Wandering Eyes

The nearly 6 1/2-furlong Tapeta training track at Santa Anita Park is being considered for racing in 2025 as an off-the-grass or wet-weather option. Nate Newby, the track's general manager, disclosed the work-in-progress plan after being prompted for an update on the nearly six-month-old surface by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) during Thursday's monthly meeting. “Horsemen have been working over it for a couple months,” Newby said. “Feedback is really strong. As Tapeta personnel would tell us, those tracks need a little bit to break in. But feedback has just gotten stronger and stronger. So we are looking, not during the autumn meet, but maybe next year, of using it as an inclement weather option.” At 4,200 feet, the infield track that opened for training Mar. 2 is just shy of 6 1/2 furlongs in circumference. In terms of width, Newby described it as “very similar to the [60-foot] width of the Gulfstream synthetic track,” which is one mile and 70 yards around and first opened for racing in September 2021. Gulfstream's Tapeta track is between its main dirt track and turf course. Santa Anita's Tapeta track is the innermost of those three ovals. Newby said Santa Anita's Tapeta surface could accommodate two-turn races at 6 1/2, seven and 7 1/2 furlongs, plus the “about” distance of a mile. He added that cutouts are being incorporated into the inner rail to allow a starting gate to be pulled into the infield once a race starts. Gregory Ferraro, DVM, the CHRB's chairman, asked if the concept of running on a tighter track was “a little dangerous, or not?” Newby replied, “It's done at a lot of tracks. [Nationally recognized track maintenance consultant] Dennis Moore, as you know, probably has more experience than anybody in the country, and so he's come up with the plans. Again, we'll test everything before we get to that stage. It's not something we're looking at for the autumn meet.” Newby continued: “It was put in 'racing grade.' We re-did the grade. A new safety rail was put in. So everything is to racing standards, and that's something we're looking at, talking to horsemen with, if there's an off-the-turf day, would we look at that as an option to maintain field size and still be able to operate.” Newby said trial races could be a next step. “It's something we want to continue to talk to horsemen about,” Newby said. “And we'd run some trial races and let them test it. Obviously, they've been [training over] it for quite a bit. But we continue to test it with gates and bigger fields and [would want to] make sure everybody's comfortable before we did anything.” Ferraro asked Newby to check back with the CHRB before Santa Anita management decided to run any actual races over the Tapeta track. The post Santa Anita Could Use Tapeta Training Track For Races In ’25 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Iscreamuscream and shipper Whiskey Decision each are riding three-race winning streaks going into the Del Mar Oaks (G1T). 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 Ellis Park, 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 Friday at Saratoga: Friday, August 16, 2024 Sar 2, Skidmore S., $150k, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:41 p.m. Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Governor Sam (Improbable), OBSAPR, 275,000, :9 4/5 C-Wavertree Stables Inc (Ciaran Dunne), agent; B-Bregman Family Racing LLC & Ivan Cabrera Out On Bail (Tiz the Law), OBSMAR, 110,000, :10 1/5 C-Kings Equine, agent; B-Case Chambers lsuD3nK7Tmo Soontobeking (King for a Day)-MTO, OBSMAR, 80,000, :10 C-S G V T'breds (Steven Venosa), agent; B-J U Racomg Stables Spiralizer (Twirling Candy), OBSMAR, 550,000, :10 C-Eddie Woods, agent; B-Case Clay Thoroughbred Management Saratoga 7, $90k, 2yo, (S), 5 1/2fT, 4:23 p.m. ET Epitaph (Country House), FTMMAY, 15,000, :10 3/5 C-Randy Miles, agent; B-Gary Contessa, agent Son of Honor (More Than Ready), OBSAPR, 90,000, :10 C-Omar Ramirez Bloodstock; B-JC Racing Stable LLC Swift Magic (Good Samaritan), OBSMAR, 65,000, :10 1/5 C-Golden T'breds Training & Sales; B-Bona Venture Stables LLC The post Summer Breezes, Sponsored By OBS: August 16, 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Richard Mandella, a member of the Racing Hall of Fame since 2001, has been named the 20th recipient of the Laffit Pincay Jr. Award. View the full article

Classic winner You Got To Me (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is pleasing connections ahead of a run in next Thursday's G1 Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, according to trainer Ralph Beckett. The G1 Irish Oaks heroine is one of 18 still left in the York showpiece. A winner at two from a pair of starts, the Valmont and Newsells Park Stud runner won the Listed Oaks Trial Fillies' Stakes at Lingfield on May 11. Fourth-place efforts in the G1 Oaks at Epsom and the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot followed. The G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 6 and the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes later that month are also on her dancecard. Beckett told Tattersalls, “She's on good terms with herself, that much is obvious. If it went to plan and she was really competitive at York, I think her owners would be really keen on the Arc [Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe], so I think there's a good chance she'll go there or the [G1] Fillies and Mares [Stakes] on Champions Day. Those would be the two races that we would work back from.” The Breeders' Cup is also a possibility, and Beckett added, “I wouldn't rule it out, I'm not sure I think it's what we should do but I wouldn't rule it out given how she has developed.” The Sir Mark Prescott-trained Tiffany (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) will miss the Yorkshire Oaks, and is instead returning to Germany for a campaign that includes the G2 Baden Racing Stuten-Preis on Aug. 31. She scored at listed level in her 2023 finale at Hanover, and doubled up at that level at Baden-Baden in May. Tiffany hit a new career high with a 2 1/2-length victory in the G3 Hoppings Fillies' Stakes at Newcastle on the all-weather, and was second in Haydock's G2 Lancashire Oaks on July 6. Dan Downie, manager of owners Elite Racing Club, said, ” “She is not going to run next week, she is hopefully going to run back in Germany at the end of the month in a Group 2 over a mile and a half. We are happy with her and she's come out of the race fine. “So we just chucked her out for couple of weeks and she has come back in, she's back cantering and that's the plan really. “If she runs well in Germany then obviously we will have some nice options going forward, some at the Arc meeting, you could consider the race at Champions Day. If we are going to Group 1, we'd obviously want to see her win next time.” The post You Got To Me Pleasing Connections Ahead Of Yorkshire Oaks Run appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Keeneland will add 10 horses–colts by Authentic, Constitution, Into Mischief, Maclean's Music and Uncle Mo, along with fillies by Authentic, Curlin, Gun Runner and Not This Time–to Book 1 of its September Yearling Sale scheduled for Sept. 9-10, the auction house said in a release on Thursday. Opening day of the sale will include these five supplements: Hip 177, Limelight (Authentic), a colt from the family of MGISW National Treasure (Quality Road). Consigned by Bridie Harrison, agent for Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds; Hip 178, filly by Curlin who is the first foal of the winning Tiznow mare Party Line Vote. Ballysax Bloodstock, agent for Grantley Acres, is the consignor; Hip 179, daughter of Gun Runner who is a half-sister to SW Give It a Whirl (Hard Spun). The filly is consigned by Paramount Sales, agent; Hip 180, colt by Uncle Mo who is the third foal out of the War Front mare Requested, a half-sister to MGISW Pomeroy (Boundary). He is consigned by Buck Pond Farm (Douglas S. Arnold), agent; Hip 181, colt by Into Mischief who is the fourth foal out of GISW Sippican Harbor (Orb)–consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Five horses have been supplemented to Session 2 Sept. 10: Hip 367, colt by Constitution, consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for WinStar Farm Bred & Raised; Hip 368, colt by Uncle Mo, consigned by St. George Sales, agent; Hip 369, colt by Maclean's Music, consigned by Four Star Sales, agent; Hip 370, filly by Authentic, consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, agent for Willow Oaks Stable; Hip 371, filly by Not This Time, consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent. The post Keeneland Supplements 10 Horses To September Yearling Sale Book 1 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

DEAUVILLE, France–The August Yearling Sale catalogue provides a unique glimpse into the past, present and-perhaps most importantly-the future. On the cover you have last year's brilliant Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Ace Impact (Ire) alongside what bookmakers deem to be the most likely winner of this year's renewal, Look De Vega (Fr). Both colts were sold at this sale. When you turn the pages, there are over 300 yearlings who could chart a similar path. And the world knows. Not least Japan's superstar trainer Yoshito Yahagi. It was at this sale a couple of years back where Yahagi signed for the Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a full-brother to Arc winner Sottsass (Fr), at a sale-topping €2.1 million. Shin Emperor is being trained with a tilt at the Arc in mind and Yahagi is one of the many international buyers in town who is in search of the stars of tomorrow. “We bought Shin Emperor here, and he was third in the Japanese Derby, so yes, this has been a successful sale for us,” the trainer explained on the eve of the sale. “The ultimate goal for him this year is the Arc de Triomphe. Our main purpose for coming here this year is to find another Shin Emperor so we are working very hard in searching for another one.” “Generally speaking, Japanese owners think that the prices at the Select Sale in Japan are very much standard across the world. But comparing this sale to the Select Sale, there may be some bargain prices. First of all, the main thing we are seeking is speed.” Asked what particular stallions he was honing in on with a view towards a racing career in Japan, Yahagi added, “We have seen nice horses by Palace Pier (GB) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr). They are the two new ones that we have liked. Of course, there are some other top stallions there that we like, Wootton Bassett (GB) being one. Deauville is always a pleasure. I love Deauville.” Along with Yahagi, fellow Japanese-based trainers Mitsumasa Nakauchida and Kyoko Maekawa along with breeder Hirokazu Okada and agent Keisuke Onishi have made the trip to Deauville. The sales company also chartered a plane full of buyers that flew in from Saratoga on Wednesday, which was reported to have been well-attended, while a number of key industry figures were also spotted out and about inspecting stock on Thursday. This week also marks the first August Sale since the return of Olivier Delloye to the role of chairman of the management board at the sales company. Delloye succeeded the outgoing Eric Hoyeau in the role at Arqana and returned to the company he had previously spent a decade with having worked as managing director for France Galop between 2016 until last September. Asked what he was expecting for his first sale back, “A good sale that makes vendors and buyers happy. We do hope that the buyers who are coming from all over the world will find the individuals that they are looking for. I think there is plenty to offer at this sale again and hopefully the buyers will get the Group 1 winners that they are all aiming for. There are a lot of people here and there is a very good atmosphere-perfect conditions to show the horses. We are almost ready to kick off. “We have had some very positive feedback from buyers on the individuals we have presented here. There is consistency across all vendors and it is good to keep in mind all of the nice horses who went through the ring here at Arqana in the last number of years were offered by various different consignors and breeders. Of course, the big players like Monceaux and Etreham produce Group 1 winners very often, but we get really nice horses across the board-like this year's French Derby winner Look De Vega, who came from a much smaller farm [Aumonerie]. Rashabar (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), the Coventry Stakes winner at Royal Ascot, was offered by another small farm in Haras de Beaufay here last year as well. They have the half-sister here this year as well. So I think that the buyers are very much aware of that [a good horse can come from all farms] and they are looking at everything.” He added, “I have been missing it quite a lot in the last number of years. Things have not changed that much since I have left-things have just got bigger and bigger. I feel that, the most serious players, they are not here occasionally, but they are here coming to Arqana every year. It seems that the August Sale is now on everyone's agenda and the sale has hit a new standard-a new status-within people's mind.” Few people have been attending the sales in Deaville longer than respected international bloodstock agent Patrick Barbe. The 74-year-old French native had a role to play in the buying of this year's Arc favourite Look De Vega at this sale in 2022 and, while he is not approaching this week's action with unbridled optimism, insists there will be quality horses on offer to buyers as ever. Patrick Barbe: “It's an aura, even a presence, that you look for in a champion.”| Brian Sheerin “I was involved in buying Look De Vega,” he explained. “Yann Lerner is a good friend of mine and he was telling me all winter that this horse would win the French Derby. Do you know what I said back to him? Bullshit. He was right, but Look De Vega is a horse who always had great presence. He was led out unsold here a couple of years ago and I said to Yann that he needed to go down and make a private offer. That was my role.” He added, “Deauville has been very lucky for me. I am responsible for buying the only filly to win a Classic race in England from the yearling sales in Deauville and that was Natagora (Fr) (Divine Light {Jpn}). She won the Cheveley Park, the Guineas and so on. But I am 74 now-I am too old! “PP Hogan taught me everything that I know. I learned from him that the first look is most important. It is like when a beautiful woman walks into a room, you are like 'oh my God.' If you keep looking, trying to make her more beautiful, it is not the same. I think the first look, that instinctive feel that a horse gives you, is more important than the legs, the size, the pedigree. It's an aura, even a presence, that you look for in a champion. That's what PP taught me and he was an absolute legend. What a judge.” There is rightly plenty of caution in the air ahead of the European yearling sale circuit. However, some positives can be taken from Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Sale, where record aggregate, average and median figures were posted. This sale last year hit averages of €233,470, a median of €170,000 while turnover reached €55,099,000. Nobody would be unhappy if similar results were posted this week but Barbe, one of the most experienced agents in the business, was left hopeful rather than confident. He said, “In my opinion, this sale could be tricky. It is the first sale in Europe and, with the flop in the stock exchange, Japanese Yen and what is going on in the world, there is a possibility that there is not as much money going around than there was before. Okay, Saratoga was very strong, and that is a positive. And there are a lot of people here, which is another positive sign. But it will be interesting to see how it goes. One thing I always found was that there was serious value at the beginning and the end of the sales. I would always like to buy the first horse into the ring or even one of the last. Let's see if there is value this week.” The post “I Love Deauville” – Yoshito Yahagi Leads International Buyers’ Bench At Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aidan O'Brien trainee Bernard Shaw (Into Mischief–Princess Haya, by Street Cry {Ire}), a $550,000 Keeneland November foal turned $1.8-million Keeneland September yearling, backed up a June 29 debut fourth at the Curragh with a breakthrough score in Thursday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Dundalk. Lovely $1.8 million buy Bernard Shaw (Into Mischief) opens his account at the second time of asking in fine style at @DundalkStadium pic.twitter.com/wj4HmLU7O0 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 15, 2024 4th-Dundalk, €18,000, Mdn, 8-15, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:39.27, st. BERNARD SHAW (c, 2, Into Mischief–Princess Haya {GSW & GISP-Can, MSP-US, $441,736}, by Street Cry {Ire}), who shaped with promise when a June 29 debut fourth at the Curragh last time, stalked the pace in second for the most this synthetic bow. Nudged along rounding the home turn, the 1-2 favourite was not for catching once hitting the front inside the final quarter-mile and kept on strongly under continued urging in the closing stages to easily defeat for 50-1 outsider Nakatomi (Ire) (Kuroshio {Aus}) by nine lengths. “He's a smashing colt and Wayne [Lordan] gave him a lovely ride,” said Ballydoyle's Chris Armstrong. “He had a very good run the first day at the Curragh in a maiden that is working out well. He was still very green throughout the run, even once he got him straightened up, and Wayne thinks there's lots of improvement in him. He is a horse that will be able to go up in trip, handles the quick ground and is a horse with plenty of class. He is a horse to look forward to for the backend and he will be in the mix for something like the [G2] Champion Juvenile [Golden Fleece Stakes] at Leopardstown. Once the penny dropped with him, he really lengthened away in the finish. He's a nice one to have.” Bernard Shaw is the seventh of eight registered foals and fifth scorer produced by GII Canadian Stakes victrix and GI E P Taylor Stakes third Princess Haya (Street Cry {Ire}). The March-foaled dark bay is kin to stakes-winning GI La Troienne Stakes runner-up Lady Kate (Bernardini), GII Californian Stakes and GIII Affirmed Stakes placegetter Prince Of Arabia (Mineshaft), GIII Honey Fox Stakes third Princess Theorem (Nyquist) and a weanling filly by Essential Quality. Princess Haya was bred back to Into Mischief this year. Sales history: $550,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $1,800,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $12,547. O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Peter M Brant; B-Barry Becker & Judith Becker (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. The post Into Mischief’s $1.8M Keeneland September Graduate Bernard Shaw Breaks Through at Dundalk appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Mark Casse has only won the Queen's Plate/King's Plate three times, which is a little surprising when you consider how he dominates racing at Woodbine. But when 13 Canadian-breds line up for Saturday's first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown Casse will hold a clear upper hand. Among his three horses are 7-5 morning line favorite My Boy Prince (Cairo Prince) and 2-1 second choice Essex Serpent (Honor Code). He will also send out long shot Midnight Mascot (Army Mule), who is 10-1 in the line. He believes this year's cast is as good, or even better, than last year's when he finished first and second in the race with Paramount Prince (Society's Chairman) and the filly Elysian Field (Hard Spun). “Last year we were pretty strong,” he said. “We had won the Oaks and the Plate Trial, but this group is very strong. Yes, it could be the strongest hand I've ever had.” My Boy Prince went 3-for-6 last year and was named Canada's champion 2-year-old male. After finishing eighth the Palisades S. at Keeneland in his 3-year-old debut, he's been on a tear. He's won three straight, including the Plate Trial. In the Trial, he hopped at start, spotting the field two or three lengths, raced four-wide while well off a slow place. He kept grinding away until he got to the wire first by 1 1/4 lengths. “I think that he's very good right now,” Casse said. “We thought he trained into the Plate Trial not as sharp as he had been previously. Then he gets away bad. I was very impressed with his last race. I've been watching horse racing for a long, long time and have seen that with many a good horse when something goes wrong they're not able to overcome it. For him, he get away bad and then was really wide and still won. I was really impressed and coming out of that race he has trained really well. His work the other day was extremely good. We're ready and we're happy.” My Boy Prince will be ridden by Sahin Civaci, who has emerged as a star on the Woodbine circuit and is at the top of the jockey's standings. He was born in Vancouver, but his family moved to Turkey when he was 10. “He's a young phenomenon,” Casse said. “He can do anything. He's strong and has a great mind. A couple of years ago nobody had ever heard of him. Now, when these big races come up he has everybody's attention.” Essex Serpent is next on the Casse depth chart. He's 2-for-3 and is coming off a one-length win in the GIII Marine S. “He's a big strong horse,” Casse said. “His Marine was very good, especially when you consider that the second place finisher, Cameo Performance, came back after that race and won a stakes at Ellis Park.” Midnight Mascot was third in the Marine, where he showed enough that Casse thought he deserved a spot in the King's Plate. “If you asked me before the Marine I would have told you that he wasn't on my radar for the King's Plate. I didn't think that he could go that far and I thought he was a cut below the other two,” he said. “But his Marine was very good and he came running at the end, which bodes well for the mile and a quarter. I'm not sure that he's as good as the other two, but it wouldn't shock me if he won.” Though he's American, Casse understands the importance of the King's Plate and what it means to win it. “Any time you can win a race with the prestige that the King's Plate has, that is a big deal,” he said. “When I was younger it was the Queen's Plate. For someone like me who's been involved in racing from the time he was five or six years old, the Queen's Plate, the King's Plate was always a big deal to me. It continues to be a big deal.” Kevin Attard may not have the firepower that Casse has, but he has the numbers. He will start four horses, all of them long shots. His best horse may be the filly Caitlininhergrtness (Omaha Beach), who was named for WNBA star Caitlin Clark. She was second, beaten just a neck in the Woodbine Oaks. The third choice in the morning line belongs to Rafaroo (Hard Spun), who is 8-1. The post Casse Trio Will Be Tough To Beat In King’s Plate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A total of 20 jockeys have been confirmed for the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race at the Curragh on Saturday, Aug. 31. Part of the Pat Smullen Race Day in aid of Cancer Trials Ireland, the race, supported by the Breeze-Up Consigners Association and Smullen's son Paddy, is just one of the events and activities that will raise funds for the leading cancer research trials organisation in Ireland. The riders, who have to raise a minimum of €3,000 for the charity, will ride over the world famous 12 furlongs Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby course and are all taking part in memory of a family member or friend who they lost to cancer or to support anyone currently living with cancer. The riders are as follows: Cara Archbold, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow: Cara lost both her grandfathers to cancer so is riding in the charity race in their memories. Cara has been riding horses since she was four but only started riding racehorses just over a year ago for Michael O'Callaghan. Richard Brede, Kilcullen, Co Kildare: Richard only started riding lessons in 2021. He graduated from the trainee jockey course at RACE in June 2023. He was on his work placement with Willie McCreery and is now based with Johnny Murtagh and hopes to take out his license in the near future. Triona Burbage, Portarlington, Co Laois: Triona is from the close-knit community of Portarlington where they have lost a lot of friends and neighbours to cancer. She has been involved in all equestrian disciplines from the age of four and has been riding out for Jarlath Fahey since 2012. She watched Pat Smullen's Champions Race for Cancer Trials Ireland in 2019 and was really inspired to ride at the Curragh for this great charity. Erin Campbell, Clady, Co Tyrone: Erin rode in pony racing and has always been involved in racing since her teenager years. She worked full-time in racing and now rides out every morning for John O'Donoghue before her day job. Erin has lost close family members to cancer but is dedicating her race to her uncle Eugene who passed away after a lengthy battle. Her uncle Eugene was a huge racing fan and encouraged Erin's love of horses from an early age. Aidan Coonan, Maynooth, Co Kildare: Aidan is riding in the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity race in memory of family members and friends he has lost to cancer. Aidan has ridden horses since he was a child and for the last five years, he has been riding racehorses during his holidays and weekends and is now based with Cathy O'Leary. Anna Cropper, Kildare Town, Co Kildare: Anna is originally from Scotland and has been involved in the racing industry since 1997 working as a groom and exercise rider and using her degree to work in animal DNA profiling and clinical diagnostics. Anna is delighted to have the support of John 'Shark' Hanlon who she is currently riding out for and has ridden in four charity races at Naas, the Curragh, Leopardstown and Punchestown. Anna is riding in the race in memory of her grandfather who died when she was a child and her friend Clare, who sadly passed away last year. Claire Farrell, Gowran, Co Kilkenny: Claire is participating in the charity race in memory of her grandparents and close family friends whose lives were cut short by cancer. Claire is a radiographer in University Hospital Waterford and sees firsthand the challenges oncology patients face. Claire has been around horses all her life, through the Kilkenny Hunt Pony Club, eventing and re-training racehorses. She has never ridden in a race before but has been riding out for Ray Cody in Owning in Kilkenny. Charles O'Neill, Clane, Co Kildare: Thirteen years ago, Charles lost his younger brother David and his dad Charlie to cancer. Despite riding in two Point-to-Points many years ago, Charles hadn't sat on racehorse in 35 years when he decided to take part the charity race. Charles has been riding out with trainers Martin Brassil, Shane Nolan, Ross O'Sullivan, Johnny Murtagh and Jessica Harrington since the start of the year in preparation for the race and has lost nearly 20kg in the process. Eva O'Neill, Naas, Co Kildare: Eva is riding in the charity race in memory of her aunt who she recently lost to cancer and for all those who might benefit from cancer trails in the future. Eva is going into 6th year this September and has been riding ponies and horses all her life through the Kildare Hunt Pony club and eventing with ponies and juniors. She started riding out for Patrick Prendergast on the Curragh during her transition year and has enjoyed learning and working with racehorses ever since then. Ellie Gartlan, Dromin, Co Louth: Ellie lost her Nana on her dad's side to cancer a couple of years ago and her Nana on her mum's side is currently fighting breast cancer. Ellie has been riding out since she was 15 and was based part-time and full-time with trainer John Larkin for six years and is currently working with Gavin Cromwell. Mark Harley, Letterkenny, Co Donegal: Mark's dad passed away from pancreatic cancer in June 2022 so is riding the race in his memory and raise money for Cancer Trials Ireland. Mark's background is in showjumping but his family always kept racehorses and when he was younger he rode out for his cousin. Shane Harris, Fethard, Co Tipperary: Shane is riding in this race as Cancer Trials Ireland is a charity he wants to support and help raise much needed funds as so many people have been impacted by cancer in some shape or form. He has been riding racehorses for the last eight years with his local pre-trainer PJ Colville. Shane works full-time, plays polocrosse at a top level and also re-trains ex racehorses for polocrosse. Jamie Heffernan, Cashel, Co Tipperary: Jamie is a Kilkenny man, living in Rosegreen in Tipperary. He has grown up around horses all his life and for 10 years worked as a work rider in Ballydoyle. He now farms full-time at home and rides out as often as he can with local trainers such as John Grogan. Unfortunately, cancer has affected both friends and family of Jamie's over the years. Jamie's dad Seamus rode alongside Pat for many years and in a way the charity race will be a little like history repeating itself with Jamie and Pat's Paddy riding in the race together. Andrew Kinirons, Newbridge, Co Kildare: Andrew had an amateur jockeys licence and rode in Point-to-Points and on the track in Ireland and the UK, eventually hanging up his boots in 2013. He has held a trainers licence for almost four years. Andrew never rode at the Curragh as a jockey, so he is looking forward to ticking the Curragh off his list in memory of his grandparents and friends he has lost to cancer. Aisling McGuinness, Rush, Co Dublin: Aisling lost two uncles to cancer, Laurence in 2021 and her uncle Johnny only this July. Aisling has been riding ponies and horses and showjumping all her life and rides out for her dad, trainer Ado McGuinness. Emily MacMahon, Kilmessan, Co Meath: Emily is riding the race in memory of her dad who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2010. Emily has spent most of her career working in the racing industry–either stud farms, racing yards and racecourses and been riding out for her neighbour Ger Lyons in preparation for the race. Steph Searle, Duninga, Goresbridge, Kilkenny: Steph has worked in racing since she was 14 and among her many jobs, she currently rides out for Willie Mullins, is travelling head girl for Tom Mullins and works at Tramore Racecourse. Unfortunately, Steph lost her mum to throat cancer in 2013 so is riding in the charity race in her memory. She has been lucky enough to have led-up Pat Smullen on plenty of winners over the years so is honoured to ride in a race in Pat's memory. Paddy Smullen, Rhode, Co Offaly: Paddy lost his dad to pancreatic cancer in 2020 and is keen to raise money to help prevent the suffering so many people have had to endure. It's very special for Paddy to ride in the charity race his dad started in 2019. He has ridden horses all his life, firstly on ponies and continues to take part in eventing. Paddy started riding racehorses in Conor Hoban's pre-training yard a few years ago and now is enjoying riding out in Gordon Elliott's and Dermot Weld's. Derek Stamp, Rosslare Strand, Co Wexford: Derek rode ponies from a young age and completed the trainee jockey course at RACE in 1996. He rode four winners on the track before hanging up his boots and has been working in Ballydoyle for the last 14 years, He is riding in the charity race for Cancer Trials Ireland after making a promise to Pat Smullen to raise funds for cancer research. Joan Widger, Clonmel, Co Tipperary: It is her first time to ride in a charity race and Joan is honoured to do so for such a great cause. Joan is dedicating her race to her dad who passed away from cancer in 2014 and her sister who had her own battle with cancer and rode in this race last year. She has been riding from an early age through pony club, eventing and show jumping. In preparation for the race, Joan is riding out for Miguel Gunn and John 'Shark' Hanlon. Other events include the 100km Curragh to Curragh charity cycle in memory of Olive Lynch and sponsored by Paddy Power. Prior to racing, 20-time champion jockey AP McCoy will lead the unique cycle, which takes in Moyglare Stud, Naas and Punchestown racecourses and Gilltown Stud before cyclists return to the Curragh during racing. There is also the Pat Smullen Race Day Barbeque hosted in the Oaks Restaurant. Tickets are €50 and include admission and a delicious barbeque. Admission tickets are €15 online or €20 on race day for everyone over the age of 18, with a contribution going towards Cancer Trials Ireland. To purchase tickets for the various events, please visit the Curragh's website. Brian Kavanagh, Curragh Racecourse CEO, said, “We are delighted to work closely with Cancer Trials Ireland and overwhelmed with the response to the Pat Smullen race day which has raised substantial funds since it was launched in 2019. Everyone's generosity will make a significant impact to pancreatic cancer patients. I would encourage everyone to donate to the various initiatives taking place across the day including the charity cycle and the riders taking part in the Pat Smullen charity race.” Brendan Holland of Grove Stud, representing the Breeze-Up Consigners Association (BUCA), said, “Unfortunately, in the last few years some of our members' relatives and friends have suffered from and passed away from cancer, so when the opportunity arose to be involved in the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland charity race, we thought it was a great opportunity to proactively support the important work of Cancer Trials Ireland and all the brave riders taking part in the race. It's going to be a great day and a special race for a cause that is close to so many of us.” The post Jockeys Revealed For Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A good barber knows how to create conversation. After years of standing over his chair trimming hair and chatting with clients, John Daugherty has always prided himself on his ability to talk to just about anybody. “It didn't matter if it was a doctor, the mayor, or the homeless guy around the corner, I could talk to everyone,” he said. So when Daugherty found himself in a prison staring at the adolescent faces of his two sons at a loss for words, his inability to find the right thing to say was just as shocking as the somber place they had all found themselves. It was the first and last time his children ever visited him in prison. “I don't know if it was embarrassment or if it was about the emotional level you had to keep in there to survive,” he reflected. “I think it was mostly the embarrassment of not knowing what to say. I had failed my kids in a lot of ways and it hurt. It truly did.” Daugherty's life has not been an easy one, but it was during his darkest moments that he finally saw a spark of hope. Born in Indiana, Daugherty was one month old when his father died and his mother put him up for adoption. Extended family members took him in and he moved to Owensboro, Kentucky. Growing up, his adoptive parents fought incessantly so he found himself alone most of the time. He was allowed to go where he wanted, when he wanted. Some members of his family were involved in biker gangs so he had easy access to alcohol, drugs and plenty of reckless parties by the age of 15. When he was in high school, he got married. His drug use continued. After 10 years of marriage and the birth of his two sons, he got divorced. As his career as a barber gained momentum, so too did the drug use. He was sober during the day, but at night and on weekends all bets were off. He went through another failed marriage, lost touch with his family, and eventually started selling drugs and catching charges. Daugherty was in jail, having just been sentenced to 15 years in the penitentiary, when he hit a new low. “I was still in the Davis County jail when they came and told me my dad was going to die,” he recalled. “They got me from my cell and I went to the hospital to see my dad. I got to spend 30 minutes there. Then they took me back to jail and I was shipped to prison three days later. That was the last time I ever talked to my dad.” During his time in prison, Daugherty started reading the Bible and became a Christian. His life was transformed in many ways, but it was still far from perfect. When he made parole, he bounced from different halfway houses and rehabs, oftentimes reverting back to drug use. John and his doting sidekick Remi | Katie Petrunyak On April 18, 2023, it was his son's birthday and Daugherty had found himself back in a jail cell for absconding parol. It was the first day of his journey to sobriety. When he got out of jail, he went to the faith-based Isaiah House Treatment Center. While there, he heard about Stable Recovery. “When I was reading the Bible later that day, it started talking about King Solomon's horses,” said Daugherty. “Everywhere I looked, it would say something about a horse again. I never in my life had thought about a horse. I'd never even touched one. From that time on, I felt that God had led me to Stable Recovery and there wasn't anything that was going to get in my way.” Later that spring, Daugherty started the Stable Recovery program and began learning the ropes of becoming a groom at the Taylor Made School of Horsemanship. He started off working in a barn with two and three-month-old foals and fell in love with them straightaway. “One day I was out there picking up rocks in the field,” he recalled. “A foal came up and just laid her head on my shoulder. It changed something in me and I had a connection with them after that.” After graduating from the School of Horsemanship, Daugherty was hired on at the training center at WinStar Farm. It was a big jump going from working with those placid foals to rambunctious racehorses. On his first day, he encountered one colt that seemed to have a mean streak. The 2-year-old was kicking the walls, foam spewing from his mouth as he pinned his ears back at Daugherty. The barn foreman placed a pile of tack by the stall. “What am I supposed to do about that?” asked Daugherty him. “You're supposed to go in there and put the tack on him,” replied the foreman as he started walking off down the barn aisle. Daugherty figured he could either give it a try or quit the job on the spot, so he went for it. It didn't take long before that seemingly aggressive colt was Daugherty's favorite charge. “Nobody else liked him, but I loved him,” said Daugherty. “It didn't matter what kind of mood I was in, what I felt like or what I was thinking. When I got there every morning, that horse demanded me to be at my best.” “Horses don't judge you,” he continued. “You walk in there with a clean slate with them and ya'll better figure it out together. He didn't care if I had graduated from Yale or if I was a Catholic priest. He was going to try to bite me either way.” Daugherty has been a groom at the training center for the past year, honing his horsemanship skills while also taking on more responsibility with the Stable Recovery program. Four months ago, WinStar added a house on their farm exclusively for School of Horsemanship graduates. Daugherty signed on as the house manager. With five men at the house filling various jobs at WinStar from night watchman to maintenance crew, Daugherty's role is to make sure everyone is adjusting to their new jobs while also keeping up with their Stable Recovery meetings. Having a sense of purpose and a community that supports him is all completely new to Daugherty, but it's what gets him up at 4 a.m. every morning. “I wake up every day and I'm thankful that I have a job that I love,” he shared. “I was at WinStar the other day and I looked around and there wasn't anyone else in the barn right then. I realized Bob Baffert had horses there, Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox, the biggest trainers in the world, and I'm sitting here with these horses taking care of them. I guess I started doing things His way. I got myself to prison. He's got me working with the best racehorses in the world in less than a year.” Daugherty's personal life has transformed too. He has been in touch with both his biological mother and his adoptive mother. His relationships with his sons, now ages 21 and 18, are almost unrecognizable from what they were just a few years ago. “It went from me not knowing what to say to them, to them actually being able to talk to me about their problems,” Daugherty said. “My son actually said one time, 'When did you start giving good advice?' To tell you the truth–and don't get me wrong, in a way I always loved my kids–but I honestly didn't know what love was. I liked my kids more than I liked everybody else, but I truly believe that I didn't love myself and I believe you cannot give anything you do not possess. I didn't possess love so I didn't know how to love my kids. And now I do. That right there is the biggest change in my life. It's hard to put into words, but it's pretty amazing. God used horses to talk to me and get me to the right place.” The post The Road Back: John Daugherty Revels in a Life Transformed appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Richard Mandella, a member of racing's Hall of Fame since 2001, has been named the 20th recipient of the Laffit Pincay, Jr. Award and will be honored at Del Mar on Saturday, Aug. 31, the track said in a Thursday release. The Pincay Award, named for, and presented by, the Hall of Fame rider, goes to those who have served the sport of racing “with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction.” Mandella, 74, went out on his own with a public stable in 1976 and has over 2,300 winners to his credit who have banked more than $157-million in purses. “Richard is a solid as they get when it comes to training racehorses,” Pincay said. “I knew when I got on one of his horses, we were going to have a good chance to win.” The list of previous Pincay Award winners include the 2023 recipient Trevor Denman. The post Trainer Richard Mandella Named 2024 Winner Of Pincay Award appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF) has awarded $10,000 to the Belmont Childcare Association, Inc. (BCCA) for their early childhood education program, the organization said in a release Thursday. The mission of the BCCA is to provide a safe, supportive and academically inspiring environment for the children of parents working in the Thoroughbred racing backstretch area located at NYRA's three tracks. BCCA has received funds from TERF over the last five years and will once again use the grant to prepare students for elementary school as they develop physically, emotionally, socially and cognitively. The post TERF Awards Grant To Belmont Childcare Center appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

If Thursday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano was supposed to be a stern test of the ability of Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–La Pomme D'Amour {GB}, by Peintre Celebre), it failed to plumb the depths of Isa Salman Al Khalifa's bright prospect as he came back from a brief absence to shine at Deauville. Given time to mature without the stresses of preparing for the elite races since his six-length G2 Dante Stakes success at York in May, the William Haggas-trained chestnut looked comfortable throughout giving most of his rivals a headstart. Despite letting his compatriot Jayarebe (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) disappear heading into the straight, one look at Tom Marquand's body language was enough to reveal what he had underneath him and with coaxing Economics was able to bridge the gap by the time they hit the 100-metre marker. Surging clear from there, the 11-10 favourite had two lengths in hand of the Brian Meehan-trained G3 Hampton Court Stakes winner at the line and a large amount in reserve, with another British-trained colt who had previously shown smart form in the Listed Heron Stakes winner Almaqam (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) a further six lengths back in third. “I'm very pleased with him, he had a bit of a fight with Brian's horse and he stayed on well,” Haggas said of the 160,000gns Tattersalls Book 2 graduate. “I think Brian's horse is a pretty nice horse and the first four home were in the right order, so that suggests it might have been quite a good race. It's the firmest ground he's run on and I'm not sure he needs that. Who knows how much he'll improve and he was fit enough to do it if he's good enough. The natural place is the Irish Champion Stakes, as it's sponsored by Bahrain's royal family and he's in the Champion Stakes. All being well, it'll be those two.” Jake Warren, representing the owner, added, “I think it was a very strong performance and he picked up very well and didn't have a hard race. We're delighted and the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion will probably be the focus.” 𝑬𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒄𝒔 (@TomMarquand) triomphe dans le Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (Gr.2), quelques semaines après son succès dans les Dante Stakes (Gr.2). Le pensionnaire de William Haggas devance Jayarebe et Almaqam. Economics succède à 𝑨𝒄𝒆 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕 au palmarès de ce… pic.twitter.com/ZsfxKHgROs — Equidia (@equidia) August 15, 2024 Pedigree Notes Economics is out of Guy Reed's La Pomme D'Amour, whose career tally featured two wins in the 12 1/2-furlong G2 Prix de Pomone. The family features one of his breakthrough performers in Warpath (GB), his Ebor-winning half-brother Dakota (Ire), and the group performer Apache (GB). La Pomme D'Amour's yearling colt by Nathaniel (Ire) was a bargain 19,000gns purchase by Midland Equine at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. The post Smooth Return For Night Of Thunder’s Economics At Deauville appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Iscreamuscream and shipper Whiskey Decision each are riding three-race winning streaks going into the Del Mar Oaks.View the full article

Champion Imperatriz (Aus) will be covered by Pierata (Aus) this season, Yulong announced on Thursday. The champion mare smashed records when she sold for A$6.6 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast earlier this year. The 10-time Group 1 winning daughter of I Am Invincible (Aus) was offered for sale by New Zealand-based Te Akau Racing. In selling for A$6.6 million to Zhijun Zhao, Imperatriz broke the record as the highest-priced filly or mare ever sold in the Southern Hemisphere. Pierata's first crop are 3-year-olds and he sired juvenile stakes winners Coleman (Aus) and Tobeornottobe (Aus). Pierata served a career-high 191 mares last season and will stand for A$66,000 inc GST in 2024. The post Pierata Set To Cover A$6.6-Million Mare Imperatriz appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The upcoming Horses-in-Training Sales series, to be held at Leopardstown, Ascot, Doncaster and Kildare, was announced by Goffs on Thursday. The boutique Goffs Champions Sale returns to Leopardstown as the opening event of the Irish Champions Festival on Saturday, Sept. 14. First held in 2014, the 10-year average is €188,000, with a median of €150,000 and a clearance rate of 69% for catalogues ranging between four and 12 lots. Horses have sold for €500,000, €470,000, €450,000 and €300,000 at previous renewals. The second boutique sale will be the Goffs QIPCO British Champions Day Sale at Ascot, which began in 2023. Rogue Lightning (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) sold for £1 million to Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock on behalf of Wathnan Racing during the first edition. QIPCO British Champions Day is Britain's richest race day with total prize-money above £4 million and four Group 1 races on tap. This year's edition is slated for the winners' enclosure before racing on Saturday, Oct. 19. The Doncaster October Horses-In-Training Sale will be held in the Doncaster ring that saw a vibrant HIT market at the Spring Sale followed by a new record for the highest priced National Hunt horse ever sold at public auction, £660,000, at the Doncaster Summer Sale. The two-day sale will be held from Oct. 22-23, with recent prices at this sale include £150,000, £100,000, £90,000, £80,000 etc. Rounding out the four Goffs HIT sales is the Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale, which is held in conjunction with the Autumn Yearling Sale from Nov. 4-7 and features a particularly diverse domestic and international buying bench. Recent prices of €200,000, €160,000, €125,000, €120,000, €105,000, €100,000, etc. have been achieved for horses under both codes. Graduates have gone on to win at Cheltenham, as well as the G1 Melbourne Cup. Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “Boutique auctions for elite horses in training are a Goffs specialty. As consistently proven in recent years, our boutique sales have achieved the highest prices of any horses-in-training sales in the UK and Ireland. Goffs London Sale on the eve of Royal Ascot recorded top prices of £5 million, £1.1 million and £1.2 million at its three most recent renewals, and the key ingredients of right time right place also apply to both Leopardstown and Ascot, as the calibre of racing and prize-money draws all the major players and provides the perfect platform for vendors of world-class horses. “Our onsite horses in training sales in Kildare and Doncaster continue to provide a vibrant international marketplace for Irish and UK trainers and prove time and again that when we have the quality, the buyers flock to Goffs.” The post Details Of Upcoming HIT Sales At Leopardstown, Ascot, Doncaster and Kildare, Revealed By Goffs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Making an instant impact in Thursday's Arqana Series Des Poulains at Deauville, Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter's Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Koubalibre {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) became his sire's ninth TDN Rising Star. Out of a half-sister to the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the €220,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate soon had control on the front end under Aurelien Lemaitre. Sent into the clear passing the furlong pole, the Christopher Head-trained 23-10 favourite registered an impressive 3 1/2-length success from Mighty Boy (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). He joins the sire's burgeoning TDN Rising Star haul which includes the top-level performers Unquestionable (Fr) and River Tiber (Ire). Les @InfoArqana Series des Poulains 2024 reviennent à 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙖 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙚 (@lemaitre60LA) Le pensionnaire de @HeadRacing1 s'impose assez facilement devant Mighty Boy et Brise Noir. pic.twitter.com/xirHU6pwYm — Equidia (@equidia) August 15, 2024 The post Wootton Bassett’s 220K Colt A New TDN Rising Star In The Arqana Series Des Poulains appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

All the rage beforehand, Mojave River (Fr) (Mohaather {GB}–Quintessenz {Ger}, by Soldier Hollow {GB}) fared best of the debutantes contesting Thursday's valuable Arqana Series Des Pouliches at Deauville. Sent to the fore from the outset by Maxime Guyon, the Joseph O'Brien-trained 28-10 favourite asserted her superiority in the final furlong to score by two lengths from Bogota (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Mojave River, who qualified for this incentive by selling for €17,000 at the 2022 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, becomes the ninth winner for her first-season sire. Mojave River (@maximeguyon_off) s'adjuge les @InfoArqana Series des Pouliches édition 2024 ! Elle laisse une très belle impression pour ses débuts en compétition et confirme la forme de son entraîneur Joseph Patrick O'Brien (2⃣ victoires – 3⃣ podiums en 5⃣ courses cet été à… pic.twitter.com/d9WItbbrMT — Equidia (@equidia) August 15, 2024 The post Mohaather Filly Best In The Arqana Series Des Pouliches appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

What P.B. Lawrence Stakes Day 2024 Where Caulfield Racecourse – Gate 2, Station St, Caulfield East VIC 3145 When Saturday, August 17, 2024 First Race 12:25pm AEST Visit Dabble Feature racing heads to Caulfield on Saturday afternoon as the build-up to the Melbourne Spring Carnival really ramps up. The Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) headlines proceedings, with the Vain Stakes (1100m) and Quezette Stakes (1100m) amongst the features on the nine-race program. Brief showers are forecast, but they should not affect the Good 4 rating too much, while the rail comes out 9m the entire circuit. The action at Caulfield is set to commence at 12:25pm AEST. P.B. Lawrence Stakes Tip: Pinstriped After finishing third in this race 12 months ago, Enver Jusufovic’s Pinstriped returns on the back of some hot trial form. While the six-year-old was well beaten in the All-Star Mile (1600m) in his lone run during the autumn, he is dynamic first-up (6: 2-2-0) and brings an element of class to this field. Drawn in barrier five, Ben Allen will have him near the speed throughout, and with a swift turn of foot, Pinstriped should prove too sharp fresh in the 2024 P.B. Lawrence Stakes. P.B. Lawrence Stakes Race 8 – #6 Pinstriped (5) 6yo Gelding | T: Enver Jusufovic | J: Ben Allen (59kg) +900 with Picklebet Vain Stakes Tip: Blue Stratum Despite winning by a nostril over the Moonee Valley 1000m on August 10, Blue Stratum looked to have the race well within his grasp in the final 100m and perhaps just switched off late. He steps up to 1100m for the first time, but from barrier five under Beau Mertens, he should have no issue stalking the speed before skipping clear of his rivals to take out the 2024 Vain Stakes. Vain Stakes Race 5 – #1 Blue Stratum (5) 3yo Colt | T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | J: Beau Mertens (56kg) +340 with Unibet Quezette Stakes Tip: Kuroyanagi Kuroyangi did all but win the Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) first-up at Morphettville. Having placed in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m), she is somewhat of a Caulfield specialist. Jamie Kah will likely stalk the speed from the one-one position, and if Kuroyanagi is anywhere near her best, she should prove too good in the 2024 Quezette Stakes. Quezette Stakes Race 6 – #5 Kuroyanagi (6) 3yo Filly | T: Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea | J: Jamie Kah (56kg) +190 with Dabble Best Bet at Caulfield: Lovazou Lovazou has strung together two impressive victories to begin this campaign. The now four-year-old mare has produced strong finishes on rain-affected tracks, and coming back to firmer ground with confidence on her side can only be a positive. Carleen Hefel will have the Zoustar mare in the second half of the field upon settling, but with a strong finish, Lovazou can keep her picket fence going. Best Bet Race 3 – #6 Lovazou (4) 4yo Mare | T: Danny O’Brien | J: Carleen Hefel (58kg) +400 with Bet365 Next Best at Caulfield: Devoted Former WA galloper Devoted produced an eye-catching run first-up at Flemington on August 3 when narrowly defeated by Gentleman Roy — the market fancy in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes. The seven-year-old gelding was forced to travel wide with no cover but only went down by a head. With two wins second-up already in his career, Devoted looks well placed to build on that record. Next Best Race 2 – #3 Devoted (8) 6yo Gelding | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Daniel Stackhouse (55kg) +400 with Neds Best Value at Caulfield: Vagrant Caulfield specialist Vagrant is set to return in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) fresh off a 25-week spell. The five-year-old mare claimed Group 3 success at this course and trip during the autumn, and the ability to roll forward from a wide barrier puts her right in this. Beau Mertens will need a touch of luck to slot in from barrier eight, but if the pair can find cover, the $16 with online bookies may prove to be the wrong price after all. Best Value Race 7 – #10 Vagrant (8) 5yo Mare | T: Mitchell Freedman | J: Beau Mertens (54kg) +1500 with PlayUp Caulfield Saturday quaddie picks Caulfield quadrella selections Saturday, August 17, 2024 1-5 4-6-8-9-10-11 1-2-6-9 6-8-10-16 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips
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Melbourne’s weather gods might have a strong hand to play if winning machine Rhapsody Chic (NZ) (Sacred Falls) is to extend his winning run to five straight at Caulfield on Saturday. Anthony and Sam Freedman’s galloper has won his past four starts and another victory would put him in select company. “I think Steel Prince might have been the last horse we’ve won five in a row with, it’s never easy,” Sam Freedman recalled. “The funny thing is he is a horse who requires luck too, because he is not great out of the gates.” Jamie Kah will get her first sit aboard the son of Sacred Falls, who is undefeated in all four runs back this campaign, banking $196,350 along the way, with all his wins coming on Soft or Heavy ground. Kah will be the horse’s fifth jockey this preparation. Caulfield is currently rated a Good 4 but could receive as much as 14mm of rainfall across the weekend. “That’s probably why we are there as we are hopeful of getting some rain Friday and hopefully a little bit more Saturday, which would bring him right into calculations,” Freedman admitted. “Obviously he has been most effective on ground with give but I wouldn’t rule out he isn’t going to be effective on top of the ground in time. “We are obviously playing to his strengths for now.” Another successful New Zealand purchase from Roll the Dice Racing joining the likes of Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj), Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit) and Otago (NZ) (Ocean Park), Rhapsody Chic won his first and only start in New Zealand on Heavy 10 ground for his previous owners. A winner of five of his nine starts overall, the five-year-old has never missed a place, with Saturday’s $2.60 chance with Sportsbet on trial at 1600 metres for the first time. Despite the end of winter nearing, Freedman said the horse won’t necessarily be sent to the paddock, however. “It is his first time at the mile, but he has earned his chance at this trip so it’s a good chance to see if he wants 1400 metres or a mile,” he said. “I’m not sure if he’ll have a break or not after this, he looks terrific and is not giving us any signs at home he has had enough.” View the full article

Champion mare Imperatriz will be mated with emerging young sire Pierata this spring, Yulong has confirmed. In May, the breeding and racing giant won the battle to secure the world’s highest-rated sprinting mare at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for a Southern Hemisphere record of $6.6 million. The daughter of I Am Invincible won 10 Group 1 races and almost $7 million in prizemoney during a glittering career on the racetrack. Several of Yulong’s resident sires were under consideration to be the first to cover the mare but Pierata, a G1-winning son of Pierro, was chosen off the back of a brilliant season with his first-crop two-year-olds, including multiple Stakes winner and G1 performer Coleman. Pierata served a career-high 191 mares last season and will stand for $66,000 in 2024. View the full article

A special milestone is beckoning for New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock and he hopes a strong team of representatives can deliver his 1000th domestic winner at his home track on Saturday. Sharrock has been training since the late eighties and has continued to be a consistent, successful presence in the domestic scene, with his most recent of 18 Group One wins coming in the Livamol Classic (2050m) with Ladies Man last season. Ladies Man will not appear at the Taranaki meeting, but another high-performing member of the stable in Justaskme has been engaged in the Makita 1800 after finishing fourth in the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) earlier this month. “He was desperately unlucky (in the Winter Cup), I think if he had kept going straight ahead he would’ve got the gap we needed instead of crossing heels but probably fought the finish out,” Sharrock said. “I thought he was super.” Carrying top-weight has become customary in recent seasons for Justaskme, and the race will be no different with his 62kg impost decreased by four-kilogram claiming apprentice Rihaan Goyaram. “Some of these horses are going to carry about 50kg so he’s giving them eight kilos, it’s just the same old story with him. He’s been a great horse but he’s coming to the end because he’s hard to place.” Earlier on the card, an exciting campaign for Islington Lass will get underway in the New Plymouth Building Supplies 1400, after the classy mare capped off her last preparation winning the Listed Rangitikei Cup (1600m) in May. “She’s coming up super, but through the weather, we haven’t been able to give her a jump out,” Sharrock said. “She’s probably going one or two runs short into her first race, but her main goal is the Livamol so I’m working back from that. “She’s got to have a run on Saturday, and I think she’ll derive quite a bit of benefit out of the race.” Also featuring in the open sprint contest is Street Gossip, a standout winner at her first New Zealand start who carries just 50 kilograms under Goyaram. “She’s a Listed winner in Australia and she showed that at Hawera,” Sharrock said. “She drops nine kilos on that run, albeit into an open, but at that weight she should be hard to beat. She’s glided through her first up run and I’m pretty positive with her going into Saturday.” Backing up from a comfortable maiden success last Sunday at Woodville, Tisse will line-up in the United Steel 1800 with a senior rider on board in Johnathan Parkes. “I always intended to back-up for $35,000 and he hasn’t left an oat this week,” Sharrock said. “Triston (Moodley, apprentice jockey) has gone north to ride at Ruakaka so I’ve replaced him with J Parkes, who I personally think this horse needs. He was floating all over the track on Sunday, so J Parkes will take that out of him and I think they will be a good combination.” Sharrock will have a pair of runners contesting the Winstone Wallboards 1200 in Brazenbelle and Bella Timing, with the former reverting back to turf from an attempt on the Awapuni Synthetic. “She’s been racing well, I threw the rope out a bit to have a go at the poly and it didn’t suit her,” Sharrock said. “She likes off ground, so she’ll be competitive, but I would put Bella Timing slightly ahead of her in that race.” Fellow four-year-old mare Bella Timing has won one race and placed in a further three from seven starts, with her most recent effort a second behind speedy type Farravallo at Otaki. “It was a super run, that horse has beaten her twice fair and square, but I think he’s quite a good horse,” Sharrock said. “In this race with four kilos off, I think she can be very competitive, so she looks a strong chance.” A daughter of Time Test, Bella Timing is the seventh foal to race out of broodmare Bellaroof, who has produced several of Sharrock’s former stars including Tavi Mac and Darci La Bella. “They all just have an ability to gallop and gameness in racing attitude,” Sharrock said. “I’ve got another sister by Contributer, she’s a three-year-old and won a jump-out as a two-year-old. “They just continue to run, I’d love mares like that to come along more often. They just leave winner after winner. “We have got a share in Darci La Bella who is in foal to Super Seth, she was a Group Two winner and a lovely mare. “The old girl (Bellaroof) is now 24 or 25 and is in foal to Sword Of State, that will be her last foal and she’ll retire to Seaton Park as a nanny. She has been a prolific producer for us, just unreal.” Other well-related members of Sharrock’s stable are Indian Gold and I Don’t, who will aim to make their presence felt in the James Hardie 1600. “Indian Gold won very impressively first-up and did nothing wrong second-up, but he was a little bit common when running fourth at Hawera,” Sharrock said. “I’ve implicated blinkers and he’s working really well in them, so it may assist with his concentration. “He’s a tidy horse and I’m pleased to have one for Peter Grieve (breeder-owner). “I Do went super last start, she was probably on three legs two days before with a foot abscess so she’s done well to run second. “She’s not feeling that at this stage, we’ve kept her off the sand and on the grass and she’s going to be competitive in a race like that as well.” In the final race of the day, the Paslode 1600, Outer Focus and Swingit Our Way will round out the stable runners, with the former having reason for an uncharacteristic seventh at Te Rapa last start. “Outer Focus tore off a plate half an hour before the race and stood on a toe clip, after the race we found it had affected him,” Sharrock said. “He carried that and we’ve got on top of it, so he’ll be competitive in the last. “Swingit Our Way loves bad ground and went super first-up, so it’s hard to split those two.” Sharrock has claimed 239 of his 999 victories at the New Plymouth venue, making the elusive figure a fitting target on a course where it all began. “999, the last one is always the hardest to get but it looks like we’ve got a really nice team on Saturday,” he said. 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Cambridge trainer Maxim van Lierde dreamed of campaigning a horse in Melbourne when he spent time at Lindsay Park last year, and now that has turned into a reality. “Last year I took a horse called Henry Robin over to Lindsay Park and I spent over two weeks with them,” van Lierde said. “I got on quite well with Will (Hayes, co-trainer) especially because I did quite a lot of track work with him. We have become good friends over the last year and the knowledge that they have got is second to none. He is very giving with his advice and knowledge, which has helped us immensely.” With victory at Ellerslie on Derby Day in March and a fifth placing in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1400m at Trentham a fortnight later, Gentian Blue (NZ) (Reliable Man) identified herself as a possible candidate to campaign in Melbourne, and that fate was sealed with a pleasing first-up placing over 1400m at Ruakaka in June. The six-year-old mare travelled to Melbourne earlier this month where she beat just the one runner home in her Australian debut over 1620m at Flemington, but van Lierde said she can be forgiven for that run. “It didn’t look very good to the eye but she was five weeks between runs and she had a bit of a virus when she got there,” van Lierde said. “We were on the back foot a little bit, but she has come on immensely from the run.” Van Lierde’s wife, Samantha, is currently across the Tasman with their two-win mare, who is set to line-up at Caulfield on Saturday in the Vale Catherine Rae (1400m) where she will jump from barrier six with good friend Daniel Stackhouse aboard. “Dan Stackhouse is a good friend of my wife, Sam, they grew up riding ponies together. It is a bit of a full-circle moment having him ride a horse for us,” van Lierde said. “We probably rode her a little outside her comfort zone last start with the hot speed in the race, so we are just going to let her find her feet and hit the line. We are back in trip with the blinkers on, so we are expecting a much better performance.” Initially set to be a two-run campaign, van Lierde said they may extend that on the advice of their Australian host. “The initial plan was to head home after this run, but talking with Will he said the time we had with the virus, she is essentially only second-up on Saturday, so he thinks she will peak third-up over there,” van Lierde said. “We might as well look at one more run, but we will just see how she comes through Saturday.” Van Lierde said they have enjoyed their Australian experience and he is hoping they can find another horse that is capable of testing their talent in the competitive racing jurisdiction. “If we have got a horse that measures up, we will go over there and chase some prizemoney,” he said. View the full article

What Ballarat Races Where Ballarat Turf Club – 240 Kennedys Rd, Miners Rest VIC 3352 When Friday, August 16, 2024 First Race 1pm AEST Visit Dabble The synthetic surface at Ballarat will play host to an eight-race program on Friday afternoon. A poor day on the weather front awaits, which means it may be advantageous to be close to the speed to avoid kickback through the ruck, but as always, each runner should get their chance if good enough. Racing at Ballarat is scheduled to commence at 1pm AEST. Best Bet at Ballarat: Lady Avenger Archie Alexander’s Lady Avenger caught the eye when flashing home first-up from a long spell at the Ballarat synthetic 1400m. The Smart Missile mare gave her rivals a big start and finished strongly to go down by a head, suggesting a maiden victory will not be far away. Ben Allen will likely have Lady Avenger settled towards the rear of the field, but with a similar finish, she should have no issue overhauling her rivals this time around. Best Bet Race 6 – #7 Lady Avenger (10) 5yo Mare | T: Archie Alexander | J: Ben Allen (57.5kg) Bet with Bet365 Next Best at Ballarat: Orlabent Having struggled on a heavy deck at Sandown last time out, the Melody Cunningham-trained Orlabent presents as a great bet as he returns to the Ballarat synthetic 1000m. The son of Hellbent won on stable debut at this course and distance three runs back, stalking the speed and disposing of his rivals with relative ease. From barrier one, Ryan Houston will likely gain a similar run in transit as Orlabent did that day, and with even luck at the right time, he should be winning again. Next Best Race 3 – #2 Orlabent (1) 5yo Gelding | T: Melody Cunningham | J: Ryan Houston (a1.5) (62.5kg) Bet with Picklebet Next Best Again at Ballarat: Chicago King Not much went right for Chicago King on debut over the 1100m on this surface on August 2. He was forced to travel four wide without cover towards the rear of the field, yet even after Beau Mertens lost his whip with 200m to go, the three-year-old gelding was only beaten by 1.6 lengths. From barrier six in this field of six, the son of Street Boss should be within striking distance throughout on this occasion. Next Best Again Race 1 – #3 Chicago King (6) 3yo Gelding | T: Anthony & Sam Freedman | J: Beau Mertens (58kg) Bet with Neds Ballarat Friday quaddie tips Ballarat quadrella selections Friday, August 16, 2024 1-2-3-4 6-7 1-2-4-5-6-8-9 3-5-6-9-10 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article