Wandering Eyes

The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) has granted a temporary stay of enforcement to connections in six pending total carbon dioxide (TCO2) cases, all of which are out of Pennsylvania. In total, 11 of the 14 pending and resolved TCO2-related cases reported since the advent of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) have concerned horses that ran in Pennsylvania. Of the three other TCO2-related cases, one ran in California and two were out of Ohio. When asked about the reason behind the temporary stay of enforcement, HIWU spokesperson Alexa Ravit wrote in an email that the agency continuously reviews all adverse analytical findings, “and is currently conducting a review of TCO2 analysis at the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology and Research Laboratory (PETRL).” The PETRL, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania, analyzed all samples collected for TCO2 testing within the state. Five of the 11 Pennsylvania-related cases concerned horses that ran at Penn National, five ran at Parx Racing, and one ran at Presque Isle Downs. “We cannot comment on the details of the review at this time, but if anything is found that affects the outcomes of the pending cases, that will be made public when the cases are resolved,” Ravit added. High total carbon dioxide (TCO2) levels could be an indication of bicarbonate loading–otherwise known as “milk-shaking”–which can neutralize the build-up of lactic acid in muscles, thereby helping the horse's performance. TCO2 is also naturally occurring in a horse's system. According to HISA's rules, the alkalization or use or administration of an alkalizing agent is prohibited on race day, and a TCO2 blood threshold in excess of 37 millimoles per litre (mmol) is reportedly evidence of “international administration.” Eight of the 14 cases have already been resolved. The trainer in each of the cases was issued a 30-day suspension and a $2,500 fine. This includes Salvador Naranjo, whose trainee Fever tested positive for TCO2 after running at Los Alamitos on Dec. 9 last year. According to Ravit, HIWU issued a temporary stay in the enforcement of that case due to the, at the time, pending federal intra-articular injection rule changes. “The affected Covered Person had penalty points from an intra-articular injection violation that were revoked (and the stay on the case lifted) upon implementation of the new HISA Racetrack Safety Program rules,” Ravit explained. In Naranjo's case, the sample was analyzed by the Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at UC Davis. Trainer Carlos Lopez was similarly issued a 30-day suspension and $2,500 fine due to two of his trainees testing positive for TCO2 after running at Belterra Park on Aug. 10 last year. Those samples were sent to the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Analytical Toxicology Laboratory. According to Richard Hackerman, who represents one of the trainers with two pending TCO2 cases, he finds it “extraordinarily unlikely that there's a rash of milk-shaking going on in Pennsylvania and virtually nowhere else in the country.” HIWU does not collect B samples when conducting TCO2 testing. However, trainers can request in advance the collection of a duplicate sample. In Pennsylvania, the duplicate samples go to PETRL, as per HISA's rules. “The official Sample and any duplicate Sample shall be analyzed by the same Laboratory. If the Agency, in its discretion, determines that the duplicate Sample cannot be analyzed within 5 days after the Sample is collected, the findings of the official Sample shall be final,” the HISA rules state. This is not the first time questions have been raised about testing procedures at laboratories contracted for use by HIWU. At the end of last year, the TDN reported on testing uniformity difficulties arising from different testing equipment, testing methodologies and sets of staff interpreting the results between the then-six laboratories contracted for use by HIWU. Internal reviews of the laboratories had uncovered different limits of detection in blood for the diabetes drug Metformin and for benzoylecgonine (BZE), a metabolite of cocaine. In light of the review, HIWU explained that it had subsequently harmonized its “testing sensitivity” in blood across the six labs for these two substances, and that it would repeat the harmonization process for other drugs, including banned substances. Earlier this year, HIWU severed its contract with the University of Kentucky's Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory due to questions raised about the lab's performance, and about “personnel” matters related to the former lab director, Scott Stanley. The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) also suspended its accreditation of the UK Lab. Investigations into these matters at the UK Lab are still ongoing. According to Ravit, there is no deadline for the stay to be lifted in the pending TCO2 cases while HIWU continues its review. The post HIWU Stays Enforcement of Pending TCO2 Cases, Conducting Review of Pennsylvania Lab appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Stronach Stables's Macho Uno, Eclipse Award-winning champion juvenile and whose progeny include GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man, was euthanized at the age of 26 due to liver complications at his home at Adena South Aug. 30, according to a Friday press release from 1/ST Racing. A son of Horse of the Year Holy Bull bred by Adena and a half-brother to Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again, Macho Uno won on debut at Saratoga for trainer Joe Orseno in July 2000. After he was third in the GI Hopeful Stakes, Macho Uno won the GI Grey Breeders' Cup at Woodbine. The colt would follow that up with a score over future Hall of Famer Point Given in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Macho Uno's 3-year-old campaign was delayed until July due to an ankle injury. Once his season began, the grey won the GIII Pennsylvania Derby and was fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic. The colt returned the next year with a victory in the GII Massachusetts Handicap and he was fourth in the GI Whitney Handicap before ending his racing career with a fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Arlington. At stud, along with siring Mucho Macho Man–himself the sire of GISW Mucho Gusto–Macho Uno claims Grade I winners Macho Again, Private Zone, Tolomeo and V I P Zone. The stallion was represented by 17 crops prior to being pensioned to Adena South in 2020. The post Pensioned Sire Macho Uno Succumbs To Liver Complications appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The popular program designed to attract horses from outside California, will be back in effect for the track’s autumn meet. Eligible horses will receive $4,000 guaranteed for their first start at Santa Anita.View the full article

Evvie Jets runs in the Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf (G3T) Aug. 31, and it will be an emotional day. Michael Amendola said late father left him, his sister Jennifer, and his mother Shelia a half dozen horses. Evvie Jets is the last one running.View the full article

Santa Anita will once again implement the “Ship and Win” program for the 2024 Autumn Meet, which kicks off Friday, Sept. 27. The incentive program is designed to attract horses from outside California. Horses from out of state who made only one start at the Del Mar Summer Meet will remain eligible for Santa Anita's Ship and Win purse bonus provided they did not make an additional start elsewhere. Eligible horses will receive $4,000 guaranteed for their first start at Santa Anita, as well additional bonus money in excess of listed purses. “The Ship and Win program is now well known throughout the country and it should continue to attract a significant numbers of horses,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Jason Egan. “We have a great facility at which to race and train with the best turf racing in America at this time of the year, which provides tremendous incentives for those considering stabling here in Southern California year-round.” Santa Anita will inaugurate the California Crown at the meet on Saturday, Sept. 28. The post Santa Anita’s ‘Ship and Win’ Program is Back appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga (THS), a 501c3 nonprofit which utilizes retired racehorses in therapeutic programs promoting the mental health and well-being of New York residents, will be unveiling a new state-of-the-art indoor arena and group therapy space Sept. 4 at its Saratoga Springs facility. Local officials and members of congress will attend the ribbon cutting. “We are thrilled to unveil our new indoor arena, which represents a significant step forward in our mission to support mental health in our community,” said Dr. Erin C. Sisk, founder of THS. “With this facility, we can now offer our services year-round, ensuring that more individuals and families can benefit from the healing power of equine-assisted psychotherapy.” The new arena was constructed with the grant funding awarded to THS through DASNY, New York State's capital project development authority, through the Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program (NICIP). The post New Indoor Arena and Therapy Space for Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Picklebet is igniting excitement among horse racing enthusiasts with its exciting 25% Boosted Winnings promotion for today’s Rosehill & Doomben races. This thrilling offer allows punters to amplify their potential winnings by a quarter, adding an extra layer of excitement to the already exhilarating action on the track. With Picklebet’s innovative promotion, bettors have the opportunity to maximise their returns while experiencing the thrill of backing their favourite runners at Rosehill and Doomben on August 31, 2024. 25% Boosted Winnings – Rosehill & Doomben Paid in Bonus Cash. First Fixed Win Cash Bet. Max Bonus $250. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo This promotion excludes punters from NSW and SA. Max winnings of $250. First fixed win bet only. Paid in Bonus Cash. Must use available balance. See Picklebet website for full terms & conditions. Picklebet.com are one of the new bookmakers making a splash on the horse racing scene and with inviting promotions like the one they are offering at Rosehill and Doomben, they will continue to make an impact in Australia. Horse racing promotions View the full article

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Godolphin repeated their feat of five years ago when signing for the €850,000 top lot at Friday's BBAG September Yearling Sale, surpassing the previous record fee of €820,000 they paid for a Sea The Stars (Ire) filly in 2019. It's a record that had been shared since 2020 when Dietrich and Annabel von Boetticher's Gestut Ammerland also forked out €820,000 for a full-sister to the 11-length Deutsches Derby winner and sire Sea The Moon (Ger), but now there is a new outright leader in the shape of the colt who went through the ring on Friday as lot 67. Named Del Maro (Ger), he too has a Classic pedigree fully befitting of the highest-priced horse in the sale's history. A son of the 2,000 Guineas and Derby winner Camelot (GB), Del Maro was offered by Gestut Brummerhof and is out of their homebred Preis der Diana scorer Diamanta (Ger) (Maxios {GB}), a half-sister to the Listed winner and Group 2 Oleander-Rennen third Diamantis (Ger) (Golden Horn {GB}). His second dam is the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin runner-up Diamantgottin (Ger) (Fantastic Light). Diamanta's first foal, the Dubawi (Ire) filly Diya (Ger), who failed to find a buyer when offered at this sale in 2022, has also proved herself a talented performer in the familiar yellow and black silks of her owner-breeder. Although well beaten in the Preis der Diana when last seen, she'd earned her place in that field with a comfortable victory in the Listed Diana Trial the previous month. Anthony Stroud struck the winning bid on behalf of Godolphin, who will be hoping for better luck with this colt than they had with their €820,000 purchase in 2019. The filly, later named Annie d'Autriche (Ger), never made it to the racecourse, whereas the Sea The Moon sibling, named Sea The Sky (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), showed a high level of form in France for Andre Fabre, winning at Listed level and finishing third in the G3 Prix Minerve. Incidentally, Sea The Sky later found her way into the hands of the Godolphin team as well when bought for €1.25 million at Arqana last December. Of the 210 lots offered, 153 sold at a clearance rate of 73%, down 2% on last year. The average also fell by 2% to €48,552, while the median was consistent with 12 months ago at €48,745. The aggregate spend was €7,428,500, down 8% on last year's figure. Soldier Hollow Gone But Not Forgotten Anthony Stroud also signed for lot 113, a Teofilo (Ire) colt who fetched €150,000, on behalf of Godolphin, but he was forced to settle for the role of underbidder when it came to the sale's other standout result. The Soldier Hollow (GB) colt in question, or lot 52, was offered by breeder Helmut von Finck of Gestut Park Wiedingen, the owner of the former German champion sire who died in May this year. Soldier Hollow is perhaps best known as the sire of the Deutsches Derby winners Pastorius (Ger) and Weltstar (Ger), while daughter Tamfana (Ger), who was purchased for €20,000 at this sale in 2022, has finished fourth in the 1,000 Guineas and third in the Prix de Diane this year. This colt is out of the winning Shirocco (Ger) mare Wamika (Ger), who has already produced three black-type winners by Soldier Hollow, including the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin scorer Whispering Angel (Ger). She in turn is the dam of the G3 Bavarian Classic winner Wilko (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). The second dam, Wakytara (Ger) (Danehill), has also produced a multiple Group winner by Soldier Hollow in the shape of Wai Key Star (Ger), something which was identified by Alex Elliott as one of the reasons why he refused to be beaten on lot 52. “He was just a very, very classy individual,” he summed up after securing the colt for €320,000. “The mare hasn't missed to Soldier Hollow and even the second dam didn't miss to Soldier Hollow, so it's obviously blood that works. “If he can run as well as he looks, then I'm sure we're going to be okay, even with such a hefty price tag on him. He'll go to Ralph Beckett. It's a sale that has been good to us and, hopefully, this is another horse who can add to that.” Elliott bought three yearlings in total for an aggregate of €460,000, with the others including lot 73, a colt by Too Darn Hot (GB) who sold for €110,000. Another Classic Coup for Liberty Racing? Eckhard Sauren was another of the sale's most prolific buyers with his five purchases–headed by Gestut Gorlsdorf's Kingman (GB) filly [lot 155] who fetched €200,000–coming to an aggregate of €629,000. Sauren also bought a colt by first-season sire Japan (GB) out of the aforementioned Whispering Angel for €120,000. Of the 24 yearlings by Japan offered, 14 sold for a total of €717,000 and an average of €51,214. The dual Group 1 winner stood his first season at Gestut Etzean in 2022 at a fee of €11,000. The HFTB Racing Agency was busy on behalf of Darius Racing, picking up six yearlings for an aggregate of €380,000, while the Liberty Racing team, led by Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten, were back for more, little wonder given the significant success they've enjoyed with their recruits from this sale in recent years. As if buying last year's Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) here for the bargain sum of €49,000 wasn't enough, the team then repeated the dose at Hamburg in July with Palladium (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}), a colt they'd bought from this sale for €80,000 in 2022. Fantastic Moon, who is back in Group 1 action in Saturday's Grosser Preis von Baden, came from the Stauffenberg draft in 2021 and Liberty Racing returned to that source this year with their €140,000 purchase of lot 107, a Teofilo (Ire) colt out of the G2 Cape Verdi runner-up Asoof (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Lot 65, Liberty Racing's most expensive buy at €200,000, also had something in common with one of their Classic victors as a son of Gleneagles. Offered by Gestut Park Wiedingen, the colt is a half-brother to the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin winner Dhaba (Ger) (Areion {Ger}), who is in turn the dam of the three black-type performers, headed by the Listed scorer and G2 German 1,000 Guineas third Dishina (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). All told, the team responsible for the last two winners of the Deutsches Derby added six yearlings to their ranks for a total of €527,000. Lope De Vega's Big Year Shows No Signs of Slowing Down Lope De Vega (Ire) continues to lead the race to be crowned champion sire in Europe in 2024 and his popularity was reflected at the recent Arqana August Sale where a filly by the Ballylinch Stud stallion commanded one of the top prices at €1 million. That filly was consigned by Ballylinch, but roles were reversed in Baden-Baden on Friday as the team behind Lope De Vega turned buyers with the €190,000 purchase of lot 78, a filly out of the Listed-placed Lips Eagle (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}). Lips Eagle herself is a half-sister to the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen and G2 German 2,000 Guineas winner Lucky Lion (GB), while the second dam, Lips Arrow (Ger) (Big Shuffle), won two Listed races and was Group 3-placed on two other occasions. “It's been a huge year for the stallion,” said Lizzy Sainty, the French representative for Ballylinch, after securing the only Lope De Vega yearling in the catalogue. “She's a lovely filly. She was really typical of her sire with a lovely walk and she obviously comes from a really top class nursery in Etzean. They do a brilliant job. “She'll come home to Ireland and John [O'Connor, managing director of Ballylinch] will make a decision on her future later.” Sainty also confirmed that Prix du Jockey Club hero Look De Vega (Fr) is on track for his two big autumn targets, with the G2 Prix Niel set to be used as a stepping stone to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for which he heads the ante-post betting. It was announced in July that Ballylinch had snapped up a majority share in the exciting stallion prospect, in association with Al Shaqab Racing. He will retire to Ballylinch at the end of his racing career to stand alongside his world-famous sire. The post Godolphin Strike For €850K Record-Breaking Camelot Colt At BBAG appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pegasus Stakes winner Salute the Stars (Candy Ride {Arg}) was an RNA in the inaugural auction from BidXSell, a company that aims to change the way people buy and sell horses online by charging a $500 fixed fee as a commission. The four-year-old colt is owned by Gary and Mary West. “This was a successful sale any way you look at it,” said Saeed Almaddah, President and CEO of Silk Road LLC, which developed the platform. “First, Salute the Stars was a great horse to debut the site with. He is a talented, classy horse with a market value that brought thousands to the site from all over the world. The horse was digitally pulled out of the stall over 2,000 times. Secondly, and most importantly, we showed the thoroughbred industry worldwide that our auction platform unleashes the power of the digital auction market directly into the hands of the stakeholders at a significantly lower cost. The seller of Salute the Stars was exceptionally pleased with the unique visibility the BidXSell platform offers. Sellers know exactly who has interest in their horse, mirroring the physical sale structure of knowing how many times and to whom a horse has been shown and vetted. The seller knows the region of the world most interested in the horse, how to adjust the reserve, and is ultimately in full command of the outcome. The emergence of BidXSell creates a new era in which consignors, breeders, farms, and agents are no longer held hostage by auction houses in the digital marketplace.” The company said that it would announce future U.S. sales. The post Salute the Stars RNAs in Inaugural BidXSell Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wildcard Top Man Tom (Ire) (Ask {GB}) (lot 46) claimed the top podium at the ThoroughBid August Sale on Thursday. Consigned by Ben Pauling Racing, the 5-year-old gelding was knocked down for £13,500 to Dave Armstrong. The bay is out of Miss Your Top (Ire) (Luso {GB}), a half-sister to Grade 3 chase winner Little Josh (Ire) (Pasternak {GB}). Just behind the topper was El Fabienne (Fr) (Spanish Moon), with Another Partnership signing for the Willie Mullins-consigned mare. Sold as lot 34 for £12,000, the brown mare is a daughter of Silver Bell (Fr) (Silver Cross {Fr}), herself a full-sister to listed hurdle winners and graded-placed Tommy Silver (Fr) and Cross In Hand (Fr), as well as a half-sister to El Fabiolo (Fr) (Spanish Moon), who won a trio of Grade 1 chases. Overall, of the 48 lots offered, 28 sold (58%) for a gross of £121,900. The average was £4,353 and the median was £3,500. The post Ask Gelding Tops ThoroughBid August Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As renovations continue at Belmont Park, The New York Racing Association (NYRA) divulged a plan July 1 to conduct approximately three months of winter racing annually at Belmont exclusively on an all-weather surface. A one-mile Tapeta track is currently under construction at Belmont, while the facility is scheduled to reopen in 2026. Lisa Lazarus, the CEO of the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority (HISA) provided a letter Friday to NYRA in support of the decision. The letter appears in full below. To Whom it May Concern: The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), was established in 2020 following the enactment of the bipartisan federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. HISA's mission is to implement a national, uniform set of integrity and safety rules that are applied consistently to every Thoroughbred racing participant and racetrack facility. As a point of emphasis, HISA works diligently–day in and out–to minimize the risk of horses sustaining injuries associated with horseracing. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has been working closely and collaboratively with HISA since its formation and has always been in full compliance with its safety and integrity regulations. As HISA's CEO, I write to express my support for NYRA's decision to install an all-weather surface track at the new Belmont Park to be the exclusive surface for winter racing. Since 2009, The Jockey Club has maintained an Equine Injury Database that tracks fatalities by state, racetrack, and surface. An analysis of the data collected demonstrates that the dirt tracks with the greatest risk of high injury rates are based in a highly variable climate with high utilization (year-round racing). As Belmont is located in a highly variable climate and will support year-round racing, it meets the precise criteria for benefiting from an all-weather track. It is imperative, both ethically and to preserve horseracing's social license, that horse welfare is always prioritized when making business decisions. Declining to install an all-weather track, under these unique circumstances, would result in NYRA missing an opportunity to substantially minimize the risk of horses being injured because of an inconsistent dirt surface that is difficult to maintain in the winter at a racetrack that will be utilized year-round. Further, the data collected around the currently operating all-weather tracks strongly suggests that any concerns about a detrimental effect on field size and betting are misplaced. Thank you for considering these important safety concerns as you evaluate these issues. Respectfully submitted, Lisa Lazarus Chief Executive Officer Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority The post HISA Pens Letter in Support of NYRA Synthetic Decision for Belmont Winter Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In the GIII Saranac Stakes for 3-year-olds over the grass at Saratoga on Friday afternoon, West Hollywood (Uncle Mo) was the winner, but the race was marred by the first racing fatality of the summer season as The Big Torpedo (Big Brown) had to euthanized on the track, according to details provided by a release from NYRA. Owned by Thomas Albrecht, Vincent Fusaro and James Klein, The Big Torpedo (#5) sustained a catastrophic injury to his left front leg in the stretch run of Race 6. Despite the immediate response of on-site veterinarians, the Thomas Morley trainee was humanely euthanized due to the severity of the injury. The chestnut colt is the only horse to sustain a catastrophic injury during racing at the 2024 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, which opened July 11 and has featured 2,879 horses starting in 369 races to date. As for The Big Torpedo's jockey Eric Cancel who was unseated, he was not injured. In the statement, NYRA also said that the incident caused #3 Take Me To Church (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) to alter course unseating Javier Castellano, who is being transported to Albany Medical Center for further evaluation. Castellano is awake and alert. It went on to state that the Brad Cox trainee, who sustained minor cuts and scrapes, was apprehended by the outrider and returned to the barn area via equine ambulance. Flurry Racing's Staton Flurry said in a post on X about his colt, “Take Me To Church is back at the barn with a few scrapes but seems okay. My thoughts and prayers are with Javier Castellano and the Morley barn.” By winning the Saranac, West Hollywood's Flavien Prat set the Saratoga meet record with his 16th stakes victory. Since this was his 12th graded win, he ties the mark set by Joel Rosario in 2022. Friday, Saratoga SARANAC S.-GIII, $162,750, Saratoga, 8-30, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.89, fm. 1–WEST HOLLYWOOD, 118, c, 3, by Uncle Mo 1st Dam: White Hot (Ire), by Galileo (Ire) 2nd Dam: Gwynn (Ire), by Darshaan (GB) 3rd Dam: Victoress, by Conquistador Cielo 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($775,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Qatar Racing; B-B. Flay Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $251,794. *1/2 to Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), GISW-USA, GISP-Can, $792,947. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Yo Daddy, 118, c, 3, Yoshida (Jpn)–Elle Stormin', by Tale of the Cat. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($29,000 RNA 2yo '23 OBSOPN). O-Winning Move Stable; B-Big Chief Racing LLC & Rocker O Ranch LLC (KY); T-Linda Rice. $35,000. 3–The Process, 118, c, 3, More Than Ready–Eblouissante, by Bernardini. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($375,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Belladonna Racing, LLC, Twin Brook Stables, Nice Guys Stables, West Point Thoroughbreds, Iapetus Racing, Hornstock, Runnels Racing, Perrine Time Thoroughbreds, RTR Stables, Peppermint Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, Ingordo and Lucky Hat Racing LLC; B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $21,000. Margins: 5HF, 2 3/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 1.35, 5.30, 6.70. Also Ran: Villain, Take Me To Church (Ire), The Big Torpedo. Scratched: Proprietary Trade. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Take Me To Church is back at the barn with a few scrapes but seems ok. My thoughts and prayers are with Javier Castellano and the Morley barn. pic.twitter.com/jd2i2SSnmc — Staton Flurry (@StatonFlurry) August 30, 2024 The post First Racing Fatality Of Saratoga Season Mars Saranac Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bob Baffert-trained graded stakes winners Muth, Imagination, and Wynstock lead seven horses entered to race in the Sept. 1 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar.View the full article

With Adare Manor scratched from the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), Dr. Venkman is now favored at 8-5 on the revised morning line for the $1 million race.View the full article

Flaxman Stables homebred and multiple group winner Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) is recovering well from surgery and has started his rehabilitation, according to Niarchos family racing manager Alan Cooper. A winner of three of his six starts, the G2 Huxley Stakes and G3 Winter Hill Stakes hero, who placed in the G2 Dante Stakes last year, sustained a condylar fracture when third to Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G2 York Stakes on July 27. The Sir Michael Stoute trainee has since undergone surgery to repair the injury. Cooper said, “He's come out of his surgery in good shape and is starting his rehab programme. That will take a bit of time but hopefully we will have him back next year. “He had some screws put in the cannon bone to consolidate it and is now out of the clinic and starting his rehab. “It's still early days yet, but the hope is we can get him back–and of course he will be carefully monitored along the way by the veterinary surgeons.” The post Passenger Recovering From Surgery, Carries Positive Prognosis Into 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

As expected, undefeated Group 1 winner Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) is targeting the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes, with Ger Lyons stablemate Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}) set to resurface on Irish Champions Weekend, according to Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon. Three-for-three in her young career, the daughter of Pavlosk (Arch) won her Cork debut, before claiming the G3 Anglesey Stakes a month later and the G1 Phoenix Stakes earlier this month. Twice-raced Curragh maiden winner Red Letter will resume in either the Listed Ingabelle Stakes or the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes in mid-September. “We've discussed it with the owners and they're keen to go to the Cheveley Park with Babouche, so that's good,” confirmed Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon. “All being well, Red Letter will run on Champions Weekend. Whether that will be in the Ingabelle on the Saturday or the Moyglare on the Sunday, we'll see how she's working and decide closer to the time. “Obviously, the form of Babouche's last run looks solid. I don't have all the times but I believe she broke some sort of record on the day and when they do that, it has to be a good performance.” Mahon also offered an update on Revoke (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), who won at Naas on Aug. 25 and is also bound for a black-type engagement. She drubbed her foes by 4 3/4 lengths over good to yielding ground. “Ger has a lovely team in fairness to him and Revoke looks a smart filly,” he added. “She's not over-big, but she'd been showing plenty at home and she's quick. “Hopefully we'll be able to kick on and head into stakes company for her next start. Where that will be, we'll have to wait and see, but she's a nice filly to have. “She was good over six furlongs the other day and could even drop back to five, as she's very speedy. She'll slot into a stakes race somewhere and we'll go a bit slower with her.” The post Lyons And Juddmonte Aim To Keep Babouche And Red Letter Separate, As They Make Group 1 Plans appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In a cozy, bedded down stall that resides within the inner courtyard of Atlanta Hall Farm's indoor track, you'll find Grade I winner and Grade I sire Cupid (Tapit), the first stallion to stand at the historic farm that encompasses 400 acres in Monkton, Md. With the ease at which Cupid strolls beside Garrett Murray, stallion manager and co-owner of the farm, as he mills around during a grazing session, or nickers to 13-year-old Genevieve, Murray's daughter, as she strides over with a carrot in hand, it's hard to believe the stallion only made the move to Maryland last fall. It was a plan set in motion by Sugar Mills Stables' Tony Mills, based in Lexington, Ky., who purchased Cupid from Coolmore last September. The deal was finalized just days before Carson's Run (Cupid) collected his first career Grade I victory as a 2-year-old in the GI Summer Stakes at Woodbine on Sept. 16, 2023. It was within that week that Murray got a call from a couple of Lexington contacts. “We were training horses, the phone rang, and they said, 'Hey Gary, somebody threw your name in the hat. Would you be interested in having a conversation with the guy who just bought Cupid? I said, 'Sure.' The guy didn't know me, I didn't know him, but I went to Lexington. I met Tony, his wife, the team, and we just hit it off,” said Murray. “I told him about the farm and what we thought we could do with him. It happened very quickly, it's a bit of a blur, we had lots to do and we did it. We shook on it, so we have a great friendship [more so than anything], and I've enjoyed Tony because he just leaves me to do my thing.” Carson's Run | Sarah Andrew Standing Cupid at Atlanta Hall has brought things full circle for Murray, a native of Wexford, Ireland, who first came to Central Kentucky to work for legendary horseman Robert Courtney Sr. at his Crestfield Farm in 1998. After returning home to continue his studies in equine science at the University of Limerick, he made his way back to the Bluegrass to work at Juddmonte. “I was more into the training than the broodmares so I was put in the training barn and we had [Grade I winner] Aptitude, Flute had won the [GI Kentucky] Oaks, so right there I was around these amazing horses that were on Derby trails, Grade I winners. Juddmonte had just started the association with Bobby Frankel so it was that brilliant generation of magnificent fillies like [Grade I winner] Tates Creek. I was lucky to be there for that,” he said. From there he moved on to Castleton Lyons where his first introduction to working with stallions came in the form of caring for Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy). “I was a kid on the farm who was told, 'You're going to need to look after this stallion.' Little did I know how much of a handful [he was]. He was a big, hardy horse but he was very fair. A beautiful horse, great stallion,” said Murray. “It was great to be there for that, to launch a stallion, because here I am 20 years later trying to do the same thing.” Murray continued to garner plenty of experience while in Kentucky, eventually making the transition to Coolmore's Ashford Stud as he joined the team to learn more about yearlings and the sales, before moving into the office to sell stallion nominations. It was around that time he met Elizabeth Voss, daughter of renowned steeplechase trainer Tom Voss, who had worked her way up from intern to director of sales at Three Chimneys Farm. The pair married in 2010 after moving back to Voss's family's farm, Atlanta Hall, in Maryland and began assisting Voss's father in training steeplechase horses. Cupid with Garrett Murray | Sara Gordon But tragedy struck in 2014 when Tom Voss died suddenly of an apparent heart attack at 63, leaving the farm and the business to the young couple, who were raising two young children–their daughter Genevieve and son Thomas–at the time. “Listen, we just went to work. We continued what her dad was doing, which was training steeplechase horses, and that's what we did. I think in the first two years after he passed, we had five Grade I wins with three different horses in New York, so we hit the ground running. We had a great rider, a good team, we inherited some of Tom's staff,” said Murray. “We were young, we were hungry. But life goes on and things change, the sport is cyclic. We are lucky enough to have always had a relationship with the Merck family's The Fields Stable who continues to support our racing and breeding operation.” Following in the footsteps of her father, who was post-humously inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 2017, Voss sent out Makari (Makbul) to win the 2014 GI A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase Stakes; Bob Le Beau (Big Bad Bob) to win the 2015 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap, GI Lonesome Glory Hurdle Handicap, and 2016 A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase; Portrade (Trade Fair) to win the 2016 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap, and also had a graded stakes winner on the flat: Renown (Champs Elysees) in the 2016 GIII Sycamore Stakes. “Then Covid came, it hurt business really, and things got quieter. But the silver lining was with the kids, we had more time with them, so that's not a bad thing,” Murray said. “The stallion thing always made sense to me; it was just a matter of timing.” Cue the phone call about Cupid. Making the trip from Maryland to Kentucky himself, Murray picked Cupid up from Ashford, where he'd stood since 2018. Looking back on Cupid's first season standing in the Mid-Atlantic region, for a fee of $8,000 with a stands and nurses guarantee this year, Murray remarked that the 11-year-old stallion covered nearly 55 mares. “We bred most of our mares and partners' mares to Cupid obviously, and Tony bred his share. Cupid bred 53 or 54 mares which is not a terrible number in a regional market,” he said. “He brought a good flow of mares to the place, which was good experience for me. The crew learned a lot. We did more right than we did wrong so it was a successful breeding season. I think he ended up with 85 percent of his mares in foal, so he did his job. Now we've got to build on that in the coming years. It will be nice to have representation of Cupid in Maryland.” Sterling Silver | Sarah Andrew Currently ranked among the top five on the 2024 Leading Fourth-Crop Sires in North America list, Cupid has received a huge boost from the success of Carson's Run and Sterling Silver (Cupid) at Saratoga this summer. Already a multiple stakes winner and graded stakes-placed, the Bill Mott-trained Sterling Silver returned to her winning ways in the Aug. 7 Johnston Mile Handicap–for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up–as she pulled away to win by 9 3/4 lengths. Four days later, Grade I winner Carson's Run delivered a remarkable last-to-first performance to win the Aug. 11 GI Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes by 3/4 of length for trainer Christophe Clement. It was quite the thrill for Murray who, along with his family and friends, were in town to witness both stellar performances by Cupid progeny. “That was great because everybody got to experience a Cupid winning in Saratoga. Good time, good race [for Sterling Silver]. And then of course Carson's Run was meant to be running Saturday, we were hanging around for Carson, and it got pushed back to Sunday. I was under pressure to go home, but we had to make it happen, which we did. It was great, just an unbelievable experience for the kids especially,” said Murray. “That in a nutshell is really what's best about Cupid. A five-year-old mare, Sterling Silver, going a mile on the dirt on Wednesday and [then Carson's Run], a 3-year-old, going a mile and three-sixteenths on the grass [on Sunday].” Cupid with Garrett Murray and Genevieve Murray | Sara Gordon Carson's Run returns Saturday, Aug. 31 as the headliner amongst a full field of 12 in the $3.1 million GIII Nashville Derby Invitational at Kentucky Downs. For Murray and Mills, Carson's Run served as a lot of the initial inspiration when making the decision to stand Cupid and ultimately, exemplifies what they're hoping to achieve with the Maryland-sired crops to come. “To get through the season and a couple weeks later go to Saratoga, that's where you want to win, you know? Just for it to happen in those few days was really magic. And then we're looking forward to what's left for Carson and others, and there's 2-year-olds running, which are fun,” said Murray. “If you look in our kitchen there's a whiteboard with 'Cupid Runners' on it, [Genevieve] likes to [keep track]. I don't care if it's Prairie Meadows or wherever, as long as there's runners out there.” But Cupid isn't the only one who's received a boost. His arrival has been an exciting new venture for the entire family, marking a continued devotion to extending the legacy established generations back by the Voss family. “It's been a really good heartbeat for the farm. We knew we'd have to go down a different direction, which we did. People have been doing it in Maryland for years and we're no different than them. We have great respect for everybody here, from Northview to Country Life [Farm],” said Murray. “We're a young family, we've got to keep it going for this next generation. It means a lot to us.” And though they were not at Ashford during the same time, there's something quite fitting about the connection between Cupid and Murray. Cupid with Garrett Murray and Genevieve Murray | Sara Gordon “I love it, I feel like I'm a child again. I feel like I'm 20 when I walk next to him, it gives you that rush. We all need a kick in life. I stopped smoking years ago, and I don't play golf, I don't have the time, but I love walking next to a stallion again,” said Murray. “It's very hard to criticize Cupid. Physically, he's magnificent. He's big, but not too big, he's perfectly correct. No conformation defects and that's great in a regional market where you need to have everything right. “I was back on the phone, going through charts in the winter, going racing again and I was getting out there selling. I enjoy bringing people back here. It's a very beautiful farm to show off. But like anything, it's the right partners, the right stallion, and I think he is the right stallion for the marketplace.” Amongst the hustle and bustle that normally ensues around the farm, from the steeplechase horses in training to the herd of breeding stock, or a spring season filled with point-to-point festivities and a fall season filled with racing and foxhunting, there's a soothing quiet to be found in the newly built stallion haven within the training track. But in that quietness that can be experienced on a mid-August afternoon at Atlanta Hall Farm, the sense of pride, dedication and hope for the future speaks volumes. “We're young, we have youth, we have the energy. We have a fifth-generation horse person right here [with Genevieve],” said Murray. “The farm is steeped in history and good horsemanship. I'd like to think we're continuing to keep things moving forward. It's not rocket science, we're keeping it simple, but it's been a lot of fun, you know?” The post Cupid The Newest Chapter In Storied History Of Atlanta Hall Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Bob Baffert confirms that Adare Manor will not compete in the Pacific Classic (G1) after a minor tying up incident following her gallop Aug. 29. She could have become the second distaff winner of the Del Mar stakes, following Beholder.View the full article

The Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course is not the only $1 million race across North America Sept. 1. Down at Kentucky Downs, 2-year-olds race for up to that amount in the Juvenile Sprint Stakes if bred in Kentucky.View the full article

Motorious, an assertive winner of last year's Green Flash Handicap (G3T), returns to defend his title in the five-furlong turf sprint Aug. 31 at Del Mar.View the full article

Quietside and Bellacose, two impressive winners from earlier in the meet, seek their first graded wins. View the full article

Lammas, a multiple stakes winner in Northern California, will take on Southern California competition in the Del Mar Mile Stakes (G2T).View the full article

With Adare Manor scratched from the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), Dr. Venkman will likely be favored in the $1 million race.View the full article

1st-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-30, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.73, fm, 1 3/4 lengths. GATE TO WIRE (c, 2, Munnings–Sansibar Jewel, by Street Cry {Ire}) didn't make his name into a game plan, but showed enough early foot to comfortably track the leading flight of runners from third. Inching forward as the left the backstretch, the 9-5 favorite was rolling into the lead entering the homestretch and put 1 3/4 lengths on Jack's Promise (Promises Fulfilled) by the time they hit the wire. The son of Munnings came into this unveiling with back-to-back bullet works over the main track, those Aug. 23 and Aug. 17 four furlong moves in :47.13 and :47.00, respectively, ending up faster than a combined 262 other workers. 'Insights' runner Code of Justice (Into Mischief) faded to fifth after leading early on. GATE TO WIRE, the 2YO son of @coolmoreamerica stallion Munnings, breaks his maiden in the opener under @iradortiz for trainer @PletcherRacing. pic.twitter.com/ltT8a8tr7G — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 30, 2024 The victor is the first winner from three of racing age for his dam, who has not produced any offspring since Gate to Wire. Sansibar Jewel was bred to Essential Quality for 2025. Sales history: $95,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $55,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Donegal Racing; B-Moyglare Stud Farm, Ltd. (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. The post Munnings’s Gate to Wire Bests Saratoga Foes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article