Wandering Eyes

WA trainer, Daniel Morton. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Ascot-based trainer Dan Morton is hopeful that his five-time stakes-winning mare Super Smink can secure a spot in next month’s Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 8. The daughter of Super One will race at Caulfield on Saturday in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m), aiming to impress the selection panel for a potential wildcard entry. “We’re here to get into the All-Star Mile. That’s where we want to be,” Morton told Racing.com. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what she can do. I’m under no illusions it’s a huge step for her. “I wouldn’t be bringing her unless I thought she would be hugely competitive. She’s a high-class mare and she has been from the get-go. There’s a lot to like about her as she’s only four and she’s really developing into a strong mare. “I wouldn’t be bringing her unless I thought she was going to be competitive. We’ve been excited about her work; she’s coming up beautifully towards this race. “She had a small freshen-up after her campaign and then got going. She’s taking good fitness into the race.” Super Smink is currently a $17 chance for Saturday’s CF Orr Stakes with horse racing bookmakers. Horse racing news View the full article

Preparing to make their sophomore debut in the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Feb. 15, both Jonathan's Way and East Avenue breezed at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 1.View the full article

Grade 1 winner Tenma towered over her competition on paper, in the wagering, and ultimately in the stretch as she rolled home to an easy victory in the $92,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Preparing to make their sophomore debut in the GII Risen Star Stakes on Louisiana Derby Preview Day, both Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) and East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) breezed at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Saturday. The nine-furlong Kentucky Derby prep will award 50-25-15-10-5 Derby points to the top five finishers. Firing the bullet for his trainer Phil Bauer, Rigney Racing's Jonathan's Way breezed 5/8ths in 1:00.20 on Saturday, going in company with stablemate Kalahari Dreams. “[Jonathan's Way] sat right off of him going away from the pole,” Bauer said of the TDN Rising Star. “He left around a length behind, loomed up and running through the wire was starting to be the best without much encouragement. They finished up really well. I was as happy as I could be with the breeze, especially with the gallop out.” Jose Ortiz has been up for the Ohio-bred's last three drills, and Bauer confirmed that current meet-leading jockey has been named to ride Jonathan's Way in the Risen Star. “I told Jose [Ortiz] don't let him get lazy on you, so he just flagged him with his whip right when they hit the 7/8ths pole, and he put three lengths on [Kalahari Dreams] like it was nothing,” Bauer said. “He went to the backside, switched to his right lead, Jose flagged him one more time and he had one more gear. We're right where we want to be.” Saturday's work was Jonathan's Way fifth locally and his third published drill going five furlongs. “I thought the move last week was very good but he left his company too early in the breeze and he got to idling on us so I wanted to make sure he stayed true to it yesterday and it was exactly what we wanted,” Bauer said. “Fingers crossed we'll just keep him happy next weekend, all the hard work is done. We're excited to get him back to the races.” Having earned 10 qualifying points with a win in the GIII Iroquois Stakes last fall, Jonathan's Way added 5 more with a second in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club. East Avenue's penultimate drill ahead of his 3-year-old debut in the Risen Star was a solo move from the gates under Edgar Morales. The Godolphin homebred trained by Brendan Walsh went four furlongs in :48.80 and galloped out in 1:01.40. “He worked very nicely,” Walsh said. “I'm very pleased with him and he should be just about as ready as we can have him off the layoff in the Risen Star, with some room to improve, too.” Two works back, East Avenue breezed five furlongs in :59.40, going fastest of 44 on Friday, Jan. 17. in company with stablemates Bruhn and Initialize. “His work two back was really good,” Walsh said. “I had him sit behind horses and he really finished up well.” Jockey Declan Cannon was up for the move. “He moved by them so easily,” Cannon said of the Jan. 17 workout. “He didn't even blow. Those are two quality horses, but he is special. He couldn't be doing any better.” Walsh confirmed that jockey Tyler Gaffalione has been named to ride East Avenue in the Risen Star. Gaffalione was up for the colt's last two races, including his win in the GI Breeders' Futurity, where he secured 10 Derby qualifying points. The post Risen Star-Bound Duo Jonathan’s Way Fires Bullet, East Avenue Breezes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rivellino. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au Champion jockey James McDonald has been booked to ride debut winner Rivellino when the colt returns to Randwick on Saturday to contest the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m). The Kris Lees-trained youngster was ridden by stable apprentice Benjamin Osmond when he won over 1000 metres at the track on his sole competitive start in January. However, McDonald was eager to ride the son of Too Darn Hot after steering him to second place in an 800-metre barrier trial at Randwick on January 28. “James McDonald has trialled him and will ride him, so that’s a positive,” Lees said. “He looks a nice horse. He has got a little bit of work to come. He had a good blow after the trial so there is a bit of improvement to come off it, and I’m looking forward to getting him to the races.” If all goes well this weekend, Lees hasn’t ruled out Rivellino, who is the $4 market leader with horse racing betting sites for Saturday’s race, potentially heading for the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 22. “I think he could (go for the Golden Slipper), but it’s a run at a time with two-year-olds when they’re up early so we’ll see,” the trainer added. Horse racing news View the full article

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C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable and Ken Reimer's reigning champion sprint mare Soul of an Angel (Atreides) breezed four furlongs Sunday at Gulfstream ahead of an intended tilt at the $20-million GI Saudi Cup Feb. 22. Trained by Championship Meet leader Saffie Joseph Jr., 6-year-old was timed in :47.80 seconds on the main track, ranking 13th of 70 horses. It was her third work since finishing third in the Rampart Stakes Dec. 26. “She had a good half-mile work. We put her in company to pick it up a bit,” Joseph said. “She came out of the last race well. The last one was a prep for this one. She's in good order. We'll find out in a day or two if she's going to get in or not.” The Saudi Cup is contested at 1,800 meters, approximately 1 1/8 miles, around one turn at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “We're still kind of waiting a bit to see if we get in to Saudi. They told us we were likely invited, and then said we were on the reserve list,” Joseph said. “She's the third reserve right now, so we're waiting to see what happens.” Soul of an Angel earned the Eclipse Award as North America's champion female sprinter of 2024 after finishing third or better in eight of 11 starts with four wins highlighted by the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 2 at Del Mar. Soul of an Angel earned an automatic berth in the race for her victory in Gulfstream's GIII Princess Rooney Invitational Sept. 21. “That's a great achievement for her,” Joseph said. “We're very thankful to have our first champion.” The post Soul of an Angel Works Ahead of Possible Saudi Cup Tilt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The first Saturdays in February, March and April are stacked with points-awarding prep races for the GI Kentucky Derby. It's unusual, though, for all of the coast-to-coast stakes on any one of those weekends to yield three emphatic or impactful performances. But the trio of preps on Feb. 1 produced three intriguing winners who all figure to be “horses of interest” moving forward. The victories Saturday by Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita, 'TDN Rising Star' Captain Cook (Practical Joke) in the ungraded Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, and Burnham Square (Liam's Map) in the GIII Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream were also a not-so-common case of assigned Beyer Speed Figures aligning with how visually impressive each of those efforts were. Citizen Bull's wiring despite a stutter-step out of the gate earned a 98 Beyer in his first race back since winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Captain Cook stalked and pounced in what was both his first two-turn try and first race outside the maiden ranks, good for a 94 Beyer. Burnham Square got a 90, winning his second consecutive race since the addition of blinkers and doing it the hard way, breaking from the outside post and rallying from last over a short-stretch configuration. Champ, Not Chump Did you need a little convincing that the 2-year-old Eclipse Award champ might not advance his form at age three? I did. Citizen Bull won the Juvenile by establishing a speed-in-hand lead while coasting along at a moderate tempo after the 9-5 favorite who was expected to set the pace stumbled out of stall one and was eliminated from contention. After a three-month break, trainer Bob Baffert opted to cut this big, heavy colt back to a flat mile after two straight Grade I stakes wins at 1 1/16 miles last autumn. But when Citizen Bull bobbled leaving post two, it was almost as if the same circumstances that disadvantaged his rival in the Juvenile were going to cost Citizen Bull in the Lewis. Not so. Citizen Bull more or less recovered on his own under a patient Martin Garcia, and it was by the colt's own accord that he asserted himself at the head of affairs nearest the rail into the first turn. Garcia said post-win that the 9-10 favorite was “waiting around for company” and “just messing around” without being fully focused. Yet Citizen Bull sure looked the part of a keen but controllable pacesetter, taking legit pressure while maintaining a length lead down the backstretch. Three-eighths out, Citizen Bull opened the throttle to double his leading margin, and although he was gamely chased home by two Baffert-trained stablemates in the five-horse field, he drew away under steady handling to score by 3 ¾ lengths. So where and when will we see the champ race next? Baffert generally does not publicly disclose next-race plans for his A-list sophomore prospects until very close to entry time. But the Mar. 1 GII San Felipe S. is as good a guess as any. Baffert has won the Lewis (or its predecessor, the Santa Catalina Stakes) 13 times total. Seven of those Lewis winners next started in the San Felipe. Will that be a productive prep path? The best two Derby performances by Baffert trainees who took the Lewis-San Felipe route were by Medina Spirit, who won the 2021 Lewis, then ran second in both the San Felipe and GI Santa Anita Derby before crossing the finish wire first in the Kentucky Derby (but subsequently getting DQ'd for a drug positive). In 2009, Pioneerof the Nile won all three of those Santa Anita preps for Baffert, then ran second in Louisville. Front-end speed with staying power is a hallmark of Baffert's sophomore program, and that proven commodity is what gives Citizen Bull an edge moving forward. Even though horses on the lead have not captured the last three Derbies-Rich Strike in 2022 and Mage in 2023 were off-the-pace winners, while Mystik Dan (Goldencents) in 2024 was an inside stalker-speed-centric horses who raced either on the front end or just off it crossed the finish wire first in every Derby between 2014 and 2021. New York State of Mind… The Withers Stakes, which dates to 1874 but has been all over the calendar and run at different distances and tracks throughout its history, took a haircut in terms of grading this year, dropping from Grade III to listed. But in the 21st Century, it's yielded two winners of Triple Crown races, with Bernardini in 2006 and Early Voting in 2022 both using it as a springboard to the GI Preakness Stakes. After a trip-troubled debut at Churchill, Captain Cook uncorked a blow-'em-away 9 1/4-length shellacking at Aqueduct Dec. 28. The stretch-out from seven to nine furlongs in the Withers wasn't viewed as an impediment to the betting public, who knocked down this Rick Dutrow, Jr. trainee to 7-5 in the wagering. Captain Cook broke a beat tardily, but Manny Franco effectively settled him into stalk mode about two lengths off the top. Three wide on both turns, the colt ratcheted up the pressure when cued to quicken on the far bend, getting second run after another stalker had put away the early leader. With an all-business, locked-in drive Captain Cook then swatted back a late challenge from a 33-1 closer who was outrunning those odds, prevailing by a measured 2 ¼ lengths. Dutrow said Sunday that he likes the two-month spacing of the Apr. 5 GII Wood Memorial Stakes for this moderate-framed colt, adding that having two wins over the Aqueduct dirt (with one of them at the Wood's nine-furlong distance) is an obvious advantage. Last To First In Florida… The Holy Bull Stakes has evolved into a trap for betting favorites, who have gone down in defeat in every edition but one since 2017, with the lone exception being Tiz the Law in 2020. Burnham Square had flashed speed when breaking his maiden by nine lengths from post one in a 1 1/16-miles race Dec. 28 at Gulfstream, but he drew the outermost gate on Saturday. Even though post seven is not a “way out there” start point, Gulfstream's main-track races at that distance begin close to the first turn and end at the sixteenth pole, so coming from way off the tailgate while conceding ground isn't generally the optimal strategy. Burnham Square got “a little worked up” and “nervous” prior to the start, jockey Edgard Zayas later said, and it cost the gelding in terms of getting away slowly. After dropping back to last and negotiating the first turn four deep, Zayas dropped him to the rail. Burnham Square looked like he was churning and yearning to do more work, so about 5 ½ furlongs out, Zayas let him roll up the inside, and within the span of a quarter mile, he pulled his way from six lengths last to within one length of dueling pacemakers, all while being covered up and with minimal urging. When one of the speedsters conked out and dropped back, Burnham Square was briefly in danger of being bottled up with nowhere to go behind that fading rival. After a light bump at the entrance to the far bend while negotiating traffic and coming off the inside, Burnham Square again gave up four paths of real estate on the turn. By this time four different horses had taken a crack at the lead, and the move by favorite Tappan Street (Into Mischief) had the look of a winning one based on how quickly he accelerated away from the pack. But Burnham Square came at Tappan Street with gusto, and even though it took him the better part of the stretch to reel him in, he did so with purpose before coming over the top at the sixteenth pole. He was kept to task late for a 1 ¾-length tally at 4.3-1 odds. Trainer Ian Wilkes said post-win that the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes Mar. 1 is “a strong possibility” for Burnham Square's next start. The post All Three Weekend Derby Preps Yield ‘Horses of Interest’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. sat in his Belmont Park office Feb. 2 still basking in the glow of his newly-minted stakes-winner Captain Cook's dominant victory in the $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 1.View the full article

Whitham Thoroughbreds' Burnham Square, last-to-first winner of the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 1, exited the Triple Crown prep "bright and alert" and could return in Gulfstream Park's next Triple Crown prep in four weeks.View the full article

Citizen Bull earned 20 additional qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby to give him 60 in all. That should be more than enough points to make the 20-horse cutline for the Derby.View the full article

With 20 Kentucky Oaks points as the top prize, it was Tenma (Nyquist–Amagansett, by Tapit) who snatched the lot as she strolled home a winner in the GIII Fasig-Tipton Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday afternoon. Earlier in the week a group of five fillies were part of the barrier draw, however, by post time it was only three headed to the gate. Tabbed as the short-priced 1-5 choice here, Tenma began to match race with Just as Fancy (Volatile) from the bell. 'TDN Rising Star' Cipriani (Bernardini) went into chase mode as she was over 10 lengths behind as the pacesetters made the backstretch. The chalk put away her rival around the far turn and proceeded to run up the score. Cipriani was the runner-up. The final running time was 1:38.31. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1. Sales History: KEESEP '23 $200,000, OBSAPR '24 $850,000. O-Baoma Corp; B-B Flay Thoroughbreds; T-Bob Baffert. There was never a doubt that TENMA ($2.40) and @JJHernandezS19 were the winners of the $100,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) at @SantaAnitaPark. She added 20 more points to the Kentucky Oaks for trainer @BobBaffert and owners @BaomaCorp. pic.twitter.com/YSlxmOS5Bq — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 2, 2025 The post Tenma Strolls Home With Oaks Points In Las Virgenes At Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables' Sandman (Tapit), who overcame a tangled start in the Jan. 25 GIII Southwest Stakes before closing from the back to finish second under Cristian Torres, will make his next start in the Feb. 22 GII Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, confirmed Mark Casse Sunday. Casse also said Sandman will remain at Oaklawn, where the trainer has a string in Hot Springs for the first time since 2019. The Rebel is Oaklawn's final major prep for the $1.5-million GI Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles Mar. 29. “He's one of the reasons I came there,” Casse said. “This is the first time in some time. That was a real interrupted schedule, as well, training. So many things the way he ran were good. We're staying there. That is our path to the [Kentucky] Derby. It will be the Rebel next.” Of his Southwest effort, the Hall of Famer added, “I was just happy that he was fine,” Casse said of the one-length defeat. “I've been doing this for a long time and watched a lot of horses run, good horses that could never overcome the break that he had to even hit the board. So, I think: 1) hats off to Cristian. Not really sure how he stayed on and 2) he didn't panic. He let the horse get himself together and the rest goes to Sandman. I said going in we're going to find out whether he's a man or a boy and I think he's a man.” The 1 1/16-mile Southwest was Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races. The Southwest allotted 42 total points (20-10-6-4-2, respectively) to the top five finishers toward Kentucky Derby starting eligibility. Sandman, a $1.2 million at the OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training purchase, ran fifth in the GIII Iroquois at one mile Sept. 14 and third in the GIII Street Sense at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 27. Both races were at Churchill Downs. “He did [everything but win] and probably more,” Casse said of the Southwest. “Obviously, you're disappointed when you miss the opportunity to win a big race, a million-dollar race, but we came away with so many positives that it's hard to be very disappointed.” Sandman was assigned a career-high 92 Beyer Speed Figure for the Southwest, a three-point improvement over his previous best, which came in a 1 ¾-length allowance victory at 1 mile Dec. 13 at Oaklawn to close his five-race 2-year-old campaign. Sandman only had two half-mile workouts in advance of the Southwest after Oaklawn lost more than 10 days of training earlier in January to winter weather. Sandman galloped 1 ½ miles Sunday morning and will probably work next weekend, said Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse's Oaklawn division. The Rebel will offer 105 total points (50-25-15-10-5, respectively) to the top five finishes toward the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters. The post Tapit’s Sandman Rebel Bound appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Bob Baffert confirmed all was well with Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) the morning after his 3 3/4-length win in Saturday's GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes. Baffert indicated a decision has not been made whether last year's 2-year-old champion will make one or two more starts before this year's GI Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Citizen Bull, who earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for his front-running win in the one-mile Lewis under Martin Garcia, which was his first start since winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 1. With the win, Citizen Bull earned 20 additional qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby to give him 60 in all. On Sunday, he said “we'll just wait and see” whether Citizen Bull makes another start, potentially the GII San Felipe at Santa Anita on Mar. 1, prior to the final round of Kentucky Derby preps in early April, which includes the GI Santa Anita Derby on Apr. 5. “I need to talk it over with his racing manager [SF Racing's Tom Ryan] and we'll make a plan,” Baffert said. Citizen Bull is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables and partners. In addition to Citizen Bull, Baffert has another Kentucky Derby prospect in Into Michief's Barnes, who won the GII San Vicente going seven furlongs Jan. 4 at Santa Anita. Barnes will make his next start in either the GII Rebel Stakes Feb. 22 at Oaklawn Park or the San Felipe a week later, Baffert said. Both races are contested at 1 1/16 miles. It would be the first time going two turns for Barnes, owned by Zedan Racing. The post Citizen Bull Doing Well After Lewis, San Felipe or Rebel for Barnes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Coming off of a strong 2024 renewal which saw a record three seven-figure mares go through the ring, the 2025 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale kicks off in a consolidated single session at Newtown Paddocks Monday morning with bidding set to begin at 10 a.m. 414 catalogued hips are on offer including exciting late supplemental adds such as 14-year-old broodmare Athenian Beauty (Corinthian), the dam of this year's GIII Southwest Stakes winner Speed King (Volatile), who sells in foal to Caracaro from the Taylor Made Sales Consignment. “That's a great thing about this time of year,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. “There's always opportunities that emerge. Speed King ran very impressively [in the Southwest] so we were very pleased that the owner, Mr. Bowman, decided to supplement the mare to the sale. She should be a very interesting and attractive offer.” The Winter Mixed Sale is the last chance for horses to change hands at auction before the breeding season begins and shortens into a jam-packed one-day session this year. “Last year honestly was a bit of an anomaly with the Lothenbach dispersal,” Browning continued. “This year is a little bit more representative of a catalogue for February. There are some very attractive mares in foal. There are some very nice fillies and mares coming off the track. And the feeling is that we probably have a little higher percentage of short yearlings this year than we've had in the catalogue in year's past, so it's a diverse group. There's really a horse here in the catalogue for every buyer.” Browning noted the timing of the sale, with additional racing updates coming in daily, presents opportunities for both breeders and those looking to race. “Whether you're trying to add something to the very top end of your program or you're trying to find something to take to the races, there's a lot of options in this sale,” said Browning. “Clearly a timely update or new activity in the family helps. We're heading into Derby and Oaks season and hope springs eternal with those types of connections. We're seeing more of an emphasis on quality and expect to see that trend continue on.” Even without the Lothenbach disperal from last year, Browning expects numbers to be similar to what was seen in recent sales. “I think we'll see [that] the market is very similar to what we've experienced in the last two or three years,” said Browning. “For the top 20% of the horses, the market is going to be really good. There will be very strong competition for what is perceived to be of higher quality. We live in a market that there is certainly some fragmentation and that's going to continue. That's just the reality of the marketplace today.” Baldwin Bloodstock's Amy Bunt, who brings a consignment of 10 to the Winter Mixed Sale this year, agreed with Browning's assessment of both the market and the opportunity present. “I love this sale,” said Bunt. “I hope the market's going to be good because it is the last chance to buy [short yearlings] for the pin-hookers. I think people really like to shop this sale. I've had some pretty good success selling here because it's the last opportunity for people to buy babies.” Cats Inthe Timber | Jim McCue Bunt brings eight short yearlings to market Monday including several by young sires such as Drain the Clock, Mystic Guide and Epicenter. Her two young mares include racing or broodmare prospect Matters (Kitten's Joy) (hip 40), a 4-year-old out of GISW Byrama (GB) who is also the dam of GI Florida Derby winner Known Agenda. Matters's half-brother sold for $650,000 to John Stewart's Resolute Racing as a yearling at Keeneland in 2023. Bunt also sells the 5-year-old stakes winner Cats Inthe Timber (Honor Code) (hip 238), out a half-sister to GISW True Timber (Mineshaft). “It's a very physical sale,” Bunt continued. “Everybody is able to look at everything. I would definitely put the emphasis on the physical here. Not that people are more forgiving of pedigree, but it's more of a physical sale. I don't have anything here that I wouldn't put on someone's short list.” Last year, boosted in part by the aforementioned dispersal of horses from the late Robert Lothenbach, the Winter Mixed Sale saw 372 horses change hands for $21,687,000 with an average of $58,298 and a median of $17,000. As previously mentioned, three mares topped the seven-figure mark led by Coolmore's $2,000,000 purchase of Zetta Z (Bernardini), the dam of undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist). The post Off Strong 2024 Edition, Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale Keeps Momentum Rolling Into Breeding Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Whitham Thoroughbreds' Burnham Square (Liam's Map), winner of Saturday's GIII Holy Bull Stakes, exited the Triple Crown prep 'bright and alert' and could return in Gulfstream's GII Fountain of Youth Stakes in four weeks. According to trainer Ian Wilkes Sunday, Burnham Square “came out fine and jogged good this morning” at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. The gelding earned 20 GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points for his 1 3/4-length triumph. Second in Gulfstream's series of dirt races for 3-year-olds on the road to the $1-million GI Florida Derby Mar. 29 after the one-mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes Jan. 3, the Holy Bull is followed on the stakes schedule by the GII Fountain of Youth Mar. 1, also run at 1 1/16 miles. “The logical spot probably is the Fountain of Youth,” Wilkes said for Burnham Square, bred and owned by Janis Whitham with her son and racing manager, Clay. “I'll talk to Clay and Mrs. Whitham and make sure. It's four weeks away. We'll see how he does and how he bounces out of this. He looked bright and alert this morning, but he ran hard. Let's see how he comes back and trains.” He added, “He overcame a lot of adversity in the race, so that was good,” Wilkes said. “He just keeps getting better, and that's what you want. You've got to get better because the water gets deeper. You've got to keep improving. To where he might maximize out at, I don't know yet. But the further they go the better he gets. The distance is what he likes.” Burnham Square is 2-0 lifetime at Gulfstream, having graduated with a nine-length maiden special weight score going 1 1/16 miles Dec. 28. Both wins have also come since the addition of blinkers and jockey Edgard Zayas. “He wouldn't run in the race. He'd run away from horses. He wouldn't run into the dirt. Jocks were riding him at the half-mile pole and he was going nowhere. He just needed blinkers. Then he'd run home, get beat a half-length for all of it and then be four lengths in front after the wire.” Burnham Square ran second by a half-length at odds of 30-1 while running for a $150,000 claiming tag in debut last fall at Keeneland sprinting six furlongs. He stretched out to 1 1/16 miles and stepped up to maiden special weight company for his next start, beaten less than a length while running third. “He's a plain ol' horse. We just let him come along,” Wilkes said. “When we worked him, he worked good. But did we like him off the bat? No. We didn't know what we had. We just let him come along and he started working good. I ran him for [$150,000] first time out. He ran awfully good and surprised us, and just got better and better from there.” The post Burnham Square Heads to Fountain of Youth appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The news has arrived thick and fast for the Northern California industry over the last couple of months, as racing operations have consolidated in the Southern half of the state. Few state industry stakeholders remain unaffected by these developments, certainly not the breeders, whose commercial decisions today ripple years into the future. The breeding sheds don't open for another couple of weeks. During that time, many currently undecided minds will be resolved. Among those California breeders currently canvassed, however, their outlooks for 2025 are a mixed bag. On the one hand is optimism in some quarters that years of declining trends will now lead to a period of economic stasis or even tentative growth, while on the other, fears that lack of racing opportunities will see significant contraction at the lower end of the market especially. Larger outfits appear much better insulated from the harsh headwinds than smaller owner-breeders. “From where I sit and who I work for, you wouldn't know anything's amiss. These folks are gung-ho,” said Kevin Dickson, farm manager for Barton Thoroughbreds, the 200-acre family-owned breeding behemoth in California's Santa Ynez Valley. “Just from our numbers, we're not slowing down.” Dickson said he estimates about 160 mares will be foaled at the farm over the next few months. “And I would say we'll breed easily that many this year,” he added. “We have 40 mares in Kentucky right now getting bred, and the rest of them are home supporting our five stallions.” Outside support for these stallions is “a little less” than typical for the time of year, said Dickson. One of them is Shaaz (Uncle Mo), new to the farm in 2024. As with most second-year stallions, his numbers have fallen off. While Barton is maintaining its numerical firepower, “it's still hard to get excited about anything out here on the West Coast at the moment,” Dickson said. “We just lost another track. Now we've lost racing dates for the fair circuits. It's looking pretty gloomy-feels like we're circling the drain a little bit.” It all comes down to purses, said Dickson-more pointedly, the forecast is grim without supplemental purse revenues lacking in California but enjoyed in other states. Think Historic Horse Racing, a state subsidy, or some other slice of gambling revenue. And he emphasized the economic engine that racing provides. Indeed in recent years, the California horse racing industry directly contributed over $4.5 billion to the state's economy, and over 77,700 jobs. Tom Clark, owner and manager of Rancho San Miguel's sprawling 250-acre property in San Luis Obispo County, agrees. “Until that's sorted, we're just shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic,” he said. Clark currently houses around 150 mares, both his and clients-a number down from around 180 two years ago. “Most of those are ones I'm hoping will re-breed,” he said. At the same time, he predicted as much as a one-third drop off in mares bred this year. “What I'm not seeing is outside mares coming in.” In California, the number of mares bred has shrunk from 5,823 in 2004 to 1,493 last year. This at a time when Cal-breds make up a significant portion of the fields in California. Another trend, said Clark, is growing demand around Thoroughbred mares in California for activities other than breeding, including having mares serve as surrogates, he said. “I'm getting calls from Montana, from people working with polo horses. I'm getting calls about recip mares. But nobody wants to breed to Thoroughbreds,” he said. “We are at a critical juncture and if there's no immediate turn-around, we'll look to diversify into other breeds, other types of animals on our farm. Quarter horses. Show horses. Rodeo people,” he said, about Rancho San Miguel. “We need to expand our market, let's put it that way, in order to survive.” Adding to California breeders concerns, he said, were comments like the ones by The Stronach Group's Belinda Stronach on last week's Pegasus broadcast that dense urban settings are “not great” for horses. “I think more and more people in California see the writing on the wall for Santa Anita as well.” Clark's outlook, however, isn't uniform. California Thoroughbred Breeders Association (CTBA) president Chief Stipe Burge declined to speak for the story, saying it was too early for him to comment. But board member Terry Lovingier emailed a series of bullet points about why he remains “bullish” on California breeding. “As long as we have racing at Santa Anita and Del Mar, now is the time to breed. I am of the belief we will be racing here for a long time,” wrote Lovingier, later clarifying that he believed racing would continue at Santa Anita for another five to eight years at least. Among the bullet points that Lovingier sent were several outlining what he sees as increased financial incentives for California's remaining breeders, including the following: That unspent monies from the 20% additional owners' award paid to Cal-breds that win open races in the north, “will directly go back into Breeders and Stallion awards,” wrote Lovingier. “In 2024, that was approximately $600,000. In 2023, it was approximately $1,000,000.” That because the maiden bonus in the north will no longer exist, “that program will get rectified and balanced soon, and the maiden bonus could go back to historical percentages for Cal Breds,” he wrote. That a “certain potential increase in handle on the south” will lead to increased total incentive money generated and increased breeders' awards. And that purses at Santa Anita's Spring meet and at Del Mar are expected to go up. “A maiden race at Del Mar for Cal Breds will be upwards of $80,000,” he wrote. Long-time owner-breeder Nick Alexander made a similar observation. “Two things happen when a business goes through a downcycle. You lose a certain number of people that are friends and neighbors but also competitors. Some people just can't take or stomach the loss, and either can't or aren't willing to wait to see if it does turn around,” said Alexander. “That being said, you still have to have a total number of horses to fill a card.” At the end of last year, Alexander participated in the Fasig-Tipton digital sale with a partial dispersal of his stock, selling 11 yearlings and 2 broodmares. “All I did was keep from expanding,” he said. “I didn't really cut overall numbers.” Alexander still has more than 20 mares set to foal in the next few months, he said. “Going forward, we have 32 mares that we will breed this year,” he said. From Alexander's perspective, he sees not so much growth anytime soon on California's horizons, but rather a plateauing of economic trends. “The most recent numbers would indicate that we might have passed the worst and things are turning around.” Alexander is in his 80s. Others like Justin Oldfield, who owns and operates Daehling Farms in Northern California with his wife, Julia, represent a generation expected to carry the industry on their shoulders for decades to come. Oldfield is keeping his powder dry on any hard prognosis about breeding plans this year. At the same time, “I'm very concerned,” he said. “I'm not going to paint a rosy picture of everything.” The Oldfields currently have about 12 mares of their own, and house another roughly 70 mares from clients. Breeding plans for this fleet of broodmares remains largely up in the air, he said. “This is not the time to say it's premature. It's not. A lot of people have already made breeding decisions. But I'll know more in about 45 days,” Oldfield said. New under the Daehling Farms banner is Flavius (War Front), a stallion he sees as bringing the necessary quality to fit the Southern California program. “There's a lot of interest, but not a lot of [firm] business at this point,” he said, about Flavius. “That doesn't concern me so much because I assume there's going to be a lot of breeders making last-minute decisions.” The Juddmonte Farms-homebred is indicative of what Oldfield sees as a breeding model in the state that will only continue to emphasize quality over quantity. “We have a lot of owners in Northern California who breed their horses and race their horses. And I think those guys make decisions on breeding based on money that they have coming in from horses that are of racing age,” he said, adding that the opportunities for these Northern breed-to-race outfits “are obviously much more limited than what they were” in the past. Oldfield could be talking about Northern California-mainstay, Gloria Haley. Haley purchased last year three mares with the expectation that Golden State Racing would continue racing this year at Pleasanton, bringing the total of mares to her name to five. “I've got quite a lot of babies hitting the ground. I just had one born a few days ago. A Frosted,” Haley said. Haley will breed two of the five mares. As for the other three, she's currently undecided. “I'm just going to have to reevaluate the situation according to the economics of this,” said Haley. “A lot of people up here are in a similar situations.” People like Dr. William Gray, another Northern stalwart scaling back his operations. Typically, Gray will breed 16 to 17 of his mares. This year, that number will likely be eight to 10, he said. Furthermore, Gray will usually board 10 to 15 mares for outside clients at his 150-acre farm in Cottonwood, California, but he's received no firm bookings thus far this year. “There's just not the market for them,” Gray said. This speaks of hardening market forces. Shrinking racing opportunities, too. “I do appreciate the fact they're trying to accommodate us,” he said, about Santa Anita's efforts to write races for the Northern California horse inventory. “But we're having a really hard time getting the races to go.” Owner-breeder Rozamund Barclay has a similar take. “What people are doing is, the lesser horses are being sold. A lot of trainers, that's all they have.” Prior to the COVID pandemic, Barclay had around 30 mares. Post-pandemic, she culled that number to 12. This year, she's planning to breed to just six of those mares. “That's one fifth what it was just a few years ago,” said Barclay. “We all feel like we're on shaky ground,” she added. “I just don't know what's going to happen to the people of the North.” Pete Parrella, who owns Legacy Ranch near the Sierra Nevada foothills, said he was optimistic about the returns for a talented Cal-bred. But growing operational costs from workers' compensation, minimum wage, feed, training fees and a whole raft of other financial considerations mean that “it's just very difficult to run horses at the lower end,” he added. Parrella has around 120 horses of his own-a fairly standard number for him. “Typically, we've got anywhere from 80 to 150,” he said. Including clients' horses, he has about 300 horses on the ranch. “We've been steady at that for a while,” he said. Like a few others in the state, Legacy Ranch has a new kid on the stallion block, Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah). The ex-Richard Mandella runner has already secured about 30 breedings for the year. Parrella hopes for around 50. “We've had a good response, even with what's going on in Northern California,” he said. “What's the worst that could happen? Let's say it all stops, you've got 20 to 30 two-year-olds, but you'll be able to sell them somewhere. There's still value. Ship them back East. You may have to change your program around, but there's other options,” Parrella said. “But I just believe in the industry,” he added. “I just believe the powers that be, they're going to figure it out. It might get worse before it gets better. But I believe in the long run, it's going to get better.” The post With Breeding Season Poised to Begin, CA Breeders Weigh in on Year Ahead appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

St. Elias Stable's Captain Cook (Practical Joke), winner of Saturday's Withers Stakes at the Big A, is expected to make his next start in the GII Wood Memorial Apr. 5, according to trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. Sunday. The Wood awards the top-five finishers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby points, respectively. “He's got a big step forward next time when we run him back in the Wood, but he's got plenty of time and we love that–so does he,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “He'll be running back over a track he's won two races over, and it seems like he's all lined up to run big again, as long as he stays the way he is now.” Captain Cook was sixth in his career debut in a six-furlong maiden at Churchill Downs for conditioner Norm Casse before selling to St. Elias for $410,000 at the Keeneland Horses of Racing Age Sale in November. In his most recent start prior to the Withers, the bay ran off to an impressive 9 1/4-length score in a sloppy seven-furlong maiden at the Big A on Dec. 28. “I don't care about Beyers,” Dutrow, Jr. said of the colt's latest race. “He's a very relaxed horse, and we're very lucky to have him. He's a pleasant surprise. He was running against better horses and when he broke his maiden with us, he liked the track well enough, but we don't really know if he beat anything that day. Facing these guys [Saturday], there were horses that had the credentials to run big. Our horse just ran a big race, man.” He added, “We're lucky that he is the way he is in a race,” Dutrow, Jr. added of the colt's relaxed nature. “He doesn't have a lot of size to him, and he's going to need to conserve everything he's got, but man, he does that. When Manny [Franco] hopped off of that horse, he said, 'Rick, I'm starting to dream.'” Also possible for the Wood, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Judy Hicks and Campeche Stables' McAfee (Cloud Computing) continues to work his way back from a small infection that forced him to scratch from the Jan. 4 Jerome at the Big A. The half-brother to 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna made a successful debut on Nov. 1 to annex a six-furlong restricted maiden at Churchill Downs before a head defeat to finish second in a one-mile starter allowance on Nov. 24 at the Louisville oval. McAfee had his first work in almost one month when covering a half-mile in :52 seconds flat over the Belmont dirt training track Saturday. “Oh, we're excited about that guy,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “He's doing great. After Emily [Ellingwood, who frequently exercised MGISW White Abarrio during his tenure with Dutrow, Jr.] would breeze White Abarrio for us in California, I could see her molars because she was smiling so much–that's what happened [Saturday] when she breezed McAfee. She just loved the feeling the horse gave her.” While Dutrow, Jr. did not commit to a firm plan in the coming weeks for McAfee, but did say the colt could also be on his way to the nine-furlong Kentucky Derby prep. “We have a hopeful plan that if he stays the way he is, it could set him up for the Wood and we could have two horses–two live horses–for that race,” Dutrow, Jr. said. “That's never happened to me before, and I like to dream, too.” The post Dutrow Eyes Wood with Captain Cook, McAfee appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Six-time winner Alfa Kellenic (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) starred for Craig Lidster in 2024 when he enjoyed the best year of his training career to date, but it's all change ahead of the start of the new Flat season on turf. The Rotherham-born trainer will be operating with a reduced string in 2025, having recently moved across North Yorkshire from Easingwold to Malton. Tell us a bit about your background and the path you took to becoming a trainer. I'm from a small town in Rotherham and I had no background in racing. Kevin Frost got me into this game and I then spent 10 years with Brian Ellison and eight years with Richard Fahey, learning the ropes as travelling head lad. I had a short-lived career as a jockey. I'm probably a better rider now than I was back then! I found my way working with young horses and that paid my way until I was able to put together enough money to set up as a trainer. The yard sent out 34 winners and won over £500,000 in prize-money in 2024. How do you reflect on last year as a whole? Last year was amazing. The team did a great job and we obviously had Alfa Kellenic whose achievements were the pinnacle for us. She won twice at York and went on to win the Ayr Silver Cup. Unfortunately, we just missed out on getting into the Ayr Gold Cup, but it was a massive statement for a three-year-old filly to go and win the Silver Cup the way she did, taking on older horses off near-enough top weight. She was flawless all year and that was testament to our team. What was your highlight of 2024 on the racecourse? Ayr was a special day. I was very, very nervous leading into the race. I was walking the box all night before she ran in the Listed race at Newmarket, but not as much as I was before the Silver Cup. Things didn't go to plan at Newmarket, but it is what it is. Do you think Alfa Kellenic can make the step up to Pattern company in 2025? I'm not sure just yet whether she'll be coming back to me or not, but I would think that she'll definitely be picking up black type this year. She's got all of the right attributes and I'd be disappointed if she didn't. You've recently moved to a new yard in Malton. Tell us a bit about that and how many horses you expect to have in training for the upcoming Flat season. We've taken over Beverley House Stables where Linda and Bill Stubbs used to train, so I'm back to my old stomping ground in Malton. We've got that as a lease, with an option to buy it, and at the minute I've got 15 horses in. We can hold 21 and I think I've got another six waiting to come in, so we're probably going to be full to capacity in the next two weeks. We've majorly downsized from 60 horses down to 21, but sometimes you have to take a step backwards to go forwards. We've got a chance of going out and buying a yard of our own here, whereas I was never going to be able to afford the yard I was in. Who has been the biggest influence on your career? From a racing standpoint, Brian Ellison is like my second dad. He modelled me into the trainer I am. I've tried to mimick the different things that Brian and Richard Fahey do. Brian has spent a lifetime sweetening horses up and wouldn't be one for getting horses off the bridle at home, whereas Richard and Robin O'Ryan are major educators of two-year-olds. They were two great yards to be in and I tried to take everything on board before deciding on my own style of doing things. What is your favourite thing about being a trainer? I love young stock and horses who have their quirks, and I like trying to solve problems. It might take three months, four months or five months, but I like trying to figure out how to get that horse to work for us, and vice versa, until they start to enjoy it. We very rarely have problems with our horses in the stalls. I've spent a bit of time with Gary Witherford and that has helped me out a lot. It's about trying to find your niche in the market where you can use all of that to good effect. Give us a dark horse to follow for the year ahead. I ran Intinso (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the Winter Derby Trial at Southwell the other day. He came from the Gosdens and I think I stole him out of there to be honest–I can't understand how we got him for 7,000gns. He's a lovely, big horse who just wants a trip. He's a horse who probably wants a mile and six furlongs, or two miles, but I've got sprinters who struggle to keep up with him. He's got a massive reach on him. We started him on the all-weather and we'll probably keep tipping away with him because I don't think he wants rock-hard ground. Who is the best value stallion with the start of the breeding season just around the corner? Havana Grey (GB) is a great sire and he's done me no harm. I also think Ubettabelieveit (Ire) is a cost-effective stallion. I've got three of his in the yard at the minute and I looked at quite a lot of them at the sales. I really like what I've seen of them and they've got great minds. I'm looking forward to seeing them run. What would make 2025 a good year for you? New start, new targets. I don't really know yet because we've just moved to the new yard. I'll just keep my head down and keep kicking. The post In The Hot Seat: Craig Lidster appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Driver Penalties D Butcher | Hawera 31 January; careless driving; suspended 8-13 February inclusive. L McCormick | NZ Metropolitan 31 January; careless driving; suspended 1-7 February inclusive. J Morrison | NZ Metropolitan 31 January; medical clearance required. J Dickie | Hawera 2 February; contacted track marker: fined $150. A Pyers | Hawera 2 February; drove with foot out of sulky footrest; fined $100. C Hackett | Hawera 2 February; use of whip; suspended 8-14 February inclusive. Z Meredith | Hawera 2 February; breach of push out rule; fined $200. S Manawatu | Waikouaiti 2 February; crossed over prior to start; fined $200. K Butt | Waikouaiti 2 February; delayed the start; fined $200. B Williamson | Waikouaiti 2 February; use of whip; fined $250. Horse Penalties FATHER ON DOWN | Invercargill 30 January; broke in running; must complete trial. PEGGY GEE | Invercargill 30 January; broke at start; must complete standing start trial. TICKTOCK MCGLAUGHLIN | Invercargill 30 January; broke in running; must complete trial. SHUFFLE UP | Invercargill 30 January; atrial fibrillation; veterinary clearance including ECG required and must complete trial. LOVEYOURMOTHER | NZ Metropolitan 31 January; broke in running; must complete trial. ITBETTERBENOW | Hawera 2 February; broke in running; must complete trial. KC’S PRINCESS | Hawera 2 February; broke at start; must complete standing start trial. HAWTHORNDEN BEACH | Hawera 2 February; broke in running; must complete trial. SMIRITI TROUBLE | Waikouaiti 2 February; late scratching on veterinary advice; veterinary clearance required. JUST CHARLIE | Waikouaiti 2 February; broke in running; must complete trial. MADISON’S MOON | Waikouaiti 2 February; broke in running; must complete trial. Protests PRESIDENT FLYNNTIN | Hawera 31 January; denied a fair start; declared a non-runner. JACCKA BAYLIS | Hawera 31 January; denied a fair start; declared a non-runner. VERONICA JANE | Hawera 31 January; denied a fair start; declared a non-runner. IRON BRIGADE | Hawera 31 January; denied a fair start; declared a non-runner. MADISON’S MOON | Waikouaiti 2 February; excessive galloping in running; disqualified from 5th. The post 27 January – 2 February 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Rider Penalties C Grylls | Tauranga 27 January; failed to make weight; fined $200. S Weatherley | Tauranga 27 January; medical clearance required. M Hudson | Waverley 29 January; careless riding; suspended 2-12 February inclusive. H Grace | Waverley 29 January; use of whip (2 charges); fined $800. N Hailey | Waikato 31 January; used unsound gear; fined $150. N Hailey | Waikato 31 January; medical clearance required. K Stott | Waikato 31 January; misconduct; fined $450. A Riddell | Taranaki 1 February; use of whip; fined $150. T Moseley | Gore 2 February; medical clearance required. Trainer Penalties S Logan | Waikato 31 January; late rider declaration; fined $50. C Henderson | Waikato 31 January; late rider declaration; fined $50. F Auret | Non raceday dated 27 January; entered incorrect horse in Trial; fined $480. T Chambers | Non raceday dated 28 January; allowed a non-registered person to assist in the care, control or training of a horse; fined $500. Horse Penalties SHOOTIN TO SAKS | Tauranga 27 January; cardiac arrhythmia; veterinary clearance required. CHEAP SAV | Tauranga 27 January; lame; veterinary clearance required. NOBLE BOY | Tauranga 27 January; late scratching after failing to load; must complete trial. SEVENAYES | Waverley 29 January; late scratching after dislodging rider in preliminary; must complete trial. PURE GOLD | Waikato 31 January; bucked in running; must complete trial. SHARP ENOUGH | Auckland 1 February; unsatisfactory performance; must complete trial. SCREAMIN EAGLE | Auckland 1 February; epistaxis; stood down for 3 months and veterinary clearance required. The post 27 January – 2 February 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Chapel Stud owner Roisin Close has opened up about the difficulties in standing stayers in the current climate but shared that her new boy Eldar Eldarov (GB) is expected to cover a full book of mares in his debut season at the stud. The Roger Varian-trained St Leger winner, who followed up in the Irish equivalent, had his career cut short after suffering a freak neck injury in the stalls ahead of the G2 Dubai Gold Cup last year. The dual Group 1-winning son of Dubawi (Ire) will be limited to 80 mares in his first season and joins talented middle-distance types like Planteur (Ire) and Bangkok (Ire) at Chapel Stud. Speaking about the new addition, Close said, “Eldar Eldarov has covered some test mares in Newmarket, so we know he can cover, which is a big deal. That takes all of the guesswork out of it. Physically, he is well capable, but we are going to be careful with him, which is why we are limiting him. He is moving pretty well and, apart from the fact he has a slightly funny shape to his neck following the injury, you would struggle to know anything happened to him and he's only going to get better and better when he builds muscle.” She added, “Roger was very good and gave us some quotes when it came to advertising the horse at stud but, one of the most interesting things that he did say was that Eldar Eldarov was getting better and better. So without this injury, he wouldn't be my horse. Absolutely no question. Not only could this horse be standing at a bigger stud in Newmarket, but he potentially could have been standing for a lot more money as well if he ran more and won more. One hundred per cent, if he didn't have the injury, I think he'd be somewhere else right now. I don't wish that kind of injury on any horse but it's because of that that I have him.” Close says a book of 80 mares should be attainable with the horse who cleared over £1 million for owners KHK Racing. However, the stud owner does not gloss over the fact that smaller breeders have never found the going this tough in Britain, and accepted that a number of Flat breeders will find it difficult to breed to Eldar Eldarov in the current climate. She explained, “I'd like to think we'll get to 80 mares with him but it's a little harder when you are at the bargain and basement level of the market, which we are at, as you're not filling up months in advance. That's not how it works and a lot of people will wait until close to the time but I have had good interest and a lot of people can see the merits in a stallion like Eldar Eldarov. At the same time, people are worried. They are very worried. It is tough for smaller breeders and we're losing people to this game hand over fist. But 80 mares is a good number for Eldar Eldarov to cover and I think we'll get there. If we do, we'll be delighted as we think he represents a good opportunity for breeders.” Close added, “Eldar Eldarov is obviously a high-class horse with a fantastic pedigree and a great race record. If breeding stayers was commercial, I'd be laughing. All you've got to do is look at Strad last year. I mean, you couldn't find a tougher bloody horse than Stradivarius (Ire) yet breeders and pinhookers lacked the imagination to row in behind him and that makes things very frustrating. Eldar Eldarov will probably be relegated by most breeders as a National Hunt stallion which infuriates me no end. But I can understand why because, commercially, it's very hard to make things work when you're breeding to sell. “I will give him a chance myself and he will cover a lot of our own Flat mares. But National Hunt breeders are not necessarily like Flat breeders in that, just because you have a first-season sire, it doesn't mean that they will flock towards you. There isn't the same gravitas for a younger stallion in the National Hunt game. We will get the quantity of mares we want him to cover anyway, so I am happy about that, but God I'd love it if people would give these staying horses a chance.” It's not just Eldar Eldarov that Close and the Chapel Stud team have to look forward to this year. Group 2 winner Bangkok will have his first Flat runners this year and, while it is an admittedly small batch, Close explained that the reports have been good. “Bangkok is in a similar boat to Eldar Eldarov,” she explained. “He has a very small crop of Flat runners [five or six] but I think people will be very surprised by them. I know that Andrew Balding is very sweet on the one that he has by him and he thinks he will make a two-yer-old. “Of course, he wasn't as good of a racehorse as Eldar Eldarov was, but it is such a shame that these horses are relegated to the support of just a few Flat owner-breeders or National Hunt breeders. They get overlooked. The GBB Plus initiative will be a help as it offers more prize-money to horses who win over longer distances.” Close continued, “But every single mare that these stallions cover is a benefit. Don't get me wrong, I love sprinters and would love to be able to stand more sprinters. I have Hellvelyn (GB) and he's in fine fettle. He doesn't cover many anymore and, while I would love a few more sprinters to stand alongside him, I can't afford them. I have been completely priced out of the market. And that's not to say that I am only standing stayers because I can only afford stayers, which sounds awful, because that's not the case at all. I believe in my boys and just wish they got more of a chance.” The post ‘If Breeding Stayers Was Commercial, I’d Be Laughing’ – Eldar Eldarov Settling In Well At Chapel Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Powerful filly Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns) was nothing short of sensational when taking out Sunday’s Listed Liquorland Gore Guineas (1335m). The daughter of Ten Sovereigns has established herself as the three-year-old to beat in the South Island after scoring a winning hattrick this preparation, including a gusty showing to down Lil Zena in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day. Samantha Wynne, who trains and rides the filly on race-day, had every faith that a return to the firm surface wouldn’t be a disadvantage and punters agreed, closing her favourite at $2.70 ahead of Northern raider Sesimbra. Jumping from barrier five, Wynne found herself in a three-wide position early outside of Alberton Angel and Rapid, deciding to press forward and use the filly’s high cruising speed. Pivotal Ten had much of the three-year-old field chasing at the 600m, and by the home turn, she was off and gone, putting a six-length margin on Show Pony and Mamaea, who filled the minor placings. Wynne was delighted returning to scale, praising her rising star who had handled the occasion despite showing signs of being in season. “She blew me away to be honest, I knew she had improved at home, but you don’t know until you get them here,” she said. “She’s really starting to switch on now, she didn’t know what she was doing before but now she’s getting the hang of it. “They made it hard for me, keeping me three-wide early on and we had to do a bit of work, but when we were turning in, she felt amazing. I’m so grateful to have a horse like her in the stable. “She was definitely toey today, but she’s getting to know what it’s all about, a new track and new surroundings. She’s taken it well and I’ll look after her, making sure she gets to the next race in good order. “I’d just like to thank the owner for the opportunity and all the staff at home, I couldn’t do it without them.” The Gore feature is the first of three lucrative southern Guineas races, with the next being the Listed ILT Ascot Park Hotel Southland Guineas (1400m), run at Ascot Park on February 15. Wynne indicated the filly will remain in Southland in the next fortnight, rather than returning to her base at Ohoka in between races. “She’ll always come first so she has to be 100% going into it, we’re starting down to give her every chance,” she said. “It’s very exciting and it’s what it’s all about, I couldn’t be happier.” Pivotal Ten was bred by Valachi Downs and sold through their dispersal sale in 2022, where Colin Wightman purchased the filly for $15,000. In six starts, she has recorded four wins and just shy of $130,000 in stakes earnings. Earlier in the meeting, Wynne had also partnered Kellanzor (NZ) (Almanzor) to win the Hokonui Suzuki/Advance Agriculture (1335m), another promising filly in her care. View the full article

Underrated mare In Vegas (NZ) (Telperion) often steps up at the right time for Centaine Spittles and she did just that at Gore on Sunday, delivering a stylish victory in the MLT Gore Cup (2000m). A winner of five races prior to Sunday’s feature, In Vegas has shown her class on numerous occasions, including a narrow second to Matscot in last season’s Hororata Gold Cup (1800m), and more recently, placing to Jon Ol Rocco and Titicaca in respective races over New Zealand Cup Week. Last Saturday, the mare finished ninth but just two lengths from the winner in Times Ticking in the Marlborough Cup (2000m), but that was enough to place her among the middle market on the back-up at Gore, closing at $14. As anticipated, Riviera Rebel went straight to the lead approaching the first turn, where a number of horses were forced three and four wide on the track, including two of the favourites in Smooth Operator and Loftys Gift. Meanwhile, In Vegas had settled beautifully back in the field for Akshay Balloo, who steered her out into clear air as the field compressed ranks turning for home. A game Loftys Gift had been trapped wide throughout and hit the lead early in the straight, holding the lead for a long way before In Vegas came powering over the top to take the Cup by a half-length. Spittles was rapt with the performance, having plenty of faith that her mare could deliver on Sunday. “I was expecting this from her today, she didn’t have any excuses and that was her at her best,” Spittles said. “She’s more than capable of showing this, but she’s a mare with a few body problems and I was pretty sure I had her right. “It was great to get confirmation of that.” The Gore Cup was the first of the Southern Cups Bonus Series races, which culminates in a $50,000 bonus for the horse earning the highest amount of points across five events. The series will continue with the Invercargill Cup (2600m) on February 15, a race that may feature In Vegas. “It (the series) has been a goal in the back of our minds without being set, we’ll get her home first and then decide whether we go back down to Invercargill,” Spittles said. “It’s a massive trip, we came down here on Friday and aren’t leaving until tomorrow, it’s nine hours each way. It’s a lot to ask to do again in a couple of weeks, but she ran second over 2600m at Riccarton during Cup Week, so she definitely can get the distance. “I think 2000-2200 is her best range, even though she ran second there it did take it out of her a little bit for a week or so afterwards. “It’s not the end of the world if we find other races.” Bred by Grassyards Farm, In Vegas was purchased for just $500 by Spittles through gavelhouse.com, and the Balcairn horsewoman races her alongside Ray Abernathy, Steve Clarke, Steve Lovatt and Alison Tilson. In 31 starts, the daughter of Telperion has recorded six wins and $153,730 in stakes for the group. “She was on Gavelhouse as an unbroken two-year-old, we bought her for $500,” Spittles said. “I own most of her and a few other guys that have been loyal owners have little shares in her as well. We’ve been pretty lucky with her.” View the full article