Wandering Eyes

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. View the full article

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

Flying the flag for the National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit, Diktaean emerged from Monday's G1 Tokyo Daishoten as a popular winner after the son of King Kamehameha produced a brave effort to deny hot favourite Mikki Fight (Drefong) at Ohi Racecourse. Trained locally by Katsunori Arayama, Diktaean raced enthusiastically in mid-division through the early stages, before enjoying the perfect tow from Mikki Fight when that rival began to engage top gear on the home turn. Everything appeared to be going to plan for the market leader when Christophe Lemaire produced him to lead early in the straight, but Diktaean and jockey Takayuki Yano remained persistent challengers in their slipstream. Drawing level inside the final furlong, the seven-year-old Diktaean responded generously from there to eventually master his younger rival, ultimately getting the verdict by a neck. Outrange (Regalo) finished another 1 1/2 lengths behind the leading pair in third. The disappointments of the race were the three-year-olds Narukami (Thunder Snow) and Natural Rise (Kizuna), who had previously highlighted their liking for this course and distance when finishing first and second, respectively, in the Listed Japan Dirt Classic in October. Narukami finished over seven lengths behind the winner in sixth, having raced closer than ideal to the strong gallop set by the freewheeling Natural Rise. The latter trailed home 11th of the 15 runners. The success of Diktaean identified him as the first winner of this race to be trained on the NAR circuit in 20 years. Plainly in the form of his life at the age of seven, he made his Group-race breakthrough in September's G3 Korea Cup at Seoul, having been trained by Tatsuya Yoshioka until earlier this year. Six of his 11 career victories have been achieved in stakes company. Pedigree Notes Diktaean is one of four winners from five runners out of the multiple stakes winner Medeia (King Halo) who, in turn, is out of the GII Pucker Up Stakes scorer Witchful Thinking (Lord Avie). In total, Witchful Thinking is the dam of 10 individual winners, with the others including the Listed Fukushima Himba Stakes heroine Lofty Aim (Sunday Silence). Lofty Aim herself features as the dam of the G3 Kyodo News Hai Tokinominoru Kinen third Aim And End (Eishin Flash) and the second dam of the G3 Unicorn Stakes winner Smasher (Majestic Warrior). Monday, Ohi, Japan TOKYO DAISHOTEN-G1, ¥170,000,000, Ohi, 12-29, 3yo/up, 2000m, 2:04.30, hy. 1–DIKTAEAN (JPN), 126, g, 7, by King Kamehameha (Jpn) 1st Dam: Medeia (Jpn) (MSW-Jpn, $2,245,704), by King Halo (Jpn) 2nd Dam: Witchful Thinking, by Lord Avie 3rd Dam: Halloween Joy, by Exuberant 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-G1 Racing; B-Oiwake Farm; T-Katsunori Arayama; J-Takayuki Yano; ¥100,000,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Kor, 31-11-1-3, $3,032,012. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Mikki Fight (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Drefong–Special Groove (Jpn), by Special Week (Jpn). O-Mizuki Noda; B-Northern Farm; ¥35,000,000 3–Outrange (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Regalo (Jpn)–Queen Pirates (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Toshio Terada; B-North Hills; ¥20,000,000. Margins: NK, 1HF, 3HF. Odds: 76.30, 0.40, 11.10. Also Ran: King's Sword (Jpn), Ho O Roulette (Jpn), Narukami (Jpn), Nansei White (Jpn), Grand Bridge (Jpn), Seesaw Game, Night of Fire (Jpn), Natural Rise (Jpn), Bell Gracias (Jpn), Hero Call (Jpn), Bahir Dar, Passion Cry (Jpn). Scratched: Aladdin Barows (Jpn). Click for the goracing.jp chart. The post Diktaean Registers Career High in Tokyo Daishoten Upset appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeder's Association will host its annual stallion season auction on www.thoroughlybred.com with bidding beginning on Jan.7 at 9:00 a.m. and continuing through Jan. 11 at 6:00 p.m. Over 60 seasons will be on offer by a wide range of stallions from across the country. Any 2027 Indiana bred progeny from stallions sold in the auction will be eligible for nomination to the 2030 $100k ITOBA Stallion Season Auction Stakes (Colt and Filly Divisions). Highlighting bonuses, an additional $2,500 will be awarded to the winner and $1,000 to the second-place finishers of the two stakes races. The ITOBA is the only organization approved by the Indiana Horse Racing commission to support owners and breeders in the state of Indiana. Donations will be accepted through Jan. 6. For more information, contact Nicksfarm@yahoo.com. To enter, complete the form on ITOBA.com. The post ITOBA Stallion Season Auction Opens Jan. 7 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, a leading owner-breeder in Britain and member of the ruling family of Dubai, died on Monday. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid has enjoyed significant success over the past 30 years, much of it thanks to his Classic-winning filly Zomaradah, who proved a wonderful broodmare, most notably as the dam of Dubawi. The latter, from the sole crop of Dubai Millennium, raced in the colours of his cousin Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Godolphin operation, winning three Group 1 races including the Irish 2,000 Guineas before becoming a stallion of international repute and Darley's first champion sire of Britain and Ireland. More recently, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's most influential broodmare has been the outstanding matron Reem Three. Her many winners include the G1 Queen Anne Stakes victor and now young Darley sire Triple Time, who has recently been joined at Dalham Hall Stud by Reem Three's grandsons Rosallion and Inisherin, both of whom were Group 1 winners in 2024. During another successful year on the track with his runners, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid's horses have notched 40 wins in Britain in 2025, including 13 stakes victories. Most recently, his homebred Royal Champion won the G2 Bahrain International Trophy for Karl Burke, who is one of four trainers in Britain currently on the roster for the prominent owner, along with Richard Hannon, Kevin Ryan and George Boughey. The latter trains the unbeaten two-year-old Bow Echo, winner of the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes in September. Rosallion, winner of last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas as well as the St James's Palace Stakes, was the most recent Classic winner for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid on a list which includes Derby winner High-Rise and the aforementioned Zomaradah, winner of the Oaks d'Italia. He also owned and bred the 2023 Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight, and was the owner of Postponed, winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Juddmonte International among his four Group 1 victories. This story is being updated. The post Leading Owner-Breeder Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Dies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

We have asked some of racing's best and brightest what they think racing will be like in 2036. Here are some submissions from our readers. Thoroughbred Racing in 2036: Building a Smarter, Safer Future By 2036, Thoroughbred racing may look markedly different from the sport of today. The industry is entering a period of transition shaped by technology, safety reform, digital fan engagement, and growing expectations around responsibility and transparency. Rather than abandoning its history, racing appears to be learning from it and building forward. One of the most significant changes on the horizon is the move toward national consistency. Long defined by state-by-state fragmentation, the sport may soon operate under a clearer and more unified framework, with standardized medication rules, licensing, and enforcement. For bettors and fans, this consistency is not just a regulatory shift but a foundation for greater trust. Technology is also reshaping the equine athletic experience. Wearable biometrics, AI-driven injury prediction, and advanced imaging could become routine tools in training and veterinary care. These innovations point toward a world where careers are longer, catastrophic injuries decline, and training decisions are based on measurable data rather than guesswork. The fan experience is changing as well. By 2036, racing may blend sport and entertainment in new ways: augmented reality race views, helmet-camera livestreams, micro-betting options, and personalized data displays. Races will feel less like one-minute events and more like interactive broadcasts built for modern viewing habits. Breeding and aftercare are entering a new era of accountability. Regional incentive networks, data-driven stallion selection, and funding models tied to purses or wagering suggest a more sustainable pipeline one that prioritizes soundness on the front end and structured retirement pathways on the back end. Finally, transparency may become racing's most valuable currency. Public veterinary reporting, open stewards' rulings, and standardized safety communication can change both perception and reality. In 2036, trust will not be assumed it will be earned. If these trends continue, Thoroughbred racing in 2036 will not be defined by nostalgia or crisis management. Instead, it may be defined by clarity, progress, and a renewed commitment to horse and human welfare. The fundamentals of the sport remain unchanged: heart, speed, and competition. What evolves is everything surrounding it and that evolution may be what allows the sport to endure. –Tashua Antoinette, University of Arizona Racetrack Industry Program student Joe Carr, Equine Risk Management Group and Associates, Lexington, Ky. The crystal ball is boiling! Bring all the energy and opportunity ahead. In 2036, the horse racing landscape will be transformed into an experience-based industry. The ball says that our signature events will explode. Those events will be decided by the level of the customer experience. The sky is the limit. The middle class globally is expanding and focusing on this will make 2036 exciting. The post Racing in 2036: Tashua Antoinette and Joe Carr appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Diktaean became the first National Association of Racing-based winner of the Tokyo Daishoten (G1) in 20 years with a victory over Mikki Fight Dec. 29 at Oi Racecourse.View the full article

Rodrigo Goncalves has been associated with some high-class horses from his time working with Joseph O'Brien and Robson Aguiar. The Brazilian-born Irishman was also involved in the initial ownership group that sourced Group 1 winner Power Blue as well. Goncalves has embarked on an exciting new chapter and, after sourcing a number of yearlings at the sales this year, plans on offering “nine or 10” horses at the breeze-up sales next year. The youngster expands on that and a lot more in this edition of the Hot Seat Q&A. What was your defining memory/highlight of 2025? I think helping source and being a part-owner of Power Blue was the highlight. Watching him progress and turn into a Group 1 winner for his new connections was a serious thrill. You signed for a number of yearlings to go breezing under your own name this year. Tell us a little bit about that project and how exciting it is? I managed to buy and partner up with a couple of friends to invest in yearlings to go breezing next year. I have around nine or 10 to breeze and I'm enjoying the process. I'm very excited to see how they progress and develop in the next couple of months – hopefully they can be very lucky. You seemed to target higher-end horses at the yearling sales…. I go to the sales with the intention to try and find good horses at value prices but, with the market being so strong lately and the game being so competitive, sometimes you have to stretch a bit more than you expect for the horses you want. That's what we had to do this year. Tell us something people don't know about Rodrigo Goncalves…. I was born in Brazil and came over to Ireland when I was nine years old and, at the time, I was fully sure I would become a soccer player and had no love for horses whatsoever. How wrong was I!? What motivates you? Finding and producing good horses. Give us an underrated sire to keep the right side of next year…. I believe Space Blues could surprise a lot of people next year. He has already done it with Power Blue and I think there is a lot more to come from the stallion. He possibly deserves a bit more credit for what he has achieved. Biggest regret? I don't really have any regrets. I think everything happens for a reason and that it's very important to try to learn from your mistakes and keep trying no matter how hard it gets. You've built up a pretty impressive CV working with Joseph O'Brien and Robson Aguiar. What has been the best horse you have sat on or been associated with? I've been very lucky to have worked for some fantastic people in the industry over the last few years. I spent around seven years in Joseph's in between school and college and later working for him full-time. Being able to see first-hand how his operation has grown into one of the biggest yards in the country is amazing and I managed to work with a lot of good horses in my time there. I think Iridessa was a very talented filly and, also, State of Rest was a fantastic globetrotting horse from that time. Robson has always been so talented with his judgement of two-year-olds. I've never seen anyone as talented and, in my time there, I believe Arizona Blaze was probably the toughest horse I've seen. He always showed up and ran his heart out. Your favourite sale and why? Probably the Goffs Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster and Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale at Newmarket. Those sales have been very lucky for me and I'd like to think good horses come out of those sales for a bit of value. What's your go-to karaoke song? I'm definitely not a great singer but with a drink in my hand I could try to sing a bit of Zach Bryan or Morgan Wallen. Who is your inspiration? Robson has been my mentor and idol so he is the person who I always admired and tried to be like. He has taught me so much and has given me so many opportunities since I was a kid starting off and I'm very grateful for that. Watching him come from nothing and turn into one of the most respected and successful people in our industry through his talent and hard work is very inspiring to me. Your guilty pleasure? Jellies! I can't stay away from them for too long. I'm a bit like Stevie Byrne in that I have a massive sweet tooth! Give us one horse to look out for in 2026… Diamond Necklace looks to be a very special filly with huge potential. The post In The Hot Seat: Rodrigo Goncalves appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Few will forget the moment that Sea The Stars entered the history books as one of the true greats when adding the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe to his list of Group 1 successes through a faultless three-year-old season. It is therefore appropriate that his son Daryz should prevail in that same race, sealing the French sires' championship for his sire, whose 20th birthday is looming. In netting just over €3m, the Aga Khan Studs homebred Daryz was the highest earner for Sea The Stars in 2025 but he was not his sole Group 1 winner in France. Sosie had set the ball rolling as early as April by winning the Prix Ganay, followed the next month by his victory in the Prix d'Isapahan. The Wertheimers' pride and joy was also third in the Arc before capping a tremendous season in the Hong Kong Vase. For the same owner-breeder, Aventure gained her deserved Group 1 win in the Prix Vermeille, as well as winning the G2 Prix Corrida and G3 Prix Allez France. That both Daryz and Sosie will remain in training in 2026 give Sea The Stars another strong hand in the older-horse division. Multiple group winner Map Of Stars can also be counted among that number. Such is the value of the Arc pot that it so often decides the championship in France, but Wootton Bassett was a strong contender for so much of the season, providing the winners of both colts' Classics in Henri Matisse and Camille Pissarro, both of whom have now entered stud at Coolmore. Maranoa Charlie went out on a high in the G1 Prix de la Foret before joining Tally-Ho Stud, and Wootton Bassett ultimately finished a little over €1.2m in progeny earnings behind Sea The Stars to be second in the table. Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk helped to put her sire Frankel in third place in France in a year in which his son Diego Velazquez provided an emotional victory in the Prix Jacques Le Marois. Candelari, winner of the upgraded Prix Vicomtesse Vigier, was another Group 1 winner for Frankel in France during a memorable year for new champion trainer Francis Graffard and the Aga Khan Studs. Lope De Vega may be one of Ireland's best stallions but he spent all his racing days in France and has enjoyed notable success in that country with his runners, having enjoyed top-four finishes in three of the last five years. He is in fourth place for 2025, with his regally-bred son Cualificar (who is out of the Oaks winner Qualify) his leading earner, having won the G2 Prix Niel and two Group 3s as well as finishing runner-up to Camille Pissarro in the Prix du Jockey Club. He's another exciting four-year-old to follow in 2026. Also adding to Lope De Vega's Group 1 ledger in France was the Prix de Royallieu victrix Consent. It is almost four years since the death of Le Havre, but his presence was still very much felt in his former home country during 2025 with Group 1 victories for three-year-old Leffard, a member of his final crop, in the Grand Prix de Paris, and for Quisisana in the Prix Jean Romanet. Le Havre duly finished in fifth, narrowly ahead of the dual French champion sire Siyouni, who provided the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Zarigana. Haras de Colleville's Goken and the Aga Khan Studs' Zarak were also top-ten finishers in France along with Almanzor, who is now a permanent resident at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand and sired the Prix de Diane and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Gezora. Completing that top ten with some pleasing symmetry is Sea The Stars's son Zelzal, a resident of Haras de Bouquetot. Soldier Hollow Takes Fourth German Title A year after his death and six since he won his third sires' championship, Soldier Hollow's name appeared for the fourth time as the head of the table in Germany in 2025. Appropriately, his leading earner of the year, Santagada, races in the colours once carried by his sire, representing owner Helmut von Finck of Gestut Park Wiedingen. The three-year-old Santagada took four Group 3 contests at four different tracks in 2025, and was beaten less than two lengths when sixth in the G1 Preis der Diana behind Nicoreni. At sales around the world, Soldier Hollow's Group 1-winning daughter Tamfana was sold for 2.6m gns to Coolmore, while Paraiba was bought for €810,000 by Wertheimer et Frere. Gestut Etzean's Amaron was second in the German table and was the leading performer among all active sires in Germany for the third year running. The late Adlerflug was third, thanks largely to the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden win of Goliath. Polish Vulcano has scant representation on the track but his five winners from only nine runners in 2025 included the G1 Deutsches Derby winner Hochkonig. The Gestut Idee resident thus finished in fourth place, ahead of Best Solution. Ballylinch Stud's Make Believe | Racingfotos Make Believe Champion Again in Italy For the second year running, Make Believe is the champion sire in Italy after his daughter Klaynn delivered on her juvenile promise to win the G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1,000 Guineas) and the G2 Oaks d'Italia by six and seven lengths respectively. Bought by Teruya Yoshida prior to her Oaks success, she was also fourth in the G2 Derby Italiano, finishing a length and a half behind the winner Molveno (Almanzor). Elsewhere, Make Believe's season included victory for Sajir in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and for Royal Supremacy in Randwick's G1 Metropolitan Handicap. The first five stallions in the Italian table were all based in Ireland, though runner-up Cotai Glory has recently been sold to stand for the Turkish Jockey Club in Turkey. Dark Angel is the sire of the Ed Dunlop-trained G2 Premio Dormello winner Just Call Me Angel, an interesting Cayton Park Stud homebred to follow in 2026, while Ten Sovereigns supplied the dual Classic-placed filly Mystery Of Love, and Kodiac was represented by the G3 Premio Parioli (Italian 2,000 Guineas) winner and Derby Italiano third Lao Tzu. The post Sea The Stars Tops the French Sire Rankings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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

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