Wandering Eyes

Rider Matt Cameron’s love affair with one of the feature mile races at Trentham each year came to the fore once again when he guided consistent performer Khanshe to a stunning victory in the Gr.3 Ron Stanley Memorial Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) on Saturday. Punters weren’t enamoured with his chances aboard the Fraser Auret-trained Khanshe, allowing the daughter of Mongolian Khan to start at $18 in the Fixed Odds market which was dominated by up and comers Ma Te Wa ($2.90) and Omega Boy ($5). However, those who had followed the history of the race may have had an inkling Cameron was in line for victory as he was shooting for his fourth win in the event, formerly known as the Anniversary Handicap, having been successful aboard Glad in 2013, Abidewithme in 2014 and Seize The Moment in 2017. While the two favourites were in the firing line during the early stages of the contest as both settled in the top six behind pacemaker Khafre, Cameron and Khanshe appeared to be in considerable trouble as they settled last of the 13 runners after being buffeted shortly after the jump. Still last on the final bend, Cameron hooked Khanshe to the outside in the run home and began the chase after Omega Boy, Rusty Lane and Doctor Askar, who were fighting out the finish at the 200m. With several huge bounds Khanshe joined the leaders and burst clear to head home Doctor Askar, who held out the fast-finishing Enrico for second. Auret was delighted to see the patient approach he has taken with the mare beginning to pay off. “It has been a bit of a slow burn with her, and it has taken some time, but she has always had a really good turn of foot,” Auret said. “She has progressed really nicely as that was only her 16th start, so we have given her the time that she needs. “She certainly had more work to do (during the race) than I was hoping for, but Matt summed it up nicely and she does like clear air. “I think next year could be her year as while she won a stakes race as a three-year-old, she is a very fine boned and weaker type, so we are in no hurry with her. “We don’t have any set plans as I wanted to get through today with her.” Raced by the estate of her breeder Rick Orr, Khanshe is out of the unraced O’Reilly mare Folies Bergere, a daughter of stakes winning sprinter Dashing Donna who finished runner-up in the 2009 Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1200m). A stakes winner during her three-year-old campaign, where she took out the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth, Khanshe has now won five of her 16 starts and in excess of $223,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Progressive stayer Leonchroi scored a narrow victory in the Geelong Homes BM70 Handicap (2400m) at the standalone meeting at Geelong on Saturday under a perfectly-timed run by Logan Bates. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained son of Contributer looks an improving staying type and had previously finished runner-up to Shockletz at Pakenham. Leonchroi started a $3 favourite in an event that was held up with three late scratchings at the gates with jockey Jason Maskiell taken to hospital after a barrier mishap on Star Testymony. “We were following the right ones where we were able to get out eventually, probably a little bit later than I would have liked,” Bates said. “But one thing I do know about him, he’s got a good turn of foot for a stayer, which not many of them have. “He was a couple kilos up in the weights today, but I still trusted he would have that zip to put himself there and in the end he just did enough. “He’s not the greatest beginner and he stepped okay considering all the commotion we had pre-race and we got into not a bad spot following one of the key runners and it just had to drag us in and the horse did the rest. “He’s a lovely horse and he’s a promising stayer.” Raced by Grand Syndicates, the four-year-old gelding has now won two of his nine starts with a further four placings. Co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr said the horse would now have a break and return a better horse next campaign. Bred by Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison, Leonchroi is by proven sire Contributer out of Miss Lioness, a half-sister to high-class stayer Lion Tamer. View the full article

Robbie Patterson is fizzing to get to the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) with his Group One winner One Bold Cat later this month. The Taranaki horseman was confident heading towards the two-mile feature prior to Saturday, but One Bold Cat’s victory in the Listed Vernon & Vazey Truck Parts LTD (2200m) at Trentham has further added to that sentiment. The seven-year-old gelding was dropping back from elite-level company, having last raced when fifth in the Listed Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at the Upper Hutt track last month, and Patterson was confident of an improved showing. Sagunto set his customary hot tempo upfront, stringing out the field for much of the journey, with jockey Craig Grylls settling One Bold Cat off the pace in midfield. The frontrunners began to tire from the 600m, and a wall of horses loomed ominously at the turn, with One Bold Cat in behind them. Grylls navigated his charge into clear running room out wide and once he balanced up, he closed late to win by half a length over a brave Tshiebwe, with a further neck back to Freddie Time in third. “They ran along at a good speed and he tracked up nicely,” Grylls said. “There was a bit of a wall when they got going and I was able to track up in behind them and got a nice drag into it and he has balanced up and sprinted out to the line. If anything, he was probably starting to get tired and feel the pinch a bit in the last 100m, but he is so honest and is a Group One winner in the past. “He is an absolute gentleman and is a pleasure to ride. He is a good horse too. I think they plan to press onto the Wellington Cup, he hasn’t been tried at the distance, but he just relaxes so nicely I think he will be alright.” Patterson was rapt to see One Bold Cat return to winning form and he is excited to press on and test his charge over two miles for the first time later this month. “It’s just fantastic to have a good old horse like him back,” he said. “He has been going quite well in Group Ones and I knew he would go well today. He is such a beautiful, relaxed horse and they were going so go hard. He is as honest as the day is long. “I can’t wait for the Wellington Cup. I don’t know whether I will run him in the Trentham Stakes (Gr.3, 2100m), I don’t know I have to, he is not carrying a lot of condition, he is pretty hard fit so I will make up my mind whether he goes straight to the Wellington Cup. “He won’t get two miles on pedigree, but he will get two miles because he is such a good horse and such a relaxed horse.” Further elite-level targets could beckon the son of The Bold One, who holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa next month, a race he placed in two years ago. “The Herbie Dyke is still on the radar with La Crique retired,” Patterson said. “It would only take one or two more to drop away and we would probably look at the Herbie Dyke.” One Bold Cat has now won nine of his 26 starts, including the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m), and has amassed more than $630,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Talented filly Lassified showed her rivals a clean pair of heels as she dominated proceedings to take out the first stakes race at Trentham on Saturday, the Listed JR & N Berkett Wellesley Stakes (1100m). Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman hasn’t been afraid of travelling the daughter of Gr.1 Golden Slipper (1200m) winner Stay Inside, having taken her to Tauherenikau to win on debut before tackling the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Saturday’s venue where she performed with credit in running fourth to unbeaten filly Lara Antipova. Rider Bruno Queiroz took the reins on this occasion and bounced her away nicely from the starting gates to take up the pacemaking duties inside of debutant Sweetest Thing. Cuddled up around the home bend Lassified found a good kick to shoot away from her rivals at the 300m and despite eventual runner-up Sweetest Thing trying her heart out, the Cambridge filly was too slick, winning by half a length. Stable representative Joe Walker was thrilled with the victory and the thoroughly professional attitude the filly displays in all her activity. “She is so professional, tough and has a great attitude,” Walker said. “It’s a massive thrill for everyone involved, including OTI and our ladies syndicate, and with a couple of owners on-course today it is very special. “She has had a couple of big trips to Tauherenikau and twice here. We thought she was very game last time where it didn’t work out for her, but she was as tough as. “The key was getting her down to the fence today and leading, where she was always going to take some catching.” Walker advised the filly, who is not Karaka Millions eligible, would be set for some of the two-year-old Group races coming up later in the summer. “There is a question as to where we go next, but she is so professional and that will put her in good stead as we look towards some of those bigger races,” he said. “It was a case of getting her here in one piece and getting the result, which now opens up a lot of options for her.” Purchased out of the 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for A$110,000 by Forsman and Andrew Williams Bloodstock, Lassified is raced by the FR Lassified Syndicate and long-time stable clients OTI Management Pty Ltd. She is out of the stakes winning Nicconi mare Exclusive Lass and comes from an extended family that includes Arletty, Xtravagant and He’s Remarkable. View the full article

Nearly may have punched his ticket to the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Jan. 31, putting away favored Confessional in midstretch and pulling clear to a 5-length victory in a first-level allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

Opportune black type awaits some of the five fillies and mares contesting the $100,000 Las Flores Stakes (G3) Jan. 4 at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Nearly (Not This Time), who could make the starting gate for the GIII Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 31, was well-beaten on debut during the Belmont At The Big A meet Oct. 26. Shipping to South Florida to face state breds, the dark bay won by an eye-catching 9 1/4 lengths Nov. 22. Tabbed as the 6-5 second choice after the pre-race scratch of intended favorite Mob (Gun Runner), Nearly was bumped hard by Confessional (Essential Quality) at the break, which put him several lengths behind coming on to the backstretch. The 3-year-old did not show any signs that he was ready to throw in the towel as he sprinted to put a nose in front of his rival–the chalk–around the far turn. Firing down the lane, the colt announced his presence with authority and sailed home to clear the condition by five lengths over Confessional. “Kind of a messy start but he was able to kind of settle after that and get in a good rhythm, made a good run and finished up well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He's always trained [well]. “We were shocked he didn't run better in his debut than he did,” he said. “He just reacted very negatively to the kickback. I'm glad to have him regroup and show what he's capable of,” he added. “It seems like he's a little more professional each start. I liked the way he finished and we look forward to stretching him out. “We know there's options almost every weekend all spring, so we'll talk to the Centennial guys and come up with a plan. He's 2-for-2 here at Gulfstream so you have to think about the Holy Bull,” Pletcher said. “If he needs a little more time, there's other options as well.” The second to the races for his dam, the winner has a 2-year-old half-sister by Authentic and a yearling half-brother by Taiba. Ib Prospecting was not reported as bred for this season. Nearly's second dam, MSW Stormy Frolic (Summer Squall), is a half-sister to GSW Super Frolic (Pine Bluff). She is responsible for MSW Frolic's Revenge (Vindication), who herself produced MSW & UAE-bound as of 2024 Drew's Gold (Violence). 8th-Gulfstream, $77,900, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 1-2, 3yo, 7f, 1:22.88, ft, 5 lengths. NEARLY (c, 3, Not This Time–Ib Prospecting, by Mineshaft) Sales History: $350,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $78,950. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Centennial Farms; B-Wind Hill Farm (FL); T-Todd A. Pletcher. NEARLY ($4.60) overcomes a bumpy start and recovers under the hall-of-fame hands of jockey @ljlmvel to win Race 8 at @GulfstreamPark for @PletcherRacing and owner @Centennial_Farm. Bet LIVE racing with @FanDuel https://t.co/D7Oyk4P0QQ pic.twitter.com/xQI9j9l0Qx — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 2, 2026 The post Not This Time’s Nearly Rolls In Optional Claimer At Gulfstream appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Young Gainesway stallion Muth, a Grade I winner at both two and three, welcomed his first foal, a filly, on Jan. 1 at Gainesway. The filly is out of the winning Marlinspike (Tapit), herself a daughter of 2000 Eclipse champion Surfside and a granddaughter of 1994 Eclipse champion Flanders. The new filly, who was born at 2:30 a.m. on New Year's Day, is a a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Bullet (War Front). Muth, the $2-million OBS March topper in 2023, as well as a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' for Zedan Racing, won both the GI American Pharoah Stakes and the GI Arkansas Derby. In 2026, he will stand his second season at Gainesway for $30,000. The post MGISW Muth’s First Foal is a Filly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A newly created $25,000 Thoroughbred Hunter Derby will make its debut at the Upperville Colt & Horse Show in Virginia in early June and replace the recent Upperville Thoroughbred Hunter Classic, the planners of the event said via a press release on their website Dec. 31. The Derby will take place Tuesday, June 2 and reflects a growing, industry-wide effort to expand opportunities for Thoroughbreds at recognized horse shows. In recent years, trainers, owners and Thoroughbred advocates have worked to elevate the visibility and competitiveness of the breed in hunter and jumper sport. TAKE2–founded by the late Bruce Duchossois and Rick Violette, Jr. of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.–has been at the forefront of that movement. The program partners with USEF-rated horse shows to offer hunter and jumper divisions restricted to Thoroughbreds eligible for registration with The Jockey Club of America. The release also mentions that more recently, Carrie Brogden of Machmer Hall communicated with Camden, South Carolina-based trainer Ron Danta about how the racing industry was interested in promoting the idea of a Thoroughbred-only Derby series offering significant prize money. Brogden recently spoke to TDN in the 'Racing in 2036' series about how Thoroughbreds could re-establish themselves as a central players in the show hunter world. At the same time, Middleburg trainer Sue Lyman, an active USHJA member who chairs its Horse and Riders Advocates Committee, and Second Wind Thoroughbred Aftercare founder Dayle Eldredge made repeated efforts to revive the long-dormant USHJA Thoroughbred Taskforce. Danta helped by making them aware of Brogden's interest. According to the release, another spark was the national success of Catherine Brown's Ifwhizkycouldtalk (Unfettered), known as “Whisky,” who drew widespread attention during his second year showing with Lyman. Not only did the gelding excel in the Thoroughbred hunter divisions, but the gray also placed consistently and won in the competitive 3'3″ Green Hunter division against warmbloods and participated in the USHJA Green Incentive Program at the Kentucky finals in August. USHJA President Britt McCormick reached out to Lyman, and the USHJA Thoroughbred Taskforce was officially revived. The group agreed that a single, successful event was needed before expanding into a series and Upperville was the natural choice. “At Upperville, they know how to do a Derby,” said Lyman. “And the Thoroughbreds are already successful divisions.” Lyman approached UCHS Board member Tom Brennan, who brought the proposal for a Derby in 2026 to the Show Committee, where it received a favorable response. Brennan estimated that at least $20,000 in prize money, along with $10,000 for a competitor reception, would be necessary to attract top-level participation and support. Undaunted, Lyman immediately reached out to people she knows have a special interest in Thoroughbreds. Funding followed quickly, for the Derby prize money as well as the reception. One of the earliest prize money supporters was longtime Thoroughbred advocate and former Lyman client Ann Hormel. Others include Jacqueline Mars, for whom Lyman has also trained, and Tisbury Stud. The purse quickly rose to $25,000, while TAKE2 and Aspire Equine, LLC. signed up to sponsor the reception. “I love Thoroughbred horses,” said Hormel. “I hate to see them cast away because they didn't make it big on the track. I would love to see them coming back into the hunter and jumper rings, and I feel like this Derby could help make that happen.” “Upperville is truly raising the stakes with the launch of this brand-new $25,000 Thoroughbred Derby,” Tom Brennan said. “This class underscores our commitment to honoring tradition while creating meaningful new opportunities for Thoroughbred horses, owners, and riders.” The post Thoroughbred Hunter Derby Debuts At Upperville Colt And Horse In June appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin set a single-season record in earnings as the leading owner for the fifth consecutive year, and Irad Ortiz Jr. established a single-season record as the leading jockey by earnings according to final statistics released Jan. 2 by Equibase.View the full article

Diane Crump, the pioneering Thoroughbred jockey whose riding breakthroughs set the stage for generations of female riders, died Jan. 1 at an inpatient hospice facility in Winchester, Va. She was 77.View the full article

Walk In The Park tops the 2026 15-strong Coolmore National Hunt roster, which also features newcomers Los Angeles and Kyprios. The 24-year-old son of Montjeu will stand for a private fee and currently leads the jumps' list. G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Los Angeles is a winner of the 2024 G1 Irish Derby and the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup last year. His fee is €7,500. One of the top stayers for the past several years, Kyprios won 17 of his 21 starts, among them a 20-length romp in the G1 Prix du Cadran. His fee will be announced at a later date. Crystal Ocean will stand for €8,000, while Maxios and Luxembourg are set to stand for €6,000. The full roster is as follows: Walk In The Park: Private Crystal Ocean: €8,000 Los Angeles*: €7,500 Luxembourg: €6,000 Maxios: €6,000 Hurricane Lane: €5,000 Order Of St George: €5,000 Santiago: €5,000 Getaway: €4,000 Vadamos: €4,000 Wings Of Eagles: €4,000 Yeats: €4,000 Pyledriver: €3,500 In Swoop: €3,000 Kyprios*: TBC The post 2026 Coolmore NH Roster And Fees Topped By Walk In The Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following the cancellation of racing on Wednesday and Thursday, Santa Anita has added a special makeup card for this upcoming Thursday, Jan. 8, according to a press release from the track on Friday. Entries will be taken on Saturday. The program will include both the GIII Robert J. Frankel Stakes for fillies & mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf and the Eddie Logan Stakes at one mile on turf for what are now newly-turned 3-year-olds. Both races had been scheduled for Wednesday. The remaining races from the canceled cards on Wednesday and Thursday will be offered back the first weekend of Condition Book #2 from Jan. 16-18. A rain-drenched start to the Santa Anita season has resulted in four cards being canceled since the scheduled start of the Classic Meet Dec. 26. One makeup card was held this past Monday. The post Santa Anita Makeup Card Added For Thursday Jan. 8 After Cancellations appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

While prefacing his remarks by saying that “nothing is set in stone,” Spendthrift Farm General Manager Ned Toffey told the TDN that the main pre-GI Kentucky goal for presumptive 2-year-old champion Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) will likely be the GI Curlin Florida Derby to be run at Gulfstream Park Mar. 28. Spendthrift's other top prospect, Further Ado (Gun Runner), is likely headed to the GI Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 4. Ted Noffey is trained by Todd Pletcher, who is based in the winter at Palm Beach Downs in Florida. Further Ado, who is trained by Brad Cox, is just up the road at Payson Park. Toffey confirmed that the plan is not to race the two together until possible starts in the Triple Crown races. Named a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Ted Noffey was 4-for-4 in 2025. The colt's year culminated with a win in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Further Ado took a little longer to develop, but had a breakout 'TDN Rising Star' performance when winning an Oct. 10 maiden at Keeneland by 20 lengths. In what was his third career start, he earned a 93 Beyer number. He followed that win with a 1 3/4-length victory in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs. “This is a very unofficial, but obviously Todd [Pletcher] has been based in South Florida for a long time and I think generally the number one prospect in his barn will take that Florida Derby route,” Toffey said. “That would be the plan. Leading up to that, maybe he will run in the [GII] Fountain of Youth. We'll see how things go as the spring progresses.” Toffey said that the Blue Grass is an obvious target for Further Ado because of how well the colt ran there in his maiden win. “He was just beating maidens, but he ran so well at Keeneland,” Toffey said. “It would make a lot of sense to get him back there for the Blue Grass.” Because Further Ado is based in Florida, Toffey said running in a Derby prep at Tampa Bay Downs is also a possibility. “Obviously, we want to keep them apart , but we'll try to do what we think is best for each horse,” he said. “There are a lot of options. They'll both be in Florida for the winter and we'll go from there. You know this game. As Wayne Hughes used to say, 'You have to have a plan so you can change it.' I wouldn't rule anything out. There are also the Tampa races to consider for Further Ado.” Toffey added that the Spendthrift team will also rely on the feedback they receive from Pletcher and Cox. Further Ado at Keeneland | Coady Media “We will weigh heavily what the trainers are recommending,” he said. “This is a little bit of a different circumstance than normal, but we generally feel like it's important to weigh very heavily anything the trainers are recommending. Those are the guys in the barn with the horses day in and day out. They will be an important part of the decision-making process.” Spendthrift also owns one of the top 3-year-old fillies in Tommy Jo (Into Mischief), who is also a 'TDN Rising Star'. The winner of the GI Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga, she was fifth in the GI NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She is also trained by Pletcher. Toffey said her next start will come in the GIII Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Jan. 31. “The Forward Gal is a good starting point for her at seven furlongs,” he said. “In going back and looking at her race in the Breeders' Cup and watching that replay several times, I actually feel like she ran an even better race than I originally thought. It was a tough track to come from off the pace on. Speed held so well. When I factored that in, do I think she was going to win? No. But I feel like her race was a little better than I originally gave her credit for.” Toffey acknowledged that the Spendthrift team is excited about what 2026 will bring, especially when it comes to its two potential Derby candidates. “This is huge,” he said. “Quite frankly, our primary business is that breeding shed up there in the middle of the farm. We do a lot of racing and you obviously want to be successful doing that in and of itself. At the same time, to be able to do it with horses that you've owned and managed is just that much better. I hate to reduce it to money, but there is that reality. “If we can have two really nice horses earn their way into our stud barn, which they already have done, without having to pay millions and millions of dollars to be able to do so it is an added bonus,” he added. “Everyone at Spendthrift loves racing and we're always looking for those top 3-year-old colts. This is very exciting for us.” The post Spendthrift Mulling Plans For Its 3-Year-Old Stars appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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

Contenders for spots on Dubai World Cup (G1) night made their case as the World Cup Carnival swung into 2026 at Meydan Racecourse Jan. 2.View the full article

Colonial Downs racing secretary Dan Bork has released the condition book for the 2026 three-day spring meeting which runs from Thursday, Mar. 12 through Saturday, Mar. 14, the track said via a release on Friday. The meet is highlighted by the $500,000 Virginia Derby and $250,000 Virginia Oaks Mar. 14, which are points races on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” and “Road to the Kentucky Oaks,” respectively. Click here for access. The post Colonial Downs Spring Meet Condition Book Released appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin LLC, who campaigned 13 North American graded stakes winners during 2025, including dual classic winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief), set a single-season record in earnings as the leading owner for the fifth consecutive year, and Irad Ortiz, Jr., established a single-season record as the leading jockey by earnings according to final year-end statistics released by Equibase Company on Friday. Godolphin–with 104 North American wins from 448 starts–amassed record earnings of $22,395,556, surpassing their previous mark of $20.2 million set in 2024. When including earnings from the Dubai and Saudi Cup days, Godolphin's earnings for the year were $23,355,556. In a tight battle between Ortiz and Flavien Prat, the former maintained the narrowest of margin in the final days to finish the year on top with earnings of $40,497,847, less than $2,000 ahead of Prat's total of $40,496,178. Both riders became the first to surpass $40 million in earnings. Ortiz reached the winner's circle 351 times from 1,631 mounts in 2025, while Prat won 310 races from 1,256 mounts. Brad Cox ended the year on top as the leading trainer by earnings, which was his first title since 2023 and marked the conditioner's third overall. Cox sent out the winners of 277 races from 394 starters with 1,068 starts for earnings of $30,255,435. Some of the leading horses also were the top earners from their respective foal crops. The leading earners by foaling year from the past five years were Ted Noffey (Into Mischief, 2023 foal crop), Sovereignty (2022 foal crop), Sierra Leone (Gun Runner, 2021 foal crop), National Treasure (Quality Road, 2020 foal crop) and White Abarrio (Race Day, 2019 foal crop). The post Owner Godolphin, Jockey Ortiz Jr., Set Single-Season Earnings Records appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As another Santa Anita Opening Day is in the books, it's with a heavy heart that I write to the TDN about the extraordinary life and times of Vic Carlson. Vic died a couple days ago peacefully with his wife Seira and family by his side, but the legacy he leaves in Thoroughbred racing is far reaching. As a reminder, Vic reached the pinnacle of the racing game when a little $15,000 horse named Musket Man ran third in the 2009 GI Kentucky Derby. More on that in a minute. To say Vic's life was extraordinary would be an understatement. Vic grew up in Boise, Idaho where, at a young age, it became apparent he would become an outstanding football player. He played linebacker in college and then turned his education degree into a coaching career. Later, in Portland, Oregon, Vic became the athletic director at Jefferson High, an inner city school located in North Portland. That is where I met Vic. In 1987, he hired me as Jefferson's head baseball coach. Vic and I became fast friends. Not too long after I met him, he introduced me to horse racing. I can't tell you how many afternoons we snuck out to go to Portland Meadows. That is where I fell in love with the game and that is where Vic bought his first horse, a $2,500 claimer named Colt Called Sue. As we messed around with cheap horses, we both had aspirations to reach higher. As such, 1995 was the first year we attended the Kentucky Derby together. By the time that trip was over, we both decided we wanted a chance at the big-time. Vic was an imposing figure. At the age of 40, he still looked like he could start at linebacker. Those who got to know him recognized he was a fierce competitor. Besides football, he had two passions in life–horse racing and golf. I remember like it was yesterday when we won the Rosauers Spokane Open Pro-Am back in 1991. The team was me, Vic, college baseball star Fred Lea, hockey phenom Pat Schmautz of the famous hockey family and baseball star Ron Sloy. After two days, our team was on track to set a tournament record. As is often the case in golf, the other teams were skeptical we were playing that good. So, the tournament director, Dale Johnson, and some of his staff started following us around on the front nine the last day. Vic was steamed they were checking on us, so he gave us a pep talk for the ages. On hole number 8 from about 80 yards, Vic holed his third shot on that Par 5. While the rest of his team was celebrating, Vic walked over to Mr. Johnson and said, “Yes sir, this team is that good.” After Vic's first trip to the Kentucky Derby, he made the decision to spend more money buying nicer horses. That decision led Vic to Kieran Dunne of Ocala pinhooking fame. Vic and Kieran became close friends, with Kieran traveling to Oregon to play golf and Vic often traveling to Florida to join Kieran for his member-guest golf tournament. That relationship led to a lifelong friendship, many pinhooks and eventually led to Musket Man. Vic, his wife Seira, and Kieran are responsible for one of the most hilarious horse racing stories of all-time. Vic decided to sell Musket Man in the 2008 Fasig-Tipton 2-year-old sale. When the horse didn't reach his reserve, the team retreated to the bar to decide what to do next. With Kieran and other friends hanging out, they decided to race the horse. The rest of the story goes something like this: Seira and Vic were a fairly new couple. After hanging out for awhile, Seira suggests to Vic that they go back to their hotel to “have a little fun.” Vic looks her in the eye and says in front of everyone: “Honey, we had a little fun this morning. I'm not a Gatling gun and I'm not a six-shooter. I'm a one-time a day musket man.” Thus, the name and the rest is history. Musket Man won the GIII Tampa Bay Derby, the GII Illinois Derby, then ran third in the Kentucky Derby and the GI Preakness. Later, as a 4-year-old, the horse ran second in the GI Metropolitan Handicap and third in the GI Whitney Handicap. I have not seen Vic for a few years. The last time was at Santa Anita four years ago. Vic's health was declining because of a bad back, so he moved to Mesquite, Nevada with his wife. A few weeks ago, I saw Vic's Carlson Family Racing had a horse entered at Del Mar. I called a friend of ours, Steve Anderson, to see if he had talked to Vic lately. He too hadn't heard back from him. Now, he is gone, and what we have are extraordinary memories of an extraordinary life. There are a lot of things you can say about Vic Carlson. How he loved his sons; how he loved the kids at Jefferson High School; how he loved golf; how much he loved and admired Seira; how he often times seemed bigger than life. But, know this to be true too. Vic loved horse racing, he loved the people on the backside and ultimately he made horse racing fun for everyone his life touched. His legacy in horse racing runs from Oregon to Florida and from California to Kentucky. I promise you I am only one of many who will keep Vic's legacy alive. –Steve McPherson Irvine, CA The post Letter To The Editor: Vic Carlson’s Legacy Will Live On appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ian Balding has been remembered by his daughter Clare as “fearless, funny and charming” as those around the world of racing paid tribute to the former champion trainer, whose death, at the age of 87, was announced by his family on Friday. On her Instagram account, the BBC broadcaster said, “My Dad was one of a kind. Fearless, funny and charming, he was an all-round sportsman, a great trainer and a beautiful horseman. He loved his dogs, his horses, and his family – probably in that order. “He shared with me his passion for sport and taught me to be brave enough to chase a dream, even if it seemed impossible. We'll miss him so much.” Balding's brother-in-law and fellow former trainer Lord Huntingdon also spoke fondly of him, recalling that, “I don't think we ever had a cross word.” He added, “Ian was very competitive and, unfortunately, he was a marginally better sportsman. I beat him once or twice at squash, but only once or twice. “As well as the sports that he loved playing, he was a director of Southampton Football Club. It sort of all stemmed from the family relationship because when he came here [to Kingsclere] as assistant, he'd been with Herbert Blagrave, who was my great uncle, married to my grandmother's sister, and Herbert was at that point chairman of Southampton. “Ian joined the board, and he was very enthusiastic about supporting Southampton and Andrew has followed suit. Herbert Blagrave was also the man who got Mick Channon away from just betting and into breeding, and then becoming a trainer when he retired.” Martin Dwyer, who rode Casual Look to win the Oaks for Andrew Balding in his first season as a trainer, was originally apprenticed to Ian Balding from the age of 16. He said, “It is very sad, Ian was a great man. He loved sport and he was a great horseman. I owe Ian and his family a debt of gratitude for what they did for me and for many other people, not just jockeys. “He helped a lot of people along and helped them in their careers, I'm eternally grateful to have been included in that. He took me in as a snotty-nosed kid from Liverpool and shaped me into who I am today. I was a bit rough around the edges when I first came but he taught me a lot about riding, about racing and about life in general. “I was apprenticed to Ian and had my first winners for him, we had a lot of success and that continued when Andrew took over. The Balding family were like a second family. I'm not sure it happens these days as racing has changed and is so fast-paced, but Ian always had so much time for people.” Brant Dunshea, acting CEO of the British Horseracing Authority, said, “Ian Balding leaves a towering legacy for our sport. Such is his significance that no telling of the history of racing would be complete without recognition of the enormous contribution he made. “From his legendary Kingsclere base, he nurtured generations of equine and human talent, enjoying tremendous success along the way with unforgettable stars like Mill Reef. “He is a man who will be remembered with tremendous affection and respect across our industry, and one whose impact will continue to be felt for many years to come. “On this sad day, all of us at the BHA extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Ian Balding.” In a post on X, Frankie Dettori joined those paying tribute, saying, “I woke up this morning to the sad news of the passing of Ian Balding, a man who was a tremendous supporter of mine in my early days. We shared some wonderful moments together, notably with Lochsong and Lochangel, and it was through Ian that I was first given the opportunity to ride for Her Majesty The Queen, something I will always be deeply grateful for. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the Balding family and to everyone associated with Park House at this very difficult time.” Paul Johnson, CEO of the National Trainers Federation, said, “We are extremely sad to hear that legendary trainer Ian Balding has passed away. He was an outstanding trainer, an engaging character, a great family man and a real supporter of young, aspiring jockeys. “Ian first took out a training licence in 1964 and, along with his brother Toby, was a passionate advocate of the National Trainers Federation, becoming a longstanding chairman of the NTF Flat Committee. Our thoughts are with his family.” The post ‘Fearless, Funny and Charming’: Tributes Paid to Ian Balding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ian Balding, who has died at the age of 87, made an indelible impression on the turf, not only as the trainer of some wonderful horses including Mill Reef, but also as mentor to many young people who subsequently graduated to success in the sport. Most notable is his son Andrew, who succeeded him at the helm of Kingsclere in 2002 and who has subsequently ensured that Kingsclere remains synonymous with both success and class. Ian Balding and his elder brother Toby were born in the USA where their father Gerald, a professional polo player, was living at the time. The family returned to Britain after the war and Gerald started training at Weyhill. It soon became clear that the boys were destined to follow their father into the sport. Toby, a keen point-to-point rider, took over his father's stable when he turned 21 in 1957; while Ian's progress towards holding a licence was only slightly more gradual. Ian's first major sporting achievements came when he was an undergraduate at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he earned a blue for rugby (a sport in which he was to make 92 appearances for Bath). He was never far from the turf, however, and rode out whenever he could at Royston for Willie Stephenson, who at the time was one of the leading dual-purpose trainers in the country. Ian was a natural athlete, very good at many sports including riding, ending up with over 70 wins over jumps as an amateur to his credit. Training was always his aim, though, and on leaving Cambridge he spent a year at The Grange, Beckhampton, as a pupil under Herbert Blagrave, who achieved conspicuous success over an extended period training only his own and his wife's (mostly home-bred) horses. A position followed as assistant to Captain Peter Hastings-Bass at Kingsclere but sadly tragedy struck after only a year. Peter Hastings-Bass was the son of a great trainer (the Hon Aubrey Hastings, who trained four Grand National winners including one, Ascetic Silver in 1906, whom he rode to victory himself) and in the late '50s and early '60s, training at Kingsclere which he had bought in 1953, he looked set to build a similarly imposing record. The icing on the cake came in the autumn of 1963 when he received eight yearlings from the Queen, who thus supplanted the popular American sportsman and philanthropist Paul Mellon as the stable's most distinguished patron. Tragically, Peter Hastings-Bass succumbed to a terminal illness the following summer. There was no possibility of his widow Priscilla taking over the licence at Kingsclere because the Jockey Club at the time did not grant licences to women; while their son most likely to follow in his father's footsteps, William (later Lord Huntingdon), who did in time become a successful trainer, was aged only 16 at the time. Consequently, Ian became the trainer at Kingsclere, aged 25. The link between the Hastings and Balding families was further strengthened in 1969 when Ian married Peter and Priscilla Hastings' daughter Emma. The two-year-olds at Kingsclere that summer included the Queen's Planta Genista, who had won at Lingfield in April. The best of the bunch, though, seemed to be Mr Mellon's home-bred American colt Silly Season (Tom Fool) who was beaten on debut at Salisbury before heading to Royal Ascot shortly after Ian Balding had officially become his trainer. Fairytales do occasionally come true and Silly Season duly broke his maiden by winning the Coventry Stakes, giving a heartening endorsement that it would remain a case of business as usual at Kingsclere. Silly Season ended his first season by winning the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. At three he won the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, the St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Champion Stakes at Newmarket; at four he landed both the Lockinge Stakes and the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. He became a successful stallion at New England Stud with many of his best progeny trained by Ian Balding, including 1972 Greenham Stakes winner Martinmas and 1973 Cambridgeshire heroine Siliciana. Silly Season, for all that his seven wins included some of Britain's greatest races, was almost as notable for a string of narrow defeats as he was for his triumphs. In later years Ian Balding would recount a discussion which he had with Mellon after the horse's retirement, a conversation which spoke well of both men. Thanking Mellon for having entrusted so talented a horse to an inexperienced trainer, he suggested that Silly Season might have been the best horse they would ever have and that he perhaps had not got the best out of him. Mellon, with typical kindness, assured him that he had trained the horse very well before adding, “And don't worry: I'll soon find a better one to send to you anyway”. As ever, he was as good as his word and a better one did indeed soon arrive: Mill Reef. Mill Reef is led in by Paul Mellon after the Derby | Getty Images Ian Balding will be remembered as the trainer of some very special horses but the one who will always be at the top of anyone's list is Mill Reef (Never Bend). Bred by Paul Mellon at Rokeby Stud in Virginia, the little colt headed across the Atlantic to Kingsclere as a yearling in the autumn of 1969. Over the next three years Mill Reef proved himself one of the greatest horses ever to have graced the British turf. The story is beautifully told in Lord Oaksey's book The Story of Mill Reef and in Brough Scott's film Something to Brighten the Morning which, narrated by Albert Finney, has helped to ensure that the names Mill Reef, Paul Mellon, Ian Balding, Geoff Lewis (the stable jockey) and John Hallum (who looked after the horse) will forever loom large in the romance of the turf. A champion at two, three and four, Mill Reef was beaten only once (by Brigadier Gerard in the 2,000 Guineas) and won some of the greatest races including the Coventry, Gimcrack and Dewhurst Stakes at two, the Derby, Eclipse Stakes, King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at three (in a season which Ian Balding ended as champion trainer); and the Prix Ganay and Coronation Cup at four. He retired to the National Stud, from which he twice became Champion Sire (in 1978 and 1987) thanks to his Derby-winning sons Shirley Heights (who in turn sired the 1985 Derby winner Slip Anchor) and Reference Point. While Ian Balding trained some notable horses for the Queen, including the 1970 Doncaster Cup winner Magna Carta (Charlottesville), Mellon's 'black, gold cross front and back; black cap, gold stripe' stands as the livery most synonymous with the trainer, and not solely thanks to Mill Reef. Several sons of Mill Reef carried them with great distinction including the multiple Group 1-winning full-brothers Glint Of Gold and Diamond Shoal, as well as King Of Clubs. Over jumps Crystal Spirit (Kris), a half-brother to Glint Of Gold and Diamond Shoal won the Cleeve Hurdle and the Sun Alliance Hurdle at Cheltenham in 1991; while another Mellon home-bred who ranked up with Glint Of Gold and Diamond Shoal was Gold And Ivory (Key To The Mint). Other top-class colts for the stable included George Strawbridge's Selkirk (Sharpen Up), Jeff Smith's Dashing Blade (Elegant Air) and Mr and Mrs Robert Hitchens' Tagula (Taufan), all of whom went on to make a significant mark at stud. Classic-winning fillies for Ian Balding were Eric Kronfeld's 1980 Prix de Diane heroine Mrs Penny (Great Nephew) and Paul Mellon's tiny home-bred tigress Forest Flower (Green Forest). The latter's dam Leap Lively (Nijinsky) had been a good filly for owner and trainer, winning the Fillies' Mile at Ascot in 1980 before finishing third to Blue Wind in the following year's Oaks. Forest Flower belied her lack of size by doing even better, landing the Queen Mary Stakes, Cherry Hinton Stakes and, fittingly, Mill Reef Stakes as a two-year-old in 1986 before taking the Irish 1,000 Guineas the following year. It is lovely that those famous Mellon colours are now carried by the Kingsclere Stud horses produced by Emma Balding, whose proteges include the Andrew Balding-trained Group 1 winners Side Glance and Elm Park, both of whose sires (Passing Glance and Phoenix Reach) had been trained at Kingsclere. Ian Balding, right, with long-term Kingsclere supporter Jeff Smith | Racingfotos It turned out that Forest Flower was not the mightiest amazon trained by Ian Balding because she was followed by Jeff Smith's home-bred Lochsong (Song), whose career provided arguably the greatest tribute to Ian Balding's skill. She spent most of her two- and three-year-old seasons proving nothing other than that she was a very hard-puller who was difficult to keep sound. Unraced at two in 1990, she won a maiden race at Redcar and an apprentice handicap at Newbury towards the end of a three-race campaign in 1991, suggesting that perhaps it was worth persevering with her. Over the next three seasons Lochsong was sublime (bar in the 1994 July Cup, when she reminded us that she was still very much a handful, doing her best of her running on the way to post). She raced 24 times over those three seasons, winning 13 times and being placed six. At four she completed the Stewards' Cup, Portland and Ayr Gold Cup treble. At five her wins included the King George Stakes, Nunthorpe Stakes and Prix de l'Abbaye. At six she won consecutively the Palace House Stakes, Temple Stakes and King's Stand Stakes (by five lengths) before landing repeat wins in the King George Stakes and Prix de l'Abbaye. She was voted Cartier Champion Sprinter in both 1993 and '94 and Cartier Horse of the Year in 1994. Throughout his career, Ian Balding showed himself equally good at educating both horses and jockeys. The first of his apprentices to be champion was Ernie Johnson (in 1967) who had started his apprenticeship under Peter Hastings. Next came Philip Waldron in 1970. Subsequently stable jockey to Henry Candy, Philip Waldron served his time alongside John Matthias, who became the Kingsclere jockey for several years, most notably riding Glint Of Gold in most of his races. The tradition of promoting the stable's apprentices again shone brightly when Francis Arrowsmith won the Ayr Gold Cup on Lochsong after Willie Carson had been on her in the first two legs of her great treble. It has continued under Andrew Balding, with William Buick and David Probert sharing the apprentices' title in 2008, Oisin Murphy taking it in 2014 (before going on to be, to date, champion jockey five times) and Jason Watson doing so in 2018. Ian Balding will deservedly be remembered as one of the great trainers of the modern era, notable for training his horses kindly and being adept at nurturing them for long careers, even those who started out as precocious two-year-olds. Aside from the horses' many great victories, further sources of pride for the family have been the outstanding careers developed by his and Emma's children Clare (whose broadcasting achievements need no introduction) and Andrew. The latter succeeded his father at the end of the 2002 season and has fully maintained Kingsclere's position as one of the world's greatest and most successful stables. The tone was set on a magical afternoon in June 2003 when Will Farish's Casual Look (Red Ransom) won the Oaks for first-season trainer Andrew Balding, ridden by former Ian Balding apprentice Martin Dwyer, with the BBC broadcast of the race presented by Clare Balding. Two very proud parents could rest easy that the future was in safe hands. Ian Balding is survived by Emma, their children Clare and Andrew, and by their grandchildren Jonno, Toby and Flora. We join the entire racing world in offering this very popular family our condolences. The post Ian Balding: A Sporting Great Remembered appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The nominees for the 2026 G1 Saudi Cup meeting feature 57 Group/Grade 1 winners from 22 different countries, among them GI Breeders' Cup Classic and 2025 Saudi Cup hero Forever Young (Real Steel). The two-day stand on February 13-14 will be worth $39.6 million in prize-money. Besides trainer Yoshito Yahagi's star in the main event are fellow Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day), GI Preakness Stakes hero Journalism (Curlin), as well as GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile victor Nysos (Nyquist), and GII Clark Stakes winner Magnitude (Not This Time). G1 Champions Cup heroine W Heart Bond (Kizuna) and G1 Tokyo Daishoten one-two Diktaean (King Kamehameha) and Mikki Fight (Drefong) add depth to Japan's challenge. In the newly elevated $3-million G1 Neom Turf Cup sponsored by Howden includes two-time Breeders' Cup hero Rebel's Romance (Dubawi), G2 Bahrain International Trophy winner Royal Champion (Shamardal), and Aidan O'Brien's multiple Group 1-placed The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars). Besides the Group 1s on tap for Saturday, the $2.5-million G2 Red Sea Turf Handicap features turf stayers Durezza (Duramente) for Japan and Joseph O'Brien's Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett). Among the nominees for the $2-million G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint are Book'em Danno (Bucchero), and Bentornato (Valiant Minister), as well as Meydan Group 1 winners Tuz (Oxbow) and Dark Saffron (Flameaway). In the $2-million 1351 Turf Sprint are GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Shisospicy (Mitole) and Group 1 winner Lazzat (Territories). In The $1.5-million G3 Saudi Derby, G1 Premio Derby Nacional hero Khamal (Mendelssohn) is signed on. During Friday's card, the International Jockey Challenge will be staged, and the $500,000 Saudi International Handicap sponsored by LUCID will take place. Nominees specifically for the Saudi Cup itself are listed here. HRH Prince Bandar bin Khaled Al Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia said, “This is only the seventh time we have staged the Saudi Cup meeting and it has already delivered countless memorable races and performances. “We are delighted and honoured that so many people have chosen to aim their horses for the 2026 Saudi Cup races and, on behalf of everyone at the JCSA, I would like to extend our gratitude to those owners and trainers. “It has been especially pleasing to see the races recognised by the international authorities, too. The Saudi Cup has held Group 1 status since 2022 but we will now be staging our first ever Group 1 race on grass, the Neom Turf Cup, after its consistent level of performance. “The Saudi Cup meeting is not only about world-class racing; it is a celebration of the horse as well as the culture and the hospitality of the Kingdom. The list of nominations only increases the excitement and we look forward to welcoming connections and racing fans alike next month for an event that has quickly made a huge impact on the global calendar.” The post Forever Young Among 57 Group 1 Winners Nominated To 2026 Saudi Cup Programme appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Keeneland has supplement three additional hips to its January Horses of All Ages Sale to be held Jan. 12 and 13 in Lexington, KY. The newest supplements are: Sherbini (Cairo Prince): a 4-year-old filly who was an impressive debut winner at Churchill Downs at two before she was runner-up in the Schuylerville Stakes and placed in the GI Spinaway Stakes, both at Saratoga. Also placed in the Rags to Riches Stakes at Churchill, Sherbini is cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect and is consigned by ELiTE, agent. Tigerish (Tiz the Law), a 4-year-old filly and one of five black-type performers out of Lerici, by Woodman. Graded stakes-placed at two, Tigerish is a half-sister to Grade I winner Avenge (War Front) and Grade II winner Liguria (War Front). She is from the family of such international stars as Canadian Horse of the Year Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro) and European champion miler Mark of Esteem (Ire) (Darshaan {Ire}). Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, agent, consigns Tigerish as a racing or broodmare prospect. 2025 filly by Gun Runner consigned by Four Star Sales, agent. Her dam, Dragic, by Broken Vow, is a half-sister to Gun Runner's juvenile champion Echo Zulu and to Grade I winner Echo Town (Speightstown). Dragic, a multiple stakes performer, is the dam of Saturday Flirt, who is undefeated in four starts in North America, including the 2025 Soaring Softly Stakes at Saratoga. These three supplements increase the total number of horses cataloged to the January Sale to 1,095. The post Sherbini, Tigerish Among Latest Keeneland January Supplements appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The promising young stallion King Of Change (Farhh) has left Ireland to stand at Tweenhills Stud for the forthcoming season in a move which stud owner David Redvers has described as “potentially game-changing for us”. Runner-up to Magna Grecia in the 2,000 Guineas, King Of Change won three of his six lifetime starts, closing out his career by winning the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on QIPCO British Champions Day. His first two crops of racing age have collectively numbered 76 foals, 37 of which have run to date, including the four Listed winners Lady With The Lamp, Shayem, Miss Of Change and Onemoredance, making King Of Change the leader among the second-crop sires of 2025 with a cumulative figure of 12.9 per cent stakes winners to runners. He is listed as having covered 125 mares in 2024 and 38 in 2025. King Of Change, who is by the subfertile but proven stallion Farhh out of the Echo Of Light mare Salacia, was bred by Rabbah Bloodstock and raced in the colours of Ali Abdulla Saeed, as did his Group 2-winning half-brother Century Dream (Cape Cross), who also stands in the UK at Norton Grove Stud. Now aged 10, King Of Change stood his first two seasons at Shadwell's Derrinstown Stud, before moving to Starfield Stud, where he has been based for the last three seasons. Redvers said that he had tried hard to buy Sands Of Mali when he was auctioned last month by Tattersalls Ireland and was eventually sold to Gay O'Callaghan of Yeomanstown Stud. He told TDN, “I bid a very large number for Sands Of Mali but I was still only about fifth in the running. But I listened to Gay Callaghan's reasoning for giving what a lot of people would consider a telephone number for the horse and it really struck a chord with me. And you know that when you stand a stallion off the track, only one in ten of them, at best, work out. “You are at risk of polluting your broodmare band with ordinary semen and devaluing all of it. Whereas, if you've got a stallion you've got confidence in, with proven numbers, then the likelihood is that you're going to increase the value of your broodmare band. And, you know, you've only got to see what the likes of Whitsbury [Manor Stud] have managed to achieve with Havana Grey to realise how powerful a good stallion is.” King Of Change will stand alongside fellow Group 1 winners Kameko and Lightning Spear at Tweenhills in Gloucestershire. Earlier advertised at Starfield Stud for €5,000 for 2026, King Of Change's fee at Tweenhills will be announced in the coming days. Redvers continued, “I've been looking hard for a proven stallion and [King Of Change] was the stallion I most wanted to send mares to and use. And I thought, well, it was worth asking the question, and I was rather surprised when the answer came back as yes. “This fellow is extremely fertile. He's had very exciting results, and then he's got 100-odd foals on the ground this year. So, as a result, there's a lot of good stuff to come. I'm going to send him more mares this year of our own than he covered all of last year. I couldn't really be any more excited about him, to be honest. “To be in a position to buy this horse ourselves with a couple of partners is potentially game-changing for us. Even if it's relatively small numbers we're working with, the stats don't lie.” He added, “From very limited opportunities King Of Change has delivered outstanding results, and it is mouthwatering to think what he could achieve going forward with more quality and quantity. It goes without saying that we will be supporting King Of Change with our broodmare band and our partners in the stallion will do likewise. “At the beginning of our thirtieth anniversary as a stallion farm, King Of Change's arrival heralds an exciting new chapter for Tweenhills.” The post ‘I Couldn’t Really Be Any More Excited’: Redvers Welcomes King Of Change To Tweenhills For 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

FanDuel TV will televise the live announcement of the finalists for the 2025 Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards on Sunday, Jan. 4 at Noon ET, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), National Turf Writers And Broadcasters (NTWAB), and Daily Racing Form announced Friday. The Eclipse Awards, honoring excellence in Thoroughbred racing, are voted upon by the NTRA, represented by member racetrack racing officials and Equibase field personnel, NTWAB, and Daily Racing Form, and are produced by the NTRA. The announcement of the Eclipse Awards finalists on FanDuel TV is sponsored by John Deere, The Jockey Club, and the NTRA. FanDuel TV also will televise live the 55th Annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. The evening will begin with the Red Carpet show at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m. ET. The ceremony will be co-hosted by Britney Eurton and Lindsay Czarniak, and Caton Bredar will again serve as the Ceremony Announcer. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2025 Horse of the Year. Finalists in the Horse of the Year category also will be announced earlier that evening. Also back again this year will be an Eclipse Awards Charity Golf Tournament benefitting the PDJF which will be held Thursday morning prior to the awards ceremony on The Ocean Course at The Breakers. Also, one lucky fan and a guest will win a chance to attend this year's year show as part of the Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards Sweepstakes. The grand prize winner and their guest will also accompany Resolute Racing at the Pegasus World Cup. There is no purchase necessary to participate in the promotion and entries may be made on the NTRA website, or its accompanying social media channels, and the Resolute Racing website, or its accompanying social media channels. Fans can enter the contest by submitting their name, information, and explanation as to why they want to win this once in a lifetime experience. Entries are now open online and continue through Jan. 9 at 11:59 p.m. ET, with the winner drawn on Jan. 10. The post FanDuel TV To Air Live Announcement Of Eclipse Award Finalists appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article