Wandering Eyes

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 (G1) at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

By Jonny Turner Craig Ferguson hopes playing chess rather than checkers with Wag Star will pay winning dividends in today’s Group 3 Central Otago Cup. Ferguson heads to Omakau knowing he has a horse to match it with any of his rivals in the 2000m feature. So the trainer-driver has been doing everything he can to encourage his stable star to show it to the big crowd that will be watching at Central Otago’s biggest annual race meeting. “He can be a moody horse and when he is on the job he can keep rolling at high speed and be very hard to get past.” “Other times he can be a bit casual about everything and he doesn’t give you the same feeling.” “We have been working on a few things lately to keep him happy and bring the best out in him.” “We had a few troubles with his feet but we seem to be on top of them now.” “We’ve changed his feed around and changed his work around and he seems to be in a good place at the moment.” “He is the sort of horse where it can depend what sort of mood he is in on the day but everything is looking pretty positive going into Omakau.” Wag Star brings the best possible form reference into the Central Otago Cup with his third behind Republican Party in the Group 1 Invercargill Cup. The six-year-old sat parked early before slotting into the one-one and going a nice race. “I was quite happy with his run it was his first run with the galloping hood on and he travelled well,” Ferguson said. “If he could go as well from the good draw (3) he has on Friday he would have to be a pretty good chance.” Ferguson starts a strong team at the Omakau meeting including Turn N Burn who ran second on her debut on Invercargill Cup Day. While that looks strong form Ferguson wasn’t thrilled with the filly that he races himself. “On the sectionals she ran she was a little bit average.” “The occasion of her first start may have got to her a little bit because it wasn’t up to her trials.” “She has improved with the run and her work has been quite sharp so hopefully she will be harder to beat this time.” Babe On The Beach has been the big improver in the Ferguson camp this summer and she heads to Omakau in strong form. “I reckon she has improved about three seconds this year.” “She’s doing a bit of work and showing plenty of fight – she’s stepped up.” “This week it will be a bit hard from the draw (12) but hopefully she can get a bit of luck and go another nice race.” Ferguson also has Beluga and Franco Seb going head to head at Omakau. “Beluga has been consistent lately and his work has stepped up a bit.” “He’s got the draw and gate speed but he has made a mistake early so we will have to play it by ear.” “Franco Seb has been an improver his last run was handy enough.” “He probably just needs a bit of luck from his draw (12).” Ferguson drives most of his team with Mark Hurrell to partner Franco Seb and Riley Harrison to drive Babe On The Beach. Pinseeker looking to slingshot them late in Central Otago Cup By Michael Guerin Jonny Cox is hoping his rivals go crazy in today’s $40,000 Ranfurly Transport Central Otago Cup. Because the Canterbury trainer-driver believes that could set the race up for his speedster Pinseeker in the signature race at Omakau’s popular annual meeting. Pinseeker is one of the best pacers in the 2000m mobile but had an interesting 2025, starting with a placing in this race last year, a Group 3 win in March, competing at the Inter Dominions and then choking down to finish last in the New Zealand Cup. One thing which isn’t in doubt is his speed and once he learns to control that he will sit comfortably in any elite class field in this country. That being the case he can win today but his fortunes may be dictated by what those drawn inside him do as he starts from the outside of the front line. “The draw obviously isn’t ideal but it could work out okay,” says Cox. “There is a lot of speed drawn inside him so we can’t go forward at the start so we will have to try and sneak into the running line somewhere. “Then his chances might depend on what the others do. “If they all get stuck into each other the we might get the chance to slingshot them late. “What we don’t want is a horse like Wag Star or Franco Sinatra to get an easy lead and enjoy an easy time in front.” Cox says he has had to put the dreadful New Zealand Cup experience behind Pinseeker and is looking forward. “I spoke to Mark Purdon after the race as I was following him and he said he could hear our horse’s breathing wasn’t right between the 1400m and the 1000m mark and then I felt him just stop. “So we are sure he choked down.” Pinseeker spent two weeks at the beach in the care of fellow trainer Bob Butt soon after and pleased Cox by bouncing back with a third in the Green Mile at Methven. “He has had his joints treated since then and has been working really well so he gets his chance here but so much will depend on how the race will be run. “Not only do you have those speedsters drawn inside us but a good horse in Alta Meteor drawing one on the second line by himself so he should be able to get away from the markers and into a nice spot pretty quickly.” Wag Star opened the $2.90 Cup favourite and was quickly backed in but while he has the best draw of the favourites it has been a long time since he won a race, albeit he has produced some smart performances in top class fields. While the Pacing Cup has a number of tempo-related scenarios the $40,000 Trotting Cup looks perfect for I Dream Of Jeannie (R11, No.5), who is in career-best form and finds herself in a field with plenty who are struggling to find their best at the moment. Earlier in the meeting Cox brings his talented trotter Prestigious (R8, No.9) to the lower grade trot and runs into a daunting rival in He Aint Fakin. The latter, a converted pacer, has won twice in three starts as a trotter and will be extremely hard to beat if his manners hold up in his first standing start. “He will take some beating but we really like our trotter long term,” says Cox. “Our boy is still a work in progress the win two starts ago showed he has a good motor so he could be in for a good year.” Racing journalist Jonny Turner’s Five To Follow at Omakau. Turn N Burn – Race 3 This filly looks to hold a key tactical advantage over her key rivals. Every year it is vital that horses race close to the pace at Omakau as getting too far back can be disastrous. Draws are an essential part of the equation, with barrier 2 looking a perfect spot for Turn N Burn. While her key rival Cinderella Franco has also drawn well in barrier 3, Turn N Burn holds a clear advantage. If Turn N Burn can hold the lead it could prove too much of a task for Cinderella Franco to come from behind her or outside her to beat her. Sonofamistery – Race 4 He’s simply better than his rivals and it is going to take a big slice of bad luck for him to get beaten. Sonofamistery’s luck is surely due to turn after he had to be pulled up at his last start at Ascot Park due to a gear malfunction. The three-year-old was impressive in his prior outing at Addington, running to an easy win. At $1.14 he’s no win betting proposition but Sonofamistery’s race is part of the early quaddie, and there are Trifectas and First4s to consider. He Aint Fakin – Race 8 This pacer turned trotter will traverse Australasia to have his first standing start at Omakau. While the newcomer to the trotting gait brings all the right form, he hasn’t seen the standing start tapes once in his 51 starts. It is certainly something for punters to ponder and it would be bold to think he is going to ping away quickly and settle right up on the pace. But there is one man that tips the scales of probability into the positive – the old master Phil Williamson. Knowing Phil, he’s put the time into teaching He Aint Fakin the standing start ropes and will have him prepped to make a safe getaway if circumstances allow. While some of his rivals are handy types, the eight-year-old should take plenty of holding out if he trots safely. One Over Da Line – Race 10 There aren’t the same concerns over One Over Da Line’s standing start prowess, though there are some similarities between him and He Aint Fakin. Both trotters are out to secure penalty-free wins for their junior drivers. One clear advantage One Over Da Line has is that his driver Riley Harrison knows him well. The trotter brings strong form in stronger company than he meets at Omakau and looks one of the stronger winning threats on the card Palladium – Race 12 He’s another whose winning price isn’t inspiring but that’s beyond punters’ control. Palladium was excellent in his last-start second at Ascot Park among a quality field of two-year-olds. He hadn’t been sighted at the races since early October and that run is sure to have tightened him up for his Omakau mission. In that October win, Palladium handled older horses in style suggesting that stepping out of age-group company and back in amongst hardy types won’t be a problem. After being a touch unlucky in his last-start second, chances are he will be in front and out of trouble this time. View the full article

Selections for Omakau today. Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! Omakau Jonny Turner Racing Journalist Race 1 12.28pm 6 Mr Cash Man 8 Destiny’s Dream 7 Bettor Way 3 Nyla Race 2 12.59pm 4 Kairo 8 Jaccka Jim 11 Fiery Adi 8 What’s The Whisper Race 3 1.32pm 2 Turn N Burn 3 Cinderella Franco 10 Captain Christina 12 Mighty Flying Miki Race 4 2.06pm 8 Sonofamistery 10 By Chance 6 Rise Up N Dance 9 Quinn Race 5 2.42pm 8 Princess Sadie 7 Dreams Pat 3 Vertigo 4 Randel Huston P Race 6 3.17pm 2 Beluga 5 Anita Mary 3 Rockoutray 11 Franco Seb Race 7 3.50pm 4 Party Up Denario 3 Bannockburn 12 Babe On The Beach 10 Burnham Girl Race 8 4.25pm 4 He Aint Fakin 9 Prestigious 8 Harriet’s Moment 7 Major Fear Race 9 5.02pm 3 Wag Star 8 Pinseeker 9 Alta Meteor 7 Ruby Roe Race 10 5.34pm 6 One Over Da Line 10 B D Hall 1 Kracka Looka 9 Royal Rock Race 11 6.08pm 5 I Dream Of Jeannie 6 Midnight Dash 3 Jimmy Carter 1 Maui Race 12 6.39pm 4 Palladium 2 Henry Winkler 6 Tua Lipa 8 Fitzthebill View the full article

While Sovereignty reigned over North American racing as its earnings leader in 2025, Thoroughbred racing's winningest horse of last year, Sharp Warning, carved out his own distinction far from the spotlight.View the full article

We have turned the tables on our obituary and feature writer John Berry, who doubles as the master of Beverley House Stables and Newmarket's unofficial weather man. A terrible singer, he gave up the possibility of a life as a theologian to train racehorses. How did you become involved in racing in the first place? I was lucky enough to grow up on a farm in Scotland where we had horses and ponies, and with parents passionately involved in racing, with the Sporting Life on the table every day and the racing on the TV. Under the circumstances, it was very easy to end up wanting to become a jockey (which I tried to become, unsuccessfully). What's your proudest moment in the sport to date? Winning the Newmarket Town Plate, in 2011 with Kadouchski, as owner, trainer and rider. I am also proud of the exploits of Roy Rocket, whom I bred, part-owned and trained and who, like Kadouchski, I rode pretty much every day for several years. His achievements at Brighton led to him being voted the recipient of the ROA Flat Special Achievement Award in 2018. That was very special. Aside from the sport, I'm proud of having been Mayor of Newmarket, which is sort of racing-related simply as most things involving Newmarket are racing-related to some extent. And your defining memory of 2025? My wife Emma's little homebred Dereham won the two-mile handicap on the July Course for the third time, a very special feat which I still find a little bit hard to believe as he's as much a pet as a racehorse. What motivates you? I wanted to be successful in the game, almost as if to prove a point (even if only to myself). I can't realistically say that I have been, but it is human nature not to like to admit defeat so I'll keep trying. The other thing is that my daily routine has been pretty much the same for decades and consequently it has become my whole life, so the thought of that life ending frightens me. It will, of course, have to end some time and then something will replace it and I will cope with that, as that is what one does, but it is human nature (or my nature, anyway) to prefer the familiar and to fear the unknown. Give us an underrated sire to keep the right side of next year… Golden Horn and Rajasinghe still don't really get the credit they deserve. I'm sure that both will continue to sire good horses. With most new stallions, I look at their fee and think that it's too high, often much too high. I didn't think that with Study Of Man, who is now proven as a high-class stallion; and of the current batch of unproven sires Triple Time was one horse who I thought seemed under-appreciated when he retired. We'll find out in 2027 and beyond whether I'm right. Tell us something people don't know about you… I've never been as brave as I would like to be. It's not so much that nobody else knows that, more that nobody else will have ever given the matter any thought. By contrast, I have thought about it too much over the years. Your favourite place/racecourse and why? I'm very fond of Brighton, a splendid racecourse run by good people (a description which applies to most courses). We've been lucky there over the years and that always makes one like a course. Away from racing, Devon is my favourite county. My brother and I used to have two weeks there every summer when I was a child, staying with my grandparents adjacent to Dartmoor, and my father ended up living back in his home county. In my over-idealising mind the county is a sort of heaven on earth. Did you ever consider an alternative career as a meteorologist? Ha, ha! I'm happy to be an enthusiastic amateur rather than a skilled professional, as both meteorologist and rider. There was a story that I might have been going to join the church, which wasn't and isn't correct but stems from the fact that after I had finished my A-levels I secured a place to read theology at St Peter's College, Oxford. I dropped out and the course would have been wasted on me at the time; but I'd love to do it now, although obviously I never will. What's your go-to karaoke song? I am told (often) that I am a very bad singer. I always think that most of Leonard Cohen's songs should be easy enough as you don't really need to be able to sing to perform them, but then I'd probably be told that I was being too gloomy. I have it in my mind that I'd be able to sing After The Gold Rush well, in the rather quirky way that Neil Young sings it, but realistically if I tried to do so I'd almost certainly find out that I have been deluding myself. Who /what inspires you? People who devote their whole life to the sport, achieve plenty and remain very decent people are obvious sources of inspiration, such as Jack Berry, Jonjo O'Neill and Martin Pipe. But you never need to look very far anywhere in racing to find kind, hard-working people, and that's really what life is all about. To move from the general to the specific, it's pretty much impossible to live in Newmarket for any length of time and not develop both respect and affection for Sir Mark Prescott. Give us a horse to follow in 2026… It's easier to look outside this stable (not least because, as a very biased optimist, in my mind they are all potential stars here) so I'll suggest that, the way things often work out, the horses of the late Sheikh Mohammed Obaid are likely to have a good year in 2026. Zeus Olympios looks likely to be a big part. He seems a terrific horse and one can be sure that Karl Burke will continue to place him to very good effect. The post In The Hot Seat: John Berry appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It is three years since Deep Impact's long reign as Japan's champion sire ended, and six years since his death at the age of 17, but his influence on the country's stallion ranks is still profound. As well as being sire of the champion Kizuna, he is also sire of champion freshman Contrail, who, like his father, was a Triple Crown winner. And, it will doubtless come as no surprise that Deep Impact is also the champion broodmare sire for the second time. Gone but very much not forgotten. The Tokyo Yushun, or Japanese Derby, remains an important test in Japan and Kizuna added his name to that particular roll of honour back in 2013, some seven years before Contrail did the same. That they have both now been champion first-season sire speaks volumes, both for the way these horses are valued by breeders in the support they have received, but also for the structure of Japan's two-year-old programme. Back-loaded in the season, the juvenile contests are very much a springboard for a career at three and beyond, rather than the be-all and end-all for a young racehorse. To nurture proper Classic horses, this is the way it should be, and it is also worth noting the enduring importance and influence of the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger), whose recent winners of course include the aforementioned Deep Impact and Contrail, as well as Kitasan Black – sire of the great Equinox and this year's Derby winner Croix Du Nord – as well as the revered Orfrevre, Epiphaneia, and World Premiere. From a small first crop of just 25 foals conceived at the Yushun Stallion Station, World Premiere is now the sire of Lovcen, breakthrough winner of last week's G1 Hopeful Stakes, a race won in the last two seasons by Croix Du Nord and 2024 Arima Kinen victrix Regaleira, a daughter of the Japan Cup winner Suave Richard. World Premiere had three winners from his 11 starters, and his crops to come will be similarly small, with 32 yearlings about to turn two. He covered 24 mares in 2025 at a fee of ¥500,000 (approximately €2,700). It will be interesting to see if Lovcen is a fluke or the start of something bigger to come. World Premiere was after all a decent racehorse. He was a winner at two and the Kikuka Sho wasn't his sole top-level win as he also landed the Tenno Sho (Autumn) as a five-year-old as well as finishing third in the Arima Kinen. Furthermore, his Listed-winning dam Mandela (Acatenango) is a half-sister to Manduro (Monsun), Europe's Horse of the Year in 2007. But let's talk about Contrail. Much has been expected of the near-black stallion ever since he waltzed into the yard at Shadai Stallion Station. His first foals, then yearlings, sold like the proverbial hotcakes and with no shortage of representation in 2025 – 80 runners – he has notched 19 winners including the Listed winner Badrinath and Grade 3-placed duo of Gene King and Going To Sky. Expect him to click up a gear with his first three-year-olds in 2026. While Contrail was comfortably clear on progeny earnings, both Grade 3-winning sprinter Matera Sky and GI Carter Handicap winner Mischievous Alex were ahead of him by number of winners, with 24 and 27 respectively at an impressive strike-rate, while Chrysoberyl, a Grade I winner on the dirt in Japan's Champions Cup, was fourth in the table, and also had 19 winners. From a European perspective, an honorary mention must go to the sixth-placed Benbatl. The son of Dubawi who won Group 1 races in Germany, Dubai and Australia, and has now made a decent start at Big Red Farm, with 13 winners from 49 first-crop runners. The compromised fertility of the 2021 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner Poetic Flare means that he is relatively short on numbers, with just 38 foals from his first crop. However, 26 of those have run this year with eight of them winning, to put him in eighth place in the table. Contrail, Japan's champion first-season sire of 2025 | Emma Berry Back in the big league, Kizuna finished ahead of the perennial bridesmaid Lord Kanaloa, who has now been second in the table for six consecutive years. The admirable sprinter-miler, a multiple Grade 1 winner himself, has sired 12 Grade 1 winners including the 2025 scorers Bellagio Opera, Costa Nova and Satono Reve, who also finished a close second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. As already noted, Kitasan Black produced this year's Derby winner, Croix Du Nord, and finished third in the table overall, ahead of the late Duramente, sire of the exciting three-year-old Masquerade Ball, the winner of the Tenno Sho (Autumn) who ran Calandagan to the wire in the Japan Cup. The 2016 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Drefong continues to hold his own in Japan and was represented by his second Grade 1 winner recently in Star Anise, who landed the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and is a potential Classic contender for 2026. Drefong's previous Grade 1 winner was his first-crop son Geoglyph, who struck in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) of 2022. He is proving a reliable stallion and finished fifth in the table (as he did in 2024), narrowly ahead of Epiphaneia and Leontes, the sires respectively of Dubai Sheema Classic winner Danon Decile and Museum Mile, the winner of last weekend's Arima Kinen. Real Steel, who is bred on the same Deep Impact-Storm Cat cross as Study Of Man and, like him, is from the family of Miesque, finished eighth in the table and was represented by the brilliant Forever Young, who became Japan's first winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic. The post Kizuna and Contrail Add to Deep Impact’s Legacy in Japan’s Sire Championships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

BloodHorse has reprised its online year-end survey to ask some of the sport's leading individuals for their opinions on pertinent issues facing the sport.View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This holiday edition is highlighted by the victory of No Pressure in Florida. Florida Clime The Answer For No Pressure Lindy Farms' No Pressure (No Nay Never) rolled to a three-quarter length victory stretching out over the Gulfstream turf for Philip Antonacci on Boxing Day (video). The homebred debuted during the Belmont at the Big A meet and ran second by a neck over six furlongs in September. Baroda Stud consigned No Pressure to the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, and he caught the eye of Greathorse Racing at €65,000 in October of 2024. Out of Compression (First Defence), the bay is the third foal, runner and winner for his placed dam, whose latest foal is a yearling full-brother to No Pressure. From a deep Juddmonte family that brought you multiple Grade I winner Sightseek (Distant View), etc., No Pressure is also related to stakes winner and G1 Middle Park Stakes second Task Force (Frankel). Coolmore's No Nay Never, priced at €100,000 in 2026, is responsible for 71 winners from 121 runners in the U.S. (59%). His 11 stakes winners there include four at graded level, with GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate his star performer. Repeat Winners No Show Sammy Jo (Lope De Vega) scampered home to win the Via Borghese Stakes at Gulfstream Park on New Year's Eve (video). Owned by Newstead Stables and trained by Graham Motion, the two-time graded placed mare is also a dual winner of the All Along Stakes. Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown's Risk Tolerance (Kingman) returned a winner at Tampa Bay on December 26 (video). A winner of an Aqueduct contest in April, the son of Loving Things (Pivotal) was winning for the second time in four starts. The post Making Waves: No Nay Never Colt Unwavering In Florida appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Friday, Meydan, Dubai, post time: 20:25, ZABEEL MILE SPONSORED BY PHI ADVERTISING-G2, AED850,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1600mT Field: Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Keffaaf (GB) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), Chicago Critic (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Asad Zabeel (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Vafortino (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Andrease Vesalius (Ire) (Caravaggio), Western Writer (Ire) (Shamardal). TDN Analysis: If Aomori City prevails in the Zabeel Mile, he would be the seventh winner for trainer Charlie Appleby. The gelding faces G1 Lockinge Stakes hero Audience, as well as Group 2 winner Quddwah. Friday, Meydan, Dubai, post time: 19:50, DUBAWI STAKES SPONSORED BY FRANCE GALOP-G3, AED700,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1200m Field: Dark Saffron (Flameaway), Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke), El Nasseeb (GB) (Profitable {Ire}), Colour Up (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Apollo One (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}). TDN Analysis: A quartet of runners faced off in the Listed Al Garhoud Sprint in December, with El Nasseeb beating Colour Up, Mufasa and Group 1 hero Dark Saffron. All four are back again, and this time, El Nasseeb isn't guaranteed a pace meltdown sustained by the vanquished trio last year. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Aomori City Could Hand Appleby Seventh Zabeel Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rising Force landed one of the plunges of the season so far when he defied stall 14 to win the Class Three Cha Kwo Ling Handicap (1,200m) on his seasonal reappearance at Sha Tin on Thursday. Sensationally backed from $16 into $3.35 favourite, the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained galloper made light work of the widest barrier when Richard Kingscote managed to land on the leader's shoulder. Breezing past Matters Most as he pleased at the 400m pole, the race was settled in a matter of strides as Rising...View the full article

When it comes to the Coastal Classic, Holymanz (NZ) (Almanzor) is like the spoiled kid who won’t let others play with their toys. The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding has won the only two editions of the 1700-metre race that has a giant surfboard as a trophy and is the headline event on Geelong’s feature Saturday meeting. The Cambridge Stud-raced six-year-old is out to maintain his dominance in the 2026 edition and in an ominous warning for his rivals, Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull considers him to be going better than the past two years. Last year’s win under 60kg was his first success since the inaugural Coastal Classic, but he heads into Saturday’s race a last-start winner after dead-heating with Geelong rival Precious Charm (NZ) (Per Incanto) in the 1600m Werribee Cup on December 7. “The horse is extremely well,” Turnbull said. “He’s probably arguably in better form, he’s got to carry the weight, but I wouldn’t say it’s as strong as a race as he found last year. “Hopefully we can package up and send back to New Zealand a third surfboard. “Once we picked up the second ‘board, we were always keen to come back for the third.” Holymanz goes up half-a-kilo for last year’s win and heads betting from former stablemate St Lawrence (NZ) (Redwood), who is now with Gavin Bedggood, and the Liam Howley-trained Opening Address (NZ) (So You Think). The Coastal Classic carries a $110,000 winner’s purse, and $36,000 for second, either of which would see Holymanz snare the necessary $26,718 required to make him racing’s latest millionaire. “He’s that Group Three, Group Two fringe horse and he’s just been an amazing galloper to have,” Turnbull said of the son of Almanzor, who has six wins and 10 placings from 32 starts. “He’s incredibly sound, he’s a pleasure to deal with and you wish you could have a few more of them. “A million in stakemoney is very hard to do, even in this day and age, so he’s been good to Cambridge.” Visiting English jockey Saffie Osborne rode Holymanz in last year’s Coastal Classic, but Michael Dee was aboard for the initial win and Dee goes back aboard on Saturday with the pair to jump from barrier six in the field of 10. View the full article

The stakes-winning run of trainer Stephen Marsh at Ellerslie rolled on in inevitable fashion as underrated mare Queen Zou (Zoustar) produced an undeniable finish to claim victory in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) on New Year’s Day. The five-year-old daughter of Zoustar was tasked with defending the title in the race claimed by the Marsh-trained Bourbon Empress (NZ) (Proisir) in 2025 and did so courtesy of a patient ride from Matt Cartwright, who had also been aboard last year’s winner. Marsh was keen to see plenty of speed in the race as that favoured the hard-closing style of his charge and admitted he was giggling as he saw pacemaker Midnight Edition (NZ) (Wrote) being pressured by a wave of contenders approaching the home bend. “This is a race we wanted to win with her and I just loved how they put the pressure on so far out as she was just stalking (them),” Marsh said. “She looked awesome beforehand and it is very exciting and rewarding for everyone.” Cartwright had been careful to keep the mare in her normal racing pattern throughout the race, settling third last against the rail and not asking her for an effort until the pressure went on around the home turn. Queen Zou moved effortlessly into contention at the 300m and found another gear as she charged to the lead to beat a brave Son Of Son (NZ) (Tavistock) and Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan), who shaded race favourite She’s A Dealer (NZ) (Ace High) for third. “It means a lot to us as this is the first horse that Dylan (Johnson, racing manager) and I really stepped out and paid a lot of money for and we’re lucky we have such fantastic and loyal owners,” Marsh said. “I said to the owners that she walks around like a panther and Matt was confident (before the race), which is half the battle. “It looks like the Thorndon Mile (Gr.2, 1600m) will be next for her.” Marsh will be looking to hold on to the Thorndon Mile crown he won with quality mare Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) in 2025 when the race is contested at Trentham on 17 January. Cartwright was also full of praise for one of his favourite horses. “She is such a beautiful, honest mare and one who is so deserving of a win like this,” he said. “She put the writing on the wall last start (runner up in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes, 1600m) at Te Rapa. “We enjoyed a beautiful run, got out at the right time and she just attacked the line. “She means a lot to me and I was quite excited after the line. I feel like she is up to Group One quality and can take that next step.” Raced by a number of long-time stable supporters including the Bourbon Lane Stable New Zealand LLC Partnership, Queen Zou was a A$650,000 purchase from the Vinery Stud draft during the 2022 Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She has now won five of her 17 starts and in excess of $328,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

John Size continued his mid-season renaissance with a double at Sha Tin on Thursday, spearheaded by the impressive success of Endued in the Class Four Lei Muk Shue Handicap (1,600m). Slow starts for the 71-year-old are par for the course and the well-known mid-season rally from the champion trainer is well under way, with Thursday’s brace continuing an impressive run of form that has seen him train six winners from his last 31 runners. Size is certainly not known for stable transfers, but Endued...View the full article

Storm Rider capitalised on a perfect ride by Karis Teetan and light weight to bag a career-best victory in Thursday’s Group Three Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin. Racing four points out of the handicap in his Group race debut, the consistent five-year-old was brown-lamped from $18 to $9.7 late and lifted when it mattered most to prevail in a thrilling three-way finish. Teetan secured his fourth triumph in the New Year’s Day feature since 2018 when Storm Rider won by a short head...View the full article

It may not have been on the horse she crossed the Tasman for, but premiership-winning Queensland hoop Angela Jones got her Group victory at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. The 24-year-old jockey had accepted the invitation of Wexford Stables to partner Smart Love in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m), and while she was unplaced on the mare, she was victorious for the stable on the undercard aboard Up The Anti in the Horizon By SkyCity 1600. When fellow Matamata trainers Peter and Shaun McKay heard Jones was coming to New Zealand, they were eager to book her services for their mare Santa Catalina (NZ) (Puccini) in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m), and it proved a winning decision. Backing up a week after running fifth in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers’ Championship Final (2400m) at Ellerslie, Santa Catalina jumped away well, but lacked the early speed for Jones to punch forward with the mare. Unable to cross, Jones was forced to settle her mare three-wide with cover behind Canheroc (NZ) (El Roca). Jones kept a cool head and bided her time on the daughter of Puccini before presenting her wide at the turn where she was able to make steady inroads into the frontrunners lead and closed late to score a three quarter of a length victory over Trust In You. Jones was pleased to get the win but admitted she thought they were in trouble early on. “I thought I didn’t give her the best of rides in the early stages,” Jones said. “She had jumped well and they said if she jumps well they wanted her to be thereabouts. She jumped well but we didn’t really have enough speed to get us out of trouble. “I was pretty happy when I looked up and I had cover at least, and she settled beautifully. They have done a beautiful job of presenting her and she really gets this trip well because you put her in a spot and she settles so well. I would never say she felt like the winner, but she was there when I needed her. “I knew she had a bit of a tough run, so I didn’t want to ask her to go too early. I was thankful for a bit of cover into the straight. I was grateful it was starting to play a little bit better down the outside and I think we needed all the help we could get and she showed that she is very tough.” Shaun McKay was rapt with the win, which has given the stable the confidence to press on towards the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham later this month with their mare. “We knew she pulled up really well (from Ellerslie on Boxing Day) so we didn’t worry about the back-up and it was a good win,” he said. “Winning any race at Ellerslie is superb and winning a Group race is even better. “We would love to aim for a Wellington Cup and see how she goes. She is a good stayer in the making. I would say she will have another start (before the Wellington Cup), but we will just see how she pulls up and go from there.” Bred by Mapperley Stud principal Simms Davision, Santa Catalina is raced by the Matamata horseman in partnership with Peter and Kim McKay, for whom she has won four of her 20 starts to date and earned more than $270,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Promising staying filly Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) chose the best possible moment to break her maiden status when she powered home to take out the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-prepared daughter of Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park had caught the eye when powering home late to finish second over 1600m at Te Rapa a fortnight ago and was one of the most discussed candidates in the lead-up to the traditional New Year’s Day age-group feature. Team Wexford entrusted the in-form Joe Doyle with the ride and he rewarded that faith with a gem as he allowed his mount plenty of time to find her feet in a strung-out field headed up by pacemakers Origin Of Love (Snitzel) and Singe (NZ) (U S Navy Flag). Ohope Wins began to creep into the race approaching the home bend with Doyle taking her to the outside of the track where she began to go through her gears. Several huge bounds took her to the lead at the 100m and she simply ran away to score by more than a length from the gallant Origin Of Love and her fast-finishing stablemate Born To Be Royal (King’s Legacy). Doyle was suitably impressed by the performance from a filly who has plenty ahead of her. “She is special as we were a long way back and had a lot of ground to make up,” Doyle said. “She is really laid back and when I started to give her a hard squeeze she came up underneath me and has won quite cosily in the end. “I just think she has Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m) written all over her as she will be majorly competitive.” O’Sullivan shares that opinion of the filly, who is nominated for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) which will be run at Ellerslie this year on 21 February. “Andrew and I have always believed in this filly and that was why we were lining her up today in a Group Two as a maiden,” he said. “Hopefully she will be running in the Oaks or the Derby, or races like that in the future. “The best way to describe her is that she is a pet. She has a temperament where she doesn’t waiver with anything and that will hold her in good stead moving forward. “We won’t make any plans today but come Monday morning Andrew and I will work out a programme for her. “We had said to Joe to just ride her as you find her as with races like these you know half of the field are not going to stay as they are having their first crack at the distance. “We were hoping he could come to the outside and get some clear air and he summed it up nicely, it was a great ride. “We have always thought she was a stayer from day dot and nothing has changed that opinion.” Bred and raced by Bill Gartshore and his family under their Gartshore Bloodstock banner, Ohope Wins is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Choux Mania (NZ) who is a half-sister to the 2010-2011 Horse of the Year Jimmy Choux, who won five Group One races including the 2011 Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) before carving out a successful breeding at Rich Hill Stud. View the full article

Te Akau Racing have made the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) their own in the last few years, and they look to have another strong contender for this year’s edition following the running of the Gr.2 SkyCity Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. The juvenile feature was taken out by their exciting colt Kinnaird (Home Affairs), who doubled his win tally after scoring on debut over 1100m at Otaki in November. From their wide draw, jockey Opie Bosson took the Home Affairs colt back to settle off the pace in the running line, but soon found themselves on the rail as a gap opened through a weakening Uninvited. While looking for a run out wide down the home straight, Bosson elected to keep to the rail where Kinnaird showed a good turn of foot to run down Harvey Wallbanger (Home Addairs) and score by just over a length. “I wanted to come out, but he was a bit horse shy of the horse outside of me, so he gave me no choice but to come back in,” Bosson said. “Once he balanced up, he has got a good finish on him. As soon as I asked the question he really knuckled down and wanted to win, which is what you need in a colt going into a Karaka Million.” Bosson knows what it takes to win a Karaka Millions 2YO, having ridden five Te Akau-trained juveniles to win the rich feature, and he believes Kinnaird has the ability to make it six. “He has got a lot of upside about him,” Bosson said. “He is still learning and we have still got the option of putting the blinkers on too.” Mark Walker, who trains Kinnaird in partnership with Sam Bergerson, was full of praise for Bosson’s ride, believing it proved the difference on the green colt. “It was an Opie of old ride, that was a brilliant ride,” Walker said. “He is still new, he is still green, he did a lot wrong, but the experience and the class of Opie got him through.” Te Akau have won eight of the last nine editions of the Karaka Millions 2YO, with Walker winning the race with Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdain) (2023) and La Dorada (NZ) (Super) (2025), the last in partnership with Bergerson, and he is looking forward to Kinnaird contesting the race later this month. “We are on the right track. It was a nice win,” he said. “He will go straight in (to the Karaka Millions).” Kinnaird was purchased out of Highview’s 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis for $340,000. He has won both of his starts to date and amassed just shy of $130,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Manny Franco paced all riders to secure top honors as the leading jockey at the New York Racing Association with 206 wins across the circuit's six race meets in 2025. Linda Rice was the top trainer and owner.View the full article

Despite a few downgrades due to weather and a cancellation here and there, the U.S. and Canada still combined to run 446 graded races in 2025. What stands out after another full year of North American graded racing is in the books? All 98 scheduled Grade I races were run, with just three horses scoring a trio of successes at the elite level: Journalism, Sovereignty, and Ted Noffey. Another nine horses doubled up with two Grade I wins on the year. In addition to the 98 Grade I events, there were 136 North American Grade II races and 212 Grade III races. Sovereignty and Nitrogen tied for the most graded wins in 2025 with five. Hot on their heels were Bishops Bay, Fionn, Journalism, and Thorpedo Anna, who each had four graded wins. One sire notched five individual Grade I winners in North America in 2025: Into Mischief. Gun Runner, Not This Time, and Nyquist were right on his heels with four individual GISWs, while Dubawi (Ire), Liam's Map, Medaglia d'Oro, Ten Sovereigns (Ire), and Twirling Candy each had three. Another nine sires scored with two coveted Grade I winners apiece. Into Mischief also led the individual graded stakes winner tally with 17 on the year in North America, while Not This Time (15), Gun Runner (14), and Nyquist (11) also breached double digits. 24 of North America's graded races were won by runners out of Bernardini mares, making the late stallion far and away the leading broodmare sire by graded wins in 2025. Uncle Mo had 17 graded wins as a damsire, while Street Sense and Tapit each ended the year with 16. In the Grade I category, Bernardini, Distorted Humor, and Uncle Mo tied with six Grade I wins apiece, but it was Distorted Humor in front with five individual GISWs while Bernardini and Uncle Mo had three each. 58 of the Grade I races were contested on dirt, with the remaining 40 on grass. Overall, 224 of the 446 graded races ran on the main track, with another 195 on the lawn and 27 on all-weather surfaces. 37 of the 98 Grade I races were won by homebreds, whether raced by their breeders outright or with additional partners. At least 142 of the 446 graded races in 2025–or nearly a third–were won by homebreds. Godolphin bred four individual Grade I winners in North America, Juddmonte bred three, and Don Alberto Corporation and Spendthrift Farm each bred two. While a number of programs bred multiple graded winners, one stands especially tall: Godolphin bred the winners of 25 North American graded races in 2025. Those represented 15 individual graded winners, 12 of which were campaigned as homebreds when they visited the graded winner's circle in 2025. 231 of the 446 graded races were won by graduates of Fasig-Tipton, Keeneland, or OBS. The priciest were Barnes ($3,200,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG), Brant ($3,000,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR), and Lush Lips (GB) ($3,700,000 3yo '25 KEENOV). On the flip side, Argos, Chunk of Gold, Nobals, Regaled, Sultana, The Queens M G, and White Abarrio all sold for $10,000 or less at domestic sales. There's a three-way tie for most Grade I wins among trainers. Bob Baffert, Chad Brown, and Todd Pletcher each won 10 in 2025. Baffert (35), Brown (28), and Brad Cox (26) led the year by graded wins. Fun facts: Not This Time sired the trifecta in the GII Jessamine Stakes on opening day of Keeneland's fall meet and the superfecta in the GIII Bryan Station Stakes on closing day of the same meet… The First Defence mare Antonoe produced two new Grade I winners in 24 hours at the end of November when Salamis won the Hollywood Derby and Segesta won the Matriarch Stakes; both race as homebreds for Juddmonte… Four specific crosses resulted in two 2025 Grade I winners each: Gun Runner over Malibu Moon, Into Mischief over Distorted Humor, and Liam's Map over Scat Daddy. The post 446 Graded Races in 2025: What Did We Learn? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Junior driver Kate Coppins finds herself in an unusual position at the Wairarapa Harness Racing Club’s short and sharp dual code meeting at Tauherenikau on Friday. All four of her drives on the four-race programme are on heavily-favoured runners for Michael House. “I am very excited for it,” she says, “Micky always has all his horses on point.” Her drives will be Koko Kaboom (R1), Big Gee (R2), Million Dollar Chic (R3) and Goorambat Art (R4). Both Koko Kaboom and Million Dollar Chic back up after unplaced efforts at Alexandra Park on New Year’s Eve. “Koko Kaboom, I’ve had a good combination with him, and had a win and third with him, he’s a lovely horse.” “The 50 metre mark is a bit of a push over 2000 but if I step and get handy he’ll be there at the finish.” Million Dollar Chic is the shortest priced favourite of her four drives at $1.85. “Going onto the grass will be a big help and she’s racing pretty consistently.” Big Gee is a newcomer to the House stable, with a career record of no placings from 12 starts but Coppins is confident he can turn that around. “I’ve watched some of his videos and he has ability and some potential.” Her final drive will be Goorambat Art, who’s drawn one the second row. “He’s a good boy, he’s been racing very consistent.” In 2025 Coppins had four of her 19 wins for the House stable. She has 22 wins overall. She started driving for the stable after first getting to know the Houses through Kidz Kartz. “Wilson and I represented New Zealand in Australia,” Coppins says. And Coppins was delighted to see Wilson cap off a brilliant 2025 by winning the Junior Drivers premiership for the first time. “I was bloody happy for him – he’s a great guy.” While Coppins is driving at Tauherenikau, Wilson House will have six drives at Friday’s Central Otago Trotting Club’s meeting at Omakau. Employed full-time at Arna Donnelly’s Cambridge stables Coppins has a target for 2026. “I’d like to get to 50 career wins by the end of the year.” Judging from her book of drives on Friday she could get off to a cracking start. To see the Tauherenikau fields click here View the full article

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) wrapped up Aqueduct's fall meet Wednesday with Flavien Prat taking the leading rider title and Linda Rice taking the leading trainer honors. Prat's 46 wins included nine stakes victories and five graded victories. His record for the fall stands at 136-46-21-15, earnings of $3,247,016, and a win percentage of 33.82%. Manny Franco was second with 33 wins, while Kendrick Carmouche was third with 25 victories. Rice notched her fourth consecutive Aqueduct fall meet training title with 31 wins and an overall record of 139-31-24-23. Her win rate was 22.30%, while her earnings stand at $1,788,075. Chad Brown was second with 19 wins and Tom Morley was third with 10 wins. It was a 31st owners' title on the NYRA circuit for Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, with 10 fall meet wins that included six stakes scores. Klaravich Stables completed the meet with a 20-10-2-2 record and $877,183 in earnings. Rice finished second with nine wins and Tristar Farm finished third with eight wins. In addition, rider Manny Franco secured top honors as NYRA's leading jockey of 2025 with 206 wins across the circuit's six race meets. Franco won his fourth year-end title at NYRA following victories in 2018, 2019, and 2023. Franco won this year's Aqueduct winter title and Belmont at the Big A fall title, as well as 19 stakes at NYRA tracks in 2025, including with Test Score (Lookin At Lucky) in the GI Belmont Derby. “It's amazing,” Franco said. “First of all, I want to say thanks to God for letting me do what I love. I'm just happy to get the opportunity from all the owners and trainers in New York. My agent, John Panagot, has been doing a tremendous job and I'm happy to be the leading rider for the fourth time in New York. It's not easy, but it's not impossible either. You've got to work hard and that's what I've been doing since I came here. You never take anything for granted.” Franco's NYRA stats for 2025 are 1,164-206-205-195 with earnings of $15,851,470 and a win rate of 17.70%. Kendrick Carmouche was second with 178 wins and Flavien Prat was third with 168 wins. Trainer Linda Rice, who established a single-season NYRA record of 165 training wins earlier in December, finished the year with 172 victories. Rice captured three meet training titles this year at Aqueduct: winter [51 wins], spring [15 wins] and fall [31 wins]. Rice finished the year with NYRA stats of 808-172-139-120. Her purse earnings reached $9,561,873 and her win rate was 21.29%. Chad Brown was second with 127 wins, while Todd Pletcher was third with 78 wins. “2025 has been a great year overall,” said Rice. “The team has really performed and have been putting in the hours, energy, and expertise. My clients have given me the opportunity to go different directions and that allows you to have success when they give you that latitude to make sometimes difficult decisions.” Rice also clinched the NYRA year-end owners' title with a total of 61 wins and three meet owners' titles: Aqueduct winter [22 wins], Aqueduct spring [six wins], and Belmont at the Big A fall [10 wins, tie]. As an owner, Rice completed the year with a 273-61-45-39 record and $2,833,134 in total purse earnings. Klaravich Stables finished second with 46 wins; Michael Dubb was third with 38 wins. Live racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card for opening day of the winter meet. First post is 12:40 p.m. ET. The post Aqueduct Fall Meet Wraps with Honors for Prat and Rice, Franco and Rice Secure Year-End NYRA Titles appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Friday, Meydan, Dubai, post time: 20:25, ZABEEL MILE SPONSORED BY PHI ADVERTISING-G2, AED850,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1600mT Field: Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Keffaaf (GB) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), Chicago Critic (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Asad Zabeel (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Vafortino (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Andrease Vesalius (Ire) (Caravaggio), Western Writer (Ire) (Shamardal). TDN Analysis: If Aomori City prevails in the Zabeel Mile, he would be the seventh winner for trainer Charlie Appleby. The gelding faces G1 Lockinge Stakes hero Audience, as well as Group 2 winner Quddwah. Friday, Meydan, Dubai, post time: 19:50, DUBAWI STAKES SPONSORED BY FRANCE GALOP-G3, AED700,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1200m Field: Dark Saffron (Flameaway), Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke), El Nasseeb (GB) (Profitable {Ire}), Drew's Gold (Violence), Colour Up (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Apollo One (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}). TDN Analysis: A quartet of runners faced off in the Listed Al Garhoud Sprint in December, with El Nasseeb beating Colour Up, Mufasa and Group 1 hero Dark Saffron. All four are back again, and this time, El Nasseeb isn't guaranteed a pace meltdown sustained by the vanquished trio last year. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Audience And Dark Saffron Test 2026 Credentials At Meydan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jes Sikura, son of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa president John Sikura, will be the new Director of Bloodstock at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, according to a Wednesday afternoon release from the Central Kentucky farm. The younger Sikura has spent the last two years working in the farm's bloodstock division while attending college. He recently graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in marketing. “Jes has demonstrated a great passion and acuity for the business,” said John Sikura. “He loves the farm and working with clients to serve their goals. This appointment is strictly about my belief in his integrity, ability, and commitment and has nothing to do with him being a 'Sikura'. It is rewarding to think that Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa can be a generational business fostered by such passion and love of place. We have a great tradition here of having exceptionally talented and committed people who have meant so much to our success. I expect Jes to do the same.” Jes Sikura added: “I am extremely excited to officially join the team at Hill 'n' Dale. I feel ready to join at a time of tremendous opportunity. We have a lot to look forward to in the immediate future, from launching and managing the careers of several of our important young stallions to building on the momentum of a monumental year in 2025 which saw Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency top both Keeneland September and the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. In addition, Hill 'n' Dale acquired an ownership interest in Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna, who has joined our elite broodmare band. I will be enthusiastically working towards the bright future we have here.” The post Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa Welcomes Jes Sikura as Director of Bloodstock appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA)-related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU)'s “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Among this week's rulings, trainer Carlos Acosta, Jr. has been banned a combined four years and fined a combined $25,000 after out-of-competition hair and blood samples taken in April from his trainees, Storm Leader and Tucum, tested positive for Albuterol, a banned bronchodilator. At the time of the required testing, both horses were stabled at a private farm near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Acosta reportedly refused to allow HIWU personnel access to the private farm and instead took the horses to Albuquerque Downs Racetrack for testing. According to a final decision signed by case arbitrator Barbara Reeves, Karina Gonzalez, the owner of Storm Leader and Tucum, initially explained that their regular licensed veterinarian, Lane Dixon, had examined the horses and prescribed Albuterol to be administered via an inhaler, due to the horses suffering exercised-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Though classed a banned substance, Albuterol is permitted only if it was given as an inhaled bronchodilator, and only if it was also prescribed by a licensed veterinarian in the context of a valid veterinarian-patient-client relationship, according to HISA rules. Furthermore, HISA requires anyone who medically treats a “Covered Horse” to report every treatment to the HISA portal within 24 hours. According to the final ruling, there are no Albuterol treatments reported in the HISA portal for Storm Leader and Tucum. During the adjudication process, Acosta forwarded to HIWU a single email, purportedly from Dixon, to say that he had been prescribed Albuterol due to exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, the final decision states. Gonzalez also testified that she paid Dixon in cash for his services. Acosta, however, did not call or subpoena Dixon to testify at the hearing, “nor did he produce or subpoena veterinary records from Dr. Dixon,” the final decision states. Furthermore, after being told that authentic medical records would need to be produced to be part of a valid case, Gonzalez reportedly changed her argument to claim her horses had been intentionally contaminated, according to the final decision. Acosta's four-year ban started on Dec. 29. According to Equibase, he has trained on and off since 2013. He has 62 career wins to his name from 439 starts. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 12/30/2025 Licensee: Nick Canani, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Bloodline, who finished sixth at Churchill Downs on 11/6/25. Dates: 12/30/2025 Licensee: Jamie Ness, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on December 31, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Mepivacaine–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Uncle Irish, who finished second at Laurel Park on 9/13/25. Dates: 12/29/2025 Licensee: Carlos Acosta, Jr., trainer Penalty: Combined 4-year period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on December 29, 2025; a fine of $25,000. Final decision of arbitral body. Explainer: Out-of-competition medication violations for the presence of Albuterol–a banned bronchodilator–in samples taken from Storm Leader on 4/22/25; and from Tucum on 4/22/25. Pending ADMC Violations 12/30/2025, Carlos Rafael Figueroa, Jr., trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Foxy Cara, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 11/19/25. 12/30/2025, Jeremiah Englehart, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Oxymorphone–a banned substance–in a sample taken from Neigh Baby, who finished second at Belmont at the Big A on 10/9/25. 12/29/2025, George Lopez, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole and Methocarbamol–both class C controlled substances–in a sample taken from Tiz Lissett on 11/26/25. 12/29/2025, Kieron Magee, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Neolithica, who won at Laurel Park on 10/11/25. The post National Rulings December 27 – 31, Carlos Acosta Banned 4 Years appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horse Racing Alberta has approved the 2026 budget, reflecting a disciplined approach in response to current economic conditions while maintaining strong support for the province's racing and breeding industries.View the full article