Wandering Eyes

John Size saddles up Wunderbar and Stellar Express as he looks to claim Sha Tin’s Saturday feature, the Class One Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup (1,000m). The 12-time champion trainer, who heads into Saturday with a commanding nine-win lead over nearest rival David Hayes in this season’s premiership, will be chiefly relying on his winning machine Wunderbar to extend his buffer. The Rich Enuff galloper won four of his five starts as a three-year-old and kicked off this campaign with a pair of...View the full article

Simon and Katrina Alexander could be in for a healthy payday when they head to Ruakaka on Saturday with a couple of leading chances in the ITM/GIB Northern Winter Championship Finals. The husband-and-wife training duo have two warm favourites in Major Major and Acapelago, who will both be vying to secure the $60,000 purse on offer in their respective finals. Seven-year-old Pins gelding Major Major has won two of his last three starts and will meet a similar line-up in Saturday’s ITM/GIB Whangarei Gold Cup Stayers’ Final (2100m), for which he is currently a $2.60 favourite. “I am very pleased with the way this part of his preparation has tracked to date, he has delivered each time,” Katrina Alexander said. “I can’t fault the way he has trained on between runs, nothing has changed for him, he has just kept up his momentum. “I think he has well and truly settled into that distance now fitness-wise and it should be very comfortable for him to get around over the 2100m again.” Major Major has drawn barrier 11 and Alexander said they will most likely push forward from that gate. “He has proven now as he goes along that he is a lot more tractable than what he used to be, so having to go hard and get a lead, I think that will still potentially be our focus and get him into his rhythm where he is comfortable,” Alexander said. “Kelly (Myers, jockey) knows him well enough now to know what she can and can’t do with him. We will just have to see how the track plays throughout the day as to what our game plan may be closer to the race. I don’t think it will bother him too much, let’s just hope he doesn’t get stuck wide for too long.” Saturday’s run will likely be Major Major’s season swansong, with Alexander looking ahead to the spring with her charge. “If we can match a likewise performance as last time, I will be absolutely rapt and he can go out off the back of that for a little breather,” she said. “Then we can plan what the spring may look like for him.” The Alexanders also have a leading hope in the ITM/GIB 3YO Winter Championship Final (1600m) in the form of Acapelago. The three-year-old filly has been a model of consistency this preparation, winning one and placing in three of her four starts this time in. She will jump from barrier three on Saturday, with jockey Kelly Myers donning the silks of owner-breeder Haunui Farm. Alexander is confident of a bold showing, which is matched by TAB bookmakers, who currently have her sitting atop of the market as a $2.50 favourite. “She is a filly that just tries so hard,” Alexander said. “I am really keen to get her to this mile distance, I think it is probably where she is better suited going forward. “As she gets older and matures a bit more, I think it will be more likely the case than staying at the lower distances for too much longer. It’s just the fact that there have been the three-year-old races on offer that we have maintained her down a little bit further. “Her work suggests that she is ready to go up in distance now. It will be very interesting to see how she deals with that little bit of extra distance, but I think it will be within her range quite comfortably.” Acapelago will be joined in Saturday’s contest by stablemate Vadanova, who will jump from barrier two, with apprentice jockey Elen Nicholas aboard. “She really does prefer wider draws,” Alexander said. “I think that she has shown to me a few times now that when she gets shut down on the rail, like she did last time at Matamata, that she is not 100 percent comfortable there, she likes room to see where she is. “It is a shame Elen has to jump on her for the first time in that situation, but we will have a chat about that beforehand. It is a small field, so if she has to manoeuvre her a little bit, there are not a lot of horses that she has to deal with. “She may jump away nicely, she can do that, but I am more so wary of pushing her out of her comfort zone. She may not take advantage of that inside draw, but we will see how the racing plays out.” Alexander is looking forward to racing for the prizemoney on offer this weekend and said the Winter Championship Series is a great initiative over the colder months. “It is nice to have those stakes up for grabs in the winter,” she said. “Our winter horses are just as important. Just because they race on the wet doesn’t mean they are any lesser animal, it is just what they need to be comfortable. It’s great to have this series and having that sort of money up for grabs.” View the full article

Champion jumps jockey Shaun Fannin has tasted success in the Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (4900m) on two occasions, and on Saturday he will attempt to claim his first title as a trainer. The Awapuni horseman will ride his rising stable star Jesko, who is making waves in the jumping scene, having won a hurdle race before transitioning to the bigger fences where he has accrued a faultless record, winning both of his steeplechase starts, including the Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m) at Trentham earlier this month. He will return to the Upper Hutt venue this weekend where he will face his stiffest test to date against former New Zealand Champion Jumper The Cossack, and befitting the match-up, the race will be called by renowned race caller Matt Hill. Fannin, who trains in partnership with his wife Hazel, has been pleased with Jesko’s progression since his last start triumph, and he is looking forward to tackling the infamous figure-eight circuit this weekend. “He had an exhibition gallop at Otaki last Friday and he went well there, so he is tracking pretty well,” he said. “He has performed quite well on the way through, and it is another step up again to face a horse like The Cossack who has got such a wonderful record. “It is another test for him on Saturday, but he seems to be going the right way and we are pretty hopeful he will run just as well.” Jesko is a sentimental favourite of Fannin’s, who bought him off Gavelhouse a few years ago as a foundation member of his burgeoning stable. “I saw him on Gavelhouse in November 2021. He was there as an unraced four-year-old and they said he was quite tough and one that they couldn’t do a whole lot with,” Fannin said. “He looked like he had a bit of size to him in the photos so I thought he might be a good one to start off with. He was the first horse that I bought, and I thought I could get him going and maybe tip him off as a jumper, but that hasn’t eventuated.” While he hasn’t sold Jesko as first planned, he has introduced several parties to the ownership group, the most recent being the Frac Club, with Fannin now sporting their gold colours aboard Jesko. “I have had him since I started training and I have brought in a few different owners, and Hazel has joined the partnership,” Fannin said. “He is quite a special horse to us all.” While he has partnered a number of top jumpers, Fannin said it is special to train one himself. “It is quite exciting,” he said. “Everything that I have learned through my career I have been able to put that to use, and to see it come off is quite rewarding.” All going to plan after Saturday, Fannin has his eyes on the $200,000 Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge 150th Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) at Riccarton in August, a race he has won the last three editions of aboard reigning New Zealand Jumper of the Year West Coast. “As long as he goes well and pulls up well, we will have to have a look at the Grand National with him,” Fannin said. “It is worth very good prizemoney down there.” Fannin said it will be a bittersweet moment when he eventually meets West Coast with Jesko, but he is looking forward to the challenge of attempting to usurp his previous charge. “It would be very special,” Fannin said. “He (West Coast) has won the last three of them (Grand Nationals) and it is where he goes best, so it will be a good clash. I am hopeful that we can give West Coast a good race.” The Mark Oulaghan-trained West Coast will continue his path towards defending his crown in the Riccarton feature when he appears on the Trentham undercard in the Wellington Lunch Club Supporting Racing At Trentham 2200, where he will be ridden by amateur jockey Tylah Mercer. View the full article

Zeefa Zed’s record hasn’t always emulated his talent, and John Wheeler is hoping the gelding can put his true ability on display in Saturday’s Norm Bevan Memorial Maiden Steeplechase (4000m). A 10-year-old by Zed, Zeefa Zed has won seven races including one over the hurdles last season, but hasn’t kicked off this term how Wheeler would have anticipated, losing the rider at Te Rapa on two separate occasions. “He’s a bit of an arrogant horse, but also he’s a pretty good horse that hasn’t had a lot of luck,” he said. “His last start, he jumped the jump itself well, but he slipped on landing as it’s pretty slippery down the back there at Te Rapa, and the rider fell off. The start before that, it was basically a rider error, so I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t get around on Saturday. “If he does, he’s a winning chance.” The race will be Zeefa Zed’s debut around Trentham’s unique figure-eight circuit, with Emily Farr back in the saddle on this occasion. “I think every horse likes the figure-eight, it’s more like a steeplechase with the open country,” he said. “It’s really interesting, it would be disappointing if we ever lost it.” Wheeler’s familiar colours will also feature over the smaller fences, with the consistent Sir Maverick chasing a maiden success in the Autotech Doors Maiden Hurdle (2500m). “He’s only four and he’s got a fair bit in front of him,” Wheeler said. “He’s a gifted jumper, he may not have the biggest ticker in the world, but I think as he matures, he’ll get a lot tougher. “I’ve been pretty happy with his runs, he’s come through the last one terrific and he looks fantastic.” On the flat, impressive last-start winner Keen On Bubbles will relish the heavy track conditions, but Wheeler holds concerns around her 66.5kg impost in the Wellington Lunch Club Supporting Racing At Trentham (2200m). “I’m a little bit worried about having an amateur on, with the weight they have to carry,” he said. “She’s not a very big mare, so that’s a negative. “But she won super the other day and she’s going very well at the moment. It’s just her stature that will be a disadvantage this time.” Completing his representatives will be Jetalal, who he is hoping for an improved performance from when she contests the Sport Of Kings Upper Hutt Cossie (1600m). “I’ve been disappointed in her, I thought she was going to be a reasonable horse, so I’ll be disappointed if she doesn’t go well on Saturday,” he said. “She’s a big, grouse mare and takes a bit to get fit, so hopefully, fingers crossed we can get a result.” View the full article

Tony Pike found it difficult to split his juvenile charges the last time they took each other on and it’s the same story at Ruakaka. The Cambridge trainer has form runners Boombox and Ashoka in Saturday’s ITM/GIB 2YO Championship (1200m), in what will be a rematch of their Ellerslie meeting earlier this month. On that occasion, it was the former who held bragging rights, but it wouldn’t come as any surprise to Pike if Ashoka was able to reverse that result. “He was good at Ellerslie, he just kept drifting out to the middle of the track,” he said. “There’s obviously natural improvement off a debut run and he has drawn well again with the ace and a very similar trip, so he could easily turn the tables.” Ashoka is a son of this season’s champion freshman sire in waiting Hello Youmzain and was bred by Pike’s parents Wayne and Vicki and sold to Hong Kong clients after trialling. His dam Lismore Diamond is a winning daughter of the late Darci Brahma mare Waterford, who Pike trained with Mark Donoghue to win the Listed Counties Bowl (1100m) and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1200m) and Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). Spirit Of Boom youngster Boombox finished fifth in his summer debut before a break and returned to triumph last time out. “He’s trained on very well and will plant himself up on speed again, so they are both going to be two very nice chances for us,” Pike said. “I haven’t had to do a lot with them and was more than happy with the way they worked on Tuesday.” Purchased out of breeder Berkley Stud’s Karaka draft for $50,000, Boombox will be ridden by Triston Moodley again while Jasmine Fawcett retains the mount on Ashoka. “It’s one of the last two-year-old races worth a bit of money ($60,000) and they will definitely head out for a bit of a break after Saturday,” Pike said. He is also bullish about the chances of Turn Me Loose’s son Roederer in the ITM/GIB Whangarei Gold Cup Stayers’ Final (2100m). He has placed at his last two appearances and is another good ride for the in-form Moodley. “I thought he could go close, he’s going really well and improved off his Ellerslie run where he probably covered a bit too much ground on the corner,” Pike said. “All the others are genuine each-way chances with the right runs.” They are Starlit Express (Ruakaka Your Best Bet In Winter, 1200m), Delz Abeel (Northland Business Systems Maiden, 1600m) and Urlar (ITM/GIB Progressive Championship Final (1600m). View the full article

Race 6 MANNING INVESTMENTS 1550m STAREESE (L Satherley) – Co-Trainer Ms. R Rogers advised Stewards, the stable was satisfied with the post-race condition of the gelding, however, STAREESE has been sent for a freshen up. Race 7 THE OAKS STUD 1550m PAX MUNDI (Y Okubo) – Trainer Mr. T Pike reported to Stewards, he was satisfied with the post-race condition of PAX MUNDI, and it is the intention to continue her preparation. The post Waikato Thoroughbred Racing @ Cambridge Synthetic, Wednesday 18 June 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

The Alberta Division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) has launched a $60,000 incentive program which is designed to reward owners of 2-year-old Alberta-breds who graduated from the 2024 yearling sale and make their first start during the current season, the group said in a press release late on Thursday. Beginning Friday, June 27, the program offers a $1,500 payout, which will be processed and issued monthly as horses qualify. The incentive might be limited to the first 40 starters according to the release. “This program is about rewarding owners who invest in Alberta-breds presented for sale at the CTHS sale and get them racing early,” said Breed Improvement Chair of CTHS Alberta Dave Lovile. “By issuing monthly payouts, we're putting money back in the hands of those who are moving the industry forward right now.” The post CTHS Launches Incentive Program For Alberta-Bred 2-Year-Old Runners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke, sanctioned for exceeding the maximum number of strikes from the crop in riding Soul of an Angel to victory in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) last fall at Del Mar, has been issued reduced penalties.View the full article

Miguel Clement, the 34-year-old son of the late Christophe Clement, is sure to win many major races during his career, but the one he will surely never forget was when Deterministic (Liam's Map) took the GI Manhattan Stakes June 8. The win came just 13 days after his father passed away from cancer. But for this one race and one moment in time it was as if nothing had changed. Christophe Clement collected three Manhattans over the course of his career and Miguel almost pulled off a one-two finish as his stable's Far Bridge (English Channel) was third. “My father would have been very proud, Clement said. “He loves this race, the Manhattan, and he's won it three times in the past. The Manhattan is a great race because is brings together some of the best turf stayers and some of the best turf milers. Anything that is a Grade I in New York is a big deal.” The last month-and-a-half had to be a challenging one for the younger Clement. He had to largely run the stable all by himself, while he was dealing with his father's illness. The Clements tried to get licensed as co-trainers, which is allowed in Europe (e.g. John and Thady Gosden), but weren't permitted to do so in the U.S. “How did I get through it? Plenty of work and a strong support group,” he said. “As hard as you have to work as a trainer, that's probably not healthy, but during a difficult time like this I think it is a blessing. The outreach from everybody was overwhelming in a positive manner, but it was also tough because his passing was very much a public affair. Most people are able to take some personal time to grieve after losing a family member. In this profession, there's no time for that.” The Clement stable has been a major force stateside–particularly on the turf–since Christophe emigrated to the U.S. from France in 1991. The elder Clement, who was 59 when he passed away, knew he wanted his son to be a major part of the team and eventually take over. But he thought it was important for Miguel to learn not only from him, but from some of the best horsemen in the world. After he graduated from college, Miguel entered the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program and he then apprenticed with several European trainers. Deterministic (inside) wins the Manhattan at the Spa, with Far Bridge (center) in third | Sarah Andrew Once Miguel returned to the U.S. and went to work with his father, it was a joint production with Christophe being the boss. However, the father was always open to hearing ideas from his son. “He was very open-minded,” Miguel said. “He liked to be challenged. He might not agree with you, but he was always open-minded and ready to adapt. You have to adapt to be able to survive in this industry. It's very competitive. Many top horsemen don't win as much as they used to. It's not that they forgot how to train a horse, it's that they didn't adapt to the times. Training regimens, managing owners, dealing with bloodstock advisors, forces you to always adapt. “Have there been times when I felt lost or had a moment where I thought I needed my dad?” he said. “Well, whatever questions I had, I probably already asked him 700 times over the span of the last 10 to 15 years.” There has been at least one major change since his father's passing. Miguel became responsible for the stable's bottom line. His father earned a career best $12,722,301 in 2024, but that didn't mean the stable was making a lot of money. “I'm actually cash flow negative,” Miguel said. “Welcome to working in an industry where there seems to be a negative cash flow at all times. You get 25 pieces of bad news hoping you get one piece that's good. That's what my dad and I were dealing with for many years. It was a constant stress. “You find ways to deal with it,” he said. “To be based in New York, financially, it's not the wisest thing to do. The labor costs are through the roof. Financially speaking, I would be much better off to have a string in Kentucky or New Jersey. But we'll accept the consequences and work here.” Clement is married to the racing television personality Acacia Clement. Dylan Davis with Clement after the trainer's first win | Tod Marks “I'm happily married and I'd like it to stay that way,” said Miguel. “If I told Acacia that we were going to move to Kentucky or New Jersey one day, I may not be as happily married as I thought.” Miguel said that one of his regrets is that his father won't be around to see this upcoming group of juveniles run. “He would have loved to see these 2-year-olds get to the races,” Miguel said. “He picked them out, he bought them. Some would have disappointed him. He'd say that they were not as strong and powerful as he had hoped, and they were not moving as great as he thought. “There's also the other side to that,” he said. “I have a $100,000 New York-bred yearling I like a lot. When he bought it, he was saying he's too big. I would agree, but he's turned out to be a phenomenal mover and really efficient. So, thank goodness we bought him.” With each day handling everything becomes easier. Miguel is 6-for-38 (16%) since taking over the stable and he picked up a second stakes win with Love Cervere (Into Mischief) in the Alywow Stakes at Woodbine last weekend. Of course, Saratoga is an important meet for the stable because so many grass races are carded there. “What I learned about myself as a human being, a boss and as a horseman, is that a tremendous amount comes from my dad,” Miguel said. “I'd much rather be doing this with him, but we were very aware that we might have to go on without him some day.” The post With Miguel Clement In Charge, The Stable Hasn’t Missed A Beat appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A record price for a store sold anywhere in Ireland this year, combined with a record number of 38 lots sold for €100,000 and above, were among the highlights at this year's Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, which concluded on Thursday. The sale topper was lot 338, the Walk In The Park gelding out of the smart racemare Posh Trish (Stowaway), who went the way of trainer Dan Skelton and Ryan Mahon for €285,000 to cap a successful sale for John Dwan's Ballyreddin Stud and Katie Rudd's Busherstown. On Wednesday, the partnership also consigned the top-priced two-year-old, the filly by Ectot (lot 216), who made €100,000 and was also bought by Skelton and Mahon. “He has incredible movement, he has good size, and has everything we want,” Skelton said of the Walk In The Park gelding. “He is a proper athlete, comes from a good hotel, he is out of a great mare and by the right sire. We thought he'd make €250,000, and then it was just a few arm wrestles after. He deserves to be a lot of money because he is a beauty–he is the most expensive store we have ever bought!” Later on Thursday, agent Tom Malone – buying with trainer Gavin Cromwell and on behalf of owner Owen Daley – went to €260,000 for lot 370, a filly by Tunis named Moscovite and sold by Moanmore Stables, who enjoyed a fine pinhook return having secured her last year for just €43,000. Overall, the sale also recorded its highest turnover since 2022 at €17,576,000, an increase of 26% on last year's aggregate. Of the 401 lots offered, 330 sold at a healthy clearance rate of 82% (from 79% in 2024). The average increased by 11% to €53,261 and the median was up by 13% to €43,000. The post Walk In The Park Gelding Headlines Record Derby Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Four-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy will appear at Reading Magistrates' Court July 3 after being charged with drunk driving and failing to take a roadside test following a car crash near Newbury in April.View the full article

The Chris Waller team is hoping that Firestorm will get race conditions to suit in the 1,400-meter (about seven-furlong) Tattersall's Tiara (G1) at Eagle Farm Racecourse June 28.View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a Ballydoyle juvenile in what is traditionally an informative maiden. 5.20 The Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7fT MINERVA (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) bids to build on her debut third at Leopardstown earlier this month in the maiden won 12 months ago by stablemate Lake Victoria and other Group 1 winners Ylang Ylang and Discoveries. A 1.5million gns Tattersalls October Book 1 daughter of the multiple Graded-Stakes-winning dam Prize Exhibit (Showcasing) from the family of Mohaather, she is slated as the hot favourite meeting a dozen peers. The post Mohaather’s Relative Minerva Ballydoyle’s Pick for the “Lake Victoria Maiden” appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A new Metrolinx GO Station at Woodbine Racetrack will anchor urban development and create new revenue streams to support horse racing, the track said in a release on Thursday. Situated on 684 acres–the largest undeveloped parcel of land remaining in the City of Toronto–the project will bring new life to Rexdale through smart, sustainable design. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create something truly special for Toronto,” said Michael Copeland, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. “At the heart of this new urban center will be Woodbine Racetrack, a cultural landmark that will now also serve as the centrepiece of a thriving, inclusive and connected city within a city.” The project will be unlocked by Woodbine Entertainment's partnership with Metrolinx and $170 million investment towards the new GO Transit station on the Kitchener Line. The station will be less than 30 minutes from Union Station and will connect with UP Express and Pearson International Airport, making Rexdale a transit hub for the first time in its history. The new urban center will take shape over the next 25 years, supporting an estimated 43,000 construction jobs–helping address housing affordability and employment needs in one of Toronto's most underserved areas. Rendering of Woodbine Racetrack station | courtesy of Woodbine Entertainment The development will include affordable housing and the new accommodations will replace the existing dormitories for backstretch workers who care for the 1,700 horses stabled at Woodbine. Woodbine Entertainment will develop and retain ownership of the land and explore strategic joint ventures to generate ongoing revenue that will continue to support horse racing in Ontario. “This isn't just about building housing. It's about creating a complete community, a connected urban center, with culture, entertainment, green space and horse racing at the heart of it all,” said Copeland. The post New GO Station At Woodbine Racetrack To Anchor Urban Development appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following a couple of weather-related postponements, a field of eight will finally get their chance to run in the GIII Penn Mile as the sun begins to set over Grantville on Friday evening. Chad Brown won the second running of the Penn Mile with Bobby's Kitten (Kitten's Joy) back in 2014, and Zulu Kingdom (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns) will start a warm favorite to pull the conditioner into a tie with Mark Casse on two wins. A two-time graded winner and low-odds seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last term, the ridgling is perfect in his two trips to the races this season, including the May 3 GI American Turf Stakes at Churchill. Casse has a couple of chances to pick up his third Penn Mile. Gary Barber's Mi Bago (Vekoma) should be part of the early pace Friday night. Front-running tactics served him well in a pair of listed stakes wins at or about a mile at Gulfstream last year and early this term, but he was no better than fourth when allowed a fairly soft time of things on the engine in the American Turf. He exits a distant runner-up effort as the favorite in the rained-off Pennine Ridge Stakes at Saratoga June 7. The Casse barn is also represented by Dream On (Not This Time), a solid third in last year's GI Summer Stakes and a couple of spots ahead of Zulu Kingdom in the Juvenile Turf. He brings winning form into this, having gotten home late to take the Apr. 26 Woodhaven Stakes by a neck at Aqueduct. Out On Bail (Tiz the Law) tries a turf route for the first time, but has solid form going 5 1/2 furlongs, including a victory in last year's Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga. He stretches out off a runner-up effort on seasonal debut in the Apr. 30 William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs. The post Third Time’s The Charm For Penn Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Undefeated Touch of Destiny leads the June 29 Asociacion Uruguaya de Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera (G3) at Hipodromo Maronas. The winner will earn an automatic starting position into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).View the full article

Friday, Newcastle, post time: 19:05, JENNINGSBET IN DELVES HOPPINGS FILLIES' STAKES-G3, £65,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 10f 42yT Field: Charlotte's Web (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Diamond Rain (GB) (Shamardal), Golden Ocean (Ger) (Blue Point {Ire}), Imperial Quarter (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Morrophore (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), Tasmania (Ger) (Australia {GB}), Anna Swan (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}). TDN Verdict: Diamond Rain beat the solid yardstick Running Lion in Haydock's Listed Hedge Of Oak Stakes last month and sets the standard, but Charlotte's Web is a proven all-weather performer and a fresh filly having enjoyed a break since finishing third in the course-and-distance Easter Classic Handicap in April. Anna Swan is on the Tapeta for the first time, having seemingly run out of stamina on soft ground in Goodwood's Listed Agnes Keyser Fillies' Stakes. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, The Curragh, post time: 15:30, PADDY POWER PRETTY POLLY STAKES-G1, €180,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 10fT Field: Higher Leaves (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), Jancis (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), Kalpana (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Magical Hope (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Survie (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Wemightakedlongway (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Whirl (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). TDN Verdict: Whirl looks set to gain compensation for her narrow and game Oaks defeat and continue the progression she has shown throughout her career. Getting 12 pounds weight-for-age from last year's G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes winner Kalpana, she should be able to make that count with everything in her favour. Fourth in the Oaks, Wemightakedlongway has work to do to get on terms with the Ballydoyle filly and might not be suited by a drop in trip. [Tom Frary]. The post Black-Type Analysis: Charlotte’s Web One to Watch in Newcastle Feature appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Mi Bago and Zulu Kingdom headline the twice-postponed $400,000 Penn Mile Stakes (G3T) at Penn National Race Course June 27.View the full article

The Ed Brown Society and 1/ST are now in the fourth year of their partnership and during that time, five Ed Brown Scholars (undergraduates) and three Ed Brown Fellows (post-graduates), have completed spring internships, 1/ST said via a Thursday press release. The Spring 2025 cohort included Ed Brown Fellow Joshua “JC” Berry and Ed Brown Scholar Chris Morales–both Louisville, Kentucky natives with limited prior exposure to the Thoroughbred industry. The experience allowed Berry and Morales to see firsthand how various departments at Gulfstream, Santa Anita and Pimlico operated. The pair also had the chance to work with the 1/ST team during Preakness 150. Jodie Vella-Gregory, VP, Industry Relations at 1/ST said, “Our partnership with the Ed Brown Society has been nothing short of transformative. These students and fellows bring talent, passion, and fresh perspective to every corner of our organization.” The post Ed Brown Scholar And Fellow Complete Spring Internships with 1/ST appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Saturday running at Fukushima Racecourse: Saturday, June 28, 2025 5th-FKS, ¥14,250,000 ($99k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT MESE (JPN) (f, 2, Disco Partner–Marquet Legacy, by Gio Ponti) is the second foal from a winning daughter of MSW & GSP To Marquet (Marquetry), herself the dam of 2013 GI Del Mar Oaks heroine Discreet Marq (Discreet Cat), MSW Too Discreet (Discreet Cat) and the stakes-placed Marquet Cat (Cat Thief) and Marquet Madness (Pico Central {Brz}). Marquet Legacy was purchased for $30,000 with this filly in utero at the 2023 Keeneland January Sale and the mare's yearling colt by 2021 Japanese Horse of the Year Efforia (Jpn) sells at the JRHA Select Sale on July 14. Marquet Legacy is also represented by a colt foal by Salios (Jpn), runner-up to Contrail (Jpn) in the first two legs of the Japanese Triple Crown in 2020. O-Yoshihiko Koga; B-Yuki Dendo; T-Takanori Kikuzawa The post U.S.-Conceived Disco Partner Filly Debuts At Fukushima appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Camino Real Turf Course at Santa Anita Park is currently undergoing its annual renovation after regular use during the Classic and Hollywood Meets, according to a press release from the track on Thursday. Superintendent Jesse Martinez and his team stripped the existing course in its entirety and new sod is on the way, which is composed of Bandera Bermuda hybrid grass. The entire project, which usually takes from three to four weeks, is scheduled to be completed by next Friday, July 4. During Santa Anita's Classic and Hollywood Meets, 47.5 percent of all races were run on the turf course. For the entire six-month season, only seven races scheduled for the turf had to be moved to the main track because of inclement weather. The post Santa Anita Turf Ungoes Annual Reno appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Brad Cox is confident that First Mission and Hit Show are ready to give their best efforts June 28 in the $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs, part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.View the full article

The New York Racing Association and the New York State Gaming Commission have placed a group of horses located in Barn 66 at Saratoga Race Course under a 14-day quarantine due to a positive case of strangles.View the full article

Brant Dunshea, acting CEO of the British Horseracing Authority, has been elected vice chair of the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Authority.View the full article

The highly regarded Camino Real Turf Course at Santa Anita Park is currently undergoing its annual renovation after performing splendidly during the most recent Classic and Hollywood meets.View the full article