Wandering Eyes

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

The catalogue for the Goffs February Sale, set for February 11-12, is now online. A total of 416 Flat and National Hunt horses of all ages will go through the Kildare Paddocks ring on that Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday's session will feature 266 weanlings, while the Thursday session will include juveniles, stores, horses-in-training, and breeding stock. The inaugural Goffs February Point-to-Point Sale will take place immediately after the conclusion of the Goffs February Sale. Its catalogue will be available in the coming days. Some of the Flat weanling sires represented are: Ace Impact, Baaeed, Galiway, Ghaiyyath, Good Guess, Harzand, Havana Grey, Mehmas, Minzaal, Native Trail, New Bay, Persian Force, Sands of Mali, Shaquille, Sioux Nation and Starman. Among the standout lots is lot 41, a Sands Of Mali half-brother to Group 1 winner Champers Elysees (Elzaam); while a Siyouni colt (lot 104) out of a full-sister to Group 2 winner Plumatic (Dubawi) will also go under the hammer. Havana Grey is represented by lot 199, a colt out of a full-sister to Lady In France (Showcasing). Talking horse Shaquille has a half-brother to Group 3 winner New Providence (Bahamian Bounty) set to sell as lot 213. Group 1 sire Phoenix Of Spain has lot 244, a half-sister to G1 Hong Kong Champions Mile hero Fiach McHugh (Belardo). Among the National Hunt sires represented by young stock are: Crystal Ocean, Doctor Dino, Goliath Du Berlais, Jukebox Jury, Kapgarde, Nirvana Du Berlais, No Risk At All and Walk In The Park. Some notable lots include: lot 73, a No Risk At All colt out of a sister to dual Grade 1 winner Identity Thief (Kayf Tara); a Nirvana Du Berlais colt (lot 96) out of a sister to dual Grade 1 winner Petit Mouchoir (Al Namix); lot 136, a Walk In The Park colt out of Grade 3 winner Shewearsitwell (Shirocco); and a Kapgarde filly (lot 154) out of Grade 1 winner Styline (Martaline). Henry Longfellow, Look de Vega, Mill Stream, Minzaal, Sands of Mali, Shaquille, Sioux Nation, Starman, Teofilo are among the covering sires represented. Among the horses offered during Thursday's session is lot 311, a Too Darn Hot filly, Tracy Beaker out of a the multiple stakes-performing mare First City (Diktat). Katashuna (Night Of Thunder) (lot 324) has won and is from a deep Aga Khan family. Listed winners Sacaya (The Grey Gatsby) (lot 359) and La Guapisima (City Light) (lot 360) are also signed on. Lot 364, Shamalza (Lope De Vega), is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Shartash (Invincible Spirit). Empress Of Hope (Holy Roman Emperor) (lot 398), carrying to Shaquille, is a full-sister to Group 3 winner Valeria Messalina. In 2025, the gross was €3,857,500 for 214 sold (67%). The average was €18,026 and the median was €10,000. Topping proceedings was a short yearling colt by Blue Point out of Tina Angelina (Dansili) at €250,000. Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “Goffs February Sale offers unrivalled choice for Flat and National Hunt breeders, pinhookers and end-users at this time of year. We are grateful to our vendors for making February their first choice at this time of year resulting in a catalogue of real quality and incredible depth. Together with the team at Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, we look forward to welcoming buyers from home and abroad to Kildare Paddocks to get our 2026 sales season off to a strong start. “Following significant vendor requests we have added the inaugural February Point-To-Point Sale which is an exciting addition to our portfolio of sales in this sector, which already includes the Punchestown, Aintree, Doncaster Spring and Newbury Sales.” The sale will begin at 10 a.m. local time each day, with print catalogues available next week. The post Quality Catalogue For Goffs February Sale Revealed appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The saga that is the future of Monmouth Park took another twist Thursday. According to an e-mail sent to its members by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee has chosen not to vote on Senate Bill 5028 . Senate Bill 5028 would allow Monmouth Park, if it chose to do so, to run an annual meet of just 25 days. The State Assembly's committee also did not take a vote on a similarly worded bill. In 2026, there will be 50 days of racing at Monmouth, plus Monmouth will control nine days of all-turf Thoroughbred racing at the Meadowlands. Dennis Drazin, who heads Darby Development, which manages the racetrack on behalf of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, has said that a date reduction may become a necessity if the track loses a $10 million annual purse supplement it has received from the state since 2019. “Thanks to your advocacy on behalf of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey–and the horses you breed and own–the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee chose not to vote on Senate Bill 5028 this afternoon and removed it from the agenda,” said Michael Campbell, the executive director of the breeders' group. “The bill may be reintroduced during the next legislative session, which begins next week.” Knowing that it would be hard to convince anyone to breed a horse in a state that had only 25 days of racing, the breeders are particularly concerned about the threats to reduce the meet. Campbell said that his group wants to be part of the solution and will work with horsemen and track management in an effort to help New Jersey racing prosper. “The Association remains committed to working collaboratively with the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Darby Development, and Monmouth Park to support and strengthen the future of New Jersey's equine industry, and we will continue these efforts going forward,” he said. “Monmouth Park is one of the premier racing venues in the country, and the efforts of Dennis Drazin, Darby Development, and the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association to preserve and promote Thoroughbred racing are deeply appreciated throughout New Jersey's equine industry. While the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey had concerns with the language of Senate Bill 5028 that would allow the Monmouth Park permit holder to reduce the minimum number of required Thoroughbred race dates to 25, I am confident there is room for compromise. By working collaboratively, our organizations can support and strengthen the long-term future of New Jersey's equine industry.” The post Bills That Could Lead To Dates Reduction At Monmouth Hit A Roadblock 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

Roger and Tony O'Callaghan talk about Tally-Ho Stud's new addition Maranoa Charlie, buying into Group 1 winner Zavateri and more “We prefer not to say too much, we rather row in behind the horses and let them do the talking,” says Tony O'Callaghan from his kitchen table at Tally-Ho Stud. Both he and his son Roger don't bother to conceal the fact that this is their least favourite part of the job. There is, of course, a silver lining to the fact a journalist with an expectant face and a microphone is sitting across from the deadly duo; it means there is a new stallion to talk about. “We're always looking for the next good one – keep at it,” Tony responds to being asked how he'd sum up the appeal of Maranoa Charlie. Tony could have gone with the fact that Maranoa Charlie was a mightily impressive winner of the G1 Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp. That he is a gorgeous-looking son of the much-missed Wootton Bassett and from the family of lightning-quick Tiggy Wiggy. That he won his first three starts as a juvenile, which included an eight length romp in a Group 3. Or maybe the fact that he is just about the classiest stallion to have ever retired to the County Westmeath-based stud. But no, that wouldn't be Tony's style. “We try to buy one every year,” Roger adds, in that unmistakably wry tone. “Why does a trainer buy yearlings every year? You can't rest.” The O'Callaghans may say little, but they offer a lot. They wear exhausted expressions when stupid question after stupid question is levelled their way. But perhaps it's not that stupid to think that, when the stallion roster is already filled by the reigning first-season sire champion Starman, multiple Group 1 producer Mehmas, exciting youngsters Big Evs, Good Guess, King Of Steel, Persian Force and the Daddy of them all, Kodiac, then thou shall in fact rest. Not when you are serial workaholics whose lifelong obsession revolves around one thing and one thing alone: producing quality racehorses. Speaking about when Maranoa Charlie first came onto the radar at Tally-Ho, Roger said, “He was always on the radar but I met Laurent Benoit [bloodstock agent] coming out of Ascot last summer and he said, 'watch, there will be something to be done.' Shortly after that, they sold him to Jason [Kelly, bloodstock agent] on behalf of Charlie Bond and we all know what happened next. We actually met Charlie at York the day Lady Iman ran. We were both out walking the track. He's a pleasant fella and he wants to win.” Tony O'Callaghan | Goffs Stallion deals are not like soccer signings in that the sum that changes hands is rarely made public but Maranoa Charlie joining the ranks at Tally-Ho was said to be the stud business's equivalent to Alexander Isak joining Liverpool for a Premier League record fee of £125m or even Florian Wirtz joining the same club for £108m. By no means were these world record figures, a la Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to PSG for a combined €422m, but it was an eye-watering transaction in its own right. In other words, just like the inflated figures that are being bandied about for the world's best soccer stars, stud farms are being forced to pay for stallions on the basis that they are going to be a success. “Every stallion is bought on that basis,” Tony says, chuckling at the ignorance of such a question. “That's what we're saying to you – we're trying to find the next good one. The good ones carry the bad ones. Look at Inns Of Court, Bushranger and Kessaar. They all went pewshhh,” he says, making the sound of a balloon deflating as he places the palm of his hand on the table. He continued, “We did okay [financially] with Bushranger because he covered so many mares but, when it came to his first runners….” Roger finishes the sentence, “it was like you turned the tap off. I came back one morning after working a bunch of two-year-olds and told Dad they didn't go great and he didn't believe me.” “The breeze-up boys damned him,” Tony responds. They were probably right? “Not probably,” says Roger, “they were right.” So that's what can happen when things go badly. When an independent stud farm like Tally-Ho happens upon a stallion who can't get a duck to swim, the losses incurred don't bear thinking about. But when they win, they win big. Even so, no farm, not even one as successful as Tally-Ho, can afford to sign the brightest young stallion prospect year after year, season after season. It just doesn't work that way. So, in order to stay ahead of the curve, a certain amount of outside-the-box thinking is applied every now and again. Zavateri: Tally-Ho Stud has bought into the Group 1-winning stallion prospect | Racingfotos.com There is the odd occasion when Tally-Ho will try to get in early on a stallion prospect and they have done exactly that with the Group 1 National Stakes-winning Zavateri, whose career they will be following with heightened interest this season having partnered up with the Without Parole colt's owners Mick and Janice Mariscotti. Roger explained, “Maybe we got in too early? Like, we bought G Force early and he fell out the back of the telly every week. D'ya know?” “High risk,” Tony adds. Roger continues, “You have Haras d'Etreham, Rathbarry, Yeomanstown, the National Stud, Haras de Beaumont, Yulong – there are an awful lot of people who are brave in their own right when it comes to buying a stallion. It's competitive.” We can probably surmise from that how Tally-Ho were not the only show in town when it came to securing the signature of Maranoa Charlie. Cards on the table, Roger agrees that he is one of the classiest horses to have ever set foot in Tally-Ho, but reminds that Starman was in fact champion sprinter and wasn't exactly a shrinking violet either. Tony, rather typically, takes this particular discussion in before simply adding, 'I hope you are right' about Maranoa Charlie being just about the most exciting stallion prospect, certainly on paper, to have joined Tally-Ho in its long and storied history. There's something rather refreshing about the, 'maybe he makes it, maybe he doesn't' attitude to the whole thing, though. One thing that's not in doubt, however, is the fact he will be given the best possible chance to fulfill his potential as a top-class stallion here. “Maranoa is a class horse – he has a class pedigree,” Roger says. “Hopefully he's luckier than the last one [son of Wootton Bassett] to retire here! Bucanero Fuerte didn't get one mare in foal so that's what can happen. We'll give our fella as good a chance as anyone, though.” He added, “Sons of Wootton Bassett would want to step up. It's a bit of a risk. Everyone sees Wootton Bassett as the real thing, but his few sons that have gone to stud haven't quite put their heads above water yet, have they?” Once again illustrating his canny ability to say an awful lot without saying much at all, Tony adds, with the benefit of a lifetime's experience, “They're all individuals. Only some of them will do it.” Roger knows exactly what he's saying, and agrees, “Yea, because everyone slagged the sons of Dutch Art for a long time. A lot of people pooh-poohed Starman for being a son of Dutch Art.” Conversation turns to how Starman, and some of his contemporaries who have hogged headlines and got breeders giddy with the prospects of sending mares, share one thing in common; that they are all by relatively unfashionable stallions. With Starman there was the Dutch Art factor, then there is Havana Grey, who is by Havana Gold, Sands Of Mali, who's by Panis, and of course, the late Wootton Bassett, who was by Iffraaj. All of the breakout stallions of the current era have drastically out-performed their own sires. They've done it the hard way. “That's the beauty of the game,” Roger says with a smile, before adding, “so maybe Zavateri is the one.” He added, “I just loved the way that he did it at Goodwood [winning the Vintage Stakes] and at the Curragh [out-battling Gstaad in the G1 National Stakes]. He showed a great attitude.” We can talk about all of that in time. Perhaps back here at the kitchen table next January. What happens in between is anyone's guess but there are a few likelihoods. For starters, you can expect that Starman and Mehmas will continue to churn out big-race winners while the not-to-be underestimated Persian Force could throw his hat in the ring for first-season sire honours. Maranoa Charlie: will stand for €20,000 | Alice Fitzgerald And what about Maranoa Charlie? The horse that Tony describes as having “the whole package” is understood to be receiving rave reviews from breeders. He's becoming an easy horse to row in behind. “Maranoa Charlie is going well,” Roger says. “He'd be popular. He'd be well-liked. We were here from nine o'clock in the morning until five in the evening on Monday with people coming to see him. And we'll do the same all week. There are plenty of breeders, the majority of them from England, who are doing the tours. He is kind of exciting to be honest. Here, I'll show you this.” And with that, Roger takes out his phone and scrolls up to one of the most recent What'sApp messages he sent to Charlie Bond. It reads, 'If he's good, Charlie, he'll take us to places we have never been to before.' Roger concluded, “I'd agree that he's a little bit different. If he works out, he could be very good. That's the big if.” And that says it all, really. The post Roger O’Callaghan: ‘Maranoa Charlie Is A Class Horse – He Could Be A Bit Different’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 350 entries for the main catalogue of its Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, to be held Monday, February 9, in Lexington, Kentucky, the company announced Friday. The sale will begin at 10 a.m. “Strategically positioned before the start of breeding season, Kentucky Winter Mixed is an important marketplace within our industry,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “There is plenty of quality for buyers to choose from in 2026, including 200 yearlings with strong sire power.” Covering sires represented include Army Mule, Beau Liam, Bolt d'Oro, Charlatan, Cogburn, Constitution, Curlin, Cyberknife, Elite Power, Gun Pilot, Gunite, Jack Christopher, Kingsbarns, Knicks Go, Life Is Good, Maclean's Music, Mage, Maxfield, Munnings, Omaha Beach, Prince of Monaco, Seize the Grey, and Vekoma. Yearling sires catalogued include American Pharoah, Arcangelo, Army Mule, Beau Liam, Blame, Bolt d'Oro, City of Light, Corniche, Cyberknife, Drain the Clock, Early Voting, Elite Power, Epicenter, Essential Quality, Forte, Girvin, Golden Pal, Gun Runner, Gunite, Into Mischief, Jackie's Warrior, Knicks Go, Mage, Practical Joke, Street Sense, Taiba, Tiz the Law, Twirling Candy, Uncle Mo, Up To The Mark, Vekoma, and Yaupon. This year's catalogue cover features three recent graded stakes winning sale graduates in Ready for Candy (Twirling Candy), Running Bee (English Channel), and Whatchatalkinabout (Dialed In). Ready for Candy is an undefeated multiple graded stakes for owner Lindy Farms and trainer Phil Antonacci since her purchase by West Bloodstock at last year's Kentucky Winter Mixed sale. Entries remain open for the sale's supplemental catalogue. Fasig-Tipton will continue to accept supplemental entries over the next few weeks. “We have already begun taking entries for the supplement and look forward to announcing those in the coming weeks,” noted Browning. The main catalogue for Kentucky Winter Mixed may now be viewed online. Print catalogues will be available beginning January 15. The catalogue will also be available via the equineline sales catalogue app. Online bidding and phone bidding services will be available. The post Fasig-Tipton Catalogues 350 Entries For Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Eight-time Group 1-winning stayer Kyprios will stand for €5,000 under Coolmore's National Hunt banner at The Beeches Stud. Aidan O'Brien's most prolific winner at the highest level, Kyprios completed a clean sweep in 2022, landing the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, followed by victory in the Goodwood Cup, Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran. After an injury-hit season in 2023, he returned to capture all four of those races again in 2024, confirming himself a rare phenomenon. “Kyprios is an exceptionally good-looking horse with a truly outstanding race record,” said Robert McCarthy on Coolmore.com. “He won more Group 1 races than any horse ever trained by Aidan O'Brien, which speaks volumes about his quality. “He won his first Prix du Cadran by 20 lengths which must surely be a record-winning margin for a Group 1 race. In total, he won 17 races and was unbeaten in his final nine starts. We are thrilled to welcome one of the all-time great stayers to The Beeches.” Meanwhile, O'Brien told Coolmore.com, “Kyprios is a very, very special horse and it was a privilege to have trained him. He has an unbelievable capacity for covering any amount of distance. He obviously has an incredible heart and lungs.” The post Top Stayer Kyprios To Stand For 5k Under Coolmore’s National Hunt Banner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has received official approval by the Federal Trade Commission for a series of proposed changes to its Enforcement Rules (Rule Series 8000), the group announced Friday. These changes will take effect January 19, 2026. HISA's updated Enforcement Rules are available in full here and include the following changes: Clarification that it is a violation to enter a Covered Horse or cause a Covered Horse to compete in a Covered Horserace prior to registering the Covered Horse with HISA (note that it is a separate violation to fail to register a Covered Horse on the date of the horse's first timed and reported workout at a Racetrack that participates in Covered Horseraces or at a training facility); and Failure to pay a fine or repay a purse by the prescribed deadline will subject the Covered Person to an automatic suspension. The FTC published a request for public comment on the proposed changes on September 9, 2025 and issued an order approving the changes on December 19, 2025. HISA added that they will work with racing industry participants to help prepare them for the changes. All HISA rules are available here. The post HISA Receives FTC Approval For Modified Enforcement Rules appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Spendthrift Farm's MGISW Dornoch (Good Magic) sired his first reported foal Wednesday when a colt was born at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, KY on Jan. 7. Bred by Albaugh Family Stable, the bay colt is out of the mare Four Grands and hails from the immediate family of top sires Not This Time and Liam's Map. Four Grands, by Honor Code, is out of the stakes-winning mare Taylor S, and her granddam is the late blue hen mare Miss Macy Sue. “We're absolutely thrilled with the colt. He weighs a little over 130 pounds and is just a big, strong colt with great substance, a beautiful head, tons of bone, and an athletic frame,” said Taylor Made's Steve Castagnola. “He is out running the paddock with his mom right now and just full of energy. We could not be happier.” “The Albaugh's and I were big fans of Dornoch, and we wanted to stick to the (Curlin) sire line with an exciting stallion that could give the mare some size and leg. We got a terrific result. If we had a barn full of individuals like this colt then we would be in great shape,” added Castagnola. On the track, Dornoch captured the GII Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct as a 2-year-old over future champion Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), before going on to a stellar 3-year-old campaign that made him a 2024 Eclipse Award finalist. Out of 2024 Broodmare of the Year Puca, Dornoch won the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream, the 1 1/4-mile GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga, and the GI Haskell Stakes at Monmouth. Last year, Dornoch was a top five first-season covering sire by average, with in-foal mares selling up to $585,000–the highest price for a broodmare in foal to a freshman sire in North America. He is set to stand his second season for a fee of $30,000 S&N. The post Dornoch Represented By First Foal appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Many of the world's top stallions are set to be showcased during the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) Irish Stallion Trail, taking place next Friday and Saturday, January 16 and 17. Following another stellar year for Irish sires on the global stage in 2025, the trail offers breeders, racing professionals, and fans a unique chance to see these equine champions in person at over 35 leading stallion farms across 12 counties. The ITM Irish Stallion Trail is a free event, open to all. Visitors can simply register for the studs they wish to visit via www.itm.ie/stalliontrail and are free to explore within the advertised opening hours. Due to high demand, those wishing to visit Coolmore Stud must register for a specific date and time slot. ITM CEO Charles O'Neill, said, “Irish stallions again and again deliver on the global stage and have dominated all the European Classics and major international races. This year, Ireland's stallion roster looks to be stronger than ever, featuring proven producers, emerging stars, and exciting new additions to suit every breeder and budget. The ITM Irish Stallion Trail is always a highlight of the year for the industry and we're grateful to all participating farms for such unique access. We look forward to welcoming everyone on the trail and celebrating Ireland's world-class breeding tradition.” The popular Mark O'Hanlon Memorial Quiz will also be held to coincide with the ITM Irish Stallion Trail. The team-based, racing-themed quiz is free to enter and will take place at 9pm on Friday 16 January at The Lord Bagenal Inn in Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow. The winners will take home the Perpetual Mark O'Hanlon Cup. The quiz is held in memory of Mark O'Hanlon, a former member of the ITM team. The post Excitement Building Ahead Of ITM Irish Stallion Trail appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Well-respected Kiwi horseman Todd Pollard will join the training ranks next month after securing boxes at Eagle Farm in Brisbane. He departs Archibald Racing, where he has worked for the past five years and has led the Queensland operation for more than three-and-a-half years, producing consistent results for the operation. During his time as assistant trainer, Pollard worked closely with Group One winners Mo’unga, Zaaki, Bois d’Argent and Sunshine In Paris, as well as a number of other stakes performers. “I am very excited to announce that I am setting up my own training business, Todd Pollard Racing,” Pollard said. “This has been a long-term ambition of mine, and I have worked hard to reach this point. I have been fortunate to gain experience with a number of top trainers, including the Archibald stable and Stephen Marsh. “Prior to this, I was lucky enough to be part of the Godolphin Flying Start program from 2016 to 2018, which provided me with invaluable international experience in the racing industry. This included placements with leading international trainers Roger Varian in the UK, Phil D’Amato in the US and Bjorn Baker in Sydney.” Born and raised in Matamata, Pollard’s interest in racing was sparked early through family involvement, with his aunt Liz Pollard breeding and racing several horses, including Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders Stakes (1400m) winner Rosetti Bay. “My early interest was from my dad’s auntie, raising horses, and having a couple of handy ones that piqued my interest, but I really enjoyed getting along to the races when I was young and just enjoyed the spectacle of it all,” Pollard said. “It’s great to be able to live my dream and become a trainer in my own right.” Pollard is currently in the process of building his stable ahead of February’s launch and will attend all major yearling and online sales, including a trip home to New Zealand for the Karaka Sales, looking to purchase horses to fill his new operation. View the full article

Kentucky-based trainer Brad Cox finished atop the North American earnings list for a third time in 2025.View the full article

Rathasker Stud has confirmed the purchase of Classic-producing sire Aclaim. The sire of the 1,000 Guineas winner Cachet, Aclaim is a Group 1 winner himself, with that sole success at the highest level coming in the 2017 running of the Prix de la Foret. His fee for 2026 has been set at €6,500. Maurice Burns said, “We are delighted to announce that Rathasker Stud has purchased 100% of the stallion. Aclaim is a Group 1 winner and more importantly a Group 1 Classic sire. He will be the perfect fit for Rathasker and our clients' broodmare bands.” He added, “Aclaim is by sire of sires Acclamation out of a Listed-placed half-sister to champion filly Again from the family of champion sire Montjeu. Aclaim has all the ingredients to improve his credentials under the stewardship of Rathasker Stud. Aclaim's fee will be €6,500 1st of October terms in 2026.” Along with Cachet, Aclaim has sired a number of classy horses to earn a rating in excess of 100. Closely related to the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Again, he spent the first five seasons of his stallion career at the National Stud before spending a couple of breeding seasons at Manton Park. He had relocated to Batsford Stud last year, where he stood for £3,000. The post Rathasker Stud Snaps Up Classic-Producing Stallion Aclaim appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Impressive debut winner Waka has returned home to Surrey Farm, near Bulls, ahead of his second-up assignment at Wanganui on Saturday. The three-year-old son of Hello Youmzain was born and raised at the Rangitikei property of owner-breeders Christopher and Susanna Grace, whose familiar gold and green colours he carried to a dominant debut victory at New Plymouth last month. Trainer Mark Forbes was pleased with the win and said the gelding will continue to improve with time. “He has shown us a lot at home. He has still got a lot to learn so he is only going to get better with racing,” the Cambridge horseman said. “He had a week off after his last start and he seems to be coming up well, I am happy with his track work.” Waka will be ridden by Kelly Myers from barrier five in the La Nuova Dry Cleaners 3YO 1200, and Forbes said his charge has travelled down well ahead of his weekend assignment. “He is back where he was born and raised,” Forbes said. “He is out at Surrey Farm, which is only 40 minutes to the racetrack, so it works out perfect. He is in an environment he knows and he seems to have travelled down well, so I am happy.” While Waka holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) on Champions Day in March, Forbes said he will more likely be aimed towards the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy (1500m) on the Ellerslie undercard. “There is a 1500m race that will suit him a lot better on the same day,” he said. “We will just see how he goes tomorrow and make a decision after that.” Forbes will return north on Sunday to head to Ellerslie where he will line-up last-start winner Perfect Habit in the Elsdon Park 1200. “His last start win was very impressive at Wellington. The sectionals were phenomenal for the last 600m,” Forbes said. The Tivaci gelding will be seeking to go back-to-back on Sunday, with his performance dictating whether he returns to the Auckland track in a fortnight to contest the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m). “Barrier one is bit of an awkward draw for him,” he said. “Hopefully there is enough tempo in the race, but we are trying to get a line on him on whether we push onto the Almanzor or find a softer path for him.” View the full article

Promising filly Lucy In The Sky will launch her bid for higher age group honours when she resumes at Ellerslie. The Cambridge Stud-bred and raced daughter of Hello Youmzain will kick off in the Elsdon Park 3YO (1200m) on Sunday before she returns to stakes company. The Tony Pike-trained Lucy In The Sky made a good impression as a juvenile with a debut victory at northern headquarters. That form proved to be significant with runner-up Miss Ziggy subsequently placing in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1200m) and third placegetter Lollapalooza winning the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and finishing second in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). Lucy In The Sky then ran sixth in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) before landing the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) at her last appearance in May. “She obviously raced late into her two-year-old season, but she didn’t quite spell as well as we wanted in the winter,” Pike said. “We thought the early three-year-old races would come up a bit quickly for her, so we put her back out in the paddock.” Lucy In The Sky indicated her readiness to return to action when placing in an open 1200m at Avondale last month. “She trialled very well and we’d like to think she’s going to be competitive in some of the better three-year-old races,” Pike said. “She certainly looks like she will be and based on her last barrier trial and the way she’s been working, she is forward enough to resume and run well. “At this stage, we’ll use this race as a lead-up to the Almanzor Trophy (Gr.3, 1200m) on Karaka Millions night. That’s a short-term goal and then we’ll map out a program from there.” Pike is also keen on the chances at Ellerslie of Wind Rush, who will be partnered by apprentice Sam McNab in the Myracehorse Handicap (1300m). “He’s due a winning turn from a good gate (5), the three-kilo claim will really help him and he’s clearly my other best chance at the meeting,” he said. Wind Rush was second when resuming at Te Rapa and then finished a sound fourth under 59.5kg at Ellerslie. Meanwhile, emerging three-year-old Argo, an ownership mate of Lucy In The Sky, has come through his run for third in the Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m) in grand order. “He bounced through the run really well, it was a big step up in class from running in a Rating 65 into a good quality Group Two,” Pike said. “He travelled super and jogged up to them, he almost got there too soon, so he is obviously progressing well. “We’ll just see how he does in the next week or so and we’re giving some consideration to running in the three-year-old mile on Karaka Millions night.” View the full article

Riccarton trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman are prospecting gold in Kumara this weekend. The father-and-son duo are targeting Saturday’s Vernon & Vazey 0800 Truck Parts Kumara Gold Nuggets (1810m) with Ocean Light and Charbano, and they are hoping they can get their hands on the spoils. The West Coast feature has been in the crosshairs for the Christchurch horsemen with Ocean Light and they are pleased with him heading into the race despite his last start unplaced run in the Kurow Cup (1400m). It was the five-year-old gelding’s first unplaced run in 10 months, but Matthew Pitman said he wasn’t suited by the distance and they expect him to bounce back over a much more suitable trip on Saturday. “The Kurow Cup was a touch short of his best,” Pitman said. “He went there with a view to bring him along for the Nuggets, which is a race that we have targeted with him since his good run during (NZ) Cup Week (when runner-up behind race rival Sunset Boulevard over 2000m). “He meets Sunset Boulevard better off in the weights than he did Cup Week, so he is a really live chance. Hopefully he can go close and then onto bigger targets after that. “He still holds a nomination for the Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m). I think it would be a bridge too far for him, but we are lucky down here now, we have got the Southern Stayers’ Series with races like the Dunedin Cup (Listed, 2400m) and a few of those country cups races down south look ideal for him. “He might venture north later in the season, but we will just take it race-by-race with him. We have to spread his races out, he has the odd foot issue, but he is really well at the moment and we think he can go close on Saturday.” The stable will also be represented in the race by Charbano, who placed in the Kumara Gold Nuggets two years ago. “He went well in the Nuggets when he finished third and Kumara is a track that really suits him,” Pitman said. “The weather forecast is for a bit of rain and as long as it doesn’t get too heavy I think he will love the track again. We are happy with the horse and hopefully he can give a good account of himself again.” Earlier in the day, the stable will also have a two-pronged attack in the Phoenix Minerals (1150m) courtesy of Express Coup and last-start winner Motiontime. “Express Coup loves a heavy track and she loves Kumara as well,” Pitman said. “We are really happy with the horse and her work has been good. I think she is well placed on Saturday. “We gave Motiontime a bit of time off and she has come in really well. We thought she might improve off the run last Sunday but she got up and won anyway. She has been over here for the week on the (West) Coast and she seems to be thriving. “Whether she can take the weight penalty and go on with it we will find out. We are really happy with the horse and I think she has improved since last Sunday’s run.” Pitman is also upbeat about the stable’s chance in the McMullan ITM (1150m) where they will line-up five runners, including promising three-year-old El Vaquero. “El Vaquero is a horse with nice quality and we have always had an opinion of,” Pitman said. “We tried to stretch him out to the mile for the Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) and it just didn’t work out. He has had a freshen-up now and back to the sprint trips. We think he can be competitive.” Pitman will also be represented in the race by Russian Rosette, Jetstream, I’m Feeling Lucky and Grove Street. “It is a race we have a nice hand in,” Pitman said. “Russian Rosette went really well on the first day at Greymouth and Grove Street won on the middle day at Reefton, and I’m Feeling Lucky is a last start winner. “El Vaquero is possibly the nicer quality of them, but whether he gets around Kumara or not will be the question. If he were to win or go close, he will probably press on to a Gore Guineas (Listed, 1335m). “It is a race we think we can win.” View the full article

Kevin and Stephen Gray will be on a fact-finding mission when they head north to Ellerslie on Sunday. The Palmerston North trainers will return to the Auckland track with their promising three-year-old Loose Jewels, who will give them a gauge of his Derby credentials. The son of Turn Me Loose holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in March, and while they believe he will stay the distance, he has yet to be tested over further than a mile in his five starts to date. That will change this weekend when he contests the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m), and the Grays are looking for some redemption following his luckless unplaced run at the track last week. “We took a few up the other day and most of them went really well, but this horse was very unlucky up the straight, we couldn’t get a run at all until it was too late,” Stephen Gray said. “We were really rapt with the way he went because it was unknown territory. “He shows a lot of promise. It looks a nice race for him, he has had a run around there and he has travelled home really well. “I know he will stay, he is bred to, and he showed a lot last week. If we can get a change of luck, and he gets the distance, we can make plans then (for the Derby). If he doesn’t, we can come back to our grade.” Closer to home on Saturday, the Grays will head to Wanganui with half a dozen runners, including four-win gelding Cosentino in the Wanganui-Taranaki Racehorse Owners Association Open 1340. “He is well placed there,” Gray said. “He is a very promising horse and he is probably six months away from being at the high-end level. It is a good opportunity for him to get a win and then we will back off him until the autumn.” Gray put Hello My Dear’s last start fourth placing down to trainer error, and he believes the three-year-old filly can rectify that and break through for her maiden win in the La Nuova Dry Cleaners 3YO 1200. “I stuffed up there other day. I went from 1000m to 1400m hoping I could win the 1400m, which I thought she would and then go to the mile at Trentham,” Gray said. “However, it rained heavily and the track was off on the inside and she just got stuck the last little bit. “I have brought her back to 1200m in her own age. She has got a lot of promise. I could have run her in the maiden, but I just felt it was good prizemoney and against her own age is still the way to go. “She is definitely an each way chance.” Gray is also expecting a bold showing from Cooper in the Terry Brothers 1200. “Cooper was very unlucky at Te Rapa (last start), we just got it wrong,” Gray said. “He went back, couldn’t get cover and was wide on a frontrunners track. “Coming back to Wanganui and back in class will be a big plus for him and he is doing well, he will be very hard to beat.” The stable will have a two-pronged attack in the Smart Naturals 1340 courtesy of Tivaci’s Affair and Tears Of Victory. “Tivaci’s Affair was very unlucky at Wellington and could not get a run up the straight,” Gray said. “The other mare (Tears Of Victory) has dropped right back to her class and she is going to run better with blinkers on. “They are outside chances looking to find their form.” The stable’s representation at Wanganui will be rounded out by the Milan Park-bred and raced Sloshed in the Wanganui Function Centre Maiden 1340. “He has been a bit disappointing on the track but he has a lot of potential,” Gray said. “I would forget the last run and hopefully we will get him on a Good track and see how he goes.” View the full article

Explora, runner-up as the favorite in the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar, kicks off her 3-year-old campaign Jan. 10 in the $100,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Paradise Lake wins her first stakes for C R K Stable and trainer Peter Eurton.View the full article

Veteran horse trainer Kathleen DeMasi was elected by members of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association to serve as the organization's president; the first woman selected for that role. View the full article

Juddmonte's Touch of Fire (Constitution) ran off to a convincing seven-length score to become his sire's newest TDN Rising Star, sponsored by Hagyard, in his career debut at the Fair Grounds on Thursday. The 4-1 chance broke from the outside and eased up into a forward stalking position as Robert Lee (Omaha Beach) led through initial fractions of :23.40 and :49.08. Starting to put the screws to that rival entering the home stretch, the Juddmonte homebred drew off late to score by seven lengths over the early leader. The winner's dam, Mexican Gold, is a Group 3 winner in France who also finished third in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas). In addition to Touch of Fire, the sister to Group 1 winner Announce (GB) (Selkirk) is also responsible for a juvenile filly by Tapit in addition to a yearling filly by Flightline. She was bred back to the Horse of the Year. 9th-Fair Grounds, $54,000, Msw, 1-8, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.85, fm, 7 lengths. TOUCH OF FIRE, c, 3, Constitution 1st Dam: Mexican Gold {GSW & G1SP-Fr, GSP-USA, $234,810}, by Medaglia d'Oro 2nd Dam: Hachita, by Gone West 3rd Dam: Choice Spirit, by Danzig Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $32,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. O/B-Juddmonte (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. The post Constitution’s Touch of Fire Earns TDN Stardom in Career Debut at Fair Grounds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New Zealand is in the fortunate position of having an outstanding group of young stallions starting to make their mark, and the progeny of these exciting up-and-comers will be in demand at Karaka 2026. ACE HIGH Ace High Rich Hill Stud’s Ace High is the sire of 62 winners from 106 runners, with four individual stakes winners including Molly Bloom (NZ) in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). Molly Bloom came from Ace High’s first crop and was bought for $150,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2022. The current season has seen She’s A Hustler (NZ) emerge as an exciting new flagbearer for the stallion. She was a $70,000 purchase by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock from Book 1 of Karaka 2022 and has had 11 starts for seven wins, four placings and A$842,456. She has won three of her four starts as a five-year-old this season including the Group Two Zipping Classic (2400m) and the Group Three Tesio Stakes (2040m). There could also be a bright future in store for the similarly named She’s A Dealer (NZ), who has made a big impression in a seven-start career that has so far produced four wins and a second placing. She won twice as an autumn three-year-old, earning a trip across the Tasman where she ran a close fifth in the Group One Queensland Oaks (2200m). She has come back even better at the age of four, winning both starts in impressive style and earning a shot at Group Two level in the Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. Ace High’s results have led to a growing profile in the sale ring. His first crop of yearlings averaged $93,889 in Book 1 of Karaka 2022 and $41,882 in Book 2. By Karaka 2024, those numbers had risen to $163,750 in Book 1 and $49,000 in Book 2. His yearlings have sold for up to $280,000. Ace High has seven in Book 2 and eight in the inaugural Summer Sale. His progeny in Book 2 include Lot 719, a filly that is the first foal out of the multiple Group Two placegetter Contagious (NZ) (Proisir). ARDROSSAN There was a hint of unfulfilled talent in the injury-curtailed racetrack career of Ardrossan, who won four of his nine starts including the Group Three Concorde Handicap (1200m) and also placed in the Group One Waikato Sprint (1400m) and Sydney’s Group Three Star Kingdom Handicap (1200m). But he is on track to make a far bigger name for himself as a member of Waikato Stud’s star-studded stallion roster. Retiring in 2019 at an introductory fee of $8,000, which dropped to $3,000 before his first progeny hit the racetrack, Ardrossan has very quickly turned that low profile on its head and now commands a $20,000 service fee. Ardrossan Ardrossan sired three stakes winners in his first crop of two-year-olds – Codigo (NZ), Saltcoats (NZ) and Loch Katrine (NZ). The son of Redoute’s Choice has now been represented by a total of 40 winners from 89 runners with seven individual stakes winners. Yaldi (NZ), Ardalio (NZ) and Beau Dazzler (NZ) have all scored at Group level. Among his most exciting progeny is De Armas (NZ), the winner of both starts to date including the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) and one of the favourites for the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m). Ardrossan’s 2022 crop of foals – bred from that $3,000 service fee – averaged $182,500 in Book 1 of Karaka 2024 and $103,907 in Book 2. They sold for up to $390,000. Karaka 2026 will feature 29 yearlings by Ardrossan in Book 1, 24 in Book 2 and 10 in the Summer Sale. The filly catalogued as Lot 61 is now a full-sister to three stakes performers, with the recent Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) placegetter Butler Cabin (NZ) (Ardrossan) joining Beau Dazzler and Toretto (NZ) (Ardrossan). Lot 189 is out of The Real Beel (NZ) (Savabeel), who won the Group Two Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m), placed in the $1m Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and has produced two Australian winners from two foals to race. Lot 200 is a half-sister to the Group One winner Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls). Lot 302 is a half-brother to the Karaka Millions 2YO contender Out Of The Blue (NZ) (Tivaci). Their dam Cornflower Blue (NZ) (Savabeel) won at Group Three level and placed in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). Lot 413 is a half-brother to the Group One Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) winner, five-time Group One placegetter and A$5m earner Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls) along with multiple Group One-placed Hong Kong sprinter Courier Wonder (NZ) (Sacred Falls). ARMORY Armory A Group One performer in both hemispheres including a second placing in a Cox Plate (2040m), Armory stands at Mapperley Stud and has already had a winner in his first crop of two-year-olds with Silhouette (NZ) scoring at Trentham in October. Armory raised his profile sharply at the NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November, where his colt out of Cora Lynn (NZ) (Golan) sold to Cameron Booke and Busuttin Racing for $625,000 – the seventh highest price of the sale. It was the fifth highest price for a New Zealand-based sire, behind only the established guns Per Incanto (two) and Satono Aladdin and last season’s champion first-season sire Hello Youmzain. Armory’s first crop of yearlings averaged $34,545 at Karaka 2025, including an average price of $73,333 in Book 1. The catalogues for Karaka 2026 feature four Amory yearlings in Book 2 and 11 in the Summer Sale. Lot 598 is out of a half-sister to the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Miss Sentimental (NZ) (Reliable Man), whose three-year-old son Tagalomu (Tagaloa) won impressively on debut at Tauranga on December 12. Lot 768 is out of a half-sister to the Group One Australasian Oaks (2000m) winner Princess Jenni (NZ) (High Chaparral). CIRCUS MAXIMUS Circus Maximus was a repeat performer on one of world racing’s biggest stages – Royal Ascot. He won the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes (1600m) there as a three-year-old, then returned a year later and took out the Group One Queen Anne Stakes (1600m). The son of breed-shaping stallion Galileo also won the Prix du Moulin (1600m) at Longchamp and placed in the Group One Sussex Stakes (1600m) twice, the Breeders’ Cup Mile (1600m), the Prix du Moulin and the Prix Jacques le Marois (1600m). He had a total of 17 starts for five wins and six placings. Circus Maximus Circus Maximus has shuttled to Windsor Park Stud since 2021, and his first southern hemisphere crop has already produced Listed winners Towering Vision (NZ) and Circus Dancer (NZ) and the Australian black-type placegetter Ha’penny Hatch (NZ). Considering his own best performances came at the ages of three and four, bigger and better things can be expected from his progeny at a similar stage of their careers. One to watch could be Road To Paris (NZ), who looked a certain winner of last month’s Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m) before shying at the finish line and dislodging his rider. In the northern hemisphere, he has sired 16 winners including the Group One-placed Green Storm. Standing for a service fee of $17,500, Circus Maximus had progeny sell for up to $300,000 at the recent NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka. The catalogue for Book 1 of Karaka 2026 contains nine Circus Maximus yearlings, with one of his progeny in Book 2 and three in the Summer Sale. Lot 85 is a half-brother to the Australian Group Three winner Chabaud (Lookin At Lucky). Lots 337 and 460 are half-brothers to Group One placegetters Faraglioni (NZ) (El Roca) and Prince Mambo (NZ) (Thewayyouare) respectively. Lot 403 is a full-brother to Ha’penny Hatch. HELLO YOUMZAIN Another emerging force on the New Zealand stallion scene who made his mark at Royal Ascot is Hello Youmzain. He carried the black and gold Cambridge Stud colours to a famous win in the Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m), having previously also taken out the Haydock Sprint Cup (1200m) at the elite level. He had a total of 12 starts for five wins and three placings. Hello Youmzain The son of Kodiac has wasted little time in making an impact at stud. His first northern hemisphere crop produced three stakes winners, and he was New Zealand’s leading first-season sire in 2024-25 with black-type winners Platinum Diamond (NZ) and Lucy In The Sky (NZ). Platinum Diamond has in fact gone on to become a triple Listed winner, adding this spring’s Wanganui Guineas (1200m) to her two-year-old victories in the Castletown Stakes (1200m) and Ryder Stakes (1200m). Hello Youmzain’s first southern hemisphere crop now boasts 23 individual winners – 16 in New Zealand and seven in Australia. One to keep an eye on over the summer months is the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Drops Of God (NZ). The three-year-old filly is a half-sister to Group One winner Kahma Lass (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and won by five and a half lengths on debut at Te Aroha on December 7. Yearlings by Hello Youmzain have sold for up to $425,000 at Karaka. Buyers at Karaka 2026 will have access to 24 yearlings by Hello Youmzain in Book 1, 18 in Book 2 and two in the Summer Sale. Lot 46 is a half-sister to the multiple black-type winner All That Pizzazz (Spirit Of Boom). Lot 248 is a half-brother to the exciting stayer Campaldino (NZ) (Ghibellines), who has won six of his 14 starts including the Group Two Brisbane Cup (3200m). Lot 309 is a filly out of the multiple Group winner Belle Fascino (NZ) (Per Incanto). NOVERRE Savabeel’s son Noverre (NZ) has been inextricably linked with the Karaka sale ring since he went through it himself as a yearling in 2020. He was bought by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for $800,000. Noverre In a career that was restricted to just seven starts due to injury, Noverre recorded three wins and three placings. The highlight came in the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, where he produced a stunning finish from the back of the field to win going away. Noverre now stands alongside his champion father at Waikato Stud and his oldest progeny are two-year-olds. He has been represented by multiple trial winners. His first yearlings averaged $88,823 at Karaka 2025 at the beginning of this year, including a Book 1 average of $135,625 and a top price of $310,000. That buzz around Noverre carried over into the recent NZB Ready to Run Sale, where he had 10 progeny sell for an average of $135,500 and a top price of $320,000. Noverre has 17 yearlings catalogued for Book 1 of Karaka 2026, 23 for Book 2 and six for Book 3. Lot 91 is a half-sister to the Group One Telegraph (1200m) winner Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy). Lot 155 is a three-quarter-sister to the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m) winner and A$1m earner Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel). Lots 197 and 206 are half-siblings to Group One winners Tiptronic (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Romancing The Moon (NZ) (El Roca) respectively. Lot 351 is a half-brother to the dams of Group One winners Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) and Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel). Lot 371 is a son of triple Group One winner Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed), who is the dam of three black-type performers and granddam of another two. SWORD OF STATE The first few months of the 2025-26 season could hardly have gone any better for Cambridge Stud’s young gun stallion Sword Of State. Himself a Group One winner as a two-year-old and the champion juvenile of his year, he has sired a Melbourne stakes winner and a super-impressive Sydney winner from his first two runners in Australia. Sword Of State Sword Of State’s daughter Torture (NZ) got him on the board in October with a smart debut performance in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield to move to the top of the order of entry for the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in late January. Not to be outdone, Warwoven followed suit with a victory at Randwick on December 20 that hinted at bigger and better things to come. Sword Of State’s first yearlings sold exceptionally well at Karaka 2025 last January. He averaged $154,810, with a Book 1 average of $201,500. Four of his progeny fetched $300,000 or more, with a top price of $540,000 – all from an introductory service fee of $15,000. That strong demand continued into the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November, where he had five two-year-olds sell for an average of $256,000 with a top price of $500,000. Sword Of State is the sire of 24 yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2026, another 25 in Book 2 and four in the Summer Sale. One of the most anticipated yearlings of the whole sale is Lot 513, the colt by Sword Of State out of Las Brisas (Shamardal). This colt is a half-brother to superstar Karaka graduate Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock), who has earned more than A$10m in Australia with Group One triumphs in the Epsom Handicap (1600m), Champions Mile (1600m) and two editions of the King Charles III Stakes (1600m). Lot 281 is a filly out of a half-sister to the Group One Golden Slipper (1200m) winner Kiamichi (Sidestep). Lot 438 is a full-sister to the colt that fetched $540,000 at Karaka 2025. Lot 567 is a half-brother to the Group One Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winner Marky Mark (Makfi). Emerging Australian-based sires ALABAMA EXPRESS has made his presence strongly felt on both sides of the Tasman, siring the four-time Group One winner Treasurethe Moment in Australia and high-class sprinting mare Alabama Lass in New Zealand. He has sired 62 winners overall from 112 runners, with four individual stakes winners. His progeny have sold for up to $340,000 at the NZB National Yearling Sale and averaged $270,000 at the Ready to Run Sale in November. Karaka 2026 features six of his yearlings in Book 1. BIVOUAC was an elite racehorse with seven victories including the Group One Golden Rose (1400m), Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and Champions Sprint (1200m). He has quickly found success in his new career at Darley Stud, producing 19 winners from his first crop including Beiwacht, who set a new race record when he followed in his father’s footsteps to win the Golden Rose this spring. Intention (NZ), who was bought for $65,000 from Karaka 2024, won last season’s Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m). Bivouac’s yearlings have sold for up to $425,000 at Karaka. He has seven yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2026 and one in Book 2. GHAIYYATH was a four-time Group One winner in the UK and Europe and shuttled to Australia from 2021 to 2024. His first southern hemisphere crop has produced 13 winners from 36 runners, including this season’s Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) hero Observer and the emerging star Different Gravy. Those performances brought strong demand for his two lots at the NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November, which sold for $480,000 and $420,000. Ghaiyyath has two fillies in the catalogue for Book 1 of Karaka 2026. HOME AFFAIRS showed his star quality in Group One victories in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington, and he has passed some of that talent on to his first crop of two-year-olds. He has already been credited with three winners and three black-type placegetters – Harvey Wallbanger (NZ), I’m Ya Huckleberry and Internal Affairs. Progeny of Home Affairs sold for up to $340,000 at Karaka 2025 last January. He will be represented by 10 second-crop yearlings at Karaka 2026. ZOUSAIN has sired 88 winners from 175 runners, with three impressive stakes winners – Drifting, Amelita and Bellazaine. The only one of his progeny offered in the NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka last month sold to Hong Kong for $350,000. He has three yearlings catalogued for Book 1 of Karaka 2026 and one in Book 2. View the full article

French Blue (Gun Runner), off as the 3-5 favorite, showed good early speed from the outside gate, clearing down to sit just off the pace while pressuring the early lead through fractions of :22.77 and :45.82. Moving up under her own power to gain a narrow advantage by the quarter pole, she had no issue putting separation on stablemate Cherry Cider (Tiz the Law) and was in no danger of being caught by a closing Feisty Red Head (Curlin) who picked up second but was 2 1/4 lengths back of the winner on the line. French Blue is the first foal out of GSW and Three Chimneys homebred Twenty Carat. This is the family of Breeders' Cup winners Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect) and her daughter, Sharing (Speighstown). Twenty Carat has been married to Gun Runner for all four of her matings, producing a now 2-year-old colt picked up by M.V. Magnier and White Birch Farm for $1,550,000 at Keeneland September last year. She has a yearling colt still in the pipeline and is due back to the Three Chimneys stalwart this spring. 4th-Santa Anita, $72,500, Msw, 1-8, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.21, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. FRENCH BLUE (f, 3, Gun Runner–Twenty Carat {GSW, $118,850}, by Into Mischief) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O/B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. @Three_Chimneys homebred #10 FRENCH BLUE ($3.20) broke her maiden on debut in R4 at @SantaAnitaPark. The three-year-old Gun Runner filly had @JJHernandezS19 up for trainer Bob Baffert. pic.twitter.com/Fs7dV8NTt6 — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 8, 2026 The post Gun Runner’s French Blue An Easy Debut Winner At Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Britain and Ireland are on course to benefit from additional World Pool meetings this year as part of an expanded fixture list, pending Hong Kong government approval.View the full article