Wandering Eyes

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Dunsandel trainer Sam Payne will line up two contrasting first starters at Ashburton on Tuesday. After impressing at the trials, Makani ($3.80FF) will start in Race 1, the 4 Blokes Syndicate Mobile Trot while stablemate Major Miss ($6FF) debuts in Race 5, the Betavet / B and T White Racing Stables Mobile Pace. Both will be driven Jonny Cox. Payne bought Makani for $23,000 at the 2024 National Yearling Sales. “I spotted him during the Southland tour looking at yearlings and I liked him even more at sale time so I put up my hand and bought him.” “We had planned to race him as a two-year-old but he got crook and we tipped him out.” “He’s a really nice horse but maiden trotters you never know what’s going to happen do you? But he’s usually safe.” He’s three now and has had four wins from five trials leading into his first race day start. “I’ll leave the driving up to Jonny but if he wants to go forward I’m sure they will, but if he flops out and takes a sit and comes off a helmet I’m not too worried.” While Makani is a “cruisy dude” fellow debutante Major Miss is “a bit of a funny one” and “can be a handful at times.” The Art Major five-year-old has not shown up to the same extent at the trials but did win a three-horse workout at Rangiora in December. “She’s quite a speed horse and she probably needs to tuck away and then get one run at them.” “Her work has been real good,” says Payne, “on her best if she gets a nice cosy trip she’d be a good top three show.” The 10-race card at Ashburton starts at 1.32pm. To see the Ashburton fields click here View the full article

A heavy favorite, Queen Maxima earned her third graded triumph as she outgamed Princesa Moche to win the $102,000 Las Cienegas Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park Jan. 11.View the full article

They don't make them all like Queen Maxima (Bucchero), but the newly minted 5-year-old mare has been the queen of the downhill green at Santa Anita Park for the last two seasons, and she kicked off 2026 in similar style via the GIII Las Cienegas Stakes. The 2-5 favorite was in no hurry after the jump, and stalked the early pace contentedly until they swung into the bend coming off the hill after a :44.15 half. The looming danger to the pace, she took command entering the lane and comfortably kept them at bay to score in a final time of 1:11.69. Princesa Moche (Per) Muwaary {GB}) ran on for second and Spicybug (Speightstown) was third. The daughter of Bucchero is now eight for 13 in her career, and has won five of her last six starts at The Great RIP, counting this victory. #1 QUEEN MAXIMA ($2.80) and @JJHernandezS19 get the win in the $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes (G3) at @santaanitapark. The daughter of Bucchero is trained by @Jmullinsracing. pic.twitter.com/Tu6AD79Exc — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 11, 2026 Sunday, Santa Anita Park LAS CIENEGAS S.-GIII, $102,000, Santa Anita, 1-11, 4yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2fT, 1:11.69, fm. 1–QUEEN MAXIMA, 124, m, 5, by Bucchero 1st Dam: Corfu Lady, by Corfu 2nd Dam: St Ballado's Lady, by Pleasantly Perfect 3rd Dam: St Ballado's Image, by Saint Ballado ($40,000 2yo '23 OBSOPN). O-Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC; B-Saul Rosas (FL); T-Jeff Mullins; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 13-8-2-0, $630,460. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Princesa Moche (Per), 122, m, 6, Muwaary (GB)–Queen Jezebel, by Motivator (GB). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Rancho San Roberto, Inc.; B-Haras Los Azahares (PER); T-Chief Stipe F. O'Neill. $20,000. 3–Spicybug, 120, m, 6, Speightstown–Midnight Miley, by Midnight Lute. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Mike G. Rutherford; B-Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $12,000. Margins: HF, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 16.50, 11.30. Also Ran: Egyptian Mau (Saf), Nay V Belle, Rosie Jeeks, Omnipontet (Brz), Miss Lizzy, Antifona (Fr). Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post All Hail the Queen of Downhill Green: Queen Maxima Struts Her Stuff in Las Cienegas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A quartet of Breeders' Cup winners—Splendora, Nysos, Super Corredora, and Full Serrano—all recorded workouts Jan. 11 at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

After winning the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park Jan. 10, So Happy carries a cherished pedigree line for breeder Leverett Miller to the top of the sport.View the full article

After finally breaking her maiden in her sixth attempt, Margarita Girl wasted no time becoming a graded stakes winner with a win in the $100,500 Las Flores Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park Jan. 11.View the full article

One of Tampa Bay Downs' most popular promotions, the "Live It Up Challenge" handicapping contest, begins Jan. 17 and runs through March 7.View the full article

Invincible Ibis remain locked on course for a HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 1 February after an emphatic victory at Sha Tin on Sunday as Zac Purton dominated with five wins. Purton (59 wins) stretched his lead to 33 over Hugh Bowman (26) in a remarkable display of sustained excellence – and it could have been six wins had he not honoured a pledge to partner Beauty Bolt in the Class 3 (Restricted) Pak Shek Au Handicap (1600m), only to finish to second to another of his regular rides, Invincible Ibis (Hellbent), who was partnered by Bowman. Bowman was impressed with Kilgravin Lodge graduate Invincible Ibis, who weaved his way into clear running after dropping to the tail of the field before finishing powerfully to defeat Beauty Bolt by a neck in 1m 34.18s. “Invincible Ibis was very straight forward. I didn’t expect to be so far back but I was reluctant to pressure him just to hold a position and he enjoyed being left alone,” Bowman said. “I was in a position – to avoid traffic – that I had to make a long run on him and he coped with that, too. “And when I needed his effort at the 100 metres mark, he did it with consummate ease.” Newnham said: “He’s putting up quite a good record now and the nice part about the race was when it got a bit tough and he had to stretch the last part to beat Beauty Bolt, he did. So, he’s got good ability, but he’s got good heart. “You can only keep winning and he’s put four together now, so he goes there (Hong Kong Classic Mile) in good form.” Secured by Newnham for the Ibis Syndicate from the Kilgravin Lodge draft at the 2023 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, Invincible Ibis posted two seconds from as many starts as a three-year-old in his debut season before returning a more mature animal this season. After finishing third on the opening day of the 2025/26 season, Invincible Ibis has reeled off three straight victories culminating in a one-and-three-quarter-length victory under Zac Purton in the Class 3 Poinsettia Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on 20 December. Newnham reclaimed top-spot in the trainers’ championship from Caspar Fownes to lead with 30 wins to 29 when fellow four-year-old Lucky Sam Gor (NZ) (Press Statement) defied his rivals to clinch the Class 3 Stanley Gap Handicap (1400m) under Matthew Poon. Apart from Little Paradise, Purton also struck aboard Ricky Yiu’s Snowthorn, Robot Star, Majestic Valour and David Hayes’ China Win (NZ) (Super Seth) in the Class 4 Hebe Haven Handicap (1800m). “China Win, he’s not an easy horse to manage in the mornings – very, very difficult. The boys are doing a good job to manage him as well as they are and on a race day, he doesn’t know what he wants to do in a race. One day, he wants to scream long, the next day he wants to drop out. “But when the penny drops, he’ll turn into a handy enough stayer. It was a good effort – he had the race run to suit.” Rezeki (NZ) (Ardrossan)notched his first win in Hong Kong for David Hall with success in the first section of the Class 4 Wu Kau Tang Handicap (1400m) under a perfect ride by Andrea Atzeni. Money Catcher (NZ) (Ferlax) turned back the clock for Frankie Lor and Derek Leung with his first win in three years with success in the Class 3 Pak Sha O Handicap (1800m). Twice placed at Group One level, the eight-year-old finished third in the 2022 Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) behind Romantic Warrior and Danon The Kid, but had not won since his Gr.3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) victory at Happy Valley in January 2023. “It was worth the wait. When he came to Hong Kong, he kept placing and it was difficult to win. He won two races and after that, he was always close but did start to run some bad races and it allowed a drop down to Class 3,” Lor said. The pace was quick, so he could come from behind and win for his patient owner. I’m happy because he’s an eight-year-old who can still win and it’s great for the owner.” View the full article

Goal Oriented (Not This Time–Bizzy Caroline, by Afleet Alex), most recently winner of the Dec. 28 GI Malibu Stakes, has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties at Spendthrift Farm this year. His introductory fee will be $30,000, stands and nurses. “We are very excited about Goal Oriented and his potential at stud,” said Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey. “Since the emergence of Not This Time, we have been looking for the right son to come along, and we believe strongly that Goal Oriented is that horse. He's a good-looking, imposing individual that breeders are going to love, and he brings the depth of female family we look for in a stallion prospect. When you combine that with the brilliance he showed on the track–highlighted by his GI Malibu win in 1:20 and change–it's hard not to be excited about his future. His speed figures indicate he's as fast as any son of Not This Time we've seen on dirt. We invite breeders to come out and see him.” Goal Oriented was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' following his debut win at Santa Anita last April. Fourth in the GI Preakness Stakes in just his third start, the dark bay colt was third in the GI Haskell Stakes–just 3/4 lengths adrift of Journalism (Curlin)–and in the GI Pennsylvania Derby. Sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, he concluded his racing career with a one-length victory in the Malibu. His time of 1:20.97 for seven furlongs was the fastest winning time in the Malibu since 2016 and fastest seven furlongs run in a Grade I race in 2025. He earned a 108 Beyer Speed Figure and a 4 Ragozin–both among the fastest recorded by a 3-year-old last year. A $425,000 Keeneland September yearling, Goal Oriented is out of multiple graded stakes winner Bizzy Caroline, a half-sister to champion Lady Eli and hailing from the family of influential sire Blushing Groom. Trained by Bob Baffert, Goal Oriented hit the board in five of seven starts with three wins and earnings of $624,460 for owners SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan. “We are thrilled for Goal Oriented to have the opportunity to begin his stallion career at a place like Spendthrift Farm,” said SF Racing's Tom Ryan. “He is a good-looking colt and he knows it. Goal Oriented has that presence about him, along with sire power and depth of pedigree.” Goal Oriented has arrived at Spendthrift and is available for breeders' inspections from 1:30-3 p.m. daily through Tuesday and will be available for inspection by appointment thereafter. The post Malibu Stakes Winner Goal Oriented Retired to Spendthrift appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

She was a bridesmaid on four occasions before she broke her maiden last out, and now Margarita Girl (Twirling Candy) has quickly left that behind her, collecting her first black-type of any kind in the GIII Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Breaking well to watch the race unfold as Thermal (Nyquist) set the tempo, she enjoyed a rail trip behind that leader through an opening quarter in :21.74 and four furlongs in :44.11. No Bad Beats (Midnight Storm) took the race to the early leader coming off the bend, and struck the front as Margarita Girl began uncorking her rally via the overland route. That pair quickly pulled away from a closing Ooty (Arg) (Dabster) on the rail, and the eventual winner overhauled her challenger inside the final sixteenth to score. The final time was 1:09.19. Sales history: $130,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $575,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR. O-Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners and Saints or Sinners; B-Paul Eggert & Karen Eggert (KY); T-Mark Glatt. #3 MARGARITA GIRL ($10.40) charged down the lane and won the $199,000 Las Flores Stakes (G3) at @santaanitapark. The daughter of Twirling Candy (@LanesEndFarms) was ridden by @RickyGonzalez10 and trained by Mark Glatt. pic.twitter.com/W2gvQSrKaU — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 11, 2026 The post Twirling Candy’s Margarita Girl Steps Up in Class to Claim Las Flores at Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Making only this third career start in as many seasons to race, the impeccably-bred Rothko (Tapit–Covfefe, by Into Mischief) proved best as the heavy favorite to graduate in a one-mile maiden test at Fair Grounds on Sunday. The LNJ Foxwoods homebred was fourth in his career debut at Ellis Park in the summer of 2024 but wouldn't be seen again until the fall of his sophomore year, when he finished a solid second going 6 1/2 panels at Churchill Downs this past November. Sent off the hot 1-5 choice while trying a mile for the first time here, the 4-year-old settled just behind pacesetter Crazy Diamond (Omaha Beach), who carved out an opening quarter in :23.38. Overtaking the early leader heading into the far turn, Rothko shot clear turning for home and was not for catching as he crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Mingo (Candy Ride {Arg}) at the wire. The colt is out of dual champion Covfefe, who is also responsible for SW and GSP Ellen Jay (Constitution), $271,808. The dual Grade I winner and track record holder produced a filly by Gun Runner in 2024 followed by an Olympiad filly last season. Hailing from the family of GISWs Acoma and Arch, the 10-year-old mare was bred back to Not This Time. 6th-Fair Grounds, $54,000, Msw, 1-11, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:37.46, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. ROTHKO (c, 4, Tapit–Covfefe {Ch. Female Sprinter, Ch. 3-year-old Filly, MGISW, $1,110,025}, by Into Mischief) Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-0, $59,852. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-LNJ Foxwoods (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. The post Champion Covfefe’s Rothko Earns Belated Graduation 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

A quartet of Breeders' Cup winners all recorded workouts Sunday at Santa Anita. GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint winner Splendora (Audible) and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist) both worked for trainer Bob Baffert. Splendora drilled four furlongs in :49.00 (47/87) in her third work back since the Breeders' Cup. The 5-year-old is a candidate for the GII D. Wayne Lukas Stakes for fillies and mares going seven furlongs Feb. 7. Nysos, working for the first time since winning the Dec. 28 GII Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes, went four furlongs in :48.20 (25/87). He is being pointed to the Feb. 14 G1 Saudi Cup. That race is also the target of his stablemate and Laffit Pincay runner-up Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), who worked four furlongs in :49.00 (47/87) Sunday. Trainer John Sadler sent out GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Super Corredora (Gun Runner) and Full Serrano (Arg) (Full Mast) to work at Santa Anita Sunday. In her second work of the year, Super Corredora went five furlongs in a bullet :59.20 (1/50). S and she is slated to make her sophomore bow in the one-mile Las Virgenes Stakes, which was pushed back a week to Feb. 8 following the postponement of the Santa Ynez Stakes earlier in the meet. Full Serrano, the 2024 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner, worked six furlongs in 1:11.40 (1/2). Most recently fifth in the 2025 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, he is a candidate to run in either the Jan. 31 GII San Pasqual Stakes or in the GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 24. Also on the work tab Sunday, the Baffert-trained Kristofferson (Nyquist) went four furlongs in a bullet :46.40 (1/87) in his first published work since September. The $1.15-million Keeneland September yearling was a debut winner at Del Mar in August and has been off since finishing sixth in the Oct. 4 GI American Pharoah Stakes. The post Breeders’ Cup Winners on Santa Anita Work Tab Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Norman Stables LLC and Saints or Sinners' So Happy (Runhappy) exited his win in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente Stakes Saturday in fine shape, according to trainer Mark Glatt, who said the colt is likely to make his next start in the 1 1/16-mile GII San Felipe Stakes Mar. 7. “I'm sure he'll run in one of these preps coming up here and we'll see if he can go two turns,” Glatt said. “My first inclination would be to run in the San Felipe, but things change.” So Happy, who was purchased for $150,000 at last year's OBS March sale, was a first-out winner going 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar Nov. 22 and took his record to two-for-two with his two-length victory over Buetane (Tiz the Law) Saturday. Jockey Mike Smith, who was aboard the colt in both lifetime starts, said he doesn't expect added distance to be an issue for So Happy. “The way he handled the seven-eighths, usually that's a pretty good indication they will go two turns,” Smith said from the winner's circle Saturday. “He was well within himself running underneath the wire.” The post Two-Turn Test Likely Next for San Vicente Winner So Happy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Yuesheng Zhang arrived on the Gold Coast on Sunday to inspect horses ahead of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. In late December, it was announced that Gewan, one of the leading contenders for the G1 2,000 Guineas, will race under new ownership from 2026 as part of a group of horses transferred from Yulong Investments to the newly established Forz Europe, the racing arm of Harris Li's Ace Stud. Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch welcomed Zhang's return, noting his strong connection to the sale. “It's great to have him back on the Gold Coast. Magic Millions is one of his favourite sales of the year. He is going to be a big, big vendor at the sales, and it's great to have the entire Yulong team, including Mr Zhang, here for the week,” Bowditch told racenet.com.au. The post Yulong’s Owner Arrives On The Gold Coast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mailata (Maximus Mischief), a romping 19-length winner of the Parx Future Stakes Dec. 30, will now aim to garner some GI Kentucky Derby points in the GIII Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct Feb. 28. Butch Reid cross-entered the colt in the Jan. 3 Jerome Stakes before opting to remain at his Parx base for the seven-furlong Future Stakes–where he faced just two rivals–and the trainer expects to bypass the nine-furlong Withers Stakes Jan. 31 and wait for the one-turn mile Gotham a month later. “It's not 100% certain and we'll see how it comes up, but I don't think we'll go to the Withers,” Reid said. “We're leaning towards the Gotham–the Withers is a little tight for us and it would be a big jump going [from seven furlongs] to the mile and an eighth. I do think he's perfectly capable of it [the distance], but the more sensible thing is to just give him a little more time and shoot for the one-turn mile race.” Mailata is on a three-race win streak since adding blinkers. He broke his maiden going one mile at Parx Oct. 29 and added the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes Nov. 26. The Gotham offers Kentucky Derby qualifier points of 50-25-15-10-5. The post Parx Stakes Winner Mailata Points to Gotham appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After a brief retirement, veteran jockey agent Tony Martin is back and representing Jamison Mudd, an apprentice rider at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.View the full article

The saying in New Orleans goes something like, 'Laissez les bons temps rouler!'. And while Mardi Gras is over a month away and Lexington is some 700 miles from Louisiana, the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale kicks off Monday looking to keep the good times rolling off a record-setting 2025 sales season. The sale begins its two-day run at 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 12 and concludes Tuesday, Jan. 13 with a total of 1,097 horses catalogued across the two sessions. Riding a tsunami of momentum, Keeneland January comes on the heels of exceptional trade at both the September Yearling Sale and the November Breeding Stock Sale, the latter of which set unparalleled marks in both average and median while achieving the auction's highest gross since 2007. Consigners, even those more guarded in their enthusiasm, believe good things are still to come despite the sale's trim-down from three days to two. A year ago amidst frigid temperatures and snowy conditions, the January sale sold 724 horses across those three sessions with three mares sharing a co-topping $700,000 final bid. “Obviously 2025 is going to be hard to beat, but we're hoping to come in strong,” said Four Star Sales's Ashley Franz. “We've got a large number of weanlings and quite a few mares and racehorses too so a little of everything to offer. I think there's a little big of everything and that's why January is so great. It's still a big sale and it's one of the last bigger mixed sales.” The Four Star Sales consignment, some 79-horses strong, features the likes of last year's King's Plate winner Mansetti (Collected) along with broodmares in foal to successful young stallions Yaupon and Practical Joke along with up-and-coming sires like Dornoch, Gunite, and Domestic Product among others. “We've got 20-some short yearlings both days of the sale that we're selling, some ready-made racehorses, a nice stakes filly too, so there's something everybody can pick over in terms of what people want to try and buy,” Franz said. “I think, especially the past couple of years and because the yearling market was so strong [in 2025], the weanling and short yearling market has really escalated on both sides, buying and selling. And because that's gone up, that's also increased [a buyer's] need for mares and fillies off the track that need to be bred because people need other outlets when they're getting beat on yearlings.” The demand for yearlings was a common thread amongst Keeneland January consigners with short yearlings proving to be most active in the barn areas. Zach Madden | Keeneland “Obviously the most active horses at the barn are usually the yearlings,” said Zach Madden, whose Buckland Sales consignment features several newly-turned yearlings by young stallions like Taiba, Annapolis and Corniche. “There is always a perception that there's a lot of people looking at them and spending good money and it seems like every year I've gotten calls over the break from people saying 'we need more yearlings'. I feel like that's a good indicator that people still need stock. They've got stalls to fill and that usually equates to good stuff for everybody at the sale. But again, you gotta bring it. You've got to have sire power. You've got to have physical. You've got to have pedigree. They have to behave themselves when they're out there. There's a lot of factors but if you can jump through all those hoops, then it's been very, very good and we're hoping that continues on into next week.” Consigners continued to be cognizant of the need for the right horse to produce the strong results they're all hoping for. “I do feel like, if you've got the goods, whether it's a mare in foal to a good stallion and she's young enough and has proven herself, or a short yearling that looks the part and walks and vets, or a good filly off the track, people are going to find that desirable,” Madden continued. “I've been selling [horses] for 20 years and I came in when it was pretty much at the bottom in 2008 or 2009, and [ever since] we've just been riding this wave and I'm hoping that it continues on. If you have something of quality, something that ticks all the boxes so to speak, you usually get rewarded for that. [The market strength] is kind of spread throughout.” The strength of the yearling market had consigners seeing a renewed interest in mares who may provide buyers a chance to get in “ahead” of the surging pricing. “If you've got a really nice, young, fast mare, she'll go over well because I don't think there's many like that,” said Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services's John Stuart. “If the weanling market holds [like it did in November], then the yearling market and the 2-year-old market also hold up. The higher quality horses and the [short yearlings], there's a strong demand there. There will be plenty of interest in the mares. It's only a two day sale but it's a packed two days. They've got a lot of horses on each of those days and I'd say if you've got the quality, it'll be fun.” The Keeneland January Sale opens Monday morning with bidding starting at 10 a.m. The post The Good Times Roll On As Keeneland January Kicks Off Monday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs doesn't exactly rank high up on anyone's list of races on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby. But the seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds does offer a purse of $125,000 and is a stepping stone to the $400,000 GIII Tampa Bay Derby, the track's signature race. Expectations for the Pasco are modest, but not so modest that anyone could have predicted that this year's race, scheduled to be run last Saturday, would not fill. Only two horses entered the race. If the start of 2026 is any indication, the sport's problems with small fields for dirt stakes races are only growing worse. The Jan. 3 Jerome Stakes drew a field of four. Only five horses showed up for the Turfway Prevue Stakes, run later that same night. There were four stakes races for 3-year-olds on Jan. 3 and only the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn drew a decent field. They had eight runners, but Oaklawn, with its huge purses and loaded barn area, always seems to be the exception. The point is this: Should the sport really be offering four stakes races for the same division of horses on the same day? On Jan. 2, Gulfstream carded one of those early winter allowance races that often feature a number of 3-year-olds who seem to be loaded with potential. That race drew four horses. Then there's California and its persistent problems. With Santa Anita having missed so many days due to inclement weather, recent cards, when they have been able to run, have been quite good and the field sizes have ballooned. But not in the dirt stakes races. Their weekend race for 3-year-old colts, the GII San Vicente Stakes, drew a field of five. Its counterpart, the Santa Ynez for 3-year-old fillies, had just four starters. Back at Tampa, they did manage to fill two stakes races, but both, the Wayward Lass Stakes and the Gasparilla Stakes, drew fields of just six horses. No one is saying this is an easy problem to fix, but something has to be done. With handle falling virtually every year and CAW players having driven so many everyday players out of the sport, the last thing this industry can afford to do is it to keep asking the horseplayer to bet on unbettable stakes races. The root of the problem is obvious. The foal crop keeps dropping, yet tracks have stubbornly stuck to the type of stakes schedules that better fit in the eighties. No one is suggesting that it's time to drop any of the big-event, Grade I races that can still attract decent-sized fields and quality horses. But do we really need races like the Jerome? Yes, it's been around since 1866 and has been won by the likes of Kelso, Bold Ruler, Tom Fool and Coaltown. But those are horses out of a different era. We can easily do without the Jerome. The same can be said for dozens of stakes races that, year after year, come up as duds. It looks like it's also time for Tampa Bay Downs to call it a day when it comes to the Pasco. Before anything can be accomplished, the racing industry is going to have to do something it has a very hard time doing–cooperating. And it must stop tripping all over one another when it comes to scheduling the same races on the same days for the same groups of stakes horses. That's not how they do it in Standardbred racing. Every year in December, the heads of the racing departments from every major harness track in the U.S. and Canada get together in Deerfield Beach, Florida. They don't leave the room until they have all ended up on the same page. The result is a seamless stakes schedule for the entire sport where there are, basically, no conflicts. They, believe it or not, put their sport first and their own self-interests come in second. “They get together and, over the course of two or three days, they put together the stakes calendars,” said Mike Tanner, the executive vice president/CEO of the United States Trotting Association. “They try to optimize opportunities and make sure they're not stepping on each other. This has been going on for longer than I have been in harness racing. It's an optimal way of doing things. In horse racing, it's not common to see everyone rowing in the same direction, but in this case, that's what they do. I go to watch, learn and listen. It's great sitting in the room and watching these guys work.” Pocono Downs Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Rick Kane is among those working each year to make sure all the pieces of the puzzle fit. “When there are conflicts, it doesn't help either party or multiple parties,” Kane said. “We really try as best we can to make sure there are no conflicts whatsoever. Generally, every track has a certain area where they put certain stakes. There are a few conflicts, but not really. When it comes down to the particular gaits, ages, and sexes, we try very hard to make sure there is enough time between the races to make sure there are no conflicts. If it looks like there is going to be a conflict, one of the two parties will agree to move their race. I have done that many times.” Obviously, the harness racing secretaries have it much easier than their counterparts in the Thoroughbred game. There are far fewer harness tracks and far fewer stakes races than there are at the Thoroughbred tracks, and a top trotter or pacer will race around 20 times a year. You're lucky to get five starts a year out of a stakes-caliber Thoroughbred. But these guys get it. They work together, something you just don't see in our sport. Can we at least give the same sort of sit-down among racing department heads a try? It certainly couldn't hurt. What is happening now just isn't working. RIP Leo O'Brien One of the best things about covering horse racing is that you get to meet some super people. Leo O'Brien, who passed away last week at 85, makes my Top 5 when it comes to the nicest people I have ever met in the sport. He was perpetually in a good mood, always friendly and always understood that the remarkable Fourstardave belonged to more than just him and owner Richard Bomze. He was the people's horse, especially the people of Saratoga. But even with all that he accomplished with Fourstardave, that was not the highlight of his training career. That came with Dave's little brother, Fourstars AllStar. O'Brien, always wanted to win a Classic race in his own country and thought he had the horse to do it in Fourstars Allstar in the 1991 running of the Irish 2000 Guineas. He knew his horse and put together what would now be considered an insane schedule. He ran him a week before the race in Ireland and scored a sharp victory in an allowance race at Belmont. So, O'Brien, Fourstars Allstar and a young jockey named Mike Smith, hopped on a plane to Dublin and returned home with a game win in the prestigious race. To watch the race click here. All these years later, O'Brien is still the only American-based trainer to win a European Classic. “It was always a dream of mine to maybe one day return to the Curragh, where I rode and won my first race on a horse called Similar,” O'Brien told the Irish Field. “The whole idea was to bring a U.S.-based horse with an American jockey. That was the sport and the challenge of it. “I began to think about the Irish 2000 Guineas at the end of October, after 'Allstar' was a very good second in the GIII Laurel Futurity, which had been run on the turf that year. “He was a beautiful mover on the grass, a true daisy-cutter, very much a firm ground type with great natural speed. He was easy to settle and really, in terms of tactics, could be ridden from anywhere. We trained him all winter with the Guineas in mind and I was very confident.” Oh, and I had more than a few Irish pounds on him at 9-1. The post The Week in Review: After Pasco Stakes Fiasco, Changes Must Be Made appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Veteran jockey agent Tony Martin has returned from a brief retirement to represent apprentice Jamison Mudd, currently based at Fair Grounds. “I've seen some good ones come, and some good ones go,” Martin said. “I think this kid has got a lot of talent.” Martin represented Joe Talamo, who captured the Fair Grounds riding title at the 2006-2007 meet and later earned the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey. “I've been watching [Mudd] since the first weekend he rode at Louisiana Downs and I liked what I saw,” Martin said. “He rides like an older rider, you know what I'm saying? Switches sticks, three or four times if he needs to, down the lane. He can split horses if he has to.” Mudd is an 18-year-old native of Lafayette, Louisiana and a third-generation horseman. “He is a very polite kid,” Martin said. “He's got class. He represents himself really well.” Just four months into his first year of riding, Mudd owns a 4-13-9 record from 104 mounts, as of Jan. 10. Still seeking his first victory at Fair Grounds, he has four seconds and three thirds from 40 starts, though Martin assumed management of his book only at the beginning of January. “All we're riding are the longshots right now, but I hope that can change,” Martin said. Only 15 of Mudd's 104 calls have gone off at odds of 5-1 or lower, yet his mounts have consistently outrun their odds. “About two weeks ago, he ran second and got beat a head on a horse that was 165-1 for Kevin Williams,” Martin said. “In a maiden special weight on the turf. He put a beautiful ride on that horse.” Before becoming a licensed jockey, Mudd worked as an exercise rider in Louisiana and Kentucky, most notably for trainer Kenny McPeek, where he rode Mystik Dan ahead of his GI Kentucky Derby victory, as well as Take Charge Milady prior to her run in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Beginning his career in 1986, Martin has represented some of the state's top riders, including Corey Lanerie, Robbie Albarado, E.J. Perrodin and Kirk LeBlanc. The post Tony Martin to Represent Apprentice Jamison Mudd appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The bookmaker Fitzdares has appointed Hermione Drummond Moray to the position of events and client director. In her new role, Drummond Moray will lead Fitzdares' events strategy and partnerships, working closely with clients to support the brand's growth across sport, racing and lifestyle. Drummond Moray began her career with Coolmore in Australia, before moving into Thoroughbred marketing at the Sydney-based agency Kick Collective. Most recently, she served as senior account manager at Barnes Thompson in Newmarket, where she managed the advertising account for Tattersalls UK. “We are delighted to welcome Hermione to Fitzdares,” said Balthazar Fabricius, chair of Fitzdares. “Hermione has huge experience and perfectly understands the confluence of racing's constituents.” Drummond Moray said, “I'm thrilled to be joining Fitzdares during a period of strong growth for the business. The brand has an outstanding reputation for excellence and for delivering truly distinctive experiences and I'm looking forward to contributing to that legacy while helping to shape its future.” She added, “Having started my career in Australia and spent more than two and a half years working in Newmarket, I've been lucky to meet and work with some exceptional people, building valuable industry relationships that I'm excited to bring to Fitzdares.” The post Drummond Moray Appointed Events and Client Director at Fitzdares appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Of late, the chance of spotting a potential luminary at the provincial tracks of France or the all-weather in England has become very real and now that January is nearing the midway point it is essential to pay close attention. Monday sees Cagnes-sur-Mer kick off its six-week flat programme aside the Mediterranean and it begins with the Prix de Caucade which has unveiled a recent jewel. It was in this 7 1/2-furlong three-year-old debutantes race for fillies in 2019 that Jean-Claude Rouget unveiled Siyouni's future E. P. Taylor heroine Etoile and the yard is represented this time by Jan Romel's Roseninsel (Toronado), a half-sister to a former Cagnes winner in Back To Black. She will face a duo from the Jerome Reynier stable in Mustafa Bousaif's Al Rateel (Violence) and James Wigan's Aspire (Zarak). It was at this venue that Reynier introduced Lazzat in the Prix de Fabron for colts and geldings two years ago and intriguingly he saddles Qamran by the same sire Territories in the same race for the same connections on Monday. The third-highest-priced yearling of the 2024 Tattersalls October Book 2 when selling to Sumbe for 750,000gns, the full-brother to the Railway and Marble Hill-placed Masseto is held in high regard. “We really wanted to run him as a two-year-old, but he had a little setback and we wasted a little bit of time around September and October,” his trainer explained. “After that, the ground was getting too soft and I didn't really want to travel him too far away to make his debut so I asked his owner if I could follow Lazzat's path and footsteps.” “This race, in mid-January, is good timing,” he added. “It's the first meeting, so the turf is going to be just brand new, perfect. He's very professional, very serious. It looks like he could go over shorter in the future, because he's made like a sprinter physically. If he shows enough speed, like Lazzat did, he can probably do this trip for his first time out with no problem.” Lazzat won his first three races at Cagnes and Reynier sees the track as the ideal starting point for promising youngsters. “We didn't know he was going to be that good,” he explained. “This track is just near home for us, so it's very handy. You're leaving in the morning and you're back to the stables in the evening. It's a lovely track and the weather is amazing at the moment in the South of France. I think it's the right time to try to discover maybe a future good horse in the making.” Thursday's action begins with the 10-furlong newcomers' event formerly known as the Prix du Suquet in which Ace Impact made his debut back in 2023 and which was renamed in his honour from that point on. Remarkably, his half-brother Arrow Eagle followed suit in the same race a year later prior to capturing the Prix Royal-Oak last term and Jean-Claude Rouget looks to unleash their half-sibling Armano (Waldgeist) in Thursday's renewal. The latest runner out of the remarkable Absolutly Me, Waltraut Spanner's homebred could be up against an intriguing Wertheimer entry in Frankish (Lope De Vega), a son of the 1,000 Guineas heroine Miss France (Dansili) from the Yann Barberot stable. It is worth noting that Rouget also won this 12 months ago with the subsequent Grand Prix de Paris hero Leffard, so this is one of the many races worth keeping a close eye on. Cagnes will also see the workouts of the Saudi-bound Lazzat and Facteur Cheval (Ribchester) and Reynier had an update on the duo. “They're in very good shape. They will have a racecourse gallop in Cagnes-sur-Mer on 20 January to prep for the big races in Saudi,” he said. “Lazzat is aiming for the 1351 Sprint on turf and Facteur Cheval has entries in both the Saudi Cup and the Neom Turf Cup, so we will see which one he is going to be invited to and which one could suit him the best.” The post ‘It’s The Right Time To Discover A Good Horse In The Making’ – Reynier Among Many Relishing Cagnes Fest appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Renee Geelen/TTR AusNZ The bad news out of the Victorian bushfire crisis grew on Sunday with Lindsay Park announcing seven horses had died from fire-related injuries. One unidentified person has also been found dead near Seymour. “Lindsay Park can confirm that seven horses have tragically been lost from injuries sustained in the fire,” read a press release issued by Lindsay Park. “Five were spelling racehorses and two were retirees. One additional horse remains in a critical condition and is receiving intensive veterinary care. All owners directly affected have been notified.” The names of the horses have yet to be released. The farm's staff, community members and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) managed to save 320 horses as fire devastated their property. “Eight per cent of the property is irrigated and that eight per cent is still standing,” Sophie Steel, the general manager of Lindsay Park, told racing.com. “The irrigated areas are all our key infrastructure and tracks; everything else is gone. Sadly, I can report we've lost seven horses. Five of those are racehorses, two of them are retirees. We had 30 retirees on the farm, the rest of which are being stabled here at Inglis and cared for. She added, “There are 320 horses that are safe. When our fire plan was enacted, the focus was solely on saving horses, and we were able to save 320 of them. It was quite emotional for us watching float after float of all our competitors come to pick up and evacuate our horses here. “We've seen the worst of mother nature in the last three days, and the best of humanity. Our community, there is nothing like it. We are very grateful.” Inglis opened their doors at the Oaklands facility for horses requiring evacuation. The eight stable barns can accommodate up to 800 horses. “As of this morning, we had 222 horses [at Inglis], and with conditions in the fires seemingly stabilised, we don't expect there to be an increase in that number,” Inglis Victorian Bloodstock Manager James Price told TTR on Sunday. “Some owners have already decided to take their horses home, noting that their properties are no longer in damage. We would expect our numbers to drop over the next week. “There are no horses at Inglis that require veterinary treatment. Any horse at Inglis is getting the appropriate care, and any horse that requires veterinary treatment is in the best care of veterinarians at clinics.” The post Lindsay Park Lose Seven Horses to Fire-Related Injuries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Adam Houghton, who joined the team at TDN Europe two years ago as an associate editor, has been appointed deputy European editor, while European and international editor Emma Berry will assume a new role as chief correspondent. “With an encyclopaedic knowledge of racing and as an eagle-eyed sub-editor, Adam has proved to be an outstanding addition to the TDN's line-up in Europe and is thoroughly deserving of this new enhanced role,” said TDN's senior vice-president, Gary King. “TDN Europe has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2016. Our readership figures, both for the daily PDF edition and website traffic, continue to soar, increasing again by double digits in 2025,” King added. Emma Berry said, “It has been really gratifying to see TDN Europe continue to grow in stature over the last decade. I'm looking forward to being able to focus solely on writing and, with Brian Sheerin in Ireland, Tom Frary in France, Heather Anderson in the US, and Adam Houghton, Alayna Cullen Birkett and Sean Cronin in Britain, we will continue to bring you unrivalled coverage of the racing, breeding and sales scene in Europe and beyond.” Adam Houghton added, “It's coming up to two years since I joined the team at TDN Europe and I can honestly say that I've loved every minute of it. We're blessed with a hugely talented team of writers and I hope to remain part of it for many more years to come. “I owe a massive thank you to Sue Finley and Gary King for entrusting me with this new role, likewise Emma Berry for her invaluable guidance and support in helping me to this point. Our readership figures continue to soar and here's hoping we can kick on again in 2026 when, as ever, we'll be doing our utmost to provide industry-leading coverage of all things racing and bloodstock.” Read in 235 countries worldwide, TDN reaches 5 million unique users per year, including an inside circle of 22,000 users who receive a daily email alerting them when each night's paper has been posted. Subscription is free and can be accessed here. The post Houghton Named Deputy European Editor at TDN appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

David Hayes emerged from a nightmare few days in Australia with the poignant success of China Win in his family colours in the Class Four Hebe Haven Handicap (1,800m). Hayes was home in Australia earlier this week battling the bushfires in Euroa, Victoria, where his family’s Lindsay Park Stables are located, and he had only returned to Hong Kong early on Sunday. “We’ve had a really bad time with the fires – I haven’t slept for two and a half days. I got back at 7am this morning after fighting...View the full article

An unusual plan paid big dividends for the connections of Ammirati (NZ) (Savabeel) when the big gelding confirmed New Zealand Derby plans with a dominant victory in the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on Sunday. With more than a month between his win in the Gr. 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki in late November and a fifth placing in last week’s Gr. 2 Levin Classic (1400m) at Trentham, trainer Stephen Marsh decided on an eight-day back up for Ammirati’s first middle-distance test. That proved a masterstroke as the Savabeel gelding jumped best from the 2100m start point to make the early running and then track the leaders to the home turn. Regular jockey Matt Cartwright bided his time until asking Ammirati for his effort and he established a break on his rivals with 250m to run to still hold a margin of three-quarters of a length at the line. In a tight contest for the minor placings, Hastings visitor Tulsa King took second by a half-head from Yamato Satona, with the same margin to Day One and a nose to Navy Dreams in fifth place. While Marsh was absent on sales duty at the Gold Coast, stable representative Dylan Johnson was happy to sing his employer’s praises at a plan that worked. “It’s always satisfying when a plan comes off, so you’ve got to hand it to Stephen, it was a good call,” Johnson said. “We had been toying with whether he was a Kiwi or a Derby horse, but last week he said he would like to run him at Trentham and if he came through that okay then back him up here and get him over ground. “He had an economical run at Trentham and he hit the line well, so it set up well and it was great to see it all fall into place. “The beauty of today’s win is that you now know he’ll run a trip and we can pick a path to the Derby.” Five years ago the Marsh-trained Milford, another Savabeel gelding carrying the Elsdon Park colours, won the Gingernuts Salver and after finishing fifth in the Avondale Guineas, finished second to Rocket Spade in the New Zealand Derby. “It would be good to go one better with this horse, but he’ll work out which way to go with the choice of the Waikato Guineas (February 7) or the Avondale Guineas (February 27), but probably not both.” The TAB reacted to Ammirati’s win by trimming his NZ Derby odds from $13 to $9 on the second line behind $7 equal favourites Road To Paris and Towering Vision. Yamato Satona came in from $21 to $13 after hitting the line hard from well back, while Day One, who appeared to have his chance, eased from $13 to $17. At $450,000 from Waikato Stud’s 2023 Karaka draft, Ammirati was the third high-priced National Yearling Sale graduate to win on Sunday’s Ellerslie card. Almanzor filly Stromlinien, who was knocked down at the same price from the Elsdon Park draft last January, scored an impressive debut win, while her stablemate Chilling Out, also by Savabeel and costing $375,000 from Haunui Farm’s Karaka 2023 draft, completed a double in style. As Lot 467, a brother to Ammirati is one of 13 Savabeel yearlings in the Waikato Stud draft for the upcoming Karaka Centenary Sale. View the full article