Wandering Eyes

Waikato Stud’s homebred mare Sun Gift (NZ) (Savabeel) continued her strong run of summer form with another victory in the A$130,000 Honouring Our Jockeys Plate (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday. The Benchmark 78 handicap was the third start of the five-year-old’s preparation. She had resumed with a second at Caulfield on December 3 before finishing strongly from off the pace to win at Cranbourne on December 27. It was a winning result again on Saturday, but this time delivered in a different way. Ridden on this occasion by Jamie Melham, Sun Gift sat much closer to the pace in third before pouncing in the straight. She dashed into a clear lead with 300m remaining, then stuck to her guns as the challengers began to gain ground. Sun Gift still had a length and a quarter up her sleeve when she reached the finish line. “She was in a good mood today,” Melham said. “She can be a bit temperamental in the gates. “If she didn’t jump well today, I thought she was going to have a hard time getting back behind a slow tempo. ‘Willo’ (Craig Williams) gave her a great ride last time and was able to sneak up along the rail, but that wasn’t going to work out this time. “Fortunately it all worked out perfectly. She jumped well and we were able to push forward and take luck out of the equation.” Sun Gift is trained by Danny O’Brien and has now had a total of 21 starts for five wins, seven placings and A$252,405 in stakes. She has earned A$143,000 of that amount in the last two weeks alone. Sun Gift is by Savabeel out of the Pour Moi mare Sunniva (NZ), an unraced half-sister to Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) and Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner Efficient (NZ). Sunniva is also a three-quarter-sister to the Group Two winner and sire Guillotine, while half-sister Cold Shoulder (NZ) (Volksraad) is the dam of Group One winner On The Rocks (NZ) (Alamosa). Sunniva is the dam of three winners from three foals to race. Her first foal Gravity (NZ) (Shamexpress) was a winner, while Sun Gift’s younger full-brother Morthan Efficent (NZ) (Savabeel) has scored two wins in a 12-start career in Victoria. Sunniva produced another Savabeel colt in 2022. She was served by the champion stallion’s son Noverre this season. View the full article

Lyle Hewitson and James Orman have been two of the surprise packages of the season and the pair have some excellent chances to keep their respective runs going at Sha Tin on Sunday. Hewitson sits on 15 winners for the season and he will rely on Akashvani to add another win to his tally when he runs in the fiercely competitive Class Three Stanley Gap Handicap (1,400m). In a race that will shape the Classic Mile conversation, he takes on the the likes of Helene Supafeeling and Circuit Grand Slam...View the full article

A long-range plan came to fruition for trainer Matthew Dale at Wyong on Saturday with No Drama’s (NZ) (Ghibellines) victory in the A$160,000 Central Coast Community News Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m). It was the seventh win of a 26-start career for the Ghibellines gelding, who has also picked up four minor placings and has earned A$302,092 in stakes. Four of those successes have come from just six attempts over the 1200m distance of Saturday’s race. Dale took over the training of No Drama from Lindsey Smith in 2024, and he has now guided the horse to four wins and two placings from 13 starts. The Goulburn trainer has taken note of No Drama’s affinity for a certain type of racecourse, which led him to identify the Wyong fixture as an ideal chance to shoot for a Saturday prize. “We found this race on a Saturday because for such a big horse, he likes tight turning tracks,” Dale said. “He has won a couple at Canterbury for me, and at The Valley before I got him, so to get a stand-alone meeting on a tight track, during the off-season, it was a perfect set-up to roll the dice and have a crack at a Saturday race with him again.” No Drama did all of the hard work behind tearaway leader Mogo Magic (Duporth), sitting in second place throughout and leading the chasers into the straight. Jockey Josh Parr set his sights on the front-runner and No Drama began to gain ground, finishing over the top of Mogo Magic late in the piece to win by half a length. “He loves tight, turning tracks, which is strange for a big horse,” Parr said. “They had him primed today and it was a good effort.” Dale was delighted with the six-year-old’s performance, which came in his first raceday start since August 6. “It was a good result,” he said. “He has been a horse that is a genuine, free-rolling, on speed and tough horse.” No Drama was bred by White Robe Lodge’s Brian and Lorraine Anderton and is the sixth winner from just over a dozen starters in Australia this season from the stud’s former headline stallion Ghibellines, whose untimely death was announced on Boxing Day. No Drama is a full-brother to Live Drama (NZ) (Ghibellines), the winner of nine races including the Gr.3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m). Their dam is the unraced Pure Theatre mare Sheeza Drama. Live Drama’s trainer Lance Robinson saddled No Drama for a debut win at Riccarton as a two-year-old in January of 2022 before he was sold across the Tasman. View the full article

The in-form combination of rider Floor Moerman and trainer Kevin Myers delivered in spades once again on the West Coast circuit as quality mare Bozo (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) produced a mammoth staying performance to claim the time-honoured Vernon & Vazey 0800 Truck Parts Kumara Gold Nuggets (1810m) on Saturday. Moerman, who had tasted success aboard Illicit Dreams (NZ) (Vancouver) for Kenny Rae earlier in the day, had produced winning trebles at both the Omoto meeting on 3 January and at Reefton four days later, with the Omoto victories coming aboard Myers-trained runners. Myers has a long history of supporting West Coast racing and he didn’t disappoint in the day’s feature, lining up three strong contenders in race favourite Sunset Boulevard (NZ) (Eminent) ($2.60), Kick On (NZ) (Per Incanto) ($6.50) and 2025 Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) winner Bozo ($3.60). Sunset Boulevard looked set for victory when rider Tina Comignaghi pushed the go button from outside pacemaker Shaking Stevens (NZ) (American Pharoah) at the 700m and applied enormous pressure to his rivals, shooting three lengths clear turning for home. Moerman and Bozo had been content to settle in midfield early on but got shunted four wide as Sunset Boulevard made his bid for glory and looked to be running for minor money as she struggled to make an impression on her stablemate in the early stages of the home straight. Moerman kept at her and when the turbo kicked in the daughter of Satono Aladdin simply flew over the final 100m to storm to a half-length victory from the late closing In Vegas (NZ) (Telperion) and Iffididit (NZ) (Iffraaj). Stable representative Luke Myers was all smiles as he reiterated the stable’s desire to support racing in the region. “Every time she has come down South she has picked up a win and it is great winning these Cups, as we have had a lot of luck with these colours” Myers said. “She (Moerman) is an apprentice on the rise as we told her to make sure she had clear air and she popped off the rail and down the back she had her (Bozo) in the right spot to chase Sunset (Boulevard). “This is a special Carnival and all these tracks put on a fantastic spectacle so long may it continue.” Moerman was worried at different stages of the race but once the mare kicked into gear she knew she was on a winner. “That was really cool and she had to do it the tough way as we were four wide, but I saw Sunset was in front and I knew he would kick away and be hard to beat,” she said. “I just had to keep her going and while she felt a bit flat on the turn, when we straightened up she was just too tough.” Bozo races in the colours of the Australian-based Hill family who also owned the talented sprinter-miler Scapolo (NZ) (Bachelor Duke) who won 20 races from the Myers stable including the Gr.2, Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m), the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) and the Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m), while he was also placed on 13 separate occasions at stakes level. View the full article

While Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh is currently inspecting yearlings on the Gold Coast, he will take time out to watch how one of his main Gr.1Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) contenders in Ammirati (NZ) (Savabeel) performs at Ellerslie on Sunday as he takes the next step on his path to the blue riband classic on 7 March. The son of Savabeel will have his first start over a middle distance when he tackles the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at the Derby venue, where he will start as one of the favoured candidates off the back of his last two performances. Ammirati followed up on his victory in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki two starts ago with a late closing burst to take fifth in the Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m) at Trentham, looking every inch a horse that now needs more ground to show his true worth. Marsh agrees with that assessment and was quick to explain the unusual step he took when dropping his charge back in distance after the 1600m victory. “It probably looks a little odd on paper in the way we backed him up at a lesser distance, but I’m delighted with how it all panned out,” Marsh said. “The trip away was perfect for him and his last 200m that day when running fifth was just terrific. He travelled home well; ate everything we put in front of him and has really ticked along beautifully since then. “He has been crying out for ground and gets in on Sunday, so we are hoping he can put another stamp in his Derby passport. “We’ve also got Los Salsero (Frankel) in the race and he also looks like more ground will be his friend. He won nicely last start without being anything special, although he is very green and has a lot to learn. “We have the blinkers on him on Sunday and I think they will really sharpen him up, so I’m hoping he can also make his way to the Derby as well.” Marsh will kick off the day at Ellerslie with smart two-year-old filly Imperial Rose (NZ) (Sword of State) in the Stella Artois 1200 (1200m), with the daughter of Sword Of State needing a victory in the $55,000 contest to guarantee her place in the $1million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) on 24 January. “She (Imperial Rose) has a lot going for her so we would love to get her into the Karaka Million as we think she can be very competitive,” he said. “Her debut effort for second at Te Aroha was top class as it was a very heavy track that didn’t suit her at all. “She has drawn well and will get a firm track to suit, so I’m hoping she can jump and put herself right in the action. “It will only be thirteen days to the Karaka Million, so the timing is perfect while she will get that very important look around the Ellerslie track as it is a venue that can be very intimidating for young horses.” Marsh is likely to have as many as ten runners in action on Sunday and is keen to see how several of his other runners perform including the unbeaten four-year-old mare Lady Impending (NZ) (Impending), three-year-old gelding Oberon (NZ) (Belardo) and consistent stayer Sinhaman (NZ) (Tivaci). “Lady Impending will face her biggest challenge after a pair of wins at Rotorua,” he said. “She comes up against a very good field and will tackle 1400m for the first time. She certainly has ability but we will get a much better line of where her future lies with this run. “Oberon didn’t handle a shifty track last time and getting back to a decent surface will be the key to him, so I expect to see an improved performance. “I think Sinhaman is ready to win another race as he went a cracker in the Stella Artois Championship Final on Boxing Day and just needs that ounce of luck to turn the run of minor placings into a win.” Marsh has hit his straps in recent months and currently sits in second place on the National Trainers premiership table with 45 wins (ten at stakes level) for the season as Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson set the pace with 63 victories (eight at stakes level). View the full article

One of the most talked about Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) candidates faces his first acid test over a staying distance when he tackles the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on Sunday, The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Yamato Satona (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) set tongues wagging with an incredible win on debut over 1400m at Rotorua back in October, where he came from near last on the home turn to gather in the front runners in the shadows of the winning post. O’Sullivan and Scott indicated then that the son of Satono Aladdin would be a much better horse as he stepped up in distance and while he has battled to add a second win to his record in three subsequent starts, his performances have held plenty of merit with a view to his Derby prospects. Owned by harness racing legend Barry Purdon and his wife Katrina along with former Entain Australia boss, Dean Shannon, Yamato Satona sits at a Fixed Odds quote of $21 for the New Zealand Derby, with O’Sullivan believing that is a fair price on what he has delivered to date. “It looks like being a very even Derby field this year and we think our guy is right in the mix,” O’Sullivan said. “He has shown he is looking for ground since that first win, which is the indication those who have ridden him have all given, so he gets his chance this weekend. “His work has been very good and as long as he performs to expectations he will head to the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2100m) in late February then two weeks later into the Derby.” The O’Sullivan and Scott partnership also have Acer and Genki in the Gingernuts Salver, with O’Sullivan taking a pragmatic approach to their prospects as they look to the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and New Zealand Derby respectively. “Acer will have the blinkers on for the first time on Sunday,” he said. “She is entered for the New Zealand Oaks and while she hasn’t shown enough so far to go there, it is this time of the year where the potential stayers start to emerge. “You are only three once to have a go at those Group One races so we are rolling the dice with her and Genki (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who is in the same boat with his Derby prospects.” Another stable runner O’Sullivan is keen on is maiden O’Hello (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) who steps out for his second start on Sunday after finishing fourth on debut at the venue on 29 November. “O’Hello was very good first up and his work since has been excellent. “He trialled well before that debut run, has taken plenty of benefit from it and I can’t fault him. “He looks as though he can be a maiden winner at short notice and then we can see what options there are for him.” View the full article

The Pegasus World Cup card, to be held Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park, continued to take shape in Florida as several contenders turned in works Friday, including GII Red Smith Stakes winner Cugino (Twirling Candy), who is pointing to the $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf. The West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig Racing colorbearer breezed a half-mile in :49.11 (5/18) on Gulfstream's main track. He was last seen finishing second to Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) in the GIII Fort Lauderdale Stakes Dec. 20, the local Pegasus Turf prep. “No shame in losing to that horse,” West Point senior vice president Tom Bellhouse said. “We're all systems go. [Cugino] is just so honest and fun. He tries every time. He was a little unlucky early in his career, but I think we fit with the big boys. [Hopefully] we can get maybe a little more pace in this race than where was last time.” West Point has had a number of Pegasus Day entrants, beginning with the inaugural edition in 2017. “It's exciting,” Bellhouse said. “We've been very, very blessed to run on Pegasus Day ever since the first Pegasus with Breaking Lucky, and almost every year have some type of participant whether it's on the turf or in the big dance. It's always a thrill for us.” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher also sent out a pair of Pegasus contenders at Palm Beach Downs Friday. St. Elias Stable's Captain Cook (Practical Joke), a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', went five furlongs in 1:01.65 for five furlongs in company. The Withers Stakes winner and GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes runner-up is pointing to the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup. Spendthrift Farm's four-time graded winner Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro) breezed four furlongs in :50.48 seconds. He's targeting the Pegasus Turf. Juddmonte homebred Disco Time (Not This Time), recently featured in these pages, will put his perfect record on the line in the Pegasus World Cup. He worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 in company for Brad Cox. In addition, fan favorite and 10-time graded stakes-winning multimillionaire Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), readying for a fourth straight run in the Pegasus, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.65 over the main track at Palm Meadows for Saffie Joseph, Jr. The post Pegasus World Cup Works Friday Feature Cugino and Disco Time appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Zac Purton is hoping Little Paradise can give him another thing to think about when it comes to the four-year-old series when he runs in the Class Two Racing Club Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Always in demand, the champion jockey has been slated for a number of horses ahead of the Classic Mile on February 1, including the likes of Invincible Ibis, Beauty Bolt and the Jimmy Ting Koon-ho-trained Little Paradise. The Toronado galloper has won four of his seven career starts, with two of those...View the full article

Edited Press Release Apprentice jockey Xarel Forde has begun to make his presence felt at Turfway Park this winter, continuing his transition to the Kentucky circuit after building skills both in his native Barbados and last year at Woodbine. Forde, 21, learned his trade riding at Garrison Savannah, a small track that he said helped shape his race awareness and decision-making before his move to larger circuits. “Coming from a small track with tight turns teaches you to be sharp,” Forde said. “You have to think quickly and stay aware. When you move to a bigger track, that actually becomes an advantage.” After leaving Barbados, Forde advanced to the Canadian circuit, riding primarily at Woodbine, where he gained experience on both turf and synthetic surfaces. The transition, he said, came with its own challenges. “The biggest adjustment was the weather,” Forde said. “That was the only thing that really gave me a fight at first, but I pushed through it and got comfortable.” Now riding at Turfway Park, Forde has teamed with leading jockey agent Jose Santos, Jr. as he continues to establish himself in Kentucky. Forde has won 56 races overall in his career and has already picked up three victories since arriving at Turfway on Dec. 17. “Trainers keep telling me I'm not really riding like a bug boy,” Forde said. “I just focus on executing my rides and being confident, whether I'm on a longshot or a favorite.” Santos said Forde's background and approach have translated well to Turfway's Tapeta surface. “Xarel has been a pleasure to work with,” Santos said. “He's quickly gotten noticed by the way he carries himself in the mornings and during the races. The way he rides races, you'd think he's been a professional for years.” Forde is named on nine horses for seven different trainers across the next four live racing days at Turfway Park. The post Apprentice Xarel Forde Settles into Turfway Jockey Colony appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Edited Press Release Prior to riding his first race on the Thanksgiving Day opener of the 2025-2026 Championship Meet, Mario Gutierrez hadn't been part of the action at Gulfstream Park since he rode Nyquist to a popular victory in the $1-million GI Florida Derby April 2, 2016. “I was going to stay in Kentucky, but I got a great opportunity from Mr. Brian Lynch to come here for the winter,” Gutierrez said. “I'm extremely happy with the support I'm getting from the local trainers. I'm very, very happy. I'm relatively new to the circuit in Miami, and I'm getting a lot of support from the trainers.” Heading into Friday's program, Gutierrez had won seven races from 39 mounts for an 18% strike rate. The 39-year-old veteran guided Lynch-trained Sister Troienne (Munnings) to stakes victories in the Jan. 3 Ginger Brew and Nov. 27 Wait a While. The son of a jockey, Gutierrez started riding quarter horses in his native Mexico at the age of 14 before emigrating to Canada in 2006 and venturing to Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, where he won titles in 2007 and 2008. After relocating to Santa Anita in 2011, he caught the attention of prominent owner J. Paul Reddam, a Canadian businessman who had become aware of his riding prowess at Hastings. Gutierrez won the mount on Reddam's I'll Have Another, whom he guided to victories in the 2012 GII Robert Lewis Stakes, GI Santa Anita Derby, GI Kentucky Derby, and GI Preakness Stakes. “That was one of the happiest times of my life. I was very new to the United States circuit and to be able to go to Kentucky and get my first Kentucky Derby win was very amazing for me,” Gutierrez said. Four years later, Gutierrez, Reddam, and trainer Chief Stipe O'Neill would team for a second Kentucky Derby victory with an undefeated Nyquist, who prepped for the first jewel of the Triple Crown with a 3 1/4-length win in the Florida Derby with Gutierrez aboard. Gutierrez readily recalls Nyquist's Florida Derby score that prepared the son of Uncle Mo for his 1 1/2-length victory in the Kentucky Derby. “It was a very good course. He was undefeated at the time. We wanted to see how he stacked up against the best of the best at the time,” Gutierrez said. “We came for the victory and from there we went on to win the Kentucky Derby. Again, it was a part of my life I'll be forever grateful for.” The post Gutierrez Getting Reacquainted with Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Owner Steve De'Lemos paid a tearful tribute to Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) winner Live In The Dream, who died this week. He and his wife Jolene were with the sprinter as his life ended at Donnington Grove Equine Vets Newbury.View the full article

A Florida senator pre-filed Thoroughbred decoupling legislation Friday that contains similar language to a bill that got introduced pre-session in that state's House of Representatives 17 days ago. This latest move was expected, according to a Jan. 9 post by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA) on the X social media platform. “The FTBOA built Florida's protective framework. A Senate companion is how these bills move, and we are prepared,” said Lonny Powell, the FTBOA's chief executive officer, in the X post. Like HB 881 from Rep. Adam Anderson Dec. 23, SB 1564 authored by Sen. Nick DiCeglie Jan. 9 would allow Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs to be able to cease live racing while retaining their gaming rights, provided they give notice of such suspension as of July 1, 2027. After that notice, there would be a stipulation that racing would be required to continue for at least three years before either Gulfstream or Tampa could pull the plug entirely on the sport. The Senate version contained differences from the House version related to the possible transference of racing permits inside and outside of counties and also to requirements for referendums. Strikethroughs and legalese, though, made key differences in the two provisions difficult to parse. “Regardless of the confounding provisions, this is decoupling,” Powell's quote on X continued. “Alongside our fellow horsemen, breeders, owners, trainers, and industry partners, we have defeated every decoupling attempt,” Powell said. “HB 881 and SB 1564 are the latest threats. They will not be the last. And like every threat before, we will oppose them,” Powell said. The House goes into session Monday, Jan 12, with the Senate following the next day. The post New Florida Decoupling Bill in Senate Joins Similar Filing in House appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk The country’s leading driver Blair Orange looks to have a stack of each way chances on the second day of Nelson’s Summer at The Trots meeting at Richmond Park on Sunday. The now eight-time premiership winner has eight drives on the 11-race card that starts just before noon. He rates course specialist Nellie Doyle among his best chances on the day. She’ll line up in the Mike Austin Memorial Handicap (Race 8, 3.41pm), a heat of the Trevor Craddock Seddon Trotting Series, after making it three from three on the course on the opening day on Friday for trainer Tim Trathen. “She’s in the zone and Tim has got her bang on,” says Orange, “she did the most work and started off the handicap (20m) and was very strong to the line.” “She was a maiden this time last year and she hasn’t stopped winning yet.” Nellie Doyle will go back to 30 metres on Sunday against a field that also incudes another impressive first day winner in One Over Da Line, one of four winners for John Dunn on Friday. One Over Da Line, Nellie Doyle and the Bob Butt-trained pair of Ready Set Jet and Roydon Muscle are all at $4. In the day’s feature pace, the Nelson Classic Orange will again drive the Hayden and Amanda Cullen-trained Harrison John who was a brave second to It’s Tough in Friday’s Nelson Cup. It’s Tough will front up again while the race has been further strengthened by the inclusion of Harrison John’s stablemate Hadron Collider and Central Otago Cup winner Pinseeker. “He couldn’t have gone much better, he was parked the last 1000 and went down by a whisker,” Orange said of Harrison John. “It’s not going to be easy and I’m happy to be on the one I am.” Pinseeker opened a $2.80 favourite with Harrison John and It’s Tough at $3.50. Orange opens his day with Ridge in Race 2, the Nelson OTB Handicap Trot (12.22pm). He broke badly on the first day and was never a factor. On Sunday, as a one race winner, he’ll start off 30 metres. “If he trots he is a genuine chance, it looks a winnable race for him.” Other bright prospects include Now Watch Me in Race 3, the Brown and Associates Pace (12.48pm). On debut the Regan Todd-trained four-year-old was slowish away but boomed home late into second. “He was very green, the penny has not dropped with him and when he gets the hang of it he will win some races,” says Orange. “Interesting over a mile stand, he was away awkwardly yesterday but if he can get away with them he’s a chance.” One of his rivals will be Hawk Touie Louie, who started a hot favourite for trainer-driver Bob Butt on Friday but broke repeatedly and finished last. Butt later reported the gelding had cast a shoe during the race. And in Race 6, the Star Hotel/R and J Batteries Mobile Pace Orange will drive another in-form Cullen-trained runner in Princess Renee. She was second behind Captain Tyron on the opening day. “She was beaten by a smart colt the first day and from barrier one over a mile she’ll get her chance for sure.” To see the Nelson fields click here View the full article

Making his 13th start of the year and 100th of his career, the 11-year-old gelding Surprsinglyperfect has been named the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association's 2025 National Claiming Horse of the Year.View the full article

Springboard Mile Stakes victor Express Kid (Bodexpress), a California-bred with 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, brought down the gavel for $800,000 on the Fasig-Tipton Digital platform Friday. The freshly minted 3-year-old sold to Brad Kleven and was consigned by Paramount Sales, agent. “We live for results like this one,” said Paddy Campion of Paramount Sales. “A good horse really can come from anywhere and it's made all the more rewarding when you have connections like owner Steve Haahr and trainer Wade Rarick who, from the little time I've spent dealing with them, it's obvious are genuine people and love the sport. There were some serious judges that were after this horse. We wish Mr. Kleven the very best of luck with his purchase and hope to see Express Kid on the first Saturday in May.” Express Kid posted a 6 1/4-length win in Remington Park's Springboard Mile Stakes Dec. 20 and also placed in the Prairie Meadows Freshman Stakes last year. He has three wins and a third from five career starts with earnings of $236,902. “This flash sale was a great way to kick off our digital sales for 2026,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Our platform continues to offer quality horses and produce outstanding results for sellers. We look forward to launching our regularly scheduled January Digital Sale on Thursday, January 15, which will include nearly 250 offerings.” The January Digital Sale, to be held Jan. 15-20, is Fasig-Tipton's next digital offering. Express Kid was offered in a one-horse flash sale. The post Springboard Mile Winner Express Kid Hammers for $800,000 on Fasig-Tipton Digital appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dan Rosenberg has seen it all before. That makes him very different, mind, from the guys who know it all. What they don't know isn't worth knowing, right? The fact, for instance, that Tim Tam was a slow breeder. Who cares about that, today? Well, it's just that each piece of the mosaic eventually adds up to something precious. Meeting Rosenberg, one after the other you're blessed by little vignettes, another miniature tile, that will stay with you. And you begin to sense how rare a perspective he must have, in viewing a lifetime of those together. “Tim Tam was terribly slow,” Rosenberg confirms. “Tim Tam was forever. One day, Robert Courtney brings a mare to the breeding shed. Old Robert, this is: Robert Senior. And he hands over the mare, and he's got this folding table, a chair, a box. And he opens the box, lays a linen cloth on the table, a vase, a rose. And Melvin says, 'What in the hell are you doing?' 'Well, I just figured I'd bring my lunch.'” Now you've heard that, you won't forget any time soon that Tim Tam was a slow breeder. Far more importantly, you might also ask whether we still meet the standards of the old school: where the horse came first, whatever its foibles, and everything else was worked around that. Melvin, of course, was Melvin Cinnamon–Calumet manager when Rosenberg worked there in the 1970s. And if you can suppress Rosenberg's modesty long enough for him to acknowledge mentoring three others to emulate him as Kentucky Farm Manager of the Year, he quickly emphasizes how their lore is collective. “So Melvin was a Farm Manager of the Year who brought through three Farm Managers of the Year,” he says. “Before that, at Clovelly, I'd worked for Lars la Cour: a Farm Manager of the Year, who had two Farm Managers of the Year. And they had both come from Charlie Kenney, who ran Stoner Creek before there ever was a manager award. And Charlie Kenney was the dean. Gus Koch came up under Kenney, I bet you there's a dozen top managers came up under him.” Slew o' Gold, between horses, in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Classic | Horsephotos And actually that sense of communal legacy extended to the way Gary Bush, Sandy Hatfield and Ned Toffey have meanwhile joined the roll of honor. There wasn't much choice, admittedly, when Wayne Hughes called Rosenberg at Three Chimneys, where Toffey was broodmare manager. “I just bought Spendthrift Farm,” Hughes said. “So I'm moving all my 40 mares. Oh, yes, and I hired Ned.” WinStar did actually ask whether they might approach Bush. “I told them that was like asking to date your wife,” Rosenberg remembers. “But of course I said yes, told Gary he'd be getting a call. Because I always hired people who wanted my job. I wasn't looking for the guy that just wanted to be in this slot the rest of his life.” After all, it had been the same for Rosenberg himself. One day la Cour called him into the office. “Calumet are looking for an assistant manager,” he said. “You have an interview at one o'clock. Go home and get changed.” La Cour was the only one who would call over Rosenberg–this hunter-jumping kid, schooled in Chicago–and say, “Now look at this horse. This is something you need to know.” It had been different at Glade Valley Farm in Maryland, with Dr. Robert A. Leonard. “He'd come into the barn and it wasn't just that he didn't talk, he wouldn't even acknowledge you were alive,” says Rosenberg. “That drove me crazy. So I made a point of having a question ready. Every time, I was going to make him speak to me. Because I wanted to learn. And if you did ask something, he'd actually answer in detail, get right into it.” He tried the same with the Clovelly veterinarians, Bill McGee and Art Davidson–who both also worked for Calumet. “Going to my interview, I'm rehearsing everything he might ask me,” Rosenberg recalls. “I get out of the car and Melvin says, 'Lars says you're okay, Bill and Art say you're okay. Here's the job. You want it or not?' My last day at Clovelly, Bill says: 'You going act like you know something now? Quit asking so many goddamned questions?'” After three years at Calumet, Rosenberg began a three-decade association with a farm being founded by Robert Clay. “Three Chimneys started with three employees, and 120 acres,” he recalls. “But in our very first conversation Robert said, 'I want to develop this into a world-class commercial operation.' So we syndicated Slew o' Gold, our first stallion. Man, we took a big bite. But the plan was to play on the international stage, and we needed to start out with a big horse. If he failed, or we failed, it was over. No second chance. But we swung for the fences and got it done.” Rosenberg at Three Chimneys in 2004 | Horsephotos Of course, Seattle Slew would soon follow his son to Three Chimneys. Rosenberg will never forget collecting him from Spendthrift. “We're all standing around this Sallee van,” he says. “John [Williams, then managing Spendthrift], me, and I can't tell you how many lawyers and insurance people. Because his insured value was $120 million, and they're arguing when the risk would pass from one entity to the other. When you put the shank on the horse? When he puts a foot out of the stall? When he's on the ramp? When he sets a foot on the van?” Then, when that was finally settled, his groom Tom Wade asked Brownell Combs if he could ride over and see Slew safely into a stall. “And Brownell told him, 'You set one foot on that van and you're fired,'” Rosenberg says. “'In that case,' I said, 'I'll hire you here and now. If you care that much about this horse, come on!'” They knew Slew's reputation, as another Tim Tam, but he proved “a breeding machine from day one” at Three Chimneys. Williams told Rosenberg that they had turned the horse round by riding him–and, actually, they were already doing the same with Slew o' Gold. “Melvin Cinnamon was old enough to remember when mares didn't come to the breeding shed but the stallion was ridden to each farm,” Rosenberg explains. “They didn't even take the saddle off. You bred the mare, rode to the next farm. But when Nashua was syndicated, they became too valuable. “So when Slew o' Gold was coming, I told Robert what I'd learned from Melvin. And I said, 'The leading causes of death in stallions are founder and heart attack: both functions of obesity. Why not keep riding him?' We had long conversations with Lloyd's of London, but finally they came to see that we weren't going to harm the horse, and might in fact prolong his life. So they acquiesced.” Three Chimneys went from 20 mares to 400, on 2,000 acres, with 150 employees. Eventually even the workaholic Rosenberg was ready to drop a gear, starting a consultancy in 2008. His first client was Kevin Plank, then reviving Sagamore. That brought things full circle. “I went to three farms before Glade Valley and got run off all three,” he remembers. “I'd go in and say, 'I'm 19, I want to learn the Thoroughbred business, I'll do anything you want.' Every time it was: 'Get out of here, kid, stop bothering me.' Woodstock, Windfields, Sagamore. Later, when Allaire (duPont) was a client, I reminded Perry Alexander: 'You know, you ran me off this farm once.'” He got a similar reception at Darby Dan, when reaching Kentucky. “I go into Olin's office and he has this sign on the wall,” Rosenberg recalls. “It says, 'Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no Evil–for I'm the meanest son-of-a-bitch in the Valley.' I say, 'Mr. Gentry, I've been around horses since I was a boy, been at Glade Valley three years, I want to learn from the best, don't care what you pay me.' And he says, 'I don't hire boys like you. Go see Lars la Cour. He does.'” A few weeks later, la Cour sent him with a mare to Darby Dan. “We're walking down the ramp, and Olin says, 'Boy, I don't know what Lars is paying you, but I'll pay more–and give you a house.' I said, 'Mr. Gentry, you had a chance to hire me, and sent me to Lars. I'm happy where I am.' He says, 'Goddam, must've been a bad day….!'” Rosenberg has since put a hand on six Derby winners, seven if you count Dancer's Image: Forward Pass, Tim Tam, Seattle Slew, Silver Charm, Smarty Jones and Genuine Risk. Genuine Risk | Horsephotos “Diana Firestone would get on her plane in Virginia, fly to Lexington, not call us, not say anything, drive to the farm, take Genuine Risk out on a shank and graze her a while,” Rosenberg says. “Then she'd put her back in her stall, drive back to the airport, fly home. That was beautiful. She just wanted time with this horse that brought her so much.” That was despite Genuine Risk's notoriously unproductive broodmare career, a book in itself. Rosenberg is not convinced that there are too many Diana Firestones around today. “We saw the best,” he says gratefully, on behalf of his generation. “We hit a sweet spot, between it being just a game that very rich people played, and the cut-throat one that has made a commodity of the horse. “The horse still mattered. For Charlie Whittingham, Allen Jerkens, it was just: 'How do I get the most out of this horse?' Whether it's a claimer or stakes horse. As opposed to: 'This is the goal, and any that can't cut it, screw them.' Horses now have to fit a program, instead of us finding the best program for this horse. “And owners tell their trainers, 'I don't want you doing any bad stuff. But I'm not going to question the vet bill. And if you're not winning, I'm going to take the horse to a guy who is.' “I don't care what purses are, you don't go into this thinking that owning a racehorse is profitable,” Rosenberg cautions. “If that's your motive, go do something else. It has to come back to: 'I do this because I love it.' Back in the 50s and 60s, if you made it in Hollywood, or Wall Street, one of the things you did to advertise that fact was own a racehorse. Now imagine you're at a cocktail party and you tell your friend, 'I just bought a yacht for $10 million.' Your friend says, 'Whoa!' But if you say, 'I just bought a yearling for $10 million,' your friend says, 'Why?!' We've become unfashionable. It needs to be a cool thing to do–and it can be. But only if you remember that you don't buy that yacht to make money.” Viewed right, horses become their own reward. Rosenberg will never forget quitting college to follow his dream, so turning down the chance of entering his father's business. The response was brutal. “You will die in the gutter,” his father said. “We reconciled years later,” Rosenberg says. “And I was able to send him an 8×10 glossy photograph of me introducing my children to the Queen of England. I wrote on the back: 'Here I am in the gutter.'” Not that he has it cracked, even now–anything like. Rosenberg chuckles at the memory of one last piece of counsel, leaving Calumet. “You're going to find out that in this business, when you guess right, you're a smart son-of-a-bitch,” Cinnamon said. “And when you guess wrong, you're a dumb son-of-a-bitch. So don't forget that you're always guessing. And you're always a son-of-a-bitch.” The post Rosenberg: ‘I Always Hired People Who Wanted My Job’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

BLESS THE BROKEN (f, 4, Laoban–The Nightingale, by Tapit) missed the board once last year in a campaign that included a gutsy third-place finished in th GI Kentucky Oaks, and finishing fourth in the GI Acorn Stakes June 6 at Saratoga in what turned out to be the last race of her season. Sold for $950,000 to Qatar Racing and Mountmellick Farm during the Fasig-Tipton November sale last year, she was moved from the barn of Will Walden to Brad Cox, and made her return to the races here with first-time Lasix. Carrying 2-1 second favoritism to her name when the gates opened, she was content to watch Amalfi Drive (Medaglia d'Oro) set the pace from her outside, but had locked horns with that rival coming through the final bend. Bless the Broken was able to take command entering the lane, but still had 4-5 favorite Being Myself (Curlin) rolling behind her as they entered the final sixteenth. Clear by two lengths at that point, she held them to that margin down to the wire to claim her seasonal bow in a solid 1:43.10. The victress is the most accomplished runner for her dam by far, and the second from as many to the races to get her picture taken. She has an unraced 3-year-old half-brother named Bourbon Dream (Quality Road) as well as a 2025 half-brother by Jackie's Warrior. Their dam, The Nightingale, is due to Curlin for 2026 and is herself a half-sister to a GI Kentucky Oaks winner in Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior). That sibling was purchased by Japanese connections and exported to her adoptive country where she has since produced a stakes-placed runners, namely Danon Luster (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Glenoaks (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). 6th-Fair Grounds, $56,000, Alw (NW2$X)/Opt. Clm ($50,000), 1-9, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:43.10, ft, 2 lengths. BLESS THE BROKEN (f, 4, Laoban–The Nightingale, by Tapit) Sales history: $950,000 3yo '25 FTKNOV. Lifetime Record: 10-3-2-2, $484,435. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Qatar Racing and Mountmellick Farm; B-Cypress Creek Equine, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. BLESS THE BROKEN had early speed and comes back with a bang in R6 at @fairgroundsnola! @flothejock was aboard for trainer @bradcoxracing. #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/fgAgjv2GwM — TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) January 9, 2026 The post Bless the Broken Straight and Strong in Fair Grounds Seasonal Bow appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The board of directors of the Thoroughbred Owners of California unanimously voted to appoint owner John G. Sikura to fill the vacant seat of Nick Alexander, subject to full board ratification at the upcoming Jan. 30 meeting. View the full article

The board of directors of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) unanimously voted to appoint owner of Hill 'n' Dales Farms John Sikura to fill the vacant seat of Nick Alexander, subject to full board ratification at the upcoming Jan. 30 meeting, the owners group said via a Friday press release. “I have a great love for California racing dating to my youth attending Santa Anita with my father when Charlie Whittingham was our trainer,” said John Sikura. “I currently have horses with Bob Baffert, and I can think of no more important issue than the sustenance of California breeding and racing. We must face the challenges with courage and in collaboration with industry and political agencies that can help our quest. California is of historic importance to our industry and we must prevail.” To fulfill a TOC Bylaws requirement, Sikura will be required to run in the next election. “The TOC Board already reflects the full spectrum of California ownership… small owners, large owners, and California owner-breeders,” said TOC Chairman Gary Fenton. “By welcoming John, we add something new and critically important: a nationally respected owner-breeder with a broad, long-term perspective on the sport. John understands how California fits within the broader ecosystem of American racing, and his voice will help connect regions, align interests, and strengthen California's role in the sport's future.” The post Hill ‘n’ Dale’s Sikura Appointed To Thoroughbred Owners Of California Board appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pleasant Acres Stallions in Florida stands MGSW Mr Fisk (by Arrogate), who now has his first foal, a filly out of New York-bred Brass Cat (Bluegrass Cat), the farm said in a release on Friday. The new arrival hit the ground early on Friday morning at 3:25 a.m. ET for breeder Martine Britell. “Our beautiful Brass Cat has blessed us with another big, athletic baby,” said Martine Britell. “Paired with Mr Fisk's amazing bloodlines and triple-digit speed, we are excited for this filly's future!” By the gone-to-soon Arrogate, Mr Fisk won the GIII Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar for trainer Bob Baffert. The Sunny Brook Stables homebred also captured the GIII Californian Stakes and the GII Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes–both at Santa Anita. “A stallion's first foal is always a milestone, and this filly is exactly the kind of start you hope for,” said Director of Stallion Services at Pleasant Acres Stallions Christine Jones. “Mr Fisk has the race record, the physical and the pedigree depth we believe Florida breeders deserve. “He was a multiple graded stakes winner with triple-digit Beyer ability, and he brings the rare opportunity to access Arrogate's line along with a deep successful European female family,” she said. “This first foal is a great start and we can't wait to see what his first crop delivers for Florida breeders.” The post New Pleasant Acres Stallion Mr Fisk Has First Foal On The Ground appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Buetane (Tiz the Law), a $1.15-million OBS April breezer and distant runner-up in the GI Spendthrift Farm Hopeful S. at Saratoga last summer, headlines a field of five set for Saturday's GII San Vicente S. going seven furlongs at Santa Anita. The Zedan Racing Stables, Inc. colorbearer debuted with a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' performance at Del Mar Aug. 3. He finished 8 1/2 lengths behind fellow 'Rising Star' and unbeaten GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) as the favorite last time out at the Spa over closing weekend. “He got beat by a really good horse,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. “(Buetane's) training really well. I think he should run well. We freshened him up.” Baffert has won the San Vicente a record 14 times, including five out of the last six renewals. He will also saddle the rail-drawn Greenwich Village (Quality Road), a debut winner at Los Alamitos Dec. 6. “He's fast,” Baffert said. “His race was impressive. He wasn't really ready to run and still won. I think every race will move him up considerably.” The San Vicente also includes So Happy (Runhappy), a 38-1 first-out winner for trainer Mark Glatt at Del Mar Nov. 22. Saturday's 10-race program at Santa Anita also features the re-scheduled $100,000 Santa Ynez S. for 3-year-old fillies, led by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Explora (Blame) and GI Del Mar Debutante winner Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso). Both are trained by Baffert. There are two additional graded stakes at Santa Anita Sunday, the GIII Las Flores S. and GIII Las Cienegas S., respectively. The post Hopeful Runner-Up Buetane Returns in San Vicente appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A share in Zarak (lot 1) anchors the Arqana Online January Sale catalogue. The sale is set for Monday, January 19 from 3-5 p.m. local time. One of the best stallions in France, the son of Dubawi has sired 11% stakes winners per runners and 72% winners to runners from all his crops. Among his best progeny is the French 2000 Guineas winner Metropolitan, as well as fellow Group 1 winners Haya Zark and Zagrey. Zarak's yearlings sold for up to €1.1 million last term. Another highlight of the sale is graded winner Olympic Story (Masked Marvel) (lot 5). The filly won the G3 Prix de Chambly over hurdles and also placed in two additional Grade 3 races at three. Among the remaining stallion shares and breeding rights are: shares in Group 1 sire Wooded (lot 2), group sire The Grey Gatsby (lot 6), young sire Armor (lot 7), Beaumec De Houelle (lot 8), Group 1 sire Kendargent (lot 12) and a half-share in Sealiway (lot 11). Breeding rights will be available in Latrobe (lot 3), Space Blues (lot 4), Group 1 sire Harry Angel (lot 9) and Victor Ludorum (lot 10). The post Zarak Share Highlights Arqana Online January Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Making his 13th start of the year and 100th of his career, the 11-year-old gelding Surprsinglyperfect (Perfect Soul {Ire}) has been named the National HBPA's 2025 National Claiming Horse of the Year, the horsemen's organization said in a press release on Friday. Based at trainer & co-owner Justin Evans's main bases of Turf Paradise in Phoenix and Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington, Surprsinglyperfect finished 2025 with seven wins out of those 13 starts, along with three seconds and a third for career-high season earnings of $94,230. The Kentucky-bred son of Perfect Soul has a lifetime record of 28-17-15 in those 100 races for earnings of $417,351. Three races back Surprsinglyperfect won an open $20,000 claiming race at Emerald Downs. Surprsinglyperfect and his connections will be honored Wednesday, Mar. 4 at the annual National HBPA Conference at Oaklawn Park. The post Surprisinglyperfect Named Claiming Horse Of The Year By NHBPA appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

4th-FG, $54k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 3:15 p.m. ET Spendthrift Farm's ABILENE (Gun Runner) is one of three entered for main track only and may well gain a run is forecast rains pay a visit. A maternal granddaughter of champion and GI Kentucky Derby victress Winning Colors (Caro {Ire}), the gray filly is a half-sister to 2018 GI Alabama Stakes upsetter Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve); SW Princess Aliyah (Into Mischief); and GISP Silver Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and was purchased for $900,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Sale. The female family traces back to the tremendously influential Chris Evert. TJCIS PPs 4th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 1:50 p.m. The cross of Into Mischief over mares by the late Speightstown has resulted in 80% winners to starters (including eight stakes winners) and NANOSECOND will try to add to those numbers when debuting for Todd Pletcher here. A half-brother to Hereforagoodtime (Justify), placed in three graded stakes on the grass last season, the bay is out of a half-sister to MGSW & GISP Justwhistledixie (Dixie Union), the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero New Year's Day (Street Cry {Ire}), MGSW Mohaymen (Tapit), Peruvian Group 1 winner Enforceable (Tapit) and GSW Kingly (Tapit). Drawn immediately to his inside is Centennial Farms' Halogen (City of Light), a $425,000 Keeneland September purchase who hails from the family of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine Spain (Thunder Gulch). TJCIS PPs The post Saturday Insights: Abilene Has Texas-Sized Chances If Rains Come appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing for the first time since costing Amo Racing $575,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Sale, Blanc De Blanc (Not This Time) made the perfect start at Dundalk on Friday. In front after the first three furlongs of the mile fillies maiden on the evening fixture, the 9-4 second favourite drifted right in the straight but kept producing for Donagh O'Connor to score by a neck from Astronomically (No Nay Never). Trained by Robson De Aguiar, the winner is out of Wonderful (Galileo), a former Ballydoyle representative who is a full-sister to their Breeders' Cup Turf and Irish 2,000 Guineas and hero Magician from the excellent family of the star Sadler's Wells fillies Listen and Sequoyah. $575k purchase finishes in front! Blanc De Blanc (Not This Time) beats Astronomically at the line on debut @DundalkStadium but a stewards' enquiry is called pic.twitter.com/Xspu61aHcA — Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 9, 2026 The post Amo Racing’s Blueblood Blanc De Blanc Wins On Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article