Wandering Eyes

The Sept. 1 $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course was always on the calendar for Arthur's Ride. It was the Whitney Stakes (G1) that was the audible which resulted in a touchdown.View the full article

Updated guidelines for the preparation and sale of thoroughbred breeding and young stock at public auction were published Wednesday by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA), Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA), Goffs, Tattersalls and the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, ahead of the forthcoming yearling sales season. Available digitally, the guidance aims to help new and existing participants navigate the sales preparation and selling processes for optimum equine health and welfare, whilst also providing transparency on thoroughbred care before, during and after the sale. “The British and Irish thoroughbred breeding industries remain committed to advocating and promoting the highest standards of care and well-being for our horses through guidance and education,” said Claire Sheppard, Chief Executive of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. “These updated guidelines reflect the developments in technology to allow routine tasks to be more efficient, biosecure and facilitate a greater level of traceability.” “The ability to manage every horse as an individual, is often the key to achieving the best sale outcome for each thoroughbred and this approach extends to the sales complex, where alternative bedding materials can be provided for those with medical conditions; the handling, stabling and exercise regime for each horse can be tailored to meet their requirements; and feed rations and the dosage rate of medications should be administered according to the body weight and demeanour of each horse. The thoroughbred industry has been an early-adopter of digital solutions, and the updated guidelines reflect the growing ability to monitor the temperature of horses at the sales using their biothermal microchips (2023 foal crop onwards) and to initiate General Stud Book processes, such as post-sale transfer of ownership, via the e-passport.” To view the newly-updated sales guidelines, click here. The post Organisations Unite in Support of Updated Sales Welfare Guidelines appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Under pressure from HISA and the local horsemen's group, Parx management has closed down its turf course after a horse broke down on the grass in the Aug. 24 Parx Dash S. The horse, Causes Trouble (Creative Cause), is co-owned by John Fanelli and was making his 33rd career start. “It's always been known as a bad course, but if I knew it was that bad, I never would have put my horse on that surface,” Fanelli said. “I was really upset about the condition of the course and when I saw it myself, I was in shock.” The Paulick Report was first with the story. After the race, Harold Wyner, the trainer of Causes Trouble, walked the turf course and took a video that showed numerous holes, including one appears to be about a foot deep. Following the incident, the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's President Bob Hutt reached out to track management and demanded it do something about the course and that it be closed down until it could be fixed. Hutt said his pleas were ignored by Parx's chief operations officer Joe Wilson, which prompted him to reach out to HISA President Lisa Lazarus and ask for her help. Though HISA did not order Parx to shut down the course, Hutt said that it never would have happened if Lazarus did not put pressure on track management. “I was horrified by the video because I knew what they were going to do, just go out there and fill the holes with dirt and then run more races on it and send horses to their death,” Hutt said. “I could see a chain reaction where five horses and jockeys were killed. I can't be a part of it. I found her number, sent her the video and she said, 'Oh my God, that's horrible. We're going to investigate.' This was on a Sunday. Everybody has problems with HISA, but on this particular case, the fact I was able to reach out to her on a Sunday evening and she got back to me, means that she's responsible for saving many horses' lives. If it weren't for her, they would have said 'the track is ok, who the hell is Bob Hutt,' and they would have kept running turf races. “The course looks like a minefield, with holes that are six inches. You look at that video and it's horrifying. [Wyner] stops three times to put his hands in the holes. The first two are about six inches deep. The third one would be up to your knee.” Hutt said he has never once had Wilson answer an email or phone call. Wilson also does not talk to the press and did not respond to a phone call and email sent to him by the TDN on Wednesday. Hutt lashed into Parx management, saying that it refuses to spend the money needed to keep the dirt and turf courses safe. “We are treated like crap,” Hutt said. “Joe Wilson, who the casino put in to feed us bread and water, is not cooperative and doesn't spend money on anything. The turf course had been a problem for 10 years. I call it durf, D-U-R-F. I sent a polite email to Joe Wilson asking him to not have any further turf racing because it's dangerous to the horses that are entrusted to our care and the jockeys. I begged him to stop. He didn't answer me. He never does.” Hutt said Wilson's reaction, or lack thereof, was typical of a management that cares only about its casino and refuses to spend money on racing. “The turf course has always been awful, but Joe Wilson will not spend any money,” Hutt said. “Every three or five years everyone gets a new phone, a new computer, a new TV. The Parx water trucks are 20, 30, maybe older, years old. The harrowing equipment is terribly outdated. If the harrow broke done, Wilson would tell the track superintendent to run over to Home Depot and buy a rake. This is what I am dealing with. They have not done anything. They do nothing to promote racing. They're sitting around waiting for racing to die. I'm dealing with a terrible, terrible situation. Anyone who would have looked at the turf course would have been horrified, absolutely horrified. They are destroying this sport. They are killing the sport we all love. We just have to keep fighting. That's all we can do. “They have to put in several million to replace this turf course or repair it. It's an accident waiting to happen. They don't go for spit when it comes to racing. One of the water trucks still says Philadelphia Park. That's how old it is. Everybody is always complaining. They are using equipment that is 30, 40 years old.” Fanelli questioned why HISA did not intervene sooner. “HISA is supposed to accredit these tracks and the surfaces,” he said. “I'm trying to find out the last time they were here and how they possibly said it was a safe surface. It's obviously dangerous to the equine athletes and the jockeys. I am so relieved that nothing happened to [jockey] Dexter Haddock in that race because he could have died in that situation.” According to Hutt, HISA officials were at Park Wednesday conducting tests on the turf course. “[HISA] is going to have their task force test the turf course to see if it's safe to run on,” Hutt said. “This course should be shut down. It reminds me of when I was a little boy and we'd play baseball on a field with rocks and broken bottles.” The post Amid Safety Concerns, Turf Racing Halted at Parx appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Tampa Bay Downs has boosted purses for its schedule of 26 stakes races by $350,000 to $3,810,000, with $960,000 of the stakes total provided by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.View the full article

By Jonny Turner Star southern three-year-old Bring On The Muscle will start telling trainer Clark Barron about his future endeavours at Winton on Thursday. The Barron stable lines up two horses in the talented three-year-old trotter and the more than handy maidener Always On Sale, both bred and owned by the trainer’s wife Jackie. Bring On The Muscle looks to have returned in excellent order ahead of what should be a big spring campaign judging by his recent workouts. “He seems to have come up well and he is telling us he is ready to go to the races again,” Barron said. A $2.50 favourite, Bring On The Muscle looks to land in a winnable race at Winton in the Goodman Plumbing Limited Handicap Trot, however Barron is wary about the challenge of racing hardy older horses. “You have to remember he is only a three-year-old and it is never easy racing the older horses.” “Those older horses are hardened and have been there and done that.” “But we have been happy with him and he is bright and well.” Bring On The Muscle has a Group 1 placing to his name, with his big performance on Grand Prix Day at Addington last year. Whether he will get the chance to return to the top level will be up to the horse himself. “He will race the Williamson horses down here and we will get a line on him.” “I’d say he will head to the Hambletonian at Labour Weekend.” “If he is going well enough, we will take it from there.” Always On Sale looked an above-average maiden when placing in two of his four starts for Barron last year. The pacer will return to racing in the Ryal Bush Transport Mobile pace after a break from racing due to a series of minor issues. “He is a pretty nice maiden but he hasn’t raced for 11 months.” “He had one wee niggle after another, but lately he’s the best he has been.” Blair Orange takes the reins behind Always On Sale while Brent Barclay reunites with Bring On The Muscle on Thursday. View the full article

A well-backed 63-10 as a maiden trying stakes and turf for the first time in Wednesday's P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga, Bregman Family Racing's TOTALLY JUSTIFIED (f, 2, Justify–Outstanding {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) got the first run entering the stretch and ultimately met and turned back a deep-stretch challenge from odds-on Virgin Colada (More Than Ready) to become a 35th worldwide stakes winner for her successful young sire. Drawn six in a field of eight, the $285,000 Keeneland September yearling bounced nicely and settled just off the flank of pacesetting Second Chance (The Factor) through easy fractions of :24.80 and :50.28 as Virgin Colada was ridden confidently a few lengths behind. The latter lost some position approaching the entry to the second turn, and that suited Totally Justified to the ground, as she came calling for the lead outside Second Chance with a bit more than a furlong to race and held on nicely as Virgin Colada, produced very wide off the final corner, took a belated run at her. Reining Flowers (Midnight Storm) also closed off strongly to be third. The cross of Justify over Galileo mares has resulted in the likes of champion City of Troy, multiple Grade II winner Buchu and Group 3 winner Red Riding Hood. Dual Group 1 winner Opera Singer is out of a mare by Galileo's sire Sadler's Wells. Sales history: $285,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record; 3-1-0-1. O-Bregman Family Racing; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-George R Arnold III. TOTALLY JUSTIFIED, the 2YO daughter of @coolmoreamerica stallion Justify, wins the P.G. Johnson Stakes at 6-1 with @jockeyfranco aboard for trainer Rusty Arnold and owner @ABREG_1! pic.twitter.com/bZvSJMjM1f — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 28, 2024 The post Justify’s Totally Justified Breaks Maiden In Style In P.G. Johnson appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-Just the mere fact that a $3,500 yearling has won two races of any kind at Saratoga this summer, puts The Queens M G (Thousand Words) in a “that's impressive” category. In the GI Spinaway Stakes Saturday, she will try to add to her reputation by completing the rare sweep of the track's three stakes for 2-year-old fillies. The Queens M G scored in the 5 1/2-furlong Schuylerville Stakes, long the opening day feature, by 2 3/4 lengths at 44-1 July 11. She crushed the six-furlong GIII Adirondack Stakes field by nine lengths Aug. 4 at 5-2. The seven-furlong Spinaway, first run in 1881, is the final test. It drew a field of 11. Even though the Saratoga meeting has grown from 24 days over four weeks to 40 days over parts of nine weeks, it has become downright unusual for horses to complete in each of the three races. According to Equibase, in 2021, Saucy Lady T (Tonalist) was the first filly to run in all three races since 1996. She was third each time. Nineteen fillies have completed the Schuylerville-Adirondack- Spinaway series since 1976 and the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Over All in 1987 is the lone winner of all three during that stretch. L'Alezane in 1977 won the first two races, but was fourth in the Spinaway. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said that the timing of the Spinaway is right for The Queens M G, owned by C Two Racing Stable and Mathis Stable. “She's in good form, she's shown the right signs, so why not?” he said. “You don't have to do as much for her in between races. You just have to keep her training light, as far as that she had an easy breeze, and just basically continue on.” The Spinaway will be The Queens M G's fifth career start. She debuted with a win by a head in the Keeneland maiden special weight at 45-1 Apr. 7 and ended up last of seven after a rough trip in the Astoria Stakes during the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga meet in June. “We kind of feel like we are the leader right now,” Joseph said. “A lot of them may lack the experience and maybe it's more on why let them catch up? That's kind of the approach. Obviously, the filly has to be doing well or else we wouldn't be here. She's doing well, and it's a Grade I. She's coming off her best win yet. It feels like she's improved. Obviously, she ran bad in the Astoria. Then in the Schuylerville she won; didn't really expect that. Then it felt like we had her at her best going into the Adirondack and she ran like that. Hopefully, if she can repeat something similar to last time, we should have a good chance.” Pletcher Has a Squad Pointed to the BC Classic In addition to GI DraftKings Travers Stakes winner Fierceness (City of Light), Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is aiming his three older horses, Tapit Trice (Tapit), Bright Future (Curlin) and Crupi (Curlin) for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 2 at Del Mar. Bright Future, the 2023 winner, and Tapit Trice are headed to the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Sunday at Saratoga, while Crupi is scheduled to make his next start in the GII Woodward Stakes Sept. 28 at Aqueduct. Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables' Bright Future made his 2024 debut June 15 with a win in the GIII Salvator Mile Stakes at Monmouth Park. He was never a factor while finishing eighth in the GI Whitney Stakes Aug. 3. “He didn't fire in the Whitney,” Pletcher said. “The track was sealed for the race, and [jockey] Javier [Castellano] said he didn't feel like that he ever got a hold of it at any stage.” Bright Future, who breezed a half-mile in :49.23 (29/94) Sunday, emerged as a serious stakes runner in last year's Jockey Club Gold Cup. He was sixth in the Classic and was away from the races until the Salvator Mile. Pletcher said that Bright Future worked in blinkers and will wear them in the Gold Cup with the goal of keeping him more focused. Tapit Trice, co-owned by Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable, returned from a long break in competition, his 2023 season ended in the Travers, to win the GIII Monmouth Cup by 5 1/4 lengths July 20. “I thought that was a very impressive comeback,” Pletcher said. “You're always worried running a mile and an eighth off an extended layoff like that, but he handled it really well. He's been breezing great. Looking forward to going again.” Crupi has had a solid summer, winning the GII Suburban Stakes followed by seconds in the GII Brooklyn Stakes and the Whitney. Parcells, Giddings Send Mel's Baby Sister Into Retirement A few days after Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) was euthanized following a catastrophic breakdown at Saratoga in the 2023 GI Test Stakes, trainer Melanie Giddings moved the 2-year-old filly Mel's Baby Sister (Cross Traffic) into her vacant stall. Though they were both grays by the same sire with similar names owned by Bill Parcells's August Dawn Stable and had comparable personalities, they were not related. Yet they were connected. A few days ago, Giddings announced that the decision had been made to retire Mel's Baby Sister and moved her to ReRun, which handles Thoroughbred adoption and aftercare. Giddings said that Mel's Baby Sister, who won one of five starts, played a role in the recovery from the tragedy. “I think she helped all of us,” Giddings said. “It was just kind of a lot of things. We all made fun of the name, then it just kind of felt like it was fitting. She had a lot of fans rooting for her for the same reasons that we were. It was pretty big day when she did break her maiden. I don't think I've ever had so many calls and texts. People that were just so excited and kind of felt good about it.” Giddings said that she and Parcells concluded that the filly could not compete in allowance company and did not want to drop her. “We always want the best future for all of them,” Giddings said. “A big thing with the racing game in general is, if your talent level is, you know, here, you've got to go to the claiming level. He just didn't want to see her go down that road. Not to say in the claiming game that horses always end up somewhere bad, or anything like that, but she was ours.” Giddings said she thought about trying her on turf, but that it was getting a little too late in the year to make the switch. “I was like, she's healthy and happy right now,” Giddings said. “There's no saying if I ran her one more time, that something couldn't happen, because it's racing. Anything can happen any day. Instead of risking that, I said, 'What about retirement?' and Bill was more than happy to do that. He thrives on his horses doing well outside of here.” The post Saratoga Notebook, Sponsored by NYRA Bets: The Queens M G Seeks Spa Hat Trick appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New York-bred The Big Torpedo will look to sink five open stakes rivals Aug. 30 in the $175,000 Saranac Stakes (G3T) when racing 1 1/16 miles on grass at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Believe it or not, it was just three years ago this month–a mere 36 months ago–that Gun Runner got his first stakes winner as a sire. The Three Chimneys stallion shot to the top so quickly and has such a long list of elite performers that no one would be blamed for mistaking his tenure as far longer. To refresh all of our memories, that initial stakes winner for Gun Runner was a graded winner, as Pappacap won the GII Best Pal Stakes, only to be followed up the next day with Wicked Halo winning the GII Adirondack Stakes on the opposite coast. Although a remarkable start, it turns out Gun Runner was just warming up, as a month later, he got a Grade I weekend double with Echo Zulu in the Spinaway Stakes and Gunite in the Hopeful Stakes. He hasn't taken a deep breath since. “He was the model of consistency as a racehorse and it's exciting that we're seeing the same now for him as a sire,” said Three Chimneys Farm's Director of Stallion Nominations Rebecca Nicholson. “He's already been the sire of ten Grade I winners with his oldest runners being just five.” Few stallions have had an initial three years like the first three Gun Runner years. In 36 months, with his first three crops, he has a mind-boggling 33 black-type winners (an average of almost one per month!). His 24 graded winners include one Eclipse champion and 10 Grade I winners. Ten Grade I winners would be an excellent career for the majority of stallions. It's so exceptional it bears repeating: Gun Runner has done it in his first three crops. “It's amazing how he keeps firing away with each crop,” continued Nicholson. “He's so well bred and he was a very durable racehorse with a long career. I think we've always hoped for the best, but he's exceeded every expectation.” And there were high expectations when Gun Runner retired. He was a Horse of the Year and a six-time Grade I winner by Candy Ride (Arg) out of an exceptional female family. Even so, Gun Runner's start at stud has been the stuff of dreams. Gun Runner" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/545166003?badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" frameborder="0"> It goes without saying he led first-crop sires of 2021 by a wide margin in just about every category possible. He repeated the feat as second-crop sire in 2022 and third-crop sire last year. More telling is his performance on the general sire list: he's currently third, was also third last year, and was top five in 2022. His 60 stakes performers overall contribute to the sort of heady percentages of top sires of yesteryear: 21% stakes performers to runners in those first three crops. “I think one of the things that's so special about Gun Runner is his versatility as a sire and what he's been able to accomplish so far. He can get sprinters, but also two-turn horses that are running at the highest level,” said Nicholson. “In addition, he's also suiting a wide variety of mares. “Gun Runner is a very intelligent horse and we certainly see that he's passing on that attribute to his progeny. I think he also passes along athleticism and durability along with a sound mind. We hope his progeny, like him, continue to improve with age.” Although he was precocious enough to win his first two starts at two and captured his first Grade I at three, in addition to placing in the GI Kentucky Derby, GI Travers Stakes, and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, it was at four that Gun Runner honed his Hall of Fame career. His only loss that year was a second in Arrogate's otherworldly G1 Dubai World Cup Win. Gun Runner cleaned up just about everything else, culminating with victories in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic and GI Pegasus World Cup. “A large part of Gun Runner's success should be credited to co-owners Ron Winchell and Three Chimneys's Goncalo Torrealba, who have supported the stallion strongly since his retirement at stud,” said Nicholson. “Together, they have bred or campaigned four of his Grade I winners and numerous stakes winners; not to mention Steve Asmussen, who trained Gun Runner and has done a tremendous job placing and developing many of his top progeny. “He was a horse that really just continued to excel at he got older. He was the model of consistency as a race horse.” The same could be said for Gun Runner as a sire. The 11-year-old had his stamp all over last Saturday, with six stakes performers on the board. At Saratoga, Society won the GI Ballerina Handicap, while Vahva finished third in the same race. Gun Pilot was second in the GI Forego Stakes; Sierra Leone finished third in the GI Travers Stakes. Gun Song, already a graded winner this year like Vahva, Gun Pilot, and Sierra Leone, captured the Cathryn Sophia Stakes at Parx while Wonder Ride was third. As icing on the cake, Don Alberto homebred Senza Parole kicked off the party Friday as a new 'TDN Rising Star' off a wildly impressive Spa debut. She was Gun Runner's 14th 'Rising Star'. “Senza Parole got a 94 Beyer, which is the highest 2-year-old Beyer by a filly this year,” said Nicholson. “The exciting thing is this current crop of 2-year-olds was from his cheapest year at stud, bred in 2021 on $50,000 stud fee.” Gun Runner entered stud in 2018, immediately following that Pegasus win, for $70,000, which was his advertised fee for his first three years. And then, like the majority of stallions, his fee was discounted for his fourth year as breeders waited to see how that first crop did at the races. The rest, as they say, is history. He was advertised at $125,000 on the heels of his first juveniles, which included a champion and Breeders' Cup winner in Echo Zulu, and has been private ever since. “He can really do it all as a sire,” said Nicholson. “He fits such a wide variety of mares. As his offspring are showing what he can do, he's attracting those top-class mares. I believe he's going to nick very well with those good Into Mischief, Curlin, and Justify fillies running now. “We're really seeing a lot of different nicks that work for Gun Runner. [Recent GII Amsterdam Stakes winner] World Record is out of an Exceed And Excel (Aus) mare. We've seen him work with Tiznow, Malibu Moon, Scat Daddy, Indian Charlie, Harlan's Holiday, Street Cry (Ire). He's really proving to be versatile.” Nicholson said Gun Runner bred 200 mares this year, “a nice, healthy number.” She said he bred around 170 mares each of his first two years at stud and went up to 248 for 2022. Society wins Saturday's Ballerina, her second GI score | Sarah Andrew A significant number of Gun Runner's yearlings have gone through the sales ring, with the headliner being Sierra Leone, who topped the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale for $2.3 million. A total of 251 yearlings by the Hall of Famer have sold for a gross of more than $90 million. That's an average of nearly $360,000, currently the highest among all active stallions in North America. “We're really excited about his yearling crop this year,” said Nicholson. “Gun Runner is coming off a strong sale at Saratoga, where three yearlings sold for $1.5 million or more.” Is it any wonder his yearlings sell so well? Gun Runner leads all North American sires this year by individual Grade I winners with four. He's got nine individual graded winners in 2024, second only to Into Mischief. He leads all U.S. stallions in 2024 by AEI (average-earnings index) and is currently second by CI (comparable index). A stallion doesn't reach those heights without the physical to match. “He stands at 16.1, a very well-balanced, athletic horse,” said Nicholson. “I think one of the most notable things about him is his stride, his walk. He has a big, loose walk on him and it's one of those traits you see passed on to his yearlings. He moves like a panther.” The post Saturday Sires: Gun Runner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

7th-SAR, $100k, Msw, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 4;28 p.m. ET WHEELHOUSE (Tapit) was knocked down to Steve Young for $600,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale and makes a belated first trip to the races for Harrell Ventures and Gainesway. The March-foaled chestnut is a son of Lady Pewitt (Orientate), whose daughter Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) won the 2018 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies en route to an Eclipse Award, and whose multiple stakes-winning daughter Danzatrice (Dunkirk), the dam of Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit). This is the extended female family of MGSW/MGISP sire Mission Impazible (Unbridled's Song). TJCIS PPs 11th-KD, $170k, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, post time: 6:55 p.m. ET MAJOR MISCHIEF (Into Mischief) looks to become the first winner out of his dam Conquest (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), an unplaced daughter of English highweight and dual Group 1 winner Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who was purchased by Erdenheim Farm for $1.25 million in foal to Justify at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale. Among Lillie Langtry's six winners is 2016 G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas and G1 Investec Oaks winner Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})–the dam of 2023 G1 National Stakes hero Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}); fellow Oaks and 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})); 2021 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas victress Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); GSW Kissed By Angels (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); and the dam of this year's G3 Give Thanks Stakes runner-up Mother Nature (Ire) (Justify). TJCIS PPs The post Well-Related Tapit Colt Gets Going At the Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The public may have given up on Fierceness (City of Light) before the GI DraftKings Travers S., sending last year's 2-year-old champion off at 7-2. It was all about his inability to string together two good races. But owner Mike Repole remained confident and that confidence was rewarded in the Travers in a victory that put his homebred squarely in the mix for Horse of the Year. To talk about Fierceness, and also his desire to make changes in the sport through his National Thoroughbred Alliance, Repole joined this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast, presented by Keeneland. He was the Green Group Guest of the Week. “I've been around this game a long time and we know there's a lot more lows than there are highs,” Repole said. “So anytime you're having a high in this game, it's easy to feel better about having lows. I really feel great for Todd [Pletcher] who really puts a lot of effort into every horse. He's been around for over 25 years. I've joked with him that he's going to go down in history as the trainer who got Fierceness beat three times. That's going to be his legacy. But he did an amazing job and the horse ran super.” Repole realizes that in the Travers it took a super effort to beat a super filly in Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna). “One of the biggest compliments I could have given to Kenny McPeek was this…I said to him, 'Please keep this filly with the girls. I don't want to do this again.' I don't want to face her anymore. I mean, she ran an amazing race,” Repole said. Repole has frequently discussed his frustrations with the sport. He is so bent on making changes that he created the National Thoroughbred Alliance (NTA). It is his way of having an even louder voice. One of the first issues the NTA has tackled is the aftercare situation. Repole believes that there should be a funding mechanism in place in which all Thoroughbreds are guaranteed a good home after their racing careers end. “I think we're making a lot more progress than people think,” he said. “First of all, there's more talk over the last 10 months than there's ever been. Many people agree with what I've been saying. The only negative feedback I get is that they don't like my style. And, you know what? Other styles haven't worked for 40 years. If you can show me a style that works…that if you just come in and you hold hands and you sing Kumbaya, and that works, then I'd do it. This is a game where 90% of the people want changes, but not when it comes to something they're doing. This sport has become pretty selfish. I have to look myself in the mirror. If I want to be in this game three years, five years, 10 years, 25 years from now, I have to feel good about the sport that I'm in. And right now I don't feel good about things like horse aftercare. I don't feel good about 2-year-old sales. I don't feel good about how the sport is undermined by people on the inside. I don't feel good about the committees that are making the calls. I don't feel good about the selfishness. I've been in the game for 20 years and I love winning races. To me, though, it's more important over the next five years that I have a lead role in helping change the game for the better for the next 25 years.” Repole noted that the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance tries to get by on a budget of $3.5 million and said that is woefully inadequate. In our breeding spotlight section, we took a look at the WinStar stallion Independence Hall. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, WinStar, XBTV.com, McCauleys Feeds, and Stonestreet Farm, the team of Randy Moss and Bill Finley took a detailed look at the Travers, with both in agreement that it was one of those rare races that actually lived up to the hype. They also looked back at the other four Grade I races on the Saturday card at Saratoga and the GII Pat O'Brien S. at Del Mar. Finley and Moss also discussed the Kentucky Downs phenomenon, where purses have reached levels that used to be unthinkable, and the upcoming appearance by Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) in the GI Pacific Classic S. Click for the podcast video or audio only. The post Mike Repole Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When Moyfinn Stud's Paul Giles sold a Galileo Gold (GB) colt [lot 318] for £68,000 during the second day of the Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale, it was said to be the most money he'd ever received for a horse in his life. So, what was Giles thinking just a short time later when his three-parts brother to last week's G2 Gimcrack Stakes winner Cool Hoof Luke (GB) sold to Amanda Skiffington for £350,000, the third highest price in the sale's history? “That sort of money was what I dreamed of, it's not what I expected–you have to pinch yourself a bit,” the County Meath native summed up. “I've been in horses all of my life in one way or another and I've never had anything like that. As a matter of fact, the price I got for the other horse before was the biggest price I'd ever got in my life.” “It's been a good day's business,” Giles added in understated fashion, still basking in the glory of a result which would never have happened had he not bought the Dutch Art (GB) mare Dutch Monument (GB) for just 15,000gns at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. At the time of the sale Dutch Monument was carrying the Tasleet (GB) colt who on Wednesday prowled around the Doncaster sales ring as lot 334, while the son of Advertise (GB) who gave the pedigree the ultimate update around 45 miles north of here last week was still four months shy of his first birthday. Telling the story of how he came to buy Dutch Monument, Giles said, “I was in Newmarket and I was looking for a mare for my two nephews and maybe myself. I was looking for three days but everything we picked out went out of our reach. “This mare caught my eye when she was coming around the parade ring and then she caught my eye again, so I asked the boys what they thought. We took her out, had a look, and asked what the reserve was. Thankfully, she fell within budget–it was just a stroke of luck.” Skiffington was also counting her lucky stars after seeing off the attentions of two buyers who have been prolific at Doncaster this week. Highflyer's Anthony Bromley helped to set a brisk early tempo, but it was Oliver St Lawrence who provided the stiffest resistance before crying enough when the bidding reached £350,000. “It was horrible,” Skiffington said of the battle, scarcely able to hide her affection for the colt who will carry Fiona Carmichael's familiar purple and green-starred silks when he makes it to the racecourse, although who will train him is yet to be confirmed. “He's just a lovely individual and he's got the pedigree, too. I happen to love Dutch Art mares. There was a lot I really liked about him. I loved the horse and my whole team loved him. We hoped he'd be a bit less, but with that upgrade last week he was never going to be cheap.” Dutch Monument herself is out of Lovina (Ity) (Love The Groom), who was placed at Listed level in Italy and has produced four black-type performers in the land of her birth, including the Italian 1,000 Guineas heroine Lokaloka (GB) (Pursuit Of Love {GB}). Fireworks at #GoffsPremier as Lot 334, the Moyfinn Stud consigned Tasleet half-brother to G2 Gimcrack winner COOL HOOF LUKE, is knocked down to Amanda Skiffington for £350,000 The highest price of the sale so far…#TalentSpotting | #DonnyRockets pic.twitter.com/3IZFGTQbJG — Goffs UK (@GoffsUK) August 28, 2024 With 27 horses selling for £100,000 or more, the demand for the top bracket horses at Goffs remained strong. However, a 82% clearance rate followed by a 8% dip in the aggregate to £14,972,500 illustrated the difficulties at the middle to lower tiers. The average also fell by 14% to £39,610 and the median by the same percentage to £30,000. Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent commented, “We're perfectly satisfied with the trade that we've witnessed across two solid days at the Premier Sale. The car parks have been full since Sunday morning and there was plenty of traffic through the yards in advance of the sale, so we were hopeful of a good trade but there was an understandable nervousness before we started. However, the nerves were quickly settled when the sale started strongly and it has continued in a similar vein from start to finish, which was a pleasant surprise for vendors, purchasers, and the sales company representatives! “The top of the market was particularly strong with 27 horses selling for £100,000 or more whilst four yearlings sold for more than last year's top price of £200,000, with the £350,000 top price being the third highest in the sale's history – a fantastic result for the Moyfinn Stud team.” He added, “Whilst we are proud of the 82% clearance rate, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the continued selectivity within the market, and this was evidenced by some yearlings who didn't 'tick all the boxes' being sold for a price which would have been unimaginable in the past. However, when you consider that there are a huge number of factors that determine the success of a sale, many of which are out of our control, I think we will look back on Premier at the end of the sales season and reflect on a very satisfactory two days in Doncaster. “Buyers this week are all eligible for Harry's Half Million, which was run for the first time at York last week and had a prize fund of over £625,000. It has been great to hear so many people saying that they are buying with next year's race in mind and we look forward to seeing these horses on the racecourse whilst more immediately, we will work towards the Goffs Orby Sale on 1 – 4 October which contains the only qualifiers for the Goffs Million plus the €1,000,000 worth of bonuses available to graduates of this sale. See you there!” Starman Plays A Star Role Yearlings by Starman (GB) certainly caught the imagination. Lot 252 became the first six-figure yearling of the day when the colt sold to Richard and Peter Fahey for £105,000. He also achieved the notable feat of being the first yearling by Starman to sell for a six-figure sum at public auction, setting the path for what came later in the day when two more followed, including another colt by the July Cup winner who was knocked down to Oliver St Lawrence on behalf of Bahraini buyers for £220,000. Of the 27 yearlings by Starman offered at the sale, 25 were sold at an average of £52,360 and an aggregate of £1,309,000. Out of the five highest-priced lots, he was responsible for two of them. Lot 458, the most expensive of his bunch, was consigned by Monksland Stables and is out of an unraced half-sister to Queen Supreme (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), a multiple Group 1 winner in South Africa. His two-year-old half-brother, Assertively (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), finished fourth in a Group 3 at Baden-Baden earlier in the afternoon. “He stood out for us as the colt we wanted today,” said St Lawrence after he'd trumped the competition with a late bid, causing a one-word expletive from Ed Sackville to be aimed in his direction during the post-sale media debrief. “I know we bid more for the Tasleet, but this one was a lovely-moving colt and the two-year-old ran well today. Archie Watson went to see him and I think Archie will get him, although I'm not promising anything!” “There are some nice ones around,” he added of the Starman yearlings he'd seen over the course of a few days in South Yorkshire. “They're quite big–some of them look very big for Doncaster. Doncaster traditionally has a lot of small horses. “We'll see. We're obviously taking a risk on Starman being a good stallion, but there are definitely some nice ones around.” That view was shared by Daniel Creighton, who struck at £185,000 for a filly out of the G3 Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes runner-up Lady Aria (GB) (Kodiac {GB}). She was consigned by Tally-Ho Stud who stand the first-season sire. “I've been impressed with the Starmans that I've seen but she stood out,” Creighton said of lot 416. “She goes to Karl Burke and has been bought for Ryan Kent. We came here to try and buy a horse for Royal Ascot for next year and she ticked a lot of the boxes on her pedigree. It's a very fast family with loads of two-year-olds in it.” “I got beaten by the Big Mojo man on the Showcasing, but I was saving a bit back because I really liked this filly,” he added when reflecting on a near-miss earlier in the day. “We'll find out next year if it pays off!” Quirke's Got His Mojo Conor Quirke was the “Big Mojo man” in question and lot 316 was the Showcasing (GB) colt on whom Creighton had to settle for the role of underbidder. Offered by Whitsbury Manor Stud, he is the third foal out of the Listed-placed mare Dancing Warrior (GB) (War Command). Creighton, positioned on the balcony opposite the rostrum with Karl Burke for company, pushed Quirke all the way but a bid of £140,000 was enough to secure the colt for the RP Racing team which has enjoyed notable success with the Breeders' Cup winner Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), as well as last month's G3 Molecomb Stakes scorer Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}). “The sire is very much proven, but he's not flavour of the month, per se,” said Quirke. “I didn't think he'd cost that much, but he was the nicest horse in the sale, in my opinion. “We were in good company. Karl Burke was the underbidder and he knows a good Showcasing when he sees one. At the end of the day when you go from 100 grand to 140 grand, is there that much difference? The owner wasn't going to lose over five grand and we were very happy with the result and to get a nice horse.” He continued, “With Big Evs retiring it's great to have a horse to fill his boots and, if Big Mojo goes full circle and does the same as Big Evs, then we'll need one of these two-year-olds to step up next year.” Incidentally, this colt was one of two yearlings by Showcasing to make six figures at the sale, with Oliver St Lawrence also going to £130,000 for a filly [lot 357] offered by the National Stud, on behalf of Sally Nicholls. It was certainly an afternoon's work well done by the National Stud and Nicholls. Just a few lots earlier they'd teamed up to sell a Havana Grey (GB) colt [lot 349] who made £100,000 on the bid of Richard Hughes. Eco-Power Ramping Up Its Involvement In Racing You might have called home a winner or two in the Eco-Power Stand at Doncaster Racecourse at some stage, but you might not be aware that those involved with the locally-based waste management company are quietly starting to get seriously involved in racehorse ownership through their Eco-Power Racing enterprise. Two-year-old filly Royalty Bay (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), runner-up in July's G3 Prix Six Perfections at Deauville, is perhaps the most talented performer to have carried their green and yellow silks to date, one of eight individual runners for the team this year spread between the Malton yards of John and Sean Quinn and Seb Spencer. During yesterday's session John Kilbride added three fillies to the Eco-Power Racing ranks for a total of £138,000, but things stepped up a gear on Wednesday with the purchase of two six-figure colts. Lot 307, a Blue Point (Ire) from Tally-Ho Stud, was the first recruit at £125,000, before that fee was trumped by the £140,000 paid for lot 382, a son of Havana Grey (GB) offered by Whatton Manor Stud on behalf of Denniff Farms. “We're trying to populate our stable with good horses to run on the big days next year,” Kilbride said of the team's approach. “Quality is the key. It's very much a new operation, learning as it goes along. There have been teething problems, possibly, but we want to be around forever, we want longevity, and we're trying to do it the right way.” The breeders of the Havana Grey colt certainly know a thing or two about longevity and the result was an emotional one for Fiona Denniff, who needed husband Mick to do most of the talking afterwards as she blinked back the tears. “We knew he was a very, very nice horse,” Mick summed up. “You can see from Fiona's reaction that we're more than happy with that. It's fantastic because we've had quite a difficult year. We'd prefer not to talk about that.” “The family has just been so good to us,” Fiona was eventually able to muster. “I bought Hill Welcome here for £3,000. She's a star and she's retired at home–she's still there at 26.” This colt's dam, Guarded Secret (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) retired as a four-race maiden, but she's a half-sister to three black-type performers out of Fiona's beloved Hill Welcome, including Mary Read (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and Tiana (GB) (Diktat {GB}), both of whom were placed at Listed level. Mary Read is in turn the second dam of the high-class sprinter Kachy (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), while Tiana has produced four black-type performers, headed by the multiple Group 2 winner Beat The Bank (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}). Talking points Highflyer Bloodstock's Anthony Bromley and Classic-winning owner Phil Cunningham recorded a perfect 10 and ended the sale as the leading buyers. They spent a total of £1,010,000 on 10 yearlings over the course of the two days. The most expensive of the four added on Wednesday was the Night Of Thunder (Ire) colt who fetched £150,000 when going through the ring as lot 398. Consigned by Barton Stud, he is out of a half-sister to the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Poet's Word (Ire), as well as the dual Group 3 scorer Malabar (GB) (Raven's Pass), who in turn is the dam of the G2 Hungerford Stakes victor Tiber Flow (Ire) (Caravaggio). There's no getting away from the fact we are living in an era of high fashion, which is why seeing the Tasleet colt topping the charts at £350,000 was extra cool. Nothing against your Havana Greys and Mehmases of this world, but there was something refreshing about seeing Tasleet, who now stands in India, doing the business with a big result. Granted, lot 334 benefited from a timely pedigree update, but Tasleet proved he can come up with a good one in Bradsell yet he was deemed surplus to requirements in Europe. It's the sort of result that can remind the folly of this business at times. Speaking of Mehmas and Havana Grey, their stock has never been higher. Mehmas cleared £1,164,000 for 16 yearlings sold while Havana Grey netted £1,033,000 for the same number of yearlings sold throughout the two days. You've got to hand it to Tally-Ho Stud, the operation is to Doncaster what Manchester City is to the Premier League; dominant. The O'Callaghan family sold 25 horses for a cool £1,610,000 this week. That follows on from £1,513,000 for 26 yearlings at this sale last year. But perhaps most pleasing, from a Tally-Ho point of view, was the performance of Starman. Just like at the V2 session of the August Sale at Arqana, some of the key figures took a dip at the Premier Yearling Sale, which was hardly surprising. A total of 27 horses clearing six figures would suggest that the top remains as strong, if not stronger, than ever. However, an 82% clearance rate along with a substantial drop in the aggregate, average and median, would suggest that the middle to lower tiers will remain tricky over the coming months. Buy of the day Tom Dascombe knows a thing or two about training two-year-olds and few would bet against him doing well with lot 336, a £50,000 Starman filly, who he purchased alongside Ed Sackville from Tally-Ho Stud. A sweet-looking filly who walks well and boasts plenty of action, she should have no trouble hitting the track next year. Given the progeny of Starman averaged a £67,308, Dascombe and Sackville can feel they got a bit of value. Thought for the day Another auctioneer-themed thought for Wednesday…..You've got to hand it to the team at Goffs, they did not hang about over the past two days. There were times on Tuesday and Wednesday where Henry Beeby and his fellow auctioneers became visibly annoyed by the pace things were moving at and they did their level best to hurry things along. In fact, there were one or two occasions where the selling had started when some of the yearlings hadn't even arrived into the ring! Compare that to Arqana last week where, when the sale hit a patchy part, some of the auctioneers' reactions were to slow the pace. Did it result in an upsurge in trade? No. We may never match the American sales houses for the speed at which business is conducted but hats off to Goffs for making a concerted effort. It can only be a benefit to everyone. The post Paul Giles Pinching Himself after Sibling to Gimcrack Hero Sells for 350k at Goffs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Shortly after the $3.1 million Nashville Derby Invitational (G3T) Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs, the emphasis turns to the equine ladies with two races worth up to $1.5 million apiece for fillies and mares on the grass.View the full article

With Kentucky Downs set to give away $3.1 million, the Aug. 31 Nashville Derby Invitational (G3T) drew an overflow field of 14 whose connections want in on a cut of that massive prize.View the full article

Swift Delivery's trainer, Mark Casse, a winner of more than 3,800 career races, is thrilled to have Travis Kelce, a three-time Super Bowl champion, join the Thoroughbred ownership ranks as a Team Valor International partner in the talented horse.View the full article

This year, a record $37 million in purses could be paid out over the seven-day all-turf meet at Kentucky Downs. The Franklin, Ky., track will hold 19 stakes, nine of them graded, across the European-style turf course.View the full article

For the last several years, Kentucky Downs has been the track that had almost everything. Big fields, huge purses and a betting handle that increases exponentially every year. But one thing has largely been missing–European shippers. Despite an all-turf meet, the purses and the fact that Kentucky Downs is much like a European turf course, the meet hadn't really registered with European horsemen. That has changed. According to Martin Panza, the co-director of racing at Kentucky Downs, which kicks off its annual seven-day meet Thursday, as many as 16 European-based horses will appear in the entries during the meet. Two will take part in Saturday's GIII Nashville Derby, which is worth a a staggering $3.1 million. Joseph O'Brien will be represented by Stromberg (GB) (Ifraaj {GB}) and Andrew Balding will be represented by Bellum Justum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Sea The Thunder (GB) Kingman {GB}) will also be making his first start outside of Europe, but has been turned over to American-based trainer Cherie DeVaux. The list of European trainers set to take part at the meet includes Aidan O'Brien. Kentucky Downs management had been working overtime to try to get more participation from the Europeans and that is starting to pay off. “[Track owners] Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone wanted to try to get more Europeans to improve the racing and work on the brand,” Panza said. “We hired the International Racing Bureau [IRB] to help us. I have worked with Adrian Beaumont from the IRB for 35 years, going back to my days at Hollywood Park. Ron and Mark made a commitment to get some Europeans here. About three or four months ago, I started going back and forth with Adrian. We started emailing and talking to trainers to let them know about the racing here. It's gone pretty well and we have raised interest in Europe. We have turf races here on an undulating turf course and that's a plus. Any time you inject races into the calendar, it takes some time for them to catch on, especially in Europe, where they're used to going in certain races. They're trying to get to the Arc or some other big races and there's normally a pattern in Europe on how to get there. We just needed to let them know what's going on here and educate them. We let them know we have these opportunities here in late August and early September. You can run in our races and still make Arc Day or the British Champions Day in October. They have a lot of money here and they want to make racing as good as they can. Why not bring in European horses?” Total purses at the meet are $37 million, of which about $15 million is from the Kentucky Thoroughbred and Development Fund. That means that non-Kentucky breds run for less money, but the purses are still so big that even if only 50% of the pot is available to a non-Kentucky bred, the resulting purse is usually still better than anything typically offered at this time of year in Europe. One European trainer who will not have to worry about the smaller purses is the Irish-based trainer Michael O'Callaghan. He has brought over Kentucky-bred Black Forza (Complexity) for the $750,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint. The horse won the G2 Richmond S. at Goodwood in his last outing. “We came basically for the purse,” O'Callaghan said. “These purses are hard to ignore. We have a Kentucky-bred, so he's running for the full purse. We have a high-caliber horse that can participate and should have a good shot to win. I've had my eye on Kentucky Downs for a while. Even if you don't have a Kentucky-bred and are running for 50% of the purse, the money is still too much to ignore. This meet needs to be supported. A lot of the jurisdictions in Europe think people will continue to support their races purely because of the tradition some have. They have to realize that horse racing is an expensive game and people are willing to travel when there is good prize money available. We've come a long way to compete in this race, but it was an easy decision. “I think you'll see more coming. A lot of it will come down to how successful the Europan horses do there. When Ancient Rome came over last year and won [in the GIII Mint Millions S.], that didn't go unnoticed. If Europeans do well they'll support the meet even more in the future. If you have a European horse that likes fast ground, this is the place to come to. Even if they are not a Kentucky-bred and run for half the prize money, that's still better than anything we have in Europe. It's been slow to catch on, but I think that's going to change.” The opening-day card consists of 11 races and, including the also-eligibles, 148 horses have been entered. The feature race is the $500,000 Tapit Stakes. The big money will really start to roll in on Saturday, when there will be 11 races that have attracted 165 entries. There are three stakes on the card worth a total of $6.1 million. With its $3.1-million purse, the Nashville Derby is the richest race run in Kentucky after the GI Kentucky Derby. It is also the biggest purse offered in the U.S. after the Derby and the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. There will be seven races at the meet worth at least $2 million and eight more with purses of at least $1 million. Tyler Gaffalione was the leading rider last year with 12 wins. Trainer Mike Maker has traditionally dominated the meet and has won 84 races there going back to 2005. But Maker was cold last year, winning only five races. Brendan Walsh was last year's leading trainer with eight wins. After this Thursday and Saturday, Kentucky Downs will have five more dates, Sept. 1, Sept. 5, Sept. 7, Sept. 8, and Sept. 11. The Sept. 7 program will feature six stakes, all worth $2 million. There are seven races at the meet worth at least $2 million and eight more with purses of at least $1 million. The post Kentucky Downs Adds New Wrinkle to the Meet, European Shippers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

2nd-Thistledown, $33,900, (S), Msw, 8-28, 2yo, 6f, 1:11.64, my, 13 lengths. SUPERWOLF (g, 2, Instagrand–Sunshineandsilence, by Speightstown) debuted in the local Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes Aug. 10 and argued the pace through the middle furlongs before settling for a promising runner-up effort. Accordingly off at 1-20 against maidens this time around, the Marion Gorham runner sprinted clear under a good hold to lead after a furlong and never truly took a deep breath under hands-and-heels encouragement in decimating his rivals by a baker's dozen in good time. The ninth winner for his freshman sire (by Into Mischief), the Ohio-bred is a maternal grandson of Slew Deputy (French Deputy), a full-sister to Grade I winner Mayo on the Side, herself the dam of MGSW/MGISP Midcourt (Midnight Lute), SW French Dip (Speightstown) and SP Havana Dream (Quality Road). Superwolf is the last live produce from his dam. Lifetime Record: SP, 2-1-1-0, $40,340. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Marion F Gorham; B-Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm LLC (OH); T-Robert M Gorham. The post Stakes-Placed Superwolf An Eighth Winner For Freshman Instagrand appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After making the long journey from his Japanese base, Group 3 winner Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) arrived in Chantilly Aug. 27 ahead of an intended engagement in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at on Oct. 6. The 3-year-old will use Chantilly as his training base ahead of ParisLongchamp's marquee race. Victorious in last season's G3 Kyoto Nisai Stakes, he was runner-up in the G1 Hopeful Stakes. This season, he finished second in the G2 Deep Impact Kinen at Nakayama on Mar. 3 and third in the G1 Japanese Derby May 26. Out of the prolific Starlet's Sister, Shin Emperor is a full sibling to French champion route horse and 2020 Arc hero Sottsass (Fr) and a half-brother to US champion turf mare Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}). The post Shin Emperor Arrives in Chantilly Ahead of Arc Tilt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Third in a decent novice at Sandown last month, Wathnan Racing's 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 purchase Dunamase (Ire) (Kingman {GB}—Turret Rocks {Ire}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was off the mark at the second time of asking in the mile novice contest at Kempton on Wednesday evening. Prominent from the outset under James Doyle, the John and Thady Gosden-trained 8-11 favourite was in front approaching two out and stayed on to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Prince Of The Seas (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The winner is a full-brother to the G3 Jersey Stakes winner Age Of Kings (Ire), with the dam being the G2 May Hill Stakes winner. https://x.com/RacingTV/status/1828840879781499027/video/1 The post Wathnan’s Brother To Age Of Kings Off The Mark At Kempton appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Kentucky Downs, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Thursday at Saratoga and for the first of six days of racing at Kentucky Downs: Thursday, August 29, 2024 Saratoga 1, $80k, 2yo, (R), 5 1/2fT, 1:10 p.m. Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Papa's Nico Boy (Blame), OBSAPR, 14,000, :10 2/5 C-RiceHorse Stable (Brandon & Ali Rice); B-Danny Chen Resistance Futile (Thousand Words), FTMMAY, 47,000, :10 2/5 C-Tom McCrocklin, agent; B-Bruce Brown, agent KY Downs 1, $170k, 2yo, f, 6 1/2fT, 1:25 p.m. ET Exington (Hard Spun), OBSAPR, 155,000, :10 C-Harris Training Center LLC; B-EMCEE Stable, C Blumberg, agt Giggle Giggle (Practical Joke), OBSAPR, 270,000, :10 1/5 C-de Meric Sales, agent; B-Exline-Border Racing, M Farrell, agt Rhaenys (Higher Power), OBSJUN, 120,000, :10 1/5 C-30-30 Ranch, agent; B-Lets Go D Stable KY Downs 5, $170k, 2yo, f, 6 1/2fT, 3:34 p.m. ET Bembridge Ledge (English Channel)-AE, OBSJUN, 45,000, G C-Boutte Sales, agent; B-Three Diamonds Farm LLC Dreaming of Lilies (Global Campaign), FTMMAY, 100,000, :10 3/5 C-Hidden Brook, agent; B-Jason Richey Mechaya (Liam's Map), OBSMAR, 150,000, :10 C-Halcyon Hammock Farm, agent; B-James DiVito, agent The post Summer Breezes, Sponsored By OBS: August 29, 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A 5-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo, Adare Manor has never faced males nor raced as far as 1 1/4 miles, and she could become the second distaff winner of the Pacific Classic, following Beholder.View the full article

Shortly after the $3.1 million Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes (G3T) Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs, the emphasis turns to the equine ladies with two races worth up to $1.5 million apiece for fillies and mares on the grass.View the full article

Canada's bountiful contribution to the breed is smartly illustrated in a snew book published by the country's Jockey Club. "50 of the Finest," as it is named, updates and expands on a celebration of the country's champions.View the full article

The National Hockey League's Stanley Cup–one of the most celebrated trophies in sports–will travel to Saratoga Race Course Aug. 31. Fans of hockey and horse racing will have an opportunity to take photos with the Stanley Cup at no charge when it is on display from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Jockey Silks Porch. Awarded annually to the National Hockey League's championship team, the Stanley Cup currently resides with the Florida Panthers, whose principal owner is Vinnie Viola of St. Elias Stable. “We are grateful to Vinnie Viola for bringing the iconic Stanley Cup to Saratoga Race Course, an appropriate setting where champions compete every summer,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O'Rourke. “We know our fans will enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to take photos with the Cup, and we thank the Florida Panthers organization for allowing us to share in the celebration of their success.” Saturday's 13-race card at Saratoga will feature a special first post of 12:05 p.m. with admission gates opening at 10:30 a.m. The post Saratoga to Host Stanley Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article