Wandering Eyes

Ellis Park will launch its 25-day summer meet July 3, headlined by record stakes purses, top racing connections, fan-friendly wagering menus, and a full calendar of community events both on and off the track.View the full article

Canterbury Park racing officials have canceled horse racing for June 22 due to projected heat indexes in excess of 105.View the full article

Former top United States miler Carl Spackler is expected to race one more time in Britain before starting his new career in Australia.View the full article

Tributes have been paid to Hugh Mulryan after his tragic death at the age of just 25, with BBA Ireland's Adam Potts describing his three years as Mulryan's housemate as “the best years of my life”. The son of owner-breeder Liam Mulryan, Hugh had carved out a promising career of his own in racing and bloodstock, having spent time under the wing of trainers such as Denis Hogan and Sir Mark Prescott, as well as working on the farm and at the sales for Baroda Stud. The County Galway native had recently relocated to Britain to take up a new role with Adrian Keatley in Ryedale, North Yorkshire. “We're all devastated and it's hard to come to terms with,” said Potts, who also traded a number of horses with Mulryan in recent years. “He lived with me for three years and they were the best years of my life. He was well-read, a deep thinker, and asked the big questions. Often, he'd come home having spotted either an angle in the sales, a new brunch spot, one lined up for a gamble or some African jazz musician no one had ever heard of, so there was always something to be getting stuck into! “He loved racing, but more importantly he loved horses and horses loved him. He'll be dearly missed.” Earlier this month, Mulryan signed for one of the top lots at Part 2 of the Goffs Arkle Sale, in tandem with trainer Terence O'Brien, whose County Cork stable has housed many of the horses raced by Mulryan's father in recent years. Paying his own tribute, O'Brien said, “It's a huge tragedy and I'm just absolutely gutted that he's been taken so early. It's been a massive shock to everybody. I feel hugely sorry for his dad, his mum and the rest of the family. It's an absolute shame. “I knew him kind of superficially for the last five years, but I got to know him a bit better over the last 12 to 18 months. We bought a horse together last year and through that association I was talking to him on a kind of weekly basis. He came over a few times and I went out to lunch a few times with him. I met him at the sales again this year and we bought another horse together. “I was hugely impressed with his knowledge of pedigrees and conformation. He did a lot of homework and any horse that he picked out we'd definitely have a look at. For a young lad he was very impressive and he wasn't afraid to ask for advice from anybody. I wasn't much good to give him advice, but I told him to get as much experience as you can, because he was thinking about maybe training horses as well. “He was his own man and highly intelligent. He probably didn't show it off but, the more I got to know him, the more impressed I was with him. That was the truth of it.” The team at Baroda Stud, led by David and Tamso Cox, also spoke fondly of Mulryan and their time working with him. “Incredibly sad news came on Monday that Hugh Mulryan died in the UK,” read a statement posted on Facebook. “Hugh worked with us on the farm and at the Consignment a few times over the last number of years. Such a great chap, very smart, studied Law, loved horses and had a great interest in all aspects of the industry. “David, Tamso, Brian [Delahunt] and all the team in Baroda were so sad to hear the news, we only saw him last week. Our deepest sympathy to his father Liam, his mother Christina and all his family and many friends.” To Mulryan's family and friends, the team at the TDN would also like to offer its sincere condolences. The post ‘He Loved Horses and Horses Loved Him’ – Tributes Paid to Hugh Mulryan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Endo Botti's Klaynn completed a Classic double with her victory in Sunday's G2 Oaks d'Italia Tattersalls at San Siro Racecourse, running her 12 rivals into the ground with a dominant front-running performance. Cristian Demuro, riding the daughter of Make Believe for the first time, charted a wide course throughout and gradually increased the tempo in the straight, with his mount responding generously as she forged clear in the closing stages to register a wide-margin win. Last seen finishing fourth when taking on colts in the G2 Derby Italiano, Klaynn was unbeaten in five starts prior to that valiant effort, notably having won the G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1,000 Guineas) at Capanelle Racecourse back in April. Lifetime Record: 7-6-0-0. O-Teruya Yoshida. B-Allevamento Le.Gi. SRL Societa' Agricola (Ire). T-Endo Botti. The post Make Believe’s Klaynn Completes Fillies’ Classic Double in Oaks d’Italia appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Vahva returned to form with a victory in the Chicago Stakes (G2) June 21 at Churchill Downs, a win that snapped a three-race losing streak that dated back to her victory in last year's edition of this seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares.View the full article

One of Hong Kong’s old warhorses helped Brenton Avdulla celebrate a new arrival at Sha Tin on Sunday night, with Beauty Joy taking out the Group Three Premier Plate (1,800m). Not long after welcoming baby boy Kobe to the family, Avdulla landed his second Group victory aboard the notoriously difficult Beauty Joy. “He’s probably got as much head noise as I did when I was 18 years old. We seem to get along very well,” said Avdulla of the Tony Cruz-trained eight-year-old. “He was good to me last...View the full article

Keagan de Melo celebrated his first Hong Kong Group win when $26 outsider Copartner Prance led them a merry dance in the Group Three Premier Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday evening. The South African has not hit any great heights this season and his success aboard Francis Lui Kin-wai’s Copartner Prance, who also landed a Group-race breakthrough, was a much-needed tonic. Copartner Prance sat on the shoulder of Victor The Winner for the first part of the race, but De Melo took the outright lead...View the full article

Danny O’Brien had his sights on starting Grinzinger Belle (NZ) (Shamexpress) in the Gr.1 Tattersall’s Tiara Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm for some time, but he knew there was a caveat on this plan as she was to be sold at the Chairman’s Sale in May. Luckily for O’Brien, after Yulong Investments purchased the mare for $1.45 million from her owner John Wheeler, they elected to leave her with him and allow him to fulfil his plan. Now the O’Brien stable is hoping they can impress the behemoth ownership group by winning the final Gr.1 race for the season. O’Brien’s racing manager Jack Howard said they were hoping it was going to be the start of a long and fruitful relationship. “We were lucky enough to get her back and hopefully we can get a result for them, which will hopefully continue the relationship going forward,” Howard said. Grinzinger Belle won the Gr.2 Sunline Stakes at The Valley two starts ago, and she followed that with a seventh placing in the Gr.1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick on April 12. Howard said after that O’Brien set his sights on the Tatt’s Tiara Stakes knowing Grinzinger Belle fires when she is fresh. “She’s definitely ready to go. She has a good fresh record over that trip and hopefully we can get a result for Yulong. She probably deserves a good race,” Howard said. “She’s done enough work. She had a jumpout here before and she went along as one of Gai’s really went along.” “We’re hoping for rain as it assists her and detracts from the others.” After the Tatt’s Tiara, Howard said they will discuss Grinzinger Belle’s future with Yulong. “She’s been extremely consistent throughout her whole career. There’s plenty of good races she can target through the spring and the autumn.” Grinzinger Belle is an $11 chance with Sportsbet and will be ridden by Tim Clark. O’Brien will also have a last-start winner in two-year-old colt Brave Design, who won the Listed Oxlade Stakes (1200m) on June 14, at Eagle Farm and he will run in the Listed Tattersall’s Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. “Hopefully we can continue the good strike-rate up in Queensland as he’s been our only other runner there.” View the full article

French star Lazzat broke Japanese hearts as he downed Satono Reve in a pulsating international finish to the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1,200m) at Royal Ascot on Saturday. The Jerome Reynier-trained four-year-old enjoyed a fast break and landed in the lead early under Wathnan’s top jockey, James Doyle. From there, the writing was firmly on the wall, with the Territories gelding being a top-level winner over the 1,800m distance. The pair kept on galloping relentlessly and...View the full article

Driver Penalties J Dickie | Auckland 20 June; use of whip; fined $450. K Bublitz | NZ Metropolitan 22 June; careless driving; fined $300. Trainer Penalties R Green & N Delany | Waikato Bay of Plenty 19 June; late gear notification; fined $50. L Bond | Forbury Park 19 June; incorrect gear; fined $100. C & C Dalgety | NZ Metropolitan 20 June; failed to scratch runner by required time; fined $200. Horse Penalties BOMBAY GLACIER | Forbury Park 19 June; late scratching after causing 2 false starts; must complete mobile start trial. DOWNTOWN ORLANDO | Forbury Park 19 June; broke in running; must complete trial. POPNROCK | Forbury Park 19 June; broke in running; must complete trial. ALICE IN DREAMLAND | NZ Metropolitan 20 June; bled; stood down for 30 days with veterinary clearance including endoscopic examination required and must complete trial. HIGGY | NZ Metropolitan 20 June; late scratching when lame in preliminary; veterinary clearance required. ULTURA | NZ Metropolitan 22 June; bled; stood down for 30 days with veterinary clearance including endoscopic examination required and must complete trial. OKIWI BAY | NZ Metropolitan 22 June; lame; veterinary clearance required. SPEED WRITER | NZ Metropolitan 22 June; late scratching on veterinary advice; veterinary clearance required. The post 16-22 June 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Emily Farr made a promise to her father before his recent passing and she came closer to fulfilling that on Sunday at Te Aroha, when guiding Leitrim Lad (NZ) (Tavistock) to success in the K and R Steeplechase (3500m). A mainstay in New Zealand’s jumps jockey ranks, Farr has missed the majority of the past two seasons whilst being in her homeland of Wales, caring for her parents. After a tough battle with dementia, her father sadly passed earlier this year, and she arrived back in the country less than a month ago. “I’m incredibly grateful for Wexford and Waikato Stud, they have held my positions since I’ve been away in the UK, looking after my mother and being there for my father until he passed away,” Farr said. “Dementia is one of the most cruel diseases I’ve had anything to do with, so being there for them during this time was extremely important to me. “Losing Dad was huge, but I know he would want me to continue riding and doing what I love, and what I’m good at. “Every day is hard, but it is what it is.” In her second day back at the races, Leitrim Lad was Farr’s sole ride and he closed a $3.60 favourite, despite mixing his jumping and retiring from the race in last Saturday’s Waikato Steeplechase (3900m). With his ears pricked, Leitrim Lad went straight to the lead in the early stages and shared that role with Jakama Krystal, before she took over heading into the second lap. Farr was wary of letting the leader get away, and the pair broke away from the remainder on the field along the back stretch. The pack started to catch up and the race was on in the home straight, but as an 11-race winner and stakes performer on the flat, Leitrim Lad was always going to be hard to catch. Once he negotiated the final fence safely, he proved too strong, holding off Zac Flash to score by three-quarters of a length. “He’s got an amazing, high cruising speed that he’s shown in all of his flat races, and the tempo of a race is very important with him,” Farr said. “He needs to get out and rolling and enjoying himself, because he is a bit of an old man. “I didn’t want to let Krystal get too far in front because I know her pretty well too, and she’s good mare. I knew with his pace on the flat, he would be there and he jumped so well. He’s learned a lot since I last rode him and I’m glad he stuck on as well as he did.” The son of Tavistock has earned just shy of $310,000 for breeder-owner Eamonn Green, who trains him out of Pukekohe Park. “I’ve been fortunate to have three wins on him, I won a highweight on him in his early days, then his first steeplechase, and now I’ve won on him again today,” Farr said. “I can’t thank Eamonn and Kenny Rae enough for putting me back on, especially after having such a long time away. “He’s a really cool dude.” The result was welcomed after a disappointing outcome at Te Rapa last Saturday, where she was dislodged early in the race from Zeefa Zed in a drama-filled maiden steeplechase. “Zeefa Zed has always been one of my favourite horses, so for him to make a little mistake and cause carnage later on was not the comeback I was hoping for,” she said. “But, these things happen and I know John Wheeler (trainer) will have him back and stronger for Wellington. “It happened, you get over it and you build from it. Having the opportunity to ride Leitrim Lad today gave me a lot of confidence, and showed me that I really still want to do this and achieve my 100 winners. “I’m now on 97 so we’re almost there, it’s something I’d like to achieve because I promised my father that I’d get there before I retire. “I’d love to get there this season.” One horse she hopes can get her closer to that goal is Diamond Jak, a four-time winner on the flat that will soon step out over the fences. “I’m so excited to let this horse rip, I rode him at the trials the other day and he’d never jumped in company before, and he was amazing,” she said. “I’m very lucky to have Mark (Brosnan, trainer) and his wife Yo supporting me, they were some of the first people I visited when I got back. I’m so excited to ride this horse, he’s an out and out stayer and a lovely jumper. Whilst she still enjoys riding competitively, Farr hopes to build a career for herself outside of her raceday assignments, having become a resident in her adopted country. “I’m a New Zealand resident now, and I’d like to eventually pre-train and train now that I’ve settled here,” she said. “I’ve made New Zealand home, I love the country and I love the people here. “I’m hoping that my mum will come over for six months of the year, once we’ve got things sorted out with the farm and things in Wales.” View the full article

Last year’s Great Northern Hurdles (4200m) winner Lord Spencer (NZ) (Zed) gave warning to his rivals ahead of the upcoming features with a storming victory over the shorter distance at Te Aroha on Sunday. The quirky galloper is often seen lagging at the back in his races and producing a big finish, but with the side winkers applied for the Silver Fern Farms Hurdle (3100m), he was far more prominent, settling midfield under a tight hold. Verry Royal led up throughout the early and mid-stages, and when the pressure came on, Lord Spencer seemed to revert to his old tricks, hitting a flat spot along the back stretch. Lemmy Douglas, who regularly rides the seven-year-old, didn’t panic and kept him tagged on to the field, but had a big task on his hands jumping the third-to-last fence. Out in front, Invisible Spirit was looking likely and jumped the last clear of the field, but coming through the pack was a flying Lord Spencer, who put in some serious bounds to get over the top by a long head, with The Bambino also impressing into third. JJ Rayner, who trains the son of Zed at Wanganui, was delighted with the performance after a sixth-placed effort in last Saturday’s Waikato Hurdle (3200m), won by Dictation. “I was a bit disappointed last time, but the track really wasn’t to his liking,” she said. “He hates that really sticky, puggy ground, so after I thought about it, I wasn’t too worried and he beat a few home. “He’s still up and coming, and the more runs he has, the better he’ll be for those longer races. I thought he would run a good race today, and they were getting through the ground a lot better. “He does get me worried how he hangs out the back, but we put the side winkers on today just to get him involved in the race. He won’t get going until he feels like it, he’s a bit of a sod at times, and everything is on his terms. “He did pull very hard with them on, which probably helped him get up there and go, but I don’t think he’ll be having them on for a long race. “It was very satisfying, he does really need another round and that’s his go, but he put himself in the race today and came home very well. It was really pleasing to see that finish.” In between the two races, Rayner had left Lord Spencer in the care of local trainer Scott Wenn, who gave him some education over the bigger fences. “A big thank you to Scott Wenn for looking after him this week, he’s been there and had a go over the chase fences,” she said. “He’s looked after him and Toni Moki schooled him, so I really appreciate what they’ve done for me this week. “Something different like that probably sparked him up.” The biggest victory of his career to date was the Northern, and Rayner hopes to head in a similar direction, with a trip to Christchurch also on the cards. “We’ll absolutely be looking at the (Grand) National and the Northern again, as I say, the long ones are really his go,” she said. View the full article

Southern apprentice Kendra Bakker made an emotional return to the winner’s circle at Riccarton Park on Saturday, riding two of the three winners prepared by her mentor, Lance Robinson. The 24-year-old commenced her apprenticeship in the North Island, before making the move to Christchurch to base with Robinson in March 2024. She gained good momentum in the back half of last season, but was ruled out early this term after sustaining a trackwork injury. After a long recovery period, Bakker returned to riding in late May and had a good opportunity to get back on the board at her home meeting, with four rides for Robinson. The first of those came in the Amberley Patrons Rating 65 (2000m), aboard a horse she knows well in Waihora Mist (NZ) (Rock ‘N’ Pop). After settling at the tail of the field, Bakker directed the mare wide on the track and she powered over the top of Our Milly Bee and Can’t Kach Me to take the opener by a head. Bakker was a mixture of excitement and emotion after the race, expressing her gratitude to Robinson in supporting her comeback. “That means a lot, she’s quite a hard trackwork ride and she’s given me a bit of grief coming back into it, but I always knew she was going to be the one to get me back, fit enough and strong enough to raceday ride,” she said. “She does love the wet, she ran home so well at Timaru so I knew the extra distance would really suit, and the big long straight. I knew I had to be patient because I had a big sprint home, and it paid off. “It’s been a really challenging apprenticeship, it’s definitely been hard over the past seven months being out with an injury for so long. It just makes these wins that much more rewarding. “I’d just like to thank the owners and especially Lance for putting me on, he’s been the biggest support and I’m part of the best team. “I’m really grateful.” Robinson was equally proud of the horse and he was for his apprentice, who followed instructions to the letter aboard the daughter of Rock ‘N’ Pop. “I was really pleased with the run,” he said. “She (Waihora Mist) just took a little bit longer to come up this year, it took us a couple of extra races to get her really fit, but she stripped a fit horse yesterday and I would’ve been disappointed if she didn’t run first three. “She’s got a great turn of foot and handles wet ground really well, so I told Kendra to just ride her cold. We’d walked the track earlier in the day and I felt it was a little bit better out wider, so we took the risk coming wide and let her finish off. “Kendra has worked hard to get herself back, she had a very serious injury. Getting two winners will really give her the kick along that she needs. “I’m really pleased for her.” Later in the meeting, Bakker combined with talented mare Bella Luce (NZ) (Belardo) for a gritty victory in the Drug Alcohol Specialists Rating 75 (1600m). Always prominent on rain-affected surfaces, Bella Luce led up in the mile contest and had plenty of challengers in the straight, but held off a game Vamos by a nose at the line. “I thought she’d be very hard to beat, she’s a Belardo mare and loves wet ground,” Robinson said. “She’d had a nice little three-week break after her last start, so she’d freshened up really well. “We thought she was a good chance yesterday, and Kendra on with her claim, I thought it would work out well for her.” Robinson indicated the mare would be back at the races at short notice, with a hope on making the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 128th Winter Cup (1600m) field during Grand National week. “She’ll go to Ashburton then we will look at the National meeting with her,” he said. “Depending on her rating points, we’d like to look at the Winter Cup, as a race like that on the minimum weight could be ideal for her. That’s what we’re aiming for.” It was the turn of another apprentice in Liam Kauri in the final event of the meeting, guiding Robinson’s homebred gelding Highland Fling (NZ) (Highly Recommended) to success in the Optimise Fertilisers and Equi-Lise Rating 65 (1400m). “He’s been a really good, honest horse,” Robinson said. “We bred him ourselves, so we got a really good kick out of that. “He’s no champion, but he tries very hard and he copped the wet track well. His form has always been on the synthetic, but he can handle the wet ground too so it was a good effort. “He was powerful late in the race and got right away from them, it was great to see.” View the full article

After finishing second in three of her previous four starts, Taimate Diva (NZ) (Telperion) went one better at Riccarton on Saturday with a relentless front-running performance in the SVS Open Handicap (2000m). The six-year-old Telperion mare kicked off her super-consistent run of autumn and winter form with a runner-up finish in the Riverton Cup (2147m) on April 19. She was unplaced in the Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) a week later, but bounced back strongly with close seconds in a 2200m open handicap at Wingatui on June 1 and a 2200m Rating 75 at Oamaru last Sunday. Taimate Diva went into Saturday’s $40,000 open handicap on a quick back-up and with a hefty 60kg topweight, but trainer Andrew Carston eased that burden with apprentice jockey Ayush Mudhoo’s 4kg claim. The 20-year-old jockey – who had never previously won a race at Riccarton – sent Taimate Diva straight to the lead and controlled the race from the front. Taimate Diva produced a strong kick coming around the turn and had favoured runners A Mandarin, La Evita and Taramea Lad under plenty of pressure early in the home straight. The biggest challenge came from the veteran mare Vague, who launched a withering run from last, but Taimate Diva saw her coming and lifted again. She held on to win by a half-head. “I was pretty confident going into the race,” Mudhoo said. “I knew she would love the heavy track, and everything was my choice. I just let her bowl along in front, then asked her to go a bit more from the 600m. She loved her work and was very honest. “She’s a big mare with a long stride, and she just keeps going. I thought the other horse might beat us, but she fought back and she definitely wanted to win.” Taimate Diva has now had 44 starts for eight wins, 10 placings and $186,750 in stakes for owner-breeder David Hickman and the Taimate Equine Foundation Syndicate. “She really deserved that win,” Carston said. “She’s a tough mare and has been really consistent in this preparation. “This is great for the horse and for the owners, and for the young fella on board as well. He rode her well. “She tries really hard. There was a touch of concern around the quick back-up into this race, but we decided to take the weight off. It was a really good win.” View the full article

Rider Penalties G Lahoud | Waikato 18 June; use of whip; fined $250. M Alam | Waikato 18 June; use of whip; fined $450. G Lahoud | Tauranga 21 June; careless riding; suspended 23-29 June inclusive. G Lahoud | Tauranga 21 June; use of whip (2 charges); fined $950. J Nishizuka | Tauranga 21 June; careless riding; suspended 29 June – 5 July inclusive. M Alam | Tauranga 21 June; medical clearance required. A Mudhoo | Amberley 21 June; use of whip; fined $500. K Williams | Amberley 21 June; careless riding; suspended 22 June – 2 July inclusive. A Riddell | Amberley 21 June; use of whip (2 charges); suspended 23 June – 2 July inclusive and fined $250. J Parker | Te Aroha 22 June; use of whip; fined $400. G Lahoud | Te Aroha 22 June; failed to make weight; fined $100. M Gillies | Te Aroha 22 June; medical clearance required. J Riddell | Manawatu 22 June; careless riding; suspended 23 June – 2 July inclusive. Trainer Penalties G Vile | Otaki-Maori 20 June; neglect in saddling; fined $150. S Gordon | Otaki-Maori 20 June; incorrect gear; fined $50. W Hillis | Non-raceday dated 16 June; failed to ride trackwork free of prohibited substance; suspended 19 May – 14 July inclusive and costs of $187.50. L Latta | Manawatu 22 June; late rider declaration; fined $50. S Gordon | Manawatu 22 June; late rider declaration; fined $50. Horse Penalties ROCKET LAD | Waikato 18 June; late scratching after breaking through front of barrier; must complete trial. JUST A WALLFLOWER | Otaki-Maori 20 June; late scratching after failing to load; must complete trial. ALIKAT | Tauranga 21 June; lame; veterinary clearance required. KANA | Manawatu 22 June; epistaxis; stood down for 3 months and veterinary clearance required. JACKAROO | Manawatu 22 June; late scratching after becoming fractious in barrier; must complete trial. The post 16-22 June 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Dog Penalties FERGIE’S GIRL | Wanganui 17 June; failing to pursue the lure; stood down for 28 days and must complete trial. OPAWA SCOOTER | Christchurch 20 June; marring; stood down for 28 days and must complete trial. The post 16-22 June 2025 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

It's been a long time between drinks for Vahva (Gun Runner), the 2024 GI Derby City Distaff Stakes winner whose last career win came exactly a year ago in the Chicago Stakes at Churchill Downs, when it was a Grade III event. Upgraded to Grade II this year, the Chicago Stakes was targeted by Vahva's connections after the now-5-year-old made no impact in this year's edition of the Derby City Distaff. Irad Ortiz, Jr. kept her a little closer to the pace than usual in the Chicago, as she tracked 62-1 Gray Lightning (Social Inclusion) through fractions of :22.82 and :45.26. On the far turn, Claret Beret (Not This Time) joined Vahva to her outside as she pounced on Gray Lighting and the two raced in tandem for several strides. Classy as ever, Vahva edged free to defend her Chicago win by about a length despite Claret Beret–winner of a May 11 Gulfstream handicap by 19 3/4 lengths–holding her own while drifting slightly. Multiple stakes winner Zeitlos (Curlin) got up for third. The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:20.89. Sales History: $280,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. O-Belladonna Racing LLC, Lynne Hudson, Edward J. Hudson, Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, Twin Brook Stables, W.S. Farish, LBD Stable LLC, Runnels Racing, and Manganaro Bloodstock; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. This story will be updated. Vahva wins the G2 Chicago Stakes! pic.twitter.com/hwJTA0kKVI — Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) June 22, 2025 The post Gun Runner’s GISW Vahva Digs In for Chicago Repeat appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Feel free to make plans, working with Thoroughbreds–just don't be deceived that it'll ever be you who decides how far they work out. With a young son to raise, Becky Maker had quit the rootless life of a trainer and taken a role on the pre-training team at WinStar. “Just to stay in one place, have a salary and be safe,” she remembers wryly. “Within six months I had a horse rear up and flip over in the shedrow. Severe fracture of the femur. So after 20 years galloping on the track, I go to the farm for a safe job and that's how it worked out. But it was life-changing.” Once out of hospital, she accepted that the horses had given her a heavy hint; that they were, in fact, making new plans for her. “I didn't want to be left unable to take care of my son just because I couldn't make myself stop riding,” she says. “Riding had been my whole life, from the age of four. So it was a hard decision. But when it's time, you stop. It was just that I then had to look for something else; to reinvent myself.” Except the horses actually had the answer there, too. As a trainer, she had a reputation for reviving the jaded appetite. “I would get all kinds of horses that'd had a bad go of it,” she recalls. “Owners would send them to me to see if I could turn them around, get them back up and running again.” Fifteen years on, that flair for the horse in need of repair–whether in body or soul–has aggregated to a resume that would, in a regular barn, have qualified Maker for the Hall of Fame. Horses to have been through her lay-up facility at Shantera Farm include Jackie's Warrior, Mitole, Echo Zulu and Whitmore. In terms of wider recognition, however, perhaps her most important customer has been Epicenter. For it was here that he made his precarious transition from a distressing public breakdown in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic to thriving young stallion, passing on his salvaged legacy down the road at Ashford. It wasn't so much his ability that made Epicenter such a critical test, as two other factors–one generic, one highly specific. In general terms, a horse requiring rehabilitation after a racetrack injury is always at fever pitch, mentally and physically, yet suddenly asked to tune out into a calm, obliging patient. In this particular instance, moreover, recuperation was severely compromised by an extra twist of misfortune. Epicenter just days before his Breeders' Cup run | Coady “He was prepped to run the race of his life,” Maker remarks. “Half a mile later, he's pulled up. So he came in full of fire. And that injury was also a very serious one. He went to Rood and Riddle, they put the screws in. A day or two later, he came to me. But it took about a month to figure out that there was a problem with the screws. “That was a really difficult time because we were trying to tell whether the pain was beyond the range he should have been feeling. I'd seen his injury before, so knew he would have some consistent soreness associated with it. But his was different. Looking at him, I was like, 'This horse should not be in as much pain as he is.' He would take a step and be fine; then take another, and it would suddenly be surging. And then he'd slowly let it down.” She urged extra X-rays, and again; and finally the third picture showed one of the screws working loose. “So he had to go back to surgery, have that tightened up and some extra screws inserted,” Maker explains. “Then he came back. And of course all this time we're worrying about him foundering, because he's on the other leg. So he really had a rough go of it.” But this time everything worked out perfectly: the second surgery, the second rehab. And just as well, given that they were now into January and he was scheduled to test-breed in February. In the event, that spring he bred the second largest book of mares in the land. His case invites an obvious question: with Maker's intimate insight into the challenged Thoroughbred, has she observed a correlation between the most intelligent and responsive patients, and the best racetrack performers? “Generally, yes,” Maker replies. “But remember that some of these horses are a product of their handling. The really well-bred ones will have gone through the best of the best, and all my clients are such good horsemen. But if ever you do get a horse that has any kind of bad habits, you just try to figure out what works for them.” But then that's how she approaches every case, from melodramas like Epicenter to horses being spelled for a routine break. Maker never wants to lay down the law; just to let a horse find its way to where it needs to be. “I'll just try different things and see what works for that horse,” she says. “This is a peaceful place. They do generally just settle into how everybody else is behaving, find their peace and relax into the program. Horses are very, very intelligent. They understand. If they're on stall rest, after the second, third day, they're like, 'I get it. I'm not getting out. I'll go along with this.' Basically, they want to please people. So then it's just a matter of communication, between you and the horse, to figure out how you get there.” The entrance at Shantera Farm | Courtesy of Becky Maker True, there are times and temperaments that may call for extra help. “Some that are high-strung, there's a herbal calmer that I like,” Maker says. “There's all kinds of little tricks. If they don't like loud noises, and things set them off, I'll put cotton in their ears. Everything is about helping horses to relax. Big stalls, lots of windows: they love something to look at. All the paddocks are set up so that they're next to somebody, especially the boys, because obviously I can't turn them out together. Fillies I will pair up, depending on the length of their stay. Getting them out and moving is one of the healthiest things that you can do for horses, though obviously one straight off the track needs to start off gradually. Some will start to fret, want to come in. You just gauge each horse.” Maker will naturally get input from trainers, whose trust dates back to her own days on the backside–an eight-year stint crowned by GII Hawthorne Gold Cup winner It's No Joke (Distorted Humor). “It's really hard for trainers, me included when I was doing it, just to hand your horse over to somebody else,” she says. “Obviously, you're only doing it because the horse needs help. He might be sound, but maybe he needs some weight, or doesn't want to train, or just needs a reset. But then if they come back worse than you sent them out, you're like, 'Now what?' The trainers that knew me on the track, and how I took care of horses, they know that I remember how I'd have wanted a horse to come back, if I was on the receiving end. So I think right away they really trusted me to give them back a better horse than the one they sent me.” The respect is mutual. “The trainers I work with, they're such good horsemen,” Maker says. “It doesn't matter if they have 200 horses or 20, they'll be like, 'Listen, with this one, watch his feet.' And they'll know the personality too. They're all very patient. I think that with the climate on the racetrack today, they're just, 'Take all the time you need. I want a solid horse when it comes back.' And so I'll be looking out for those smaller, secondary issues: a horse might have had ankle surgery, but then something's going on at the hind end, which might not be noticed until we start hand-walking. “And that's part of why I'm here, that heightened awareness on the racetrack. The trainers I work with are all receptive to this. A lot of times a horse will come in with an issue coming up repeatedly, but nobody can find anything. So I think they've taken a big responsibility for the health of their horses, being willing to abide by the rules and give horses all the time they need.” Fan favorite Whitmore spent some time with Maker | Horsephotos Having rented a small farm for four years, in 2017 Maker stretched to buy a 72-acre site on Shannon Run Road, which she named for the smallholding where she had been raised in Michigan. Upgrading by steady increments, she made a major breakthrough when impressing the Winchell family with her transitioning of recruits from the juvenile sales. “I'd really stepped out on a limb to buy this place,” Maker acknowledges. “Back then it only had 24 stalls, but the place I'd been leasing had just 10. And all I'd ever done is call a few trainers and ask if they had anything to send me. So I thought maybe if I really got out there, let people know what I was doing, it might work on a larger scale. It was scary, but I didn't have time to second-guess myself: at that point I'd built the walker, the arena, a new 22-stall barn, paddocks. And then once a few of the trainers came out and saw how I was setting up, they were like, 'You're getting mine!'” For all the growth in traffic, she will always retain an emotional stake in any of the horses whose recuperation bears her fingerprints. “Honestly, I'm so proud of all of them,” Maker says. “Epicenter, there was a lot of pressure. But however stressful it was, it became very rewarding. I was able to say, 'No, this is not right: I want another X-ray.' And everybody had enough respect for me to get one done. “He was a handful, but his constitution got him through those back-to-back surgeries. Super intelligent, too, definitely recognizes people. I went to see him last fall and he was in the back of his stall and I went, 'Hey, Epi.' And he was like, 'Ooh!'” It can be hard to see these horses leave, but Maker retains her fixed points: a horse in training, a mare producing babies at Brookdale, an off-the-track jumper that she rides herself. “And that fills in my void, gives me the adrenaline rush that I had my whole life,” Maker says. “I do wish that I'd started this 10 years earlier. I felt like I was a good trainer, but I am 10 times better at what I'm doing now. I loved breezing my own horses in the mornings. But when I started doing this, it was like, 'Yes!' “Like any job, sometimes it will drive you nuts. But then, once everybody leaves, and I'm walking through the farm and seeing all these happy horses out in the field, it feels like it's all worked out. And when I see these horses go back to the track and do well, it's very fulfilling. You do get attached to some of them. But when the trainer calls and says, 'Hey, did you see? That horse ran great. He's happy, he's sound. Thank you so much.' That also makes me very, very happy.” The post Maker Finds Her Niche Remaking Horses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Gary Subratie, a trainer who has saddled more than 800 winners in Jamaica, recorded his first U.S. win Saturday at Gulfstream Park. His charge Rogers Park (Kantharos) captured the sixth race, a $12,500 maiden claiming event going 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather surface. Trevor R. James owns the 4-year-old filly, whom Subratie claimed May 18 from Saffie Joseph, Jr. for $12,500. Saturday's win was her second start for Subratie. “I grew up in Jamaica, but I got my license at Calder. I ran a couple races at Calder [in 1997] and went back to Jamaica,” said Subratie. “I said, 'Let me go home and get things going.' “It's been a long time coming. My owners have been pushing me to come here. I started my career here. I'm going to give it a shot. It's never too late.” Subratie trains a stable of six at Gulfstream and also had four runners entered at Jamaica's Caymanas Park Saturday. “I've always looked forward to racing at Gulfstream,” he said. “To get my first winner was: 'Yes!' “We're trying to build. It's not going to happen overnight. It's coming along nicely, and I'm pleased and happy with the horses I have right now.” The post After 800 Jamaican Wins, Trainer Gets First U.S. Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Never traveling beyond a mile before June 21, Mo Plex handled his first two-turn test with aplomb in the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3) at Thistledown. View the full article

Mo Plex (c, 3, Complexity–Mo Joy, by Uncle Mo), a game winner of the seven-furlong Bay Shore S. at Aqueduct Apr. 19, made his two-turn debut a winning one with a press-and-pounce score at odds of 5-1 in Saturday's GIII Ohio Derby at Thistledown. The New York-bred kept Clever Again (American Pharoah) honest through fractions of :23.42 and :47.75, gained command at the top of the stretch and drew off to win by two lengths. Favored Chunk of Gold (Preservationist) was second. McAfee (Cloud Computing) finished third. The final time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:50.72. Last year's GIII Sanford S. winner is one of two graded winners for young sire Complexity. Sales history: $27,000 RNA Ylg '23 SARAUG; $45,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 8-5-1-2. O-R and H Stable; B-Everything's Cricket Racing (NY); T-Jeremiah C. Englehart. #10 MO PLEX ($12.80) got the lead coming to the stretch and pulled away to win the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3) at Thistledown. @JockeyJoeRamos was up for trainer @jceracingstable and owner R and H Stable. Congrats to all the connections! pic.twitter.com/J58LqXAdaE — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) June 21, 2025 Saturday, Thistledown OHIO DERBY-GIII, $500,000, Thistledown, 6-21, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.72, ft. 1–MO PLEX, 126, c, 3, by Complexity 1st Dam: Mo Joy, by Uncle Mo 2nd Dam: Gold Anklet, by Lemon Drop Kid 3rd Dam: Anklet, by Wild Again ($27,000 RNA Ylg '23 SARAUG; $45,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). O-R and H Stable; B-Everythings Cricket Racing (NY); T-Jeremiah C. Englehart; J-Joseph D. Ramos. $300,000. Lifetime Record: GISP, 8-5-1-2, $745,000. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Chunk of Gold, 126, c, 3, Preservationist–Play for Gold, by Cairo Prince. ($2,500 Ylg '23 FTKOCT). O-Terry L. Stephens; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Ethan W. West. $100,000. 3–McAfee, 126, c, 3, Cloud Computing–Sataves, by Uncle Mo. ($40,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables LLC, Judy B. Hicks and Scott C. Rice; B-Judy Hicks (KY); T-Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. $50,000. Margins: 2, 2, 4 3/4. Odds: 5.40, 1.20, 3.10. Also Ran: Extradition, Brereton's Baytown, Clever Again, Bohemian Style, Capo Luca. Scratched: Curvino, Master Controller. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post Mo Plex Aces Two-Turn Test in Ohio Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ashburton trainer John Morrison heads to Addington with three runners today for the Yaldhurst Hotel race day, with his main focus on the feature Winter Series Final. The feature on the card is race six, The Yaldhurst Hotel Silk Road Winter Series Final mobile trot over 1980m for $25,000 for fillies and mares, which gets underway at 4.11pm. Morrison trains and drives second favourite Lottie’s Moment ($3.40FF) in the event. She was an emphatic winner at her previous start at Addington, while the Ben and Greg Hope trained Freya ($2.40FF) has opened favourite after an impressive victory last time out, though she’s drawn the outside of the frontline in the 14-horse field. “My one’s got ability. It’s taken a bit to get her ringcraft,” Morrison said. “Freya looks hard to beat – she’s a nice chance. If we could follow the speed and have one run at them, she’s got a good bit of speed.” Other chances in the Winter Series Final include Kenneth Hannah’s Waihemo Hannah ($14.00FF) with John Dunn in the sulky, while the rest of the field looks pretty even. Morrison also has Without Comparison ($2.40FF) lining up in race two, the Main Street Sports Bar Rangiora mobile trot over 1980m going around as favourite. She looks a strong chance getting back to mobile racing with the handy barrier two draw, though Morrison admits she needs to lift from her recent efforts. “She would probably need to improve a bit on her last few runs. Hopefully she can get a nice run.” In race three, The Fitz 2 Sports Bar Waltham mobile pace over 1980m, Morrison debuts Raknruin for his stable. The gelding has made the move up from Southland where he was trained by Clark Barron. He trialled at Ashburton on June 10 and wasn’t asked for a serious effort. “She’s a nice mannered horse. Clark did a very good job with her. She’s here for a change of scenery,” Morrison said. “It’s more of a learning curve for us – I don’t really know what to expect. I think she’ll go a nice race anyway.” Morrison also drives Coba Charged ($8.00FF) for trainer Jeremy Pearson in race one The Lion Foundation pace over 2000m. Racing kicks off at 1.12pm. View the full article

With projected heat indexes in excess of 105 well into the evening, Canterbury Park has canceled the June 21 Northern Stars Turf Festival program that had been scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. CT.View the full article

John and Thady Gosden were crowned the leading trainers at the Royal Ascot meet, with their brilliant week headlined by Field of Gold's superstar performance in the June17 St James's Palace Stakes (G1).View the full article