Wandering Eyes

Stakes-winning Stage Raider (Pioneerof the Nile–Stage Magic, by Ghostzapper), a half-brother to Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy), has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties next year at Pope McLean's Crestwood Farm. Bred and campaigned by John Gunther, Stage Raider won last year's R.A. Cowboy Jones Stakes at Ellis Park and was third in the GIII Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs. “My dad and I really believe in this horse and we are excited to start him on his new stallion career,” said Tanya Gunther. “Being a half-brother to international sire sensation Justify, a great physical, combined with the brilliance he showed early in his career, gives him a license to be a high-class sire. The genetics are there for greatness, considering Pioneerof the Nile sired a Triple Crown winner and his dam Stage Magic produced a Triple Crown winner who is now an elite sire.” Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' after a 10 3/4-length maiden win at Keeneland in 2021, Stage Raider hit the board in eight of 18 starts, with four wins, and earned $423,370. “It is an honor to partner with the Gunthers on Stage Raider,” said Pope McLean, Jr. “They have an incredibly impressive resume as the breeders of Grade I winners, including the likes of Justify, First Samurai, Mo Town, Tamarkuz, Vino Rosso, Stay Thirsty and Without Parole. We believe that working together, Stage Raider has a tremendous chance to be a top sire.” Stage Raider will stand for $6,500 Live Foal (Payable Stands and Nurse). A limited lifetime breeding right program will be available. The stallion will be available for inspection starting in November. For more information, contact Crestwood Farm at 859-252-3770. The post Stage Raider, Half to Justify, to Crestwood Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

DEL MAR, California–History can be a sprint from one anachronism to the next, but every now and then it hands us spectators something unique across generations. You know, one of those full circle moments where we can witness a learner transforming into a future master. A little over 40 years ago at the inaugural Breeders' Cup World Championships hosted by Hollywood Park, Monsieur Alain de Royer-Dupre saddled Lashkari (GB) (Mill Reef) for His Highness The Aga Khan. The 3-year-old took home the very first Breeders' Cup Turf, which was one of many important international races the legendary French trainer collected over the course of his illustrious career. The expert horseman, who competed in dressage at the Grand Prix level before turning to Thoroughbreds, became the principal trainer for His Highness in the early 1980s. Not only was he a master in his own right, but he also influenced the next generation of would-be trainers. One of the seeds he planted was in the Kentucky-based Rodolphe Brisset. As a teenager some twenty years ago the young man was offered a position as an exercise rider in Dupre's French yard. Instead of being a job, it turned into an education that has stuck with Brisset to this day. “When Monsieur Dupre saw me up on one of his horses for the first time he called me over and told me with this calm voice, 'I thought you knew how to ride?'” said Brisset. “He told me, 'You've got much more to learn' and of course he was right.” And so began a new branch in the future training career of the Frenchman from Lyon. It was a journey which would include 12 years on the staff of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott where he learned from another master who is currently tied for third place with Todd Pletcher (15) when it comes to all-time Breeders' Cup wins. When Brisset left Mott, a couple of stints followed as WinStar Farm's trainer. Now a proud United States citizen with a family and a farm in Kentucky, Brisset is completely out on his own. He keeps a string of about 40-50 head and enters primarily on the Bluegrass circuit from early April through December. Chief among the members of his shedrow is Mullikin (Violence–Tulira's Star, by Congrats), who captured the GI Forego Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 24. The victory handed Brisset his first top level race as a trainer. Ever the balanced manager of expectations, he said the milestone was not lost on him, but there is always more planning ahead. Mullikin (outside) working last week at Keeneland | Sara Gordon “I'm always low key, I have the experience and know that being overly-confident never works,” he said. “We had a job to do, of course it was exciting and Flavien [Prat] gave us a great ride too.” The colt came out of the race in fine shape and Brisset, along with the ownership group of WinStar and Siena Farm, always knew that the big target would be the GI Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 2. “We contemplated running him back in a spot like the [GIII] Vosburgh Stakes at Aqueduct in late September or the [GII Stoll Keenon Ogden] Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland earlier this month,” said Brisset. “But the time of roughly four weeks was a little short and he has done nicely off a break before, so we gave him a stiffer third worker with Flavien up [Sept. 10, 5f, :59.60, 1/12] and we think he should be good.” Mullikin has a special spot in Brisset's heart not only because of what the horse has accomplished on the track, but because he came to the trainer as a late juvenile. Watching his development, especially during his 3-year-old season, was nothing short of gratifying. “Sometimes a horse just needs time and that is how Mullikin was last year,” Brisset said. “He was healthy, continued to have a beautiful physical, but the maturity needed time and we gave it to him when he needed it.” Bred by Fred Hertrich and John Fielding, the $500,000 Keeneland September grad broke his maiden at third asking under the Twin Spires in May of 2023, then was the runner-up in the Maxfield Stakes when the Churchill summer session was forced to switch to Ellis Park. The bay then ran fourth against allowance company at the Pea Patch in late July and that is when Brisset saw fit to turn him out. Mullikin wins the Forego Stakes at Saratoga | Tod Marks “He is a super easy, very classy guy,” Brisset said. “But the transformation heading into this season was obvious and he just came back ready to go.” And go he did. Mullikin cleared the allowance level when he won by 5 3/4 lengths at Keeneland Apr. 26 and won against optional claimers going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs June 8. Next, the 4-year-old won the GII John A. Nerud Stakes at the Big A July 6 before shipping to Saratoga for the Forego. Heading to the Breeders' Cup is not foreign to Brisset whatsoever since he was part of a larger operation under Mott. He understands the drill, but having his name printed in the program is something different. Last year at Santa Anita, Brisset had his first Breeders' Cup runner in longshot MGSW Yuugiri (Shackleford), who outran her odds and finished second in the GI PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. “It was a different situation with Yuugiri since we had tried her on different surfaces and were figuring out where she would do her best,” Brisset said. “She was great and we hope to have another great experience this year.” Brisset's lone Breeders' Cup entry is not his sole concern as he just wrapped up a stellar fall meet at Keeneland. The trainer was on fire as he saddled nine winners out of 20 starters. Forego trophy presentation with Rodolphe Brisset (center) | Tod Marks “We are a small barn under 50 horses and we will never be scared to ship anywhere and run with anyone,” he said. “Racing is strong here in Kentucky and we are going to keep working on details, all the little things that matter and it's going well right now.” The importance placed on details that Brisset mentioned–schooling with the likes of Dupre and Mott–have assisted him on his way to this year's Breeders' Cup and will do so beyond such a sliver in time. Another early lesson from Dupre confirmed as much. “Like Monsieur Dupre told me 'It's better to be a good exercise rider over being a bad jockey', which if you understand what he was saying is about quality or quantity. It's about doing something properly, from the start, to get where you never thought you could go.” Now with Mullikin ready to show his quality in the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, Rodolphe Brisset has the chance to earn a special achievement. He is fully aware that Saturday's sprint will be over quickly, but transforming into a master does not happen even remotely as fast. There is always much more to learn. The post Once The Learner, Experienced Brisset Brings Mullikin To Breeders’ Cup Xl appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

For over a decade, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners has built a reputation for racing Grade I-winning fillies who go on to prove successful, both in the sales ring, and then in the breeding shed. The operation was part of the partnership which sold champion Nest (Curlin) for $6 million last year and it sold Feathered (Indian Charlie), who subsequently produced superstar Flightline (Tapit), for $2.35 million in 2016. Eclipse will once again be loaded with top-shelf fillies on offer at next week's breeding stock sales in Lexington. “From the get-go, we made a concerted effort to focus our stable predominately based on fillies for this very reason,” said Eclipse president and founder Aron Wellman. “At the end of the day, if we are doing our job, these fillies will create some inherent residual value for our partners. We've now been in business for 13 years and–I would have to look at the stats to verify–but I think the vast majority of those years we have sold at least one, if not multiple, seven-figure fillies. And this year we are in line for another streak extender, so to speak.” Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners has three mares catalogued for Monday's Fasig-Tipton November Sale and another three catalogued in Book 1 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale across town Tuesday. Whether all six keep their engagements in the sales ring could be determined Saturday, with three of the six seeing action on championship weekend at Del Mar. Leading off the group is Grade I winner Queen's Goddess (Empire Maker), who is catalogued as hip 179 at Fasig-Tipton. The 6-year-old mare, who won the 2021 GI American Oaks, as well as the 2023 GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes and two other graded events, will sell in foal to Into Mischief. “Queen Goddess is sure to bring seven figures, plus,” Wellman said. “It's a beautiful pedigree, she's a beautiful physical and she's in foal to the man himself, Into Mischief.” Queen Goddess, whose last race was a troubled ninth-place effort in her Pegasus defense in January, is the only one of the six Eclipse offerings to be offered in foal. Next up in Eclipse's Fasig-Tipton line-up is multiple graded stakes winner Solo Album (Curlin) (hip 190). The 4-year-old filly is out of Grade I-placed Summer Solo (Arch), who is a half-sister to the dam of recent GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}). “Solo Album is a gorgeous daughter of Curlin, right off the racetrack, a multiple graded stakes winning mare with a very active pedigree,” Wellman said. “We are really excited to bring her to market.” Also catalogued to Fasig-Tipton's boutique auction is Grade I winner Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) (hip 232). The 3-year-old filly won last year's GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes and was runner-up in this year's GI Coaching Club American Oaks and GI Alabama Stakes before a third-place finish in the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes. The filly, who is entered in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, is unlikely to keep her sales engagement Monday evening in Lexington. “Candied will not go to the sale, as of right now, unless something unforeseen happens after the Breeders' Cup,” Wellman said. “As of right now, she will probably bypass the sale and race another season.” Anisette | Benoit That formula worked for Eclipse last year when the operation took Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}), already winner of the GI Del Mar Oaks, out of the Keeneland November sale and the dark bay filly won an additional two Grade I races–the GI American Oaks and GI Gamely Stakes–as well as the GII Yellow Ribbon Stakes. The 4-year-old goes postward in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf and is catalogued for this year's Keeneland November sale as hip 229. “Anisette is such an exciting prospect,” Wellman said. “She had an incredible 3-year-old season last year. We did not run her in the Breeders' Cup. We felt she needed another year to mature to be able to deserve that opportunity. So we brought her back at age four. That strategy of holding on to her for another year and bypassing last November paid off, thankfully.” Anisette enters the Breeders' Cup off a narrowly beaten third-place effort in the Sept. 7 GII John C. Mabee Stakes. “She was taken a little bit out of her game in the John Mabee, but that race was really designed as a prep to get her to the Breeders' Cup in the best of shape,” Wellman said. “Now she is fresh. The Filly and Mare Turf is one of the best renditions of this race in Breeders' Cup history, so she is going to have the opportunity to prove she belongs with the best fillies and mares in the turf in the world.” Whether Anisette takes her place at Keeneland next Tuesday is also dependent on her performance Saturday, according to Wellman. “We will see how she performs on Saturday before determining whether she shows up at Keeneland or not,” Wellman said. “She is a filly that we feel like falls into the gray area of whether you bring her back for another season at age five because she's just so consistent at an elite level. But we have to treat this as a business at times as well. We are predominantly a racing partnership, but we have to be prudent and responsible when it comes time to consider liquidating really high-end assets.” Another filly with a European pedigree who will see action for Eclipse in the F/M Turf–and possibly in the Keeneland sales ring–is Sunset Glory (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) (hip 79). The 4-year-old returned from a year and a half on the sidelines to break her maiden at Santa Anita in April. She added a Del Mar allowance in July before winning the CTT and TOC Stakes at the oceanside oval in August. She was most recently fifth in the Oct. 5 GII Rodeo Drive Stakes. “She is extremely talented,” Wellman said of Sunset Glory. “We have always thought the world of her. Unfortunately, she faced a few minor setbacks that held her out of the races for over a year and she came back and won three in a row off long layoffs, including a stakes win. She was extremely troubled in the Rodeo Drive last time and that's why we are willing to take a monumental shot in the F/M Turf. We just think on talent alone, she deserves the opportunity. She's certainly going to have to step up in a humongous way in terms of class to be able to be competitive. Her performance on Saturday will largely determine whether she goes to market this season or we hold on to her because we have more to prove with her over the course of the next year.” Asked whether wins on championship weekend made it more or less likely that horses like Anisette, Candied, and Sunset Glory would be offered at auction next week, Wellman laughed. “That's a really good question and I hope it's a question that we have to answer on Saturday night,” he said. “That's a first-world problem that we will have to answer, but it's one of those things where you just kind of have to go with your gut. Fortunately, we have been down this road many a time in the last decade, plus, with these top-shelf fillies coming to market and we have been able to top several of these sales over the years.” Rounding out Eclipse's Keeneland Book 1 offerings is the stakes-winning broodmare prospect Atomically (Girvin) (hip 118), who was third in last year's GIII Forward Gal Stakes. Atomically | Lauren King Eclipse fillies will continue to be on offer at Keeneland, with graded-placed Frosty O'Toole (Frosted) (hip 991) and Yatta (Yoshida {Jpn}) (hip 865) and stakes winner Golden Canary (Medaglia d'Oro) (hip 1005) among its offerings later in the auction. “It doesn't stop with just Book 1 at Keeneland,” Wellman said. “We have a really healthy draft of very attractive fillies with lots of black-type on their race records and attractive pedigrees who might not be quite Book 1 quality on paper, but still are really solid six-figures, plus, type mares that are also very important to the program as well, aside from just these seven-figure marquee mares.” While primarily a racing partnership, and despite its niche as a seller of high-end fillies and mares, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners is also active in the breeding business. “We have a boutique breeding operation that we try to keep as selective as possible,” Wellman said. “It's mostly comprised of fillies that we raced or ones that failed to make the races that we had an inside track on and believed that they have more talent than the commercial market would appreciate. We do have several stallions in Kentucky right now that we have retained an interest in, including Independence Hall and Aloha West, so we want to support those stallions with our seasons as well. “We sort of play on the come as to whether we sell [the foals] and turn revenue for the partners that are involved in those breeding partnerships or if we race them,” Wellman continued. “It's a neat little diversification of what we offer our partners, aside from just the racing partnerships. But the goal, of course, is for them to do well enough on the racetrack that they are too expensive for us to be able to retain.” Those fillies too expensive to retain have built quite a resume for Eclipse graduates–from its first Grade I winner Byrama (GB) (Byron {GB}), who went on to produce GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Known Agenda (Curlin), to a mare like Feathered, who won a graded stakes in its colors before selling for over $2 million and producing champion Flightline. Asked what it was like to watch the success of graduates like Feathered, Wellman said, “It's hugely gratifying. Would we have loved to retain Feathered? Of course we would. But financially, speaking, at that moment, it just wasn't viable for us to do so. She was an incredibly profitable partnership.” Wellman continued, “We are really proud and gratified when progeny of former Eclipse fillies do go on to succeed. That just enhances the Eclipse fillies moniker that we have worked so hard to brand over the course of the last decade plus. When we bring these fillies to market, it's incredibly important for buyers to know that these mares that we race so successfully are capable of going on and producing at the highest level. That's just an added value for our partners.” Other Grade I-winning Eclipse graduates to bring seven figures in the sales ring include Curalina ($3 million in 2016); Illuminant ($1.1 million in 2017); In Lingerie ($2.4 million in 2013); and Valiance ($3 million in 2021). “We have established this hashtag moniker, #eclipsefillies that I think the industry has picked up on globally,” Wellman said. “It's all part of the program, and the overall strategy, that we try to construct for our partners. Hopefully, we can identify fillies at a young age, either as yearlings or early in their careers, that go on and take them on a wonderful ride on the racetrack and then be able to cash in when their racing careers are over, so that the cycle can come full circle and they can take those proceeds and hopefully go and try to find another one.” The post Eclipse Thoroughbred Fillies Trending in the Sales Ring and in the Breeding Shed appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) at Del Mar Nov. 2 is again an international affair as nine of the remaining 12 entrants were bred outside the United States, but Kentucky-bred War Like Goddess is the 5-2 morning-line favorite.View the full article

FOX Sports will be the television home of Jamaica's Mouttet Mile Invitational in 2024 following the announcement of a partnership between the New York Racing Association and Caymanas Park, Jamaica's premier horse racing venue. The Mouttet Mile Invitational, a Grade 1 event for 3-year-olds and up over one mile, will be worth $250,000 when it is held Dec. 7. In addition to live coverage and on-site analysis of the Mouttet Mile from Caymanas Park, America's Day at the Races will also offer coverage of the G3 Chairman's Plate Invitational, while also highlighting Jamaica's natural beauty and historic sites. “We were incredibly pleased with the output and reception of last year's Mouttet Mile, which aired to a U.S. audience for the first time thanks to NYRA and FOX Sports,” said Solomon Sharpe, chairman of track operator Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited. “We're optimistic about the growth of racing in Jamaica and are excited to play a part in bringing this world-class event to an international stage.” Commentary and insights from Caymanas Park will be provided by NYRA's senior racing analyst Andy Serling, alongside NYRA television analyst and reporter Acacia Clement. “Expanding the distribution and reach of quality Thoroughbred racing is the primary focus of NYRA's partnership with FOX Sports,” said Tony Allevato, NYRA Chief Revenue Officer. “This partnership aligns with that goal, and we look forward to presenting live television coverage of this year's Mouttet Mile from Caymanas Park.” The post America’s Day at the Races to Provide Coverage of Jamaica’s Mouttet Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing Victoria has stressed that "it is a level playing field for everyone" in the wake of Melbourne Cup (G1) ante-post favorite Jan Brueghel being withdrawn from the race by stewards.View the full article

Petulante (Arrogate–Auntjenn, by Uncle Mo), winner of the 2023 GIII Salvator Mile Stakes, has been retired from racing and will stand the 2025 breeding season under the management of Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions LLC in Saratoga, New York. The 5-year-old stallion hit the board in all seven lifetime starts for Lugamo Racing Stable and trainer Rick Dutrow, with four wins and earnings of $254,555. In addition to the Salvator Mile, he was also third in the Stymie Stakes in March. Lugamo Racing Stable has retained an interest in the stallion, who will stand for $5,000 LFSN. For more information on special incentives for breeders, life-time breeding right purchases or to book a mare, contact: Rick Burke (rick@IrishHillCenturyFarm.com) or Moe Scavullo (info@IHDVstallions.com). The post Petulante to Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As North American horseplayers ponder City of Troy's chances in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), many of their European counterparts already have expressed full confidence in the son of Justify.View the full article

Knicks Go (Paynter–Kosmo's Buddy, by Outflanker), the 2021 Horse of the Year, will stand the 2025 breeding season at $12,500, S&N, Taylor Made Farm announced Wednesday. The 8-year-old stallion, whose first foals are yearlings this year, stood the 2024 season at $15,000. Knicks Go's first yearlings at auction include a colt who sold to CHC/Maverick Racing/Siena Farm for $425,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and a filly purchased by Horseology for MyRacehorse for $200,000, also at Keeneland September. Breeding incentives to the five-time Grade I winner will be available. For more information, contact Travis White at (859) 396-3508, or Brock Martin at (270) 498-3722, or visit www.taylormadestallions.com. The post Knicks Go to Stand for $12,500 in 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – If the 2024 racing season at Saratoga Race Course wrapped up Labor Day weekend, why are so many of the best horsemen in the country still sticking around? Overlooking the famed Oklahoma Training Track, and, at the moment, enveloped in bright fall foliage, the former home to 2023 Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin) seems like a good place to start. “What did we win, five the last two years? That's not bad,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said with a smile standing outside of his office at Barn 80 as training hours began to wind down on a gorgeous Saturday morning in mid-October at the Spa. That, of course, is five, as in, five Breeders' Cup winners. Cody's Wish successfully defended his GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile title at Santa Anita last year with a dramatic victory over next-out GI Pegasus World Cup winner National Treasure (Quality Road). Two-time champion sprinter Elite Power (Curlin) made it two straight authoritative scores in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Just F Y I (Justify) capped her perfect three-for-three championship season in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. And, for good measure, Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) was third in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. The common denominator? Mott prepared all four at his Saratoga base before heading out to the Championships. “The (Oklahoma) track is good,” Mott said. “The weather is good. We enjoy it. The horses enjoy it. Some of them will grow a little fuzzy coat because they're getting ready for the colder weather. But they're doing well. They do well up here. I think they do well in the cold weather.” Hall of Famer Bill Mott celebrating the first of Cody's Wish's two wins in the Dirt Mile | Breeders' Cup/Eclipse Sportswire Mott continued, “Some people don't like it because they grow that little fuzzy coat and they don't look like a horse with a summer coat. You go out to California and they're all gonna have dapples all over and have those summer coats on them. But that's just the difference in the weather between the two places. I think you'll see that when some of the horses come from Europe, too.” Mott will be well-represented by a quartet at this weekend's Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, led by Glassman Racing's sensational GI Whitney Stakes winner Arthur's Ride (Tapit), who looks to bounce back in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic following a disappointing fifth in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Sept. 1. Arthur's Ride gearing up for ⁦@BreedersCup⁩ Classic over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga pic.twitter.com/KPEaUzYiMn — Steve Sherack (@SteveSherackTDN) October 12, 2024 George Krikorian's popular 7-year-old mare War Like Goddess (English Channel), just a half-length shy of a third straight win against the boys in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at the Big A Sept. 28, will be making her fourth and potentially final trip to the event in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. She has been consigned by Hill 'N' Dale at Xalapa, agent, as Hip 210 to Monday's Fasig-Tipton November sale. 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla (Tapit) heads to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint after turning back to seven furlongs with a second-place finish in the GI Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga Aug. 24. The well-related Juddmonte homebred was previously second after looking long gone in the 1 1/16-mile GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes three weeks earlier at Del Mar. Lawrence Goichman homebred Scythian (Tiz the Law) punched her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with an upset victory in the 'Win and You're In' GII Miss Grillo Stakes at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet Oct. 6. Mott has won a total of 15 Breeders' Cup races throughout his brilliant training career. “I had some monsters going last year,” Mott said. “I wouldn't want to say I was overconfident, but I knew I was going with either the favorite or second choice in each race. Two horses (Cody's Wish and Elite Power) were already Breeders' Cup winners, they had already proven that they were that quality. It wasn't like we were guessing.” As for this year's group, Mott concluded, “They're all nice enough to warrant giving them a chance and seeing what we've got.” All four had their final breezes at Del Mar Oct. 27. Grizzly Bear Season Speaking of monsters, or in this case, ahem, 'Grizzly Bears,' trainer Ken McPeek had one stabled at the Oklahoma Annex in Barn 86 up until late October. Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) trained (and ran) like she owned the place shortly after putting on a dominating display on the first Friday in May in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Thorpedo Anna feeling good after breezing on a picture perfect autumn morning at the Spa | Sherackatthetrack In a league of her own in Saratoga's GI DK Horse Acorn Stakes June 7 and GI Coaching Club American Oaks July 20, the 'TDN Rising Star' lost absolutely nothing in defeat finishing a painful second to fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light)–more on him shortly–in a GI DraftKings Travers Stakes for the ages. A just-in-time winner after some anxious moments at 10 cents on the dollar in the GI Cotillion Stakes at Parx Sept. 21–her fourth win at the top level during her brilliant 3-year-old campaign–the $40,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling steal concluded her preparations for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, her first try versus older fillies and mares, with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.24 (1/3) over the Oklahoma Oct. 26. The move was recorded in company with her multiple stakes-placed stablemate and 4-year-old gelding Denington (Gun Runner). Thorpedo Anna is campaigned in partnership by Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing. “She's in a really good routine up here and she's been very happy,” McPeek, back in town after purchasing 21 yearlings at Tattersalls October and Fasig-Tipton October, said after watching her final breeze from the backstretch. So why exactly did the Kentucky-based McPeek decide to keep Thorpedo Anna at the Spa all this time? “I've got a solid team up here and I wanted the continuity of it all,” he replied. “I also didn't want to change surfaces. Once a horse gets used to a surface and their routine, I think it's important to keep 'em in it if you can.” He continued, “Normally, I would've brought her and any others back to Kentucky. But because we've got a good set up up here and she was doing good, I left her. It's the first time I've ever done that–this is the latest we've ever stayed. It's a beautiful place to train. It's nice and quiet. She's thrived here. There wasn't any reason to switch it up. It seemed like the right thing to do.” McPeek concluded, “It's gorgeous up here, it's really beautiful.” The ageless Danny Ramsey (has 74 ever looked better?), a longtime employee of McPeek's and the regular exercise rider of Thorpedo Anna, is not lacking for confidence heading to the big dance. “I'm looking for her to win the Breeders' Cup. I'd be shocked if she got beat,” the affable Ramsey said of the Distaff 4-5 morning-line favorite in between sets as Thorpedo Anna drew a nice crowd of media (and blowing leaves) while cooling out following her Oct. 12 breeze. “She's great. She's beautiful. She's just going with the flow. She really is. The track is much better (in the fall). With a lot of horses on that track (in the summer), it gets real real deep on you. But now the track is pretty good because there's not a lot of horses training on it. Kenny made the decision (to keep her at Saratoga), and he made the right one, because she gallops beautiful on this track, she really does.” Thorpedo Anna cooling out back at the ⁦@KennyMcPeek⁩ barn following her breeze pic.twitter.com/GjopkxULeR — Steve Sherack (@SteveSherackTDN) October 12, 2024 Dermot Magner, McPeek's boots on the ground since setting up shop at the Spa this spring, added, “She just likes it here. She's in a good rhythm here. She likes the Oklahoma track. She's breezed weekly here consistently and ran consistently well from training here, too. The weather is also a big factor and we've been pretty lucky.” McPeek, also responsible for this year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents), will be looking to break through with his first Breeders' Cup winner after getting shut out with his previous 37 previous starters. McPeek became the first trainer to pull of the Oaks/Derby double since Ben Jones did so in 1952. Pletcher Power With the rising sun beginning to reveal that aforementioned autumn backdrop worthy of a postcard, Mike Repole's Breeders' Cup-bound homebred City of Light full-brothers Fierceness and Mentee looked the part while training in their white bridles during Todd Pletcher's 7 a.m. set over the Oklahoma on the second Saturday in October. Fierceness enjoying the fall at Saratoga | Sarah Andrew Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic morning-line 3-1 second-choice Fierceness remained at Pletcher's Saratoga base following his heart-stopping victory over Thorpedo Anna in the Travers. His 2-year-old full-brother and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf contender Mentee returned upstate after making his grass debut a winning one in the GIII Futurity Stakes at Aqueduct Oct. 4. Pletcher's Saratoga base was also the home of GII FanDuel TV Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes winner Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) (Turf) as well as narrow GII Pilgrim Stakes runner-up and maiden of three career starts Noble Confessor (Quality Road) (Juvenile Turf) this fall. Pletcher's remaining four Breeders' Cup entrants–Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) (Distaff), Gate to Wire (Munnings) (Juvenile Turf Sprint), Tapit Trice (Tapit) (Classic) and Tenacious Leader (Not This Time) (Juvenile Turf)–were split between Belmont Park and Keeneland, respectively. Pletcher has won a total of 15 Breeders' Cup races. “The main benefit (of staying in Saratoga) is that the surface seems to really do well this time of year,” Pletcher said. “It's the lightest traffic flow that it has during the course of the season, so that's part of it. The cooler weather–we've had some crisp mornings–but not much different than you would have in Lexington. We were in a position that if we felt like we needed to make a move, we could, but with things going well, we decided to not mess with it.” Breeders' Cup Brothers Repole paid $200,000 for Fierceness and Mentee's second dam Nonna Mia (Empire Maker)–named in honor of his grandmother–at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and she was a talented 2-year-old in her own right, breaking her maiden by 12 lengths at second asking at Belmont Park before finishing third to stablemate Devil May Care (Malibu Moon) in the 2009 GI Frizette Stakes. Full-brothers Mentee and Fierceness with Luis Parrilla at Todd Pletcher's Saratoga barn | Sarah Andrew Nonna Mia, a close relative of MGSW sire Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile), was an immediate hit in the breeding shed, first producing the multiple stakes-placed Nonna's Boy (Distorted Humor) before a mating with Uncle Mo resulted in Outwork, the 2016 GI Wood Memorial S. hero. Fierceness and Mentee were produced by her third foal, the 10-year-old mare Nonna Bella. She is a daughter of Repole's 2011 GI Travers S. hero Stay Thirsty. “Physically, they're different types,” Pletcher said. “Mentee is a more compact sort. They're both very good-looking horses, they just don't look like full-brothers, necessarily. But they are both conformational very good horses and have similar personalities in a lot of ways. They're both pretty laid back, quiet colts on a daily basis that on occasion will throw you a curve ball and rear up like Fierceness did in the paddock at the Jim Dandy. But for the most part, they're really straightforward, easy horses to train. They'll go easy if you want them to, they'll go fast if you want them to. Pretty push button that way.” Pletcher added, “It's a credit to Mike's program. I know those mares (Nonna Mia and Nonna Bella) are important to him and he named them after his grandmother. It's kind of cool that this mare has turned out to be a real blue-hen and just keeps giving.” Only six mares–Hasili (Ire) (dam of Banks Hill {GB}/Intercontinental {GB}), Leslie's Lady (Beholder/Mendelssohn), Primal Force (Awesome Again/Macho Uno), Senta's Dream (GB) (Iridessa {Ire}/Order of Australia {Ire}), Sweet Life (Life Is Sweet/Sweet Catomine) and Win Approval (World Approval/Miesque's Approval)–have produced multiple Breeders' Cup winners. “It's amazing having these full-brothers racing in the Breeders' Cup,” Repole said. “Nonna Mia and Nonna Bella have always been special because they were named after my beloved grandmother. That the sire of Nonna Bella is Stay Thirsty, who won the Travers for me, is extremely special.” Repole added that he currently owns approximately 50 broodmares. The Grass is Greener Off the strength of top-level wins in the GI Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 24 and GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes at Aqueduct Sept. 28, 'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (English Channel) has established himself as the leading hope for 'Team America' in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. The LSU Stables colorbearer was stabled with Christophe Clement's Saratoga division–overseen by his son and assistant trainer Miguel Clement–since the spring. Far Bridge (outside) working over the Oklahoma turf Oct. 25 | Sarah Andrew “The only negative is perhaps the weather,” Miguel Clement said while watching the day's final set train through binoculars over the sun-splashed Oklahoma Training Track. “Because it really changes season-wise on you. You might be more prone to having a thicker coat. It's probably the only negative. The positives are that you're on the same track, you have a great training surface here, there's less traffic and you have access to turf. There are many benefits, but it's without a doubt that we are about 10 degrees cooler than on Long Island. Believe it or not, we're just three hours north.” As the $455-million transformation of Belmont Park continues, there is currently no option to train on grass downstate. With Oklahoma's turf course looking as pristine and green as it did when first opening for business this season in April, Far Bridge concluded his preparations for the 1 1/2-mile Turf with a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.11 (1/2) Oct. 25. “The majority of Far Bridge's works have been taking place on the turf and we're very comfortable with this turf course and we're able to read his works quite well,” Miguel Clement said. “He shows an affinity here. He's got winning ways at the moment, so let's maybe not try to change too much.” Clement added, “I think he's already established and stamped himself as the best horse in America on the grass. Nevertheless, the Breeders' Cup is no easy task. We not only have to face the best Americans, but also the best in the world.” Big Invasion (Declaration of War), beaten just a neck in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, will attempt to go one better for the Clements in the five-furlong dash Saturday. He was based at Belmont this fall. Leading Candidate for Juvenile Turf Sprint Governor Sam (Improbable) will carry a four-race winning streak (there's no way he's anything near that 12-1 morning-line quote, right?) into Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Trainer George Weaver sent him out for a four-furlong spin in :50.66 (1/1) over the Oklahoma turf Oct. 17. For Weaver, a former assistant to the legendary D. Wayne Lukas as well as Pletcher, Saratoga is home. “This is our base and has been ever since I've been on my own,” Weaver said. “We keep horses at Belmont as well, but I spend the majority of my time in Saratoga from May to November. Obviously, it's a great place to live and a great town, but the horses do very well up here and we've done very well basing our horses out of here for all these years. There's access to the turf course and the track is great to train over.” He continued, “After the meet ends, it quiets down quickly as far as the town and the amount of horses up here training. We've had a very nice September/October for the most part. It's been really nice. Every year you can expect it to cool off quicker than it would down by Belmont Park. You get some pretty crisp mornings up here.” Governor Sam, a $50,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling turned $275,000 OBS April breezer, is campaigned by Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables. His four career victories have each come over four different turf courses, led by his neck victory in Keeneland's Indian Summer Stakes last out Oct. 6. “He's put together a real nice resume as a 2-year-old, he's undefeated ever since getting beat in his first start in a stake race (Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes at Gulfstream May 11) that probably was a little bit of a push,” Weaver said. “I respect that it's the Breeders' Cup, they don't give these races away, and I'm sure these will be nice horses that we're competing against. I'm happy with the condition of the horse and the way he's training going into it. At the end of the day, he's gonna have to go over there and prove that he's the best of this group again.” Saratoga Saffie After enjoying a breakthrough meeting at Saratoga this summer saddling 11 winners from 35 starters (31%), it was hardly a surprise to see the blue-and-yellow saddle towels of trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. still in action over the Oklahoma once the leaves began to change color. Joseph will saddle four Breeders' Cup runners this weekend: Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) (Dirt Mile), Batucada (Union Rags) (Distaff), Honor D Lady (Honor Code) (Distaff) and Soul of an Angel (Atreides) (F/M Sprint). Skippylongstocking (outside) breezing at Saratoga Oct. 25 | Sarah Andrew Both Skippylongstocking, third in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and second in the GII Woodward Stakes Sept. 28, and GII Beldame Stakes runner-up Batucada, recorded their final breezes for the Championships in Saratoga Oct. 25. Honor D Lady remained in Lexington following a fifth-place finish in the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes Oct. 6 while Soul of an Angel stayed in South Florida following her win in the GIII Princess Rooney Stakes at Gulfstream Sept. 21. “They were all in Saratoga the whole summer,” Joseph said. “Last year was the first year we did it (kept a division in Saratoga after the meet). Skippy ran from there last year and he ran third in the Mile. We liked staying there after, it's a good place to train. It's very quiet. We did well with the horses when they left from there. We figured we'd follow the same protocol.” He continued, “You always try to learn and get better. We learned that getting in there early was a plus. The horses acclimatize and they get to work over the track. It's quite deep early in the meet. We did it last year and we followed it this year. That's gonna be our routine that we're gonna keep now. Try to get in there in May and stay to the end of October. I feel like It compliments the horses. They strive up there and they gain weight. There's a lot of grass areas to graze and they run well even when they leave there to ship to other races. It's a good base that we want to keep going.” “Saratoga has been good to us,” Joseph concluded. 'The Best Place in the World to Train a 2-Year-Old' Snowyte (Good Magic), a maiden of two career starts for trainer Danny Gargan, including a distant runner-up finish in the GI Frizette Stakes at Aqueduct Oct. 5, will look to emulate her leading young sire with an upset victory on the 'Future Stars Friday' program. Good Magic also finished second in his first two career starts, including the GI Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, before graduating in style in the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. Sealed With a Kiss: Danny Gargan celebrates Dornoch's Belmont Stakes victory | Sarah Andrew “I think she can be any kind of horse in the future,” Gargan said in these same pages in our 'Second Chances' series following her runner-up finish on debut this summer. Snowyte, a $250,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate, is campaigned in partnership by Pine Racing Stables, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC and R. A. Hill Stable. Breeder Don Alberto Stable is also on the ownership line. Snowyte breezed four furlongs for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in :49.77 (6/29) over the Oklahoma Oct. 18 before shipping to Del Mar. “I couldn't rave enough about that surface and the job that (NYRA's Executive Vice President, Operations and Capital Projects) Glen (Kozak) does,” said Gargan, who trained the recently retired Dornoch (Good Magic) to a 17-1 upset victory in this year's GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. “I've been going up there for three years and we've already won a Classic race. I credit Saratoga. I credit Glen and the track maintenance crew. It's the best place in the world to train a 2-year-old. That's why I go there. The big key is keeping them sound and keeping them racing. Being able to train on those tracks is the key to where the future stars come from. It's a tremendous place. You've got so many good horses that are trained up there and stay sound and run and become legends. I'm fortunate enough that I've trained one.” Stay Until November Open annually for training from April to November, the Oklahoma features a one-mile dirt surface and a seven-furlong turf course. There's also access to the infield for galloping. The New York Racing Association completed a major renovation of the Oklahoma in the spring of 2021, adding a limestone base, a renovated surface layer, a modernized drainage system and an inner safety rail. The track was also widened by 10-to-14 feet. Serving as consultants on the Oklahoma renovation were Dr. Mick Peterson and the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory. “The work that was done up at the Oklahoma, it just complimented what that track was and what Saratoga is for spring and fall training, really,” Kozak said. “The capital that was invested up there got it just the way we wanted from the ground up with the drainage, base, and cushion, and having that be consistent with what we have on the main-track side and also what we're building at Belmont for the main track.” Kozak concluded, “The thing about Saratoga that's so special is a horse can be a horse up there. It's a great environment.” The post Saratoga: The Fall Place to Be appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lynne Lyons's hitherto untried €155,000 Keeneland September graduate Ethical Code (Justify), a Ger Lyons-trained daughter of G1 Phoenix Stakes heroine Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}), failed to sell when stalling on the €300,000 mark at Arqana's Breeze-Up fixture earlier in the year and dug deep to make a winning debut in Wednesday's DundalkStadium.com Fillies Maiden at Dundalk. A half-sister to dual Group-winning sire Requinto (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), she raced along the rail in fourth for most of this seven-furlong contest. Taking closer order in the home straight, the 7-1 chance was shaken up to gain a slender advantage approaching the final furlong and kept on in resolute fashion under a late drive to deny Mveve (American Pharoah) by a short-head in a four-way photo. Almost four in a line! Ethical Code clings on to make a winning debut, putting James Ryan one ahead in the apprentice riders' title race. City Of Troy's half-sister Takemetothemoon couldn't build on her promising debut.@DundalkStadium pic.twitter.com/A49OCoCEFY — Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 30, 2024 The post Justify’s Daughter of Damson Makes Winning Debut at Dundalk appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Veteran handler jumps to second in trainers’ premiership thanks to victories from Capital Legend, Daring Pursuit and Sugar Sugar.View the full article

From ABR, an At a Glance look at the 2024 Breeders' Cup Sprint.View the full article

Aidan O'Brien was at pains on Tuesday to spell out Team Coolmore's uncertainty as to the prospects of City Of Troy (Justify) mastering the task of Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic. “We think we have him prepared to go forward. Whether he is quick enough to go forward from that slot, in this type of race–I'm not sure,” he said. And therein lies the big question mark regarding how this particular turf impresario transitions to dirt racing first time on the biggest stage. In many ways, the decision to send this colt into a Breeders' Cup Classic without any prior dirt undertaking is outlandish. It's like asking a 16-year-old football prodigy to start in the line-up in a Champions League Final. No amount of athletic ability is going to get him out of trouble if he can't produce what he has never been asked to, which is to cover the first two furlongs of a race in just over :23 seconds. Winding back to his 2-year-old days, City Of Troy covered that first section of the G2 Superlative Stakes in :27.35 and in the G1 Dewhurst Stakes he did it in :26.75. It was not until York's G1 Juddmonte International that we really got a true insight into what he was capable of, but that came later on in the race after he had been able to effectively saunter–in dirt terms–through the first half of the contest. Make no mistake: all of this colt's big displays have come after covering the first part of the race in relatively leisurely fashion. The kind of initial sectionals that his rivals on Saturday would consider funereal. In the last Breeders' Cup Classic staged at Del Mar, the first six furlongs went by in :70.04 and he will have to be somewhere on the premises at that stage to get seriously involved in the finish. Perhaps the only time we have seen him run a “dirt-style” race was at Newmarket in the 2,000 Guineas, when he was asked to go through the first five furlongs in :60.01 and got to two out in :72.33. Even allowing for faster underfoot conditions on Saturday, a similar performance would leave him something in the region of 10 lengths off the pace in a Breeders' Cup Classic with four furlongs to run on a track that favours speed. From three out in the Guineas, he was already cooked and it could be that we witnessed a genuine stayer being asked to go too quick through the early stages of the race. Everything City Of Troy has done so far suggests he is much more Galileo than Justify, but then we don't have a huge amount of evidence to go on. Interestingly, O'Brien pointed out after the Guineas that he had been caught up between sprinters and “the pace was on and he was in the middle of the pace” and that sparks concern for Saturday because the pace will be on and he will be in the middle of the pace. Had City Of Troy gone, as previously planned, to Saratoga in August, we would know a lot more about his chances here. That he didn't leaves a gaping hole in the ability to accurately assess them as well as in the colt's conditioning for a dirt race of his nature. What we do know, particularly in a Breeders' Cup Classic run at Del Mar, is that he is going to have to sprint far harder from the break than he has ever been asked to and then churn out his customary sub-12 second splits on top to stay in the mix. Can he produce what is effectively a prolonged sprint in addition to his diesel-engine powerhouse Derby performance? He'll be some animal if that's the case. There are no prisoners taken at this particular track, so he couldn't have it any harder that's for sure. Whatever happens, we'll find out who the real City Of Troy really is once and for all. The post The Quick And The Dead: Can City Of Troy Live With Life On The Dirt? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

At a recent board meeting of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (CHRHF), the Thoroughbred committees received several updates which were approved in advance of the CHRHF nominations and elections for 2025, the organization said in a press release Wednesday. Glenn Sikura, CHRHF 2023 Thoroughbred Builder Inductee, was appointed as the Thoroughbred Nomination Committee Chair. Robert Landry, CHRHF 2014 Jockey Inductee becomes a member of the Thoroughbred Nomination Committee to fill the position previously held by Tom Cosgrove. A member of the CHRHF Thoroughbred Election Committee since 2019, Ontario-based Thoroughbred trainer, and Jockey Club of Canada Steward Catherine Day-Phillips becomes that committee's chair, filling the role previously held by CHRHF 2015 Communicator Inductee, Jim Bannon. To reduce duplication on Nomination and Election Committees, both Glenn Sikura and Sue Leslie will step down from the Election Committee. Joining the Thoroughbred Election Committee is 2021 Thoroughbred Builder Inductee Vicki Pappas, chairperson of Long-Run Thoroughbred Retirement Society. Additionally, Thoroughbred Trainer Inductee Dan Vella, two-time Sovereign Award recipient and twice the trainer of Queen's Plate winning horses, will be joining the Thoroughbred Election Committee. Click here for a complete list of committee members. The post Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame Updates Committees And Schedule For 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A quintet of wildcards have been added to the upcoming Arqana Autumn Sale on Nov. 18-21. Led by 1300-metre heroine Lilas Trezy (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) (lot 423), the fivesome will sell on Nov. 18. The other lots are all National Hunt offerings: winning hurdlers La Pagaille (Fr) (Choeur Du Nord {Fr}) (lot 458) and Becasse (Ire) (Yeats {Ire}) (lot 464), placed AQPS hurdler Le Tiep's Sacre (Fr) (It's Gino {Ger}) (lot 465) and Keyreine Du Seuil (Fr) (Masterstroke) (lot 466), third in a listed chase at Auteuil. For the full catalogue, please visit the Arqana website. The post Lilas Trezy Heads Quintet Of Wildcards For Arqana Autumn Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

This year's Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Metropolitan (Fr) will begin his stallion career at Haras d'Etreham next season, the stud announced on Wednesday. He will stand for a fee of €15,000, with a small number of shares available in the son of Zarak (Fr). Bred by Stuart McPhee, Metropolitan was bought by Alessandro Marconi for €78,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale. He was trained for owners Peter Bradley and Scuderia Scolari by Mario Baratti, who saddled him to win three of his seven career starts. The Classic winner also finished third in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and runner-up in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. “Metropolitan has always been an exceptional horse, with a rare presence,” said Baratti. “He is strong, compact, and boasts an excellent acceleration. From the beginning of his career in Deauville at two, until the Jacques le Marois, he continually demonstrated his incredible ability. It has been a memorable experience to train him and we wish him great success in his new career as a stallion.” Metropolitan is the second winner from four runners out of his unraced dam, the Halling mare Alianza (GB), a half-sister to the Listed-placed Boater (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}). Also unraced was his second dam, Cercle d'Amour (Storm Cat), a full-sister to the Listed-winning Royal Tigress (Storm Cat) and a half-sister to the G3 Norfolk Stakes winner and G1 Prix Morny runner-up Warm Heart (Diesis {GB}). Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure said, “Metropolitan is a top-class stallion prospect and we are enthusiastic about his arrival at the stud for 2025. We have nothing but praise for him–he is a magnificent horse with a faultless physique. His pedigree represents a real asset for breeding because as a descendant of Dubawi, Storm Cat and Sharpen Up, he is exempt of the bloodlines of Danzig and Sadler's Wells and can be crossed with a multitude of mares. “His qualities as a racehorse are also remarkable. Combative and precocious, with great natural speed, he has powerful assets to succeed as a sire. His name Metropolitan is well-chosen with reference to the cosmopolitan connections associated with his career. We would like to thank them once again for their trust and we are delighted that we will join together to support Metropolitan in his new role as a stallion.” The post Classic Hero Metropolitan Retires to Haras d’Etreham for 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Maryland Racing Commission has approved a 2025 racing schedule that calls for Laurel and Pimlico to race just 120 days in 2025. The dates were approved at an Oct. 28 racing commission meeting. The story was first reported by the website the racingbiz.com. The number of racing dates has fluctuated in recent years, but the new schedule will mark a new era for Maryland racing. As recently as 2019 there were 174 racing dates. The dates will be divided between the state's two tracks with 114 dates at Laurel, plus a six-day meet at Pimlico surrounding the running of the GI Preakness Stakes. The new setup will create a situation where, for much of the calendar, the Maryland tracks will not be going up against Colonial Downs. The Maryland tracks will also be closed in July and August, which is generally when Colonial Downs races. Laurel will be closed during the first half of the new year and will re-open Jan. 17. Maryland will also be dark over the weekend of Mar. 14-16, when Colonial will have a mini-meet highlighted by the Virginia Derby. Starting in 2025, the Maryland tracks will no longer be under the control of 1/ST Racing. Rather a new entity, the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA), will be in charge. The MTROA is similar to the New York Racing Association, a quasi-state agency that controls racing at the New York tracks. While still in control, 1/ST Racing made it known that the tracks were struggling financially. Funds from the purse account have been used to subsidized 1/ST's operating expenses. The post Maryland Will Run Consolidated Racing Schedule In 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Shirl's Speight, a Grade I winner by Speightstown out of GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire}), will stand the upcoming breeding season at Darby Dan Farm, the farm announced Wednesday. He will stand his first season at stud for $5,000 S&N. A homebred for Charles Fipke trained by Roger Attfield, the globetrotting Shirl's Speight scored the biggest win of his career in the 2022 GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland, and he was among the top milers that year when also second by three-quarters of a length to champion Modern Games (GB) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, also at Keeneland. In addition to his Grade I triumph and runner-up performance in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Shirl's Speight also finished second in the 2023 GI Woodbine Mile to multiple Grade I winner Master of the Seas (Ire). He won on turf and all-weather surfaces and was placed on dirt behind Grade I winners Mind Control and Hot Rod Charlie when third in the 2022 GIII Salvatore Mile at Monmouth Park. Shirl's Speight exploded onto the racing scene as a 3-year-old, dominating his Woodbine career debut with an eight-length victory in a seven-furlong maiden special weight on the turf. Despite being geared down late, Shirl's Speight covered the distance in 1:19.97, just missing the course record of 1:19.22 set by Silent Poet in 2019. The effort garnered Shirl's Speight a `TDN Rising Star 'designation. In his next start, Shirl's Speight stretched out to two turns over Woodbine's synthetic surface in the GIII Marine Stakes, which he won by 2 3/4 lengths. He raced in Japan, Dubai (where he was fourth in the G1 Dubai Turf), Canada and the U.S., hitting the board in 10 of 25 appearances and earning $1,497,245. He retires to stud sound. Speightstown, a champion sprinter and one of the most prolific and versatile sires of the last decade, has several successful sons at stud, including Munnings and Grade I winners Charlatan, Olympiad, and Prince of Monaco. Shirl's Speight is a member of a family cultivated by Fipke through the decades. One of only a handful of North American breeders who race homebreds exclusively, Fipke purchased Shirl's Speight's second dam, Grade I winner Lady Shirl, for $485,000 at the 2005 Keeneland November sale. Fipke bred Lady Shirl to his homebred Sadler's Wells stallion Perfect Soul (Ire), winner of the 2003 GI Shadwell Keeneland Turf Mile to get Perfect Shirl, winner of the 2011 GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Perfect Shirl, also trained by Attfield, earned more than $1.3 million during her racing career. Perfect Shirl is also the dam of graded stakes-placed Speightstown Shirl, a full sibling to Shirl's Speight; and Ready for Shirl (More Than Ready), also tabbed a `TDN Rising Star' this year at Keeneland after winning a maiden special weight at 1 1/16 miles on the turf by three lengths in her debut. Lady Shirl is also the dam of Shakespeare, winner of the GI Woodbine Mile and the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic; Lady Shakespeare, a multiple graded stakes winner and the dam of the Grade I winner Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), a 2-year-old champion filly in Canada for Fipke and Attfield; and stakes winner and multiple graded stakes-placed Fantastic Shirl. The post Grade I Maker’s Mark Mile Winner Shirl’s Speight to Stand at Darby Dan in 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will skip next week's G1 Melbourne Cup and instead target the G1 Champions Stakes during the Australian autumn, Yulong's Sam Fairgray revealed on Wednesday. A title defence of the G1 Cox Plate is also in the offing for next October. Originally a 5,000gns Tattersalls December yearling purchase, the bay would go on to take the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes before changing hands for 2,700,000gns at the 2023 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Now racing for Yusheng Zhang's Yulong in Australia, she has won a total of four Group 1 races for Chris Waller just this year, beginning with the Ranvet Stakes in March, the Winx Stakes in August, the Turnbull Stakes in September and the Cox Plate last Saturday. “The big carrot that the boss (Mr Zhang) ultimately wants to win one day is the Melbourne Cup,” Sam Fairgray told racenet.com.au. “He would love to win it. But at the end of the day the horse comes first. Everything was considered and the decision was made that the best thing for her was not to run (in the Cup). It was never in our early calculations, so hopefully she can now go to the Champions (Stakes). “Hong Kong is definitely off (this year). We have a property at Bayles, so she will go there (after the Champions) and get a rest and we will get set for the autumn, and hopefully another Cox Plate next year.” The post Via Sistina Will Skip The Melbourne Cup In Favour Of Champions Stakes Bid appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing Victoria will not compromise on the welfare of horses for the G1 Melbourne Cup after there was plenty of publicity about the scratching of Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), they announced on Wednesday. “I don't think the reaction's necessarily surprising,” EGM – Integrity Jamie Stier told racing.com. “When the protocols were implemented, it was understood that not everyone was in agreement and was made known that they were not in agreement. And that is as it is, but the protocols were put in place to mitigate any risks that we were able to identify with horses that were going to run in the Melbourne Cup. “So we put in place a process, we're following that process through. The last 24 hours, I'd say, it's unfortunate. It's always unfortunate to see such a high-quality horse not be able to take their part in the race. And that's disappointing not only for the connections and everyone associated with the horse, but also all the fans out there, all the punters, but also for us here at Racing Victoria. “We go to great lengths to try and get these horses here to Victoria to take part in these races, but we won't sacrifice safety for the sake of having a runner.” The post ‘We Won’t Sacrifice Safety’: Racing Victoria’s Stance On Jan Brueghel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Maiden Watch: Breeders' Cup 2024View the full article

Sea The Stars (Ire)'s Sea King (GB) punched his ticket to the G1 Melbourne Cup next Tuesday when winning the G3 Bendigo Cup by 3 1/4 lengths on Wednesday (video). The 5-year-old took over prior to the home straight and forged clear to defeat Berkeley Square (Ire) (Territories {Ire}) in the 2400-metre feature. “It's incredibly exciting. A lot was riding on it, it's the last win-and-you're-in for the Cup, so it's an absolute dream result today,” trainer Harry Eustace told racenet.com.au. “I'd just like to thank (syndicator) Terry (Henderson) … he managed to buy this horse just before Docklands (GB) travelled down as well and it's proving a pretty inspired purchase. “Curiously, coming down, we never even thought we'd get close and, of course, since we've been here the Cup, as everyone is well aware, has really started cutting up. So the closer we got to getting in the more pressure there was I suppose.” Bred by Highclere Stud, the son of stakes winner and G2 Ribblesdale Stakes third Pamona (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) was an 87,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase by Barry Lynch and Heath House. After making several starts for Charlie Walker and Osborne House III, the gelding raced for Neil Boyden from May of 2022, winning several handicaps. He was sold privately to Australian connections prior to his Bendigo Cup score. The weight the gelding will tote in the Race That Stops a Nation will be announced on Thursday. The post Sea King Books Melbourne Cup Ticket With Bendigo Cup Victory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund have signed a memorandum of understanding to leverage and expand the two parties' shared commitment regarding their respective racing and breeding jurisdictions. Recognising a shared interest in fostering a cooperative relationship, both parties aim to cross-promote the participation of Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers and racehorses across both jurisdictions. According to a press release issued by HRI on Wednesday, “The memorandum of understanding demonstrates a mutual commitment to advancing and promoting the growth and success of both parties respective thoroughbred breeding and racing industries in key areas such as racing programmes, breeding and bloodstock sales, education, employment opportunities and welfare.” Suzanne Eade, CEO of HRI, said, “I am delighted to sign this agreement, which is building on the existing long-standing relationship HRI has with the New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund. They are a valued industry partner and the memorandum of understanding identifies a range of objectives and goals across all facets of our industries that we can both further leverage to create a positive and mutually beneficial impact.” New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund chairman Brian O'Dwyer added, “This is great news for New York State, as it underscores the important role our Thoroughbred breeding industry plays on the global stage. We are honoured to work with our partners at Horse Racing Ireland, as we have much to learn and much to share.” The post HRI and New York State Fund Sign Memorandum of Understanding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A total of 197 lots have been catalogued for the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, which takes place at Park Paddocks on Monday, November 25. The catalogue features 11 siblings to Group 1 winners, including lot 63, a Dark Angel (Ire) half-sister to this year's Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and the Commonwealth Cup winner and sire Golden Horde (Ire); lot 102, a Nathaniel (Ire) half-sister to this year's Irish Champion Stakes scorer Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}); and lot 179, a Saxon Warrior (Jpn) three-parts brother to the Prix du Jockey Club winner and exciting young sire Study Of Man (Ire). Lot 158, a Kingman (GB) colt out of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), is a notable offering from the Cheveley Park Stud draft, while Kirsten Rausing's Staffordstown Stud is responsible for lot 122, a Siyouni (Fr) colt out of the G1 British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes heroine Madame Chiang (GB) (Archipenko). Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said, “The combination of quality and value for money is the key to the popularity of the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale and the extraordinary success of 5,000 guineas purchase and now five times Group 1 winner Via Sistina as well as the 1 million guineas pinhooking triumph at this year's Craven Breeze Up Sale have been spectacular advertisements for the sale. “The 2024 renewal features consignments from many of Britain and Ireland's most successful nurseries and in addition to a host of well bred yearlings, buyers will also find a large number of yearlings eligible for lucrative £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonuses, Great British Bonuses and the ever popular £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes.” The post Catalogue Now Available Online for the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article