Wandering Eyes

‘Cheltenham Roar’ on Tuesday raises the curtain on 28 races over four days, climaxing in jumps racing’s blue riband: the Cheltenham Gold Cup.View the full article

La Crique (inside) will travel across the Tasman to take on the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) on March 29. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Trainers Simon and Katrina Alexander have always felt distance would be La Crique’s best friend, and they will give her the opportunity to step up over ground when they head to Australia with her later this month. The daughter of Vadamos kept her perennial bridesmaid tag firmly intact over the weekend, bested by the barest of margins by in-form gelding El Vencedor in the Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie, extending her elite-level runner-up sequence to four. Despite going down for the fourth straight time on Saturday, La Crique’s conditioners were proud of her efforts, particularly the tenacity she showed in the closing stages after being the aggressor throughout the contest. “It is always good to see when two good horses are fighting it out like that for the majority of the straight, it made quite the spectacle for everyone,” Katrina Alexander said. “We just went down again, we need a bigger head. “He (El Vencedor) is obviously in a purple patch of form and full credit to his trainer (Stephen Marsh), they have done a super job at this time of year to keep him where he is at. “We were super happy with our mare, she made it a race, and that is what we intended going out to do. Michael (McNab, jockey) made a good decision during the running that we had to take it to them and see if she could hang on. Someone had to win, if it was a dead-heat that would have been the dream, but she has pulled up super well from it so that is the main thing. “Full credit to the track team at Ellerslie, they provided a track that horses seemed to come off in very good shape.” La Crique’s last three starts have been over 2000m, and Alexander is looking forward to trying her over further ground once more, with the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill on March 29 now firmly in the crosshairs. “We have kept her back to the 2000m for these races and that is probably been the hardest thing. I know in my gut that she wants to go further,” Alexander said. “You train them for the distance they are going to run and that (2000m) is now not necessarily her friend. If Saturday was a bit further, I think we would have had it over him (El Vencedor), but that is what we lined-up for. “I want to see her go further, and the owners are keen to too. It has always been a goal of theirs to get some form of black-type in Australia, at whatever level, just to boost that breeding pedigree as we get closer to that time of her life. “We have earmarked the Tancred in Sydney for her at the end of the month and have a crack at getting her up over 2400m while she is well and performing well. That will be our plan at this stage.” The Tancred will be La Crique’s third Australian campaign, having previously finished fourth in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in 2022, and won the $500,000 National Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm last June. The Tancred’s 2400m will also be the second time La Crique been tested over that distance, having previously finished runner-up to Asterix in the 2022 edition of the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). Horse racing news View the full article

Elphinstone (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Elphinstone delivered a dominant performance to claim the Listed C S Hayes Memorial Cup (1600m) at Morphettville on Monday, March 10, securing an important black-type win for Tony & Calvin McEvoy. Ridden by Jamie Melham, the four-year-old mare by Street Boss settled at the rear of the field before producing a devastating finishing burst, storming home late to put the race away with ease. The pace was genuine early as Wild Imagination and A Samurai Mind pressed forward to take up prominent positions, while Flash Flood and Episodic tracked the speed. Elphinstone was happy to bide her time at the rear, saving her best work for the business end of the race. As the field straightened, A Samurai Mind took the lead but was quickly tackled by Episodic before Elphinstone loomed ominously wider out. Once asked for an effort, she let down strongly, charging past her rivals to score a decisive victory, priced as the $2.40 favourite with the top horse racing bookmakers. 2025 C S Hayes Memorial Cup Replay – Elphinstone https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Morphettville-2025-Listed-C-S-Hayes-Memorial-Cup-10032025-Elphinstone-Tony-Calvin-McEvoy-Jamie-Melham.mp4 It was a fitting result for Tony McEvoy, who was a long-time foreman for the C S Hayes stable in his early career. “She gives everything in her races, so we space her runs, and she’s rewarded us today with a stakes win. She was stakes-placed heading into today, and now she’s a stakes winner. We had her in the Matron Stakes in Melbourne on Saturday, but this looked a better option, and it’s paid off,” McEvoy said post-race. Jockey Jamie Melham was full of praise for the mare, particularly the way she sustained her finishing burst. “The one instruction I had today was to get her to relax and switch off. She was too forward last time, but today she settled beautifully. The tempo wasn’t that fast early, but when they increased it at the 600m, she was able to build momentum and was just too strong late,” Melham said. Elphinstone has now won six of her 19 career starts, adding this valuable black-type victory to her resume. The stable will now assess future plans, with McEvoy noting that no firm targets have been set beyond this race. Horse racing news View the full article

Bundle Award sweeps clear under Ben Thompson. Photo: HKJC Bundle Award charged into HK$26 million Hong Kong Derby (2000m) calculations with a brilliant victory at Sha Tin on Sunday (March 9) to fan hopes of a fourth Classic triumph for champion trainer John Size. Ridden perfectly by Ben Thompson, the 75-rating Shamus Award gelding (115lb) charged from last at the 400m in a searing 22.11s to down Markwin (115lb) and Helene Feeling (135lb) to enhance claims of clinching a place in the BMW Hong Kong Derby on March 23. “It felt as good as it would have looked,” Thompson said of the gelding’s blistering finish. “I was confident he would let rip when it was time to go. He was super. He’s handled by a master in John Size. He’s versatile. He’s a lovely horse.” Size, who saddled Fay Fay (2012), Luger (2015) and Ping Hai Star (2018) to Hong Kong Derby victory, said: “He (Bundle Award) did very well. He seems to settle and relax and didn’t seem to waste any energy. He had plenty of resources left for the finish.” Fifth behind Sky Heart over 1600m after drawing barrier one at his previous start, Bundle Award – who won three times in Australia for Jason & Allan Williams as Prince Prawn – appreciated being dropped to the tail of the field today before Thompson drove the gelding out to the middle of the track and unleashed a devastating sprint. “You couldn’t compare the two days (today and last start). I think that he drew well last start – he drew gate one. Maybe that was no help to him. Anyway, today he showed us what he wanted,” Size said. The Hong Kong Derby field selection will be announced on Friday with the field likely to be headed Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) winner Rubylot and Hong Kong Classic Mile victor (1600m) and My Wish. The 76-rating Markwin – a two-time winner in Hong Kong – also boosted claims of a possible Hong Kong Derby berth a 1.25 lengths behind Bundle Award. Bundle Award’s success continued a see-sawing battle for the Hong Kong trainers’ championship, shunting Size back into the lead after David Hayes had snatched back the ascendancy with first-starter Akashvani’s win under Lyle Hewitson. Size and Hayes both have 37 wins but 12-time champion trainer Size has more second placings. “He (Akashvani) did a good job from a wide gate (barrier 12) and my sons (Ben, Will & JD) educated him very well from Lindsay Park (in Australia). He came in and I just had to get him here,” Hayes said. “He’s actually got a low head carriage action like Rubylot. He reminds me of a young Rubylot, so let’s hope he ends up as good as Rubylot – not saying he will be, but his action is very similar to Rubylot.” Hewitson also partnered Mark Newnham’s Armour War Eagle to victory. A dual winner in New Zealand, the War Decree gelding had racked up five minor placings in 12 starts before today’s breakthrough. Apprentice Britney Wong moved to the top of the Hong Kong jockeys’ All Weather Track standings with a double, striking aboard on Natural High for David Hall and Manfred Man’s Self Improvement. With 12 wins in total in her first season, Wong has notched seven of those victories on dirt to lead Luke Ferraris (five) in her first season in Hong Kong after riding 50 winners in Australia. “It’s great. I had two doubles when I was in Australia but they were both non-TAB meetings, so this feels fantastic,” Wong, 25, said. “Whether it’s turf or dirt, I’ll go for it and it’s good that I have one (surface) that works in a particular way, so I’m very happy.” Man also posted a double when Super Seth three-year-old Patch Of Cosmo downed downing Embraces and Hong Kong Derby hopeful Light Years Charm. Luke Ferraris slotted his 30th winner of the season and maintained his perfect record on Lucky With You when the consistent seven-year-old overpowered his rivals for Frankie Lor. “He’s a lovely horse, obviously when he gets up to Group 1 level, it’s a bit tough for him but he’s definitely a Class 1 horse,” Ferraris said. “He was in great shape today, Frankie had him going good and it was a very easy win. “I sat back on him, pulled him out at the 400m and coasted up to them at the furlong (200m), let him go and put them to bed.” David Eustace scored with Regency Happy Star under Alexis Badel before Chris So combined with Keith Yeung with three-year-old Mount Everest. The Exceed And Excel debutant lunged to claim a first-start victory over Patch Of Time before Caspar Fownes-trained Flying Luck notched his second win of the campaign with a withering finish for Brenton Avdulla. Yeung completed a double when The Auspicious clinched the Class 4 Lok Sin Tong Cup Handicap (1400m) at odds of +13100 to give Me Tsui his ninth win of the season. Horse racing news View the full article

What Goulburn Races Where Goulburn & District Racing Club – Racecourse Dr, Goulburn NSW 2580 When Tuesday, March 11, 2025 First Race 1:50pm AEDT Visit Dabble Goulburn & District Racing Club is the destination for NSW racing on Tuesday afternoon, with a quickfire seven-part program set for decision. The rail moves out +9m between the 950m marker to 350m pole, while the remainder stays out +7m the rest of the way around. The track is rated a Good 4 at the time ofacceptances;, however, with some rainfall expected to hit on race-day afternoon, there could be a downgrade into the Soft range at some stage. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 1:50pm local time. Best Bet at Goulburn: Rose Aye The Matthew Dale-trained Rose Aye is unlucky not to be chasing a hat-trick of wins in the Goulburn opener after being narrowly headed at Nowra on February 23. The Supido filly stormed to the top with 200m left to travel and was only outsprinted by Istolea Merc in the concluding stages as the eventual winner stalked the untapped three-year-old every step of the way. Stepping out to 1200m third-up into the campaign looks ideal, and with a genuine tempo engaged in this Class 1 contest, watch for Rose Aye to be flashing over the top at a good price with horse racing bookmakers. Best Bet Race 1 – #3 Rose Aye (7) 3yo Filly | T: Matthew Dale | J: Nick Heywood (58.5kg) Next Best at Goulburn: Incantation Incantation only managed to find the frame once across three starts in a disappointing debut season but appears to be resuming in terrific order. The Godolphin filly caught the eye in a recent barrier trial at Hawkesbury on February 24, cruising through the wire under the guise of Ashley Morgan. There isn’t much depth to this maiden contest on paper, and with Incantation set to gain an economical run from stall seven, it would come as some shock if she wasn’t fighting out the finish. Next Best Race 4 – #9 Incantation (7) 3yo Filly | T: James Cummings | J: Ashley Morgan (56.5kg) Best Value at Goulburn: Jonny Be Swift Jonny Be Swift will be a big improver third-up in the campaign after hitting the line well at Canberra on February 21. The 1600m was always going to prove too sharp for the son of So You Think, with all his best form coming when tested over 2000m or further in the past. He’s well weighted here with apprentice hoop Glenn Cahill taking 2kg off his back, and provided this race becomes a genuine staying affair over the 2145m, Jonny Be Swift represents a terrific each-way price with Dabble. Best Value Race 3 – #2 Jonny Be Swift (7) 4yo Gelding | T: Gregory Hickman | J: Glenn Cahill (a2kg) (62.5kg) Tuesday quaddie tips for Goulburn Goulburn quadrella selections March 11, 2025 2-5-8-9 1-2-8-9 1-2-3-5-10 1-7-8-9-10-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

While initially not expected to miss much time, persistent swelling and other issues led to a longer recovery time for the 25-year-old native of Japan. View the full article

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Classy juvenile Landlock turned a few heads when pushing million-dollar colt Return to Conquer right down to the wire in Saturday’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), but the performance came as no surprise to his trainer Cody Cole. The son of Merchant Navy was a debut winner and placed in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) before a storming run into fifth in the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m). Despite this, the gelding was heavily underrated in last Saturday’s $550,000 juvenile feature, starting at $41 while Return To Conquer dominated the market at $1.70. In the hands of Kevin Stott, Landlock settled in the second half of the field, tracking Return To Conquer at every stride. The favourite hit the lead at the 150m and Landlock was closing in at serious speed, but on the line, the gelding was denied his elite-level crown by just a head. “We probably weren’t as surprised as everyone thought we would be, he had been working very well and he’s always shown us a lot,” Cole said. “We were pretty confident he was going to run a big race and thought he was at overs, you never go into a race like that thinking you’re going to win but at the same time, we weren’t surprised with the run. “With what he did in the Millions, he showed that he’s really starting to put it together. He’d never had a trial before his first start and he’s just been learning as he’s been going along. “It was the first time we’ve ridden him a little bit cold from that sticky gate in the Millions, and he showed that turn of foot that he’s got. We were always going to be relatively neutral from the gate again on Saturday and let him round it off if he could.” The TAB bookmakers took notice of Landlock’s effort, catapulting him up the market for the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) to $8, behind Te Akau’s quartet of Return To Conquer, La Dorada, Hostility and To Bravery Born. To be run in three weeks’ time at Trentham, the Sires’ was always Cole’s main target. “That run on Saturday was only a stepping stone to the Sires’, that race was always our end goal and it was the logical step to go to the Sistema on the way there,” he said. “We’ll just tick him over, he was five weeks between runs and had some time in the paddock during that period. He’s not a horse you have to work overly hard, we won’t be taking him out anywhere unless he does too well condition-wise. “It’ll be business as usual for him until we head to Wellington, he’s very straightforward to train and has the perfect attitude for a two-year-old.” Landlock elevated his career earnings above $184,000 with the placing, a far cry from the $20,000 bid that secured him out of Woburn Farm’s Book 2 draft at Karaka. He is the second Group One performer for Cole this term, after Navigator’s third-placed effort in the Telegraph (1200m). “It’s very satisfying, I’m lucky that he’s got everything you need, the attitude, the ability and he’s very sound,” Cole said. “We’ve had a couple of Group One placings this season, both times with horses that we picked out at the sales.” View the full article

Trainers Simon and Katrina Alexander have always felt distance would be La Crique’s best friend, and they will give her the opportunity to step up over ground when they head to Australia with her later this month. The daughter of Vadamos kept her perennial bridesmaid tag firmly intact over the weekend, bested by the barest of margins by in-form gelding El Vencedor in the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie, extending her elite-level runner-up sequence to four. Despite going down for the fourth straight time on Saturday, La Crique’s conditioners were proud of her efforts, particularly the tenacity she showed in the closing stages after being the aggressor throughout the contest. “It is always good to see when two good horses are fighting it out like that for the majority of the straight, it made quite the spectacle for everyone,” Katrina Alexander said. “We just went down again, we need a bigger head. “He (El Vencedor) is obviously in a purple patch of form and full credit to his trainer (Stephen Marsh), they have done a super job at this time of year to keep him where he is at. “We were super happy with our mare, she made it a race, and that is what we intended going out to do. Michael (McNab, jockey) made a good decision during the running that we had to take it to them and see if she could hang on. Someone had to win, if it was a dead-heat that would have been the dream, but she has pulled up super well from it so that is the main thing. “Full credit to the track team at Ellerslie, they provided a track that horses seemed to come off in very good shape.” La Crique’s last three starts have been over 2000m, and Alexander is looking forward to trying her over further ground once more, with the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill on March 29 now firmly in the crosshairs. “We have kept her back to the 2000m for these races and that is probably been the hardest thing. I know in my gut that she wants to go further,” Alexander said. “You train them for the distance they are going to run and that (2000m) is now not necessarily her friend. If Saturday was a bit further, I think we would have had it over him (El Vencedor), but that is what we lined-up for. “I want to see her go further, and the owners are keen to too. It has always been a goal of theirs to get some form of black-type in Australia, at whatever level, just to boost that breeding pedigree as we get closer to that time of her life. “We have earmarked the Tancred in Sydney for her at the end of the month and have a crack at getting her up over 2400m while she is well and performing well. That will be our plan at this stage.” The Tancred will be La Crique’s third Australian campaign, having previously finished fourth in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in 2022, and won the A$500,000 National Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm last June. The Tancred’s 2400m will also be the second time La Crique been tested over that distance, having previously finished runner-up to Asterix in the 2022 edition of the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). In an injury-plagued career, La Crique has now won nine of her 26 starts, including the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) and Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m), has placed on 13 occasions, including eight at Group One level, and has accrued nearly $2 million in prizemoney. View the full article

Todd and Angie Lewis' Westbrook Stables bred California Burrito and Baby Max, who finished 1-2 in the Battaglia Stakes at Turfway Park, earning 20 and 10 points respectively on the Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1). View the full article

After a stakes treble at Randwick, Godolphin's day March 8 would get even better as it hit a crescendo at Flemington via the James Cummings-trained homebred Tom Kitten, who produced a stellar performance to take the AU$2.5 million All-Star Mile (G1).View the full article

Also working for Baffert were Nysos and Fort Bragg. Unbeaten Nysos, who hasn't started since February 2024 when winning the Robert B. Lewis (G3), drilled five furlongs in 1:00. It was the sixth work since Jan. 30 for the 4-year-old Nyquist colt.View the full article

Trainer Lonnie Briley said whether Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Coal Battle makes another start before the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1) or not is being left up to the colt.View the full article

9th-Gulfstream, $77,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 3-9, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.59, ft, 7 1/2 lengths. PRAETOR (c, 3, Into Mischief–Curlin's Approval {MGSW, $654,725}, by Curlin) ran a well-beaten third on debut in the mud at the Spa last August, but he was able to graduate by a neck over the highly-regarded GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth hero Sovereignty (Into Mischief) at the Big A Sept. 27. Given time after a minor injury, the bay returned to work at Chad Brown's Payson base in late January. Slammed at the windows for his 3-year-old unveiling to the tune of 40 cents on the dollar and with first-time Lasix here, Praetor dueled with Bear Claw Necklace (Lord Nelson) out of the chute before assuming a tracking spot to the outside of leader up the backstretch. The favorite snagged the top spot around the far turn and by the top of the lane the chariot was on fire. With Tyler Gaffalione in the irons as he was with the colt's dam, Praetor ran up the score by 7 1/2 lengths to the good over Kinetic Control (Not This Time). “He showed a lot of class as a 2-year-old, and I know Chad [Brown] wanted to continue to race him, but he had a little issue and stopped on him,” said co-owner Phil Hatfield, who operates CHP Racing with his wife Christine. “He got him back going and hopefully he's got enough time to make it to the first weekend in May. It's going to be tight. He beat Sovereignty last year, so it's going to be fun. It'll be interesting to see where he goes. It'll be up to Chad.” Praetor has an older full-sister named Charlottesapproval who was purchased by Live Oak Plantation for $1 million during the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and sent to trainer Mark Casse. Curlin's Approval–herself based at Gulfstream from 2016-2018 with owner/trainer Happy Alter who bred Praetor with Bridlewood Farm–foaled the winner a full-brother last year. She was sent to Justify for this season. Sales History: $725,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $107,700. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-William H. Lawrence, CHP Racing and Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck); B-Bridlewood Farm & Alter's Racing Stables, Inc. (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. #4 PRAETOR ($2.80) shows off winning Race 9 at @GulfstreamPark with @Tyler_Gaff in the saddle for trainer Chad Brown. This 3yo colt by @SpendthriftFarm's Into Mischief is owned by William Lawrence, CHP Racing and @Gainesway Stable. pic.twitter.com/4lCXoB9nBZ — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) March 9, 2025 The post Bread! Praetor Crosses The Optional Claiming Rubicon As Gulfstream Colosseum Roars appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The excitement building in Virginia around the first-ever spring meet at Colonial Downs will come to a head March 15 as the $500,000 Virginia Derby makes its debut on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.View the full article

Trainer Lonnie Briley said whether Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Coal Battle makes another start before the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1) or not is being left "up to him."View the full article

In 1976, 23-year-old Trevor Denman took a vacation from his race calling gigs at three tracks in Natal, South Africa, to venture to the United States to see what racing in a different part of the world was like. Because it was January, he left in the middle of a long, hot summer at home, packing only lightweight clothing and traveling in a dapper Palm Beach suit. His wardrobe choices left him ill-prepared for the first several stops on his cross-country tour of America, which happened to be the winter meets at Aqueduct and Latonia (the former name of Turfway), plus breeding farms in Kentucky. “I couldn't believe the temperature,” Denman told Bill Anzer of the Cincinnati Inquirer in what was very likely his first interview in an American newspaper. “Racing in snow is downright chattering. I've never seen a horse race at night, and that was quite surprising, too.” Denman also admitted he had never witnessed a race on dirt (“sand” as he called it). And he was taken aback by seeing betting odds displayed on the tote boards of tracks in the United States, as opposed to the more genteel, all-grass meets in South Africa, which back then showed only the total amount of money bet to win on each horse. If you wanted to know the odds, you learned to compute them yourself. Of Aqueduct, Denman said, “It's a tremendously big track. I found the announcers to be very professional, accurate. However, I also found that American racing is strictly business, not sport.” Later on his itinerary, Denman would visit Santa Anita, where he would find both the climate and the Thoroughbred pageantry more to his liking. He was invited to the racing office, where he immersed himself in learning about how the game was conducted at Southern California's premier track. This was a kid, after all, who had become fascinated with racing from his first visit to a South African track at age six. By 10 he had set his sights on attending South Africa's jockey academy, and as a teenager began exercising horses during morning training as he prepared his application. But the school turned him down because officials believed he would outgrow that vocation. “At that age I thought the next best thing to do in racing would be to become a commentator, or announcer,” Denman would later explain. He went to a friend's flat, which had a view of the racetrack, but was a quarter mile away from the action. Denman called countless races into a tape recorder to practice, and in his own words, started “pestering” track officials for a job. When he was named an assistant announcer at age 18, the move to a proper booth directly above trackside seemed like a piece of cake compared to his far-away perch at the apartment. But Denman's career appetite hungered for a different flavor of cake. By the time the 1980s rolled around, he had a decade of experience and already paid his own way back to the U.S. on several occasions to call races that featured international jockeys at Aqueduct and Bay Meadows. On one such trip in to San Francisco in January 1983, he remembered the friendly reception he had received on his visit to Santa Anita seven years earlier, so he built in a side trip to “The Great RIP” to see if executives there remembered him. They certainly did, and this time Denman was invited to call the last race on a rainy Thursday afternoon. Santa Anita management liked the performance enough that he was given the opportunity for an encore call the next day, too. Night racing at Hollywood Park in 2013 | Horsephotos By the time Denman returned home to South Africa, there was a letter waiting for him. Santa Anita wanted to know if he would come back in October to call the Oak Tree meet, because Alan Buchdahl was giving up the gig to call both Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds at Hollywood Park. The offer included a job as Dave Johnson's assistant during Santa Anita's longer winter/spring season. Denman accepted and never looked back. In the pre-simulcasting era, American announcers called races for on-track audiences, and their calls were generally straightforward recitations of the running order with little elaboration. At some tracks race callers were even forbidden by management to call tight photos (lest the public throw away tickets in the event of a miscall), and at others they were not allowed to use the word “last” when describing the trailing horse, in the belief that saying so over the public-address system would be embarrassing to the slow horse's owner. But Denman's style was far more descriptive, and although not all ears were initially attuned to his calls, Andrew Beyer of the Washington Post took notice. Within two weeks of Denman's starting, one of the most respected turf writers in the country penned a profile of the South African announcer that heralded Denman as doing something that was breaking new ground in announcing, even elevating it to an art form. “Because most Americans have never heard a race called in any other way, the fans at Santa Anita were shocked when the track's fall season opened two weeks ago and they heard a smooth, British-accented voice calling the races like this: 'With a quarter mile to run, Pillager is coming forcefully on the grandstand side and puts his head in front! Full Choke is fighting back gamely, but Pillager has got his measure and he's drawing away in the final hundred.' “This was the voice of Trevor Denman, and after he had been on the job for only a few days, Santa Anita fans were already swapping stories of his more memorable calls,” Beyer wrote. “A race caller who tries to interpret what is happening on the track may be a novelty to most Americans, but the style is common in other countries and is second nature to the 31-year-old Denman.” Denman would effortlessly pick up far-turn moves long before they appeared evident. He would employ colorful language to describe not only long-shot upsets in the making, but favorites who weren't getting the job done. He incorporated previously unheard-of comments regarding the body language of jockeys, and would point out how horses were traveling based on the positioning of their ears. “I believe my ace card is that I understand racing,” Denman told Beyer 42 years ago. “If a horse is in tenth place but he's running well, I say that the jockey has got a good hold on him. If a horse is in front but he's laboring, I may know that he's finished. So I say it. I owe it to people to pass on what I know.” By the end of that 1983 Oak Tree meet, the Los Angeles Times was already chronicling lists of what its turf journalists called “Denmanisms.” Decades later, generations of racegoers now know those unique and original phrasings as the one-of-a-kind announcer's “greatest hits” soundtrack. From his understated “And away they go!” start call to horses “scraping the paint” with an inside run at the fence, fans were treated to Denman creating a verbal picture on a stream-of-consciousness aural canvas that stretched only a minute or two. Rivals far behind a runaway leader “would need to sprout wings to catch” those big-margin winners, and when frontrunners appeared especially strong, Denman let bettors know it was as if those horses had “just jumped in at the quarter pole.” When deep closers zeroed in with a visually impressive late-race kick they were “coming like an express train,” which might lead to a directive from Denman for bettors to “go to the windows and queue up to collect” on such sure things. In that 1983 profile, Beyer even got Denman to explain the origin of what would later come to be one of his most famous phrases, the “moving like a winner” articulation that often featured Denman drawing out the word “mooooving,” accentuating it to underscore how smoothly a horse was accelerating. Denman traced that turn of phrase to the Durban July Handicap, South Africa's highest-profile race. In the 1978 edition of that Group I stakes, a fan favorite named Politician was running sixth in a field of 18 with three furlongs to go. Denman could sense the horse was just starting to unwind with plenty left in the tank, so he punctuated his call by telling the crowd, “Politician is moving like a winner!” Trevor Denman (standing), Mike Smith (left), Gary Stevens (right) | Benoit As Beyer put it, “As soon as the words had escaped his lips, he wondered why he had done something so audacious.” But when Politician did, indeed, rally to win, Denman told Beyer, “That really put me on the map.” Even with the initial favorable press, Santa Anita didn't really know what the public's long-term reaction would be to the novelty of a South African voice. The track's assistant general manager at the time, Alan Balch, estimated to Beyer that “the reaction is 80% favorable.” But, Balch added, making a prediction that would turn out to be prophetic, “Before he's finished, Trevor is going to have a big impact on the whole style of American race-calling.” Denman's magnetic persona–both on and off the microphone–soon allowed him to build up an impressive résumé of announcing gigs. Within 10 months he was calling the races at Del Mar, and he later branched out to Golden Gate Fields and Maryland. By the 1990s Denman was the primary voice at every stop on the SoCal circuit, including Hollywood and the Fairplex fair. But his passion for the sport extended beyond “hollering horses.” After building up enough gravitas with a decade of American race calling and national TV commentary, Denman decided to start speaking up about issues in the industry that had bothered him for quite some time. In June of 1993, Denman told Bill Finley, who now writes for TDN but at the time was covering racing for the New York Daily News, that the American version of the sport was too cruel with regard to the overuse of the whip and that there was lax veterinary oversight about running sore horses. “If we do everything possible to protect the horses, it's ethically correct,” Denman told Finley. “But we're not, and that's where this sport falls down.” Denman's outspoken opinions got picked up by numerous other media outlets, and he repeated and elaborated upon his criticisms in the months that followed. In what is now generally perceived as a less-enlightened era for our game, Denman's words both stung and carried clout. The controversy followed Denman to Remington Park in February 1994, where he had been invited to call races as part of a “Racing's Greatest Voices” promotion featuring guest announcers. In a profile by Jerry Shottenkirk of the Daily Oklahoman 1994, Denman put it on record that even though did not want himself to be considered “an animal rights activist,” reform needed to happen. “Let me tell you something right now–animal 'rights' is just a dirty word,” Denman said 31 years ago. “It's been so twisted out of all proportion that the moment you put the word 'rights' in there, you become a fanatic. They say, 'Oh, we can't listen to him, he's a fanatic.' “I'd rather say that I'm just compassionate towards animals,” Denman asserted. “When I first came here, I couldn't believe it. But there was nothing I could do. So I waited until I was secure enough that I felt I could make a statement.” The controversy eventually died down to the point where it is now largely forgotten today. Yet Denman's speaking up did, in fact, after bring about mid-1990s rule modifications in California about jockeys not being allowed to hit horses that weren't responding to whipping. His opinions also factored into that state's attempts some 30 years ago to change the structure of whips from being “medieval” (Denman's word) to forerunners of today's more cushioned and humane foam-based crops that have since become the standard in America. Denman continued to epitomize SoCal racing into the 21st Century, and he went on to become the voice of the Breeders' Cup from 2006 through 2011. But as the decades wore on he gradually cut back his day-to-day recalling duties to the point where the Del Mar summer meet was his lone remaining mainstay. When he announced his retirement from Del Mar last Thursday at age 72, the move was not exactly a surprise. You could even backfit an argument that Denman knew in September that his final call would be his last. He emphasized the last stretch run he called at Del Mar by intoning that the mare in front was “mooooving like a winner.” Over the weekend tributes have poured in about Denman's legacy and his influence on subsequent generations of race callers. And of course, many of those articles recited his litany of “greatest hits.” But Denman's appeal and success extended far beyond those favorite stock phrases. None of them really would have worked on their own if he hadn't crafted an overall style that was layered with charisma and a deep respect for the sport. Denman's tone was distinctive yet chatty; his South African accent exotic yet approachable, lending an air of importance to even mundane tasks like reciting program changes or alerting the public to stewards' inquiries. Over 42 years in America, Denman worked hard to establish himself as a master of cadence and inflection, building in-race narratives that, as per one of his own favorite descriptors, simply “exuded class.” The post Week in Review: Elevating Race Calling to an Art Form, Denman’s Contributions Extend Beyond Famous Phrases appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

I have been personally committed to fighting the decoupling legislation that is under consideration in Florida and wanted to update you on this effort. My goal and hope have been to ensure that our voices–as horse owners, horse breeders, horse trainers and horse lovers–are truly heard throughout Tallahassee this legislative session. The main mission is to unite and strengthen all the different groups–new and old–across the Thoroughbred industry supporting Florida racing and breeding. While we seek to defeat the decoupling bills, we must protect the industry and its significant impact on Florida's agricultural community. The Thoroughbred industry provides over 34.000 jobs and makes up over $3.5 billion dollars in Florida's economy. And this is not just a Florida issue. The domino effect will impact racing in every jurisdiction nationwide. We should all be seeking to keep these jobs and this money in Florida! I personally engaged in the services of the Gray Robinson P.A, in the hopes that their amazing team of attorneys and government advisors will represent OUR interests in Tallahassee. Gray Robinson's team is also working together with other lobbyists and advisors hired by different organizations within the sport. I cannot begin to tell you how impressed I've been with the wonderful team at Gray Robinson working with me – for all of us. The team includes: Dean Cannon. President and Chief Executive Director of Gray Robinson firm, former member of the Florida House of Representatives. George T. Levesque. Former general counsel to the Florida House of Representatives, former general counsel of the Florida Senate. Larry Cretul. Marion County Commissioner, Florida House of Representatives, former Speaker of the House. Jason L. Unger. Former Special Counsel to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Joseph R. Salzverg. Seasoned lobbyist with over a decade of experience in Florida's political arenas. We are opposing this legislation from multiple perspectives to ensure our story is heard and the Florida legislators know the complex history of the topic and the importance of Thoroughbred racing and breeding to the State of Florida. This job is not easy, and politics can be complicated. Regardless, horsewomen and horsemen must seek continual improvements now and in the future. We must be strong; we must be united, and we must improve. We have a moral obligation for the young generation of horsewoman and horseman that have love and passion for the sport, we cannot allow DECOUPLING to extinguish the spirit and soul of those young people while crushing a valuable industry that has supported Florida for over a century. Thanks for all your encouragement and support and do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions and ideas. I am asking everyone to participate and assist in this effort. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions. CarloVaccarezza@Gmail.com or (561) 714-6019. Sincerely, Carlo E. Vaccarezza The post Letter to the Editor: Update on Decoupling appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The reigning Horse of the Year 'TDN Rising Star' MGISW Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) has emerged from her tour de force in Saturday's GII Azeri Stakes, and is on track for an anticipated start in the GI Apple Blossom Apr. 12 at Oaklawn Park. Having emerged from her seasonal bow in said local prep for the Grade I marquee race for older fillies and mares, she will return to Fair Grounds early this week where trainer Kenny McPeek said she will train this month and 'maybe' into April before returning to Oaklawn for the Apple Blossom. “She came out of it perfect–absolutely perfect. She'll leave Monday or Tuesday,” reported Ray Bryner, who oversees McPeek's Oaklawn division. McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. both said they were impressed with how Thorpedo Anna handled herself before the race, include the delay at the starting gate. The only other time she had ever broken from the rail was the 2024 GI Travers Stakes, where she lost by a diminishing head after “brushing with the near-side stall”, according to the official race chart. “I think the biggest thing is, we were worried about how she left the gate,” McPeek said. “She left it clean. We've done some extra gate schooling. I think the most impressive thing is that she seems so much more composed the older she's gotten.” “If you recall last year, she was kind of nervous in the post parade, a little washy, got wet. She seems to have left that behind and I think that's a good thing, right, although it was much cooler [on Saturday]. But any time a horse gets washed out, too nervous, then you concern yourself. But she doesn't seem to be doing it anymore.” “She's an amazing filly,” Hernandez said after contributing his own praise to the newest dimension the Horse of the Year offered. Coal Battle's Plans Remain Pending Fan-favorite GSW Coal Battle (Coal Front) is under consideration for the $1.5-million GI Arkansas Derby Mar. 29 as well as the $1.25-million GI Blue Grass Stakes Apr. 5, but the plans remaining pending, his trainer Lonnie Briley said Sunday morning. “I'm going to leave it up to him,” Briley said. “If he's ready to run, we'll probably run here [at Oaklawn]. If he's not, I'll wait for the Derby. I mean, they've got some tough horses out there right now, making all these preps and stuff.” Coal Battle has secured his spot with a victory Feb. 23 in the GII Rebel Stakes and the Listed Smarty Jones Stakes, and currently sits atop the Derby leaderboard with 70 points. The post Thorpedo Anna in Good Order, On Track for Apple Blossom Showcase appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna emerged in good order from her victory in the $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park March 8 and is scheduled to return to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots early this week.View the full article

Trainer Tom Morley reports that 'TDN Rising Star' SW & GISP Donegal Momentum (Uncle Mo) has exited his Mar. 6 seasonal bow at Fair Grounds in good form and that the connections have started mapping out a potential path through his 2025 campaign. Listing off plans which include a start in Keeneland's GI Maker's Mark Mile, the GIII Poker Stakes at the Spa, and the GI Fourstardave Stakes over the summer, Morely says it is not out of the wheelhouse that his charge might be running in a seven-furlong graded stakes in New York on the dirt. “I think his ceiling is a mile and a sixteenth. I think he gets a mile well on grass,” Morley said. “However, there's a very real possibility that at some point he will run in a seven-furlong graded stakes in New York on the dirt. He's got a lovely pedigree and if he was to go to stud, a graded win on the dirt would be a big play on his resume. It's something Jerry [Crawford] and I have discussed multiple times.” Since his debut in May last year on the main track, one which earned him the stamp of approval from the TDN, Donegal Momentum steadily improved until he eventually found himself in the winners' enclosure at the Belmont Big A meet by route of the Listed Gio Ponti Stakes in early October. He'd won for the first time on the grass the race prior in August when he defeated an allowance optional claiming field at Saratoga. The Uncle Mo colt gave a good showing against elite company in the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar in late November, which ended up his last race before going on his layoff. “We had a go at seeing if he would get nine furlongs and went to California to do that as we felt that the ground might have gone against him in New York,” Morley said. “[The winner] Formidable Man came back to win the [GI Frank E.] Kilroe at the weekend and Mike McCarthy said to me before the Derby that, 'I'm only scared of your horse really. I think this is the best turf horse I've had in my barn.' That was an indication that we were running in what was an above average Hollywood Derby, in my opinion.” Morley says Donegal Momentum will return to New York to train towards the aforementioned Maker's Mark Mile Apr. 11 at Keeneland. The post ‘Rising Star’ Donegal Momentum Exits Return Well, Points to Maker’s Mark Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With a combined 273 workouts on the main and training track Sunday morning at Santa Anita, the noteworthy moves came from some of the biggest runners, namely 'TDN Rising Star' GSW & GISP Getaway Car (Curlin), GISW Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief), and 'TDN Rising Star' MGSW Nysos (Nyquist). Entered in Saturday's GIII Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs, Getaway Car worked three furlongs in :36.60 for Bob Baffert, and was the 13th fastest of 17 at the distance. His stablemates Nysos and GSW Fort Bragg (Tapit) also took to the main track, both working five furlongs. The former drilled in 1-minute flat and was ranked eighth of 86 that morning. Nysos has not started since February 2024, and this move was his sixth work since Jan. 30. The latter came in at 1:00.40 (19/86). Raging Torrent breezed six panels for his Sunday morning move in 1:12.20 for trainer Chief Stipe O'Neill. He is next slated for the GII Godolphin Mile Mar. 30 at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. His stablemate GISW Mixto (Good Magic) went five furlongs in :59.40 (2/86) as he prepares for an expected start in the G1 Dubai World Cup. The post Getaway Car, Raging Torrent, Nysos Headline ‘Massive’ Sunday Work Tab at Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kazushi Kimura is set to make his return and will begin riding horses during morning training toward the end of next week, Santa Anita revealed via press release Sunday afternoon. Sidelined for more than two months after suffering a lower leg injury in a starting gate incident back in mid-January, his agent Brian Beach said Kimura will begin getting on horses for morning works next week and will return for the new condition book that runs through the end of the Classic Meet Apr. 6. “He's a really hard worker and has been diligent in his physical therapy,” Beach said. “He's doing everything known to man trying to get back.” After Kimura's injury to his left ankle, Beach says doctors put two screws into it and that the jockey flew to Costa Rica last week for stem cell therapy. The injury was initially not expected to cost him much time, but persistent swelling and other issues led to a longer recovery. At the time of his injury, Kimura was third in earnings and fourth in wins among jockeys at the Classic meet. He was onboard for several graded victories including notably the GI La Brea Stakes aboard GISW Kopion (Omaha Beach) for trainer Richard Mandella. “It's been tough. He was riding a lot of good horses,” said Beach. The post Kazushi Kimura Set to Return March 21 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Driver Penalties J Darby | Waikato Bay of Plenty 4 March; use of whip; suspended 5 March – 4 April inclusive. N Balle | Waikato Bay of Plenty 4 March; use of whip; suspended 5-14 March inclusive. M Holbrough | Oamaru 5 March; shifted into passing lane in home straight; suspended 10-15 March inclusive. S Clarke | Westport 7 March; careless driving; suspended 10-19 March inclusive. P Nairn | Westport 7 March; use of whip; suspended 8-14 March inclusive. M Williamson | Northern Southland 8 March; use of whip; fined $250. K Tomlinson | Reefton 9 March; started from incorrect position; fined $400. Trainer Penalty B Negus | Westport 7 March; incorrect gear; fined $100. Horse Penalties SKEE PRINCESS | Waikato Bay of Plenty 4 March; high heart rate and slow recovery; veterinary clearance required. IDEAL CRUNCH | Waikato Bay of Plenty 4 March; swollen epiglottis; veterinary clearance required. WAVEWATCHER | Oamaru 5 March; high heart rate and slow recovery; veterinary clearance required. FRANCO HOFFMAN | Westport 7 March; atrial fibrillation; veterinary clearance including ECG required. AMALFI | Reefton 9 March; unsatisfactory performance; must complete trial. TITIAN FRANCO | Reefton 9 March; unsatisfactory performance; must complete trial. NIGHT LIFE | Reefton 9 March; broke in running; must complete trial. DESTINY DANCE | Reefton 9 March; broke at start; must complete standing start trial. Protests WHAT’S UP THE HILL | Auckland 7 March; incorrect gait home straight; disqualified from 4th. OPAWA PEAK | Westport 7 March; denied a fair start; declared a non-runner. The post 3-9 March 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Nicola Currie has put her encouraging run of form down to a three-month winter sabbatical but admitted to having almost called it a day after managing a meagre six winners from 126 rides last year. Since returning to the saddle in February, Currie has already partnered five winners from 26 rides and is operating at an impressive 19 per cent strike rate. It's a long way from the massive 81 winners the Scottish-born rider achieved in 2018 but the 31-year-old explained how the combination of stepping away from the sport she loves for three months during the winter and enlisting the help of a sports psychologist has provided her with a new lease of life. Speaking about how she went from 81 winners to just six in the space of six seasons, Currie said, “I rode out my claim pretty quickly and it was all going very well for me but then I got the Jamie Osborne job, which was brilliant at the time, but obviously Saffie [Osborne] started to get going and the job was no longer there for me as blood is thicker than water. “So I was back freelance again and I just couldn't get the ball rolling. I became really sour, wasn't riding out as much as I should have been, got quite heavy and I just needed to change something. This is not the kind of job where you get into the car to drive three hours for one ride if your heart isn't in it. Because already before you've even left, you don't want to go, and that's no frame of mind to be in. Every week that went by, I was hoping for a winner that might get me going but it just didn't happen. The reality was that I just wasn't putting in the work and I wasn't in the right frame of mind. I needed to step back from it all, which is what I did.” It can be hard to see the wood from the trees at times. Stepping off that hamster wheel and seeing things for what they are takes strength. For Currie, she was willing to give up what small contacts she had been left with in an effort to step away and look at things objectively. Her own family implored her to call it a day. For a long time, it seemed to be the most likely option but, on the advice of retired jockey Colm O'Donoghue, she spent some time riding out in Ireland for Donnacha O'Brien, where she is said to have reignited her spark to continue. “I needed to do something,” she recalls. “Taking the time out was the best thing I could have done and, actually, I probably should have done it a year sooner. I had to ask myself, 'did I really want to do this anymore?' I thought that I didn't and, for the first month off, I went back home to the Isle Of Arran and I didn't even watch a race. Within two months, I was watching racing every day. I got the bug back when I went riding out for Donnacha O'Brien for a month. It was good to have a change of scenery and I had a lot of fun whilst getting my fitness levels back up. I came back to England in February and I have had my head down ever since.” Followers of the all-weather will have noticed Currie to be plying her trade as well if not better than ever over the past few weeks. She has ridden winners for her old boss Osborne as well as Ollie Sangster and Andrew Balding, for whom she rides out regularly. Attaching herself to some of the bigger yards is the very opposite approach to what Currie took last year. And that, the jockey believes, was one of the rocks that she perished on. “It's funny, I spoke at length with my agent around this time last year and we both decided that the best thing to do for me was to ride out for as many smaller trainers as I could. But that didn't work. I just couldn't get any momentum going because I had no backing from anybody. I was just clutching at straws every day for spares.” She added, “Honestly, [a tally of six winners in the season] it was really disheartening. You can't make a living unless you're getting at least 10 rides a week and are riding winners. My family were actually pushing me to call it a day and, to be honest, that actually spurred me on further to say, 'no, no, I will get this ball rolling again.' “But I won't lie, I did come close to calling it a day. Ollie Sangster was very good to me last year so I do a couple of days with him now and I also ride out for Andrew Balding. I absolutely love this job. It's the greatest thing in the world when you are busy and I feel I am in a completely different place since I've come back.” That mindset was already tested last Wednesday when the debutant John T (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), the only horse that Currie had been declared to ride at Kempton, refused to enter the stalls. Such a wasted effort would have been a lot harder to brush off a year ago. But Curries says she is finding it a whole pile easier to take the rough with the smooth since her return. “When you have a few winners, you ride with confidence and your riding becomes so much better. What happened at Kempton the other night, that was quite a light weight for me to do and, when he wouldn't go into the stalls, it was a bummer. Had that been last year, it would have fried me for a few days. You deal with the bad days like that an awful lot better when you are riding winners and in a good frame of mind.” She added, “It's one thing I have been very conscious of, my mindset, and it's something I got some counselling on last year through the PJA. There are more bad days than good days in racing, we all know that, but I suppose I felt I was only having bad days and I wasn't coping with them well enough. Speaking with someone taught me the importance of keeping the right mentality as a sportsperson and it has really helped me a lot. “Not many people want to admit that they see a sports psychologist. Maybe they feel you've just got to be mentally tough enough and that's it. But the reality is that not everyone is and, if it helps me deal with the bad days and to further my career, I am happy to utilise it and I would encourage anybody else out there to do the same.” The post Nicola Currie Puts Hot Run Of Form Down To Winter Sabbatical appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article