Wandering Eyes

The day after his death at age 80, John Shirreffs is remembered by horsemen and owner Lee Searing. View the full article

Fans turn out during Tampa Bay Downs' Feb. 13 card to get autographs and interact with legendary riders during a Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund event at the track.View the full article

New owners Bradley and Sharon Kleven are hoping to take another big step down the Road to the Kentucky Derby with Express Kid, who they bought for $800,000 in January.View the full article

Louisiana native Shane Wilson netted the 1,000th win of his training career Friday in Race 4 at Fair Grounds when Eleven One Racing's Gypsan (Khozan) won by a half-length under Issac Castillo in the one mile and 70 yards claimer. Wilson, who got his start in racing walking hots as a teenager at Louisiana Downs for Hall of Famer Jack Van Berg and eventually served as assistant to trainer Sam David, Jr., hung out his own shingle in 1998. He won the Fair Grounds training title during the 2023-24 meet with 50 victories, finished third in the standings last season, and is currently in second for this season. Among Wilson's top earners have been graded winners Mocito Rojo (Mutadda) and Ova Charged (Star Guitar). “It's big,” said Wilson of making his 1,000th trip to the winner's circle. “We had a few lean years along the way but my career has progressed to where we are today. We're very proud. I've had a lot of owners that stuck with me when times were tough and now, we've been doing well. I couldn't have done it without them.” The post Trainer Shane Wilson Gets Career Victory 1,000 at Fair Grounds Friday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

At Barn 47 on the Santa Anita backstretch Friday morning, stable staff was going about its business a day after the passing of trainer John Shirreffs. Among those at the barn was Shirreffs's top client, owner Lee Searing of C R K Stable. “He was a great man. It was an honor to have him in our lives,” Searing said. Shirreffs died in his sleep in the overnight hours of Wednesday into Thursday morning at the age of 80. According to Searing, he was found passed away on the couch by his wife, Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs. “John was in good shape. He got hit hard with something that took him down,” Searing said. In a training career that began in the 1970s, Shirreffs won 596 races and more than $58.5 million in purse money. Born in Kansas, Shirreffs was a U.S. Marine and served in Vietnam before embarking on his training career. Most notably as a trainer, Shirreffs won the 2009 GI Breeders' Cup Classic with the Hall of Fame mare Zenyatta, and the 2005 GI Kentucky Derby with Giacomo. Searing said he and Shirreffs had spent last weekend in Florida looking at 2-year-olds. “He was so excited when we were in Florida,” Searing said. “We were looking at our 2-year-olds that are ready to come to the track in April and May. He was excited because this is probably the best group I've ever had–and there are 28 of them. He had a great time. He was healthy, had a great dinner. “Then on Monday, he didn't sound really good. Tuesday was worse. I told him 'John, get to the doctor, go now.' “On Wednesday he was back here at Santa Anita. That's when he told me he couldn't work. I told him again to get to the doctor. He did. I don't know anything after that, but it was that night he fell asleep on the couch and Dottie found him. John was a healthy guy. It seems to me he may have caught some kind of a virus, like a flu or something.” Searing had 12 horses with Shirreffs at the time of his death, which include Grade I winner Baeza (McKinzie) and Westwood (Authentic). On Jan. 31 at Santa Anita, Westwood won the GII San Pasqual S. as Shirreffs's final starter. Searing said Baeza, Westwood and the rest of his horses are, at least for now, being moved to the Santa Antia barn of Peter Eurton, who has also been another longtime trainer for C R K Stable. Further moves could be forthcoming. Most notably with Baeza, who Searing said will likely be moved out of state for his 4-year-old campaign. As for the rest of the Shirreffs barn, the plan is for operations to shut down immediately, Searing said. “I'm with his family now and they have some decisions to make on what to do to close down the stable, but they want it done immediately,” he said. “I think everyone's going to cooperate.” Santa Anita will host a moment of silence for Shirreffs after Friday's first race. Horsemen Pay Tribute to Shirreffs… Victor Espinoza, Hall of Fame jockey: “A lot of memories with John. John and I go way back to when I first moved here. It was Hollywood Park. He helped me a lot. He put me on some nice horses. From that point on until his final day, he was always good to me. Great trainer. There was a time when I rode pretty much all of his horses. It was so fun to be around him. You could learn so much. He had a different technique. He was just a unique guy.” Jonathan Thomas, trainer: “I'm a newbie, this is our second winter here. But when I first came, there were a handful of people that were extra hospitable to me coming out here. One of them was John. The first time I met him, he stopped me. He had an idea who I was but wanted to know my story and where I was from. It was very welcoming. “Then after that, anytime I saw him I needed to make sure I had a free 20 minutes because it would be a nice opportunity to further get to know him, hear stories and pick his brain a little bit about horses and training. He was an extremely welcoming guy. Almost like I knew him for 20 years. He went out of his way to do that. As somewhat of a younger guy, there are a few here like (Neil) Drysdale, (Richard) Mandella, John, and Bob (Baffert) of course, that are on the Mt. Rushmore of training.” Phil D'Amato, trainer: “I thought of him as a gentleman trainer. Always with a smile on his face. I had the utmost respect for him. Just an all-around good guy and an excellent horsemen.” Craig Lewis, trainer: “I talked to him for a half hour the day before. He walked by my barn almost every day. A really nice guy who was great for the game. It's a shame. Sad to see him die.” Jack Carava, former trainer and jockey agent: “He was just a good all-around guy and a good horsemen. I didn't know him really well, but I remember the times when we were training together at Hollywood Park. He was always a gentleman.” The post Lee Searing Pays Tribute to the Late John Shirreffs: ‘It Was an Honor to Have Him in Our Lives’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Adam Hamilton History says Kiwi fans should be glued to tonight’s Great Southern Star at Melton in Victoria. In the two runnings of the $600,000 Trot Slot at Cambridge, the Great Southern Star has proven the defining form line. And this year looks no different. In 2024 the great Just Believe beat Callmethebreeze, Queen Elida and Arcee Phoenix. Just a couple of months earlier in the Great Southern Star, it was Callmethebreeze beating Just Believe with Arcee Phoenix fifth and Queen Elida seventh. Last year, it was another Aussie, Arcee Phoenix, who led throughout to win the TAB Trot from The Locomotive and Queen Elida. All three came through the Great Southern Star. Arcee Phoenix only ran fifth in a heat and was ruled out of the final by vets, but The Locomotive (second) and Queen Elida (fourth) chased home upset winner Watts Up Partytime in the final. The Aussies will be back in force again for this year’s Trot Slot on Cambridge’s Night of Champions on April 10. And at least three of the key hopefuls – Keayang Zahara, Jilliby Ballerini and Arcee Phoenix – are lining-up in tonight’s Great Southern Star. The two outliers are Queenslander Gus, who has stayed home, and buzz French import Kristal Josselyn, who wasn’t quite ready in time for the Great Southern Star. Gus, who landed the big Group 1 double at NZ Cup Week, returned for his first run since when he overcame a 40m handicap to win at Albion Park last Saturday night. The powerful Team Lee are expected to take two slots in the Trot Slot with Keayang Zahara and Jilliby Ballerini the logical runners. But they also have the emerging Jilliby Dreamlover, who is vying for favouritism with Arcee Phoenix in the second of tonight’s Great Southern Star heats (9.01pm). “She’s a great chance of leading that heat and if she does, she’ll be hard to run down,” co-trainer Paddy Lee said. But Keayang Zahara is the headline act with 23 wins from 24 starts, including 12 at Group 1 level. Victory in the Great Southern Star final (11.33pm) will land her a new $500,000 bonus and make her equal with the great Kiwi Take A Moment on 13 Group 1 wins, the second most by a trotter in Australasia. Given Keayng Zahara has just turned five, if she stays sound she will sail past Lyell Creek’s record of 15 Group 1 wins. With all the great trotting options in Auckland like the Anzac and Rowe Cups, Keayang Zahara may well break that record in NZ. And at 10.35pm it’s the Hunter Cup with big Kiwi hope Republic Party going up against Aussies’ big three, Leap To Fame, Swayzee and Kingman. To see the field for the Hunter Cup click here View the full article

Trainer Kevin Bond, whose Facebook page sported an antisemitic comment regarding Rob Reiner, has been charged with conduct detrimental to the best interests of racing and to the New York Racing Association's Business Operations, as well as a breach of his stall application, NYRA revealed Friday. NYRA has issued a notice of hearing and Statement of Charges to Bond. The hearing has been set for Friday, March 6. Bond, who has made 75 starts in his career, but just one in 2026, will be allowed to continue training pending final adjudication of the matter. In December, it was announced that Bond, the son of longtime New York-based trainer H. James Bond and Tina Bond, who is the president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, was being investigated over allegations that he made the antisemitic comments. Specifically, the remarks allegedly attributed to Bond were in response to a Facebook post regarding the alleged murder of Hollywood producer, director, screenwriter, and actor Rob Reiner and his wife. At the time, Bond said that his Facebook page had been hacked and that the comments were not made by him. He released the following statement: “The contents of the post on Facebook that were attributed to me were shocking and unacceptable, and they most certainly did not come from me. The comments were in response to an account I do not follow; it would appear that my account was hacked, or someone created a false account that looks like mine. In any case, I immediately put on my social media story that my account was hacked and have deactivated my account and now will do everything in my power to prevent anything like this from happening again, and to repair the damage done to myself and to everyone who was hurt and offended by the post.” Seeking an updated comment, The TDN contacted Bond via text Friday, but did not receive a reply as of the deadline for this story. NYRA released the Statement of Charges Friday regarding the Bond matter. It included a provision requiring that any trainer who turns in a stall application “provide his or her staff with anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training…” The provision continues: “Trainer will regularly train its staff on anti-harassment and anti-discrimination. NYRA may impose penalties or revoke the License if Trainer or its employees engages in unlawful, discriminatory, or harassing practices.” In addition, it states that “the stall application provides that NYRA may revoke a trainer's license to use its facilities and/or deny him or her access to its facilities, with or without cause at NYRA's sole discretion…” The Statement of Charges then delved into the specifics regarding the allegations that Bond was behind the antisemitic comments. “On or about December 16, 2025, the following comment was posted in response to an unsympathetic Facebook post about the Reiners' murder: “F*ck Rob Reiner that cocky POS Jew” (hereinafter, the “Facebook Comment”). The Facebook Comment was posted from Respondent's Facebook account.” It continued: “On or about December 16, 2025, NYRA's President and Chief Executive Officer, David O'Rourke, issued the following statement to the media: 'NYRA condemns in the strongest possible terms the vile, antisemitic comments posted today on New York-based trainer Kevin Bond's Facebook account. NYRA has zero tolerance for this kind of hateful speech and will begin an investigation into the matter immediately.' On Dec. 19, NYRA Steward Victor Escobar contacted Bond by email and requested further information, and, in particular anything that could shed light on Bond's claims that his account had been hacked. “At your earliest convenience, but in any event prior to the resumption of racing, please provide any documentation or correspondence you have received from Facebook concerning the reported security breach,” Escobar wrote to Bond. “This should include screenshots of your Facebook account login history for the period around the incident.” The email continued: “NYRA's objective is to resolve this matter promptly and efficiently. The sooner we are able to confirm that a security breach occurred, the sooner this issue can be concluded and all parties can move forward.” According to NYRA, Bond told Escobar, via return email, that he would not be complying with his requests. Bond wrote: “I want to reiterate that I did not author or post the statement attributed to my Facebook account. As previously communicated, my account was compromised, and the content in question was published without my knowledge or authorization. At this time, I will not be re-opening or re-activating my Facebook account. Based on professional cybersecurity guidance, re-enabling an account that is believed to have been compromised presents a risk of further unauthorized activity and potential misuse. My decision is intended to prevent any additional incidents or confusion while this matter is under review.” Bond provided NYRA with a letter from Sam Turetsky, whom he referred to as an independent information technology professional, in which Turetsky maintained that it was in Bond's best interests to keep the account in a disabled state. The email chain continued with a Dec. 23, 2025 message from NYRA Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Joi Garner, which stated, “This letter serves as formal notice that NYRA finds you are not cooperating with its investigation. Despite clear and reasonable requests, you have failed and refused to produce basic, readily accessible information that is uniquely within your possession, custody, or control and that would directly corroborate—or refute—your claim that your Facebook account was compromised. This information includes, without limitation, account-security data, login history, and related records for the relevant time-period. This information could tend to exculpate you. However, your continued refusal to produce this information permits the reasonable inference that it does not support your assertion that your Facebook account was compromised, and the content in question was published without [your] Fullstop or comma. knowledge or authorization. “Your conduct is inconsistent with that of an individual who is acting in good faith to demonstrate that they experienced a genuine cybersecurity incident.” Garner then received an email from Bond's attorney, Clark Brewster, who also maintained that Bond's Facebook account had been hacked. NYRA also alleged that the Facebook comment was not the only time that Bond posted antisemitic statements on line. “A review of Respondent's social media activity reveals a history of antisemitic or otherwise hateful commentary across multiple social media platforms, with tone and language similar to the Facebook Comment,” NYRA charged. The Statement of Charges also brought up incidents in which Bond allegedly engaged in “Ontrack Conduct Demonstrating a Threat to the Safety, Integrity, and Orderly conduct of Racing.” NYRA alleged that one such incident occurred on or about July 8, 2024 when a “licensed hot walker reported to NYRA security that Respondent struck him with a closed fist in the face while he was operating a golf cart on the main track horse path.” Three charges have been levied against Bond: Breach of Stall Application; Conduct Detrimental to the Best Interests of Racing; and Conduct Detrimental to NYRA's Business Operations. “As a result, the Statement of Charges reads, “NYRA seeks to exercise its reasonable business judgment to revoke Respondent's credentials and exclude him from the grounds NYRA operates or any portion thereof.” It is signed by Stuart Subotnick, Racing Committee Chairman, The New York Racing Association, Inc. The post Kevin Bond Charged with Conduct Detrimental in Wake of Facebook Incident appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Faustyna (Kodi Bear) (lot 105), who won a Dundalk maiden on Wednesday, is one of 10 wildcards added to the Tattersalls Online February Sale set for February 17-18 next week. A half-sister to four winners, Faustyna is joined by fellow Dundalk winner Friendly Invoice (Invincible Army) (lot 104). From the family of The Grey Gatsby and already the dam of four winners is M'as Tu Vu (Falco) (lot 107). A half-sister to two stakes winners is Blueaway (Blue Point) (lot 106), who is also a half to the dam of multiple group winner Twilight Jet (Twilight Son). All-weather winner Suzuka (Bated Breath) (lot 99) has been entered, and there is also a yearling filly by Kameko (lot 100) among others. For the full catalogue, please visit the Tattersalls Online website. The post Dundalk Winners Highlight Tattersalls Online Wildcards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing fans can bid to own a piece of Thoroughbred history in an online silent auction benefiting abused and neglected children. Halters for Sovereignty, Good Cheer, and Gun Runner are available in the Bourbon & the Bayou silent auction, run by the nonprofit child advocacy organization CASA of Lexington. Bidding opened today and continues until 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 27. The silent auction is part of CASA of Lexington's annual fundraiser, Bourbon & the Bayou. The event raises funds that provide advocacy for hundreds of abused and neglected children in central Kentucky each year. Any items won in the silent auction can be picked up at the CASA of Lexington office, 3245 Loch Ness Dr. in Lexington, Ky., beginning 10 a.m. on Monday, Mar. 2. Winners can also pay to ship their items. The post Halters for Gun Runner, Sovereignty and Good Cheer Featured in Online Charity Auction appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Millionaire multiple stakes winner Coal Battle is back on the work tab at Oaklawn in advance of his 4-year-old debut, which trainer Lonnie Briley said could come in the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile Stakes (G3) for older horses March 28.View the full article

Saudi Cup weekend got off to a flying start Feb. 13 as a Kentucky-bred Saudi star in the making won the Fillies Mile and Mickael Barzalona took the International Jockeys' Challenge by winning the final two races of the series.View the full article

Glance At Midnight, who holds a Cheltenham Festival Grade 1 entry, is one of the highlights of the 21-strong GoffsGo February catalogue. Set for Wednesday at noon, February 18, the sale ends on Thursday, February 19 at 2 p.m. The sale features 15 horses-in-training, two young stock, and four mares. Consigned as lot 3, the son of Passing Glance carries entries in the G1 Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the G1 Turners Novices' Hurdle. The six-year-old is a bumper and maiden hurdle winner and finished second at listed level earlier this month. Multiple Grade 2 winner Moyhenna (Westerner) (lot 20) will be offered in foal to Harzand. Her full-sister, in foal to Wings Of Eagles (lot 21), will also go under the hammer. Other lots of note include The winner and listed placed Inspire Hope (Camelot) (lot 4), and lot 19, Dinaria (Holy Roman Emperor), a half-sister to sires Doctor Dino and Bande and the dam of three winners so far. Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “GoffsGo made a successful start to the year with its January Sale and as is the concept of the platform, being always ready to sell, the February Sale follows quickly on. We have catalogued some quality horses, headlined by Glance At Midnight who looks to have a bright future in front of him, and some attractive young mares and breeding stock including Moyhenna, who represents a rare opportunity to secure a broodmare of her calibre. “GoffsGo provides a real point of difference to the market as it can cater for horses at all levels and offers tailored auctions from all category catalogues to dispersals and pop-up sales, all of which can be held as open to the public, or confidentially, away from public view. Vendors and purchasers benefit from the same terms of business and the unique and transparent Goffs service that is evident at all live Goffs sales regardless of location. “GoffsGo offers outstanding value with an entry fee of just £49 and the lowest available vendor commission of 1.5% which is only charged for lots that sell on the platform. That is unmatched by any other European online platform.” The post Glance At Midnight Anchors GoffsGo February Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Mickael Barzalona landed a hat-trick of victories at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on the eve of the Saudi Cup to clinch not just the International Jockeys' Challenge but also the valuable Saudi International Handicap. With the first two legs of the four-race jockeys' contest having been won by Britain's Saffie Osborne and German Derby-winning rider Nina Baltromei, the Frenchman ensured the spoils would be his by taking the final two heats on the turf. Barzalona's victory aboard Year Of The Dragon in round four came at the expense of Norwegian-born Frida Valle-Skar, whose consistent performances throughout the competition earned her enough to take the runner-up spot overall, with Osborne in third in the final standings. “The way we ride on the dirt is completely different and the way you actually ride here is different, which makes the races very attractive, as well. It is great to be here,” said Barzalona. Valle-Skar, who is generally based in France, added, “It feels amazing, I'm really happy. When I got the draw I was quite happy with my horses and I was proved to be right. “I had not ridden on the dirt for 10 years, the last time was in Texas. It's good to learn and to take this back to France.” The competition may have been over but Barzalona was straight back to business for the next race of the night and guided the Saad Aljenade-trained Frankel gelding Gran Descans to glory for King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz & Sons in the $500,000 Saudi International Handicap. The race is reserved for runners trained in nations in Part II of the IFHA's Blue Book. Barzalona said of the Juddmonte-bred winner, “Last time [finishing third in the Prince Khalid Abdullah Cup], I gave him a chance to [gather himself] because he was slow from the gate, but today I knew he had the stamina, so I got him going as quick as I can. “He travelled very well for me. We didn't go that fast, but it was a reasonable gallop. When I asked him to lengthen, he actually picked up gradually and stayed strong to the line.” The post Barzalona Dominant in Riyadh on Saudi Cup Eve appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Jockey Club of Canada named the finalists for the 2025 Sovereign Awards and the winners, along with Canada's Horse of the Year, will be revealed during the 51st annual ceremony to be held on Thursday, Apr. 23 at Paramount Eventspace in Woodbridge, Ontario, the club said via a press release on Friday. The nominees for this year's Sovereign Awards include a pair of past King's Plate winners in Canadian MGSW Caitlinhergrtness (Omaha Beach)–a finalist for Older Main Track Female–and last year's hero Mansetti (Collected), who was named in the 3-Year-Old Male category. Both runners are trained by Kevin Attard, who won the top conditioner award last year. The recent winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, Pietro Moran, is up for both Sovereign rider prizes. As for the juvenile divisions, undefeated filly Corsia Veloce (Practical Joke) is a finalist. The winner of the GI Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes is also competing for Champion Female Turf Horse. Over on the boys side, GI bet365 Summer Stakes victor Argos (Nyquist) makes the grade. The 2-year-old is in the running for Champion Turf Horse as well. The categories and finalists are listed below. Champion 2-Year-Old Female: Corsia Veloce (Practical Joke) Dixie Law (Tiz the Law) Piper's Gift (Yorkton) Champion 2-Year-Old Male: Argos (Nyquist) Casson (Caravaggio) Two Out Hero (War Front) Champion 3-Year-Old Female: Chi Chi Time (Finality) No Time (Not This Time) Winterberry (Frosted) Champion 3-Year-Old Male: Borealis Trail (Quality Road) Mansetti Take Charge Tom (Tom's d'Etat) Champion Older Main Track Female: Avana (Vino Rosso) Big Hug (Mr. Big) Caitlinhergrtness Ready for Shirl (More Than Ready) Champion Older Main Track Male: Dresden Row (Lord Nelson) Judo (Street Sense) Swift Delivery (Not This Time) Champion Female Turf Horse: Corsia Veloce Little Teddy (Frac Daddy) Ready for Shirl Champion Male Turf Horse: Argos Gas Me Up (Hard Spun) My Boy Prince (Cairo Prince) Champion Female Sprinter: Gal in a Rush (Ghostzapper) Little Teddy Tart (Maximus Mischief) Champion Male Sprinter: Gas Me Up My Boy Prince Simcoe (Uncle Mo) Outstanding Broodmare: Aurora Lights (Pulpit) Dixie Chicken (Rahy) Gladiator Queen (Great Gladiator) Outstanding Breeder: Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. Chiefswood Stables Limited Frank Di Giulio Jr. Outstanding Owner: Chiefswood Stables Limited Bruno Schickedanz Al and Bill Ulwelling Outstanding Trainer: Kevin Attard Mark E. Casse Martin Drexler Outstanding Jockey: Sahin Civaci Rafael Manuel Hernandez Pietro Moran Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Austin Adams Xarel Forde Pietro Moran The 2025 Media Awards finalists and the winners for Outstanding Groom, Outstanding Western Canadian Backstretch Worker and Outstanding Off-Track Worker will be released in the coming days. For tickets to the awards show, click here. The post Sovereign Award Finalists Named, List Includes King’s Plate Hero Mansetti appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The 2026 Asian Racing Conference has ended in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The next host for the ARC is New Zealand. Organised by the Asian Racing Federation and hosted by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, a three-day business programme wrapped up on Thursday. The closing ceremony was a celebration of Saudi Arabia's love of horses with a laser display creating the effect of horses galloping around the delegates at the venue. HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Alfaisal, the chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, formally opened proceedings on Monday along with Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO of Hong Kong Jockey Club and chairman of the Asian Racing Federation. Engelbrecht-Bresges said at the closing ceremonies, “Staging such a wonderful event would not have been possible without the work done by our host, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, and the ARC Organising Committee. Thank you, Prince Bandar, your team has done a wonderful job. “Having talked to many of you over the course of the week, it is clear that this global Conference is widely seen as a success of the Asian Racing Federation. To you, I say thank you for your enthusiasm, engagement, and commitment to racing. It is your energy that has brought the Conference to life.” For more on ARC, please go to the 2026 ARC website. The post New Zealand Named New Host For Next Asian Racing Conference appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Jonny Turner Great memories are sure to come flooding back if The Big Lebowski can continue his brilliant form in the Gore Town and Country Club Summer Cup on Sunday. The big-striding pacer will be out to seal a hat-trick of cup race victories after taking out the recent Riverton and Waikouaiti Cups for trainer Brett Gray. Gore’s Summer Cup is part of a bumper race day which celebrates the Gore Harness Racing Club reaching its 125th year. The Big Lebowski was bred and developed in Eastern Southland by Robin Swain, who has made a huge contribution to harness racing in the region. The nine-year-old is from a family Swain and the late Colin Baynes had outstanding success with. Both Baynes and Swain and their star horses will be recognised at the Gore Harness Racing Club’s 125 year celebration. The Big Lebowski powered to an emphatic win in the Waikouaiti Cup from the same 40m handicap he faces at Gore. While his challenge over a slightly shorter distance on Sunday looks similar, his trainer knows it won’t be easy. “The horse is going great, he is in a good space at the moment and I am pretty hopeful he will go another nice race,” Gray said. “It is probably another step up for him this week with the field he’s racing.” “But I have been quite happy with him and the longer distances on the grass suit him, so hopefully he’s not too far away.” Horses with local connections will carry special Gore Harness Racing Club 125 year colours in all of Sunday’s races. Dan Anderson aboard Julie Jaccka, owned by club stalwarts Charlie and Ailsa Smaill, will wear the silks in the Kim McDowall Painting Gore Summer Trotting Cup. Gray and the Smaills also have last start winner Jaccka Ace stepping out on Sunday. “He is actually coming down in grade after that win, so if he does everything right again he would have to be a pretty good chance.” Gray starts two more trotters at the Gore meeting in Daisymerollin and Franco Hefner. “Franco Hefner is stepping up, it is never easy for a trotter coming out of maidens but he is a nice horse and is a good chance if he can do everything right.” “Daisymerollin will have to bring her manners too after her wee mistake at Riverton.” “If she trots she won’t be far away I wouldn’t think.” Riverton grass winner Arma Forrest looks an each way chance for the Gray team despite drawing wide in barrier 8. Havtimefordiamonds also steps back out on grass for the stable after placing in her last attempt on the surface. With two runners from his own barn, Robin Swain will be out to complete a unique double on Sunday. As well as a potential win as a breeder with The Big Lebowski, Swain will be out to score with either Bowlem Over and Magnetic Beckers who both start in Gore’s finale. “Both of them like the grass and they both look like good chances,” Swain said. “It is a bit of a drop in grade for Magnetic Beckers, he’s been racing well.” “Bowlem Over could be the slightly better chance, just with the front row draw he could race handy which he likes to do.” “He’s won at Gore on the grass before, too.” Brent Barclay will drive for both the Gray and Swain stables on Sunday, linking up with The Big Lebowski, Magnetic Beckers, Jaccka Ace, Arma Forrest and Daisymerollin. Jonny Turner’s Five to Follow Race 1 (11.55am) – Itsallaboutthemoney This mare is one of those horses who seems to go up a gear on grass – that is when she brings her manners. When Itsallaboutthemoney last stepped out on turf she broke behind the mobile and took no part, which she has also done on all-weather tracks. While it is difficult to call her any sort of stand out, that is about where the negatives end. She’s in form with a nice last start third, drawn to land handy and racing over a suitable sprint trip. There’s some early speed outside her, which could see her land in a sweet spot just behind the pace. If that’s the case, she can get a local win on the card early on Gore’s big day. Race 2 (12.20pm) – Hobbs The booking of Brad Williamson looks the key to this mare’s winning chances. I wouldn’t go out of my way to offend Bruce Wallace, he’s a great guy and a horseman with many talents. But I am sure he will agree that Brad has the edge over him in the race day driving ranks. I know as much after chatting to him last week at Winton. There, she got too far off the pace in a hectic affair. This week she’s a good chance of settling much handier, coming off the unruly. In what looks a field well within her reach, she looks hard to beat with her best manners. Race 11 (5.10pm) – Nubliah Chamay If there was ever a race made for a horse, this is it. With her great standing start manners, Nubliah Chamay looks a massive chance of landing right on the pace which is of course vital over 1800m. In her last start at Addington those manners were totally negated and she was too far back in the running to have any impact. Prior to that, she came from a 10m handicap to run a solid second to Ah Dinnae Ken. This time those handicaps are reversed, with Nubliah Chamay getting the head start. It may not be enough for her to turn the tables, as Ah Dinnae Ken is a handy mare still building to peak fitness. However, Nubliah Chamay looks a great each way hope and a must in place and combo calculations. Race 4 (1.13pm) – What’s The Whisper This gelding showed his best and his worst in his last outing at Winton. He missed away badly, setting himself an impossible task. But What’s The Whisper did make up a good chunk of ground to finish with the pack. The difference this week, other than the move to a grass track, is the configuration of the field. Last week there were two walls of handicapped horses behind What’s The Whisper, which I am sure wouldn’t have helped. This week all runners are off the same front mark in what is a maiden only event. With great manners and good efforts prior to last week, including good form on grass, I am willing to stick with him. Race 8 (3.22pm) – Moses He’s travelled far and wide and now he’s heading to Gore’s big day. As well he should, given how well he fits into the handicaps for the Gore Summer Trotters Cup. Moses’ 10m handicap looks very workable given where his key rivals sit and the fact there’s only one outside chance off the front line. With all of the recent racing he’s had he is fit and he brings great manners too. Moses’ last start at Addington was excellent, he made nice late ground behind quality types. In his prior run at Oamaru he was beaten by two of his Gore rivals, but he was checked on the turn which had a big impact on his momentum. View the full article

Stop us if you've heard this before: a seven-figure son of Gun Runner from the barn of Chad Brown has been sent to New Orleans to make his sophomore debut in Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes. Two years ago it was Sierra Leone who made the trip up from South Florida off a narrow defeat in the GII Remsen Stakes in the second of his two juvenile appearances. With Tyler Gafflione at the controls, the lanky colt took full advantage of the long straight in the Big Easy to prevail narrowly in what marked the launch of a season that would conclude with an Eclipse statuette. Whereas Sierra Leone topped the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale at $2.3 million, Paladin was purchased by substantially the same ownership for $1.9 million two summers later and also made just a pair of trips to the races at the back end of his freshman campaign. Having flashed past the post second in a one-mile Aqueduct maiden Oct. 17–just shy of two weeks to the day of Sierra Leone's victorious debut over the same track and distance–Paladin was put up over Renegade (Into Mischief). But whereas Sierra Leone was outgamed by Dornoch (Good Magic) in the Remsen, Paladin confirmed form in that oft-maligned nine-furlong contest with a two-length victory. And as if Paladin needs further recommending, Renegade has since returned to dominate the Feb. 7 Sam F. Davis Stakes, so it looks very much like history repeating on Saturday. Like the 8-5 morning-line favorite, Golden Tempo (Curlin) enters the Risen Star perfect in his two runs to date. The Phipps Stable and St. Elias homebred was named a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard when rattling home from a mile back to graduate by open lengths over an insufficient six furlongs Dec. 20. Given an immediate class test when trying two turns for the first time in the Jan. 17 GIII Lecomte Stakes, Golden Tempo settled one from the tail and turned in another long rally to best his now-sidelined stablemate Mesquite (Union Rags) and the re-opposing Carson Street (Street Sense), who led into the final furlong before yielding grudgingly. A Godolphin Four-Timer In Rachel Alexandra? One of just a handful of 3-year-old fillies entered for this year's Triple Crown, the two-for-two Bella Ballerina (Street Sense) faces her peers while making her return to the races in Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard when widening to graduate by 4 1/4 lengths on Keeneland sprint debut Oct. 5, the daughter of Grade I winner Pretty City Dancer (Tapit) led clear into the final furlong of the Nov. 29 GII Golden Rod Stakes and the wire came in time. The half-sister to 2023 Rachel Alexandra and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine and Brendan Walsh-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) looks to give Godolphin a fourth straight renewal. Whisper Hill Farm's Just Singing (Justify) defeated Dancin in Old Town (Tapit) to win her maiden in her first two-turn try Oct. 26 and came with a barnstorming run from double digits back to miss by a length in third in the Golden Rod. Luv Your Neighbor (Constitution) adds the blinkers off a neck defeat in the Silverbulletday Stakes Jan. 17, an effort that came on the back of a head loss in the Untapable Stakes Dec. 20. Were she to run back to the 84 Beyer she earned when breaking her maiden by four clear lengths Jan. 10, Powered by Family (Quality Road) could be a danger here, but that win was in a race rained off the turf and onto a muddy main track. In Other Graded Action… In the GIII Fair Grounds Stakes, Kupuna (Hard Spun) faces the consistent Lagynos (Kantharos) and the progressive Montador (Nyquist), while in the GIII Mineshaft Stakes, 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Accelerize (Omaha Beach) takes on Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), who ostensibly preps for a title defense in the G1 Dubai World Cup in six weeks' time. Saturday's GIII Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream could come down to a battle of 'TDN Rising Stars' presented by Hagyard, as Shred the Gnar (Into Mischief)–last seen wiring the GIII Chilukki Stakes Nov. 15–takes on Senza Parole (Gun Runner), a romping allowance winner going a local mile Jan. 15. Alpine Princess (Classic Empire) can achieve millionaire status with a victory, while last year's GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up Drexel Hill (Bolt d'Oro) is back up into graded company off a workmanlike victory in Tampa's Wayward Lass Stakes Jan. 10. The sixth and final of Saturday's graded events is Santa Anita's GIII San Marcos Stakes, which marks the 8-year-old debut of the evergreen Gold Phoenix (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}). The post Brown Been There, Done That As Paladin Returns In Risen Star appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After watching a bill she filed last July to restore a gambler's right to deduct 100% of losses from gambling winnings languish without consideration in the House Ways and Means Committee, U.S. Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada on Thursday initiated a discharge petition in an attempt to bypass committee action and force it to a vote before the full Congress. “My FAIR BET Act has been sitting in @WaysMeansCmte for eight months, despite commitments from @HouseGOP to restore the full gambling loss deduction,” Titus wrote Feb. 12 in a posting on the X social media platform. “I am now filing a discharge petition to bring it to the House floor for a vote. “Both high-stakes and hobby gamblers are struggling,” Titus continued. “And local economies like [Nevada's First District] that depend on gaming revenue are hurting. We need 218 signatures to bring this commonsense fix to the floor. Call your representatives and tell them to sign on.” The 2025 Tax Act (aka the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”) signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025, reduced the percentage of gambling losses that a taxpayer can deduct from 100% to 90%. Previously, if a horseplayer won $100,000 and incurred $100,000 in gambling losses during the year, he or she would have been able to fully offset the winnings with losses, resulting in no taxable gambling income. But under the new rule, a bettor can deduct only 90% of those losses ($90,000), leaving 10% ($10,000) of taxable income, even though that gambler broke even in reality. This change does not affect 2025 tax year returns that gamblers are now preparing to file. It only applies to gambling wins and losses occurring in and after 2026. Additionally, the deduction is still only available to taxpayers who itemize deductions. It is unclear if Titus's use of the discharge petition will actually work, or if it will end up serving only as a procedural signifier to underscore her frustrations over being a Democrat trying to pass legislation in a paralyzed U.S. House of Representatives that is narrowly but steadfastly controlled by Republicans. According to a recent report in Newsweek, the current 119th Congress has produced the lowest legislative output in modern history, passing only a few dozen bills. Capitol Building | Getty The House's Ways and Means Committee is chaired by U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, a Republican from Missouri, and the committee's members are Republican over Democrat by a 26 to 19 margin. The Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over revenue and related issues, has reported on only 15 bills since Titus filed the FAIR BET Act on July 7. There are at least 58 bills in the queue for Ways and Means consideration according to the committee's web page on Congress.gov. The FAIR BET Act has 23 co-sponsors (13 Democrats and 10 Republicans). According to an explanation on Congress.gov, the House discharge rule “provides a means for Members to bring to the floor for consideration a public bill or resolution that has been referred to committee but not reported. Discharge is generally the only procedure by which Members can secure consideration of a measure without cooperation from the committee(s) of referral, the majority-party leadership, or the Committee on Rules. For this reason, discharge is designed to be time-consuming to execute and difficult to accomplish.” Although discharge petitions were once used only sparingly, they have lately cycled into vogue as a means to circumvent the stalled nature of governance in the U.S. Congress. But even if a petition does reach 218 signatures, an actual floor vote on the discharge motion isn't automatic. Consideration still depends on the House's schedule and on party leadership decisions. A report by National Public Radio (NPR) in January described the process this way: “Seldom-deployed in recent decades, the discharge petition is now seeing a surge in use and success.” According to NPR's research, since 2023, “seven discharge petitions have reached the 218 threshold, the same number as in the previous four decades.” Titus's discharge petition had been signed by no other legislators as of mid-morning on Feb. 13. The post Discharge Petition Filed In Attempt To Force House Vote On Restoring Gambling-Loss Tax Deductions To 100% appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Jockey Club published its 2026 Industry Impact Report Friday, which includes a consolidated statement of income for 2025 listing total investment in industry initiatives as $6.3-million, with nearly $1.7-million going to Thoroughbred aftercare, the organization said in a press release on Friday. Located at the back of the document, last year's income statement itemizes industry initiatives and investment, which includes funding America's Best Racing ($2.164 million), aftercare ($1.67 million) and industry support ($2.5 million) for a total of $6.3 million. Since 2010, The Jockey Club says it has re-invested more than $112 million back into the industry. This year, another $7 million will bring the investment total to nearly $120 million to fund and grow the sport in areas such as aftercare and second careers for Thoroughbreds, promotion of the sport, education, and national and international collaboration. “The Jockey Club remains steadfast in its mission to improve Thoroughbred breeding and racing,” said James L. Gagliano, president and COO, The Jockey Club. “Each year we continue to expand on that mission by assisting Thoroughbreds throughout their lives and marketing and growing the sport and its fanbase.” The statement of income also includes the operating results of The Jockey Club's tax-exempt Registry as well as its wholly owned subsidiaries. The statement was prepared for internal management reporting and may reflect allocations that may differ from those used in external financial reporting and publicly disclosed tax forms such as IRS Form 990, which discloses financial information specific to the tax-exempt Registry only. “Releasing our consolidated statement of income reiterates our commitment to transparency within the industry,” Gagliano said. Click here to view the report. The post The Jockey Club’s ’25 Consolidated Income Reports $6.3 Million For Industry Initiatives And Investment appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wagering on Lecomte Stakes (G3) runner-up Mesquite in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager has been suspended due to a suspected soft tissue injury that removed him from Kentucky Derby consideration.View the full article

For a team which prides itself on never taking a backward step, Topgear is a suitably-named newcomer to the stallion roster at Capital Stud for 2026, with this latest offering being snapped up by breeders with such alacrity that the forward-thinking operation in County Kilkenny must be doing something right. Founded in 2020 by Ger O'Neill and Darragh McCarthy, Capital Stud describes itself as “a syndicate made up of prominent industry figures who have committed to supporting their stallions in the breeding shed and in the sales ring”. “We'd like to get as big as we can,” added O'Neill in an interview with TDN Europe in January 2024. “We're very motivated to make Capital Stud better and are excited to see how far we can go in this industry. It's a very hard business, but it's an enjoyable one, and I'd love nothing more than to be standing one of the big-name Flat stallions. That's the goal. If we don't hit that goal, fine, but it won't be for a lack of trying.” Following the arrival of Topgear, there is clearly a strong belief among the team at Capital Stud that its hard work might be about to pay off. The son of Wootton Bassett joins Castle Star as one of two Flat stallions on the roster, having won seven of his 18 starts when trained in Chantilly by Christopher Head for owner Hisaaki Saito. Four of those victories were achieved in Group company, including a five-and-a-half-length demolition of some smart rivals in the G2 Challenge Stakes at Newmarket in October 2024. “We'd been on the lookout for a while for a horse that could elevate our Flat side of things a little bit,” reiterates Cormac O'Flynn, who joined the team at Capital Stud around the time that the Derby hero and leading National Hunt stallion Authorized relocated there from Turkey. “We'd followed Topgear for a long time and I suppose, when he won the Challenge Stakes in Newmarket, that was probably the standout performance that we'd been looking for. We moved very quickly afterwards and were delighted to put an agreement in place.” Saito, meanwhile, has stayed involved in Topgear and is keen to support his stallion career, according to O'Flynn. If backing their stallions in the sales ring is just as important as doing so in the breeding shed for the team at Capital Stud, then they appear to have found a kindred spirit in the Japanese owner. At last year's Goffs November Sale, for example, Sebastien Desmontils of Chauvigny Global Equine signed for three first-crop foals by Good Guess on behalf of Saito, clearly eager to row in behind the stallion who had carried his owner's silks to victory in the G1 Prix Jean Prat. Saito's trio of purchases at Kildare Paddocks included the most expensive colt at €150,000 and the most expensive filly at €105,000. “We all saw what he did with Good Guess at Goffs November,” O'Flynn adds. “It was great to see and he's pledged something similar for Topgear. We look forward to hopefully getting some good foals in front of him, and other buyers as well, at foal and yearling sales in the coming years.” Topgear will certainly be on the right track if he can produce foals that take after himself, with O'Flynn describing the almost-jet-black stallion as “a forward horse”. “He stands about 16.1hh and has plenty of size and a good walk, so he'll tick a lot of the commercial boxes as well,” he adds. Of course, whilst Topgear's best performance didn't come until the autumn of his five-year-old season, it's worth remembering that he'd previously been precocious enough to win three times as a juvenile, culminating with a narrow victory in the G3 Prix Eclipse at Chantilly. “He was an unbeaten two-year-old,” O'Flynn says of Topgear's early career on the racecourse. “He shared characteristics with his father in a lot of ways – he was probably a seven-furlong specialist, really. We then didn't get to see him at three. Unfortunately, he broke his pelvis and missed 577 days. “He came back and really peaked as a five-year old, winning the Group 3 [Prix du Pin] in Longchamp over seven [furlongs] and then following that up in the Challenge Stakes, a Group 2 where he got the big Timeform rating of 123. He was very impressive that day, winning by five and a half lengths, and that was probably his standout performance. “We kept him in training as a six-year-old and Christopher Head was adamant that a Group 1 was within reach. It started great. He won a Group 3 [Prix du Palais-Royal] on his first start and we went to Royal Ascot very excited but, unfortunately, he aggravated the pelvis again, so we kind of looked after him from there.” O'Flynn adds, “He was a very tough racehorse and very resilient. He ran 18 times, won seven races and was second on a further five occasions. Hopefully, he can put that grit and toughness into his stock and give himself a chance of success as a stallion.” One thing is for sure: Topgear won't lack for support if the way he went down with breeders during the recent ITM Irish Stallion Trail is anything go by. One of five sons of Wootton Bassett to retire to stud in Ireland for 2026, Topgear offers a point of difference, according to O'Flynn, having been introduced at a fee of €7,500. He explains, “Wootton Bassett speaks for himself, an incredible stallion, and he's going to leave a big legacy, hopefully. He's five sons at stud this year. We're delighted to be able to give breeders access at probably a different price point to a lot of them, so he represents tremendous value. “He's by Wootton Bassett and out of a Giant's Causeway mare [Miss Lech], out of a Quiet American mare [Mysterieuse Etoile], so he's a big outcross and he'll be able suit a lot of the population [of mares] in Ireland, England and France.” O'Flynn continues, “Fingers crossed, we've a good group of breeders that have come together. We did a syndication for him when we got him here. A lot of Irish breeders have bought one and a half or two percent shares, so we have a nice group. We're keen to do that here at Capital Stud, to allow people to come on the journey with us and, hopefully, set us up for success in the long term. “It's still in its infancy, really. We're quite young, but people are really starting to follow us. There are a lot of young breeders and we're trying to be as dynamic as we can, offering opportunities to buy into stallions or trying to open up new bloodlines. “We stand here sons of Deep Impact [Martinborough], Montjeu [Authorized], Starspangledbanner [Castle Star], Wootton Bassett and Frankel [Mirage Dancer], so to be able to offer a younger, more dynamic group of breeders access to those stallions and to buy in to them is important to us. Hopefully, we can all go on the journey and win together over the coming years.” The post ‘People Are Really Starting To Follow Us’ – Breeders Get Behind Capital Stud and New Recruit Topgear appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

At an unspecified date in the future Saudi Arabia will have a brand new racecourse at Qiddiya City, which will eventually host the Saudi Cup, according to an announcement made earlier this week. But for now the world's richest race belongs in Riyadh. Development has continued apace at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, which has now been in operation for 24 years. Much has changed, even in the short history of the Saudi Cup, both to the infrastructure at the racecourse and in the status of some of the contests. The Saudi Cup itself gained a Group 1 tag back in 2021, ahead of the third running of the race, and now it is joined at that international top tier by the Howden Neom Turf Cup, which on Saturday will become the first Group 1 race on grass to be staged in Saudi Arabia. Bob Baffert served up the Field of Dreams analogy in an interview during the week, and of course when $20m is attached to a race it will draw top horses from all over the world. In 2021, Classic winner Mishriff became the first European to take the race, and remains the only one to have done so, with subsequent runnings having gone to horses trained in Saudi, America and Japan. Yoshito Yahagi is the only trainer to have won it twice, initially with Panthalassa in 2023, and he has brought last year's winner, Japan's Horse of the Year Forever Young (Real Steel), back for another shot in an attempt to extend his record further still. Japanese horsemen now come in droves to the winter fixtures in the Middle East. In the six-year history of the Saudi Cup, 16 of the 47 international thoroughbred races have gone to a Japanese runner and there are 20 horses from the country here in Saudi. It should come as no surprise as, in addition to the Cup itself, Japan secured a clean sweep of last year's turf races with Shin Emperor (Siyouni), Ascoli Piceno (Daiwa Major) and Byzantine Dream (Epiphaneia). The latter has not travelled to Saudi this year for a repeat attempt at the G2 Red Sea Turf Handicap but is instead in Qatar where he will run in the G2 HH The Amir Trophy. For this year's main event, Forever Young will be tough to beat. Baffert, having twice finished second in the Saudi Cup, launches a double-pronged attack and said on Thursday that the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist) is the best horse he has brought for the Saudi Cup to date, from five previous runners. He also fields Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), who the trainer compared favourably to his 2022 runner-up Country Grammer. Yahagi's former assistant Kyoko Maekawa, the first female trainer to be licensed in the JRA, has her first shot at international glory with Sunrise Kipangu (Kizuna), a versatile sort when it comes to both trip and surface. Her compatriot Noriyuki Hori, who came close to Royal Ascot glory last year with Satono Reve, will saddle the third challenger from Japan, Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah), the mount of Joao Moreira. The Godolphin-bred Banishing (Ghostzapper) was bought by Larry Roman for $80,000 as a four-year-old in training, and Roman has raced him since then with trainer David Jacobson. On Saturday Banishing will race for those two partners along with Sharaf Al Hariri, who bought into the six-year-old in recent days – a strategy which worked well for him when he took a share in the 2024 winner Senor Buscador just prior to the race. Meanwhile the fellow American-trained Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) will also carry local hopes. The Brad Cox trainee, the winner of four graded stakes at up to nine furlongs, is now listed in the ownership of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz and Sons. Ghaiyyath filly Ameerat Alzamaan leads a team of five Saudi-trained challengers and will be ridden by Ryan Moore. The four-year-old was runner-up to Mhally (Sergei Prokofiev) in the G3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, a Saudi Cup qualifying race over course and distance. Bridesmaid Survie goes for Group 1 glory The new Group 1 status of the Howden Neom Turf Cup, along with its $3m purse, has proved sufficient enticement for the new connections of Survie, who changed hands for 1.9 million gns at Tattersalls in December. The five-year-old daughter of Churchill now runs in the colours of Doreen Tabor and has moved to the stable of George Boughey, who gave her a warm-up run, and win, in the Winter Derby Trial at Lingfield on January 31. “She came out of the race good, she didn't do a huge amount last week but has shipped over in great shape,” Boughey said. “Dropping back to this 2,100-metre trip was always my plan, especially with this race having been upgraded to a Group 1 and with an extra $1m in prize-money, it was an obvious point for her.” Survie has been placed in Group 1 contests on four occasions, including when second to Sparkling Plenty in the Prix de Diane. She fully deserves to be a top-level winner in her own right but will have to see off last year's winner, the aforementioned Shin Emperor, as well as recent G2 Bahrain Trophy winner Royal Champion (Shamardal) and his runner-up Galen (Gleneagles). Alohi Alii (Duramente) claimed the G3 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano on his last trip outside Japan and will likely be better suited by the 2,100-metre trip and faster ground after being thwarted in the Arc. The 2024 G1 Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval (Ribchester) and last year's GI Canadian International winner Silawi (Dubawi), now seven and six respectively, add some depth to an 11-strong field drawn from six different nations. Melrose winners clash in Red Sea Turf Bar two runners from Japan – Struve (King Kamehameha) and Vermiclles (Gold Ship) – the $2.5m G2 Red Sea Turf Handicap is an entirely European affair featuring some well known names and emerging stayers. The last two winners of York's Melrose Handicap, so often a good pointer to some progressive types, face each other, with Tom Clover's Tabletalk having been gelded since we saw him last at Chester in August. The trainer rides him daily and feels he will be well suited to the faster ground he will encounter in Riyadh. The 2025 Melrose winner was the Juddmonte homebred Tarriance, a son of Frankel from the family of Hasili who has also recently been gelded. Trained by Andrew Balding, his only blip in six runs to date was his last-place finish in the St Leger on soft ground, but he too should enjoy these more suitable conditions. “It's great having a Juddmonte horse out here,” said the trainer's wife Annalisa Balding. “He didn't run at two and just improved so much last year. He's very straightforward and hopefully will enjoy the trip.” Epic Poet (Lope De Vega) was second in the race last year for David O'Meara, who said of the seven-year-old, “I think his prep, especially going out to Dubai this year, has been better. “I'm unsure about the draw in 12, but we're hopeful. He's very versatile and can sit right behind the leaders or take his time in the back if they're going hard.” Joseph O'Brien has scratched his Melbourne Cup runner-up Goodie Two Shoes but is still double-handed thanks to last year's Derby third and G2 Prix Dollar winner Tennessee Stud (Wootton Bassett) and G3 Ballyroan Stakes winner Sons And Lovers (Study Of Man). Burdett Road (Muhaarar) is guaranteed to be the only Saudi runner who did his Middle East prep at Cheltenham, but last year's Champion Hurdle runner-up is plainly in good form from his National Hunt exertions as he ran a decent second in a conditions race in Dubai last month. The French-trained greys Presage Nocturne (Wootton Bassett) and Espoir Avenir (Montmartre) have looked a picture training together in the morning this week but they are not just here to look pretty. Both are Group 3 winners over this trip at Longchamp and Presage Nocturne went off favourite for last year's Melbourne Cup. Lazzat and Panja Tower a class above in 1351 Turf Sprint Annaf (Muhaarar) won the $2m 1351 Turf Sprint two years ago and Mick Appleby's seven-year-old finished sixth of 13 last year. In this third appearance he faces a solid Group 1 performer in Lazzat (Territories), who could well add to trainer Jerome Reynier's burgeoning haul of international wins. Donnacha O'Brien's first runner in Saudi Arabia is Comanche Brave (Wootton Bassett), who drops back in trip for this 1,351-metre contest. Ridden by Ryan Moore, he backs up quickly after finishing third in last weekend's Listed Abu Dhabi Gold Cup. “He is a horse I always wanted to bring back down to sprint distances,”O'Brien said. “This is his first step in that direction. He is a horse with a lot of natural pace and hopefully that will bring out a bit of improvement.” The G1 NHK Mile winner Panja Tower (Tower Of London), representing trainer Shinsuke Hashiguchi, looks the pick of the three Japanese runners and is versatile regarding trip. Points to be made in the Saudi Derby The G3 Saudi Derby has been given something of a boost by its star graduate of 2024, Forever Young. Three of the six runnings have gone to Japan, and this year's most talked-about horse is Satono Voyage (Into Mischief), the winner of three of his four races in Japan including the Cattelya Stakes, which carries points for the Kentucky Derby, as does this race. Satono Voyage is trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, whose biggest threat in attempting to land this prize could come from compatriot Junji Tanaka (no relation), who saddles another multiple winner Best Green (Smart Falcon). The American challengers attempting to pick up some Derby points include the Brad Cox-trained My World, from the first crop of Darley's Essential Quality, and Obliteration (Violence), who was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint for Steve Asmussen. Karl Burke has sent Pontefract Listed winner Shayem (King Of Change), the winner of three of his four starts last year, and James Doyle's mount is not the only European runner in the reckoning as Gianluca Bietolini brings his Deauville Listed winner Cielo Di Roma (Romanised) and has secured the services of Mickael Barzalona. Breeders' Cup Sprint form tested The Grade I winners Elite Power and Straight No Chaser are both former winners of the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, for which last year's runner-up Muqtahem (Soldier's Call) reappears with a string of five Saudi wins to his name since then for trainer Abdullah Alsidrani. The Bob Baffert-trained Imagination, last seen finishing runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, sets a decent standard and will reoppose fellow Into Mischief colt American Stage, who was fourth behind him at Del Mar and is making his first visit to Riyadh for this meeting's most successful trainer Yoshito Yahagi. The Naoya Nakamura-trained four-year-old Yamanin Cerchi (Four Wheel Drive) has a progressive look to him and closed out last year with a hat-trick of Listed wins before finishing second in the G3 Capella Stakes in mid-December. The post International Cast Assembled as Forever Young Bids for Saudi Cup History appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

At 78 years of age, Dana Halvorson is looking to move out of Washington State and live permanently at his farm in Ocala, Florida. He leaves behind a decades-long, storied career in the bloodstock world in Washington. He also leaves behind a state breeding industry in free-fall. Between 2005 and 2025, the number of mares bred dropped 94%, from 1214 to 70. Only two major farms remain in the whole state. “The West Coast has just taken a beating,” said Halvorson, president of the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association (WTBOA). “It's our last chance-how do you get the breeding industry back?” One idea Halvorsen has raised in recent years is the prospect of combining, in some fashion, the breeding industries in California, Arizona, Washington and Oregon to create a kind of reciprocal Western breeding scheme. In other words, a program expanding the individual definitions of a state-bred along Western states. Halvorsen describes the talks he's had around the idea–both with his cohorts in Washington and other states–as preliminary but ongoing. But he's far from the only one having the conversation. “Other states that have done this, it's helped them,” said Mike Machowsky, Fasig-Tipton's California representative who floated the idea in the pages of the TDN last June, saying a unique situation needs “unique ideas.” At December's Global Symposium on Racing in Arizona, former California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (CTBA) vice chair Harris Auerbach made similar noises–as he did in the TDN last year. “I believe it's possible. It's needed,” said Oscar Gonzales, vice chair of the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB). “It's been quite some time in the state capitol to make policy adjustments to help breeders, though it's been really encouraging to see what the CTBA has been doing of late.” Harris Auerbach and Chief Stipe Burge | Fasig-Tipton The impulse is understandable: strength in numbers to stem the bleeding, while at the same time, help protect the last remaining racetracks still operating this side of the Rockies to give all horses at all levels a chance to compete. It wouldn't be without challenges. Money is the obvious one. Each state has their own pots of breeders' award money with their own individual purse strings limiting it. In most cases, legislative changes would be needed to free it up. Then there's the task of getting a disparate set of individuals from different states with a splintered set of wants to sit down and agree upon a plan. And what would a plan look like that would benefit all states, both large and small? While California's breeding industry has also seen large declines, it still far outnumbers the industries in states like Washington and Arizona. In the latter, the number of mares bred fell 85% between 2005 and 2025, from 565 to 84. The disparities in purse structure are the same. “In some of the regions back east, when you have comparable racing and funding, it's easier to put together. Obviously, it's totally different out here,” said CTBA president Chief Stipe Burge, who raised questions about whether it behooves California financially to open its Cal-bred program to horses bred in other states. Rather, the immediate focus in the Golden state should be on luring back ex-California runners competing elsewhere, including the roughly 350 currently based at Turf Paradise, many of them Cal-breds, Burge said. “The breeder awards that they're forfeiting is another major incentive to come back,” he added. “If the races exist, the opportunity's there for them.” Other States, Other Programs Last year, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA) announced it was putting $1 million towards a new program that rewards registered Florida-breds who win out of state in selected conditions. The New Mexico Horse Breeders Association instituted a new program allowing certain Arizona-breds (including those by Arizona-based sires) to participate in state restricted races in New Mexico. Among the program's conditions, connections are required to stump up $1,000 annually to participate. The breeding industries in Maryland and Virginia have their own reciprocal program, allowing both Maryland-bred or -sired and Virginia-bred or -sired horses to compete in a series of stake races at Laurel Park and Colonial Downs. Back in 2012, lawmakers tweaked language in state statute opening the door to an out-of-state breeder incentive program that never came to fruition. Nevertheless, the recent program that did come together still required some deft financial reconfiguring to fund it. Video lottery terminal monies are a huge revenue for the state racing industry, but they can only be used in the state of Maryland. So, stakeholders came together to re-work how some of these funds are allocated, with breeders essentially covering the program's out-of-state costs, and the trainers covering in-state costs. Chris Merz | Maryland Department of Labor “They were able to do some flip-flopping using the finds that they already had,” said Chris Merz, executive director of the Maryland Racing Commission. The idea had its detractors. “People I think were a bit worried about letting Virginia-breds into the Maryland stakes program, which is understandable,” he said. “But we're at the time and place in horse racing where if we don't work together, everything's going to go down.” Arguably the biggest obstacle to getting this program launched, said Merz, was finally landing upon a specific program that everyone could get on board with. That, and getting all the right people together in the first place. “The way it came about, the stakeholders in Maryland and Virginia finally got in the same room and started hashing some stuff out,” said Merz. “It's one of those things, you start from ridiculous and work backwards. But obviously, good on them [for getting it done].” It's too early to tell if the program has helped boost the breeding industries in both states. But if they were to begin the process again, is there something that would change? “Perhaps communications could have been better between the stakeholders and their organizations within the state,” Merz admitted. “I think a lot of the frustration that came out of it, some of the trainers and the breeders didn't know much about the program to begin with.” Economic Factors Jenny Webber is the assistant farm manager at California's Rancho San Miguel. She thinks a reciprocal breeding program among the Western states is the “only feasible things that's going to save breeding at least on the West Coast.” Webber has a few ideas about what that could look like. One is that horses competing in the state they're bred in would see higher returns. “You get a higher percentage of the money if you're a Washington-bred competing in Washington, or a Cal-bred competing in California,” said Webber. More broadly, she'd like to see horses with fewer options right now have their horizons expanded-a program, for example, to give more opportunities to connections of a Washington-bred, who currently have a short 51-day meet at Emerald Downs to make good on their outlay. “What we're seeing at the sales in California right now, if you don't have a horse that's going to be a Del Mar or Santa Anita horse, people don't want to buy it. There are no outside options to run aside from Los Alamitos [with tight restrictions on Thoroughbred races],” she said. If stakeholders are serious about instituting any such kind of reciprocal program in the West, there are some basic principles at play, explained Jill Stowe, a professor in agricultural economics at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Jill Stowe | UKY WEB “It's a cost-benefit question,” said Stowe. “It has to make financial sense for all these states to participate.” Would the program be worth it in relation to travel and training costs, for example? How would the program be structured? Would it be built around open or restricted races? And exactly how do you relax the rules around what constitutes a state-bred? While ultimately the devil's in the details, the sorts of incentives programs that work as intended (i.e., they give the breeding industry a boost), are those primarily focused on quality, said Stowe. “If the quality is rewarded, then the quantity follows,” she said. Then there's the issue of how to build a reciprocal program when there's one giant dominating the market. “In microeconomic theory, we do address the topic of oligopoly markets, which is when there are just a few firms in the market. One could characterize a multistate regional breeding conference with this type of market structure. In this situation, and the relative strength of each firm has to be considered when designing agreements,” said Stowe. “If California is seen as the leader of this program,” Stowe added, “then the agreement must consider appropriate incentives for the other states to participate.” When it comes to the program between Maryland and Virginia, it's proven most beneficial to stakeholders in the former. According to Merz, a total of 101 horses ran in these stake races between June and December, with 85 of them Maryland bred or sired horses, and 16 from Virginia. Maryland won 10 of the races with Virginia winning the other two. Altogether, 84% of the money paid out in these stakes went to Maryland horses, with the rest going to Virginia. Lopsided? Perhaps. But when you consider how Virginia bred just 10% of the mares Maryland did last year, the picture looks numerically consistent. Legislative Change California already has a program where horses bred to a California sire but foaled elsewhere are eligible to race in Cal-bred or sired races in the state (but aren't eligible for breeders or owners' awards). “In the beginning, it was [successful]. People were taking advantage of it. But now, as the mare population has declined in neighbouring states, you don't see as many,” said Burge. One important aspect of that program? It didn't require a legislative change to facilitate the program. “We're not looking at making any legislative changes,” said Burge, about one of the key reasons he's reluctant to expand the Cal-bred program to horses bred in other Western states. “There's always a risk when you run legislation. We just don't believe it's necessary.” Machowsky said he understands Burge's concerns about the financial disparity between California and the other states. But he still thinks it's worth exploring ideas to develop programs that help breeders in all states out West-like a Western state stakes program, the purses built upon a “futurity” style funding scheme. “Every idea needs to be talked about, whether it's a good idea or a bad idea,” said Machowsky. “We need to create something unique and different and try to give some of these people something to look forward to.” The post Would A Program Consolidating Western State Breeding Programs Work? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

2nd-FG, $65k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, post time: 1:30 p.m. ET A $185,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, TROMBONE (Maclean's Music) breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 flat and was knocked down to owner Kaleem Shah for $850,000 at last year's OBS April Sale. The April foal's winning dam Apologize (Lemon Drop Kid) is a half- or full-sister to four others to salute, including MGSW Aurelia's Belle (Lemon Drop Kid) and SW Dripping Gold (Lemon Drop Kid). This is the high-class female family of Althea, Twining, Atelier, Aldiza, et al. Vivo Stavolta (Not This Time) is an April-foaled son of MGSP Vivo Per Lei (Empire Maker), whose four winners include GI Forego Stakes placegetter Pipeline (Speightstown). Despite a dearth of black-type in his first two dams, Vivo Stavolta must have impressed many a judge, as he was hammered down for $1.3 million at Keeneland September in 2024. Juddmonte's Deep Flame (Into Mischief) is a maternal grandson of Willstar (Nureyev), whose daughter Etoile Montante (Miswaki) won the G1 Prix de la Foret in France and was a dual graded winner and Grade I-placed on these shores for trainer Bobby Frankel. Etoile Montante is the dam of MGSW Starformer (Dynaformer) and her half-sister Uno Duo (Macho Uno) produced GISW Obligatory (Curlin). Tranquillo (Independence Hall) was bought back for modest five-figure pricetags as a weanling and as a yearling, but blossomed at last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale, where he fetched $400,000 from Hoolie Racing following an energetic gallop through the Timonium stretch. TJCIS PPs 4th-FG, $65k, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 2:30 p.m. ET ISLAND FLOWER (Gun Runner) draws the rail as a 7-2 chance for this first trip to the races. The Mar. 14 foal is the second runner for dam She's My Gem (Into Mischief), a two-time stakes winner who was acquired by Three Chimneys for $325,000 in foal to More Than Ready at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale. The mare's three foals to be offered at public auction to date have grossed a combined $1.25 million, including Island Flower, a $550,000 KEESEP purchase by Belladonna Racing and her current 2-year-old Detonator (Cyberknife), who realized the same price in Lexington last September. TJCIS PPs 5th-FG, $65k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 3:00 p.m. ET John and Susan Moore take the wraps off their homebred PRIMA DONNA (Gun Runner), whose dam Masquerade (Silent Name {Jpn}) was twice stakes-placed over the Stall-Wilson turf course. She has since become a successful producer, as her daughter Princess Grace was a five-time graded winner and twice placed at Grade I level before selling for $1.7 million at Fasig-Tipton November to continue her career in Australia. There she was a Group 3 winner, second in a pair of Group 1 contests and foaled an I Am Invincible (Aus) filly in 2025. Masquerade was also responsible for the ill-fated GSW & MGISP Catnip (Kitten's Joy). TJCIS PPs 7th-GP, $87k, Alw/Opt. Clm., 4yo/up, 1m, 3:20 p.m. Repole Stables' GRANDE (Curlin) shaped with tremendous promise at this venue last winter, belying odds of 9-1 to score over course and distance at first asking in January before tacking on a first-level allowance going nine furlongs at the back end of February. The $300,000 Keeneland September graduate was last seen jumping as low as 4-1 in the GII Wood Memorial Stakes in April en route to a runner-up effort behind 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Rodriguez (Authentic). The blinkers go on for the comebacker. Praetor (Into Mischief) claimed the scalp of none other than Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in a mile maiden at Aqueduct in the fall of 2024 and aired in his first start of 2025 before checking in third as the favorite in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes last April. Mario Gutierrez takes the call from Chad Brown. TJCIS PPs The post Saturday Insights: High-Class Maidens On Tap At the Fair Grounds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The MyRacehorse partners have been lucky enough to campaign runners worthy of taking up stud duties in Kentucky both in 2025 and 2026, and in an effort to support both Seize the Grey (Arrogate) and Straight No Chaser (Speightster), we've begun building up our broodmare band. These breeding-focused ventures have proven extremely popular–probably more than we even expected–and provide our owners with a chance to experience a different part of the business. While there's certainly a focus on supporting our stallions, we have made an effort to diversify and also balance the commercial element with the prospect of breeding to race. We currently have six mares as part of our broodmare band, and are excited to have them booked to some other promising young stallions in addition to our own duo. COMMUNITY ADJUSTED, 8, Summer Front–Rimini Road, by Dynaformer. Will be bred to Fierceness We purchased this big, stakes-placed mare for $275,000 at KEENOV 2024 carrying her first foal by Quality Road. The resulting filly is extremely nice and will most likely be offered at the Saratoga sale. Community Adjusted is due soon to Seize the Grey and the resulting foal will be bred on a version of the cross responsible for GISW And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate). We're going to double down on the Quality Road sire line and breed back to Fierceness. The mare was a pure router who excelled going long on the grass, and she's got an interesting throwback pedigree with her first three dams by Dynaformer, Devil's Bag and Dr. Fager. We like the idea of putting a bit of dirt speed into her, which she'll get both from Seize the Grey and Fierceness. JOKE SISI (Arg), 7, Practical Joke–Lucky Sisi (Chi), by Lookin At Lucky. Will be bred back to Yaupon This mare was a superstar down in Chile, winning her first four starts by a combined 40 lengths before scoring at the Group 1 level two starts later. South American form is always a tricky read, but she had enough quality to take a Churchill Downs allowance and earn a stakes placing at Laurel, both while carrying her first foal by Arcangelo. That resulting colt was sold at Keeneland November to a top judge and we'd expect to see him reoffered later this season. We were big supporters of Yaupon from the start, and will go back to the well now as his stock continues to rise. This mating reproduces a version of the Yaupon over Into Mischief cross responsible for unbeaten recent Swale Stakes romper Solitude Dude and there are two other Yaupon stakes winners bred similarly. LAZARA, 7, Tapit–Divine Elegance, by Uncle Mo. Will be bred back to Straight No Chaser This well-bred, pretty daughter of the great Tapit was acquired at KEENOV 2025 in foal to Speightstown's intriguing son Prince of Monaco, and we'll stick with the same sire line and breed her back to Straight No Chaser. Versions of this cross have produced six graded winners, including GISW Lexitonian, and there are two Speightster stakes horses out of Tapit mares. LITTLEST WARRIOR, 5, Bernardini–Sister Sunday, by Denman (Aus) Will be bred back to Seize the Grey We've been eager to breed a Bernardini mare to Seize the Grey. Unbridled's Song/Arrogate over A.P. Indy is a potent cross (Arcangelo via Tapit, etc.) and Bernardini mares have done particularly well with another Unbridled's Song's son in Liam's Map (Colonel Liam, Wicked Whisper and KEENOV 2024 sale topper Roses for Debra). The two priciest mares at the 2025 November sale offered in foal to Seize the Grey were both by Bernardini, and we took a good run at that top-priced one before later landing Littlest Warrior. She's currently in foal to Vekoma. Seize the Grey | Sarah Andrew SINTRA, 5, Constitution –Trophy Girl, by Warrior's Reward Will be bred back to Straight No Chaser We were happy to support Seize the Grey in the Keeneland sales ring last November and pick up this young mare carrying her first foal by him–that one's due any day now and will be bred similarly to Arcangelo. The Straight No Chaser mating will mirror the one mentioned above for Lazara, and it doesn't hurt that Sintra is out of a Grade I-producing daughter of Warrior's Reward, by Medaglia d'Oro. Obviously, it's a bit removed in this case, but the Speightstown over Medaglia d'Oro cross is one of the strongest ones we've seen in recent years, having produced four Grade I winners. TIFFANY'S MO, 7, Uncle Mo –Cruelmore, by Forestry Will be bred back to Locked We grabbed this daughter of red-hot broodmare sire Uncle Mo in partnership with Gainesway Farm for $120,000 at the 2024 November sale, and did well with her first foal-a super solid Liam's Map colt who brought $180K a year later. Locked makes tons of sense to us as a stallion prospect and seems to offer good relative value for his profile and accomplishments among this crop of new sires. He's by an emerging sire of sires, was precocious enough to break his maiden at Saratoga and win a Grade I at two, and also got the Classic distances as an older horse. This cross produced the talented GISW Geaux Rocket Ride and we like the fairly far-back inbreeding to Storm Cat, who is so potent when mixed with the Candy Ride line. The post Mating Plans for 2026: MyRacehorse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article