000 Inter Dominion pacing final (2300m) at Menangle. The Team Bond-trained star will start from three-out on the back row (gate 11), while Luke McCarthy’s TAB Eureka winner Don Hugo (gate three) is the new outright favourite at $2.60. The other big winner from the draw was emerging Victorian four-year-old Dangerous, who landed gate two and firmed to $5. Dual qualifying heat winner Captains Knock eased from $4 to $4.80 after drawing the most awkward of all barriers, inside the back row (gate nine) behind outsider Jilliby Nitro (gate one). Jason Grimson qualified two finalists – Curly James (gate five, $12) and Nerano (eight, $26) – in his quest for a third Inter Dominion grand final win in the past four years. Minstrel, who broke gear and finished tailed-out in round two, cemented his spot in the final with a fantastic second at Menangle last night. The WA Cup winner did all the work outside the leader and ran closing quarters in 27.5, 27.1 and 27.6sec to be just edged-out late by emerging Victorian four-year-old Dangerous, who had the one-one sit on him. “It’s a great feeling to win an Inter Dominion heat and get a good run like that for a change on him,” young driver Ryan Sanderson said. “He can be right in the finish of the final with the right run.” Driver Deni Roberts was thrilled with Minstrel’s run. “Terrific. We’re through and with a horse who will be better again next week.” In the first of last night’s pacing heats, TAB Eureka winner Don Hugo lifted the bar again on his stunning second round win at Bathurst last Wednesday. Last night Don Hugo had to work three-wide for the first 800m before trainer-driver Luke McCarthy surged forward to take the lead. “That was a big effort because even when he found the front he got very keen, but kept going,” he said. “It was training error on night one, I didn’t quite have him wound up enough, but he came on from that at Bathurst and again tonight. He’s a stallion in the zone with a great chance in the final. “The draw looks great and he’s going to take some beating in the final now.” Dangerous’ 1min52.2sec mile rate was slightly quicker than Don Hugo’s 1min52.6sec and both compared well with the track record 1min51.4sec. Another four-year-old, Captains Knock, snared his second heat win of the series when he worked across to take the lead and cruised home in last night’s third Menangle heat. His 1min52.4sec mile rate was right up with the other two heats, but he sprinted home the quickest with closing splits of 53.7 and 26.7sec. Talented former Kiwi mare My Moonlite Dream trailed the leader and ran a brave but well held second, while Curly James ran home well in such strong closing splits to finish third. The Seaton Grima-trained My Moonlite Dream is the only mare to qualify for the final. GRAND FINAL DRAW Front Row 1. Jilliby Nitro ($16) 2. Dangerous ($4.60) 3. Don Hugo ($2.60) 4. My Moonlite Dream ($14) 5. Curly James ($12) 6. Terry ($101) 7. Jimartee ($71) 8. Nerano ($26) Back row 9. Captains Knock ($4.80) 10. Max Delight ($18) 11. Minstrel ($5.50) 12. Petes Said So ($51) 13. Cantfindabettorman (1st emerg, $35) 14. Perfect Stride (2nd emerg, $151) View the full article

By Jonny Turner Craig Ferguson may have to clear a little space in his trophy cabinet before Sunday’s Wingatui trots. The reinsman has been driving in the best form of his career recently and has collected three Group 1 trophies recently including the Garrards New Zealand Derby on Friday night with We Walk By Faith. While the conditions on the Wingatui grass may be a world away from the electric atmosphere of elite races at Addington, Ferguson’s winning hopes still look good. The reinsman combines with two big winning threats in the Kia Ora Campers Pacing Cup (4.15pm) and the Icon Interior Construction Trotting Cup (5.31pm) on Sunday. Ferguson starts Nutcracker from his own stable on the back on a solid fresh-up fourth, also on grass, at Motukarara. The mare not only strips fitter for her Wingatui assignment, she has the advantage of starting from the front row, ahead of her key rivals who are off handicaps. “She is usually a good beginner, so being off the front should be a help to her,” Ferguson said. “If she can get away well and get a bit of cover, that would be her best go. “She seems to have come on from that first-up run and I have been quite happy with her.” “She’s gone well on the grass before too, so hopefully she’s a good chance.” Ferguson combines with the Amber Hoffman-trained Moment Of What in the Forbury Park Trotting Cup. The trotter ran to a slick victory at Ascot Park in his latest outing, beating Rata who has gone on to win at group 2 level at Addington since. The trotter is in the opposite position to Nutcracker, starting off 30m and giving some of his key rivals a head start. However, Ferguson does not think it is a big factor. “He has been beginning quite well, so I don’t think the handicap is too much of a worry.” “Hopefully, he can step away and make it up reasonably quickly.” “He looks well enough placed in that field and, he has shown he can do a bit of work and that he’s got speed to.” “He would have to be a handy chance.” Punters may see Moment Of What is unplaced in all three of his prior attempts on grass. Those efforts came in the first three starts of the horse’s career, when he was learning and making mistakes in his races. Ferguson takes a handful of drives outside of his cup assignments. Grass-track specialist Nyla looks the strongest chance among them in Race 8, the Taieri Wool and Skin (1998) Ltd Mobile Pace (4.44pm). View the full article

3rd-LRC, $39K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m, 4:30 p.m. ET. The gone-too-soon Arrogate had a total of 325 foals of racing age, and in the current year his runners have made 800 starts and delivered 146 wins (18%). As a sire, the champion only had the chance to claim three crops and the last of them are now finishing up their 3-year-old season. At Los Alamitos on Sunday, TAIF is set for his unveiling under Arrogate trainer Bob Baffert. A purchase by Zedan Racing for $1.45 million at the 2023 OBS April Sale, the colt is out of unraced Destine (War Front), who is responsible for six foals, three of whom have raced and delivered two winners. Taif's extended female family includes champion Smoke Glacken (Two Punch), MGSW Smokey Glacken (Forestry) and MGSW Crown of Thorns (Repent). TJCIS PPS The post Sunday Racing Insight: Last Of The Debuting Arrogates As Pricey Taif Goes At Los Al appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Looking like a pro in the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay on Saturday afternoon it was Donut God (Into Mischief–Sweet Kisses, by Carpe Diem) who ran on nicely and captured his first black-type. After delivering a slop-skimming maiden-breaking score at Churchill Downs Nov. 14, the juvenile was tabbed as the clear favorite here. Donut God shot out of the gate from the bell. Not asked for much before entering the lane, the colt kept his cool even though second choice Naughty Rascal (Rogueish) tried to make a race of it in the final sixteenth. The Brian Lynch trainee won by 3/4 of a length. The final running time was 1:09.13. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0. Sales History: $250,000 '22 FTKNOV; $400,000 '23 KEESEP. O-Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing LLC; B-Aaron & Marie Jones LLC (Ky); T-Brian Lynch. #5 DONUT GOD ($3.80) goes gate-to-wire to win the $125,000 Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and improve to 2 for 2 in his young career. The 2yo son of Into Mischief (@spendthriftfarm) was ridden by @SamyCamacho1 and is trained by Brian Lynch. pic.twitter.com/G2zKlvToBI — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 7, 2024 The post Donut God Awfully Crisp In Inaugural Stakes At Tampa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sparkling in both prior starts, including a TDN Rising Star-earning performance at Churchill in September, Shadwell's Muhimma (Munnings–Princessa Carolina, by Tapit) added further luster to her shining profile while remaining undefeated in Saturday's GII Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct. A point-earning race for next season's GI Kentucky Oaks, the 2-5 favorite completed the nine-furlong distance in 1:49.84, faster than the colt equivalent one race earlier. A beat slow out of the gate, the $700,000 KEESEP yearling purchase quickly scooted to the front, clicking off splits in :23.94 and :48.24. Comfortably in front turning for home, she remained clear all the way home, scoring by a length over Ballerina d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro). Liam in the Dust (Liam's Map) was third. With the win, Coolmore sire Munnings swept both graded stakes for 2-year-olds on Saturday's card at Aqueduct. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $291,960. O-Shadwell; B-Three Chimneys (KY); T-Brad Cox. MUHIMMA ($2.80) stayed undefeated as @flothejock got her home first in the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct. The daughter of Munnings (@CoolmoreAmerica) is trained by @bradcoxracing. The Cigar Mile is next: https://t.co/KE0J71TrkF pic.twitter.com/Nbtn7aaTsi — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 7, 2024 The post Rising Star Muhimma Gives Munnings Juvenile Stakes Sweep at Aqueduct in Demoiselle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Flavien Prat notched his 79th stakes race of 2024 in piloting Tizzy in the Sky to victory in the $200,000 Go for Wand Stakes (G3) Dec. 7 at Aqueduct. Later, he would win a record-establishing 80th aboard Godolphin's Poster in the Remsen (G2).View the full article

Godolphin's Poster (Munnings–Pin Up, by Tapit) came into Saturday's GII Remsen Stakes with a pair of turf wins under his belt and he added his third career victory, also his first win on the dirt, while giving jockey Flavien Prat his record 80th stakes score of the season. A win in the Kentucky Derby-points earning test also gave Prat his 55th graded stakes triumph of the season, tying Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey. Unhurried in the early going, the 9-2 chance surveyed affairs as Tux (Tapit) led through an opening quarter in :23.95. Making some headway through a :48.59 half, Poster closed from four out approaching the quarter pole, swung out even wider turning for home and spurted clear in early stretch. Getting a little leg weary late, he had enough left to hold off the closing 9-1 chance Aviator Gui (Uncle Mo) in a photo finish. Tux rounded out the trifecta. Final time for the nine-furlong test was 1:50.37. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $254,128, O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Eoin Harty. POSTER ($11.60) stays undefeated in an exciting rendition of the $250,000 Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct. The Eoin Harty trained son of Munnings (@CoolmoreAmerica) gives Flavien Prat his record 80th stakes win in 2024. @godolphin owns the colt who earns 10 @KentuckyDerby points. pic.twitter.com/RVgXlwlmLj — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 7, 2024 The post Poster Remains Perfect While Earning Stakes Wins Record for Prat in Remsen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

John Stewart warned his doubters not to undermine the scale of his ambitions in racing after signing for Prix Rothschild runner-up Excellent Truth (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) for €1.6 million through Goliath's trainer Francis Graffard [Stamford Bloodstock] and bloodstock agent Ghislain Bozo [Meridian Bloodstock] on Saturday. It didn't take long for the champagne to be corked after Stewart made his mark on his first visit to the French sale ground with the addition of the highest-rated filly in the entire sale to compliment his $8 million haul at Tattersalls earlier in the week. He said, “She was number one on my list so she was going home with me, just like Vertical Blue [at Tattersalls]. I'm looking for horses to take to America that will dominate on the turf. I came over here specifically because I've won races all around the world but I haven't won any at Keeneland yet and it's my home track. I'm going to dominate there next year so I came up with this strategy to come over here. “All of these horses that I'm buying, I'm looking at their pedigrees to bring diversity back to the herd in Kentucky. We just exported, exported, exported for so long and there's really not a lot of people buying horses from Europe and bringing them back to America in large quantities. I think that's very important for all of us because Kentucky is very important to the global industry from a breeding standpoint and so I'm trying to focus on their pedigrees, only looking at horses that I think can win Graded races in America. That's what I'm here to do.” He added, “I think that's a very reasonable price. The thing about this industry is there's a handful of buyers that are buying these top-of-the market horses so that market has never been stronger. I'm an investor, that's what I do for a living. I own a private equity firm. When you're getting into something, it costs more money but it's less risky to buy higher quality assets. That's what I think of these horses as. And I'm indifferent to price on an individual horse because I buy so many horses. I look at this as a portfolio. Like stocks. I may buy one horse and I may end up paying 500,000 more than I wanted, but then I may buy one for 500,000 less, and so then I just look at the overall spend. It's a different way of thinking about it.” “Every time my horses have run against his horses, I've won,” – John Stewart There are plenty of words one could use to describe Stewart, who has blown into the racing game this past year similarly to the hurricane-like weather that took over the sale ground on Saturday evening. Punchy might well be one of those words. “I'm just getting started,” he said. “I have a really big plan. Anybody that thinks that I did a lot in 2024 has no idea what I'm doing in 2025. I'm just trying to bring attention to horse racing globally. I make a lot of statements about what I'm going to do and things like that. It's not being arrogant, I'm just trying to get people to take notice that there's people investing in the industry when a lot of other people are saying that the industry is dying and all those different things and I just don't believe that.” In the past week alone, leading American-based owners Mike Repole and LNJ Foxwoods expressed their dissatisfaction with Stewart's all-in approach to bloodstock separately. The 55-year-old revealed that those interactions actually spurred him on to spend more this week. He explained, “When I started my private equity firm, I didn't [and still doesn't] have a finance degree. So everybody told me that nobody is ever going to invest in you because you don't have a finance degree. I went and had 350 meetings to get 22 people to say yes so I thrive on people telling me no. What has happened in the last 24 hours [with the spat on X], I actually doubled my intentions of what I was going to do. “Because the way I'm going to do it, I'm going to let my horses speak on the track and I'm going to let them win the races. I got called out by somebody [Repole] last year. He said I didn't know what I was doing-come on, I'll give you a tour of the winner's circle when I come to the track. He didn't know it but I'd bought Pounce at the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale. Just 10 days later my horse beat his horse in a Group 3. Then I beat his horse in the New York Stakes in a Grade I. Every time my horses have run against his horses, I've won.” He added, “I'm not trying to bid him up, but at Saratoga I purposely positioned myself right behind him so I could keep an eye on exactly what he was doing. He was the one making statements about bidding me up and you really can't bid me up.” Stewart also spent a combined €1,050,000 through his own Resolute Racing on Flamme Rouge (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Tazara (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}). His 6,265,000gns spend at Tattersalls was headed by 3.2 million gns buy Vertical Blue (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), with the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner understood to be staying in training with Graffard. On plans for his recent additions, he concluded, “I use a variety of trainers. My team will sit down and digest these and then we'll have to take a look at them and see which ones suit them. Village Voice is going to Chad Brown and then Vertical Blue is staying here. Chad Brown wanted that horse bad.” Asked who was helping him buy at Tattersalls, given all of his bidding was done online, he said, “Francis is checking stuff out for me. I had other people as well. The Coolmore guys. When I'm not there, I'll have someone else looking at the horses and telling me what they think. We're giving them a list and then we have of course the vets and that kind of stuff that help us.” The post “I’m Just Getting Started” – Stewart Lays Down Gauntlet To His Doubters At Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

How did we get hooked on this sport? We all have stories about how our love affair developed and blossomed. The TDN reached out to numerous notable people in the industry to get their stories to find out how they got hooked and stayed hooked on the sport. Rocco Landesman, Broadway Producer and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts I've always been an excitement junkie. I love the risk, love the adrenaline you get from that. I've had a career in the Broadway Theater and there's nothing riskier than that. I was in high school in St. Louis. There was no pari-mutuel wagering in Missouri, but there was in Illinois. East St. Louis had two tracks, Cahokia Downs and Fairmount Park. A friend of mine in high school loved going over there and playing the horses. I guess when you're 16, 17, they can't call you a degenerate horseplayer. You're not old enough. He brought me one day. Of course, the worst thing that could happen, happened. I won. I'm sure everybody begins with the same story. They go to the track for the first time and win money and you think to yourself 'they're giving away money here, this is the greatest.' We started going to Cahokia Downs fairly regularly. The racetrack is an ecosystem of its own; it's a world unto itself. The colorful silks, the backstretch life, the characters. You enter a whole world when you go to the racetrack and the whole thing was magical for me. I later became a horse owner and have had a lifelong love affair with horse racing. I never lost that when I went to college in Madison, Wisconsin. Very often I would drive down to Chicago to go to Arlington, Sportsman's or Hawthorne. I went to a conference for writers once in Vermont, so I would drive to Pownal to go to Green Mountain. Wherever I was, I'd find a racetrack and we would go. I love not only the excitement of it, but the entire world of racing, a world unto itself. I've always been entranced and seduced by that world and I still am. One of the down sides of having digital access is that I don't go to the track nearly as much as I used to. Today, I am going to play the Fair Grounds on my computer. With the advent of slots and with places like Gulfstream being part of retail developments, a lot has changed, but not for the better. I still enjoy it. I still enjoy going to Saratoga, Monmouth, the racetracks that have kept a lot of their character. I'm doing to it more casually now. It's hard to find the time to do the handicapping work and following all the trips and all the details of the past performances. I use the Ragozin sheets, which are useful, but so many people use Ragozin and Thoro-Graph now that it's hard to find much of an advantage in that. When the Ragozin sheets first came out, I had friends who were early adopters of the sheets and they had an advantage. Now with everybody having the same data, it's much harder to have an edge. So these days, I do it much more as a recreation without much expectation of it being any kind of a business. I should add that contributing to the excitement of those early days at Cahokia was that there was a fantastic race caller there who added a lot of excitement. His name is Dave Johnson. I feel like I've spent my whole life with Dave Johnson because when I moved east to New York I feel like Dave came with me. That's when he became the race caller at the NYRA tracks. I feel like my life at the races has been pretty much parallel to Dave. That's's been a fun part of it. We've had a lifelong friendship and he's been an investor in some of my shows. It's been a great friendship. The post How I Got Hooked On Racing: Rocco Landesman appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As expected, Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) (lot 200) caused quite a stir in the Arqana ring, and the 2024 G1 Prix de Diane scorer will join the Coolmore partners' fold, after selling to Oceanic Bloodstock on behalf of MV Magnier and associates for €5,000,000. Consigned by Haras de Bouquetot, the bay, also successful in the Prix de Sandringham and third in the G1 Nassau Stakes and G1 Prix de l'Opera, is a full-sister to G3 Jersey Stakes hero Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), who was second in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. The female family features fellow Diane heroine Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) and her G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)-winning daughter Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}). She was bred by Jean-Pierre Dubois. The post Oceanic Bloodstock Signs €5-Million Ticket For Sparkling Plenty On Behalf Of MV Magnier And Associates appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article