Wandering Eyes

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk In-form trainer Matthew White’s not sure what to make of Forgiveness in tonight’s IRT.Your Horse.Our Passion Handicap Trot (6.31pm) at Cambridge. There’s no doubting the Father Patrick five-year-old’s ability but she has not produced much so far since trekking north. She’s had three unplaced starts for White after winning six down south for Paul Nairn, including a four length win at Addington in May this year. “She can be a bit ‘in and out’,” says White, “but she’s had a freshen up and is working well at home.” He will do the driving himself tonight. “She’s capable of winning.” There are just six starters in the race with Forgiveness off 10 metres. She’s third favourite at $5.50, behind Romeo Foxtrot (25m) who’s at $2.20 and Kaipaki Jack (10m) at $3.90. “I’m just hoping being back left handed she can go well,” says White, “she looks to have more ability than most in the race.” The Clevedon-based White is having a personal best season as a trainer with 21 wins so far in 2025. He will also line up Change Tact ($4.40) in Race 2, the Pizza and Beer in Skyline Lounge 9/10 Mobile Pace. Steph Burley will do the steering in the Juniors Drivers’ race. “She’s a good each way chance,” says White, “last start she got back and ran home on a fast last half.” That was a sixth at Alexandra Park last Friday. “Hopefully she’ll be handier this week.” White will also drive Sassy Star for Steve Cornwall in the opening race of the night, the Brilla Beauties Tickets On Sale Now 16th October Handicap Trot. The six-year-old mare was second last start at Cambridge on September 11. “That last start was encouraging – manners will be key.” Hayley Mhor and driver James Stormont look the combo to beat. The $2.80 favourite is gunning for her third win in a row. Cambridge’s seven race programme gets underway at 5.39pm. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Among this week's rulings, trainer Marcus Vitali has been suspended seven days and fined $1,000 after the Vitali-trained Freedom Empire tested positive for the class C controlled substances Ibuprofen and Flunixin after winning at Turf Paradise on April 24 this year. The suspension started Sept. 23. Vitali has a long checkered regulatory history involving numerous suspensions and medication violations during a training career dating back to 1989. With the advent of HISA, trainers were given a blank slate, their pre-HISA history essentially expunged for regulatory purposes. Vitali also has a pending medication violation after his trainee Yankee Dollar, who finished second in the Illini Princess Handicap at Hawthorne on June 15, tested positive for Acepromazine, a class B controlled and ubiquitously used sedative across U.S. backstretches. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 09/22/2025 Licensee: Jose Miguel Jimenez, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on September 23, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Lidocaine-a class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Into Inspiration, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 7/28/25. Date: 09/22/2025 Licensee: Michael V. Pino, trainer Penalty: A written Reprimand (per 9/26/23 HISA Guidance). Final decision of HIWU. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole (Gastrogard)-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Et's Moon Maiden on 8/8/25. Date: 09/22/2025 Licensee: Daniel Siculietano, trainer Penalty: 7 Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Triamcinolone-a Class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Emirates Honor, who won at Monmouth Park on 7/11/25. Date: 09/22/2025 Licensee: Marcus Vitali, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on September 23, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Ibuprofen and Flunixin-both Class C controlled substances-in a sample taken from Freedom Empire, who won at Turf Paradise on 4/24/25. Date: 09/19/2025 Licensee: Rasheed Pinnock, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene-a class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Catalierra on 8/17/25. Date: 09/17/2025 Licensee: Rogelio Labra, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision by HIWU. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine-a Class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Gold Dart, who finished fifth at Colonial Downs on 3/15/25. Date: 09/17/2025 Licensee: Christopher Keller, trainer Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on September 18, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,500 ($1,000 for the Class B Controlled Medication Substance and $500 for the Class C Controlled Medication Substance); imposition of 3.5 Penalty Points (2 Penalty Points for the Class B Controlled Medication Substance and 1.5 Penalty Points for the Class C Controlled Medication Substance). Final decision of internal adjudication panel. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine and Flunixin-Class B and C controlled substances respectively-in a sample taken from Gold Dart, who finished fifth at Colonial Downs on 3/15/25. Pending ADMC Violations 09/18/2025, Adam Kitchingman, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Diclofenac-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Gigi's Girl on 8/18/25. 09/18/2025, Graham Motion, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Glycopyrrolate-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Regal Kingdom on 8/18/25. Violations of Crop Rule Hawthorne Ademar Santos – violation date Sept. 18; $500 fine, one-day suspension Los Alamitos Damien Diaz Cruz – violation date Sept. 20; $250 fine, one-day suspension Thistledown Luis Batista – violation date Sept. 18; $750 fine, three-day suspension The post Weekly National Regulatory Rulings – Sept. 18 -24 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After just failing to catch sprint division leader Book'em Danno in the Forego Stakes (G1), LNJ Foxwoods' Scotland may finally get his moment in the sun in the $200,000 Vosburgh Stakes (G3) Sept. 27 at Aqueduct Racetrack.View the full article

America's Best Racing's Patrick Reed gives his "At a Glance" analysis of the $400,000 Ack Ack Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs Sept. 27.View the full article

As part of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)'s Sept. 15 order staying the issuance of a $25,000 fine that had been imposed against Phil Serpe by an administrative law judge (ALJ) Sept. 12, the suspended Thoroughbred trainer was directed to file a brief by Oct. 16 that will serve as the first step in a “further review” that the FTC itself will undertake to adjudicate Serpe's year-old clenbuterol positive case. The case has so far been handled at the administrative level by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), and Serpe has already appealed his penalization before a HIWU arbitrator and the ALJ assigned by the FTC. Separately, Serpe has also sued HISA and the FTC in federal court, alleging that a federal regulatory agency's enforcement for civil monetary penalties must be brought in a federal court, as per a Seventh Amendment precedent that Serpe claims has been established by the United States Supreme Court. In sum, the 66-year-old East Coast-based conditioner is claiming that the non-pursuit of a fine by HISA, HIWU and the FTC is an alleged end-around by those agencies to stymie his efforts to prove in a federal lawsuit that he has been wrongfully denied a constitutional right to a jury trial. But this latest order by the FTC has Serpe's legal team flummoxed: Because the FTC's two-page Sept. 15 order did not state any reasons or findings about why the stay of the fine was necessary or appropriate, Serpe's attorneys are unsure what they agency wants addressed in the brief the trainer's attorneys have been told to produce. Customarily, the party that is requesting an appeal in legal and administrative proceedings is the side that is responsible for filing the first brief in a case. But Serpe did not request any review of the ALJ's decision-the FTC did, via a process called “sua sponte” review. That Latin legal term refers to an action taken by a judge, court or other ruling body of its own initiative, without being asked to do so by either party. Serpe's lawyers, in a Sept. 23 motion to the FTC, asked for both a clarification and an extension of time to file. “When exercising its authority to sua sponte review the ALJ's decision, the FTC is required to issue an order that 'set[s] forth the scope of such review and the issues to be considered,'” the Tuesday filing to the FTC stated. “Respectfully, the Order did not include this information. Neither Serpe nor the Authority has identified any error for appeal, and the ALJ's decision included several independent holdings, any of which could be dispositive,” the trainer's filing stated. “Without an order clarifying the issues on appeal, Serpe has no way of knowing which issues to address in his opening brief,” the filing stated. “Serpe respectfully requests that the FTC issue an order clarifying the issues on appeal in accordance with 16 C.F.R. § 1.147(a),” the filing stated. “By extension, Serpe requests that his deadline be tolled until the entry of such an order and that his deadline for filing his opening brief is extended accordingly,” the filing stated. When the FTC's stay of the fine was first reported on Sept. 17, TDN had also sought clarification from April Tabor, the secretary of the FTC, who had signed the document overturning the ALJ's re-imposition of the fine. One week later, that query has still not yielded any reply from the FTC. Serpe's suspension stems from a clenbuterol positive detected in the urine samples taken from his trainee, Fast Kimmie (Oscar Performance) after her Aug. 10, 2024, victory in a $30,000 claiming race at Saratoga Race Course. He initially faced a two-year suspension and a possible fine of up to $25,000. Both the HIWU/HISA proceedings and the lawsuit lingered for eight months until this past spring, when HIWU, at the behest of HISA, withdrew the threat of the $25,000 fine just as Serpe's case was about to go to HIWU arbitration. At that time, attorneys for the FTC and HISA wrote in an Apr. 24 federal court filing that the move to make the monetary fine go away “moots Plaintiff's Seventh Amendment claim and removes any risk of cognizable harm with respect to it.” Subsequently, a HIWU arbitrator issued a decision that meted out the exact penalties sought by HIWU and HISA: A two-year suspension, plus a race disqualification and forfeiture of purse winnings. Over the summer, Serpe's legal team responded with its own series of filings, alleging in a July 15 court document that the agencies' decision to take the fine off the table was “gamesmanship” intended to stymie Serpe's efforts to prove that he has been wrongfully denied a constitutional right to a jury trial. HISA, in an Aug. 15 legal filing, denied those allegations, writing that Serpe “has completely turned this case on its head.” A separate appeal to the FTC that was assigned to ALJ Jay Himes resulted in a 130-page decision Sept.12. In it, Himes stated that he would “modify the award to add a $25,000 fine against Serpe” even though he also opined that, “I hold without merit Serpe's argument that he is entitled to a jury trial under the Seventh Amendment.” The ALJ wrote in the decision that HISA's reasoning behind withdrawing the threat of a fine against Serpe “misses the forest for the trees” and puts Serpe in a “catch-22” by setting up a situation whereby “the Authority and HIWU have sought to deprive Serpe of the opportunity to have his Seventh Amendment claim heard and resolved…” The FTC's order, dated Sept. 15, stayed Serpe's fine (but not the suspension) and also mandated the “further review” that Serpe's legal team is now trying to understand. The post Serpe’s Legal Team, Flummoxed by Vague Order, Asks FTC for Direction appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When Sallyellen Hurst, Sally Eck and Robin Coblyn realized that years of memorabilia kept in Pimlico storage rooms would be discarded in the destruction of racetrack, they formed what they called the Pimlico Preservation Project to put those items to good use. “We managed to get into Pimlico after Preakness and cleared out items from many storage rooms destined for the dumpsters,” said Hurst, who works at Country Life Farm. “Everything from trophies to silks, boxes of Preakness glasses of various years, assorted jackets, posters and more. We even have `Kegasus.'” The group began offering the items in exchange for donations in order to raise money for Thoroughbred aftercare. Eventually, they staged a live donation site, setting up a table at Timonium during racing. “With word of mouth, and a couple of mentions on Horse Racing Radio Network and Jason Beem's podcast,” Hurst said, “we collected $8,000 in donations during six days of racing, with 100% of the proceeds going to area Thoroughbred aftercare charities.” Among the items they found were several different Peb posters from various Black Eyed Susan and `Lady Legend' days, including one that contained an image of the TDN's own Zoe Cadman. Said Hurst, “I ran into Ms. Cadman at Saratoga and she was kind enough to add her autograph, making those more valuable. I just wanted to share our story, and add a thank you to Ms. Cadman. We will continue to offer items until we run out, as well as offer items to the charities for their own fundraising efforts. We will be set up at Maryland Million in the Jim McKay Maryland Million Village and the following day at the Country Life and Merryland Autumn Day Open House.” The post Pimlico Cleanout Raises Money for Aftercare appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Thoroughbred Aftercare Day on Saturday, honoring organizations and individuals dedicated to retired racehorses, will be staged at Churchill Downs Saturday, Sept. 27, according to a Churchill Downs release. Nine aftercare organizations will be on-site, including Friends of Ferdinand Inc., Kentucky Equine Adoption Center, New Vocations, Old Friends, Second Stride, The Secretariat Center, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Thoroughbred Charities of America and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. Each organization has shared a special Thoroughbred Aftercare Day ticket link on their social media channels. A portion of each ticket purchased through those links will be donated to support their aftercare efforts. To purchase reserved seating tickets, visit: www.gofevo.com/group/Thoroughbredaftercareday. Guests also will be able to meet Golden Strike, the dam of 2022 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, and learn about her post-racing life. A horse snack station will be available for guests to feed her horse-friendly treats, along with other activities throughout the day. The day will also feature an online auction with the Churchill Downs Foundation. Auction items include private farm tours, naming a horse, and meeting 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. Bidding ends on Saturday 7 p.m. and winners will be notified by email. Saturday's 11-race program begins at 12:45 p.m. (ET) and is headlined by the GII Lukas Classic and GIII Ack Ack Stakes, both local preps for the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. The post Churchill Downs Celebrates Thoroughbred Aftercare Day Sept. 27 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Debuts simply don't come much more encouraging than that of The Publican's Son (Beau Liam) at the Curragh last month – so encouraging that this maiden is now being readied to test his mettle against some of the best sprinting juveniles that Europe has to offer in Saturday's G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Already highly tried when debuting in the G3 Round Tower Stakes over six furlongs, the 40/1 shot was the slowest of the 10 runners from the stalls there, betraying his inexperience in a race where each of his nine rivals had already made at least one appearance on a racecourse. As a contest it was all but over with a furlong to run, as favourite Mission Central (No Nay Never) established what would prove to be a decisive advantage, but cast your eye back through the field and there was another horse who could be spotted making rapid late headway from rear. At the line said horse had reduced the deficit to just three quarters of a length, screaming 'eye-catcher' whilst sporting a set of silks which are quickly becoming a familiar sight on Irish racecourses. Indeed, in the footsteps of Porta Fortuna (Caravaggio) and Atsila (Phoenix Of Spain), now follows The Publican's Son for Kentucky-based owner Barry Fowler, who is partnered in the Joseph O'Brien-trained colt with racing analyst and broadcaster Kevin Blake, among others. With Donnacha O'Brien's champion filly Porta Fortuna being prepared for an upcoming engagement at Tattersalls, Fowler will soon find himself with a vacancy for another top-class performer to follow on the big days. Whilst one swallow doesn't make a summer, The Publican's Son showed a flicker of brilliance on debut to suggest he could be just the horse to fill the void. “Joseph thought he would run a good race,” Fowler says of expectations heading to the Curragh. “I think the horse had been a bit keen in his work at home and Joseph thought he needed a race with pace, which is why we went to the Group 3. We were hoping he'd run well, but I don't think we were expecting that. He was very impressive. “He hit the line hard and in another 50 yards he probably would have won. We're looking at going to the Middle Park next, all being well, and we're really excited about him. It was nice to see [how well he ran on debut] the way this year has gone.” Certainly, 2025 hasn't played out the way Fowler might have hoped, not since late-May, anyway, when he was in attendance to see Porta Fortuna make a successful start to her four-year-old campaign in the Curragh's G2 Lanwades Stud Stakes. That followed hot on the heels of Atsila's victory in the G3 Athasi Stakes at the same venue, looking a potential Group 1 filly in the making. Since then, however, it's fair to say that there's hasn't been much in the way of good news for Fowler. Porta Fortuna hasn't raced again due to injury, while Atsila has failed to win any of her four subsequent starts at the top level. Scorthy Champ (Mehmas), too, remains winless since his Group 1 success in last year's National Stakes. “You have a really good year like last year, when I had both Porta and Scorthy, and then you have a year like this year which has been down a little bit. It's not been as good a year with the two-year-olds as it was last year, but that's the ups and downs of it,” says a realistic Fowler who, regardless, seems to be enjoying his association with the O'Brien brothers as much as ever. He adds, “I've got several horses with Donnacha and several with Joseph. I like both of them because they keep you updated and they're very honest about what they think the horse is capable of. We stay in touch and they care about their clients. “They're just really super nice people and we get on really well. We really enjoy it when we get to go over and see them and it's the same when they come over here for the Breeders' Cup. They don't think they're above anybody – and it's the same with Aidan and Annemarie. They're both great people, too.” Explaining how he first came to have horses trained in Ireland, Fowler continues, “I took about six years to get to this point. I had quarter horses, cutting horses and rodeo horses growing up. I always wanted a Thoroughbred, so I bought a $500 RNA and sort of went from there. I won a little bit and reinvested the money. I bought some mares in foal and got lucky with some big days when we sold some of the foals for good money. That's all fed into it and we've been lucky to have some good horses over here. “Then, three years ago, I bought one with Joseph through an online sale and I was happy to leave the horse over there to try and get into racing overseas. It's just blossomed from there, really. I've partnered on several horses and had several of my own. With Joseph, I tell him, 'Hey, if you get a horse you like that you need somebody to come in on, let me know.' We've got a good relationship like that.” The Publican's Son was one such horse. From the first crop of 'TDN Rising Star' Beau Liam, he made the long journey from Florida to County Kilkenny after being picked up for $200,000 at the OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. “Joseph and Justin Casse bought him and they thought he was one of the best-looking horses in the sale. It was one of those situations where Joseph called me and said, “Hey, there's still this much percentage left in this colt, do you want to get in on him?' He said it was a bunch of good people and friends [in the partnership], so I said, 'Sure, sign me up.' “I'm one of those where I like the trainer to pick them. The bloodstock agents are good at what they do, but the trainers know what kind of horse fits their programme.” One of Donnacha's picks, a St Mark's Basilica colt by the name of Numantia, who was bought for €180,000 at Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, is identified by Fowler as a horse to follow next year, but first there are decisions to be made regarding future plans for Atsila, who ran easily her best race since the Athasi when last seen finishing a never-nearer third in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown. “It was good to see her get back to the form of her first two races,” Fowler says of that effort. “She was back where she needed to be and Donnacha was really happy with her. We made a little change and put the tongue tie on her. She also likes coming between horses, like she did at the Curragh in the Athasi and when she won her maiden at Bellewstown. She just seems to like having some competition and a bit of cover. “We're going to stay in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket and see how the ground plays out. We're also kind of batting around the idea of maybe going to the Breeders' Cup for the Filly & Mare Turf. She's bred to go long and going three turns should set up well for her to settle and get a good stalking position. She can get a good tow into the race and make her run at the end.” On the possibility of Atsila being retained for a four-year-old campaign, he adds, “We have entered her in Tattersalls, just so we have a spot for her. But it's hard to find these Group 1- or Group 2-type horses. She hasn't been raced hard – she didn't race as a two-year-old – so, if she's starting to peak and runs well in one or both of those races, then it would be hard to let her go this year. We might bring her back for another year to go after those Group races.” The “we” in this instance includes Medallion Racing and Steve Weston who, as well as being Fowler's partners in Atsila, also shared in the remarkable journey of Porta Fortuna, along with Dean Reeves. From the dream earlier this year that Atsila might be able to follow the example set by her year-older stable-mate, there now remains the simple acknowledgment that last year's European champion three-year-old filly was a once-in-a-lifetime horse for all concerned. “Medallion and Steve bought into Atsila after she won the Athasi,” Fowler adds. “That little group of us always try to go in together on stuff and it's good to have them along for the ride with her. We were hoping she might turn out as good as Porta. She's been pretty good – but it's hard to find one like Porta.” Indeed it is. Four-time Group 1 winners are a very rare breed, perhaps rarer still horses who can win at Royal Ascot in consecutive years. All told, Porta Fortuna will be offered at Park Paddocks as the winner of eight of her 13 starts and nearly £1.3 million in total prize-money, with Fowler identifying the second Ascot victory in last year's Coronation Stakes as the highlight of a glittering career. “We actually thought that she should have been the European champion two-year-old [when she won four times, including the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes], as well as the champion three-year-old, and she showed what she was really capable of on Coronation day when she beat Opera Singer,” Fowler sums up. “She showed there that she was a quality filly and that even some of the smaller guys can have a good horse. “We're not the big, rich farms, so it's hard to keep a filly like her as a broodmare. We've got to pick the time to move them on and you know that they're going to go to a good home. A mare like that, she's going to end up somewhere good. That makes it a little easier.” The post ‘Sign Me Up’ – Barry Fowler Relishing New Partnership as Porta Fortuna Chapter Draws to a Close appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Thursday, Newmarket, post time: 15:35, THE TATTERSALLS STAKES (REGISTERED AS THE SOMERVILLE TATTERSALL STAKES)-G3, £60,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT Field: Archer Royal (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Catullus (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Commander's Intent (Fr) (Victor Ludorum {GB}), Distant Storm (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Northern Champion (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Rogue Supremacy (GB) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Special Dividend (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Stellar Sunrise (GB) (Space Blues {Ire}), Wechaad (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}). TDN Analysis: This is a kind of Dewhurst trial and sometimes a pointer to the following year's Guineas, with Wichita and Modern Games two of the last six winners. The latter is one of Godolphin's recent success stories on the track and the operation is heavy-handed here, with TDN Rising Star and Acomb third Distant Storm and the wide-margin Yarmouth winner Catullus from the Appleby stable and the Chelmsford scorer Archer Royal from Clarehaven. At different stages of their development, all three possess the kind of obvious potential you'd expect from one in the royal blue and this will tell connections a lot more. The Royal Ascot Racing Club's York nursery winner Stellar Sunrise has already shown an adequate level of ability taking on peers the hard way, unlike TBT Racing's promising Northern Champion who beat only fellow newcomers in Deauville's Arqana Series des Poulains last month. He has to step up, but the way he went through that race suggests he could be one of the names bandied about when discussion of the 2026 Classics takes place. [Tom Frary]. Friday, Newmarket, post time: 15:00, THE BOYLE SPORTS DAILY RACING REWARDS JOEL STAKES-G2, £125,000, 3yo/up, 8fT Field: Flight Plan (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Prague (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Detain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Snow Master (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Zeus Olympios (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). TDN Analysis: With only one blot on his copybook, Godolphin's Opera Ballo remains an exciting prospect at this trip and beyond and the Listed Heron Stakes and Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes winner will be a warm order to continue his trajectory here. He faces another unexposed three-year-old in the unbeaten G3 Superior Mile winner Zeus Olympios, with the pair some way ahead of the rest in terms of x-factor if not ratings. [Tom Frary]. Friday, Newmarket, post time: 14:25, THE BOYLE SPORTS HOME OF EARLY PAYOUT ROCKFEL STAKES-G2, £100,000, 2yo, f, 7fT Field: Awaken (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Ice Sovereigns (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), Mandarin Spirit (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Moon Target (GB) (Cracksman {GB}), Nandita (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Samra Green (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Sukanya (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), The Prettiest Star (GB) (Starman {GB}), Touleen (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Zanthos (Fr) (Sioux Nation). TDN Analysis: The way that Shadwell's exciting Touleen dealt with fellow TDN Rising Star Zanthos at Leicester suggests she heads the pecking order here, with the pair dominating the market. David Ward's homebred The Prettiest Star is one of a clutch of maiden and novice winners adding the kind of intrigue you would expect of a Guineas pointer and she looked a smart prospect at Nottingham on debut. Having won her first two starts in the manner of a genuine Classic prospect and finished a close second to the subsequent Moyglare winner in the Prestige, Moon Target couldn't have been more disappointing in the May Hill and it is interesting that Sir Mark Prescott has her out again so soon fitted with cheekpieces for the first time. [Tom Frary]. Friday, Newmarket, post time: 13:50, THE PRINCESS ROYAL STAKES-G3, £85,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT Field: Ambiente Amigo (GB) (Postponed {Ire}), Chorus (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Jane Temple (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), Karmology (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), Miss Justice (GB) (Justify), Favorite Memory (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Little Dorrit (GB) (Camelot {GB}), Revoir (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Silent Love (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Spirited Style (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Understudy (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). TDN Analysis: As in the Joel, the three-year-olds look the ones to focus on here with William Buick opting for the Listed Aphrodite Stakes winner Spirited Style over the Listed Chalice Stakes winner Silent Love. The former has not been seen finishing down the field in the Preis der Diana and the stable jockey is obviously keen to dismiss that. Of the older brigade, Miss Justice has the most appeal and the Listed Upavon Stakes scorer could be a typical improver for the Gosdens now that she has found the winning groove. [Tom Frary]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Nine Aiming For Tattersalls Stakes Glory And Dewhurst Clues appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sponsored by Pedigrees360. Candidly, it always feels a little cheap to delve into a pedigree once its functionality is established, scrubbing away any genetic mud before triumphantly producing some hidden nugget to explain how it has all come together. “Post rationalization” of this kind is standard in articles like this, and the absolute opposite of the grueling enterprise that has worn out the soles of so many shoes over the past couple of weeks. As ever, Keeneland presented thousands of perfectly plausible pages to measure against the animals paraded before you. Knowing how few will ultimately contribute significantly to those pedigrees, however, the catalogue principally serves to indicate the premium we should expect to pay for a physical. When prospectors assessed Hip 1643 at the 2013 September Sale, they faced a conundrum. The filly was from the third crop of Big Brown, who had made such a pedestrian start that his fee, already $35,000 from $65,000, would the following spring dwindle to $10,000. And she was out of a mare by Silver Ghost, known at stud principally for a vicious temper, his only real distinction being Oklahoma millionaire Silver Goblin. Her name was Boat's Ghost, and while she had managed second in a Prairie Meadows sprint stakes, she had begun and ended a light career under a tag. As for the rest of her family, suffice to say that it left ample space to exhibit some modest black type under the fourth dam. Puca reigns | Sarah Andrew On the other hand, Boat's Ghost had somehow produced an outlier in Finnegans Wake, one of few horses of any caliber sired by Powerscourt (GB) before his departure for Turkey. At that point, admittedly, Finnegans Wake remained no more than Grade I-placed (would later win the GI Turf Classic, plus three Grade IIs) for the Donegal Racing program then taking off for his breeder Jerry Crawford. But his half-sister, co-bred on a foal share, was evidently attractive enough for Crawford to buy her out for the Donegal program at $90,000. That proved a good move, as she ran second in the GII Gazelle Stakes before adding a turf stakes at Suffolk Downs, and on retirement was cashed out to Thomas Clark at the 2017 November Sale for $275,000. Having meanwhile been favored with a place in Gun Runner's debut book, she was flipped to Grandview Equine at Fasig-Tipton the following year for $475,000. By now you'll have recognized that we're talking about Puca, the most precocious blue hen in a long time. Her Gun Runner filly made a solid start, winning three and twice stakes-placed. Last weekend, however, Puca had her third sophomore Grade I winner from three foals since when that rough diamond Baeza finally got it all together in the GI Pennsylvania Derby. The previous two, Classic winners Mage and Dornoch, were both by Good Magic. That left open the possibility of some alchemy between his genes and those of Puca. After all, their combination revealed a neat symmetry, Danzig and Mr. Prospector facing each other across the fourth generation: Silver Ghost was by Mr. Prospector, whose grandson Curlin sired Good Magic; while Danzig, grandsire of Big Brown, also gave us Good Magic's damsire Hard Spun. But now here comes Puca's son by McKinzie, a stallion without a single ounce of Danzig. He does represent another Mr. Prospector sire-line, as does his damsire Petionville, but nobody could sensibly attribute Baeza's talent to two further doses of such a ubiquitous influence, back in his fifth generation. Puca's cluster graph from Pedigrees360. The higher a dot is on the page, the stronger the attribute. In the foreground, at least, the firmest available foothold is surely the fact that Puca is out of a mare competent to give even Powerscourt a smart runner. Boat's Ghost does eventually trace to the Greentree nexus Quick Touch (Count Fleet), dam of Quill (Princequillo) and out of a half-sister to Hall of Famer Twenty Grand. But Quick Touch was already as remote as fifth dam when Crawford and a friend spent $7,000, 35 years ago, on a Native Royalty filly they named Native Boat. She progressed from claimers to win a couple of black-type sprints, prompting them to retain her daughter Rocktheboat (Summer Squall) as a $15,000 RNA yearling. Rocktheboat only won a couple of small races before eventually being sold to Iowa, later changing hands at a local sale for just $500. But while still in Kentucky she had produced Boat's Ghost. After Finnegans Wake made his Grade I breakout, Boat's Ghost was offered at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale. Though failing to reach her reserve, at $435,000, she seems to have changed hands privately–only to be discarded, for $17,000 at the 2023 January Sale, just a couple of weeks before Mage made his debut. (Boat's Ghost did have the good fortune, however, to be spotted by the best farm of its size in Kentucky, where she has since produced a couple of daughters who are now collector's items.) Mage's deeds in the intervening months meant that Puca's McKinzie colt could raise $1.2 million from Mayberry Farm that same September. Even that has now proved a bargain, Baeza already ahead of the game on the track even before entering competition with his two half-brothers at stud. Puca herself, meanwhile, apparently returns to auction at Fasig-Tipton in November, having delivered a colt and filly by Good Magic since her $2.9 million acquisition by John Stewart at Keeneland in 2023. Albeit empty, it's impossible to put a price on a 13-year-old Broodmare of the Year–especially if Baeza, lining up at the Breeders' Cup a couple of days before the sale, happens to suggest that she should retain that crown. Can't Get Even? Get Mad As for Baeza's sire, he continues his productive habit of producing real standouts from what remains only a competitive impact by most indices. McKinzie has so far mustered seven black-type scorers, among 61 overall, from 155 starters. Among less expensive stallions in the intake, that compares with nine and 61, from just 116 starters, for Complexity; seven and 71, from 140, for Tiz the Law; and seven and 55, from 128, for Thousand Words. Yet McKinzie now has a third Grade I scorer to add to Chancer McPatrick and Scottish Lassie last year. The lucrative dividends of this curiously uneven profile are evident not only in his fee, $75,000 from $30,000, but also in demand for his third crop at the sales, topping the class averages at $196,127. That puts him ahead even of Vekoma, albeit an average of $182,632 is some yield against a conception fee of just $15,000. And the median, always more instructive, currently has the pair level on $150,000. Both stallions have capitalized on sheer volume, but Vekoma's ratios stand out even so. In his Kentucky intake, only Complexity is also showing a five percent clip of stakes winners to named foals; while Vekoma's overall tally of 109 winners is remarkable from 161 starters. Mad House wins the Gallant Bob | Sarah Andrew All he needs now is that first elite success, but he responded as best as he could to McKinzie's latest show-stealer with a fifth graded stakes winner on the same Parx card. Mad House took six attempts to break his maiden, but then went on a roll at Canterbury Park before running them off their feet in the GII Gallant Bob Stakes. That's typical of the way Vekoma has been looking after smaller players, the Florida-bred having been found for $47,000 at OBS last April. He carries a heavy, 3×3 dose of Vekoma's damsire Speightstown, whose son Munnings is responsible for Mad House's unraced dam. The only one of the first four dams to make the racetrack is granddam Wildcat Heiress (Wildcat Heir), but she was fast enough to win four of her first five, including a sprint stakes at the Fair Grounds, before derailing. Clicquot Restores Fizz Run second in the GII Gazelle Stakes, bomb out in the GI Kentucky Oaks. The Puca formula of 2015 was almost precisely emulated the following year by Royal Obsession (Tapit), who finished 11th (Puca was 12th) at Churchill after her runner-up finish at Aqueduct. And last Saturday at Parx she, too, produced a Grade I winner. The Cotillion for Clicquot | Sarah Andrew The success of Clicquot (Quality Road) in the Cotilion Stakes will go a long way to redeeming the $1.8 million given for Royal Obsession, carrying a first foal by Curlin, by Don Alberto Corp at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. While the Oaks had proved the beginning of the end, she had shown enough on the track to corroborate the physical impression that had once sustained a remarkable pinhook ($550,000 weanling/$1 million yearling). Royal Obsession's foals have been paying off that investment in fairly steady increments, Clicquot herself seemingly a private deal after falling short of her reserve at $375,000 as a Saratoga yearling. In fairness, the mare has yet to take a colt to market, while one of her previous daughters, Silver Ticket (Curlin), did show high ability (won twice and stakes-placed in only four starts). And now Clicquot has put the bubbles back into a page that shows Royal Obsession to be out of a Tiznow half-sister to Grade I winner Magnificent Song (Unbridled's Song). This was also a timely tonic for Quality Road. Having topped the yearling averages in 2021, and finished a close second in 2022, he stands seventh this time round. At 19, he's becoming vulnerable to the notorious ageism of the market, but his median actually remains extremely healthy at $462,500. And this was his second daughter in a month, following Hope Road's success in the Ballerina, to confirm his continued Grade I prowess. The post Breeding Digest: Baeza Latest In Boat’s Wake appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

5th-CD, 120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 6:59 p.m. SOARING HIGH (Curlin), the latest “baby bird” out of dual champion Songbird, debuts for Cherie DeVaux as a Whisper Hill Farm homebred Thursday at Churchill. Mandy Pope went to a sales-topping $9,500,000 to acquire the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro back in 2017 at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale. Of seven foals, she's had three to race and one winner being her 4-year-old daughter Rumours Have It (Tapit). Songbird has one other foal by Curlin, the 3-year-old colt McCorvey who is yet to break his maiden in two starts for Bill Mott. If morning works are any indicator however, DeVaux may have a chance to add a second winner to that tally as Soaring High enters off back to back bullet drills at Keeneland going five furlongs in :59 3/5 Sept. 13 (1/9) and four furlongs in :47 3/5 Sept. 19 (1/27). She is listed at 6-1 on the morning line but will pick up a new rider as the recently-injured Brian Hernandez Jr. was set to pilot. TJCIS PPS The post Thursday Insights: A New Songbird Takes Flight At Churchill appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When it comes to Mindframe's last "race," it's a matter of perspective. What was supposed to be a final major prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) turned into a scary gallop. View the full article

Stewards will be able to declare a horse a non-runner in any race without starting stalls if they deem that contender has been denied a fair start after a rule change was made by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). Beginning next Wednesday, the rule change brings both NH and Flat together. There was already a similar rule in place since last May for horses jumping from the starting stalls. Stewards will be able to deem a horse a non-runner if they believe the horse did not get a fair start for reasons outside of its control, with its chances materially affected as a result. If the stewards decide a horse is “in a position at the actioning of the start that denied them the opportunity to start on equal terms, such as facing the wrong way or being significantly detached from the field” it can be deemed a non-runner, but contenders that hinder their chance by their own behaviour – such as planting themselves or spinning round after the start is effected – will not fall under the rule change. Shaun Parker, BHA head of stewarding, said, “This rule change provides clarity for participants and bettors, harmonising the rules in Britain across the two codes to provide greater consistency. It also ensures that all of our races, regardless of starting procedure, align with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) model rule and the approach applied by other major jurisdictions.” A horse will also not be declared a non-runner where it simply refuses to race, as Shishkin did at Ascot in November 2023. The BHA added, “It is important to stress that each case will be assessed on its own individual merits, considering the specific set of circumstances that have presented themselves in that given moment. “Any consideration by the stewards will always precede the 'weighed in' signal, with participants, racegoers and the betting public alerted that an incident at the start of the race is being reviewed.” The post BHA Rule Change Instigated For Horses Denied A Fair Start From Races Without Starting Stalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tomorrow's Front Runners is a TDN series spotlighting young people who got involved with horse racing through Amplify Horse Racing and are now pursuing careers in the industry. Amplify is a 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to amplifying education, mentorship and career opportunities for young people in the Thoroughbred industry. At just 15 years old, Ashton Brooks has always known that her life was destined to revolve around horses. The only question was how she could translate her passion into a profession. Brooks has been riding horses since almost before she could walk. She estimates that she was perched on one of her mother's off-track Thoroughbreds by the time she was six months old. Today, she competes across Central Kentucky in barrel racing competition aboard her own retired racehorse, a 15-year-old gelding named Cotton Chrome (Zanjero). Last spring, Brooks's mother saw a post on Facebook about Amplify Horse Racing's mentorship program, which connects youth and young adults interested in pursuing a career in racing with experienced industry members who can help guide their careers. Brooks was on the younger end of the program's age range, but her passion stood out. “They accepted me and I was over-the-moon excited,” Brooks shared. She was paired with Jen Roytz, an industry veteran and longstanding advocate for aftercare. Having previously served as the executive director of the Retired Racehorse Project, Roytz now owns and operates Brownstead Farm with her husband, Dr. Stuart Brown. The farm specializes in Thoroughbred breeding, sales and retraining. Roytz has been involved with Amplify since the launch of their mentorship program and has already worked with five different mentees. For Brooks, the partnership was a perfect match. “We clicked pretty quickly,” she said. “Getting to know Jen and learning from her has been amazing.” Although the focus of Brooks's internship was retraining and aftercare, Roytz said their mentorship also involved learning about developing young horses before their racing careers. “We spent time going to Keeneland during morning training hours to watch horses exercise and talk about how they're ridden,” said Roytz. “Ashton even got to meet her favorite trainer, Jena Antonucci. She also learned how to handle foals and prep yearlings at our farm and we visited the Keeneland sales. Each time we met, we also tried to do a lesson with an off-track Thoroughbred, learning how to teach them to lunge and how to introduce them to things like trotting poles and hacking out.” Constitution ) " width="1155" height="840" /> Brooks works with graded stakes-winning millionaire Law Professor | courtesy Jen Roytz While their official Amplify mentorship ended after three months, Roytz and Brooks still have a close relationship. Brooks goes out to Roytz's farm on the weekends to work in exchange for riding lessons. “Ashton has a great natural way with horses, especially foals and youngsters, and it was very impressive to see how easily she picked up new skills and retained anything we discussed,” said Roytz. “She also seems to do her own research too, which says a lot about her interest and dedication to her future in the industry. How hard she works, the good questions she asks and her eagerness to stay involved makes me excited for what her future will be with Thoroughbreds. The industry would be lucky to have more people like Ashton wanting to be part of it.” During her time as an Amplify mentee, Brooks was able to take several industry tours. She went to Coolmore's Ashford Stud, Godolphin's Jonabell Farm and Hagyard Equine Medical Institution. “That sparked something in me that was like, 'Man, I really want to become a veterinarian,'” she shared. Brooks is just a sophomore in high school, and while she's always known that she wanted a career involving horses, Amplify has exposed her to the many opportunities racing has to offer. Brooks's mother, Brooke Brooke, explained how Amplify has been an eye-opening experience for her daughter. “I've said a million times that I wish this kind of program had been available when I was her age because I would have absolutely dove head in,” she said. “Giving youth a hands-on experience in the industry at such a young age and showing them how they can get involved, it's amazing. Kids really don't realize that they do have an opportunity to do these things. They think they don't until they're older or that they have to stumble upon it somewhere. This is just open for any youth to get involved. They don't have to pay a whole bunch of money. It's free. The generosity of the people in the industry is amazing too.” How many horse-crazy kids across the country share a similar story to Brooks's? And how many might never consider a career in horse racing because the industry feels distant or intimidating, or they simply don't know about the many opportunities it has to offer? Amplify aims to reach those young enthusiasts early, showing them how they can get involved and how their passion for horses can lead to a real career. “I've had the opportunity to meet a number of kids and young adults who have taken part in Amplify–both those I've mentored and others through some of the networking events Amplify hosts,” said Roytz. “Amplify has done a tremendous job of connecting with kids and young adults who are interested in horses or Thoroughbreds specifically, but wouldn't otherwise have a natural path into or even exposure to horse racing.” The post Tomorrow’s Front Runners: Through Amplify, 15-Year-Old Ashton Brooks Targets Career in Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jockeys Hector Berrios, who won the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing Sept. 20, and Ramon Vazquez, who won 10 races last week, share Jockey of the Week honors for Sept. 15-21.View the full article

German racing's loss is New York's gain. View the full article

Only four horses have taken up the challenge of going from an autumn Mornington Cup victory to take on the Caulfield Cup in the spring since the former was first elevated to offer ballot-free status for the 2013 Cup at Caulfield. None have yet managed to be even placed in the Caulfield Cup, but trainer Ben Hayes is thinking this year might be different with plans to run 2025 Mornington Cup winner Bankers Choice at Caulfield in the $5 million feature on October 18. “If Bankers Choice (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) runs well in the Ansett (Classic) at Mornington this Sunday, yes, he’ll go to the Caulfield Cup,” Hayes said last weekend. “We think he’s going very well.” The Listed Ansett Stakes (2415m) attracted 15 nominations when entries closed on Tuesday morning, with Bankers Choice and last year’s Melbourne Cup third placegetter Okita Soushi both taking in the highest domestic rating of 104. Bankers Choice won this year’s Mornington Cup as a $10 chance for trainer Glen Thompson but the horse has since switched stables to the Lindsay Park yard run by the Hayes brothers Ben, JD and Will. There is a perception about Bankers Choice that he is not a genuine staying type, but his record belies that as he’s never been further back than second place at his four starts at 2400 metres. The Lindsay Park team knows a little about winning a Caulfield Cup with an unfancied runner as they took the race in 2017 with $51 outsider Boom Time. View the full article

The 1% Club, a new fundraising initiative designed to unite consignors, breeders, and buyers in support of Racing Welfare, was launched on Wednesday. Through the scheme, consignors and breeders are invited to nominate one yearling from their draft at the upcoming Tattersalls October Yearling Sales, pledging 1% of its sale price to Racing Welfare. Participating horses will be highlighted in sales catalogues, signalling to buyers and the wider industry their valuable contribution to the welfare of racing's people. Chasemore Farm has nominated lot 1827, a bay filly by Pinatubo out of Parsnip (Zebedee), who will sell on Friday, October 17. Newsells Park Stud is also supporting the new initiative and they have nominated lot 608, a son of Palace Pier. Hillwood Stud has put forward lot 1599, a colt by A'Ali, as their nominee. To find out more about the 1% Club or join, please visit the Racing Welfare website. Dawn Goodfellow, chief executive of Racing Welfare, said: “Racing Welfare exists to care for the people who care for racing. As a charity which receives no government funding, we need to raise £3m each year to provide our vital support services to the people who keep British horseracing and Thoroughbred breeding running – 24/7, 365 days a year. We can only do this thanks to the generosity of our donors and the 1% Club is a simple yet powerful way of enabling people to show their support. A small pledge from individuals can have a transformational impact when combined and we are hugely grateful to those who have already shown their support and signed up.” The post Racing Welfare Launches 1% Club Ahead Of Tattersalls October appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

What Hawkesbury races Where Hawkesbury Race Club – 1 Racecourse Rd, Clarendon NSW 2756 When Thursday, September 25, 2025 First Race 1:05pm AEST Visit Dabble Provincial racing in New South Wales heads to Hawkesbury with a competitive eight-race meeting this Thursday. Perfect conditions above will mirror those on the track, with the Good 4 rating expected to hold through the program, while the rail is out +2m from the 1100m-450m and sticking true for the remainder. Below are our top betting tips for Hawkesbury races on September 25, with the action set to commence at 1:05pm AEST. Best Bet at Hawkesbury: Nepo Baby Fresh off a slick debut win at Scone over 1100m, Nepo Baby returns to the same trip and gets in light with the 2kg claim. From barrier five, expect Mollie Fitzgerald to use her natural pace to hold a prominent spot before letting the filly roll through the gears on the Good 4. With a cheap sectional, Nepo Baby should prove hard to catch again. Best Bet Race 7 – #9 Nepo Baby (5) 3yo Filly | T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | J: Mollie Fitzgerald (a2) (55.5kg) Next Best at Hawkesbury: Tambeloa Tambeloa was strong winning the a Super Maiden at Warwick Farm (1600m) and now dips into a Midway Class 1 over 1500m. He draws sweetly in gate five for Jay Ford and should land just off the speed, ideal for the Hawkesbury bend. The colt’s profile says he’ll be even better as the tempo builds late, and the step back in grade offsets the slight drop in trip. Next Best Race 2 – #3 Tambeloa (5) 3yo Colt | T: Kristen Buchanan | J: Jay Ford (59kg) Next Best Again at Hawkesbury: Exclusive Artist Exclusive Artist has been holding metro BM72 form and looks well placed, dropping to a provincial BM64 with blinkers on for the first time. From barrier three she can settle a pair closer, and the 2kg claim brings her down to a workable impost. Her record on Good tracks is solid, and stretching to 1800m may unlock a new peak given her closing splits at 1550–1600m. Exclusive Artist is a mare who can stalk, peel, pounce late and justify her short quote with horse racing bookmakers. Next Best Again Race 6 – #5 Exclusive Artist (3) 4yo Mare | T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | J: Mollie Fitzgerald (a2) (59kg) Thursday quaddie tips for Hawkesbury Hawkesbury quadrella selections September 25, 2025 1-2-4-5-6 5-9 1-9 1-2-3-5 Horse racing tips View the full article

Classic winner Scandinavia will not travel Down Under for a G1 Melbourne Cup engagement in November, trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed. The son of Justify, fresh off consecutive victories in the G1 Goodwood Cup and the G1 St Leger, will head to winter quarters instead with an eye to Royal Ascot's G1 Gold Cup in June. O'Brien told the PA news agency of the Coolmore partners' runner, “He's not going [to Australia], he's finished for the year and will be trained for the Gold Cup next year.” Placed twice from three starts as a juvenile, the son of Fabulous (Galileo) graduated in a Navan maiden in May and ran fifth in the G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. He dominated the G3 Bahrain Trophy Stakes at Newmarket in July prior to his brace of top-level victories. The post Scandinavia Camp Opts Against Melbourne Cup, With 2026 Gold Cup In Mind appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The weekly Harness 5000 tracker is about to achieve its first big milestone. The tracker is updated weekly depending on how many horses have become eligible for the Harness 5000 at Ashburton on December 21. The series, featuring 12 $60,000 finals, is for trotters and pacers whose sire stood for an advertised retail service fee of $5,000 or less in the breeding season of conception and to be eligible horses must compete in at least five race day starts between July 3 – December 9,2025. The “168” on the tracker signifies correlation to the maximum number of horses that can compete on the day, based on 12 races of 14 horse fields. Right now the figure is at 162, that’s an increase of 26 on a week ago. It is anticipated that around 350 horses will be in the mix come December, though this figure could fluctuate. So far the biggest categories are for the 5YO and older Entires and Geldings. There are currently 41 pacers and 35 trotters. To see the Harness 5000 leaderboards click here View the full article

Two health updates, Nathan Purdon’s 20th Group 1, the return of qualifying trials at Addington, and Dex’s $1m win all feature in this week’s News Briefs. O’Reilly back at work Sarah O’Reilly has been given the all clear to return to work. The Ashburton based trainer-driver has had a long and frustrating time on the sidelines since breaking her arm in July 2024. She was injured when a horse “jumped” into her cart. Since being given the all-clear by medical specialists she’s returned to light duties at his employers Tim and Brent White’s stables. While she can drive some trackwork there’s no date for a race day return as yet. A former champion junior driver on both sides of the Tasman O’Reilly has had 304 wins since her first in 2018. Ranger on the mend In other health-related news, well-known New Zealand harness racing journalist Duane Ranger is recovering well and taking “little steps” after undergoing prostate surgery earlier this month. The 61-year-old went public with his health battle just before the start of Blue September, the annual fund-raiser for prostate cancer research. He wanted to encouraged all men over 45 to get checked after being diagnosed with the disease earlier this year. Based in Brisbane, he has since had his prostate removed and while he’s a been tough few weeks he is making good progress. A sport and racing fanatic he is looking forward to getting back into cricket umpiring at the end of the month. Nathan Purdon’s 20th Group 1 When Shezsofast won the Caduceus Club 2YO Fillies Classic at Alexandra Park on Friday night it gave co-trainer Nathan Purdon his 20th Group 1 success. He has had 19 training in partnership with his father Mark, starting with Millwood Nike in the 2023 Northern Oaks, and one in partnership with Cran Dalgety (Krug). The Purdons’ weekend finished on a massive high too with Oscar Bonavena’s highly impressive victory in the Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup at Addington on Sunday. Trials back at Addington Qualifying trials return to Addington next Wednesday (October 1). They will be run prior to the races. Nominations should be emailed to Cameron Kirkwood by 1pm on the Tuesday before. His contact is : cameron@hnzco.nz Date change for Northern 3YO Stakes The Northern 3YO Stakes have been re-scheduled to Friday, December 12 at Alexandra Park. The race was originally scheduled for this Friday but will now not take place because of insufficient entries. The re-scheduling will give an opportunity to the 3YOs heading to the Golden Gait a week later. Dex wins $1m race Another week, another big race win for Dexter Dunn in North America. This time the Kiwi star won the $1m Mohawk Million in Ontario with the Marcus Melander-trained Apex. It was the sixth edition of the two-year-old trotting feature with Apex winning by over a length in 1:51.8, a new stakes, track and Canadian record. Dunn, the five time USA Driver of the Year, has now past $10m in stakes earnings this year and is second in the overall list behind Jason Bartlett $US11.6m). Dunn has had 209 wins in 2025. In one of the country’s great races, the Little Brown Jug in Ohio Dunn was second with Odds On Outlier, with Louprint leading all the way for top trainer Ron Burke and driver Ronnie Wrenn. Louprint is unbeaten all year with nine successive wins while Burke has now won five LBJs to be second all-time behind William Haughton. Burke also won the Jugette for the 3YO pacing fillies with Rodeo Drive Deo. Buffy Northstains 150th start Seven-year-old trotting mare Buffy Northstains reached a special milestone at Addington on Friday night. It was her 150th start. Since debuting as a two-year-old in 2020 the daughter of Majestic Son has won 15 races and a tick over $200,000 for her owners who include trainer Bruce Negus. Her last win was just three starts ago at Addington on August 15. Accommodation available at Kaikoura For anyone looking for accommodation for the races at Kaikoura in November there are still some places available at the White Morph on The Esplanade. The races will be held on Sunday and Monday, November 2 and 3, highlighted by the running of the 100th Kaikoura Cup. The scenic race course will also host the opening rounds of the World Driving Championships with our own Blair Orange taking on nine of the world’s very best. To check on availability at the White Morph click here Club News : Ashburton Ashburton’s “Emerging Talent” meeting to be held on the Thursday of IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup week (November 13) will feature a $20,000 Drivers Invitational race. It will be for 4YO Mares (R35-44) over 1700 metres. It will have a maximum field of 12 (and one ballot). Already dual New Zealand Cup-winning driver Cam Hart has signalled he’ll be there. It comes just two days after the New Zealand Cup where he is aiming for a record-equalling third consecutive New Zealand Cup with Swayzee. The race could also feature other global stars who will be here for the World Driving Championship that finishes on Cup day. The WDC will feature 10 of the world’s best drivers, including our very own Blair Orange. Invitations for the race will be issued closer to the event once it becomes apparent who is available and keen to take part. Club News : Methven The team at Methven under President Laurence Hanrahan are putting the finishing touches on the racecourse ahead of their big day on Sunday, October 5. The features will be the $40,000 Alabar Methven Cup where the best stayers in the South will fight out over 3000 metres while the trotting fillies and mares will be to the fore in the $25,000 Yabby Dam Fillies and Mares handicap trot. The barbeques will be going on course including the one funded by the Canterbury Owner’s Association and Methven Club catering to trainers, drivers and stablehands. Special thanks to Nigel and Brenda Armstrong. The club is continuing to upgrade facilities with the next targets likely to be the old doubles tote and possibly the upstairs grandstand bar. View the full article

Up 10 places in a week, Paris Prince is now in contention to make the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot field at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11. The Fred Fletcher-trained Paris Prince has gone from 28th to 18th in this week’s rankings, just three places outside the cut-off. His promotion comes on the back of his game second to the super impressive Oscar Bonavena in the Group 3 Elite Stride D G Jones Memorial Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup at Motukarara. Paris Prince, a Royal Aspirations seven-year-old, is the winner of 10 races and was driven on Sunday by Sam Thornley. Also on the improve is Australian trotter Jilliby Ballerini. The four-year-old mare has gone from 24th to 19th following her win in the Hip Pocket Castlemaine Trotting Mares Free For All at Melton on Saturday night. She is prepared by the Lees of Keayang Zahara fame. Both the Dominion and the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup are limited to 15 starters. There has been very little change this week at the top of the rankings for both races though Sooner The Bettor has gone from 17th to 14th rankings following his success in Friday night’s ITM Spring Cup at Alexandra Park To see the latest rankings click here View the full article

Check out this week’s The Box Seat with hosts Matt Cross, Brittany Graham and Greg O’Connor. View the full article

Bruce Tapper may have been a late starter to the training ranks, but he hasn’t let that slow him down, with the Timaru horseman bringing up his 100th win at his home track on Wednesday. It was a special day for Tapper, who was able to celebrate bringing up the milestone with visiting family members. “It was good to get it (100th win), it has been a while,” Tapper said. “I had three grandchildren from Cambridge and two from Pukekohe here, and three from Timaru, so it was pretty special to have them all here.” He was also delighted to achieve his 100th win with one of his favourite horses, Natural Momentum, who recorded his fourth career victory in the Hospitality NZ – SC Branch 1600. “The horse, even though he is no champ, he is a pretty special horse,” Tapper said. “We have got a girl with us now, Grace Afleck, and she is the third rider he has taught to ride track work. He also teaches all of our young horses in the barriers. We just go one by one with him and he jumps out with them. He is just a neat horse.” Tapper spent his formative years in racing but elected to pursue a career outside of the industry and kept an interest in racing through ownership. At the age of 60 he decided to try his hand at training and he has enjoyed plenty of success in that capacity over the last decade. “Since I was 13, I used to ride track work for my Dad at Matamata,” he said. “I got out of it for a while to earn some money and when I turned 60 I decided to take out my trainer’s licence. I was a bit of a late starter. “It wasn’t a bucket list thing, but you like to achieve it.” Among his 100 wins, there are three that stand out above the rest for Tapper. “The first one, Five Kings at Gore, the Group Three (Barneswood Farm Stakes, 1400m) at Ashburton that Specialty and Redmond ran first and second, and Specialty winning the Dunedin Guineas (Listed, 1500m).” The now six-year-old Specialty is a sentimental favourite of Tapper’s, having recorded both of his stakes wins to date, and he will attempt to add to his win tally at Riccarton Park on Saturday where he will contest the Cup Week Tickets On Sale Rating 75 (1200m). The Rip Van Winkle gelding ran third when first-up over 1200m at the Christchurch track earlier this month, and Tapper is hoping for another bold showing this weekend. “Specialty is coming up very well this prep,” Tapper said. “He is in on Saturday, and he should be running a good race.” View the full article