Wandering Eyes

Michael Trombetta, the long-time trainer for the late Larry Johnson, visited the owner's farm in 2022 to inspect the new crop of yearlings and was struck by one in particular. The yearling was Mindframe (Constitution). “The first time I saw Mindframe, he just stood out like a sore thumb,” Trombetta said. But Trombetta knew then that he would not get the chance to train the horse who went on to win the GI Stephen Foster Stakes, the GI Churchill Downs Stakes and finish second in the GI Belmont Stakes. According to Trombetta, Johnson was spending about $1 million alone each year on stud fees and would help pay the bills by taking his best three or four prospects to the sales. “I knew I'd never be the trainer of that horse,” Trombetta said. “Larry would always cherry-pick a handful of horses that he thought were good enough to go to the sales. Larry's words–and I can still hear them in my head all the time–were, 'sometimes we have to take some chips off the table.' He had to help fund everything. He had to be able to fund his operation properly.” Johnson wasn't wrong. Mindframe was sold at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale for $600,000, and was purchased by the partnership of Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables LLC. But while it was Todd Pletcher, and not Trombetta, who guided the career of Mindframe, Trombetta now has the next best thing in his barn. He is the trainer of Mindframe's soon-to-be 4-year-old half-brother, Lonesome Road (Maclean's Music). In his third lifetime start and his first on the dirt, Lonesome Road ran off the screen in a Dec. 26 maiden at Laurel. He won the six-furlong race by 8 ½ lengths and earned a 93 Beyer figure. “It's always nice to have the half-brother to a really good horse,” Trombetta said. “I've been at this long enough to know some of them are good and some of them are not. But to see this horse put it together in the afternoon was what I was waiting for. I don't remember having a horse running a 93 Beyer number as easily as he did. Usually, they are put to a drive and asked to extend themselves. He was doing that rather comfortably. So that was exciting to see. I was expecting a good race based on the way the horse was training. Did I think he would run like that? Honestly, no. It was very nice to see. I'm not surprised that he took a jump forward because he had been training very well. It was nice for him to put it all together.” From the start, Lonesome Road was a project, which is the reason why he didn't debut until halfway through his 3-year-old year. “He was late coming around,” Trombetta said. “He didn't put it together as quickly as some of my other horses. He was one of those horses that needed a little more time. I think being able to give him that time really made a big difference.” While winning a maiden race in the dead of winter might not seem like such a big deal, all one has to do is dig a little deeper and they will see that Lonesome Road might just have a bright future. He began his career at Colonial Downs in a July 16 maiden race on the grass and finished a lackluster seventh. Trombetta put him back on the grass for a Sept. 12 maiden at Colonial and was rewarded with a second-place finish. He stayed on the grass only because he couldn't find a maiden dirt race for the horse that would fill. “This may be a conversation for another day, but I had to enter him four times before [the Dec. 26] race went,” the trainer said. “That is a huge issue nowadays. As a horse trainer, when you want to run and when you actually get into the starting gate…a lot of times it is a weeks and weeks difference. That is the reality of racing these days.” Johnson passed away in February and his two daughters took over the day-to-day operations of the stable. They huddled with Trombetta and it was decided that they would give Lonesome Road some time and that they would geld him. Upon his return, he was a different horse. “I had some conversations with the ownership and the recommendation was to geld him and kind of take a step back and freshen him up,” Trombetta said. “I knew that the turf season was over and that it might be a little easier to find dirt races to go for him. Maybe his being gelded helped him. Maybe it was the time off. Maybe it was the surface change. You can pick any one of the three. Maybe it was a combination of all three. It seemed to all come together for him.” Trombetta understands that Lonesome Road is unlikely to achieve what Mindframe did and he is prepared to take his time with him. He said he will point for a first-level allowance race. He's not worried about what the distance of that race might be. “Preferably, I can find one at seven-eighths or a mile and that would be perfect,” he said. “Usually those races, from what I see, they have a little better chance of going. I trained his mother [Walk of Stars]. She was better going farther. Obviously, Mindframe was a good solid two-turn horse with a lot of talent. I don't think this guy will have any limits when it comes to distance. He may not be a mile-and-a-quarter horse, but I think I can run him anywhere from three-quarters to a mile-and-a-sixteenth without a lot of worry.” Johnson died on Feb. 4 at the age of 78 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Trombetta wishes he were still around to watch his horses compete, particularly Lonesome Road. Johnson's estate also owns Future Is Now (Great Notion), the winner of this year's GIII Caress Stakes at Saratoga. “This year has been bittersweet,” Trombetta said. “We've done very well this year and it's just a shame that he wasn't here to see it.” The post Mindframe’s Half-Brother is an Intriguing Prospect appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of Dec. 22-28View the full article

The death of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum has been described as “a hammer blow of epic proportions” as those who worked closely with the owner-breeder come to terms with his unexpected passing. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, a cousin of the Ruler of Dubai and Godolphin founder Sheikh Mohammned bin Rashid Al Maktoum, died in Dubai on Monday. He is believed to have been in his mid-70s. Liam O'Rourke, director of studs, stallions and breeding for the Godolphin and Darley operation, has for many years overseen the broodmare band of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, which has included Zomaradah, the dam of Darley's flagship sire Dubawi. It currently features the celebrated matriarch Reem Three and a number of her daughters, including G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Ajman Princess. O'Rourke said, “I am so sorry for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's family, to whom he was incredibly close. He saw his grandchildren on a daily basis, consistently mentioned them, and took a keen interest in my family, with whom he was also close. He's a huge loss by any metric.” He continued, “He didn't suffer fools. He squared us all up from time to time, and the trainers would tell you the same thing. But he had incredible vision, great foresight, and was very frequently proved right when he came up with what we thought was a strange suggestion. So he was very much a man to support his own stable with a conviction that's rare. He had every confidence in his own abilities, and ever so often made the correct decisions as a consequence. “He was a wonderful man to work with. He gave me a free hand with the broodmares.” Sheikh Mohammed Obaid purchased Reem Three's granddam Donya from her breeder Vincent O'Brien and set about nurturing the ensuing generations. The fact that the stallion yard at Dalham Hall Stud currently features a son of Reem Three – Triple Time, one of her eight black-type performers – and two grandsons in Inisherin (out of Ajman Princess) and Rosallion is testament to the skill with which this has been carried out. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's major success on the track, which stretches back to the 1998 Derby winner High-Rise and has been particularly noteworthy of late, reaches far beyond this one family. Zeus Olympios, a dual Group winner in 2025 trained by Karl Burke, is out of the young Siyouni mare Rhea, whose current juvenile Valenday, by the sheikh's multiple Group 1 winner Postponed, has looked promising in two starts for Kevin Ryan. Arguably the most exciting of the crop about to turn three is the George Boughey-trained Bow Echo, a son of champion sire Night Of Thunder, while the owner also celebrated victory in the G3 Autumn Stakes with another Night Of Thunder colt, Hankelow. O'Rourke continued, “We've had some tremendous luck in the last few years and he's got more to come. We were particularly excited, and are, albeit now in very bittersweet terms, looking forward to next season. He had both Zeus Olympios as an older horse, and Bow Echo as a Classic contender, so he was very excited about that. I think we're only building it, to be honest, and this is a hammer blow of epic proportions. “He never failed to call me every Monday morning. We would have a long conversation about just about anything really. Mainly horse-related, of course, but he was a man of the world, so he had an opinion on politics and was a very interesting man to converse with on any range of topics. So I'll miss him hugely.” Shadwell, the operation founded by another of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's cousins, the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, released a statement on Tuesday which read, “Shadwell is deeply saddened by the passing of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, a hugely successful and influential owner and breeder. He will be long remembered throughout international horse racing for his extraordinary contributions to the sport. “Everyone connected with the Shadwell operation extends their sincere condolences to all of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's family and friends. Our thoughts are with them during this profoundly sad time.” Kevin Ryan, who enjoyed Group 1 victories at back-to-back Royal Ascot meetings with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's homebreds Triple Time and Inisherin, also paid tribute. He said, “He loved his family, and he was a great owner to me; not only was he an owner, he was like a friend. He was very, very good to me and we had some lovely horses for him. “He loved his horses, he loved his racing and he was a very knowledgeable man. He was great company, told some great stories, and a very kind, generous man. He was fantastic to train for.” Ryan added, “You'd look forward to getting the list through every year, the homebreds that were coming to you. It's been a privilege and an honour to have trained those horses for him, and he'll be sadly missed. Our thoughts are with his family.” Within a fortnight in the summer of 1998, first Zomaradah won the Oak's d'Italia and then High-Rise followed up in the Derby. Two homebred Classic winners in two weeks, both trained by Luca Cumani, who for many years was Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's principal trainer. Cumani also saddled Postponed to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes before the colt was transferred to Roger Varian, for whom he won the Juddmonte International, Coronation Cup and Dubai Sheema Classic. Varian, who trained for the sheikh for nine years, added another four Group/Grade 1 winners to the tally through Ajman Princess, Defoe, Sheikha Reika and Zabeel Prince, while Kevin Ryan also trained the top-level winners Fonteyn and Emaraaty Ana. Richard Hannon Jr masterminded the career of Classic winner Rosallion, and Simon and Ed Crisford were responsible for Without A Fight in his early years, guiding him to Group 3 and Listed victories before he remained in Australia under the care of Anthony and Sam Freedman, for whom he won both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup in 2023. The extent to which the stallions from Reem Three's family will make an impact beyond their own Group 1 successes on the track remains to be seen but Zomaradah's legacy is secure. Her own offspring include not only Darley's first champion sire, Dubawi, but also the G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Emirates Queen. She in turn provided her breeder with his final group winner during his lifetime when her son Royal Champion added the G2 Bahrain Trophy to a record which includes the G2 York Stakes and G3 Winter Derby in 2025 alone. It is another of Zomaradah's five black-type earners, the Kingmambo mare Dubai Queen, whose branch of the family could yet bestow further Classic honours on the family via her grandson Bow Echo. That colt's trainer George Boughey was the most recent addition to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's roster. Speaking about the owner-breeder on Tuesday, he said, “He was a man who was still so passionate about his horses, and with an awful lot to look forward to. With his stallions at stud and some very high-class colts, mainly, in training at the moment, there was a huge amount to be excited about. We were chatting about Bow Echo and the Guineas just 36 hours ago.” Boughey added, “I'll never forget when I got the call to train for him. I've watched those colours winning Classics and major races since I was a child, and these are bloodlines that we've all followed. To be able to be a small part of it for a couple of years was a huge privilege.” The post ‘A Huge Loss By Any Metric’: Racing World Mourns Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

One of the younger faces on the sales circuit, Fabienne Parkin has certainly made a big impact in a short space of time. Best known as the face of Branton Court Stud, Parkin has enjoyed a colourful year on and off the track. She is next up in the Hot Seat, where she shares everything from her biggest ambitions in the game to funniest moments of 2025. What was your defining moment of 2025? Was there a highlight? Watching Fallen Angel emphatically win her fifth Group 1 in the Sun Chariot Stakes has got to be up there – what a filly to have been involved with, winning Group 1s at two, three, and four. On a personal level, I was also really pleased that we had a great result at the Fairyhouse September Yearling Sale. It was my first experience running a sales consignment, so that meant a lot. Tell us something people don't know about Fabienne Parkin? Perhaps that I graduated with an honours degree from Durham University. Oh, and I've been known to rearrange a seating plan or two… but you can ask Anita Wigan for more details on that one! What motivates you? All the usual things… fame, fortune, rock & roll! But truly, surrounding myself with people I respect and constantly learn from is what drives me. The saying goes, you are never going to be the cleverest person in the room, but I believe there is no harm in trying. And without a doubt the motivation of watching foals you deliver mature into yearlings you present at a sale gives you an undeniable sense of accomplishment. Then seeing them succeed on the track – that is addictive. Funniest moment of the year? Ooh that is a tough one; I'll go for an unbelievable experience at the Dubai World Cup… a food fight may or may not have broken out, but I won't name and shame! Nominate four dinner guests from the sales circuit that would guarantee entertainment in the Red Room… I've had some memorable meals in the Red Room of late. I'd start with Barry Lynch – he'd definitely provide the laughs and is the king of a good impression. Adam Potts would almost certainly be there; he and I could turn Red Room lunches into a competitive sport. Henry Hannon would add impeccable comedic timing and taste. And of course, my partner in crime, Eliza McCalmont – she would take charge of ordering the Aperols. If we could squeeze in one more chair, James Yallop would be a clever addition to curate the menu. Your favourite sale/place and why? Any sale in Arqana or raceday in Deauville is hard to beat. With a name like Fabienne, it's no surprise I think the French do it right – fast horses, good wine, great food, and plenty of hilarious sightings in 'Le Club' at the end of the night! What's your go-to karaoke song? The Fear, by Lily Allen. You know the line, “Now, I'm not a saint, but I'm not a sinner!” Who is your inspiration? It's hard to list everyone, but among the strong, successful women I look up to are Violet Hesketh and Mimi Wadham of WH Bloodstock. They are both great friends whom I hugely respect and who do a fantastic job. Katie Walsh is another I really admire. I'm lucky to have some incredible people I count as mentors. Karl Burke would have to be top of that list – he, his wife Elaine, and daughters Lucy and Kelly are like family to me. I aspire to their resilience and dedication. Jamie McCalmont has also been very good to me. I definitely hope to have as many great stories to tell one day and to be as good a judge of a horse. Your guilty pleasure? This is one of my favourite questions! Anyone who knows me would say it would be anything Irish… I'm a big fan of Guinness. Give us one horse to look out for in 2026… Maybe an obvious one, but I'm excited to see what heights Hankelow can reach in 2026. I was shadowing Karl when he bought the horse at the October Sales last year. He was impossible not to like – a big, strong son of Night of Thunder. Arguably, he's unlucky not to be unbeaten and looks to possess all the attributes to make into a lovely three-year-old. And finally, any goals or ambitions for the new year? I'd like to travel more – although, anyone following me on social media would argue that's physically impossible. I would love more experience across the racing and bloodstock industries in the US and Australia. And of course, maintaining my Red Room lunch invitations remains an ongoing professional priority. The post In The Hot Seat: Fabienne Parkin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Yedsit Hazlewood and Brittany Russell concluded 2025 in style, capturing the jockey and trainer titles at the Laurel Park fall meeting.View the full article

Silver Prince (Cairo Prince–Silver Reunion, by Harlan's Holiday)), offered in a one-horse flash sale on Fasig-Tipton Digital, was sold post-sale for $450,000 to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing. Bidding opened on Dec. 23 and closed on Dec. 29. Silver Prince finished second in his career debut to TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, D'code in a hotly contested maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 14, earning an 80 Beyer speed figure. The 2-year-old son of Cairo Prince was consigned to the sale by his trainer, Ron Moquett, on behalf of his owners. “Fasig-Tipton did an excellent job facilitating a positive result for us, moving quickly when needed to get a deal done before the New Year on this colt,” said Moquett. “The digital format may be how deals are done moving forward. All the information is out there, the market establishes itself in real time, and the colt sold in an efficient and professional manner.” Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales, added, “We are very pleased to conclude 2025 with another successful sales result. We look forward to watching Silver Prince race in 2026 and hope his connections enjoy much success.” Fasig-Tipton Digital's next scheduled auction is its January Digital Sale, scheduled for Jan. 15-20. Entries close Jan. 5. The post Silver Prince Yields $450K in Fasig-Tipton Digital Flash Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this BH monthly interview, Karen M. Johnson profiles young racing personalities. View the full article

Industry Voices, Christine Sanchez outlines the need for finding ways to keep horses in training.View the full article

With less than five weeks until the first leg of the 2025/26 Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 1 February – and with the 149th HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March on the horizon, Karaka graduate Invincible Ibis (Hellbent) is on the march after recently posting his third successive victory. While only relatively new to the Hong Kong scene, Newnham knows what it takes to give the Classic Series a shake after he prepared My Wish to snare last season’s Hong Kong Classic Mile before running second in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and the BMW Hong Kong Derby. “You’d say he’d have to be in the top three (favourites for the Hong Kong Classic Mile) at the moment. He’s improved every run and that’s what you need to keep doing,” said Newnham. “I was in a similar position last year with My Wish and he improved all the way through, so we’re hopeful that we can do the same thing this year.” Secured by Newnham for the Ibis Syndicate from the Kilgravin Lodge draft at the 2023 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, Invincible Ibis posted two seconds from as many starts as a three-year-old in his debut season before returning a more mature animal this season. After finishing third on the opening day of the 2025/26 season, Invincible Ibis has reeled off three straight victories culminating in a one-and-three-quarter-length victory under Zac Purton in the Class 3 Poinsettia Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on 20 December. It was that most recent victory over a mile that gives Newnham confidence that his son of Hellbent will be competitive deep into the Four-Year-Old series. Settled on the fence behind midfield by Purton, $2.95 chance Invincible Ibis took ground off his rivals on turning before coming off the rail soon after straightening, attacking the gap when it presented and striding clear of his rivals, which included fellow Four-Year-Old Classic Series hopefuls Fortune Boy (NZ) (Contributer) and Dazzling Fit (NZ) (Ribchester). “That was important because as we work through the whole four-year-old series he’s going to have to go past a mile,” said the trainer. “He’s got the right racing pattern for it – he relaxes well during his races so he gives himself every opportunity to finish the race off if he’s conserved energy. “He gives himself every opportunity to run further than a mile. They went fairly steady the other day but he still had to finish the race off. “He looked like he still had more to give over the last 100m, so things are trending in the right direction.” Before trying to emulate the feats of My Wish, who has gone on to be a strong Group 1 performer, Invincible Ibis will have one more chance to add to his mark of 83 when he runs in a Class 3 1600m contest restricted to four-year-olds at Sha Tin on 11 January. View the full article

Last Friday was a bittersweet day for White Robe Lodge. The Otago stud farm lost their Group One-producing stallion Ghibellines, but their fortunes quickly took a turn for the better when their young sire Ancient Spirit recorded his first stakes win when his daughter Bobby Mcgee (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) took out the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) down the road at Wingatui. “It was a good result, we thought that filly was above average and she won well,” White Robe Lodge Stud Manager Wayne Stewart said. While saddened by the passing of Ghibellines, the southern horseman is choosing to take a silver lining view to recent events. “It was a sad day what happened before that but there are plenty of good things to look forward to,” he said. A son of champion sire Shamardal and Group One-winning mare Camarilla, Ghibellines was a half-brother to four-time Group One winner Guelph and Dazzler, the dam of triple Group One winner and subsequent Group One-producing sire Bivouac. Ghibellines had just the eight career starts, all at stakes level, with his highlight being victory in the Gr.2 Todman Stakes (1200m), while he also placed in the Gr.2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) and Listed Canonbury Stakes (1100m). He retired to stud at White Robe Lodge where he sired nine stakes winners, including Group One winner Smokin’ Romans. “He consistently left reasonable horses right from the start,” Stewart said. “He left that Dunedin Guineas winner (El Gladiador) in his first crop and most seasons he had multiple winners. “As time went on, they did take a wee bit of time to develop and mature, and today’s market is hard, people want those two and three-year-old winners. He did a good job, he was a good bread and butter sire.” The farm is now looking forward to the future with their two stallions, Ancient Spirit and Alflaila, with the latter having just finished serving his first book of mares. Stewart was buoyed by Ancient Spirit’s stakes-winning result last week, and is hopeful other promising horses from the same crop can build on his momentum. “He has had quite a few three-year-old runners and we always thought his best would be in the autumn, so it is always really nice to get spring horses,” he said. “He has never covered big books of mares, but he has had good quality books of mares. He has got a good chance. “He has had quite a few placegetters lately that have been a bit unlucky so hopefully they turn into winners now.” That next win could come at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day where his promising daughter Fly Zenno (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) will line-up in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m). Bred by Stewart and his wife Karen, Fly Zenno was offered through White Robe Lodge’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft where she was purchased by Conor and Sarah Fahy, under their Kawa Park banner, for $30,000. She showed promise when runner-up over a mile at Ellerslie earlier this month and Stewart said she will be ideally suited to the step-up to 2000m on Thursday. “She is bred to get a trip. She is from a lovely family,” Stewart said of the half-sister to stakes winner New York Minute. “I know they have always thought that she could be an Oaks type of filly, so it would be good to head that way. 2000m should suit her really well.” White Robe Lodge will head to Karaka next month with two yearlings in New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 2 Sale, including 579, an Ancient Spirit colt out of stakes winner Ortem Fire, a half-sister to Group Three winner Inferno, the dam of Smokin’ Romans. View the full article

Shaun and Emma Clotworthy are hoping a couple of their runners can bounce back from subpar showings at Ellerslie on Boxing Day when they return to the Auckland track on New Year’s Day. Six-year-old gelding Aftermath (NZ) (Rock ‘N Pop) has been a model of consistency for most of his preparation, posting a series of fourth placings, including in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) and Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m), before securing black-type when third in last month’s Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m). Injury ruled him out of the Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m) earlier this month, but he resumed in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day where he beat just the one runner home in the nine-horse field. His trainers have been pleased with the way he has come through the race and they are looking forward to getting him back to handicap conditions on Thursday in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m), where he will carry 53kg. “He had a little bit of an issue, a slight muscle twinge, before the Waikato Cup so he missed a bit of work,” Shaun Clotworthy said. “It (Zabeel Classic) was a very strange run race. If you took into account he finished just under three-lengths away from El Vencedor and Waitak, it wasn’t too bad under weight-for-age conditions. “I wasn’t totally disappointed in his run. He has been at the beach after the race and he had an easy bit of work yesterday (Monday) and he seems nice and bright. “I expect him to improve and obviously under handicap conditions he is a lot better.” Aftermath has drawn barrier 10 and will be ridden by Joe Doyle. “Joe can just see how he jumps and get him across,” Clotworthy said. “He did relax the other day, even off that slow pace, which I was pleased with. He can get in a habit of going quite fierce. Hopefully he can get him into a nice rhythm.” Stablemate Pulsatilla (NZ) (Redwood) will also be looking to bounce back to form when she contests the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m). The three-year-old daughter of Redwood won the Listed Trevor & Coralie Eagle Memorial 3YO (1500m) impressively last month before disappointing when seventh in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day. The filly has been mixing her form, and Clotworthy is hoping the step up to 2000m can help her return to her winning ways. “She was a touch disappointing in the Eight Carat,” he said. “She looked like she was going to come into the race and then she battled on a bit. She may just be looking for the 2000m already.” On the undercard, the stable will also be represented by Espadas (Ace High) in the TAB 1200 and Jack Crabb (NZ) (Redwood) in the Horizon by SkyCity 1600. “It was disappointing on Boxing Day having to late scratch (Espadas) after pulling his shoe off. He is a big, strong horse and a good galloper. He has drawn the outside (13), but he will still start and we are happy with him. He is a good animal on his day. “Jack Crabb has drawn a nice barrier (1) and has blinkers on for the first time. His work was good the other morning, it is a good stake and he will take his place, he is there to win.” Meanwhile, Clotworthy said he and his fellow $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) slot holder syndicate members are still in search of their representative ahead of the March feature. “We are still looking,” he said. “We haven’t secured anything yet but we have got a couple of irons in the fire, so we will just see what happens over this next week of racing. There is still a bit of time, so we are not in a panic yet. “The first year was great and it has been a great experience and all of our crew have really enjoyed it. It is just trying to find the right horse.” View the full article

After spending time in his native Canada, Gas Me Up won in his first attempt down Santa Anita Park's hillside course to capture the Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T).View the full article

In the days leading up to and after Christmas, parties on both sides of the pending class-action lawsuit involving computer-assisted wagering (CAW) have sparred in federal court over whether allegations that the nation's biggest racetracks have conspired with “insider” high-volume bettors to rig pari-mutuel pools at the expense of average horseplayers constitute valid claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The defendants in the lawsuit-which include The Stronach Group (TSG), Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), the New York Racing Association (NYRA), AmTote International, United Tote and Elite Turf Club-have yet to submit legal responses to the litigation. But those entities all filed letters with the court Dec. 19 that, taken together, described their CAW and rebating practices as neither “unfair” nor “fraudulent,” while purporting that plaintiff Ryan Dickey is using “hyperbole” and “rhetoric” to generate “headline-grabbing” attention designed to mislabel “common, lawful practices” as wrongdoing. The defendants stated that they intend to lodge motions for dismissal in United States District Court (Eastern District of New York), alerting the judge to the fact that they believe Dickey's RICO claims are unfounded and should not be allowed to move forward. Although the case aspires to be a class-action lawsuit (which would open it up to a theoretically unlimited number of aggrieved, small-scale bettors) it has yet to be certified as such in court, so Dickey stands as the lone David-versus-Goliath plaintiff at this point. Dickey, a Colorado resident who stated in his complaint that he routinely wagered about $100 weekly for 15 or 20 years before quitting horseplaying about 18 months ago over what he descried as frustration over the “manipulation of the betting pools,” fired back with his own correspondence to the judge Dec. 29. Dickey, via his attorney, responded to each of the letters submitted by the defendants 10 days ago, and his correspondence to the judge asserted that since the tracks and bet-taking companies “maintain meticulous, auditor-ready records, there is no question that Plaintiff can not only conceptualize their injuries but quantify them with precision.” The controversy around CAW play has intensified and drawn growing criticism over the past several years. Two examples published in TDN in just the past week are here and here. As TDN's Dan Ross reported when the lawsuit was first filed Oct. 24, complaints about CAW play typically surround the predatory edge those privileged players allegedly wield over smaller-scale “retail” customers thanks to their use of sophisticated technologies that allow them to precisely read the markets and to place massive bets across many pools in the final seconds of betting, as well as the attractive rates and rebates offered to them that are unavailable to the average horseplayer. Although it's not surprising that a federal lawsuit eventually got initiated over the CAW and rebating, the RICO charges stand out. RICO is a sweeping 1970 federal statute initially designed to combat the Mafia. But RICO has long since lost its “organized crime” stigma, evolving over the decades into a civil litigation component more often asserted by purported victims of white-collar crime. Dickey's lawsuit alleged that as a result of the CAW “scheme,” betting pools are not being operated in lawful pari-mutuel fashion, and have thus become illegal gambling schemes. “And the 'odds' presented to the average bettor at the time a bet is placed are false as a result of the manipulation of the bettors' pool,” the lawsuit stated. Furthermore, “Because of the unfair advantages provided to members of the Insider Betting Group, they receive an inordinate share of the pools, taking profits that should rightfully should have been the property of Class Members,” the lawsuit stated. The Dec. 19 letters from the defendants essentially told the judge not to buy that line of reasoning. Jointly, TSG, AmTote and Elite Turf Club (described as “The Stronach defendants”) wrote that, “At bottom, the Complaint bemoans decades-old technology to attempt to allege a racketeering conspiracy to commit fraud where none exists-and in a licensed market tightly regulated on federal and state levels, including by the federal Interstate Horseracing Act… “Plaintiff should not be able to smear the Stronach Defendants with a headline-grabbing, facially futile RICO suit,” the joint letter continued. “Plaintiff takes issue with technologies and betting practices that, he feels, unfairly advantage a small set of bettors who leverage data and technology to place a high volume of bets on these platforms,” the Stronach defendants' letter continued. “Trouble is, the conduct Plaintiff criticizes is nothing beyond variations on common, lawful practices, and on the very technology enabling Plaintiff and other bettors to remotely wager on races, enjoying some of the same advantages he complains high rollers receive,” the joint letter stated. “CAW lets users apply computer analytics to horse racing, just as high-frequency traders do in stock and bond trading and just as some gamblers do in sports betting. To the extent those analytics advantage CAW players, there is nothing unfair or fraudulent. CAW bettors access the same data as other bettors; they simply crunch it differently,” the joint letter stated. “The rebates, too, are unremarkable. They are nothing beyond an incentive, like a free room at a Vegas casino or a frequent flyer's first-class upgrade, designed to keep high rollers' business and support the racing ecosystem,” the joint letter stated. “Stripped of its hyperbole, the Complaint does not allege insider betting, bet rigging, or any other unfairness or fraud,” the Stronach defendants summed up. “Rather, it alleges that frequent, high-dollar bettors use technology to improve their gameplay, and that tracks offer incentives to their best customers. That is no criminal conspiracy, let alone a RICO enterprise spanning a huge share of the Thoroughbred racing industry….” CDI and United Tote responded together, continuing on the Stronach defendants' riff: “Plaintiff's Complaint acknowledges a basic fact of pari-mutuel wagering: odds change. That is the system-every new bet alters the pool and shifts the odds,” CDI and United Tote wrote. “Yet Plaintiff insists that this ordinary feature becomes a RICO violation when bettors using 'CAW' place late bets,” CDI and United Tote wrote. “But even if CAW wagers have the potential to move odds more than do wagers placed without CAW, that does not make the posted odds 'false,' much less a predicate act under RICO,” CDI and United Tote wrote. “No amount of rhetoric can transform a basic feature of wagering into racketeering. Plaintiff's claims should be dismissed,” CDI and United Tote wrote. NYRA told the judge that, “Not only does Plaintiff fail to allege predicate acts constituting 'racketeering activity,' Plaintiff also fails to allege NYRA's involvement in any pattern of such activity or the existence of or NYRA's participation in the operation or management of any RICO enterprise.” Dickey's Dec. 29 responses took on all three of the above-referenced missives. “The central theme of Stronach's letter asserts-wrongly-that [Dickey] bemoans advances in wagering technology. But Plaintiff takes no issue with technological progress; what Plaintiff challenges is Stronach's deliberate use of that technology to confer unfair, concealed advantages on a privileged subset of bettors and to divert money away from ordinary players.” “This case has nothing to do with resisting innovation. It concerns the weaponization of technology to siphon value from the Class and funnel it to members of Stronach-run Elite Turf Club, which, in turn, generate additional revenues for Stronach. Stronach pays lip service to the proposition that bettors are the 'financial foundation' of horse racing but participates in looting Class members to benefit their CAW customers… “That the scheme has harmed Class members is beyond dispute. Stronach itself admits, in a filing with its California regulator, that allowing its CAW players to wager into the pools at California racetracks increases the effective takeout borne by retail bettors by 2.50%,” Dickey wrote. “Stronach's own conduct further confirms this harm: its partial restrictions on CAW play-such as Santa Anita Park's ban on CAW wagers placed within two minutes of post time in the win pool-reflect an acknowledgment that CAW participation distorts the pools to the detriment of ordinary bettors,” Dickey wrote. “The Complaint is explicit about the injury Plaintiff suffered,” Dickey's correspondence stated. “[Smaller bettors'] wagers are devalued. “The resulting shift in odds and corresponding financial loss is directly traceable to the scheme described in the Complaint-facts Defendants do not contest,” Dickey wrote. “NYRA's effort to minimize its conduct also fails as a matter of standing and jurisdiction. Plaintiff alleges direct, concrete economic injury arising from NYRA's own participation in a scheme that manipulated wagering pools at NYRA racetracks to confer concealed advantages on CAW partners. The Complaint is full of detailed allegations regarding NYRA's participation in the scheme and the injuries thereby caused to Plaintiff and the Class,” Dickey wrote. “These allegations further establish that NYRA was an active participant in a RICO enterprise-working in concert with CAW platforms, other racetrack and betting pool operators and totalizer companies to manipulate pari-mutuel wagering pools through coordinated conduct that diverted money from Class members to NYRA's CAW partners.” Dickey wrote. “NYRA urges dismissal of Plaintiff's state law claims, while not offering a shred of authority or analysis for any of these wished-for propositions,” Dickey wrote. “Churchill's passing reference to arguments it elected not to brief should be disregarded, and it should not be permitted to engage in an ongoing, nonstop effort to seek dismissal through a rolling series of piecemeal motions,” Dickey wrote The post Two Sides Spar in CAW Lawsuit: Is It ‘Weaponization of Technology’ or ‘Smear’ Campaign Against Top Tracks? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. 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Awapuni trainer Ashley Meadows is hoping to get the new year off to the best possible start when he heads to Ellerslie on Thursday with his in-form gelding The Scunner (NZ) (Shamexpress). The six-year-old son of Shamexpress hasn’t put a foot wrong so far this preparation, winning first-up in September before finishing runner-up behind Hi Yo Sass Bomb in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham a month later, and he went one better last start when returning to the Upper Hutt track to take out the Gr.3 Spring Sprint (1400m). “That was a huge run last time,” Meadows said. “This prep he has improved so much. He started off in an open handicap and then went to Group Threes and he just keeps stepping up.” Meadows has been pleased with The Scunner’s progress since his last-start heroics earlier this month and he is looking forward to testing him at a right-handed track for the first time in Thursday’s Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). “He is looking smart, I think I have got him pretty spot on,” Meadows said. “It is his first time going right-handed, but I don’t think it will be a problem, I think barrier 11 might be the bigger issue.” Despite his barrier concerns, Meadows is expecting a strong showing from his charge, particularly if the forecast rain continues. “I am expecting him to run well. It is a long way to travel, so you do want them spot on,” he said. “If it rained up there it would probably help us.” The Scunner will carry equal topweight of 56.5kg, with jockey Kelly Myers retaining the ride. TAB bookmakers rate The Scunner a $26 winning chance in a market headed by She’s A Dealer at $2.80. Following Thursday, Meadows is looking forward to returning to The Scunner’s favoured track of Trentham later next month to contest the Gr.2 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m). “He is in the Thorndon, that has always been the main target,” he said. View the full article

Kelvin Tyler celebrated a quartet of winners on his home track 12 months ago and he will have numbers on his side for another successful New Year’s Day meeting. The Riverton trainer will be strongly represented throughout the card, including King Of The Castle (NZ) (Castledale), Master Marko (NZ) (Contributer) and Go Lotte (NZ) (Telperion) in the main event, the Pankhurst Sawmilling/Waiau Valley Shearing Handicap (1600m). “I would really like to see King Of The Castle bounce back to what he can do, he looks really well,” Tyler said. “At the weights, he comes into it best (55.5kg) and Master Marko has got a bit (60kg) and Go Lotte (53kg) probably isn’t racing as good as she should be.” The nine-year-old produced an encouraging effort last time out when fourth in the Tapanui Cup (1335m) and the step up in distance on Thursday will be more to his liking. “He is looking for more ground now, it’s taken him a bit to get over that fall he had at Riccarton, but I can’t fault him now and the rest is up to him,” Tyler said. Master Marko has been racing consistently and is expected to give another good sight while Go Lotte will need to improve significantly after a string of under par efforts. Tyler will also have three representatives in the Carriers Arms Hotel Summer Cup (2147m) and the Riverton Racing Club Memorial (1200m). In the former, he nominated Indie Ardie (NZ) (Ardrossan) as his best chance and a fresh Go Thea (NZ) (Tivaci) as the pick of his trio in the latter event. “Indie Ardie is going great races at the moment without a lot of luck, she should be a very good chance,” Tyler said. “I’ve also got a few three-year-olds in, but most of them are inexperienced so my best would be Go Thea. She’s resuming and has got a bit of form behind her.” The Tivaci filly hasn’t raced since she finished runner-up at Gore last September. One of Tyler’s four winners at the fixture a year ago was Freddie Time (NZ) (Time Test), who will continue his successful North Island sojourn at Trentham on Saturday when he runs in the Listed Vernon & Vazey Truck Parts Ltd Marton Cup (2200m). He was a winner over ground two runs back at Otaki before he produced a sterling effort to finish a close runner-up in the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m). “He couldn’t have got much closer, it only looked like half a nose he was beaten but that’s the way it goes sometimes,” Tyler said. “I’ve been talking with Howie and Lorraine (Mathews) and they said he came through that race very well and they’re doing a great job with him. “He should be another good chance and we’re just taking it race by race. He’s only a four-year-old so as soon as he looks like he needs a wee break then we’ll give him one.” View the full article

With plenty of big races over the next few days, Michael takes a deep dive into New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day action, catches up with Lance O’Sullivan, Tony Pike, Cran Dalgety and Ellerslie Track Manager Jason Fullford. Guerin Report – S2 Ep. 17 – NYE and NYD Preview View the full article

On the Dec. 29 episode of BloodHorse Monday: Louie Rabaut, Sean Collins, and Steve Kornacki unveil who they are voting for in each Eclipse Award category.View the full article

Capping off another tremendous year that included a win aboard Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Kentucky Derby, Junior Alvarado has been named the 2025 Male Venezuelan Athlete of the Year. He is the first jockey to ever earn the honor. The Venezuelan Athlete of the Year is the most prestigious sporting honor in Venezuela. It has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Circle of Sports Journalists of Venezuela. This year's female winner was Yorgelis Salazar, whose field is karate. “I was shocked, to be honest with you,” Alvarado said. “I knew I had been nominated but there never has been a jockey that has won this award. I remember when Gustavo Ávila won the Derby and Preakness with Canonero II back in the day. We all thought he was the one who had a big chance of winning the athlete of the year award. But he didn't. To be the first jockey to win is a big achievement. l can't even describe it. It is an amazing award. And I think that for our racing industry in my country, it is also a big win. It is more than just a big win for me. I am still on cloud nine. I wasn't expecting this.” Through Dec. 29, Alvarado has won 116 races on the year and his mounts have earned $18,318,159. His biggest wins came aboard the Bill Mott-trained Sovereignty, who is the leading contender for the Horse of the Year title. In addition to the Derby, the pair teamed up to win the GII Fountain of Youth, the GI Belmont Stakes, the GII Jim Dandy and the GI Travers Stakes. Sovereignty did not run in the Breeders' Cup, but Alvarado still had a successful day, winning the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff with Scylla (Tapit). “There were other people who were nominated, including some very good baseball players,” Alvarado said. “This Is the icing on the cake to get this award after the year that I had. I don't know if I will ever have another year like this again. I will try. But being honest, this is very hard to do. You have to have the horses to succeed. I'm just very grateful for all the opportunities I had.” Alvarado rode his first winner on Dec. 30, 2005 at La Rinconada Hippodrome near Caracas, Venezuela. He came to the U.S. in 2007 and had his first American winner at Gulfstream Park in 2007. He was a regular on the Chicago circuit before coming to New York in 2010. “I was always shooting for the stars when I was riding in Chicago and I always thought that was a good step forward to what I wanted to be,” he said. “My goal was always to be in New York. I knew that if I wanted to win the Kentucky Derby and other big races, and that if I wanted to be a somebody in this sport, I would need to ride in New York because that's where all the big horses are. That was always my goal ever since I was a little kid in Venezuela. The Kentucky Derby was the one race I always watched on television when I was a little kid. To win it this year was unbelievable. Then we kept adding to it…the Belmont, the Travers. It has been an amazing year.” The award has been dominated by baseball players, including stars like Miguel Cabrera, Jose Altuve, Luis Aparicio, Johan Santana and Andres Galarraga. The post Alvarado Named 2025 Male Venezuelan Athlete of the Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Three of the big names heading into 2026–GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Super Corredora (Gun Runner), GI American Pharoah winner Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) and Grade I winner Full Serrano (Full Mast)–all recorded timed workouts Monday at Santa Anita. Super Corredora and Full Serrano are both trained by John Sadler. Super Corredora worked five furlongs in 1:00.20. It was the third work this month for the juvenile filly following her victory on Oct. 31 at Del Mar. Sadler said Super Corredora is “definitely targeting” the one-mile GIII Las Virgenes Stakes on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita for her sophomore debut. Full Serrano also worked five furlongs in 1:00.20. The 6-year-old horse most recently finished fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile after winning that race last year. Sadler said Full Serrano is a candidate for the GII San Pasqual going 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 31 at Santa Anita. “We got to see a little more training, but he's possible for the San Pasqual,” Sadler said. Intrepido, trained by Jeff Mullins, drilled five furlongs in 1:03.00. It was his sixth work since Nov. 24. Intrepido won the American Pharoah in early October at Santa Anita prior to finishing fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 31. Mullins said he is “not sure yet” where Intrepido will surface for his 3-year-old unveiling. The post Super Corredora Drills for Las Virgenes Tilt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

With some luck in the coming months, the resumption of the Sovereignty-Journalism rivalry could prove an international sensation. View the full article

Barnes (Into Mischief–All American Dream, by American Pharoah), a $3.2 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni on behalf of Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing Stables, has been retired because of a tendon injury and will take up stud duty at John G. Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Farm, according to a farm release on Monday. Barnes will stand for a fee of $15,000 stands and nurses. A limited number of shares may be offered for sale. Barnes, a two-time graded stakes winner and Grade I placed who showcased his brilliance from Churchill to Santa Anita to Keeneland, was named for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes. “Barnes was a stunning yearling, a must have. He's a big, massive, beautiful horse with quality and a ton of speed. He was just coming into himself as a major Grade I talent before straining his tendon,” said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. “This truly was a major disappointment as we were expecting him to have a huge year on the racetrack.” A first-out winner at Churchill Downs in the fall of his juvenile season, the bay took the GII San Vicente Stakes before finishing runner-up to subsequent GI Preakness Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) in the GII San Felipe Stakes. On the board five times in seven career starts, including in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga this summer, Barnes took Keeneland's GIII Perryville Stakes by 8 1/4 lengths last time out on Oct. 18. Barnes was the early favorite for last weekend's GI Malibu Stakes before his untimely scratch. 'Barnes is such a big, beautiful and handsome horse. He is by perennial leading sire Into Mischief,” said John G. Sikura, President of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. “He hails from a top Kinsman American dirt pedigree which includes Grade I winners Spinning Round, Majestic Warrior and Dream Supreme. I love seeing such strong broodmare sires in a pedigree like A.P. Indy, Seeking the Gold and Dixieland Band. Quality and class abound throughout his parentage. Barnes was a very fast, high-class racehorse. His race in the Perryville, winning by over 8 lengths, stands out to me as a special performance,” Lanni added, “The minute we set eyes on him we knew we needed to buy him. Bob absolutely loved him, as did I. You will not find a better-looking horse than Barnes, anywhere. He's an extremely imposing individual with extraordinary presence who is by the most influential sire of our time. Brilliant and beautiful are the two words that best describe him.” The post Barnes, Dual Graded Stakes Winner and $3.2-Million Saratoga Grad, Retired to Hill ‘n’ Dale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Antonio Fresu will be “out for some time” after suffering a broken toe in his left foot in Sunday's seventh race, agent Ron Anderson reported Monday morning. Fresu was aboard 2-1 favorite Anmer Hall in a downhill sprint when they were put in tight quarters turning into the stretch and hit the rail. Anderson said Fresu's left riding boot was split as a result of the incident. He was subsequently sent to a local hospital for further evaluation and later released. “We'll know more later [on Monday], but he's going to be out for some time,” Anderson said. “It's his 'inside' foot, so that can be a little more worrisome. These guys though they are in such good condition, they heal fast.” Prior to the injury, Fresu on Sunday guided Hiding in Honduras (Dialed In) to a victory in the GII Mathis Mile for trainer Jonathan Thomas and won the third race aboard My Perfect Wave for trainer Tim Yakteen. A 34-year-old native of Sardinia, Fresu has been riding locally since the end of 2022. He has won 379 races in the U.S. Earlier this year, Fresu finished as the leading rider at the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet. The post Fresu ‘Out for Some Time’ with Broken Toe on left Foot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Jonathan Thomas earned a graded stakes double at Santa Anita Sunday with Augustin Stable's Ambaya (Ghostzapper), winner of the GI American Oaks, and Bob LaPenta's Hiding in Honduras (Dialed In), victorious in the GII Mathis Mile. Thomas also saddled the third-place finisher in the American Oaks, Will Then (War of Will). According to Thomas, all three horses were doing well Monday morning. Ambaya got up to win the 10-furlong American Oaks by a half-length after a ground saving trip and then splitting horses under Kazushi Kimura, who rode the filly in place of an injured Antonio Fresu. Will Then finished another neck back in third. “[Ambaya] backed up what we've seen from her in the morning,” Thomas said. “As her prior form would indicate, she's had a couple of troubled trips. But she was able to put it all together [Sunday] and got the job done.” Hiding in Honduras also used a ground-saving trip to take the Mathis Mile under Fresu. As for what's next for Ambaya, Will Then and Hiding in Honduras, Thomas said, “We'll let the dust settle. The fillies especially. They've each had a very long, hard year. They've traveled a lot, so we'll probably let them kind of get their feet underneath them and let them recover a little bit.” He added, “[As for] Hiding in Honduras, I'd run him next week if there was something for him.” The post American Oaks Winner Ambaya Likely to Get a Break appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bob Baffert came out swinging on Santa Anita's opening day card on Sunday, with Nysos (Nyquist), Goal Oriented (Not This Time)–both TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard, and Usha (Tiz the Law), coming home winners in the GII Laffit Pincay Jr., GI Malibu and GI La Brea, respectively. According to the Hall of Famer, the trio were “doing well” on Monday morning. Baffert also indicated that Nysos and Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), runner up in the Laffit Pincay Jr., are among potential candidates for the G1 Saudi Cup in Riyadh on Feb. 14, however, plans have yet to be finalized. “They all came back well, but no plans in the future for any of them yet,” he said. “We haven't thought about it.” Despite the success, it wasn't all roses for Baffert this weekend. Baffert runners Barnes (Into Mischief)) and Cornucopian (Into Mischief) were both forced to scratch prior to the Malibu. Baffert indicated that he didn't have an update on the former, while the latter appeared fine after acting up in the saddling enclosure and falling on his hind-end. “It was unfortunate, but he's fine,” Baffert said. The post Baffert Trio ‘Doing Well’ After Santa Anita Weekend Sweep appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Mike Love Elgin trainer David Mitchell joins the party on the coast for the final day of the circuit today. He takes three sound chances to the Reefton meeting, including Deceptive Lee in the feature, the $25,000 Rosco Contractors Reefton Cup over 2500m. “He seems pretty forward,” said trainer David Mitchell. Deceptive Lee has not raced since winning at Addington in September but has been to the workouts. “His last workout at Methven was good and a bit of form has come out of that.” It will be tough for the seven-year-old son of Captaintreacherous who’s off 20 metres and facing race-hardened horses like Teds Legacy, Westport Cup winner Hacksaw Ridge and second-day winner Smoke On The Water. However, Deceptive Lee has won twice in a fresh state as well as winning once and placing once from three starts on the Reefton track. “The small field negates his handicap a wee bit.” To see the Reefton Cup field click here Race 3, the M S Moore Contracting Mobile Pace over 2450m, will see debutant Liberty Girl take her place. After qualifying in November she has since been back to the workouts a couple of times with her most recent effort suggesting she would be a strong top three chance. “After she qualified I didn’t think we’d be here but she has progressed a lot and her last workout was promising.” Liberty Girl begins from barrier two today and has shown genuine gate speed and should be able to get across early and secure an economical run. “She may lack a bit of ringcraft but she’s travelled over here well.” Resurgamas lines up in Race 4, the Paul Cutbush Memorial Pace over 2000m. The full brother to Lazarus is yet to win from five starts but is still progressing. “He’s a bit 50/50 in the gait department. If he got away on even terms with them he should be thereabouts.” After missing away from the stand it was a huge recovery to finish as close as he did last time at Oamaru, so manners will need to be present today. “He got home well after making a mess of the start. When it all comes together for him he should win one or two.” Junior driver Gemma Thornley will drive all three runners. Race one gets underway at 12:18pm. View the full article