Wandering Eyes

This year has been a big step forward for Dazzling Move, who not only moved into graded company for the first time but also earned her first win in such a race. View the full article

The horse racing industry will gain access to advanced machine vision technology through a new partnership between Equius AI and global surveillance provider IREX AI, the former said via a Thursday press release. The collaboration will deliver video intelligence platforms designed for racetracks, training facilities, and equine operations, utilizing IREX's existing security infrastructure currently deployed across 30+ countries at airports, government facilities, transportation networks, and major sporting venues. The technology suite includes real-time security analytics, fire and smoke detection, crowd monitoring, and biometric access control. Racing-specific applications will encompass individual horse identification, barn entry logging, quarantine compliance monitoring, medication administration oversight, and race-day surveillance. The release also said that Equius AI, founded by Sobhy Sonbol of Nile Bloodstock, and IREX plan to collaborate with horsemen, veterinarians, and industry professionals to ensure the technology addresses practical needs across the sport. The post Equius AI And IREX Partner To Bring Machine Vision Technology To Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Michael Guerin The two most complete pacers in New Zealand return at Addington tonight with the same problem. Because both Marketplace and Republican Party are so good they are supposed to win but both could easily get beaten without losing their crowns. It is a common story in modern harness racing: wonderful horse gets bad draw or tough handicap in comeback race and connections want him driven conservatively so he starts his campaign with a positive experience. If you think you might have read this story before you have. Last Friday, when Merlin returned off a 20m handicap in the Spring Cup at Alexandra Park. He was a warm favourite, he was driven perfectly. He got beat. Republican Party faces that exact same problem tonight, when he kicks off his New Zealand Cup campaign from a 20m handicap in a $22,500 race. Genuinely good pacers in We Walk By Faith (front line) and Alta Meteor and Mo’unga (10m) get a head start and perhaps more importantly field position over Republican Party in tonight’s 2600m. Republican Party’s co-trainer Cran Dalgety wants him to win but doesn’t think he will yet he is the Auckland Cup and Messenger winner and everybody loves him so he opened $5 and name recognition alone could drive that price lower tonight. “We are really happy with him and he has had two trials so he is ready as he can be,” says Dalgety. “But I want him to be driven to fully exert himself over, say, 500m, not exert himself for 500m in the middle of the race to get around them then have to exert himself again.” Translated from trainer-speak to punter-speak that means: He can win, but probably won’t and you shouldn’t back him. We Walk By Faith and Alta Meteor are better bets while Don’t Stop Dreaming could win or finish last without surprising anybody because at his best he is very good and at his worst he seems very uninterested. Like Republican Party, Marketplace is a son of the great Bettor’s Delight and he might be a little bit special. He could be our best pacer in a year which could be almost enough time for him to escape the jet wash of Leap To Fame and Swayzee that has caused so many Kiwi pacers to crash and burn in the last two years. A fully fit, on the speed and angry Marketplace would win tonight but he won’t be any of those things because tonight is a step down a path toward races like the $500,000 Velocity, NZ Derby and Flying Stakes, races Marketplace is long odds-on to win. Adding to his issues tonight are the three really good rivals in Rubira, Got The Chocolates and Bettors Anvil who are fitter than him and drawn inside him. Trainer Regan Todd doesn’t waste his words. “In all likelihood he will go back at the start and hope for the right cart into the race but we are also aware that might not come,” says Todd. Marketplace can still win as he only has six rivals and could easily be in the one-one with 800m to go and if he is his $1.80 opening price will feel like theft. But if he is four back on the outer with one of his rivals ready to unleash a 55-second last 800m then could be both exceptional yet expensive. Between now and when the harness racing season ends on December 31 both Republican Party and Marketplace are almost certain to win more stake money than any of the horses they race tonight. But that doesn’t mean they should be carrying yours this time. View the full article

By Michael Guerin Ben Butcher thinks Pantani might be getting to the top of his learning curve just in time for tonight’s Metro Trot Final at Alexandra Park. The Cambridge trotter will start odds on in the $35,000 final after winning the stronger of the two heats run a fortnight ago by 10-and-a-half lengths, suggesting he is close to a good thing tonight. On that last start, and best form of 2024, Pantani probably should win again but there have been plenty of lows in between, with caretaker trainer and driver Butcher saying Pantani was a victim of his own early success. “The problem he had was winning three races in a row last year and looking really good doing it,” says Butcher, whose father David trains Pantani but is overseas. “So he ended up in a really good grade very quickly against horses who could trot the same sectionals he can but they had more experience. “He then had to learn in a hard grade what most trotters learn in easier races and it think it took him a while. “But he is maturing and getting there now, as we saw last start.” Pantani is still anything but the finished product but he looked much more comfortable against the marker pegs when leading last start than chasing or having to come wider on the track, which is often a trap for inexperienced trotters. He does cop barrier 8 tonight but Butcher suggests his last start thrashing of many of those he meets should have earned him enough respect to be taken seriously if he goes forward inside the first lap. So if you are taking the odds-on about him tonight expect to see him driven positively and with the $35,000 a great stake for this calibre of horse, some rival drivers may be keen to take a trail on the most logical winner. “If it wins this week it is also penalty-free after winning his heat so we’d love to get this race,” says Butcher. One rival who somewhat mirrors Pantani’s form is Loteria, who clearly had more overall ability than her record suggests but is still learning how to best use her energy. She looked over the odds when opening at $13 and is worth following regardless of what she does tonight. Butcher also drives You Little Beauty (R3, No.5) tonight for his father against stablemate Hooray Henry, who will have the services of Ben’s brother Zachary. “There isn’t much between them. The mare might be tougher but Henry is probably faster so they both have a good show as it is only a small field.” Butcher also suggests another of his drives Seaside Boss (R6, No.3) can improve even after winning last start so he could be a good each chance. Tonight’s other Metro Final for the pacers has Mediator (R4, No.2) as the warm favourite even though he is stepping up in grade. He does look to have more upside than many of his rivals though so the early tactics on a fast front line could be a deciding factor. View the full article

Johannes, the defending City of Hope winner and second in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile, returns as the even-money morning line favorite in this year's edition at Santa Anita.View the full article

A HISA pilot program released results from a study of advanced cardiac monitoring of Thoroughbreds that shows atrial fibrillation (AF)–traditionally considered a benign, performance-limiting condition–can worsen during exercise, cause a more severe arrhythmia that leads to sudden death, according to a press release from HISA on Thursday. The group said that electrocardiogram data from affected horses that displayed AF both at rest and under exertion, underscores the need for early detection and highlighs the potential of integrating routine cardiac screening into pre-training and pre-race evaluations. During the first six months of 2025, HISA's Exercise-Associated Sudden Death (EASD) Working Group–launched in October 2023–said that EASD accounted for approximately 8% of racing fatalities and 18% of training fatalities at racetracks subject to HISA rules (and training centers owned by them). Retrospective analysis of cases since HISA's inception shows that more than 50% of cases were likely related to cardiac issues, often classified as “Sudden Cardiac Death.” The majority of these EASD events occurred early in a horse's career, with the highest incidence occurring in horses with zero to five starts. HISA launched its working group in recognition of the critical importance of addressing and better understanding these risks and preventing EASD. The pilot, led by Dr. Cristobal Navas de Solis, Associate Professor of Cardiology, Ultrasound and Internal Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Sian Durward-Akhurst, Assistant Professor of Genetics, Genomics and Large Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, is ongoing. The findings were presented at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum in Kentucky in summer 2025, among other meetings of specialists in the field. Dr. Navas de Solis and Dr. Durward-Akhurst partnered with leading experts to investigate underlying causes and develop prevention strategies. Program collaborators include Dr. Mary Durando (Equine Sports Medicine Consultants, U.S.), Dr. Grace Forbes (Racing Victoria, Australia), Dr. Laura Nath (University of Adelaide, Australia) and wearable technology specialists at Arioneo Equimetre (France). “Integrating cardiac screening into routine evaluations–whether through wearable devices or veterinary exams–could allow trainers and veterinarians to identify at-risk horses before exercise,” said Dr. Karen Hassan, HISA's Compliance and Research Veterinarian and chair of HISA's EASD Working Group. “This opens the door to scalable monitoring protocols and standardized response strategies that could save equine lives.” The next phase of the program will focus on scalability and the development of real-time cardiac monitoring protocols and risk-based screening criteria. Specifically, AF could be detected either via wearable devices, handheld ECG devices or auscultation by a veterinarian before exercise, allowing trainers to withhold exercise and work with their veterinary team to evaluate affected horses further. Establishing optimal workflows and tools to be used for rhythm analysis with an emphasis on AF, defining the risk of arrhythmia other than AF and proposing and evaluating a standardized response protocol for cardiac adverse events during exercise will be key components of the next phase of work. To further educate stakeholders on EASD, a series of educational webinars will be held for horsemen and veterinarians in the coming weeks. HISA has issued an accompanying Equine Health Advisory on EASD, associated risk factors and what trainers and veterinarians can do to help prevent EASD, which can be found here. The post HISA Study Finds AFib Can Contribute To Sudden Death; Early Detection Key appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Coming into the GI Pennsylvania Derby, Puca (Big Brown) may already have been the most valuable broodmare on the planet. But in the 1:48.03 it took to contest that race, she became worth even more. Baeza (McKinzie) won and is now the third son in a row out of Puca to capture a Grade I race. Puca's owner is John Stewart's Resolute Racing, who announced in August that Puca will be sold at this November's Fasig-Tipton “Night of the Stars” sale. As much as he'd like to keep Puca, he said she will not be pulled from the sale. “I go into the whole thing with a lot of reservation, just because she's the type of mare that literally loves on you when you go up to her,” Stewart said. “I am very attached to her. But at the same time as a business person, with what just happened with Baeza, there's probably not a better investment that I've made in the industry so far. I love her. I love all the horses on my farm. At the same time, when you make a good investment you have to capitalize on it. Still, It's going to be hard to sell her.” Stewart bought Puca in 2023 at the Keeneland November Sale for $2.9 million. She had originally RNA'd, but Stewart picked her up post sale. She had already made her mark as a broodmare as her second foal, Mage (Good Magic) won the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby. Stewart could not have known how much more there was to come. Her third foal was Dornoch (Good Magic), who won the 2024 GI Belmont Stakes and the 2024 GI Haskell Stakes, increasing Puca's value. Dornoch and Mage have both retired to stud. That left Baeza to be the flag bearer. He had lost four straight, three times to Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and once to Journalism (Curlin). But he never missed by much and made the sport's two best 3-year-olds fight to get the victory. Baeza's win in the Pennsylvania Derby gave Puca three straight Grade I winners, two of them Classic winners. Puca at Resolute | Sarah Andrew Stewart said he used AI to look up other dams who have had three straight Grade I winners and said he could only find four worldwide. “She is such a classy horse. She's fantastic,” Stewart said. “The money we make from this will be reinvested in the future of the farm. You look at what Curlin did for Hill 'n' Dale and what Sadler's Wells did for Coolmore. I'm just fortunate enough that I hit the lottery. That was the first year I bought any horses when I bought her and she RNA'd. There are a lot of people in the industry that should have known a lot better than me. They didn't pick her up when they could have bought her.” What is Puca worth now? A lot more than $2.9 million. Stewart said he plans to put a $5 million reserve on her. She will not be in foal at the time of the sale. She was bred this year to Into Mischief, but the superstar match did not produce a live foal. “She's empty right now, so if I were to keep her and breed her I wouldn't see any incremental income for two years,” Stewart said. “A lot can happen as we just saw with Wootton Bassett. She's 13 and if I kept her and bred her one more time then I'd be selling her as a 16-year-old after she had the baby. You have to look at those things. At the end of the day we are definitely sellers.” Though Puca may soon belong to someone other than Stewart, he owns her next two foals after Baeza. She has a yearling colt and a weanling filly, both by Good Magic which makes them full-siblings to Mage and Dornoch. “I own both of them, but we haven't named them yet,” he said. “The colt is the one we did the MyRacehorse collaboration with. I own 75% of the horse and the MyRacehorse people own 25%. So I own and control him. The filly, we won't take partners on her and she will not be sold. She's at the farm and we own 100% of here. That's one of the reasons that we look to sell Puca because we have this filly. She's a healthy mare and definitely done some special things.” The post Stewart Is Sticking To His Guns, Puca Will Be Sold appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

FAIRYHOUSE, IRELAND – Breeder Barry Judge enjoyed his greatest day in the bloodstock business at what proved to be a record-breaking September Yearling Sale at Tattersalls Ireland when his Starman filly went to breeze-up handlers Jim McCartan and Willie Browne [JB Bloodstock] for €105,000. The Thursday crowd was notably up on previous years and the Starman filly led the way on what proved to be the strongest-ever edition of Part 2 of this sale. Turnover climbed by 51% to €1,871,800 despite the fact that the catalogue had been trimmed back by 44% to just 145 horses. There were sharp rises across the board with the median climbing a massive 150% to €10,000 and the average by 112% to €14,074. The clearance rate rested at 92%, which was up 28% on last year. Judge was one of the main beneficiaries from the record-breaking trade that saw over €20 million fly through the air at Fairyhouse over the past few days. Judge commented, “This is the best result we've had in the ring. We sold a Space Blues filly here yesterday [Lot 428] for €45,000 and we've had good results in the past, but this is the first time we've had a six-figure sale.” He added, “We bought the dam, Bella Caelia, for 7,000gns at the Tattersalls July Sale, she's by Showcasing and from a really fast family so I thought she'd make a nice broodmare.” McCartan had to hold off a host of breeze-up buyers on the Starman filly, including Tom Whitehead of Powerstown Stud, who underbid the top lot. “We saw her a couple of days ago and she was our pick of the Starmans,” McCartan said of the filly from the family of the two-time Group 1 winner Twilight Son. “We wanted to buy one by the sire, he looks like he could be an exceptional stallion. She is a lovely athletic and strong individual and could be one for the Tattersalls Craven Sale. We have bought three this week – it has been an expensive sale!” The post More Records Broken At Part 2 Of The Tattersalls Ireland Yearling Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

3rd-SA, 60k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6fT, 5:01 p.m. ET Randall Lowe homebred Essential Lady (Essential Quality), a half-sister to two-time Breeders' Cup winner and young Coolmore stallion Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), debuts for Tim Yakteen sprinting over the Santa Anita lawn. Her talented dam Lady Shipman (Midshipman) was a GSW and narrow runner-up in the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Lady Shipman's yearling colt by Flightline brought $1.5 million from Resolute Bloodstock at the recently concluded Keeneland September sale. The field of eight also includes Ramayana (Uncle Mo), a daughter of MGISW Miss Temple City (Temple City), who debuts for Hall of Famer Richard Mandella; and 8-5 morning-line favorite and third-time starter Umbralle (Into Mischief), a daughter of two-time champion Unique Bella (Tapit). TJCIS PPS The post Friday’s Racing Insights: Half-Sister to Golden Pal Debuts Sprinting Over Santa Anita Grass appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Ciaron Maher team is set for another high-profile weekend across Sydney and Melbourne, headlined by Godolphin rising 3-year-old Tempted, who bids to become the first filly to capture Golden Rose Stakes (G1) glory since Forensics in 2008. View the full article

Friday, Newmarket, post time: 15:00, THE BOYLE SPORTS DAILY RACING REWARDS JOEL STAKES-G2, £125,000, 3yo/up, 8fT Field: Flight Plan (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Prague (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Detain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Snow Master (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Zeus Olympios (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). TDN Analysis: With only one blot on his copybook, Godolphin's Opera Ballo remains an exciting prospect at this trip and beyond and the Listed Heron Stakes and Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes winner will be a warm order to continue his trajectory here. He faces another unexposed three-year-old in the unbeaten G3 Superior Mile winner Zeus Olympios, with the pair some way ahead of the rest in terms of x-factor if not ratings. [Tom Frary]. Friday, Newmarket, post time: 14:25, THE BOYLE SPORTS HOME OF EARLY PAYOUT ROCKFEL STAKES-G2, £100,000, 2yo, f, 7fT Field: Awaken (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Ice Sovereigns (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), Mandarin Spirit (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Moon Target (GB) (Cracksman {GB}), Nandita (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Samra Green (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Sukanya (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), The Prettiest Star (GB) (Starman {GB}), Touleen (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Zanthos (Fr) (Sioux Nation). TDN Analysis: The way that Shadwell's exciting Touleen dealt with fellow TDN Rising Star Zanthos at Leicester suggests she heads the pecking order here, with the pair dominating the market. David Ward's homebred The Prettiest Star is one of a clutch of maiden and novice winners adding the kind of intrigue you would expect of a Guineas pointer and she looked a smart prospect at Nottingham on debut. Having won her first two starts in the manner of a genuine Classic prospect and finished a close second to the subsequent Moyglare winner in the Prestige, Moon Target couldn't have been more disappointing in the May Hill and it is interesting that Sir Mark Prescott has her out again so soon fitted with cheekpieces for the first time. [Tom Frary]. Friday, Newmarket, post time: 13:50, THE PRINCESS ROYAL STAKES-G3, £85,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT Field: Ambiente Amigo (GB) (Postponed {Ire}), Chorus (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Jane Temple (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), Karmology (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), Miss Justice (GB) (Justify), Favorite Memory (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Little Dorrit (GB) (Camelot {GB}), Revoir (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Silent Love (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Spirited Style (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Understudy (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). TDN Analysis: As in the Joel, the three-year-olds look the ones to focus on here with William Buick opting for the Listed Aphrodite Stakes winner Spirited Style over the Listed Chalice Stakes winner Silent Love. The former has not been seen finishing down the field in the Preis der Diana and the stable jockey is obviously keen to dismiss that. Of the older brigade, Miss Justice has the most appeal and the Listed Upavon Stakes scorer could be a typical improver for the Gosdens now that she has found the winning groove. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, Newmarket, post time: 15:00, THE TATTERSALLS MIDDLE PARK STAKES-G1, £291,580, 2yo, c, 6fT Field: Brussels (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Coppull (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), First Approach (Ire) (No Nay Never), Five Ways (GB) (Kameko), Havana Hurricane (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}), Hilitany (GB) (Ubettabelieveit (Ire), Kansas (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), The Publican's Son (Beau Liam), Wise Approach (Ire) Mehmas {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Gstaad's absence has taken something away from this Middle Park, where Godolphin's Morny third Wise Approach sets the standard as he bids to emulate his half-brother Perfect Power who took this in 2021. The Richmond winner Coppull was too free in that Deauville feature, so expect a more measured ride but he has questions to answer now. Still a maiden, The Publican's Son is the second favourite in the betting having finished runner-up on his sole start to Mission Central in the Round Tower but he has improvement to find to trouble the market-leader along with the impressive Windsor novice winner Hilitany and Sirenia scorer Five Ways. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, Newmarket, post time: 14:25, THE TATTERSALLS SCEPTRE SESSIONS CHEVELEY PARK STAKES-G1, £275,000, 2yo, f, 6fT Field: American Queen (Ire) (Havana Grey {GB}), Anthelia (Ire) (Supremacy {Ire}), Beautify (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Fitzella (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Golden Palace (GB) (Palace Pier {GB}), Havana Anna (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Orion's Belt (Ire) (Starman {GB}), Royal Fixation (GB) (Palace Pier {GB}), True Love (Ire) (No Nay Never). TDN Analysis: Good luck to anybody who can guess who comes out on top from the Lowther winner Royal Fixation, the Queen Mary and Railway winner and Phoenix Stakes runner-up True Love and the Airlie Stud Stakes winner and Moyglare runner-up Beautify. That isn't even accounting for the Lowther runner-up America Queen, who was probably still a work in progress at York, and the Princess Margaret winner Fitzella and even the ultra-game Dick Poole scorer Anthelia whose innate toughness will take her far. In all probability, Beautify will be the one given how she dealt with her genuine top-drawer peers Venetian Sun and Composing last time despite finding Precise too strong. Last year's winner Lake Victoria came from that seven-furlong contest and history could repeat. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, Newmarket, post time: 13:50, THE TATTERSALLS ONLINE ROYAL LODGE STAKES-G2, £133,750, 2yo, c/g, 8fT Field: Action (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Ancient Egypt (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Bow Echo (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Daytona (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Humidity (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Lord Britain (GB) (Universal {Ire}), Pacific Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Tailgunner Joe (Knicks Go). TDN Analysis: TDN Rising Star Bow Echo will be a warm order for this Classic pointer, given how he went through the Ascendant at Haydock last time, but there is the small matter of Ballydoyle's Action laying in wait and that half-brother to Lambourn can surely only get better with time and experience. Other TDN Rising Stars are Godolphin's Pacific Avenue, who has something to prove after his Solario fourth and will need his run timed much better here, and Amo's unbeaten Ancient Egypt who gives all the right vibes despite lacking experience. Ballydoyle have won this with second-strings in the past and Daytona can be written off by nobody. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, Curragh, post time: 14:35, QATAR RACING & EQUESTRIAN CLUB BERESFORD STAKES-G2, €72,000, 2yo, 8fT Field: Al Haarith (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Geryon (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Hawk Mountain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Port Of Spain (Ire) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Shaihaan (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). TDN Analysis: This is another contest almost dominated by the O'Briens, with the outlier being Geryon who shades favouritism having been second in the Futurity here last month. For those thinking Derby 2026, the performances of Ballydoyle's maiden winners Hawk Mountain and Port Of Spain will come under close scrutiny with the former the first-string having dominated over course and distance last month. [Tom Frary]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Opera Ballo Eyeing Joel Target, as Middle Park and Cheveley Park Each Boast Nine Runners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

To honor John Harris' legacy, Santa Anita Park will host the John C. Harris Stakes Sept. 27. For 3-year-old fillies at about 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita's unique hillside turf course, the race was previously named the Unzip Me Stakes.View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a high-priced sale graduate in the Amo colours. 4.00 Haydock, Novice, 2yo, 6f 212yT POKER (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) debuts nearly a year after making headlines at Tattersalls October Book 1 when selling for 4.3million gns, a record price for a colt offered at the sale. Out of Park Bloom (Galileo), a full-sister to the Oaks heroine Was, Amo Racing's Karl Burke-trained relative of New Approach encounters eight peers including Victorious Forever's Windsor third Gaurdman (Blue Point), the €900,000 Arqana May Breeze-Up purchase from the Roger Varian stable. 4.10 Newmarket, Mdn, 2yo, c/g, 7fT ENOCH (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) is a significant newcomer for the George Strawbridge-Gosdens axis as a half-brother to Wootton Bassett's Prix du Jockey Club, Champion and Irish Champion-winning sire Almanzor. Among his peers is Shadwell's similarly-unraced Adamlyi (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a William Haggas-trained son of the dual South African Group 1 winner Majmu (Redoute's Choice) responsible for the G2 Huxley Stakes runner-up Mujtaba. 5.45 Dundalk, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7fT TOGETHER NOW (Dubawi {Ire}) is a big newcomer for Ballydoyle, as a half-sister to the brilliant Derby, Eclipse and Juddmonte International hero City Of Troy and four other Stakes performers out of the Fillies' Mile heroine Together Forever (Galileo). Interestingly, Wayne Lordan is on the stable's Institute (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a daughter of the Queen Mary winner and Nunthorpe runner-up Acapulco (Scat Daddy). 6.00 Newcastle, Novice, 2yo, f, 6fT CREATIVE QUEEN (Mitole) is another runner on the day who made a stir at the Arqana May Breeze-Up when selling for €800,000. Wathnan Racing's William Haggas-trained half-sister to the Norfolk winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint runner-up Valiant Force (Malibu Moon) encounters the Hayses' fellow newcomer Akademy Lady (Ire) (No Nay Never), an Oliver Cole-trained daughter of the Coronation Stakes third Irish History (Dubawi) from the family of Salsabil and Marju. The post Amo’s 4.3 Million Gns Poker Set For Haydock Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Nakayama and Hanshin Racecourses: Saturday, September 27, 2025 4th-NKY, ¥14,250,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m FINGER (JPN) (c, 2, Gun Runner–Estilo Talentoso, by Maclean's Music) is the first foal from his dam, a $15,000 OBS June purchase back in 2019 who punched well above her weight as a seven-furlong specialist, winning the GIII Bed o' Roses Stakes while placing in the GI Madison Stakes and GI Derby City Distaff Stakes. Estilo Talentoso was knocked down to J S Company for $600,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and was covered by this leading stallion prior to being exported. Keita Tosaki has the riding assignment. O-M's Racing; B-Masahiko Sugino; T-Hiroyasu Tanaka 5th-NKY, ¥14,500,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT JASPER MERCHE (f, 2, Charlatan–Nickel, by Unbridled's Song) was bought back on a bid of $95,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale and that proved a wise decision after the Apr. 11 foal changed hands for $200,000 following a :10 flat breeze at this year's OBS April Sale. A half-sister to MSP Eyes On the King (Street Sense), the bay looks to become a fifth winner for her dam, a half-sister to GII Matron Stakes winner Doremifasollatido (Bernstein); and to GSW turf mare Fortunate Damsel (Runaway Groom). O-Kazuo Kato; B-Rigney Racing LLC (KY); T-Hideyuki Mori Sunday, September 28, 2025 2nd-HSN, ¥10,600,000 ($71k), Maiden, 2yo, 1400mT MITILINI (JPN) (f, 2, Tapit–Midnight Bisou, by Midnight Lute) turned in a debut effort that was full of promise, finishing a good second going this distance at Niigata Aug. 16. The bay filly is one of two to race out of the 2019 Eclipse Award-winning older female and five-time Grade I winner, who was hammered down to Katsumi Yoshida for a sales-topping $5.5 million at the 2022 Keeneland November Sale. She had previously fetched $5 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2020. O-Sunday Racing Co Ltd; B-Northern Racing; T-Tomokazu Takano 4th-HSN, ¥14,250,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m MUTEKI SHACHO (c, 2, Beau Liam–Mistress of Evil, by Frosted), whose dam was acquired for $26,000 with this colt in utero at the 2023 OBS January Sale, returned a healthy sum on that investment when selling for $130,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton July Sale in Kentucky. The Apr. 15 foal was another OBSAPR purchase for this trainer, hammering for $250,000 after drilling an eighth of a mile in :10 flat. Out of a half-sister to MSW & GSP Opus Forty Two (Mendelssohn), the bay hails from the deeper female family of GSW Heart Ashley, the dam of dual Japanese group winner Fiano Romano (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). O-Miki House HK Service Co Ltd; B-Exhale Enterprises LLC (KY); T-Hideyuki Mori The post US-Conceived Gun Runner Colt Goes Long On Dirt on Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Group 1 winner Lead Artist has been retired and will stand at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud next year. The homebred son of Dubawi won the G1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May. From the same family as Dansili, the John and Thady Gosden trainee broke his maiden over a mile at York at three, with additional victories in the G3 Thoroughbred Stakes and the G3 Darley Stakes that year. His Lockinge victory was the highlight of his four starts this term and his record stands at 11-4-3-1 and $713,878 in earnings. He is the first foal out of the G2 Prix Sandringham winner Obligate (Frankel), who placed third in the G1 Prix Rothschild. While his great granddam is the influential matriarch Hasili (Kahyasi). Juddmonte UK general manager Simon Mockridge said, “Lead Artist represents a fantastic opportunity to further strengthen our stallion roster. The extremely talented Group 1-winning son of Dubawi is a product of Juddmonte's most prolific family, that of blue hen mare Hasili, herself dam of five individual Group 1 winners as well as the influential stallion, Dansili. “Lead Artist is an outstanding physical with great balance, strength and movement all attributes which will appeal to the commercial breeder.” John Gosden said, “Lead Artist is a very powerful and well-balanced miler from a superb family.” Lead Artist will be available to breeders for viewing over the course of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales. Please contact the nominations team to arrange an appointment. A fee will be announced later. The post Lockinge Hero Lead Artist Retired To Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sanwa, the dam of G1 Deutsches Derby hero and Group 1 sire Sea The Moon, was euthanised due to laminitis in England. She was 21. Concurrently, her Cracksman filly foal broke a leg in a paddock accident and died. Gestut Gorlsdorf's owner Heike Bischoff-Lafrentz said, “Sea The Moon's little Cracksman sister broke her leg yesterday in the paddock and could not be saved. With a heavy heart, we decided to also relieve mama Sanwa of her laminitis, so that she could accompany her daughter over the Rainbow Bridge.” The daughter of Monsun is credited with 10 foals, four of them winners. Besides the Classic exploits of Sea The Moon, Sanwa produced the stakes-placed Sansiwa to the cover of Dansili, as well as Listed Prix Joubert heroine and G3 Prix Minerve third Sea The Sky (Sea The Stars), a full-sister to Sea The Moon. Another Sea The Stars daughter, Sea The Sun, is the dam of Listed Prix Solitude winner Golden Lyra (Lope De Vega). Added Heike's husband Niko Lafrentz, “Sanwa and her son Sea The Moon turned our breeding lives upside down. We will miss her forever. It's wonderful that she lives on in so many Moonie children and grandchildren.” The post Sanwa, The Dam Of Sea The Moon, Euthanised At 21 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Continuing his education at Newmarket on Thursday, Godolphin's Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder) put a defeat in the Acomb behind him with a powerful display in the feature G3 Tattersalls Stakes. Too free when third in that York contest last month, the €1.9million Arqana May Breeze Up topper who had beaten the subsequent Futurity winner Constitution River on debut at the July Festival was anchored in rear early. Set alight by William Buick heading to the downhill section, the 6-5 favourite brushed his rivals aside to register a 4 3/4-length success from Commander's Intent (Victor Ludorum). Taking performance Distant Storm dazzles in the G3 @Tattersalls1766 Stakes @NewmarketRace @godolphin pic.twitter.com/IVXuMjlEIJ — Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 25, 2025 The post Godolphin’s Arqana Sensation Distant Storm Blitzes Newmarket Rivals appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Group winner Oceans Four is the latest wildcard for the Arqana Arc Sale on Saturday, October 4. Set to sell as lot 19, the G3 Prix des Chenes hero is trained by Brian Meehan for Family Amusements & DBS Partners. A winner at second asking, the son of Zoustar was third in the G3 Solario Stakes prior to his Chenes tally. He is a grandson of group winner Savanne (Rock Of Gibraltar) from the family of multiple group winner Sevenna's Knight (Camelot) and the talented trio of Sevenna (Galileo), Sevenna Star (Redoute's Choice), and Scatina (Samum). Meehan said, “Oceans Four is a very progressive horse, improving with every run. He has a bright future ahead of him and will stay a mile and a quarter going forward. I was particularly impressed by his performance at Chantilly, where he won despite there not being a very fast pace. He's a very classy horse.” Bred by Paul Frampton and Widden Stud, the gelding was picked out for £82,000 by Sam Sangster Bloodstock at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. To view the full Arc Sale catalogue, please visit the Arqana website. The post Group Winner Oceans Four Added To Arqana Arc Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A max field of 30 juveniles will contest the Goffs Million at The Curragh on Saturday. The seven-furlong affair, worth €1 million, will pay prize-money down to the 10th-place finisher and is only open to graduates of the 2024 Goffs Orby Sale. The 2025 edition of the sale begins its four-day run on Monday, September 29. Won by Apples And Bananas (Wootton Bassett) for trainer Joseph O'Brien in 2024, the race features a quintet of O'Brien runners this year anchored by G2 Prix Robert Papin heroine Green Sense (Starman). He ran third in the G1 Phoenix Stakes last time. O'Brien said, “She's been a star for us so far this year. Anthony Bromley and Simon Munir picked her out in the Orby Sale last year and figured we'd give the Million as good a shot as we can. She's in really good nick, stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time which is a little bit of a question mark, but she's probably the most proven animal in the race and a real contender to hopefully get a good chunk of the prize-money.” G2 Debutante Stakes heroine Composing (Wootton Bassett) opposes from Joseph's father Aidan's yard. She ran fourth in the G1 National Stakes. The British challenge features €5,000 Orby Book 2 grad Homestrait (Coulsty) for Brian Ellison. Already a recipient of a Goffs €50,000 bonus earlier this summer, the filly has never been worse than second in seven starts. Ellison said, “She's a lovely, tough filly and very game. This is a tough ask against some strong, well-bred types, but we'll do our best.” Other Goffs Millions entrants include Johnny Murtagh's Take Charge Star (Starspangledbanner), and Red Earth (No Nay Never) for Fozzy Stack. Henry Beeby, Goffs Group chief executive, said, “The Goffs Million is the richest juvenile race in Europe and a perfect showcase for the Orby Sale. Last year's race was a tremendous advertisement for the sale, and this year promises to be even more competitive with leading contenders from both Ireland and the UK. The success of the Goffs Two Million Series, with €1 million of €50,000 bonus races across Ireland and the UK, has added huge momentum and shows the tangible rewards available to Orby buyers. We now look forward to welcoming buyers from around the world to Kildare Paddocks for this year's Orby Sale.” The post Max Field Drawn For Saturday’s Goffs Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ken Wilkins has been named Director of Stallion Operations for Gary Broad's Walmac Farm, the farm announced Wednesday. Wilkins previously served as stallion director at Spendthrift Farm and has held similar positions with Adena Springs and Vinery. He is also a past president of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club. “We're thrilled to welcome Ken, who has vast knowledge and experience in the stallion market,” said Broad. “We're confident he'll help build on the strong foundation we have here as we look to a bright future and expanding our stallion roster.” Upon his appointment, Wilkins expressed enthusiasm about joining the historic operation. “I am excited and honored to step into this role at Walmac and eager to add another successful chapter to its storied past,” said Wilkins. “We will immediately seek to expand the roster with exciting young stallion prospects. I am also eager to see the progeny of the current stallions develop as we have weanlings, yearlings, and 2-year-olds–anything could happen!” Walmac currently stands four young stallions–Core Beliefs, who is represented by his first crop to the races this year, Fulsome, Pappacap, and Pinehurst. For more information about Walmac's stallions, contact Ken Wilkins at (859) 699-4887, by email, or visit the farm site here. The post Ken Wilkins Named Director Of Stallion Operations At Walmac Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

1,601 yearlings are set to go through the ring for next month's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale, to be held on October 20-23, in Lexington, Kentucky. The four continuous sessions, conducted Monday-Thursday, will begin each day at 10 am. “Kentucky October is one of the most important yearling sales in the nation,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “The quality on offer continues to rise each year, as evidenced by the sire power and strength of pedigree in this year's catalogue.” Sires represented by multiple yearlings include Constitution, Candy Ride (Arg), Curlin, Flightline, Gun Runner, Justify, Quality Road, Into Mischief, Not This Time, Nyquist, Practical Joke, Tapit, Twirling Candy, and Uncle Mo. “The sale's honor roll of graduates grew in 2024, with Thorpedo Anna named Horse of the Year and Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, and Soul of an Angel named Eclipse Champion Female Sprinter,” Browning noted. “Their wins in the Breeders' Cup Distaff and Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, respectively, were remarkably the fourth and fifth Breeders' Cup wins for October grads in the last three years.” The list of recent graded stakes winning graduates is even more extensive. “The sale has produced 17 graded stakes winners so far in 2025, including several household names like Chunk of Gold, 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos, Fondly, Margie's Intention, May Day Ready, Swift Delivery, The Queens M G, Thought Process, and 'Rising Star' Tip Top Thomas,” noted Browning. “Two new graded stakes winners in the past couple of weeks–Taken by the Wind and Ready for Candy–show that there are plenty more in the pipeline.” The catalogue may now be viewed online, and will also be available via the equineline sales catalogue app. Print catalogues will be available on-site in Lexington. Online bidding and phone bidding services will be available. The post Fasig-Tipton Catalogues 1,601 Hips For Kentucky October Yearling Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Full Serrano is making only his second start of 2025 in the Goodwood at Santa Anita, with an eye toward another appearance in the Breeders' Cup.View the full article

Friday's GII Beldame Stakes at Aqueduct drew a compact field of five led by the wide-drawn Randomized (Nyquist) who looks to get back on track after a less-than stellar finish, winding up sixth and well beaten behind Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) as the early speed in the GI Personal Ensign at the Spa Aug. 23. Dangerous on the front if left alone however, the Klaravich Stables-owned 5-year-old will try and repeat the effort that saw her wire the GIII Molly Pitcher Stakes two back July 19 where she finished three lengths ahead of Majestic Oops (Majestic Harbor) who lines up just to her inside Friday. The 5-year-old Dan Ward runner cut back to seven furlongs in style last out when third at long odds in the GI Ballerina Stakes Aug. 23. “The Molly Pitcher was a tough test, a half-million dollar race against some Grade I-winning horses, and she ran really well,” Ward said. “We were going to wait out the time until the Beldame, but the Ballerina was right in the middle and she got a good race that served its purpose. It was seven-eighths, between races, with five weeks until the Beldame.” By all accounts, Majestic Oops seems to be thriving in the Autumn weather of New York. “She wasn't bothered by hot weather, but I think now that it is cooler outside, she's doing better,” Ward added. “She comes off the track bouncing, jumping, all of that. I think cooler weather will help her form, her numbers have been going up and we got a good sprint prep right in the middle now.” Mark Hennig and owner Lewis Lee bring in Gun Song (Gun Runner), a 4-year-old who is still looking for her first win of 2025 having run second in the Obeah Stakes at Delaware and fourth most recently in the GII Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga July 18. “She's doing super,” Hennig said. “After that race at Saratoga, we figured we would regroup and point to a race in September. We are giving her a shot. Let's see if she can earn her way somewhere. At a mile and an eighth, you know she can lay fairly close.” The field's sole 3-year-old Margie's Intention (Honor A.P.) exits Grade I company having run third to Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GI Alabama going 1 1/4 miles Aug. 16 for Brad Cox. Her last win came on Preakness weekend in the GII Black Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico May 16. The post Friday’s Beldame Runs Through Randomized appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Stella Thayer, the president of Tampa Bay Downs and the President of the National Museum of Racing from 2005 through 2014, came across a book of historical European racetracks during her travels. Sensing that there was a void in the U.S. where no such book existed, she set out to create one. The timing was perfect as 2025 coincided with the 75-year anniversary of the museum's founding. Brien Bouyea, Communications Director of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, and renowned racing writer Jay Hovdey were given the assignment. Considering that the book is 440 pages long, weighs 8 1/2 pounds and includes 66 chapters, each one dedicated to a track or a racing circuit, this must have been a mammoth project. To help, Bouyea, the Editor-in-Chief, and Hovdey, hired dozens of racing writers and assigned them a chapter or two to complete. The end result was a book that the racing industry should consider a welcome addition to its historical archives. The book is comprehensive, thorough and well-written, covering everything from tracks that ran before the Civil War to tracks that are still operating today. The book also includes, along with the tens of thousands of words (and maybe more), a collection of photographs that bring so many memories back to life. As much as you may think you know about horse racing, you will learn a lot. Did you know that in 1936 at Bay Meadows, jockey Ralph Neves was declared dead after a spill due to heart failure? But the track physician, who had come to the hospital, administered a shot of adrenaline to the jockey's heart. Neves was not only alive but returned to the track and asked to ride the rest of his mounts that day. The stewards wouldn't allow that, but allowed Neves to ride the next day. Have you ever heard of Benning Racetrack, which opened in 1890 in Washington D.C., and turned into a place to be and to be seen in the nation's capital? Along the way there were a few problems. Workmen discovered numerous skeletons buried beneath the grandstand. It appeared that the property Benning sat on was once a cemetery for enslaved people. Then there was Theodore Roosevelt's daughter Alice. She liked to play the ponies and was spending time at the track, much to the displeasure of her father. There were reports that Roosevelt sent her away to live in New York so she couldn't go to the track any longer. But she soon resurfaced at the Benning betting windows. Long before Richard Duchossois arrived on the scene at Arlington, the track was run by Marge Everett. In 1962, Everett created the Arlington Washington Futurity for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs. With its series of eligibility payments added to the $150,000 purse the race was worth $357,250, making it the richest event in thoroughbred history. Arlington was also home to the sport's first $1 million race, the 1981 Arlington Million, won by the great John Henry. Those who have fond memories of the now defunct Massachusetts fair circuit will enjoy the chapter written by Lynne Snierson which covers seven different fair tracks. The fairs are best remembered for the chicanery and race fixing that the bettors actually seemed to have no problem putting up with. “There are so many crooked things going on, it was ridiculous,” Robert Temple wrote in the Boston Herald American. “But the people don't mind. 'I don't care that it is crooked. Just tell me who's going to win the race.' That's what everyone said and that is the way it was.” The book covers a wide range of tracks, from the smallest, most obscure tracks in the country, to the giants, Keeneland, Saratoga, Santa Anita. It was John Morrisey, a bare-knuckle boxing champion whose nickname was Old Smoke, who brought racing to Saratoga, despite that fact that the Civil War was raging. Spirit of the Times said of the initial meeting that it “laid the foundation or a great fashionable meeting at the Springs and added “the formation of a competent club, and further proceedings would seem to be a matter of course.” Racing at Keeneland | Coady Media Saratoga would thrive, attracting the best horses and jockeys in the sport. Only 47, Morrisey died in 1878 Things took a turn in the wrong direction, when, after Morrisey's death, the track was run by Gottfried “Dutch Fred” Waldbaum, whose background included ties to outlaw tracks and brothels in New Jersey. Purses declined sharply under his stewardship and many top stables abandoned Saratoga. Things got so bad under Waldbaum that Saratoga did not race in 1896. Saratoga needed a savior and found one in William Collins Whitney. He was committed to restoring Saratoga's past glory and spared no expense in undertaking a program of capital improvements. Anti-gambling forces were successful in their efforts to close the track in 1911 and 1912. Saratoga was back in 1913. In 1955, the Saratoga Association was replaced by the Greater New York Association, which later became the New York Racing Association. What followed was decades of prosperity, with Saratoga once again able to attract the very best jockeys and horses in the game. American Pharoah, Buckpasser, Kelso, Native Dancer, Affirmed, Alydar, Secretariat, Go For Wand, Holy Bull and Personal Ensign were among the dozens of Hall of Fame horses that won at Saratoga during the modern era. Saratoga would only became more popular over the years and has reached a point where more than 1 million fans make their way through the turnstiles each year. There is a bittersweet aspect to the book, as well, a constant reminder of the way racing used to be. Jammed grandstands, people lined up ten deep on the apron, great horses running 25 times or more a year. It serves as a reminder that, well, racing used to be more fun. The book covers numerous tracks that met their demise well before it was time for them to go. There is Atlantic City Race Course. It opened in 1946 to a crowd estimated to be 25,000. Investors in the track included Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly. Race trains carried horseplayers from Philadelphia and New York. On Labor Day 1953, the track set a new attendance record of 33,404. The signature race of the meet was the United Nations Handicap, which attracted such horses as Round Table, Mongo, Dr. Fager and Fort Marcy. Atlantic City was the first track to offer simulcasting, with patrons having the choice of betting on the live action or the races taking place at the Meadowlands. But Atlantic City Race Course's days were numbered the minute casino gambling was legalized in Atlantic City. It also had a hard time competing with other tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region that had extended their meets to overlap with Atlantic City's. The last regular meeting took place in 1997. For the next 18 years it held short meets, normally three or four days, which was necessary in order for them to have a license to import simulcast signals from other tracks. In 2015, it was announced that the track was closing for good. Then there's Calder, which opened in 1971. Sharing the Florida racing dates with Hialeah and Gulfstream, Calder lacked the charm and beauty of its racetrack neighbors. It was a blue collar racetrack that operated during under the scorching summertime sun in South Florida. Churchill Downs would take ownership of Calder and it soon became apparent that casino wagering was more important to that company than horse racing was. Just shy of its 50th anniversary, Calder held its last day of live racing on Nov. 28, 2020. Churchill had found a loophole in the law that allowed it to maintain its casino license if it offered any form of pari-mutuel wagering. Racing was out, replaced by low budget jai alai. It seems that for every Oaklawn Park, Saratoga, Keeneland, Churchill and Del Mar, all of whom are thriving, there are five tracks that couldn't make it in the current gambling market, which began to change when lotteries began to pop up all over the map in the sixties. In “The Racetracks of America, you'll read about the sad stories that are Ak-Sar-Ben, Bowie, Detroit Race Course, Garden State, Hialeah, Rockingham Park, Suffolk Downs and more. The book is for racing fans, in particular those who are interested in the history of the sport. You'll no doubt enjoy it. Just don't drop it on your foot. The post Book Review: The Racetracks Of America: From The Pre-Civil War Days To The Present appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A new industry-wide plan to shape British racing's sustainable future was unveiled by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on Thursday. Supported by the Racing Foundation and developed by the BHA, the new environmental plan is part of racing's wider industry strategy work to secure a sustainable future for our horses, people, businesses and communities. Implemented over an initial five-year period, the delivery of the strategy will be rooted in science and take an evidence-based approach, so that meaningful progress is made in four key areas: Reducing carbon emissions – through racing's direct operations – like energy use, buildings and agronomy – the wider supply chain, and by supporting more sustainable methods of transport for customers and participants. Work is underway to establish British racing's carbon footprint and expand the use of the Stud Farm carbon calculator. Preserving water availability – from ground conditions to cooling horses, racing is reliant on water. With less predictable rainfall patterns, efficient water storage and use is more critical than ever. A water impact study will assess the scale of the challenge and how racing can improve resilience. Protecting nature and ecosystems – with thousands of acres of land, racing and breeding is uniquely placed to contribute to the restoration, regeneration and protection of the nation's habitat and species. Utilising existing land management expertise, the industry can support increased biodiversity and help capture and store carbon dioxide. Minimising waste – by adopting a whole life cycle approach. More sustainable sourcing of essential materials and products – from feed and bedding to infrastructure and agronomy – can help reduce waste and pollution. Where viable sustainable options don't yet exist, we will engage with supply chains to identify areas for progress. Katie Carr, BHA head of environmental sustainability, said, “The success of British racing and breeding is intrinsically linked to the health of our natural environment. It's therefore essential for the breeding, training and racing of thoroughbred horses that we all do what we can to protect it. “We've already seen the effects of climate change on our sport. Weather related disruptions have become more frequent and severe, with flooding and drought impacting fixtures and water availability. We face a broad range of environment risks, which could have a real impact on business operations, horse welfare and supply chain security. “But our relationship with the environment is also an asset. We are custodians of extensive green spaces. We are experts in land and animal management. Our training centres, breeding operations and racecourses are embedded in rural communities. There is already really good practice across the industry, including innovative approaches to water storage and reducing emissions. “This is what this strategy is all about: how we harness this knowledge and expertise to mitigate risks, identify opportunities and make a positive and lasting difference. By doing so, we can help safeguard our environment, strengthen our resilience and sustain our sport for generations to come.” The post Environmental Strategy For British Racing Unveiled By BHA appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article