Wandering Eyes

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Jockey Paco Lopez took to X Dec. 5 to issue an apology for his actions aboard National Law at Parx Racing Dec. 3, stating he plans to take time away from racing.View the full article

The New York Racing Association announced Dec. 5 the stakes schedule for the 2025 spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, which will feature 13 stakes worth $2.8 million in total purses.View the full article

For the first time since he was caught on video striking a horse in the face with his whip after a race at Parx had ended, Paco Lopez spoke up for the first time Thursday. He posted a tweet on X in which he admitted he was at fault. “I take full responsibility for my actions,” Lopez wrote. “I am aware that our sport is under a lot of scrutiny and I fully apologize to everyone involved in our sport–fans, horsemen, management, racing commissions, HISA and of course, National Law. My actions were reactionary, in the heat of the moment, and I am truly sorry. “I have seen the many social media postings, which have led me to reflect on the situation. I have decided to take time away from racing and, in the path of several of my fellow riders, seek appropriate counseling and work on myself. “It cannot be overstated how much I love horses and this industry. Horseracing has been my whole life and I look forward to a return in the near future.” Thank you for taking the time to read this.” This story will be updated. The post Lopez Accepts Responsibility for Striking Horse in the Face With Whip appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hillwood Stable's multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Post Time (Frosted), most recently second in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 2, will race again as a 5-year-old in 2025 with the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park as a potential season opener. Bred and based in Maryland and trained by Brittany Russell, Post Time is entered in Saturday's GII Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, where the 4-year-old drew outermost Post 11. “He'll run next year. I'm going to try to figure out what it's going to look like,” Russell said. “It's probably a little early to be like, 'We're going back to the Breeders' Cup,' but looking at the year I'll probably pause on him somehow at the beginning of the year, back off of him a little bit and then we'll gear him up for the second part of the year.” The 1 1/8-mile Pegasus for 4-year-olds and up headlines a World Cup Day program of eight stakes, seven graded, and two overnight handicaps worth $5.55 million in purses. “It's on our radar. We'll see how he runs this weekend. If he runs really big, I wouldn't want to stop on him just yet,” Russell said. “We're definitely going to entertain the idea. I just want to get through this weekend. It would make sense if we do the Pegasus in January, then we'd have February and March [for a break]. I think Saturday will tell us what we need to know.” Post Time has never been worse than third in 14 career starts with nine wins and $1,167,910 in purse earnings. Winner of Aqueduct's GII Carter and Laurel Park's GIII General George Stakes over the winter, he has placed in three Grade I stakes, including a second in the Metropolitan Handicap June 8 and a third in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney–his two-turn debut–Aug. 3, both at Saratoga. In the Dirt Mile, Post Time came within 1 1/2 lengths of winner Full Serrano as the sixth betting choice at odds of nearly 8-1. It marked the Breeders' Cup debut for jockey Sheldon and Brittany Russell as well as Hillwood's Ellen Charles, the granddaughter of famed businesswoman and philanthropist Marjorie Merriweather Post. “It was so much fun and we were so proud of him and so excited. I don't know what would have happened if he won. I think we might have lost it,” Russell said. “I'd love to see him get a Grade I. He so deserves it.” The post Post Time Possible for Gulfstream’s Pegasus World Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The stakes schedule for the 2025 spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, which will feature 13 stakes worth $2.8 million in total purses, according to a New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) release Thursday. The 15-day spring meet will open on Thursday, Apr. 3 and continue through Sunday, Apr. 27 with live racing conducted Thursday-Sunday. NYRA has increased the purses of the Haynesfield Stakes and Biogio's Rose Stakes by $25,000. As a result, both Apr. 6 races will offer a purse of $125,000. The spring meet stakes action kicks off with the Wood Memorial Day card on Saturday, Apr. 5, featuring five stakes topped by the 100th running of the GII Wood Memorial. The nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds will offer 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers. Wood Memorial Day will also feature the GII Carter at seven-furlongs for older horses, as well the GIII Gazelle Stakes at nine furlongs for sophomore fillies offering 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-five finishers. Rounding out the day's stakes action are the GIII Distaff, a seven-furlong contest for older fillies and mares; and the Excelsior for older horses which will be extended to 1 1/4-miles–one furlong more than last year. Stakes action continues Apr. 12 with the Top Flight Stakes and the following afternoon will be co-headlined by the Times Square for eligible state-sired sophomores and the Park Avenue for eligible state-sired sophomore fillies. The Bay Shore Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores, will be run on Saturday, Apr. 19. Closing weekend of the spring meet will offer the return of turf stakes with the Woodhaven Stakes Apr. 26, and the Memories of Silver Stales Apr. 27. For the complete spring meet stakes schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/stakes-schedule/. The post NYRA Releases 2025 Stakes Schedule for Spring Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association canceled racing Dec. 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack due to high winds forecast to impact New York City throughout the day.View the full article

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies second Vodka With a Twist brings the most experience and earnings to the graded race of the seven in the field.View the full article

Veteran Get Smokin, a 7-year-old gelding by Get Stormy, looks to return to his winning form Dec. 7 when he faces 10 opponents in the CA$135,000 Valedictory Stakes (G3) going 1 1/2 miles on Tapeta at Woodbine.View the full article

Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC released its updated stallion roster for the 2025 season. King for a Day (Uncle Mo-Ubetwereven, by French Deputy), Lookin at Lee (Lookin At Lucky–Langara Lass, by Langfuhr), Waiting (American Pharoah–Wait No More, by Medaglia d'Oro) and Warrior's Charge (Munnings–Battling Brook, by Broken Vow) return with their fees remaining the same as 2024. Additionally, Mind Control (Stay Thirsty), who returned to Rockridge Stud for the 2025 season, will stand for $8,000 LFSN. IHDV remains active in the three-time Grade I winner's management for 2025. Also joining the 2025 roster are Peace and Justice (War Front–Strike the Sky, by Smart Strike) and Petulante (Arrogate–Auntjenn, by Uncle Mo). Peace and Justice, who moves from Pennsylvania, will stand for $7,500 LFSN and Petulate will stand for $5,000 LFSN. Peace and Justice is responsible for this season's GIII Caress Stakes winner Dontlookbackatall and Claiming Crown Rapid Transit winner Saltshaker. King for a Day ($5,000 LFSN) Lookin at Lee ($2,500 LFSN) Waiting ($2,500 LFSN) Warrior's Charge ($5,000 LFSN) foals. IHDV will work with breeders by offering incentives for qualifying mares and multiple mare discounts across the entire roster. IHDV will hold its stallion show from 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 at Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater, NY. Lunch will be served, there will be a raffle for a free season to each stallion and special stallion show / early season pricing will be offered. For further information, contact: Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC Moe Scavullo, info@IHDVStallions.com. Phone (518)398-5666 Or Rick Burke and Bill Leak, info@IrishHillCenturyFarm.com. Phone (518)584-1515 The post Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions Sets ’25 Stud Fees, Hosts Stallion Show Jan. 11 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A total of 122 lots have been catalogued for the Tattersalls Online December Sale, which takes place between the hours of 10am (GMT) on Wednesday, December 11 and 10am (GMT) on Thursday, December 12. The sale is headlined by the inaugural Southern Hemisphere Session, a collaboration between Tattersalls Online and Inglis Digital, which features nine broodmares covered by Too Darn Hot (GB) to Southern Hemisphere time. The Dalham Hall Stud resident is the sire of this year's Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel (GB) and G1 Futurity Trophy hero Hotazhell (GB) from his first two crops in the Northern Hemisphere, as well as the champion two-year-old and triple Group 1 winner Broadsiding (Aus) from his time shuttling to Darley's New South Wales base in Australia. Overall, the catalogue includes 62 lots in and out of training, 38 broodmares, six foals, five yearlings, three stores and one point-to-pointer. Alongside the Southern Hemisphere Session, there are 29 broodmares listed including Backstreet Girl (Ire), a half-sister to this year's GI Breeders Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}). The daughter of Shamardal is out of the G3 Prix de Saint George winner Beyond Desire (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and will be sold in foal to Space Traveller (GB). The sale also offers the opportunity to secure breeding rights in young stallions Ardad (Ire), Harry Angel (Ire) and Havana Grey (GB), in addition to a 1/50th share in Phoenix Of Spain (Ire). The full catalogue is available to view here. The post Full Catalogue for the Tattersalls Online December Sale Now Released appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 670 entries for its December Digital Sale, which opened Thursday and will close in stages beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 10, the auction house said in a Thursday press release. On offer (hips 1-305) are horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, solely broodmare prospects, weanlings, and yearlings, which cuts off on Tuesday, Dec. 10, beginning at Noon ET. A selection of broodmares, (hips 306-end) will conclude Wednesday, Dec. 11, beginning at Noon ET. “This is the largest digital catalogue ever compiled worldwide,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton director of digital sales. “There is quality at all levels that will suit a variety of national and regional breeding and racing programs. December Digital has become an important sale on the Thoroughbred auction calendar, and every serious player in our game needs to focus on this catalogue.” The catalogue includes more than 400 broodmares and broodmare prospects, 120 horses of racing age, 70 weanlings, and 50 yearlings. Over 100 covering sires are represented, including American Pharoah, Cody's Wish, Complexity, Constitution, Elite Power, Maclean's Music, Mage, McKinzie, Nyquist, Omaha Beach, Practical Joke, Tapit, Tiz the Law, Vekoma and Yaupon. Offerings are located in states from across the U.S., and also include Ontario (Canada). To access the online catalogue click here, and for a preview, which includes an update on the platform's new search and sorting features, click here. The post Fasig-Tipton December Digital Sale Opens With 650-Plus Entries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Two years ago as breeders and buyers descended upon Deauville for the Arqana December Sale, many made the short drive out to the Chehboub family's newly launched Haras de Beaumont, which sits on a portion of the former Haras du Quesnay estate, to inspect dual Group 1 winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}). Last year was more of the same as visitors dropped in to take in champion 3-year-old and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) and this year, they'll be back to visit yet another new arrival in G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Puchkine (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). At this year's December Sale, the operation is set to open up another new chapter as they debut the Haras de Beaumont consignment. Beaumont has six mares and fillies in training catalogued for the upcoming sale, including three mares in foal to Beaumont-based stallions, plus the G3-winning, G1-placed Daylight (Fr) (Earthlight {Ire}) and G2 victress Classic Flower (GB) (Calyx). Pauline Chehboub was on site at Arqana on Thursday morning, overseeing as the first few buyers began making their rounds of inspections. Group 3-winning juvenile Daylight shows Thursday afternoon at the Beaumont consignment | Katie Petrunyak “Finally we are not a buyer,” she said with a smile “We are a vendor, so that changes a lot. This is exciting for us to promote our stallions Sealiway and Ace Impact. When you are lucky to have Daylight and Classic Flower as horses in training, we want to associate Haras de Beaumont with superstars like them so it's very exciting. I love meeting people and horses here from all around the world.” Daylight, selling as lot 178, headlines Beaumont's lineup. The 2-year-old daughter of Earthlight is out of the listed winner Latita (Fr) (Silver Frost {Ire}) and was a winner on debut in May for Gousserie Racing and Sandrine Gavrois. She later became her freshman sire's first stakes winner when she scored in this year's G3 Prix de Cabourg. Also this year, the filly placed in a trio of group outings including a runner-up performance in the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes. Beaumont will be represented by another filly with plenty of racing left ahead of her in Classic Flower. Also campaigned by Gousserie Racing in partnership with Jean-Etienne Dubois, the daughter of Calyx was a winner on debut last April and closed out her juvenile season with a score in the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte. This year at three, she was runner-up in a pair of Group 3 starts. Classic Flower, who is from the same family as Group 2 victress Beshaayir (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), will sell as lot 191. “We've got two proper top-class racing fillies in Daylight, who's one of the best two-year-olds in Europe this year and I'm sure there will be plenty more to come next year as a three-year-old, and Classic Flower, who was a top-class two-year-old and raced on at three,” said farm manager Mathieu Alex. “We were asked to sell horses and we are very happy that it's a high-level consignment. I think for a farm like us, it's important to be here at the sales and be present. The great thing about sales and when you're selling horses is that you're meeting a lot of people.” Alex pointed out a few other stars of the consignment that will sell during the opening session on Saturday including Tigrais (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}), who sells as lot 156, Rosir (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}), selling as lot 222, and Near Amore (Ger) (Amaron {GB}), selling as lot 107. “Tigrais is a very, very good-looking mare,” said Alex. “She's a young mare, only covered for the first time this year [but not in foal at the time of sale], and she's a Group 3 winner at two, which is exciting. We've also got a mare called Rosir who is a half-sister to Rougir (Territories{Ire}), a Group 1 winner that (Sumbe) raced and sold here a few years ago. Near Amore is a stakes-placed mare in foal to Ace Impact, so that's also exciting.” Group 3 winner Tigrais sells as lot 156 | Katie Petrunyak Alex said that based on the results of the breeding stock sales in England and Ireland, he has high hopes for more of the same lucrative market for sellers in France. “Obviously Tattersalls and Goffs has been very, very strong the whole year with foals, yearlings and now mares so we are hoping that Deauville will also be very strong,” he explained. “I feel that on the first day there's a very, very strong catalogue, so why not?” Alex added that a yearling consignment may be on the agenda for Beaumont someday in the future. “It's difficult to know exactly when, but we'll try to be here again with high-class horses,” he said. Looking ahead to 2025, Chehboub and the rest of the Beaumont team will be busy with their largest roster yet of five stallions, including newcomer Puchkine who will stand for € 8,500. “In our business, we have to have a new one each year, so in three seasons we've done a lot and we want to continue to support our stallions,” said Chehboub. “We have loyal clients and a good team and we hope it will be a good season.” The post Haras de Beaumont Launches First Consignment at Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Equine grass sickness may be caused by a neurotoxic enzyme with similarities to toxins in snake venoms, according to research involving the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies' Equine Hospital. The finding offers promise of new treatments for the deadly disease in grazing horses, which causes intestinal paralysis, colic, inability to swallow and muscle tremors. It currently has no cure and leads to death in 1 per cent of horses grazing in high-risk premises. Professor Bruce McGorum from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies' Equine Hospital said, “Identifying a probable cause of equine grass sickness represents a significant breakthrough. We hope that this discovery will lead to novel treatments and improved diagnostics for this devastating condition. “We are very grateful for the generous support we have received from horse owners, veterinary surgeons, scientists, charities and funding bodies. Further work is under way to determine the source of this neurotoxin; it is likely to be produced by a microbe such as a bacterium or fungus which grows on grass during the cold and dry weather which typically occurs before cases of the disease are identified.” The research has been published in a special editorial in the January 2025 issue of the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ). It is free to read here for 12 weeks. The post Experts Discover Probable Cause of Equine Grass Sickness appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

1/ST CONTENT has formed a partnership with American Racing Channel, a leading South American distributor which holds the rights to Hipódromo Nacional de Maroñas and Las Piedras Racetrack in Uruguay, the company said via a press release on Thursday. The outlet owned by 1/ST, which includes media and content companies, plans to broadcast live racing events from the two tracks with the intent to reach a global fanbase in their homes and through mobile devices. Grupo Codere, the international operator for Hispanic markets, has already agreed to integrate exclusive fixed-odds content, data and signals. “1/ST CONTENT is delighted to establish this partnership with American Racing Channel to broaden the international appeal of Uruguayan horse racing from these two elite racecourses,” said Simon Fraser, senior vice president of international at 1/ST CONTENT. Maroñas's national flagship race, the G1 Gran Premio José Pedro Ramírez Stakes, is carded for Jan. 6. The post 1/ST CONTENT Inks American Racing Channel Deal For Coverage In Uruguay appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Charlotte Dujardin has said that she “fully respects” the decision to suspend her for one year after a video showed the double individual Olympic dressage champion repeatedly hitting a student's horse with a whip. Dujardin was provisionally suspended by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) on July 23–the week that the Paris Olympics started–as it launched an investigation into a video from four years ago showing her making what she described as “an error of judgement” during a coaching session. The FEI announced on Thursday that Dujardin had admitted three charges and that it had issued a one-year suspension–backdated to July 23–and a 10,000 Swiss franc fine (around €10,738). Dujardin said, “I fully respect the verdict issued by the FEI, released today. As the federation has recognised, my actions in the video do not reflect who I am and I can only apologise again. I understand the responsibility that comes with my position in the sport and I will forever aim to do better. “This has undoubtedly been one of the darkest and most difficult periods of my life and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me during this time. Every kind word truly has made a difference, more than you'll ever know.” The post Charlotte Dujardin Suspended for One Year Following FEI Investigation 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. Michael Dubb, owner My introduction to racing really occurred as an accident as horses were not on my radar when I was a 16-year-old kid mowing lawns after school and on weekends. At one particular house where I cut the grass I went around to the kitchen door in the backyard to get paid my six dollars for mowing that lawn. The year was 1973, I walked into the kitchen, and there was a man sitting at the table on the telephone telling people what horse to bet in different races at Belmont. These particular people had a son who was a few years older than me and when I saw him a few days later I asked him what was going on. He said his father worked with his uncle on handicapping horse racing. I asked what that was about, and he explained to me that his uncle had worked for Grumman on the moon rover landing in 1969 as a statistics and probability expert, and that somebody had challenged him and said, “If you can talk with dead certainty about where the moon rover would land then you should be able to pick the winner of a horse race.” Unbeknownst to me, they had invented a handicapping device called the Kelco Calculator. They had determined that the best way to identify potential winners was through trying to identify which horse in the race had the most class. They had a formula that involved putting information into a slide rule to determine the class of the race. Michael Dubb at 18 | courtesy of Michael Dubb The following summer (1974) their oldest son asked me if I would like to follow him in his Volkswagen van while I drove mine that I used for landscaping to Saratoga. I was 17 years old, and we parked and slept in a campsite and went to the track during the day. I was completely mesmerized by the beauty of Saratoga and the mystique of the horses. I was hooked as a fan and found going to Belmont Park and Saratoga great mental therapy for clearing my mind of whatever stress I had. Some 25 years later, I met Jerry Bailey through my wife and his wife who had been playing tennis together. We became social friends, and through that friendship, I learned of the situation regarding the lack of childcare on the backstretch. At this point, my landscaping business had transitioned into a successful home-building business, and I mentioned to Jerry that I would be interested in helping create a daycare center on the backstretch for these children as a charitable endeavor. I was introduced to NYTHA and together we worked with NYRA to create the Belmont childcare center. It wasn't until the daycare center was complete, and I started meeting trainers that I thought it would be fun to own a few racehorses and that is how I got started owning horses. My overall comment about being a fan followed by being an owner is, if I never 'met' racing, I would have more money. But I would never have had the experiences, the friendship and the camaraderie. I wouldn't trade the money for that experience that racing has brought to my life. The post How I Got Hooked On Racing: Michael Dubb appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hong Kong stars await the foreign raiders targeting the Dec. 8 Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse.View the full article

Inns Of Court (Ire) will join his fellow former Tally-Ho Stud resident Kessaar (Ire) at stud in Italy for the 2025 breeding season under the banner of Renew Italian Breeding. The stallions will stand at Razza dell'Orso in Perugia and with Alessandro Antonini in Tivoli and will each command a fee of €6,000. A multiple group-wining sprinter himself, Inns Of Court, by Invincible Spirit (Ire), is the sire of G3 Prestige Stakes winner Anshoda (Ire) and G2 Richmond Stakes runner-up The Strikin Viking (Ire). A press release from Renew Italian Breeding read, “Inns of Court is only the most recent of many operations concluded with important foreign studs by Mattia Cadrobbi, administrator of Renew Italian Breeding, and Marco Bozzi and Guido Berardelli, [who are] responsible for commercial management…In recent years [they have] brought to Italy Requinto in 2020, Magician in 2021, Cappella Sansevero and Ruler Of The World in 2022, El Kabeir and Morpheus in 2023 and indeed Kessaar in 2024.” The post Inns Of Court Joins Italian Stallion Ranks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK — Records, records, records. It didn't feel particularly blockbusting on the final half-session of mares at Tattersalls, but that is the nature of any sale. Big days, quieter days. The days they all come for – Monday and Tuesday – certainly didn't fail to deliver some showstopping moments. It could have been predicted that Kia Joorabchian, after his spectacular spending spree at Book 1, and with plenty of stallions now at stud, would play a similarly prominent role during the December Sale, and his Amo Racing was again top of the buyers' list, with 8,375,000gns spent on ten fillies and mares, equating to roughly 10% of the whole sale's turnover. More of a surprise was the participation of John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock – a big spender in the US who was a first-time buyer at this sale, snapping up five fillies in training for 6,265,000gns. Just over half of that was spent on the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Vertical Blue (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who became the highest-priced two-year-old ever sold at auction in Europe, and will remain in training in France with Francis Graffard. Around 15 million gns of the sale's record aggregate of 83,817,900gns came from those two owner-breeders alone, and they were backed up by major buyers from Ireland, America, Australia, China, and Japan towards the top of the table, while significant investment from a large cohort of Indian breeders was also notable among the many nationalities present in Newmarket. It is a shame the the hugely sought-after Juddmonte draft no longer provides the feature of Wednesday's session. The Juddmonte fillies and mares are always heavily perused and had been the traditional Wednesday highlight for many years. With so much focus on the Sceptre Sessions, it is almost impossible to do the Juddmonte draft justice in the time and space allowed. One thing is for sure, though, and that is that future stars will emanate from those drafts. One only needs to peruse the list of buyers this year – including Sumbe, Haruya Yoshida, Laundry Cottage Stud, Haras de Cadran, Haras d'Etreham, Heider Family Stables and the Irish National Stud – to know that they are passing from one set of good hands to others from around the world. Here's to the Stayers The hardy few remained at Park Paddocks on Thursday. One unsuccessful vendor lamented, ” I knew we'd be taking her home. There are more people leading up horses than buying them.” And, yes, he had a point, but there are still always bargains to be found for those that stick it out and do their homework. Michael Swinburn and Ed Harper fought it out over the day's top lot (2168), the winning Showcasing (GB) filly Crown's Lady (GB), who was sold from Consign Ltd for 34,000gns. Swinburn, whose Genesis Green Stud was the second-top vendor at last week's foal sale, signed for the three-year-old filly in the name of Annie O'Rourke, who had assisted in the purchase. Metin and Isik Kader Kalkavan from Turkey picked up seven mares over the last few days, including Never Miss (GB), Stetchworth Park Stud's daughter of Shamardal and Group 3 winner Pictavia (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}), for 26,000gns. The 12-year-old mare is in foal to Mohaather (GB) and will join the rest of their purchases at the family's MK Stud. “Dad has always been interested in racing, but it was in Covid we bought the farm,” said the couple's daughter Irem. “This is our first visit to Tattersalls, we have been very well looked after.” By the time lot 2195 departed the ring on Thursday lunchtime, another 325,200gns had been added to the overall turnover from the sale of 59 final-day lots. Yes, this is a meagre return when set against the bigger days, but Thursday's figures, from a smaller session of only 85 offered, were up when it came to clearance rate (69%) and median 3,500gns (+17%). It is easy to imagine that in years to come mares of a similar ilk may well end up being offered in one of the increasingly prevalent online sales instead. The clearance rate of any sale is of course the greatest indicator of demand, and in this sector, the 2024 December Mares Sale fared particularly well: at 86% this was significantly up on last year's 76%. That led to a 22% increase in aggregate, while the average, at 124,539gns, was up by 16%. The median rose by 27% to 38,000gns. 'Sustained International Demand' Looking back on tremendous trade at Tattersalls this autumn and winter, chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Exactly eight weeks ago we reflected on a Tattersalls yearling sale of breathtaking proportions. Book 1 of the 2024 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale broke every conceivable record and the momentum from those extraordinary three days has shaped the entire Tattersalls sales season ever since. “Record after record has been broken in the past two months, culminating in a Tattersalls December Mares Sale which has produced sustained international demand from start to finish and again reached unprecedented heights. It has been a fitting way to end an extraordinary year which at times has left even the most seasoned commentators a little stunned.” Such buoyancy in the market may be hard to square with events elsewhere – particularly on a day when the front page of the Racing Post referred to a '£3bn black hole' for racing caused by the Gambling Commission's affordability checks on punters. That is essentially a problem for British racing, though it is one which could eventually have repercussions for Ireland, its nearest neighbour. Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale and the December Mares Sale are largely international affairs which bear almost no reflection on what happens in Britain, aside from the encouraging fact that there are still a number of high-end investors out there intent on establishing stud farms in the country. Mahony continued, “The Tattersalls December Mares Sale is an annual barometer for the international thoroughbred breeding industry and the records for turnover, average and median suggest that the appetite for the best European bloodstock is as strong as ever. There are few stages in the world that compare with the unique atmosphere of a packed Tattersalls Sale ring and yet again the elite Sceptre Sessions provided some compelling theatre and memorable highlights. The sale topping 4,800,000gns Classic winner You Got To Me is the highest-priced filly or mare in the world this year, the outstanding French Group 1 winner Vertical Blue became the highest-priced two-year-old ever sold at public auction in Europe when selling for 3,200,000gns and it is the first December Sale to have three fillies in training selling for 3 million gns or more with the Group 2-winning sprinter Believing completing the trio. “In addition to the individual highlights the statistics paint an impressive picture. December Mares turnover rose more than 20% year on year to a new record high well over 80 million gns, average and median both posted wide-margin record highs and the combined December Yearlings, Foal and Mares turnover increased by more than 30%. Gains of this magnitude have all contributed to a record Tattersalls annual turnover up more than 20% from last year's total, but more importantly they have given a massive boost to the British and Irish breeding industries. While we cannot and should not pretend that all in the garden of British racing is rosy, we should nevertheless be proud that our sport and the wider British and Irish breeding industries continue to be held in the very highest esteem internationally and never has this been more apparent than during the 2024 Tattersalls sale season and throughout this December Sale. “The overseas contribution has been immense. The best of British, Irish and European bloodstock has yet again enticed international visitors to the December Mares Sale in huge numbers with buyers prioritising the sale above all others. Not for the first time at Tattersalls this year the American participation has been particularly notable. There is a real appetite amongst leading American owners for high-class European turf performers and that has played a significant part in the success of this week's sale alongside demand from Australian, Chinese and Japanese buyers at the top of the market. Buyers from more than 30 countries and every continent have played an equally important role in creating a truly vibrant market, but above all it should be recognised that the British and Irish breeders, buoyed no doubt by the catalyst of the October Yearling Sale, have been the backbone of this extraordinary market. “We are enormously grateful to each and every person who has contributed not only to the success of the 2024 Tattersalls December Sale, but also to a Tattersalls sales season like no other. A year like this is the collective achievement of a fantastic industry and the unwavering support of vendors and purchasers alike from throughout Britain, Ireland and further afield defines Tattersalls and ensures that we continue to explore every possible avenue to preserve the proud status of Tattersalls as Europe's leading bloodstock auctioneers.” The Tattersalls December Sale featured one significant beginning and one ending. During the foal sale, Shirley Anderson-Jolag became the first female auctioneer to take to the rostrum at Tattersalls, and we hope to be hearing plenty more from her in the years to come. On Thursday, Jimmy George presided over his final sale day as marketing director of Tattersalls, having first started with the company in 1986. We wish him well in his new role at the International Racing Bureau. The post ‘Collective Achievement of a Fantastic Industry’: Mahony Lauds Record December Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled live racing on Thursday at Aqueduct Racetrack due to high winds forecast to impact New York City throughout the day, the track said in a release early on Thursday morning. The National Weather Service called for sustained high winds on Thursday with gusts approaching 50 mph. As of 8:00 a.m. ET., New York City is under a high wind advisory. As a result of these conditions, NYRA canceled the eight-race card. The Big A will remain open for simulcasting. Live racing is scheduled to resume on Friday with another eight-race card and first post is set for 12:10 p.m. ET. Live racing canceled Thursday at Aqueduct NYRA has canceled live racing on Thursday at Aqueduct Racetrack due to high winds forecast to impact New York City throughout the day. https://t.co/Uo0io2XkuD — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) December 5, 2024 The post High Winds Force Cancellation Of Aqueduct’s Thursday Card appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trentham has been a happy hunting ground for Town Cryer(NZ) (Tavistock) with the exception of last year’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m), and 12 months later, the mare is back for redemption. As an on-speed runner, Town Cryer went straight to the lead in the 2023 edition, which was soon deemed a false start after the three outside gates failed to open. For Roydon Bergerson, who trains her out of Awapuni, it wasn’t an easy watch for a mare in career-best form. “She seems to enjoy Wellington and Auckland, she probably shouldn’t have been out of the money in this race last year,” he said. “She ran seventh, it was a bit unfortunate with the gates not opening on the outside because she went the furtherest of any horse. She didn’t stop until about halfway up the straight then she turned around and had to do it all over again. “The next time, she didn’t really know what she was doing, but she hung in there and ran an incredible race. I think if the first had gone around, she would’ve been a lot closer than that as she was bang-on that day, but that’s racing.” Town Cryer went on to have a glittering remainder of the season, winning or placing in her following five starts including a runner-up finish to Belclare in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). Returning as a six-year-old, she has maintained that form with a second in the Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), before holding her rivals at bay comfortably in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) in late October, her final appearance prior to the elite-level contest. “I took her to Wanganui for a gallop between races on Saturday with Wingman, and they worked really nicely over 1200m,” Bergerson said. “I’m happy with that, so I just ticked her over this week and she’s ready to go.” Bergerson is pleased to have secured the services of Luke Currie, a 13-time Group One-winning Australian jockey who will partner the daughter of Tavistock from the ace draw. “I was looking for a jockey and I talked to Brad Taylor (General Manager of RACE), who said the club was looking to bring over an Australian rider,” he said. “They came up with Luke and I’m very happy with that. He’s very professional in what he does, he’s ridden all over the world so I’ll just leave it up to him, he’ll do his form and know how to ride her. “She’s a pretty easy mare to ride, she likes to get on pace and get going before the corner, instead of a sit and sprint. She’s a genuine, tough mare that loves a fight, so if she can get some cheap sectionals and not leave it as a sprint, she’ll be very competitive.” Earlier in the meeting, Bergerson will have his $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) hopeful Too Sweet taking her place in the Devan Plastics 2YO (1000m). The Satono Aladdin filly won on debut at the course ahead of Almakeitgood and is likely to strike a far better surface on Saturday. “At her first start, she was a little bit green and ran all over the place, but got the job done. I see the second horse won today, so the form is pretty good,” Bergerson said. “In her trial, she ran a second faster than the open handicappers, and she was on the bridle. I’ve just ticked her over since then, so hopefully we can get through this race and carry on. “She’s really stepped up, her trial indicated that and she’s gone from strength-to-strength.” Wingman will also be suited to the drier conditions, taking his place in the Aztech Engineering 3YO (1400m). “He’s a very nice horse going forward, I can’t fault his work and he looks tremendous in the coat,” Bergerson said. “I’m looking forward to getting him on to a good track.” A winner at her first start, four-year-old mare Testing will take a step-up in distance in the Jennian Homes Wellington 1400, to be ridden by Michael McNab. “She’s a pretty good mare I think, they’ll know that she’s there on Saturday,” Bergerson said. “Her work has been very good since her win, she was pretty professional that day. She’s got an awkward draw, but she’s got a good rider so hopefully he’ll make up for it.” View the full article

Ka Ying Rising breaks the Sha Tin 1200m course record. Photo: HKJC David Hayes’ outstanding sprinter Ka Ying Rising must overcome a challenging outside barrier in Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin if he is to continue to push his claim as potentially the world’s best speedster. The Sha Tin 1200m track record holder drew barrier 11 in the 14-horse field for the Group 1 feature – a barrier that no horse has won from in the past 18 runnings. Hayes conceded the barrier was not favourable but said Ka Ying Rising normally draws wide but his only fear is being caught three-wide. “You’d prefer to be closer to the rail but he is probably no chance of getting boxed in,” he said. “At a $1.20 chance, it’s one of the ways to get beat. “So, I think Zac (Purton) will be able to appear when he wants and he has got great gate speed and a lot of those inside of him haven’t, so he should cruise across into quite a good spot. “Hopefully he doesn’t get caught three-wide, that’s all.” Hayes has compared the extraordinary stride of the New Zealand-bred Ka Ying Rising to champion Australian mares Winx and Black Caviar. Winx won 37 of her 43 races, including her last 33 in succession, while Black Caviar went through her career undefeated in all of 25 races. Hayes said Ka Ying Rising, who broke Sacred Kingdom’s long-standing track record at his last start in the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint (1200m), could have lowered the record by more but was switched off by Zac Purton in the last 50m. “Zac doesn’t often kiss the camera with 100m to go and he was really switched off for the last 50m, so it was probably as times go probably a little bit more opportunity to lower it,” Hayes said. “He has got a wonderful temperament and he is easy to train and is very sound, a massive stride length and I call it an extra action. “When you watch a lot of gallops and race horses, you see very few horses with what I see as the extra action and the extra action I have seen in my career just recently is of course Winx and Black Caviar. “I think it is well documented they have that have a huge stride and I’m sure if you measured this horse when he let’s go, he has got one of those extra strides. Despite the accolades, Hayes said he wasn’t saying his horse is as good as Winx and Black Caviar and he has got to be around for probably four years and not lose. “But he has got an action like them and a raw talent that is pretty exciting,” he said. Purton said everyone wanted the answer to the question of how good Ka Ying Rising could be as his career progresses to tackle his first Group 1 feature. “He doesn’t need to be any better than he has been at his last two starts this weekend,” Purton said. “He has just got to come out reproduce that same performance and hopefully it is a fast run race where every horse gets their chance. The track is in great order, it’s riding very well and the weather this week is perfect, so we are looking forward to it.” Purton said the fact that the gelding had never raced at Group 1 level before always poses a question, but his performances had been at a Group 1 level. “So, it’s just a matter of him doing it on the big day when it matters, everyone is here and I think that’s what people want to see,” he said. “Hopefully that’s what happens.” After running some very quick times on the track, Purton said the scary thing is you don’t feel you’re going that quick. “It feels like he is only going three quarter, half pace,” he said. “He is certainly a different horse to sit on than all the rest of the them.” Purton said Ka Ying Rising deserved to break the track record in the Jockey Club Sprint after going close the start before. Opposition trainers in the Hong Kong Sprint have all but conceded the race to Ka Ying Rising and are hoping to grab some of the minor prize money in the HK$26 million feature. Before Pierre Ng’s Beauty Waves had drawn the extreme outside barrier, the trainer said they were running against Ka Ying Rising and were hoping for second. “That’s our target and hopefully it goes that way,” he said. Ng said Beauty Waves, who finished fourth at his last start to Ka Ying Rising, had been brilliant and he still believes there is a little bit of improvement as he becomes more professional. Horse racing news View the full article

Voyage Bubble is a one-time Group 1 winner at Sha Tin. Photo: HKJC Trainer Ricky Yiu is hoping to go one better with stable flagbearer Voyage Bubble in the HK$36 million Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) on Sunday, December 8 at Sha Tin after the galloper finished second behind former champion Golden Sixty in 2023. Yiu’s charge will step away from barrier five against 13 rivals as he aims to follow on from last-start HK$5.35 million Group 2 Jockey Club Mile (1600m) success. “He’s a very smart horse and he’s easy to handle – jockeys really like to ride him. He enjoys Conghua very much – it’s a very nice place and a good setup,” Yiu said. “They’re relaxed in Conghua. They enjoy it, they eat more and they build up more – body wise.” “It’s all falling into the right place. He’s had a couple of good gallops on the grass and it has been a very good preparation. This horse seems to be improving still little by little. There’s still quite a bit left in him, although he’s had a lot of tough runs.” Recently acclaimed World’s Best Jockey for a second time, James McDonald will gun for a second Group 1 atop the six-year-old Voyage Bubble this weekend, who also raced in Dubai and Japan last season. “I’d expect him to be competitive, for sure, because he’s a very consistent horse and his lead-up run (Jockey Club Mile on November 17 at Sha Tin) was great – he’ll improve off that as well, so he’s a horse that makes his own luck up on the speed and I’m sure he’ll give a great sight. “It’s a strong race as you’d expect. He ran second in the race in 2023 and he’s going as good as that,” McDonald said. “It’s an extremely fair start there from the mile – it’s a nice run down the back straight.” Drawing stall 14 of 14 at Thursday’s barrier draw ceremony at Sha Tin, Galaxy Patch is aiming to bounce back after he was third in the Jockey Club Mile to Voyage Bubble. The Group 1-placed son of Wandjina – who is trained by Pierre Ng – won three races in Group 2 and Group 3 company under Vincent Ho prior to defeat. “He galloped well this morning – the jockey is happy, the horse is fit and well. This time I think we just have to ride him very quiet and go for a strong finish to try and catch them,” Ng said. “It’s how you preserve him towards the straight. Try to switch him off and he’ll give you a very good (final) sectional. “His last racing style didn’t suit him – his last run. We’ve learnt from that and I’ve told Vincent from now on we know what we have got to do in the future,” Ng said. Stablemate Taj Dragon will display similar tactics, says Ng: “We went a little bit forward on him last time and (jockey) Andrea (Atzeni) said it didn’t suit him best. This time we will probably ride him quiet and get him to finish off to get some prize money.” Soul Rush drew gate 10; fellow Japanese runner Jantar Mantar has gate eight. Connections of both Japanese contenders were satisfied with their draws. Lazzat from France will jump from barrier seven for trainer Jerome Reynier. “It’s good to be in the middle. When we won the (2024) Dubai Turf (Group 1, 1800m) with Facteur Cheval he was in stall eight of 16 and here Lazzat has got seven of 14 so it’s what I wanted,” Reynier said. “He’s not in danger of getting shut in, down on the rail, or getting stuck three or four wide if he had got a high number.” Antino (barrier four), Beauty Joy (13), Docklands (two), Happy Together (six), Chancheng Glory (one) and Ramadan (three) also feature. Master trainer John Size saddles Beauty Eternal (11) and Red Lion (12), hopeful of collecting another win in the race after Glorious Days prevailed in 2013. Horse racing news View the full article