Wandering Eyes

Race 1 WAVERLEY 4 SQUARE MAIDEN 2200m KALINYA (M Hudson) – Trainer Mr. A Meadows reported to Stewards, KALINYA has been retired from racing. The post Waverley Racing Club @ Waverley, Wednesday 19 March 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 7 ULTIMATE MAZDA JAPAN TROPHY 1600 (G2) NAVIGATOR (M Hashizume) – Trainer Mr. C Cole reported to Stewards, that on Monday 17 March, NAVIGATOR underwent a veterinary examination which included blood tests with results showing the gelding to have a slight high SAA blood cell count. C Cody further advised NAVIGATOR has now been sent for a spell. The post Racing Tauranga @ Tauranga, Saturday 15 March 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 3 BOTTLE O MOSGIEL & HILLSIDE ROAD 1200m TOWN BELT (B May) – Trainer Ms. R Ayton reported to Stewards, the mare was examined by the stables veterinarian on Monday 17 March, with no abnormalities being detected. R Ayton further advised TOWN BELT has been sent for a brief freshen up. The post Beaumont Racing Club @ Wingatui, Sunday 16 March 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

There are seven horse racing meetings set for Australia on Friday, March 28. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Muswellbrook and Toowoomba. Friday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – March 28, 2025 Muswellbrook Racing Tips Toowoomba Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on March 28, 2025 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Neds does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. BlondeBet Signup Code GETON 2 Punters Prefer Blondes BlondeBet Blonde Boosts – Elevate your prices! Join BlondeBet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GAMBLING WITH? full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 3 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble You Better Believe It Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Recommended! 4 Next Gen Racing Betting Picklebet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. 5 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Bet365 Signup Code GETON 6 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article

5th-Gulfstream, $54,000, (S), Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($50,000), 3-27, 3yo, 6f, 1:09.29, ft, 7 lengths. SORCERER'S SILVER (c, 3, Good Magic–Money Or Love {SW, $211,840}, by J Be K) ran off to score by 8 1/4 lengths while facing fellow Florida-breds going seven furlongs here Feb. 1 and was installed the heavy 1-5 choice to repeat this time. Sent to the front after a fast start, the $130,000 Fasig-Tipton May graduate allowed Aero Star (Cajun Breeze) to assume the helm through a :22.50 quarter. Re-taking the advantage through a :45.41 half, the favorite drew off down the lane to score by seven lengths. Aero Star was second. Thursday's winner has a year-younger full-brother named Magic Art, who was ultimately sent abroad, and a yearling sister by Charlatan. Sales history: $45,000 Ylg '23 OBSOCT; $130,000 2yo '24 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $62,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-West Point Thoroughbreds and Domeyko Taylor; B-Good Magic Syndicate & Darsan Inc. (FL); T-Dale L. Romans. The post Good Magic’s Sorcerer’s Silver Remains Perfect After Another Gulfstream Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

St. Elias Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Captain Cook (Practical Joke) breezed a half-mile in :49 (14/79) Wednesday over the Belmont Park dirt training track as he prepares for the GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct Apr. 5. Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., the bay was completing his sixth workout since capturing the nine-furlong Listed Withers Feb. 1. “It was mostly maintenance,” said Blake Dutrow, Dutrow Jr.'s nephew and Belmont-based assistant. “He's ready so we are just trying to keep him happy and stay out of his way, because we feel like if the Wood were tomorrow, he'd be ready for it, if it's next week, he's ready. As long as he stays the way he is, we will feel like he has a good shot.” Captain Cook was purchased for $410,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age sale as part of the dispersal of the estate of the late John Hendrickson after his debut sixth-place finish at Churchill Downs Oct. 27. The post Captain Cook Gearing Up for Wood Memorial appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will bid for a fourth Florida Derby (G1) with a ride on Madaket Road, a mount he picks up after scheduled jockey Tyler Gaffalione injured an ankle March 26. View the full article

Dr Jerry Hill MBE will retire later this year from his role as Chief Medical Adviser to the BHA. Dr Hill has served in the role since 2014 and has played a central role in advancing medical and healthcare standards across British racing. He will remain with the BHA over the coming months to support a smooth transition, including assisting with the recruitment and induction of his successor. Dr Hill joined the BHA in 2014, having been Senior Racecourse Medical Officer at Lingfield Park racecourse, a Squad Doctor for the England Football Teams at the FA, as well as a member of the Football Association Medical Committee and former Sports Physician at the 2012 London Olympics. During his time with the BHA, Dr Hill has forged close relationships across the sport and has been a tireless advocate for the welfare of jockeys and riders. He has championed the mantra that jockeys are elite athletes and that their healthcare provision and routines should reflect this, with an increased focus on physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, nutrition, and mental health care as standard practice. BHA Acting Chief Executive Brant Dunshea said, “Jerry has made a significant and lasting impact on British racing. His passion, knowledge and leadership have helped shape a progressive approach to jockey health and medical care. He also played a crucial role in guiding our decision making and our engagement with government as the sport navigated the challenges of the pandemic, for which we are all hugely grateful. “On behalf of the BHA and everyone in British racing, I want to thank Jerry for his outstanding service and wish him the very best for his retirement. I am also grateful that Jerry has agreed to remain in post until his successor can be found, and to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities.” The post Dr Jerry Hill MBE to retire as BHA Chief Medical Adviser appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

St. Elias Stable's Captain Cook breezed a half-mile in :49 March 26 over the Belmont Park dirt training track as he prepares for the $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2), a 1 1/8-mile test for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack April 5.View the full article

Choisya had only one black-type success to her name before joining Gainsborough Stables' satellite operation at Meydan prior to Christmas. Her improvement since has prompted connections to target a grade 1 at Keeneland: the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T).View the full article

Trainer Gary Contessa's claim that he did not know about a change in New York State's claiming rules when he violated a new provision governing claimed horses running out of state "strains credibility,'' according to a hearing officer's comments.View the full article

After seeing the light go on in Owen Almighty's second try around two turns, trainer Brian Lynch is hoping for a similar type of response from stablemate Jimmy's Dailys in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park March 29.View the full article

LSU Stables's 'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (English Channel), winner of last year's GI Sword Dancer S. and GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S., will launch his 5-year-old campaign in Saturday's GIII Pan American S. at Gulfstream Park. The Sarf family's gold-and-purple silks will also be carried by Le Mehana (Fr) (Al Wukair {Ire}) in the GIII Orchid S. two races earlier on the sensational GI Curlin Florida Derby program. Both are trained by Christophe Clement. LSU Stables–the 'L' stands for Larry and Leslie (the affable couple went on their first date at Belmont Park back in 1967), the 'S' is for Sarf and the 'U' represents the unity of their family–won the 2023 Belmont Child Care Association's Humanitarian Award and has approximately 12 horses in training. “It'll be nice,” said Brooklyn native Larry Sarf, who sold his company F&D Reports in 2021. “We're gonna fly down on Friday. We'll spend the day at the track Saturday and we'll run over to the barn at Payson on Sunday, then fly back.” Far Bridge was acquired privately after beginning his career with a pair of head-turning wins–including a narrow victory over fellow MGISW and 'Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire})–for breeder Calumet Farm over the Gulfstream turf in 2023. The Sarf family's LSU Stables celebrates Far Bridge's Sword Dancer victory at Saratoga last summer | Sarah Andrew One of 14 top-level winners for the much-missed, perennial leading turf sire English Channel, Far Bridge will take on eight rivals in the 1 1/2-miles Pan American. He enters off a troubled ninth-place finish after a forgettable journey beneath Joel Rosario at a well-backed 7-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar Nov. 2. The 7-5 morning-line favorite is a perfect three-for-three over the Gulfstream lawn. Rosario will be back aboard. “We rested him for a couple of months, he's had eight workouts,” Sarf said. “He's ready on Saturday to run a good race.” Sarf continued, “He we won the first race of his 2024 campaign (in an optional claimer) at Gulfstream. I think he's matured a little more this year. We're getting ready for our next steps. We've laid out five races for him and this is a good prep race.” The 6-year-old mare Le Mehana, a €400,000 purchase at the 2023 Arqana December sale after placing third that fall in the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp, finished third while making her U.S. debut for these connections in last year's Orchid. She's since added wins in the GIII Waya S. at Aqueduct and Via Borghese S. at Gulfstream and has rolled a pair of threes so far this season, most recently completing the trifecta behind the re-opposing Beach Bomb (SAf) (Lancaster Bomber) in the GIII The Very One S. at Gulfstream Mar. 1. The 8-5 program favorite will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. “The field looks pretty good for us with Le Mehana,” Sarf said. “She's healthy and she's good. She's getting a little older now and we'll be looking at doing something with her as a broodmare.” LSU Stables made a big splash going to $850,000 for Pandora's Gift (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) at the inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale ahead of the 2024 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. A four-time winner over three different all-weather courses in Britain, led by a victory in the Chelmer Fillies S. at Chelmsford May 2, and third-place finisher in the grassy G3 Irish EBF Ballyogan S. last August at Naas, the versatile Pandora's Gift made two starts for former owner/trainer Stuart C. Williams during her 3-year-old season on these shores last fall. She came up just a neck short in the GII Presque Isle Downs Masters S. Sept. 20, then was a longshot third on grass in Keeneland's GII Franklin S. Oct. 13. She was subsequently disqualified from the latter after testing positive for the controlled medication gabapentin. Scratched out of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Pandora's Gift, now trained by Clement, could return to action at the upcoming Keeneland Spring meeting, per Sarf. “He's got some nice works into her now,” Sarf said. “She was about a 100 pounds underweight (after the sale) and we said, 'let's just put the weight on, lay her off and get her ready for her 4-year-old campaign.'” He continued, “We liked her breeding, by Churchill. She's a wonderful filly, a great sprinter. She'll hopefully run a great race in Kentucky. This year is a lot of promise. Hopefully, she'll be able to hit a couple of races up at Saratoga, too.” LSU Stables also campaigns the streaking New York-bred gelding Bank Frenzy (Central Banker), who secured his third straight victory for trainer Rudy Rodriguez in the Stymie S. at the Big A Mar. 1. Rodriguez went back to the well and signed the ticket for a $105,000 Central Banker filly on behalf of LSU Stables at the OBS March 2-Year-Old sale earlier this month. “We're growing the stable a little at a time,” Sarf said. The post Returning Far Bridge Leads Powerful One-Two Punch for LSU Stables on Florida Derby Undercard appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A field of 11 3-year-old colts is set to face the starter for Saturday's $226,404 Fukuryu Stakes, an 1800-meter allowance contest at Nakayama Racecourse that serves as the last of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and offers points on a 40-20-12-8-4 scale. Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah) currently sits in pole position in the series, having earned 30 points when proving best in the Listed Hyacinth Stakes over Tokyo's one-turn, 1600-meter configuration on Feb. 23. A full-brother to dual G1 February Stakes winner Cafe Pharoah and campaigned by the latter's owner Koichi Nishikawa, the son of Mary's Follies (More Than Ready) set a juvenile course record when winning his maiden over a mile at headquarters Nov. 23 before tacking on a facile allowance victory over this course and distance Jan. 11. Joao Moreira takes over in the saddle here, where a victory or runner-up effort secures the bay colt the automatic berth in the Derby, but it may not all be straight-forward. ▼高松宮記念　本命候補① サトノレーヴ（想定2番人気） 理由① １週前追いはチャックネイト、ルクソールカフェとの３頭併せで手応え良く最先着。 初の左回りは未知数だが、フットワーク的には問題なさそう。 フォロー&いいね20でどんどん更新してきます。 フォロー頂けると励みになります！ pic.twitter.com/OfpYc9t2In — ちゃぶ君の競馬サロン (@chab358x11) March 24, 2025 Fully eight of the 11 runners enter off a victory, including Imhotep (Jpn) (New Year's Day), who looks to take his record to a perfect three-from-three. Purchased for nearly $380,000 out of the JRHA Select Yearling Sale in 2023, the Northern Racing-bred colt graduated by nine lengths at first asking over track and trip Jan. 12 and added a three-length allowance score here just two weeks ago. Golden Cloud (Cloud Computing) was a debut winner at Kyoto last October, then ran the G2 UAE Derby-bound Don in the Mood (Jpn) (Asia Express) to a neck in allowance company Jan. 6. The latter returned to be third in the Hyacinth, while Golden Cloud registered a similar finish behind the pacesetting Isana (Jpn) (Declaration of War) going this distance at Chukyo Jan. 26. The 2024 Fukuryu Stakes was won by T O Password (Jpn) (Copano Rickey {Jpn}) in his second career start. Connections accepted the invitation to the Derby, where the colt ran an excellent fifth, 6 1/2 lengths behind Mystik Dan (Goldencents). The post American Pharoah’s Luxor Cafe Leads Deep Field Into Japan Road to the Derby Finale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Woodbine's CA$750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) has been added to the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series as an official "Win and You're In" race. ​The winner receives an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T).View the full article

Mike Curry analyzes the 10-horse field in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park March 29, which has historically been one of the most important stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby (G1).View the full article

America's Best Racing's Patrick Reed provides a horse-by-horse rundown of the Arkansas Derby (G1) lineup.View the full article

Godolphin Mile (G2) contender Little Vic carries the colors of former Major League Baseball star Victor Martínez, a five-time MLB All-Star turned passionate owner.View the full article

Ruling against the interests of four race tracks, the Supreme Court of Louisiana declared unconstitutional a statute legalizing historical horse racing machines without first requiring local voter approval.View the full article

In the pantheon of propaganda, Tally-Ho Stud would hardly get a look in compared to its competitors, so when Tony O'Callaghan says “the vibes are good” about Lady Iman (Ire) (Starman {GB}) ahead of her debut in the two-year-old maiden at Dundalk on Friday, it can be taken as a major positive. Lady Iman is a significant runner for O'Callaghan given she is the first representation of Tally-Ho Stud's first-season sire Starman in Ireland this year. She boasts a pretty smart pedigree, too, being a half-sister to West Acre (Ire), who is by the Mullingar-based stud's flagship stallion, Mehmas (Ire). An unfortunate set of circumstances led to the well-bred filly remaining in the custody of O'Callaghan after she was returned to the vendor after being sold for £185,000 to bloodstock agent Daniel Creighton at the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale last year. There is an old saying that a pessimist finds a problem in an opportunity while an optimist will find an opportunity in a problem. O'Callaghan took the return of the Lady Iman on the chin last August and is confident that things will work out in his favour in the fullness of time. “The vibes are very good,” O'Callaghan remarked, before adding, “She passed all the scopes before the sale but, low and behold when she went down to lunge after she was sold, they said she made a noise. That's the story. If they didn't want to take her, they didn't want to take her. We didn't want to take any less and we weren't too bothered to be quite honest with you. But you always hate when this kind of thing happens because we would have bet bottom dollar that she was perfect. Anyway, we have her now and we didn't even think about breezing her either. We said we'd put her into training and that's it-I think things are going to work out in our favour.” He added, “The vibes were good on her when we had her here and they are still good. We dropped her up to Ger [Lyons, trainer] six weeks ago and he seems pretty happy with her. The vibes are good but the vibes are also good about four or five of them in the race so we're looking forward to Friday.” West Acre: a sprinter going places | Erika Rasmussen Lady Iman's pedigree is on the up. The George Scott-trained West Acre has been something of a revelation in Dubai this winter, carrying Michael Blencowe's colours to back-to-back successes in Group 3 and Group 2 sprints. He is now a leading fancy for the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint at the Dubai World Cup meeting and, happily for O'Callaghan, his dam is reported to be back in foal to Mehmas at Tally-Ho Stud. O'Callaghan said, “We bought the dam [Lady Aria (GB) (Kodiac {GB})] off Amo Racing at the December Mares Sale at Tattersalls for 160,000gns in 2019. They don't always ring a bell but thankfully this mare seems to be doing well. She has a yearling colt by Persian Force (Ire) and is scanned in foal to Mehmas.” Lady Iman will face eight rivals in her bid to get off to the best possible start in the 5f maiden at Dundalk [7.00] on Friday. She will be partnered by Ireland's dominant champion jockey Colin Keane. O'Callaghan concluded, “West Acre looks a smart horse and we think this filly is pretty smart, too. We can't be heard saying it but plenty of people seem to be happy with Starman and we've three nice fillies going to the Craven Breeze-Up Sale by him as well.” The post “The Vibes Are Good” – O’Callaghan Excited By Well-Bred Starman Newcomer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“Has it really been that long?” queries Kevin Ryan after being informed of an anniversary looming on the horizon, that of it being two decades since Amadeus Wolf (GB) won the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. “I didn't think it was that long ago,” he adds, rubbing his face in apparent disbelief, elbows perched on the kitchen counter of his Hambleton home. “Twenty years–that has soon gone by.” That Middle Park in September 2005 was a significant milestone in Ryan's career, as it was the day he joined the ranks of Group 1-winning trainers, some seven years after he sent out his first winner at Catterick in July 1998. A second Group 1 win then followed just three short weeks later when Palace Episode struck in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, while that 2005 campaign was also notable for it being the first time that Ryan broke through the £1-million barrier in prize-money. Now, all of these years later, that sort of haul is par for the course for Ryan and his team. Out of the last 20 seasons on British soil, between that breakthrough year in 2005 and when Ryan achieved a new best total of £1,821,254 in 2024, only three have failed to deliver a seven-figure return–in 2008, 2010 and the Covid-hit campaign of 2020. Equally, Hambleton Lodge is now a regular source of Group 1 winners, admittedly after a seven-year wait between numbers three and four, a drought which was ended by Astaire (Ire) (Intense Focus) when he also won the Middle Park in 2013. Then along came The Grey Gatsby (Ire), the Prix du Jockey Club and Irish Champion Stakes hero who provided the stable with some of its best days with those triumphs at Chantilly and Leopardstown in 2014. “He was a great horse,” Ryan remembers of the popular grey who also won the G2 Dante Stakes at York. “He never had a vet near him bar to do the insurance or give him a flu jab–he was bell-metal sound.” As for the current incumbents of his Thirsk yard, Ryan needn't look too far to be reminded further of the passage of time, with the first foal out of Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead), the stable's most prolific winner at the top level, featuring among this year's two-year-old intake. “It tells you that you're getting f****** old, when you trained the dam and now you're training the progeny,” Ryan jokes, before providing a positive update on the Dubawi (Ire) colt whose dam won the 2019 Prix de l'Abbaye, as well as the Flying Five Stakes and Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint the following year. “He's a grand type of horse,” Ryan goes on. “He was presented at the sales as a yearling but he wasn't ready for a sale. He was just a bit backwards. I saw him at the sale and then when he arrived he looked a different horse to what I saw at Newmarket. He looks a different horse again now–he's really starting to develop and grow. “He moves great, although we haven't pressed any buttons with him yet. She [Glass Slippers] wasn't precocious–it was the second half of the season before she really started to show her true metal. We'll just let him come to himself and then we'll get him out as and when.” For now, until others prove themselves worthy, pride of place in the class of 2025 most definitely belongs to Inisherin (GB), who provided Ryan with a 16th Group 1 success when landing last year's Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Though down the field on his final three-year-old appearance in the G1 Sprint Cup at Haydock in September, the strapping son of Shamardal clearly remains the apple of his trainer's eye. “He's had a nice long break and he wintered very well,” says Ryan. “He's bigger and stronger and we're looking forward to getting him going again. He'll get an entry in the Duke Of York Stakes [May 14]. He'll have a Group 1 penalty to carry, but it's a good starting point and there's a nice gap between York and Royal Ascot. It's easy to place where he'll be going, although there's a possibility that we could go up to seven furlongs. They've upgraded that race at York [City Of York Stakes] now to make it a Group 1, so never say never. And you've got the Prix Maurice de Gheest over six and a half–he's got loads of options.” Inisherin is the real deal and lands the Commonwealth Cup at Royal @Ascot! pic.twitter.com/K685XUvt4f — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2024 Inisherin has already shown that he's capable over a bit further, having finished sixth, beaten less than five lengths, in last year's 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, after beating none other than Kalpana (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}) by three and a half lengths when winning his novice over a mile at Newcastle a couple of months earlier. “He had a lot thrown at him in a short space of time last year,” Ryan says of why Inisherin might have lost his way in the second half of 2024. “He'd won a maiden and been to a Guineas early in the season. He ran very well in the Guineas and, in fairness, he ran well in the July Cup [when finishing fifth behind Mill Stream]. He just didn't seem to come down the hill, which was quite surprising because he ran well on the other track. And then it was very tacky ground at Haydock which I don't think he really liked. Physically, he was great and we're delighted with the way he's come back in.” Here's hoping we see the Royal Ascot version of Inisherin in 2025, with the form of the Commonwealth Cup looking even better now than it did at the time, after the runner-up, Lake Forest (GB) (No Nay Never), travelled down under to win the A$10-million Golden Eagle and the fourth-place finisher, Kind Of Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), ended the season with victory in the Champions Sprint Stakes. “It's all there,” Ryan adds. “And it was easy watching that day–from two down you could see that he wasn't going to be beaten. I think, with Ascot, most of the pressure is on the run up to it and getting them there in peak condition. There's not much more you can do when you're there, but you're still nervous. You're bound to be nervous when everyone is expecting him to win–I was expecting it as well which puts even more pressure on you. “He's as quick a horse as we've had. He has a huge stride on him, with a high cruising speed and a great turn of foot–he's always had loads of gears. A lot of these horses are retired early, but I think it's great for people who follow the sport to get to see them again. He didn't even have to think about it, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid. He said straight away at Royal Ascot that both the horses would stay in training, him and Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}). He loves his racing and he's in no rush to send them to stud.” Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum has been a big supporter of the Ryan yard ever since his 2018 purchase of Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal), after he'd won the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York when owned by Ahmad Abdulla Al Shaikh. Emaraaty Ana would later win the 2021 Sprint Cup, becoming the first of four individual Group 1 winners Ryan has trained in the famous yellow and black-spotted silks. The others include another Royal Ascot winner in Queen Anne hero Triple Time (Ire), a three-parts brother to Inisherin's dual Group 1-winning dam, Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). “You could get anything out of them,” Ryan says of the annual batch of homebreds he receives from Sheikh Obaid. “You could get a very fast horse or you could get a really good staying horse–his breeding programme covers all angles. He breeds a lot of very good horses and he lets us buy as well. It's nice to have that kind of backing at the sales.” One such purchase for Sheikh Obaid was the four-year-old Volterra (Ire) (Farhh {GB}), who occupies the neighbouring box to Inisherin in the L-shaped block of stables which are overlooked by the kitchen window of the Ryan family home. Previous inhabitants include other sprinting stars such as Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Hello Youmzain (Fr). Volterra, who was bought for 400,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, still has some way to go to earn his place in that illustrious company, but his trainer is optimistic that the 103-rated colt might prove equal to the task after a stylish victory in the Challenge Cup at Ascot on his final start of last season. “He's a very, very talented horse, always has been,” says Ryan. “He was a very weak two-year-old, and he still wasn't very mature last year, but he was still able to perform at a high level in those big handicaps. He destroyed the field at Ascot. “We always thought he was going to be top class. The way he looks now and the way he's strengthened, I think he's one who can really come into his own this year. I wasn't keen to throw him into a Group race straight away, but that might have to be the case because of the way the programme is. He'll be testing the waters and, hopefully, he can make up into a Group 1 horse–that's what we think he is.” What a performance! It's Challenge Cup glory for Volterra under Shane Gray! @Ascot pic.twitter.com/4nUNZ7s00O — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 5, 2024 For Ryan, like any trainer, that search for the next Group 1 horse is what the job's all about, an endeavour in which he is ably assisted by the bloodstock agents Steve and Becky Hillen. “We all have our own ideas, myself, Steve and Becky,” Ryan says of his approach to the sales. “Everyone has an opinion and at the end of the day I'm the one who has to make the last call on it. If I can't buy the ones I want, I'd prefer to come away with less horses rather than forgiving this, that and the other with them. “There's always been a certain type of horse I like. The pedigree has to be reasonable, although I'll sometimes forgive a pedigree if there's a really nice individual. Especially with the breeze-up horses, you can be a lot more forgiving because they're at a completely different stage than they are as yearlings. You're seeing them six or seven months later. “We might gather up some more [two-year-olds] at the breeze-up sales [this year]. We always have done. Astaire, Brando, The Grey Gatsby, Amadeus Wolf and Palace Episode–they were all breeze-up horses, to name just a few. It has been very good to us over the years. Mind you, they're getting harder to buy. A horse like The Grey Gatsby cost €120,000 and he'd probably be a £200,000 horse now–that's the difference in it. “But I want to race at a good level,” he adds of the pursuit of another The Grey Gatsby. “We've been very lucky and we've had a Group 1 horse in the yard near enough every year. It's incredible to think that we haven't really had a lull with them–I hope I'm not putting the mockers on it now! We've one, maybe a couple, for this year as well, but it's all about trying to find the next one as the back up for when they're gone.” Ryan on… Ain't Nobody (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}) Successful in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, he was last seen finishing a running-on sixth in the G2 Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster. “I'm looking forward to stepping him up to six furlongs. He did it well at Ascot, but then he grew quite a bit. His last run told us that he wanted six, so he'll probably start off in the Commonwealth Cup Trial. I'm not saying he's a Commonwealth Cup horse. He's a fair bit to make up to be that, but it seems an obvious place to start off his rating and that will give us an idea of what level he's going to play at this year.” Room Service (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) This colt is rated 109 after ending last season with victory in the Listed Wentworth Stakes at Doncaster. “His form was very good at Donny. It was hard enough not to put him in there again this Saturday, but it took him a bit of time to get rolling last year. There's a seven-furlong conditions race at Thirsk [April 12]. We'll start there and he'll have the option then of sticking to seven or dropping back. But I'm sure that he's going to stay seven well. It was only in the last half-furlong that he got on top at Donny–even two down I didn't think he was going to win. He could be a horse for the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot.” Washington Heights (GB) (Washington DC {Ire}) Second on his return to action in the Dukhan Sprint in Qatar last month, he was a fixture in the top European sprints last season following his victory in the G3 Abernant Stakes at Newmarket. “He's a great syndicate horse. He takes them to all of the right meetings and he's very, very genuine. He will have an entry in the Duke Of York [in which he finished fourth in 2024]. Before then he has the option of going back for the Abernant again or he could switch to the Palace House over five furlongs at the Guineas meeting. Simon Turner [racing manager for owners Hambleton Racing] will have his own ideas and we'll discuss it closer to the time.” The post Twenty Years at the Top Table for Kevin Ryan, with Inisherin Back for More appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The following represents the conclusion of this look at how long-term trends in Thoroughbred racing have evolved to the point where a turnaround may be near in the sport's economic fortunes. To read part I, click here. For part II, click here. Defining Development #6–Blessed are the Survivors As a matter of basic free-market economics, it is possible to view the past 30-plus years of contraction in U.S. races, racing dates, and racetracks as an unfortunate, but necessary adjustment to a changing competitive environment. The Thoroughbred sport, presented to its best advantage, still retains its centuries-old ability to attract, engross, and thrill fans of all ages. The thrill lessens when racing overwhelms even its hardiest followers with too much inferior product. There are some signs that the pattern of downsizing may be within a furlong or two of a sustainable destination. As one favorable trend, take the relationship of the cost of training to the average annual earnings of American Thoroughbreds. In 1988, when racing's contraction was just underway, the average annual cost for keeping one horse in training was generally in the range of $25,000 to $30,000 on major racing circuits, and less so at other tracks. That same year, average racetrack earnings for Thoroughbreds was slightly above $8,000. By 2023, the average annual cost of training had doubled to $50,000 to $60,000 on major circuits, while the average earnings quadrupled to nearly $32,000. In other words, in 1988 racehorse owners could expect to recover on average about one-quarter of the annual costs of training a Thoroughbred. In the current day, owners can expect to recover a bit more than half, while waiting and hoping for the major winner that will cover past losses and take them to the promised land. This favorable trend has happened because available wagering has been concentrated on fewer horses competing in fewer races, enabling purses, supplemented by other forms of gambling, to rise faster than training costs. This pattern of focusing more revenue on fewer races stands to benefit the full range of participants in the industry. The downside is that sound economics in racing now support fewer stakeholders. The upside is that survivors have better chances to stay afloat, and perhaps prosper. Other favorable developments, now ingrained into racing's culture across the country, include ways to increase the sport's appeal to casual fans, and to offer something special to hard-core bettors. Kelso with Eddie Arcaro aboard wins the Brooklyn Handicap | Coglianese For casual fans, grouping a track's best races into special Saturday packages, maybe four or five weeks apart, sends an authentic signal that here is something that shouldn't be missed. Such efforts were never on the radar, nor were they necessary, in the long-ago days of Kelso. Today they have produced some success in increasing overall attendance and pari-mutuel handle. For the hard core, handicapping contests, leading to a national championship for top individual gamblers, provide a way for serious students of the game to test their skills against the best other players. Anyone who has witnessed the final rounds of these contests cannot doubt the intense interest at play. Why not tweak and expand this concept, albeit with lower stakes, to daily events at individual tracks, or combination of tracks? In another promising smaller-scale development, racing has benefitted from numerous partnerships that serve as points of entry to Thoroughbred ownership for casual fans. These owner-fans, particularly in micro-share partnerships, have at times turned out in substantial numbers and wagered enthusiastically enough to boost pari-mutuel pools and lower the odds on 'their' horses. Some also plunge heartily into the parties, hats, and let-the-good-times-roll side of major events. This stuff is irresistible to TV cameras and presents racing in its best light. Now that is good marketing. Elsewhere, there has never been a time in my decades of watching Thoroughbred racing when so many comments, criticisms, and ideas for change have bubbled into the national debate. Long gone are the see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, speak-no-evil years of the past. Necessity has produced an array of conferences, forums, panel discussions, letters to editors, and summits, all seeking a better way forward. This kind of ferment can lead to a consensus behind workable ideas and opens doors to acceptance of long-needed change. So which racetracks are most likely to endure and prosper in coming years? Here is a checklist of factors that affect the chances of survival. 1) Sports Competition. How many other top-level professional sports are vying for fans in a track's local market? 2) Gambling Competition. How many casinos and other gambling outlets with no connection to racing exist in the same market? 3) Modern Facilities. How long has it been since a racetrack's physical facilities were updated? 4) Length of Season. Does a track's racing season have a beginning and an end, or is it forced to grind away for too many months through all manner of conditions, good and bad? 5) Real Estate Values. Has a track's real estate value risen to the point where only not-for-profit ownership can resist the chance to cash out? 6) Political Clout. Does horse racing have a productive relationship with its state government? Fixed odds wagering at Monmouth Park | Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO. Each of these six factors is important. The sixth may be the most important. Leaders of racing and breeding organizations deserve full credit in states where governments have come to view the sport as a public-private partnership aimed at saving a job-creating, greenspace-preserving industry. With that as a goal, states are more likely to channel proceeds from other forms of gambling into racing, and adopt tax policies that enable the sport to survive. The struggle does not end there. The continuing challenge is to ensure that racing is more than a ward of the state. To thrive, Thoroughbred horse racing must find ways to consistently offer a fan-friendly, bettor-friendly product in a people-friendly environment. Is that too much to ask? Thus ends the more serious portion of this commentary on racing's economic history and current state of affairs. Now, how about a long-shot suggestion for one way to approach the impending fate of Gulfstream Park. It would be especially useful at this moment if a “Coalition of the Willing” came together to build an investment fund intended, not as a charitable pursuit, but as a profit-making enterprise seeking an acceptable future for Florida racing. A good starting point, amid current property values in South Florida, might be raising (a modest) $50 million a year for five years. Any Coalition with a such a fund could approach Gulfstream's owners with a proposition like this: We'll invest our $50 million annually for five years for an equity position in the track, proportionate to its current real estate value. Then after five or 10 years, all parties will evaluate whether it makes financial sense to continue racing, or sell the property for whatever the market will bear. Turf blur at Gulfstream | Ryan Thompson Such a scheme would allow Gulfstream's owners to take some money off the table, while pondering what comes next. Any eventual sale of the property would also allow a Coalition to share in profits from further increases in property values. Maybe even enough to build a new, appropriately down-sized racetrack elsewhere in the state. That's a plan, but where would a Coalition find the money? Answer: By beginning with contributions from some of the nation's most prominent owners who race horses in the Florida sunshine. This would continue a long tradition of the sport's leading patrons playing key roles in owning racetracks. Think of Joseph E. Widener and Edward R. Bradley at Hialeah and August Belmont Jr. and William Collins Whitney at Belmont Park, in early decades of the 20th century. Following those titans, modern-day exemplars of turf should be good for at least $25 million a year in seed money, wouldn't you think? It is frequently said that the demise of Gulfstream would spread grief among numerous other sectors of the industry, including breeding farms and sales companies far beyond Florida. Why not ask those sectors to contribute their fair share to a rescue plan? The most consistent profit centers in the industry throughout the 21st century have been stallions with extraordinarily large books of mares, and auction companies whose revenue streams continue to flow, despite racing's decline. Now, for some back-of-the-envelope calculations. A plan that would ask stallion masters to contribute proceeds from one season for every 25 mares covered might generate $10-12 million a year. Asking sales companies to chip in one percent of their annual gross revenue could produce another $12-13 million. So, there's the Coalition's $50 million a year. Make no mistake, loss of Gulfstream and the South Florida market, either now or in five or 10 years, would damage the Thoroughbred industry. But it need not mean sudden death for all concerned. Florida has sizable tracts of rural real estate, not far north of mega-metropolitan Orlando and south of Ocala, say along I-75 not so many miles from The Villages' ever-growing retirement community. Has there ever been a more promising assemblage of existing and potential horse racing enthusiasts, with time on their hands? Derby longshot Mine That Bird | Sarah Andrew Any track in such a location could take advantage of the Ocala area's unmatched roster of training centers, thus reducing the need for on-track stables. Its leaders could also negotiate a division of racing dates with Tampa Bay Downs, providing for alternating meetings and avoiding endless drudgery at either track. The odds on this flight of fancy could be longer than a Derby parlay on Mine That Bird (Birdstone) and Rich Strike (Keen Ice). Hapless California might be completely off any odds board. For Florida, there may be a kernel here that could grow if nourished by the right leaders. The Thoroughbred industry has an outsized portion of dreamers, schemers, survivors, salespeople, risk-takers, and savvy investors. Now would be a good time for some of them to have a go at an investment plan like this. Or maybe they already have. –David L. Heckerman, 80, is a native of Southwestern Indiana and 1966 graduate of DePauw University. He spent most of his working years as a writer, editor, and columnist in the newspaper world, and, from 1980-2000, covering Thoroughbred auctions and the economics of racing and breeding at trade magazines based in Lexington, KY. Heckerman now lives in retirement in Evansville, IN and may be reached at davidheckerman@twc.com. The post Why We Are Where We Are, Part III: Blessed Are The Survivors appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The $750,000 GI E.P. Taylor Stakes has been added to the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series as an official “Win and You're In” race, according to a release from Woodbine Entertainment on Thursday morning. The new designation offers the winner an automatic, fees-paid berth into the $2 million GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at the 2025 Breeders' Cup World Championships which is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar. This year, the E.P. Taylor Stakes will be run Aug. 16, sharing the stage with Woodbine's King's Plate. After construction is completed on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course in 2026, the race will move back to its spot on the September calendar, alongside Woodbine's three other Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races. “This is an exciting moment for Woodbine and Canadian racing,” said CEO of Woodbine Entertainment Michael Copeland. “The E.P. Taylor Stakes has long attracted top turf fillies and mares from around the world, and its inclusion in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series further cements its status as a premier international event.” E. P. Taylor Stakes Woodbine – Groupe 1 – Femelles – 3 ans et plus – 2000m – 5 Pts – 900 000$ Full Count Felicia (Usa) Kazushi Kimura (War Front (Usa) @claibornefarm – Claire de Lune (Ire) par Galileo (Ire)) Kevin Attard @kevin_attard Gold… pic.twitter.com/EUPem67jln — French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) September 14, 2024 The post GI E.P. Taylor Stakes At Woodbine Joins Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Fillies from the Aga Khan Studs claimed two of the European Classics last season and both will be covered this spring for the first time. The Oaks winner Ezeliya (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) is in America to be covered by Justify, while Poules d'Essai des Pouliches victrix Rouhiya (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) will remain among the home team and is to visit Sea The Stars (Ire) at Gilltown Stud. Ezeliya's dam Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) will return to Dubawi and Rondonia (Ire) (Raven's Pass), the dam of Rouhiya, who is currently in foal to Sea The Stars, is booked to Frankel (GB). The Juddmonte star is also the intended mate for the Aga Khan Studs' treble Group 1 winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal). An announcement of a selection of the operation's matings for 2025 also divulged that Tarnawa's half-sister, the four-time Group 1 winner Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), will be covered by Coolmore's Wootton Bassett (GB), while their dam Tarana (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) will visit Too Darn Hot (GB) at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket after delivering a foal by Siyouni. Head of the list among stallions based in France, Siyouni is set to cover more than 20 of the Aga Khan Studs broodmare band. These include Azmiyna (Ire), dam of multiple Group 1 winner The Autumn Sun (Aus); Calayana (Ire), dam of Group 2 winner and dual Group 1 runner-up Calandagan (Ire); Group 2 winner Darkaniya (Fr), and Zarkala (Fr), a Frankel daughter of Zarkava (Fr). The maiden mare and Group 2 winner Hanalia (Ire) is also among Siyouni's mates for 2025 along with fellow maidens, Group 3 winner Sumiha (Ire) and stakes winner Ashiyma (Ire). As well as the aforementioned Rouhiya, Sea The Stars will also cover the Aga Khan mares Sicinya (Fr), a young half-sister to Siyouni, and Baiykara (Fr), a Group-winning daughter of Zarak (Fr). Zarak himself, who was second only to his own sire Dubawi by percentage of Group winners to runners in 2024, will cover 15 Aga Khan mares, including Ereviya (Fr), a three-parts sister to treble Group 1 winner Ervedya (Fr); Tasalka (Ire), a half-sister to the dam of multiple Group 1 winners Tarnawa and Tahiyra, and Etneya (Ire), a Group-placed half-sister to the dam of Classic heroine Ezeliya. Also on Zarak's list is the stakes winner and Group 1 runner-up Sagamiyra (Fr); Ebba (Fr), a winning half-sister to Ebaiyra, and Hanakiyya (Ire), the dam of three Group winners including Hanalia. Young Haras de Bonneval stallions Vadeni (Fr) and Erevann (Fr) both received strong support in their first seasons at stud in 2024 and that will continue this year. Erevann -©Zuzanna-Lupa-300x218.jpg" alt="" width="526" height="382" /> Haras de Bonneval | Zuzanna Lupa Vadeni's book will include Group 1 winner Ridasiyna (Fr), whose Churchill (Ire) three-year-old, Ridari (Fr), will make his seasonal debut in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau. Vadeni will also cover Siyenica (Fr), a Stakes-winning, Group 2-placed half-sister to Siyouni who is already the dam of Group 1 winner Siyarafina (Fr); Dalma (Fr), a Dubawi daughter of G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Dalkala (Fr); Group 3 winner Rehana (Ire), and Kineta (Fr), a winning young mare from the family of High Chaparral (Ire). The G1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dolniya (Fr) is among Erevann's second book, along with G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Vazira (Fr); Zarshana (Ire), a Group-winning half-sister to Zarkava; Group winner and producer Ebiyza (Ire), and Candara (Fr), dam of Group 2 winner Candarliya (Fr) and unbeaten stayer Candelari (Ire), who has recently foaled a Vadeni colt. The post Oaks Winner Ezeliya Visits Justify as Aga Khan Studs Announce Mating Plans appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pacific Breeze has already showed he has the talent to match both his pedigree and his looks. The colt will bid to build on the encouraging start he has made to his career when he takes aim at Saturday’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham. Trained by Steven Cole at Byerley Park, the well-related son of North Pacific finished fourth at Te Aroha on debut before he ventured south to Waverley to open his wining account over 1200m. “He’s a well-bred horse who has showed plenty of ability so far so it’s quite exciting for us,” Cole said. “In his first start he was pretty unlucky when he struck interference and then, after picking himself up, flashed late to be in a photo for third. “Sam (Spratt, jockey) said if she had got the split, she was probably the winner.” Jonathan Riddell took the reins next time out and Pacific Breeze duly accounted for his stablemate Odds And Ends. “It was a good win and he obviously went away for the night and had a go left-handed, which was the reason for going down there and the horse of mine that ran second finished third the other day so there’s a bit of form there,” Cole said. Cole is also confident that Pacific Breeze will have no trouble mastering the step up in trip at Trentham. “When I spoke to Jonathan after the win, he definitely thought he would run the 1400m out strongly,” he said. “Obviously, with two-year-olds you never know how many will get it, but we are confident he will see the distance out and Jonathan will ride him again.” Pacific Breeze was originally passed in for $150,000 at Karaka when offered by Woburn Fam at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale. “We liked him and ended up making a deal with Woburn so it’s a good result,” said Cole, whose father David races the colt. Pacific Breeze is the third winner for the Redoute’s Choice mare Auckland Beauty, whose dam Fritz’s Princess won the Gr.2 Shorts Handicap (1100m) and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Winter Stakes (1400m) and third in the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m). “He’s a big, dark black horse with plenty of size and scope about him so he has the looks to match the pedigree,” Cole said. “He’s going to be a better three-year-old, but he’s going the right way at the moment and definitely deserves his place there on Saturday.” Cole also has high hopes for consistent stablemate Chicago Jack in The Oaks Stud Handicap (1200m). “He’s going really well and has been plagued by bad barriers when he’s had to go back or do a bit of work to cross,” he said. “Het gets the one barrier on Saturday and has a very good rider with Michael McNab on, so it looks a nice race for him.” View the full article