Wandering Eyes

Group One winner Mustang Valley. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Saturday’s Taranaki meeting was the final step towards Mustang Valley’s second Group One title last season, and the mare will return on an identical path. A powerful wet-track galloper, Mustang Valley skipped through the heavy conditions to take both this race and the Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) 12 months ago. Her rating of 107, with a mare’s allowance, places her at 62.5kg, and she will carry the topweight despite apprentice jockey Ngakau Hailey’s three-kilogram claim. Andrew Forsman, who prepares the daughter of Vanbrugh out of Cambridge, was pleased with her fifth-placed effort in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) to commence a new preparation but is not underestimating the competition she faces on Saturday. “She’s had a very similar preparation to last year and seems to be going every bit as well,” he said. “I just hope to see her run well, I think there is a fair bit more depth in this race and it looks a bit more competitive than last year, so I’m certainly not expecting her to go down there and just win it, knowing that she’s giving some nice winter gallopers a fair bit of weight. “As long as she gets her chance, runs well and hits the line strongly, we’ll be happy.” Joining Mustang Valley at New Plymouth will be resuming four-year-olds City Girl and Lady Pappygate. “We would’ve liked to have given City Girl a trial but she does prefer a grass surface and there wasn’t the option, hence the 990m appealed,” Forsman said. “She’s drawn well so hopefully she can use that, that will be the key. She’ll certainly take good improvement for it, but as long as she can get out of the gates and be on speed, she’ll be a chance. “Lady Pappygate is coming along nicely, the only query for her is the track just being a bit too heavy. We turned her out to get away from the deeper tracks, but she’s ready to run and she may just need one if it’s too testing.” Forsman’s attention will also be on the Saturday meeting at Flemington, where his talented staying mare Positivity will take her place in the Ronald McDonald House Charities Trophy (1700m). The Almanzor four-year-old flourished in the latter part of her three-year-old season, winning the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m) and finishing second in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) before a classy performance to take out the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m) at Morphettville. She commenced her new campaign with a bang, finishing second to Kiwi-bred Rise At Dawn in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m), and Forsman has an eye on another stakes target beyond her next assignment. “I thought she was going really well, but it (Heatherlie Stakes) looked a tricky race and there wasn’t a lot of speed in the sprint home, so I thought all that considered, she stuck to her guns really well,” he said. “There were probably a few that had a better turn of foot, but being fresh obviously helped her and it was a great return. “This is just another run for her really, obviously we want to be competitive, but second-up over 1700m is a bit awkward and we are wanting to have her ready for the Bart Cummings (Group 3, 2500m) if she goes well enough.” Forsman will also be represented in the Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m) by Good Oil, who placed in the Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m) in the autumn. “He’s been a bit frustrating since he’s been in Melbourne, he just hasn’t had anything to suit,” Forsman said. “We feel like he’s going really well, and this was the best option to give him his chance and get favours in the run. He likes to jump and run and be on pace, so from a good draw in a small field, he should get that chance to prove whether he’s up to it or not.” Back home on Sunday, Sporting Chance will be Forsman’s sole representative at Te Rapa, coming off a strong fresh-up success to contest the Waitoa Free Range Chicken Mile (1600m). “I was very happy with him, and it should be similar track conditions, maybe a touch better depending on the weather leading into Sunday,” Forsman said. “He’s pretty adaptable and he doesn’t need a wet track but given that he’s had that run and meeting a few that are resuming, that may be to his advantage.” The son of Dundeel holds an early nomination for the Group 3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) in November, which will depend on his performances as the distances rise. “It’s just an option really, once he’s had a run or two obviously a mile is going to be the shortest he’d want, and naturally he’ll get up over further,” Forsman said. “It would be nice if he could be a Cup contender, but he’s got to prove that yet.” Horse racing news View the full article

Quintessa will contest the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli A talented team of four runners at Flemington on Saturday will try to add to the momentum that Te Akau Racing has built up through the first 12 months of its Victorian base. Te Akau’s Cranbourne stable opened in late September of last year, and by the end of the 2023-24 season, trainer Mark Walker had recorded 24 wins from just 124 runners on that side of the Tasman. Te Akau’s Australian stable banked a total of $6.8 million in prizemoney during that season, with nine black-type victories, including five at Group One level by New Zealand Horse of the Year Imperatriz. The 2024-25 season has already started on a positive note for Te Akau’s Cranbourne operation, with classy mare Quintessa carrying 60kg to an impressive first-up victory in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 31. The four-year-old will continue her build-up towards the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in November when she lines up in Saturday’s Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at the same venue. Quintessa will again team up with jockey Daniel Stackhouse, who rode her for the first time in the Cockram last month. “Her win in the Cockram was a very good first-up performance under a big weight,” Walker said. “I’m in Melbourne this week and I’ve been very impressed with how she’s looking. It’s just a two-week turnaround between races, so we haven’t had to do a lot and we’ve just kept her ticking over. “I’m looking forward to seeing her step up over 1400m at Flemington on Saturday. I think the course and the distance should suit both suit her nicely.” Switching to Flemington is also a major positive for Sans Doute, who will line up in Saturday’s Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m). The daughter of Not a Single Doubt recorded four consecutive wins down Flemington’s straight course last season, starting in Benchmark 70 company and rising all the way to a black-type win in the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m). Sans Doute resumed in the Listed Norman Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on August 24 and flashed home late for third behind a subsequent Group One winner. “That was a very good run and she was probably a bit unlucky not to finish even closer,” Walker said. “She was just a little bit slowly away. “But that form has been franked since then with the winner (Mornington Glory) going on to win the Moir Stakes (Group 1, 1000m) last Saturday. “We know Sans Doute likes that straight course at Flemington. Going up to 1200m is a slight question mark, but I think she’s relaxing much better now.” Sans Doute will be ridden by Michael Dee, who has guided her to a win and three placings from four previous rides. The Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m) features Fortuna filly Bellatrix Star, whose promising two-year-old season in New Zealand produced a win in the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m), a second in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) and a fourth in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m)Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 17, where she made up late ground for fifth. “Bellatrix Star has had a bit of time between runs but seems to have trained on nicely from that very pleasing first-up run,” Walker said. “Going down the Flemington straight for the first time is always a query, but hopefully she’ll handle that okay.” The final member of Saturday’s Flemington contingent for Te Akau is Zourion. Racing in the colours of Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, the daughter of Zoustar won the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old and added a placing in last year’s Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) in Melbourne. Saturday’s TAB We’re On (1100m) will be the Zoustar mare’s first start since April. “She jumped out nicely in blinkers the other day,” Walker said. “This looks like a nice race to kick her off in, just staying in her rating band for now, and hopefully we can build her up to some black-type races later in this campaign.” Horse racing news View the full article

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, Ky – With a pair of seven-figure colts by Nyquist leading the way, trade remained strong straight through the conclusion of Book 2 during the fourth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Thursday in Lexington. “It was a great day,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy at the close of business Thursday evening. “We are very pleased. The median is up 25% for the session over last year, which is a metric that we always use. That shows that it was really difficult to buy a nice horse. Everyone was fighting over the ones they wanted. There was a real was vibrant trade on the ones they wanted.” For the session, 216 horses sold for $63,046,000. The average of $291,880 rose 13.25% from last year's corresponding session and the median was up 25.0% to $250,000. Through the two Book 2 sessions, Keeneland sold 436 yearlings through the ring for a gross of $132,963,000. The average was up 8.1% to $304,961 and the median rose 15.6% to $260,000. During last year's two-session Book 2, 416 yearlings sold through the ring for a total of $117,375,000 for an average of $282,151 and a median of $225,000. Through four sessions, the buy-back rate is 29.59%. It was 28.67% at the same point a year ago, but there have been plenty of post-sale transactions. As of Thursday evening, there were 40 horses listed as post-sales through the two books for a gross of $8,925,000. “The RNA rate was a little higher than last year, but there is a vibrant RNA-to-sale trade,” Lacy said. “We have over $9 million worth of horses registered already as sales that are going to be published. It's very much on track with last year. Even the second to last horse [Thursday] RNA'd and came in and was done straight afterwards.” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach added, “Over the week, the RNA rate is about the same, it's maybe 1% higher than it was through week one last year, which means that some people are not getting their horses sold through the ring. That's something we will always be monitoring, talking to people and getting feedback to make sure that the buyers are here at every level for week one as well. Last year, we did a lot of RNA-to-sales and this year we are well on track to match or even exceed that, which is important for the sellers and breeders.” Elliott Walden, bidding on behalf of Maverick Racing, CHC, Inc., and Siena Farm, made the highest bid of Thursday's session, going to $1.3 million to acquire a colt by Nyquist from the Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services consignment. Late in the day, John Stewart of Resolute Bloodstock bid $1.2 million to acquire a son of the Kentucky Derby winner from the Indian Creek consignment. The two seven-figure yearlings brought the total to reach that threshold over the first four days of the auction to 36. “For us, the sale has been wonderful,” said Indian Creek's Sarah Sutherland. “I think if you are in the right spot, things line up well and you are rewarded handsomely. The market is strong for those top horses. I think it will continue to trickle down. There are going to be quality horses all the way through. You just have to stick around and keep working and shaking the bushes.” The domestic buying bench remained dominant during Book 2, but there also continued to be broad international participation. “We have a lot of the players–especially the trainers–that were active in the first three days and were still here today and they are still looking,” said Lacy. “That is really encouraging for the next group of horses. There are a lot of people who haven't gotten their hand up and some people are just starting to get traction now. “The domestic buyers were strong, but we also saw Michael Costa from Jebel Ali Stable from Dubai buying four, the Japanese are very much in play still, and there are a lot of Irish that are here looking to buy for pinhooking. Coolmore bought today. It's a very vibrant and broad marketplace still. And it gives you the feel that a lot of these people are not going anywhere. They are going to be around next week.” Following a dark day Friday, the Keeneland September sale resumes Saturday and continues through Sept. 21. Sessions begin daily at 10 a.m. “A Man Among Boys”: $1.3M Nyquist Tops Book 2 Finale Midway through Thursday's second Book 2 session, a colt by Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist (Hip 984) lit up the tote board with a $1.3 million final bid from WinStar's Elliott Walden, who was bidding on behalf of China Horse Club, Maverick Racing and Siena Farm. “Everybody seems to want a Nyquist, Gun Runner, Justify or Constitution…there are a lot of them in here,” said Walden. “You have to sort through them. This was the one we landed on.” Out of Spa Treatment (Bernardini), the bay was consigned by agent Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services. All eyes on hip 984 as the Nyquist colt out of Spa Treatment sells for $1.3 million! Consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services and purchased by @Chinahorseclub, Maverick Racing & Siena Farm. #KeeSept pic.twitter.com/wE3WOTL4dS — Keeneland Sales (@keenelandsales) September 12, 2024 “He was always was a beautiful colt and we felt like Book 2 would suit him better; he would stand out,” said Ron Blake. “He had such presence in the way he carries himself in everything he does. He is first class and the buyers could see that. It's always hard to get those kinds of numbers. We knew we had a lot of people on him, but we just didn't know if it would go that far. He deserved it.” Selling on behalf of an undisclosed client, the Feb. 10 foal previously brought $385,000 at Keeneland last November. “He was a 385,000 pinhook, but I don't think it's ever reasonable that you are going to get seven figures,” Hanzly Albina admitted. “There is a lot that has to go right. There was definitely a point [Wednesday] that I felt pretty confident that we were going to get pretty close. [Thursday], I felt super confident that we were going to get there. But you still have to do it. ” The colt was bred by Hunter Valley Farm and Springhouse Farm. The latter purchased Spa Treatment, a daughter of SW and GISP Silver Knockers (Silver Deputy), for $140,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Mixed sale in 2019. “I went to the farm in the spring to look at some of the horses we were looking at selling and this is definitely one of the yearlings that caught everyone's eye,” recalled Albina. “He's just a beautiful horse all around. He really stood out…a man among boys. He was always a very nice individual but he developed properly.” The yearling represents the same cross as four Grade I winners, including recent GI Spinaway Stakes winner Immersive. Trained by Brad Cox for Godolphin, that daughter of Bernardini's Gap Year also won her career debut at the Spa July 21. “Obviously, Nyquist over Bernardini is a great cross,” explained Walden. “[Hip 984] was one of our favorite horses in the sale–very strong.” “That cross works very well, it's a high-statistical cross and he's a beautiful horse, one of our favorites of the sale. Book 1, Book 2–it didn't matter. We were very bullish on him.” Asked about some of the changes that have been made throughout the Keeneland pavilion of late, Walden opined, “I love the tables that they set up and the fact that Keeneland, Tony Lacy and Shannon Arvin are changing the culture here. It's a lot more consumer friendly and they're trying to do some different things. You see a building going up around the grandstand and it's exciting to see what's next for the next generation.”—@CBossTDN Blake-Albina Riding High After Session-Topping Score Highlighted by Thursday's session-leading colt by Nyquist, Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services enjoyed solid action through the first four days of selling at the Keeneland September Sale. Asked about the pre-sale action leading up to the sale of Thursday's top yearling, Hanzly Albina explained, “The activity at the barn was crazy. That horse had 218 shows. The average horse in my consignment got 126. And we were happy with those and they sold well. They were well-sold horses. People came to see [Hip 984] three, four times, people were taking videos for international clients. There was definitely buzz.” Through the sale's initial four sessions, three yearlings by Darley's champion juvenile and Classic winner Nyquist realized seven-figure prices. “He definitely is the best example of his father,” said Albina of the sale's co-seventh leading priced yearling. “He had leg, size and more than enough hip for his body. He was a very tight package all around. All the parts matched. With that huge push that the stallion is getting, it took it over. When you get a physical like this, it gives people a lot of confidence in the stallion. It's not a question anymore. He's here to stay and they're ready to pay money for them.” Through four days, the Blake-Albina consignment offered nine head, with five finding buyers through the ring, in addition to one selling post sale (Hip 933]. From four horses offered in Book 1, the operation sold half–a colt by Tapit (Hip 42) going to Chad Summers for $400,000 and a colt by Candy Ride (Arg) (Hip 287) for $550,000 to BC Stables. “Book 1 is an interesting beast because Book 1 horses were expensive to breed,” explained Albina. “They are usually bred by people with means, and they don't have to sell. They can choose to test the market and choose to bring the horse to market. They are often sellers at a price. So it's a bit unfair to judge the entire market on the RNA rate of those sessions. If the horse doesn't sell, it can be kept to go into training. So for us, that was Book 1. We bought a few back and sold others really well, but we're happy overall.” Offering five head in Book 2, the operation sold four of five, including a pair of $300,000 purchases (Hip 892, Medaglia d'Oro filly and Hip 921, Tapit colt). “In Book 2, we sold most of our horses. On most of those we got what we expected,” he said. “We were realistic but on the high end of realistic. So it was very good. If you had told me we would have gotten 20% less on all the horses we sold, I still would have been very happy.”—@CBossTDN Stewart Still Swinging in Book 2 Conclusion Things appeared to be gearing down toward the end of Thursday's fourth day of selling at Keeneland. That is until Resolute Bloodstock's John Stewart reappeared in the main pavilion. On a day that proved prolific for Nyquist, a colt by the Darley sire brought $1.2 million from Stewart, making it the second-highest price of the fourth session. “I like the way that [Nyquist] horses have run. I really think that there is nothing but upside there,” said Stewart. “Then the physical of the horse–it was our top colt for the day. I was joking around that I was waiting for that horse for four hours, and there was no way I wasn't buying it. Whoever I was bidding against on the phone I was just watching, thinking, 'I'm going to keep going. Let's go.'” Offered as Hip 1114, the Apr. 10 foal, who was bred by County Line Farm, was consigned by Indian Creek. “This is a horse that we loved for a really long time,” said Indian Creek's Sarah Sutherland. “He seemed like he was very well received, but you just don't know. It takes people that are going to be spirited bidding and they have to fight for a horse like this, and if they do, you can have amazing results. It definitely exceeded out expectations, but I'll never complain about that.” Resolute Bloodstock goes to $1.2 million for a Nyquist colt out of Candy Swap, consigned by Indian Creek! #KeeSept pic.twitter.com/Qfu5bTfN5S — Keeneland Sales (@keenelandsales) September 13, 2024 The bay is out of the Candy Ride (Arg) mare GSW Candy Swap, herself a full sister to Grade I winner and sire Sidney's Candy. Candy Swap is already responsible for stakes-winning Bluegrass Parkway (Quality Road). Candy Swap, in foal to Quality Road, was purchased in 2015 for $200,000 at Keeneland November. “He is one of those horses that shows that he wants to do it,” said Sutherland. “He's going to want to train and be forward in everything that he does. He never got tired. He's a feel-good type of colt and it translated well with what we asked him. He didn't let us down.” Earlier in Thursday's session, another colt by Nyquist (hip 984) brought a session-topping $1.3 million. “Honestly, I thought that was very strong and good for [those connections] because he was a very nice horse. But to have two of them right there together at $1.2 and $1.3 million says there wasn't much to separate them. The stallion can do no wrong right now.” “[Hip 1114]'s got a nice pedigree and he's a Classic distance type of horse. I think he's one that is not even close to his best right now. He's a beautiful mover but there is a lot of improvement in this colt.” At the conclusion of Thursday's session, Stewart had purchased an additional three yearlings. In addition to the second-highest priced colt of the day, he secured Hip 829 by Authentic for $750,000 and Hip 885 by Vekoma for $600,000. Through four sessions, Resolute purchased nine head–including two seven-figure yearlings–for $6.325 million. According to Stewart, he also bought into the $2.2-million Gun Runner colt (Hip 169) purchased by Mandy Pope in Book 1. “I think the top of the market is doing well,” said Stewart. “That is really good for everybody.” According to Stewart, Resolute has secured 47 yearlings in 2024, to add to the weanlings purchased last fall. “I've got too many yearlings now so I've got to figure out what to do,” he said. “We still have some sales to go through and we're active overseas now with [Goffs and Tattersalls]. I don't want more than 50 going into racing next year, so I'm going to have to cull some of the ones we've bought, but I think the market is pretty good.” Giving a nod to what lies ahead at the upcoming breeding stocks sales, he explained, “We've got some exciting things planned for the foal sales coming up. Something that could really boost the market and benefit the people that make a living of buying foals and selling yearlings–the pinhooking market. It's something the industry is really not seeing which is some widespread financing. “I've been working for a year to put together a program to offer some financing on weanlings. So hopefully, we will have it ready for the weanling sale and inject about $20 million to support the market. I think that is part of solving this problem of the declining foal population. It's about making it more profitable to breed good horses. I think that will be interesting and there will be more details coming out about it in the next few months.”—@CBossTDN Team Dornoch Restocks As retirement looms for GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes winner Dornoch (Good Magic), the team of partners on the sophomore is restocking with more yearlings by Good Magic and his sire Curlin. Bloodstock agent Megan Jones, bidding alongside trainer Danny Gargan, purchased a colt by Curlin (hip 875) for $850,000. Out of Grade I-placed Lady Kate (Bernardini), the yearling was consigned by Indian Creek on behalf of Barbara Banke's Stonestreet. “He was just a beautiful specimen,” Jones said after signing the ticket on the yearling. “He did everything right. Bred by Barbara, obviously, we loved that. We loved the pedigree. I thought he did everything right in the back ring.” Leading the session 4 action thus far is hip 875, a Curlin colt out of SW/G1-placed Lady Kate consigned by @IndianCreekKy for @StonestreetFarm. Jones/Everett/Reeves, Vekoma, Belmar, Pine, Legendary paid $850,000 for the colt. pic.twitter.com/xvonGFgOd5 — Keeneland Sales (@keenelandsales) September 12, 2024 Of the colt's new owners, Jones said, “It's most of the same guys who own Dornoch–it will be Belmar Racing, Randy Hill, Dean Reeves and Mark Pine.” Earlier in the auction, Jones signed on behalf of the group for a colt by Good Magic (hip 540) for $550,000 and the partners came back later in the day Thursday to acquire a colt by Good Magic (hip 955) for $600,000. They also acquired a colt by Good Magic (hip 224) for $850,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale last month. “We love Curlin and Good Magic,” Jones said. “Danny has had three Good Magics and three graded stakes winners. We love Curlin and Good Magic, we just feel safe and happy there.” In addition to Dornoch, Gargan also trains graded winners Society Man and Dubyuhnell, both by Good Magic. As Dornoch battles to the end of the year for an Eclipse championship, Jones admitted the partners were eager to find their next star. “They would love to come back and do that again in two years,” she said. Of the competitive market at Keeneland, Jones said, “It's amazing. It's incredibly strong. If you love a horse that does everything right, they are very hard to take home. I think that's exciting for racing. It's been very hard up here, but that's good for the breeders.” @JessMartiniTDN Into Mischief Colt Brings $825K Thursday A colt by Into Mischief realized $825,000 during Thursday's action at Keeneland. Offered as Hip 898 by agent Mill Ridge Sales, the bay was purchased by Windancer Farm. The colt is the first foal out of Mighty Road, who made a single career start, finishing ninth at Gulfstream in 2020, before being retired due to injury. The daughter of Quality Road, who brought $1 million at the 2019 OBS Spring Sale after selling for $220,000 at KEESEP, is a half sister to Grade II winner Decelerator (Dehere), the dam of GSWs Nafaayes (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Stoltz (More Than Ready). This represents the extended family of Grade I/Group 1 scorers Fabulous Notion and Cacoethes. “He was really special colt,” said Price Bell of Mill Ridge Sales. “Mighty Road was a very good 2-year-old who sold for $1 million and had an injury. She had a lot of ability. The colt has a ton of class.” He continued, “Margaux Farm raised the horse and we had the privilege to consign him. He was a star from the beginning and had a lot of interest from a lot of good judges.” In regard to the Spendthrift sire, Bell added, “What a sire Into Mischief has been. He throws all shapes and sizes and the beauty is they all like to run.”—@CBossTDN Dooleys Cap Big Day with Not This Time Colt Sarah and Leo Dooley's Norevale Farm had already had a series of pinhooking scores when they sent their homebred colt by Not This Time (hip 1067) through the ring Thursday evening to sell for $825,000 to the bid of Belladonna Racing. The yearling, bred in partnership with Sarah's father Tony Holmes and brother Michael Holmes, is a half-brother to this year's GII Rebel Stakes runner-up Common Defense (Karakontie {Jpn}). The team purchased Allusion (Street Cry {Ire}), with Common Defense in utero, for $25,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January sale. “We bought the mare a few years ago kind of cheap and everything has come together,” said Sarah. “This has always been an awesome foal. We bought him back as a foal and he has just done super as a yearling. He is a tremendous physical, a super cool horse.” The yearling RNA'd for $260,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. “The page came together a lot with Common Defense being on the Derby trail,” Leo said of the difference between the results last November and Thursday. “He would have been in the Derby if not for a minor injury beforehand. And the yearling, physically, just got better and better. And Not This Time is on fire.” The couple are consigning under the Norevale for just the second time and Thursday's $825,000 result marked a high-water mark for the farm. “It's our second sale. Our first was in July and this is our first September,” Sarah said with a broad smile. “Records fell today.” Before its homebred success Thursday, Norevale had a pair of pinhook successes. A colt by Charlatan (hip 881) purchased for $150,000 at Keeneland last November sold for $450,000 to Pedro Lanz; while a colt by Good Magic (hip 1012) purchased for $175,000 last November sold for $475,000 to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing. Also Thursday, Norevale consigned a filly by Good Magic (hip 1001), bred by Tony and Michael Holmes, Timothy Thornton, and Norevale Farm, for $330,000 to Tracy Farmer. Thornton had purchased Sumptuous (Hennessy) with the filly in utero for $85,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November sale. Completing the farm's day, a filly by Charlatan (hip 891) bred by Tony Holmes, sold for $300,000 to First Row Partners. “We are delighted for the whole team,” Leo said. “It's a testament to all the hard work that the staff does. We are very thankful for a great staff at home. We've had a good sale. We knew we had good horses coming in here. It's nice to see that come together.” Sarah added, “We are going to head back to the barn now and there are going to be a lot of hugs, high fives and maybe some tears. We've had a great day. It's great when the puzzle pieces come together. We are going to enjoy it, it's hard work and in a couple of months, it will be on to the next batch. It was a great day overall. It takes a village and we have a great village. We couldn't be more thrilled.” @JessMartiniTDN Mike Ryan Landing a Gun Runner at KEESEP Agent Mike Ryan has been busy filling orders this week, securing a bevy of babies from several of the best stallions in the country. One of the most sought-after sires that had eluded Ryan through the initial three sessions was Gun Runner. However, that changed Thursday when the agent extended to $750,000 for Hip 818. #KeeSept Book 2, Thursday: Hip 818, a Gun Runner colt out of Giant Mover, sells for $750,000 to @MRyanBloodstock from the consignment of St George Sales, agent for Dell Ridge Farm – Phase II Dispersal. A half-brother to FAMILY TREE, LIORA. pic.twitter.com/Fq6VMKFPZO — TDN (@theTDN) September 12, 2024 Consigned by St George Sales, agent for Phase II of the Dell Ridge Farm dispersal, the Dell Ridge-bred colt is out of stakes-winning Giant Mover. The daughter Giant's Causeway produced GII Indiana Oaks scorer and GI Alabama third Family Tree (Smart Strike), who in turn foaled Grade II Heroic Move (Quality Road). The colt's dam is also responsible for GII Golden Rod winner and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up Liora (Candy Ride {Arg}). In foal to Army Mule, Giant Mover most recently sold for $90,000 at Keeneland November last fall. “It was pretty spirited bidding for that horse. It was really nice,” said Archie St George moments after the sale. “He had a lot of action and a lot of big players [on him]. He's a very nice horse.” St George continued, “Gun Runner is a brilliant stallion. Arguably a top stallion in North America and out of a good mare. He was raised by a very good farm and I would like to thank Dell Ridge Farm. Des [Ryan] and Dell Ridge do a wonderful job. “Thanks to Chad Brown and his team. We wish them the best of luck. We couldn't do this without the buyers and hopefully Chad has got a runner and he's got a nice horse. Fingers crossed.”—@CBossTDN Book 2 Pinhooks Average a Profit of Over $136,000 Each We took a deep dive into how Book 2's pinhooks fared and attempted to analyze how the prospects as a whole performed over the two days. We've subtracted a loose estimated cost of $25,000 for each yearling's board, veterinary expenses, farrier work, sales prep, and sales entry fees. Obviously, this amount has the potential to vary substantially per offering. A total of 86 yearlings were consigned over the two days of Book 2 as pinhooks. Fourteen of the 86 were outs and 18 were RNAs, leaving 54 to represent the pinhook sector. The 54 sold for a total of $18.2 million from a combined output of $9,498,577 at original purchase. Less $1.35 million for the 54 in combined estimated costs, that leaves a profit of $7,351,423 for the group or an average of $136,137.46 and a median of $275,000. Forty-four were profitable at an average profit of $176,736.90 and 10 lost money at an average loss of $42,500. The obvious pinhooking standout was Nyquist's colt out of Spa Treatment, who was purchased for $385,000 by Goodwill Bloodstock at Keeneland November and resold Thursday for $1.3 million. @JillWilliamsTDN The post Million-Dollar Nyquist Colts Pace ‘Vibrant’ Book 2 Finale at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By just one season, Kylie Little missed an opportunity to take a horse to the iconic Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool, and she is hoping in-form stayer Irrigate (NZ) (Ocean Park) can take the Kiwi spot through Saturday’s NZB Airfreight Road To The Jericho (3210m) at New Plymouth. The annual contest is New Zealand’s longest flat race, exceeding the traditional two-mile Cup distance, and as of 2017, the winner has been offered a trip across the Tasman to run in the Jericho Cup, and a past member of Little’s barn, Red Sunset, had won the race in 2016 by an extending four lengths. “We won this race a few years ago with a horse called Red Sunset, and the year after, they brought the trip in,” Little said. “We definitely would’ve gone with her, so we would take the opportunity if she (Irrigate) can win.” A seven-year-old by Ocean Park, Irrigate is entering the race in career-best form, with back-to-back wins including a dominant from behind performance at Te Rapa on August 24 at her most recent start. “We were actually in Australia watching the race, but we were very pleased with her,” Little said. “It was nice to see her settling back and coming into the race like she did, I thought Tegan (Newman, jockey) may have gone a touch soon, but she obviously hadn’t. “When she ran second at Te Rapa in July, we earmarked this race for her and have been working towards it.” Co-owner Grant Steen purchased Irrigate via gavelhouse.com for under $2,000 in June last year as a one-win mare, and if the Jericho Cup doesn’t eventuate, Little has another long-distance target in mind for the mare. “The boys bought her off Gavelhouse at the end of last winter and we gave her a couple of runs, we liked what we saw so we put her aside,” she said. “She’s come up really well this year and she’s dead easy to have in the stable, she’s just a little pit pony. There’s not a lot of her, but she’s a real sweetheart. “She holds a nomination for the New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m), so if we won on Saturday, obviously she would be pulled out of there but that’s an option. “She also jumps really tidily, so she could be a future jumper in time.” View the full article

Saturday’s Taranaki meeting was the final step towards Mustang Valley’s (NZ) (Vanbrugh) second Group One title last season, and the mare will return on an identical path to contest the Seaton Park 1400. A powerful wet-track galloper, Mustang Valley skipped through the heavy conditions to take both this race and the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) 12 months ago. Her rating of 107, with a mare’s allowance, places her at 62.5kg, and she will carry the topweight despite apprentice jockey Ngakau Hailey’s three-kilogram claim. Andrew Forsman, who prepares the daughter of Vanbrugh out of Cambridge, was pleased with her fifth-placed effort in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) to commence a new preparation but is not underestimating the competition she faces on Saturday. “She’s had a very similar preparation to last year and seems to be going every bit as well,” he said. “I just hope to see her run well, I think there is a fair bit more depth in this race and it looks a bit more competitive than last year, so I’m certainly not expecting her to go down there and just win it, knowing that she’s giving some nice winter gallopers a fair bit of weight. “As long as she gets her chance, runs well and hits the line strongly, we’ll be happy.” Joining Mustang Valley at New Plymouth will be resuming four-year-olds City Girl (NZ) (Shooting To Win) and Lady Pappygate (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), the pair contesting the NZB Insurance (990m) and Hel Rimu G. Maulder Happy Days Race (1400m) respectively. “We would’ve liked to have given City Girl a trial but she does prefer a grass surface and there wasn’t the option, hence the 990m appealed,” Forsman said. “She’s drawn well so hopefully she can use that, that will be the key. She’ll certainly take good improvement for it, but as long as she can get out of the gates and be on speed, she’ll be a chance. “Lady Pappygate is coming along nicely, the only query for her is the track just being a bit too heavy. We turned her out to get away from the deeper tracks, but she’s ready to run and she may just need one if it’s too testing.” Forsman’s attention will also be on the Saturday meeting at Flemington where his talented staying mare Positivity (NZ) (Almanzor) will take her place in the Ronald McDonald House Charities Trophy (1700m). The Almanzor four-year-old flourished in the latter part of her three-year-old season, winning the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m) and finishing second in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) before a classy performance to take out the Gr.3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m) at Morphettville. She commenced her new campaign with a bang finishing second to Rise At Dawn (NZ) (Almanzor) in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m), and Forsman has an eye on another stakes target beyond her next assignment. “I thought she was going really well, but it (Heatherlie Stakes) looked a tricky race and there wasn’t a lot of speed in the sprint home, so I thought all that considered, she stuck to her guns really well,” he said. “There were probably a few that had a better turn of foot, but being fresh obviously helped her and it was a great return. “This is just another run for her really, obviously we want to be competitive, but second-up over 1700m is a bit awkward and we are wanting to have her ready for the Bart Cummings (Gr.3, 2500m) if she goes well enough.” Forsman will also be represented in the Gr.3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500m) by Good Oil, who placed in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) in the autumn. “He’s been a bit frustrating since he’s been in Melbourne, he just hasn’t had anything to suit,” Forsman said. “We feel like he’s going really well, and this was the best option to give him his chance and get favours in the run. He likes to jump and run and be on pace, so from a good draw in a small field, he should get that chance to prove whether he’s up to it or not.” Back home on Sunday, Sporting Chance (Dundeel) will be Forsman’s sole representative at Te Rapa, coming off a strong fresh-up success to contest the Waitoa Free Range Chicken Mile (1600m). “I was very happy with him, and it should be similar track conditions, maybe a touch better depending on the weather leading into Sunday,” Forsman said. “He’s pretty adaptable and he doesn’t need a wet track but given that he’s had that run and meeting a few that are resuming, that may be to his advantage.” The son of Dundeel holds an early nomination for the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) in November, which will depend on his performances as the distances rise. “It’s just an option really, once he’s had a run or two obviously a mile is going to be the shortest he’d want, and naturally he’ll get up over further,” Forsman said. “It would be nice if he could be a Cup contender, but he’s got to prove that yet.” View the full article

Winter is usually the busiest time of year for jumps jockey Emily Farr, but she decided to sacrifice the majority of New Zealand’s jumps season this year to head home to Wales where she felt she was most needed. While racing is the centrepiece of Farr’s life, there is one thing that is more important to the 33-year-old rider – family. With her father suffering from dementia, and her mother bearing the brunt of caregiver duties, Farr felt it was time to head home and help ease the burden for her family. “My Dad has had dementia for a couple of years now and coming around Christmas time we knew things were getting a bit difficult for my Mum at home where we run a big farm,” Farr said. “There came a point where I said I would go home and help out and that meant putting my life on hold here (New Zealand). Everyone I had a connection with through the upcoming jumps season all understood and were very supportive. “I went home and helped my Mum out with my Dad and tried to get him into a home, but we couldn’t get him to settle so he is in hospital now. He has been in hospital for the last 25 weeks and I don’t think he will come out. It has been tough.” Farr said it was difficult going home to see the toll the illness has had on her family. “They (parents) have been together for 37 years so trying to get Mum to have a bit of independence and come out of being the carer for my father has been a very tough,” she said. While family was the catalyst to head back to Wales, Farr said racing was never far away, and she enjoyed keeping her hand in the game while at home. “I have got really good friends at home and I did a lot of riding over there,” she said. “I was very lucky to work for Christian Williams, who is a National Hunt trainer, and he works horses on the beach. I kept busy and I was schooling horses every week and riding in National Hunt yards. “It was great to get my eye back into the UK way of racing as well. I got to take a lot of horses to the races and still be involved as well as trying to watch races in the middle of the night and trying to keep up with everything over here (New Zealand). “It was just great to be with family and friends, catching the end of the point-to-point season as well as taking in the summer racing and being involved in British racing. I went to Cheltenham and Aintree, and did all the big meetings. I went over to Ireland for a couple of weeks, it was great. I did a lot in four months.” Farr found it hard to return to New Zealand but did so at the behest of her mother. “I have felt comfortable over the last month or so being with Mum and she told me ‘your life is back in New Zealand and you are coming to the end of the jumps season, it is time to go back and sort things out’. “I have come back and still have my job at Wexford Stables with Andrew (Scott) and Lance (O’Sullivan), and they were very pleased to have me back. I jumped straight back into work, I ride about 15 horses each morning between them and Waikato Stud.” While enjoying being back riding work, Farr said it took her a bit of time to make the decision to return to race riding. “It took me three weeks to decide whether I thought it was best for me to come back and ride over fences due to everything that is on my plate,” she said. “But I am fit enough and strong enough, and I am in a good place mentally.” Farr said she knew she made the right decision when the Matamata-based rider went to Hawke’s Bay last weekend before riding at Woodville on Sunday, where she placed aboard the John Wheeler-trained Red Ned in the Pat and The Late John Shannon (3000m). “I went down to see Paul (Nelson, trainer) on the weekend, schooled a couple of horses and then rode at Woodville, and Paul and John were very happy with the way I rode.” Farr’s week got even better when she was awarded the plum ride on the Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal-trained Nedwin in the Peter Kelly – Bayleys Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) at Te Rapa on Sunday. The 10-year-old son of Niagara took out last year’s edition of the jumping feature with Aaron Kuru aboard, but with the Australian-based hoop unable to cross the Tasman, Nelson elected to hand the reins to Farr. Farr has a perfect record with the gelding, having won aboard him at Otaki last year in their only start together, and she is excited to renew their partnership this weekend. “I am very privileged to have the call-up,” she said. “I rode him in a high-weight, and he did that very well for me. “We thought Aaron Kuru might be able to come over, but due to other issues he couldn’t, and with Jay (Kozaczek) getting hurt at Woodville, Paul said he would like to put me on. “I know what sort of calibre the horse is and how well he did it last year, and how great trainers Paul and Corrina are. I am really excited.” Farr also has three other rides on the 10-race card, including The Anarchist in the Ben and Ryan Foote Racing Great Northern Steeplechase (6500m), Jakama Krystal in the FCM Steeplechase (3900m), and Zeefa Zed in the ALSCO Uniforms Hurdle (2800m). “The Anarchist probably didn’t like the ground at Woodville, but he stayed on very well and Paul (Nelson) is very happy with him and thinks he will stay the distance in the Northern. “Jakama Krystal probably should have won on Sunday but made a bit of a mistake and lost Lemmy (Douglas, jockey). I have had a good strike-rate on her before with a first and a second. It is good to be back with Jess and Peter (Brosnan, trainers). I think she is a very good chance. “Zeefa Zed is coming back to the hurdles. I rode him in his first ever jumps start, so it is good to be back on him. He has learnt a lot now, and he has had a bit of experience. He has had a lot of bad luck and placings since, so it will be good to get back on him. “I am very happy with the four rides I have got, and I think they are all very good chances.” View the full article

Pinstriped ridden by Ben Allen winning the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Enver Jusufovic is aiming for back-to-back Group 1 victories with Pinstriped, following the gelding’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) triumph, as he prepares to contest the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington this Saturday. Pinstriped will face tough competition from the likes of Mr Brightside, Antino, Pride Of Jenni, and interstate challengers Via Sistina and Atishu. However, Jusufovic remains confident that the seven-time winner is poised for his best campaign yet. “He’s a six-year-old now, and I think stats will show you that Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside performed at their ultimate as six-year-olds,” Jusufovic told RSN. “The plan with this horse was always that he would improve as he got older if I managed him properly. “So far, I’ve done that, but he has to prove it again this weekend. “In the Group 1s, you can’t hide from the opposition. There’s a lot more depth in this race compared to the Memsie, but he goes in there with winning form.” Horse racing news View the full article

The Matthew Smith-trained Buenos Noches. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) After winning the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1100m) at Flemington’s Makybe Diva Stakes meeting in 2022, Buenos Noches, trained by Matthew Smith, returns to the same event this weekend, this time competing in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m). Now five years old, Buenos Noches has only won once since that Poseidon victory, claiming the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) first-up last season. “I’ve got confidence in the horse and I think he’s back to his best. We want a good, positive run to confirm this,” Smith told Racing.com. “It was a combination of a lot of things—different variables like the tracks—but, for whatever reason, it was one of those preps which you had to draw a line through. “He might have needed a good break as there wasn’t a lot of time between last spring and the Sydney Carnival.” Horse racing news View the full article

Archer Stakes contender, Mostly Cloudy. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are optimistic that their imported stayer Mostly Cloudy can return to winning form in this Saturday’s Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington, which would secure him an unballoted entry into the Melbourne Cup (3200m). Although Mostly Cloudy hasn’t won since September last year, his consistent efforts have kept him competitive. After a solid first-up performance at Caulfield, where he finished fourth behind Young Werther, Busuttin is hopeful for a breakthrough. “He doesn’t know how to run a bad race, but he doesn’t win that often, which is frustrating,” Busuttin told Racing.com. “He deserves to win a race, but he’s not the easiest horse to ride. He doesn’t travel well and can end up in tricky spots, but it’s not an overly big field. “He’ll get luck someday or other, hopefully it’s Saturday and then all the pressure will be off.” Horse racing news View the full article

Superstar jockey, Kerrin McEvoy. (Photo by George Salpigtidis/Racing Photos) With James McDonald in Melbourne to ride Via Sistina, Kerrin McEvoy will take the reins on the Chris Waller-trained Joliestar in Saturday’s Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill. Joliestar, a four-year-old mare, is the equal $5 favourite with horse racing bookmakers for the $20 million Everest (1200m) after her dominant first-up win in the Show County Quality (1200m), where she beat Our Kobison by 2.9 lengths. Waller is optimistic she can replicate that performance this weekend. “At that level, it is not just about one run, it is about consistently racing well,” Waller commented. “She has come through her first-up run really well. She was very impressive first-up, she trained on well, and it looks like she has gone to a new level again.” McEvoy, who has a long-standing relationship with Joliestar’s owners, Cambridge Stud, previously rode her to a debut maiden victory in June of last year. “I think that is always a big thing when you are hopping on a horse with her profile,” Waller added. “Firstly, you need an experienced jockey, which Kerrin is, then it is great for the jockey to have a relationship with the owners – it’s a big deal. Kerrin will fit in well.” Horse racing news View the full article

Run To The Rose contender, Traffic Warden. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) James Cummings is looking to secure his sixth Run To The Rose (1200m) title this weekend as Traffic Warden, trained under his guidance, gears up for the Group 2 sprint. Cummings, who initially claimed victory with Hallowed Crown back in 2014 under his grandfather Bart’s training, has since seen success with Bivouac in 2019, followed by wins with Anamoe, In Secret, and Cylinder in recent years. Traffic Warden, winner of Flemington’s Sires’ Produce Stakes and a strong contender in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) and Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce (1400m), has impressed Cummings with his comeback form. “We are delighted with the way he’s come back,” Cummings remarked. “We’ve given him a suitably long and slow build-up to be ready for an important race. A lot of these horses are on trial for the Golden Rose in two weeks. “He’s brilliant enough and he’s developed so much between his two and three-year-old years. “I feel like we’ve got some versatility with that horse (and) if we want to drop him back in distance, he could very well be our Coolmore horse.” Horse racing news View the full article

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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 full-sister to Kameko. 16.45 Doncaster, Mdn, £30,000, 2yo, f, 7f 6yT KINGSCLERE (Kitten's Joy), who was due to make her debut at the abandoned Salisbury fixture last week, is instead rolled out on Doncaster's Town Moor with much expectation on her shoulders. She is a homebred full-sister to Qatar Racing's G1 2,000 Guineas and G1 Futurity Trophy-winning sire Kameko who sports the name of trainer Andrew Balding's historic stable. Interestingly, Nurlan Bizakov's similarly unraced Gulya (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) is here having also been set to run at Salisbury and the Roger Varian trainee is out of a full-sister to the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas-winning sire Romanised (Ire). 16.58 Salisbury, Mdn, £35,000, 2yo, f, 6f 213yT SANDTRAP (IRE) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is a significant debutante for Valmont and Ballylinch Stud, being a full-sister to last month's GI Fourstardave Handicap hero Carl Spackler (Ire). Bought for 450,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1, the Ralph Beckett trainee encounters six rivals and is slated as the current favourite. The post Sister To Kameko Gets Her Chance At Doncaster appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A colt by Nyquist (hip 1114) became the second seven-figure yearling of the session when selling for $1.2 million to John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock late in the day Thursday at Keeneland. Out of an unraced full-sister to Sidney's Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), the yearling was bred by County Line Farm and was consigned by Indian Creek. The Kentucky Derby winner was also the sire of the day's other million-dollar yearling, a $1.3 million colt consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services. The post Another Seven-Figure Yearling for Nyquist at Keeneland September appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon's 10-month suspension from training will begin on Dec. 1, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) Referrals Committee ruled on Thursday. The trainer of G1 King George VI Chase winner Hewick (Ire) (Virtual {GB}), Hanlon had appealed the IHRB decision with a potential deferral of the suspension until Apr. 1, but this request was denied. The Dec. 1 start date was the date given when his suspension was originally announced. The trainer was found to have acted in a manner that “caused significant prejudice to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of the sport of racing” in the removal of a dead horse from his yard earlier this year. A member of the public videoed the incident and it was widely circulated on social media, which attracted further media attention and led to the IHRB bringing charges against Hanlon, saying the conduct “attracted significant public opprobrium and adverse comment” both for the trainer personally and racing in general. “The Committee decided that it saw nothing in the material submitted to justify deviation from the initial suggestion that the effective date of the sanctions should be December 1, 2024,” a statement released by the IHRB Committee read. “The Committee acknowledged in the initial decision that these sanctions would be burdensome for Mr Hanlon in various ways. “However, there was nothing in his circumstances to differentiate them from those of other trainers put in the same position by similar decisions in other cases. These cases informed the initial proposal by the Committee of a deferral to December 1, 2024. “In summary, to defer a sanction of five or 10-months duration (depending on the ultimate approach taken by Mr Hanlon) for well over six months would tend to have the effects suggested by the IHRB and would disproportionately dilute the effect of the withdrawal sanction. “Accordingly, the Committee confirmed that the sanctions imposed in the initial decision will take effect on December 1, 2024.” There is a possibility that five months of the suspension will be deferred, as long as the trainer meets the conditions imposed by the IHRB referrals committee during the initial five-month span. The post Hanlon Suspension Ruled To Start On Dec. 1 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tara Stud has been put up for sale, according to the stud's Derek Iceton. The bloodstock operation will move to Skryne Castle Farm. Goffs and Raymond Potterton and Co. will handle the sale as joint agents. “A number of factors have come together to make this decision” said Iceton. We are not going to stand stallions anymore and, though I am by no means going to retire, I do want to reduce the agricultural side of the business. We sell well over 1,000 cattle from here each year, up to 1,000 sheep, and 1,000 tonnes of grain from the arable side of the business, so the time has come to reduce this side of the business. There is no one here to succeed me, so we have all decided to sell the Tara farm. This still leaves us over 350 acres on which to facilitate our own mares and those of our clients. The land and facilities we have been developing considerably over the last few years, and we will continue selling stock as before, under the ”Skryne Castle” name.” Tara Stud has been under the same ownership for almost 80 years, with Billy Iceton taking over for his father Tom, who arrived in 1945, with Derek joining in 1984. The overall farm is comprised of two blocks, with the Tara Stud side approximately 600 acres, and Skryne Castle the remaining 350+ acres. Among the star past graduates are Grade I winner and current stallion roster member River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and dual Group 1 winner A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}). The latter is out of a Key Of Luck mare, who stood for many years at the stud. Other alumni include the Grade 1-placed Balmont Mast (Ire) (Balmont) and G2 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Birthe (Ire) (Study Of Man {Ire}) among many other group winners born and raised on the property on behalf of clients. Iceton added, “Not only has Tara got fine land on which to grow horses and cattle, it is in wonderful condition, with strongly built boxes and a continuous program of fencing undertaken and every facility you could want to run a stud farm, as well as modern facilities for the cattle. Its location is one of the properties strongest selling points, close to motorways, the M50, to Dublin City and its airport; Ferry Port, so I hope it will attract both local and foreign interest.” The post Tara Stud Put On The Market appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Special Wan at Kentucky Downs on Saturday. Team Valor Filly Strikes In Kentucky Team Valor International and Steven Rocco's Special Wan (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) was first past the post in a Kentucky Downs contest in her U.S. debut on Sept. 7 (video) for trainer Patrick Foley. Bred by Kilnamoragh Stud, the G3 Ballycorus Stakes second and G3 Brownstown Stakes third was a £225,000 Goffs QIPCO Ascot Champions Day buy-back last autumn. The third foal and one of four winners out of Fast Jazz (Ire) (Frozen Power {Ire}), Special Wan is a half-sister to stakes horses Yerwanthere (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}) and Over The Blues (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}). She made her first three starts in the colours of John Browne, with her current connections purchasing her privately after her second in a Naas listed race in May. Second dam Slow Jazz (Chief's Crown), a winner of the Listed Prix Petite Etoile, is a half-sister to the influential Blue Duster (Danzig), a champion in Europe at two, and successful in the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes prior to becoming the ancestress of no less than eight stakes winners. Bearstone Stud's Belardo, who stood for £5,500 this year, has sired eight winners from nine American runners (89%). Grade I winner Gold Phoenix (Ire) and Bellabel (Ire), who won the GII San Clemente Stakes and GIII Megahertz Stakes. Win Sweet For Caroline At Kentucky Downs Last year's G3 Blue Wind Stakes heroine Caroline Street (No Nay Never) returned a winner at Kentucky Downs in the colours of Fergus Galvin and Marc Detampel (video). Trained by Brendan Walsh, she was bred by Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner and Ron Davidson. The Kentucky-bred, a $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select yearling, made eight starts for Joseph O'Brien, with her Blue Wind tally the best of them. Part of a four-strong brood out of G3 Gallinule Stakes third Harvestfortheworld (Ire) (So You Think {NZ}), Caroline Street hails from the extended family of G1 Phoenix Stakes heroine Pharaoh's Delight (Fairy King). Coolmore's No Nay Never has been represented by 53 U.S. winners from 96 runners (54%). GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Meditate (Ire) is one of nine stakes winners in that jurisdiction for her sire, a son of Scat Daddy. No Nay Never Filly Wins At Second Asking Bal Mar Equine's Unhidden Gem (Ire) (No Nay Never), sixth when unveiled at Saratoga last month, triumphed at Kentucky Downs for Albert Stall, Jr. on Wednesday (video). Barronstown Stud bred the dark bay daughter of Gems (GB) (Haafhd {GB}) who brought 250,000gns from SackvilleDonald out of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. A half-sister to G3 Prix Miesque second Seaella (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) and a full-sister to G2 Superlative Stakes winner Mystery Power (Ire), juvenile filly Bijou (Ire) and a weanling colt, Unhidden Gem is kin to four-time Italian Group 1 winner and sire Alhijaz (GB) (Midyan). Other stakes winners by No Nay Never in America include GIII Palm Beach Stakes hero Vitalogy (GB), and the accomplished No Nay Mets (Ire). Roaring Lion Filly A Queen At Kentucky Downs Qatar Racing homebred Queen Regent (GB) (Roaring Lion), favoured in her American debut, won at Kentucky Downs for Brendan Walsh on Thursday (video). The 12th foal produced by Common Knowledge (GB) (Rainbow Quest), the grey made her first eight starts in the land of her birth for John and Thady Gosden, which resulted in a win at Newcastle on the all-weather, and second-place finishes in a trio of all-weather handicaps prior to this win. She is a half-sister to dual Group 3 winner Astrophysical Jet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), G3 Weld Park Stakes heroine Coral Wave (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), and G3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies Stakes winner and G1 Prix Rothschild placegetter Know It All (GB) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). Second dam Highbrow (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) is a half-sister to blue hen and champion Height Of Fashion (Fr) (Bustino {GB}). The late Roaring Lion sired just one crop at Tweenhills Stud in Britain, before passing away before covering a single mare at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand. Queen Regent is his first winner from four runners in the U.S. (25%). Worldwide, he has six stakes winners, with the cornerstone Group 1 winner and first-season sire Dubai Mile (Ire). Sky Wins Again In So-Cal Sorrento Sky (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) captured a Del Mar affair on Sept. 8 for trainer Phil D'Amato (video). Raced by Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Marc Lantzman and Michael Nentwig, the 3-year-old colt was winning for the second time in seven starts. The flying turf finishes are just as spectacular from the drone view! Check out SORRENTO SKY (IRE) ($13.60), under @Antonio1Fresu, zipping through an opening to beat older horses in @DelMarRacing race 7. @PhilDamato11 conditioned the colt. Late Pick 4: https://t.co/CDoj9VG9iY pic.twitter.com/ElRBTeq0R1 — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 8, 2024 The post Making Waves: Special Indeed At Kentucky Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Christine Tuma, who formerly worked as an association veterinarian jointly employed by Hawthorne Race Course and the Illinois Racing Board (IRB), on Thursday filed a federal lawsuit against those two entities claiming her efforts to scratch over 80 lame or injured Thoroughbreds during the 2022 and 2023 race meets were met with an alleged conspiracy to overturn her actions so the unsound horses could be entered in races. The lawsuit further contended that when Tuma reported this alleged conspiracy to state and federal government regulators, she was fired “in retaliation for blowing the whistle on the illegal activities.” That termination came just 48 hours before a scheduled visit to the track by Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) Authority regulators, the suit alleged. Hawthorne management and the IRB both denied the allegations when TDN requested comment Sept. 12. An emailed statement from Hawthorne said, in part, “Tuma's lawsuit is false and misguided and Hawthorne will vigorously contest it in court….Tuma is using the legal system to settle professional disagreements with other, more experienced and accomplished veterinarians at the track and the IRB.” Domenic DiCera, the IRB's executive director, wrote that, “When we were made aware of some of these allegations in March 2023, we immediately looked into the matter and alerted federal horse racing authorities. We found no credible evidence to support any allegations of wrongdoing at the time, nor have federal authorities made us aware of any substantiated allegations.” WBEZ in Chicago, which first broke the story of the lawsuit, reported that Tuma has been licensed in Illinois since 2007 with no records of disciplinary action against her. Tuma's lawsuit in United States District Court (Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division) is using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) as a tool to try and collect damages. RICO is a sweeping 1970 federal statute initially designed to combat the Mafia. But in a legal sense, it has long since lost its “organized crime” stigma, and RICO has evolved as a civil litigation component often asserted by purported victims of white-collar crimes, such as mail and wire fraud. Also named in the suit as defendants are Hawthorne employees Jim Miller, the director of racing; John Walsh, the assistant general manager, and Dave White, the racing secretary. Beth Beuchler, a vet employed by Hawthorne; Dawn Folker-Calderon, the IRB's chief state vet, and two state stewards, Thomas Kelley and John Eddy, are also defendants. “The entry of these horses into regulated Illinois races was not only a means for the RICO Defendants to induce wagers on horses that were not legally qualified to run, but in numerous instances, the certification of an additional horse in a race allowed the Enterprise to run races that did not meet the legally mandated minimum number of entries required to run a wagered race under Illinois law,” the suit stated. “It was during the fall meeting in 2022 that Dr. Tuma uncovered the full extent of the illegal running of sick and lame horses,” the suit stated. “On or around the same time, Dr. Tuma uncovered and began investigating alterations of the medical records of these horses. “Dr. Tuma recorded her assessments in the Track Manager software, which transmitted the medical assessments of horses running in Illinois to the IRB and HISA,” the suit stated. “Dr. Tuma discovered that on multiple occasions, her assessments of horses as 'scratch lame' had been tampered with by Calderon and Beuchler and changed to 'racing sound,' the indication to state regulators that the horse was fit to run, or 'scratch sick.' “Dr. Tuma first noticed that when Beuchler assessed a horse as lame, requiring a minimum two-week layoff under federal law, Beuchler would surreptitiously ask the horses' trainer while in the barn during the pre-race exam if the trainer would prefer to scratch the horse themselves as 'sick' via the submission of a falsified trainer initiated scratch request,” the suit stated. When Tuma expressed her concerns about the scratch process to Calderon, she was allegedly told, “This is how it's always done.” Tuma's lawsuit stated that owners and trainers began to complain about her high number of scratch assessments, including one horseman who “caused a horse to lurch menacingly at her, threatening grave bodily harm.” Another time, the suit alleged, a groom “physically battered her.” The suit stated that when Tuma reported these incidents of abuse to track officials and the stewards, “only a nominal fine was levied against the perpetrators.” When Tuma began making a series of complaints to the stewards about the “misclassification of horses as sick from lame,” she was informed by Calderon “that she had been stripped of her authority to scratch horses,” and that a new protocol requiring Beuchler to check her assessments would be in place, the suit stated. “Finally, on March 20, 2023, Dr. Tuma delivered a comprehensive whistleblower letter to the IRB and HISA,” the suit stated. The suit continued: “On or around the date Dr. Tuma submitted her comprehensive complaint to the IRB, Miller, who had theretofore never called Dr. Tuma directly on her cell phone, called her a minimum of six times to intimidate her about her lame scratches and to ensure that the maximum number of horses were run.” Some 3 1/2 months later, the suit stated, just two days before HISA personnel were scheduled to visit Hawthorne for an inspection, “Dr. Tuma met with Walsh via Zoom on July 11, 2023, and was informed that she had been terminated based on the pretext that her termination was a cost-cutting measure. “Dr. Tuma was terminated in retaliation for her protected activated of disclosing the activities of the Enterprise and to ensure that Dr. Tuma could not make any further disclosures regarding the scheme to the federal regulators,” the suit stated. The post Fired Hawthorne Vet Alleges Termination in Retaliation for Efforts to Scratch Unsound Horses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Given by the Maryland Million Ltd. Board of Directors, nominations for the 2024 Joe Kelly Unsung Hero Award are due by Oct. 1, the organization said in a Thursday release. Potential nominees should embody characteristics that are valuable, but often go unrewarded. Nominees that are not selected for the award on Maryland Millions Day will be considered in the future without further need for submission. Publicist Joe Kelly was involved from the introduction of the concept in 1985 until his death in 2012. Recent recipients include: Brenda Herzog, Fran Burns and last year's award winner Betty McCue. Nominee must have: Demonstrated a particular commitment, impact or contribution to the Thoroughbred industry or equine community in general; Been involved in the Thoroughbred industry in Maryland for at least five years. Nomination must include: A completed nomination form, online or hard copy; A recommendation letter of 500 words or less expounding on the reasons for your nomination. Return all documents to: Maryland Million Ltd., Attn: Emily Stakem, 321 Main Street, Reisterstown, MD, 21136 or email registrar@marylandthoroughbred.com. The post Noms For Maryland Joe Kelly Award Due Oct. 1 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Stan Bowker, a longtime management executive who also served as a steward at several racetracks, passed away Sept. 10 in Clearwater, Florida after a long illness. After 17 1/2 years at Ak-Sar-Ben in Omaha, Nebraska where he rose to become the director of racing, Bowker made stops at Canterbury Downs and Will Rogers Downs. He was also a senior steward at Colonial Downs and spent 11 years as a judge at Oaklawn Park, Indiana Grand, and as recently as 2021, at Canterbury Park. Bowker established a consulting company to assist new tracks by advising them about everything from licensing to how to open a racing facility. A Racing Officials Accreditation Program founding member, the veteran racetracker received awards for professional excellence. He is survived by his wife of 62 years Judy Bowker, son Todd Bowker–both of Clearwater–and his brother Clayton Bowker of Omaha. No services are planned. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be sent to the Permanently Disabled Jockey's Fund. The post Steward Stan Bowker Passes After Serving Fifty Years In Industry appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockey Dylan Davis has quite a few reasons to look forward to the future.View the full article

Lining up for the third straight year, Moira is back for vengeance in the Sept. 14 E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T), fresh off winning the Aug. 11 Beverly D. Stakes (G2T) at Colonial Downs.View the full article

Friday's action at Doncaster sees a brace of group 2 races of wildly contrasting type, with the hardened stayers battling out the G2 Doncaster Cup over two and a quarter miles preceded by the five-furlong G2 Flying Childers Stakes for the fast juveniles. In the former, the Gosdens have a strong hand with the Normandie Stud-bred pair Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}) looking to benefit from the absence of Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and enjoy their day in the sun away from that Ballydoyle colossus. Throw in old-stagers Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) and Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and you have a “Cup” race for the purists to savour. The Flying Childers sees the G3 Molecomb Stakes first and second Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}) and Aesterius (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) re-oppose, with the former having missed out in York's G2 Gimcrack Stakes and the latter having gone one better in the Wathnan Racing's G3 Prix d'Arenberg at ParisLongchamp. Trainer Mick Appleby has an eye on another Breeders' Cup for Big Mojo, which is also a target for Aesterius who is sure to be ridden more positively in this rematch. “Goodwood probably wasn't quite the ideal set-up, but then he was impressive in the Prix d'Arenberg I thought and gave James [Doyle] a pretty big feel that day,” Wathnan Racing's racing adviser Richard Brown said. “It's quick back, but the options for the two-year-olds over five furlongs are pretty limited. Archie [Watson] says he's fresh and well coming out of France, so we will let him take his chance. Whether it's too quick, we'll find out after the race and, going forward, the Breeders' Cup is kind of in the back of our minds.” Tabiti Gets Second Crack At The Dick Poole… Lost to the weather last week, Salisbury's G3 Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes takes place on Friday with the same protagonists due to line up. Juddmonte's Tabiti (GB) (Kingman {GB}) had had to wait to build on her debut win over seven furlongs at Newmarket last month, but the Ralph Beckett-trained half-sister to the G2 Linlithgow Stakes winner Old Flame (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is poised for the next step. “Hopefully the ground will have dried out, as she's in great form and we look forward to seeing her run,” Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said. “She was impressive at Newmarket on debut and we would like to think she is a smart filly. She won quite easy in the end and she has a lot of natural ability. Dropping back in trip is a slight concern, but she did show plenty of speed the first day, so we would be hopeful enough she can overcome it and hopefully she is up to this level on Friday.” Also ready for the rescheduled test are the G3 Princess Margaret Stakes runner-up Betty Clover (GB) (Time Test {GB}), Jayar Investments' Newmarket nursery scorer Magic Mild (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), and the debut winners Jewelry (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Greydreambeliever (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who represent Isa Salman Al Khalifa and William Haggas and Hambleton Racing and Karl Burke respectively. Jonquil To The Test In The Royal Scotsman… In the week that Sir Michael Stoute announced his retirement at season's close, it would be fitting were Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) cap it with a win in Doncaster's Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes. Defying trouble-in-running to win on debut at Sandown last month, the relative of Frankel (GB) whose immense career tally included this race when it was staged as a conditions event 14 years ago has it all in front of him. “It's a little bit of a quick turnaround, but he came out of Sandown in very good shape, he was very fresh the next morning and the team at Sir Michael's have been pleased with him in his work back,” Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said. “He looked fairly streetwise, because he had every chance to get beat but he seemed to know what he was doing and I think guts and determination got him through.” “Sir Michael has probably been one of the best British trainers of the last century, he's right up there with the best of them and he's trained some great horses for us and over 50 stakes winners,” he added. “It's great to see him going out on his terms and going out on a high. Hopefully Jonquil can send him off on a high from our point of view and on a good note.” The post Diverse Double Act At Doncaster On Friday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

On June 26, trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr was informed that a horse he trained named Happy Cat (Kitten's Joy) had tested positive for methamphetamine following a May 22nd race at Delaware Park. Duarte was indeed concerned, but he insisted he had done nothing wrong, that cooler heads would prevail and that he would not be penalized. Three-and-a-half months later, he has already started serving what could be a lengthy suspension. The problem is that when there is a drug positive, Duarte says the position of the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) is that you are guilty until you can prove you are innocent. “Here I am, guilty before they could prove I'm guilty,” Duarte said. “I haven't even had a hearing yet.” Duarte is the private trainer for Richard Santulli's Colts Neck Stable, which is based at a private training center. That means that when he runs a horse, they will usually spend time in the receiving barn at the track. Reporting for the TDN, Dan Ross found these locations around the country can be filthy and it's common for backstretch workers to urinate in them. They are an environment conducive to yielding positives that are the result of environmental contamination. In the Aug. 21 edition of the TDN, Ross wrote that HISA reported 13 methamphetamine positives were identified at that point–seven were from ship-ins. “I'm upset because they have written rules that don't give anybody a chance,” Santulli said. “They're saying we gave meth to the horse, which is completely absurd. And they're saying that with the ways the rules are written, if there is any meth in the horse, that horse will test positive.” Some believe that giving methamphetamine to a horse produces nothing in the way of an enhanced performance, making it unlikely that anyone would use it as a doping agent. HIWU doesn't necessarily agree. “Methamphetamine is a banned substance under HISA's ADMC Program because there is no approved veterinary use for the substance, meaning it's not supposed to be in a horse's system,” said a HIWU spokesperson. “Methamphetamine is similarly classified in the ARCI Model Rules and in other major international racing jurisdictions. HIWU prosecutes violations due to its presence in the horse, not because of the intent or effect of the drug. That said, methamphetamine is a stimulant, which has known side effects of increased alertness and energy.” Duarte will not go down without a fight. He has sent numerous emails or memos to HIWU staff in which he has tried to explain his predicament and make the case that he never gave the horse methamphetamine. He has gotten nowhere. “They don't want to help you,” Duarte said. “If you can't come up with anything that shows there is the presence of meth in someone's system, they just want to bury you.” That's how it works. The trainer must prove where the meth came from. That may require testing employees. If one that handled the horse tested positive for meth, HIWU will usually hit the trainer with a much shorter suspension. Duarte went to work. He had himself tested, as well as any of his employees that handled Happy Cat. All the tests came back negative. But Duarte noted that none of the employees of Delaware Park or the Delaware Racing Commission that had any contact with Happy Cat were tested. He said that the person who collected the urine from the horse did not wear gloves. Duarte kept digging and now believes he knows what happened. When he ships into a track, he brings a groom, but hires a freelance hotwalker. According to Duarte, the day after Happy Cat tested positive, another horse turned up positive for meth. Trained by Bonnie Lucas, it was also walked by the same freelance worker. “I had a methamphetamine positive one day after Jorge had his,” Lucas said. “HIWU is just stonewalling. They've been of no help and they don't listen to reason. Yes, Duarte and I used the same hotwalker. I have a pro-bono lawyer working for me and he's doing a great job. He's sticking up for me, but HIWU just continues to be unreasonable. I've lost everything because of this. I've already lost horses and I have had to sell horses just to be able to be able to afford to keep going. I haven't even been served with anything yet, and that's frustrating. As a trainer, I lived a comfortable life. Now I work a second job, just to make sure I get by. I am working as a waitress at a restaurant.” Like Lucas, Duarte said it's been very hard to get HIWU to do anything. “I called the Delaware Racing Commission and HIWU and asked if this freelance hotwalker could be tested and there was a disconnect and they kept throwing the ball back and forth,” Duarte said. “The Delaware Commission said they couldn't test the person, that only HIWU can. HIWU told me they can't do it, that the Delaware Racing Commission has to do it.” Duarte took things into his own hands and made arrangements to have the hotwalker tested by an outside lab. She tested negative. Duarte believes that's because he gave the hotwalker a seven-day notice of the impending test and the person refrained from using the drug in the days leading up to it. HIWU listened to what Duarte had to say, but concluded that he had not proven that the horse's positive was a matter of environmental contamination. On Aug. 29, Duarte heard from HIWU. In an email from HIWU lawyer Geneva Gnam, he was told that because he couldn't prove where the meth came from, the provisional suspension, with the possibility of stretching out longer, remained in effect. “This is the story: Jorge has no rights and he did nothing wrong. It's bull (expletive),” said Alan Goldberg, who trained for Santulli before retiring and turning the barn over to Duarte. Goldberg has come out of retirement to oversee the barn while Duarte is suspended. The letter from HIWU notifying Duarte that he was being suspended included the following: “Having received and reviewed your submissions on July 2, 2024 and Aug. 27, 2024, which do not include a sufficient explanation, HIWU is satisfied that you have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.” “The whole thing is crazy because they don't want to help you,” Duarte said. “And if you can't come up with anything on your part that shows there's presence of meth in somebody's system they just want to bury you. There's no screening of the other people who handle the horse, the gate crew, the pony boy, people than randomly walk around the receiving barn and want to walk your horses There's no security. The receiving barn there was disgusting. They assigned us those stalls.” Some prominent trainers have paid attention to the Duarte story and have expressed their concerns. “Lisa Lazarus had every opportunity to fix this,” said trainer Rusty Arnold. “She realized early on that these were examples of environmental contamination. The Department of Transportation has thresholds for drivers and pilots. It's not hard to understand.” Duarte will have a hearing on Oct. 3 but will remain under suspension at least until that time. He has a deep-pocketed owner in Santulli behind him who is ready to fight back. “What bothers me is that there is no due process,” Santulli said. “They set the rules and as silly as they are, they just say those are the rules. That's very unfair to the average horse trainer. It's terrible. We're going to survive. Al just got his trainer's license renewed. But for the average horse trainer what can they do? So how do we prove that we didn't give the horse meth? That's impossible. Why would I give a horse meth? What for? It's just horrible. We'll go to the hearing. If we lose, I'll take this to every court I can take it to.” The post Proclaiming His Innocence, Trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr. Is Finding Out How Tough It Is To Fight HIWU appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article