Wandering Eyes

PB Lawrence Stakes contender Munhamek. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Nick Ryan is preparing to send in-form nine-year-old Munhamek into his 14th start of the campaign this Saturday in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. The son of Dark Angel is riding high on a three-race winning streak, including his most recent victory in the Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final (1600m). Ryan was particularly pleased with Munhamek’s performance during an 800-metre Flemington jump-out last Monday, where he cruised home alongside Mr Brightside. “He’s had a little freshen, he had a week down at Fulmen Park, and he certainly hasn’t gone backwards,” Ryan said. “He jumped out alongside Mr Brightside in a pretty good heat and went super, so I’m really looking forward to the P B Lawrence. “I think I’ve got him going as good as ever.” Ryan also noted that Munhamek’s preparation mirrors that of Sircconi, who nearly won the P.B. Lawrence, finishing second to Savatiano. “It’s the same path we took with Sircconi, but we’re taking in that residual fitness out of the winter. It’s a nice race for him,” Ryan added. Horse racing news View the full article

Missile Stakes winner Schwarz. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Last weekend’s Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) hero, Schwarz, could be headed for the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 27. Initially, the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 31 was the target for the four-year-old entire. However, co-trainer John O’Shea has revealed that connections might hold off until next month’s Group 1 event instead. “We’ll just take our time with him as he had a very hard run on Saturday and he wasn’t quite ready for that,” O’Shea, who trains in partnership with Tom Charlton, told Racing.com. “We might give him another run in Sydney before we bring him down to Melbourne. He’s going to get to Group 1 level at some stage, so we’re just trying to find that sweet spot.” While O’Shea believes Schwarz is best suited to seven furlongs (1400m), he isn’t ruling out the Manikato Stakes. “His racing pattern is to take a spot and finish the race off, and at The Valley, that’s quite advantageous,” O’Shea explained. “One of the reasons why I ran him in the six (furlongs) at The Valley at his second start (Red Anchor Stakes last October) was to give him a look at The Valley, and he acquitted himself more than admirably. “He’ll have one more run in Sydney, and then if we are happy with him, we’ll give it consideration for sure.” Horse racing news View the full article

A spanner has been thrown in the works for Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) spring preparation, with the multiple Group One winner having strained a muscle following her trial at Te Rapa last week. Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso were pleased with her 900m heat victory last Tuesday on the Heavy10 footing but said it has also been the undoing of their initial spring plans with the mare. “She is on the quiet list. She has been pulled out of Hastings,” Ken Kelso said. “It is nothing major, she has strained a muscle which she probably did it at the trials. It is just a setback. “She has gone to the water walker and will have two to three weeks off.” After a stellar three-year-old season, which resulted in victories in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m), Legarto returned in a similar vein of form last season, adding the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) to her haul. The five-year-old daughter of Proisir was set to have another trial before likely heading towards the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings next month, but with that path now ruled out, Kelso said they will reassess their options in due course. View the full article

Ben and Ryan Foote have enjoyed plenty of success with a pair of lightly raced older gallopers in Ultimate Focus (Smart Missile) and Keegan (NZ) (Swiss Ace), and they will both front-up as key hopes in the Richard Bright Memorial (1550m) at Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday. A seven-year-old by Smart Missile, Ultimate Focus has spent time racing in Hong Kong and Australia but has found his feet across the synthetic track season in New Zealand, recording two wins and three minor placings on his home course this preparation. Most recently, Ultimate Focus chased valiantly behind a dominant Heart Of Gold in the $100,000 2000m contest last week, a performance that pleased Ben Foote considering his range is more suited to Wednesday’s distance. “It was a good run, it’s probably not his best distance I don’t think but he hit the line well and was held up at a vital stage,” he said. “He’s still run really well considering it was a track record too. “He’s totally fine going into Wednesday, it’s only really like a track gallop going around there and he works there every day. It doesn’t bother any of them I don’t think.” Younger stablemate Keegan kicked off his career as a five-year-old in May on a winning note, and he continued the unbeaten streak with a decisive display in MAAT conditions in late July. “He’s just a pretty laidback dude, he does everything with ease,” Foote said. “He’s yet to have a lot of pressure on him, so having a step-up in grade he should have a bit on him this time. “It’ll be interesting to see how he goes, but he’s drawn a good barrier (3) anyway so he should get a nice soft run from the gate.” The son of Swiss Ace trialled in New Zealand before spending some time in Hong Kong without making his debut, but Foote had plenty of faith in his ability based on feedback from trainer David Hall. “He was in Hong Kong with David Hall and he thought he could win first-up at Sha Tin, so obviously if he expected that, he thought a bit of him,” Foote said. “He told me just to get him fit and he’d win first up here anyway, David did all the hard yards. “We get a few down from there, every now and then we get left with a couple and they become like stable pets. We turn over a lot of horses, so it’s quite nice to keep a few to race and the odd older horse around.” The pair will be ridden by apprentice Triston Moodley and Jasmine Fawcett respectively, while Craig Grylls takes the reins aboard Jimmy Dean (NZ) (Tivaci) in the Pryde’s Easifeed 2000, who is searching for the form that carried him to four wins on the surface. “He was pretty disappointing last week, sometimes I wonder whether his heart is really in it so he’s on his last chance,” Foote said. “Dropping back to 65 grade, you’d expect him to be right in it, but in saying that if he doesn’t front up he’ll more than likely be retired.” View the full article

During the discussion titled "Bettor (Better) Protection and Confidence" during the Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga Aug. 12 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., panel member Pat Cummings reminded everyone of what is at stake on stewards' calls. View the full article

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Fasig-Tipton concluded an impressive week of work in Saratoga with the second and final session of the company's New York-Bred Yearling Sale Monday at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion. The auction finished with a sale-record median and the third-highest average in its history. Trainer Chad Brown, bidding on behalf of Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stable made the sale's highest bid when going to $370,000 just five hips from the end of Monday's session. “It was another successful edition of the New York-bred sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. “There was a continuation of things that we saw all week. There was very active bidding throughout and there was real demand for quality horses.” During the two-day New York-bred sale, 182 yearlings grossed $19,095,500 for an average of $104,920 and a median of $86,500. With a significantly smaller catalogue this year, the auction fell off its record gross of a year ago, but figures for both average and median were up from 2023 when 220 horses sold for $20,929,000. The 2023 average was $95,132 and the median was $75,000. Both buyers and sellers seemed happy with the two-day sale. “I think the prices have been in the range that we expect,” said Eddie Rosen, advisor to Mike Repole who purchased three head for $820,000, while also selling a pair of homebreds. “The prices are fair. They are not crazy high and they are not giving them away. We sold two and we think we got fair prices. I think it's a good market for buyers and sellers. It's reasonable.” David Cannizzo enjoyed a pair of pinhooking successes for his clients, while also doing some shopping. “The top dollar is here for the New York-breds,” Cannizzo said. “It's like the big sale, but across the board, the average has been pretty strong the last two days. It's good buying and selling.” The successful New York-bred sale came on the heels of record Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale which set highwater marks for gross, average and median a week ago. “It was a very encouraging week,” Browning said. “We started last Monday at 6:30, we finished this week on Monday about 5 p.m and in that week we sold over $100 million worth of horses. We've never done that before. So that's a pretty significant accomplishment and something we are proud of. That's meaningful and significant to our industry. Klaravich Strikes Late for Quality Road Colt With just a few horses left to go through the ring, trainer Chad Brown made the highest bid of the two-day Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale Monday, going to $370,000 to secure a colt by Quality Road (hip 595) from the Winter Quarter Farm consignment on behalf of Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stable. Bred by Waterville Lake Stable, the bay is out of graded-placed Portmagee (Hard Spun) and is a full-brother to stakes-placed Derrynane. “Mike and Mary Ryan did all the work for us here,” Brown said. “I am busy racing across the street, so without them I would not have been able to get this covered. Mike thought he was the best horse in the sale, so we waited around all day. We were willing to stretch for him.” Klaravich Stable purchased three yearlings at the New York-bred sale. In addition to the sale topper, the operation also acquired a pair of fillies by Yaupon: hip 503 for $200,000 from The New Hill Farm consignment and hip 583 for $190,000 from Four Star Sales. “We got some good buys,” Brown said. “It was a good sale. There were some expensive horses, but I bought some horses quite under what I thought they would bring. There were some good value spots.” Hip 595 c. QUALITY ROAD o/o Portmagee sells for $370,000 at NY Bred Yearlings! Congrats to buyer Klaravich Stable, consignor Winter Quarter Farm, agt, and breeder Waterville Lake Stable.#FasigNY #NYbred @LanesEndFarms pic.twitter.com/GAPYhhZrcO — Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 12, 2024 Of buying in the Empire state, Brown said, “Seth Klarman has been a leading owner in New York for many years. He loves supporting New York racing and breeding and the whole industry in New York.” Brown continued, “At this sale, we always try to identify New York-bred horses that look like we would buy them if they were not New York-bred horses.” He continued, “So they have the potential to be open-company horses and that they are New York-breds is sort of an added bonus to fall back on, if you will, or to have some perhaps easier races to develop the horses before they get to open company. The horses we bought at this sale were by either proven stallions or exciting first-crop stallions that could take us to open-company races, but still have that option as New York-breds.” Portmagee was purchased by Don Robinson on behalf of Waterville Lake for $75,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Her 2-year-old colt by More Than Ready, now named Rossbeigh RNA'd for $200,000 at this sale last year and the mare produced a filly by Medaglia d'Oro this year. Derrynane, winner of the 2021 Woodbine Cares Stakes in her breeders' colors, was bred to Not This Time this year. Connect Filly to Repole Jacob West and Eddie Rosen, bidding on behalf of Mike Repole, went to $300,000 to acquire a filly by Connect (hip 486) during Monday's second session of the New York-Bred Yearling Sale in Saratoga. Out of Georgie's Angel (Bellamy Road), the dark bay yearling is a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Cave Rock (Arrogate). She was consigned by Eaton Sales on behalf of her breeder, Dan Burke's Longford Farm. “The whole team liked her,” Rosen said. “Obviously, being a half to Cave Rock and Assurbanipal, who has been running well in Japan, makes her appealing. She was a very nice individual and the pedigree is extremely attractive. She has residual value as a broodmare. It was kind of a no-brainer for all of us. She kind of stands out in this catalogue.” Burke and daughter Kathleen Schweizer purchased Georgie's Angel, in foal to Arrogate, for $75,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale. They sold that in utero colt for $700,000 at the 2022 New York-Bred Yearling Sale just days after Cave Rock's impressive debut victory at Del Mar. That colt went on to win that year's GI Del Mar Futurity and GI American Pharoah Stakes and his year-younger full-brother sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.05 million at the 2023 OBS March sale. Assurbanipal is a nose away from being unbeaten in four starts, all going the one-turn mile at Tokyo. Georgie's Angel's filly by Improbable, now named Lakeside, sold to Solis/Litt for $135,000 at last year's New York-Bred Yearling Sale and recorded her fourth workout Aug. 10, going a half-mile in :48 flat (6/73) at Belmont Park. The 15-year-old mare produced a filly by Flightline this year and was bred back to Good Magic. Hip 486 f. CONNECT o/o Georgie's Angel sells for $300,000 at NY Bred Yearlings! Congrats to buyer @Westbloodstock, agt for @RepoleStable, consignor @EatonSales1, agt for @longfordfarm, & breeder Kathleen B. Schweizer & Daniel J. Burke. #FasigNY #NYbred pic.twitter.com/Tj29n5RhSx — Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 12, 2024 Cannizzo Pinhooks More Than Lucky David Cannizzo signed for a pair of pinhook weanling prospects at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York Mixed Sale in the name of Good Luck Farm. The duo proved just that in their return trip through the sales ring during the two-day New York-Bred Yearling Sale when a colt by freshman sire Vekoma (hip 386) brought $300,000 from trainer Christophe Clement Sunday and trainer Mike Maker purchased a colt from the first crop of Yaupon (hip 485) for $275,000 Monday. The first had been purchased as a weanling for $100,000 and the second was purchased for $120,000. “When we go to the weanling sales, we usually look for first-crop sires or young sires, that people are looking for that can really go and hit the mark,” Cannizzo said. “It's one of the moves we make and it worked out this year. It doesn't always, but it was a good year for a few of my clients. Hopefully, we continue to do well with our strategy.” Hip 485, who like hip 386 was consigned this week by Taylor Made Sales Agency, is out of multiple stakes winner Frostie Anne (Frost Giant). “We were very high on Yaupon,” Cannizzo said of the colt's appeal last fall. “We thought he would be a good freshman sire, go the right way. He was a gorgeous individual last year at that sale and we knew we had to get him. He developed into an absolute beast. I actually liked him more than the Vekoma from [Sunday] night, so it hurt me to see him sell for a little less. But it was a good deal for a good client of mine and I am very happy with how it went. He is a very special colt and I wish Mike Maker the best of luck with him.” Maker signed for the colt alongside Peter Proscia of Paradise Farms. “It looks like Yaupon is stamping his foals,” Maker said. “We are glad to bring one home.” Galilean Yearlings Proving Popular Galilean (Uncle Mo), a six-time stakes winner who topped the 2018 Barretts 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale when selling for $600,000 in 2018, was well-represented by his first yearlings in the sales ring at the New York-bred sale in Saratoga. The stallion, who stands for $3,500 at Hidden Lake Farm, had three yearlings through the ring during the two-session auction sell for an average of $158,333. Jacob West, bidding on behalf of Mike Repole, purchased a colt by the sire (hip 350) for $220,000 Sunday, while Legion Bloodstock, bidding on behalf of JCE Racing, purchased a son of the sire–and the very next hip in the ring (hip 351)–for $160,000. “We have liked a lot of the Galileans here so far,” said Legion Bloodstock's Kristian Villante. “They look very similar to Uncle Mo–very clean lines, big strong horses. They look like they will be precocious. They are easy to like.” Of the back-to-back offerings by the stallion, Villiante said, “We liked the hip right before that Jacob bought and liked the one we bought every bit as much. We kind of figured we would follow them up to the ring and see what happened. Jeremiah [Englehart] fell in love with him as soon as we saw him and he's going to train the horse.” Rounding out the trio of yearlings by the stallion, Bronco Bloodstock purchased a colt (hip 511) from the McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds consignment for $95,000 Monday. Galilean had 11 first-crop weanlings sell at auction last year for an average of $13,818. The group was led by an $80,000 daughter out of Dawn Lightning (The Factor). Bred by Franklin Ave. Equine, Michael DiDonato and Charles Esau, the filly was purchased by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing at the Fasig-Tipton New York Mixed Sale last fall. Tacitus Pays A pair of yearlings from the first crop of multiple graded winner Tacitus (Tapit) topped the $200,000 mark Monday in Saratoga, rewarding the horsemen who invested in the youngsters last fall. Colin Brennan consigned hip 459, a son of the stallion out of Dreamed to Dream (Deputy Wild Cat) who sold for $230,000 to Adelphi Racing Club, Steven Rocco and RT Racing. The colt had been purchased by ELC Investments for $125,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. Jonathan Thorne's Thorndale enjoyed an even bigger score with the stallion a few hips later when selling hip 516 for $220,000 to West Point, Sharp TB and Double BL Ranch. Out of Judiciary (Union Rags), the colt was a $30,000 purchase by Thorne at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York Mixed Sale. “I just liked his physical and his walk,” Thorne said of the youngster's appeal last fall. “It was the first time I had seen a Tacitus–it was his first crop. I just thought he was a great individual and hoped he would continue growing the way he was. He was perfectly balanced. He did everything right. And he's gotten bigger. He grew just perfect.” Tacitus, who stands at Taylor Made for a fee of $10,000, had eight yearlings sell at the New York-bred sale for an average of $97,375. At the Fasig-Tipton July Sale last month, he had six sell for an average of $112,833. “I think he's gotten kind of a cult following,” Thorne said of the stallion. “People are realizing that he is stamping them pretty well. And they all look like fast, speedy horses that can probably go long since he's a Tapit and he went long. And they are just well-balanced, athletic horses. He's a promising stallion if he can throw horses who look like that consistently. He should have a big future. It's a beautiful family.” A son of champion Close Hatches (First Defence), Tacitus won the 2019 GI Wood Memorial and Tampa Bay Derby and the 2020 GII Suburban Stakes. He was second in the GI Belmont Stakes and GI Travers Stakes. His full-brother Batten Down won this year's GIII Ohio Derby and was third in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes, while his 'TDN Rising Star' full-sister Scylla won this year's GIII Shawnee Stakes and GII Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis Stakes and was most recently second in the GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes. Thank you to our buyers & consignors for supporting the NY Bred Yearlings sale! The sale has ended. Results are available at https://t.co/ILi6Sojn53 #FasigNY pic.twitter.com/N8JTj5uTgv — Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 12, 2024 The post $370K Quality Road Colt Tops Strong Renewal of the Fasig-Tipton NY-Bred Yearling Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Winner of the Dubai Turf (G1T) this spring, Facteur Cheval will switch to dirt this fall for a run in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 2, according to Team Valor International's Barry Irwin.View the full article

Five Star General refused to lose Aug. 11 at Emerald Downs, surging past Clovisconnection in the final stride for a head victory in the $150,000 Longacres Mile.View the full article

State regulators have seen important steps toward uniformity in rules, enforcement, and lab standards since oversight of safety, medication control, and anti-doping has shifted from state regulators to HISA in recent years.View the full article

Winner of the Dubai Turf (G1T) this spring, Facteur Cheval (IRE) will switch to dirt this fall for a run in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 2, according to Team Valor International's Barry Irwin.View the full article

Owen Burrows hopes his horses are hitting top form at just the right time as he prepares to send Alflaila into a group 1 battle against Epsom Derby (G1) hero City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International (G1) at York Aug. 21.View the full article

The Week In Review by Bill Finley We are in the middle of the Saratoga and Del Mar meets, both of which bring together the best horses the sport has to offer. That was the case last weekend. The quality is there. The quantity? Not so much. There's an alarming trend in racing and it's only getting worse. The 10- or 12-horse field for a stakes race, especially on the dirt, is a thing of the past, no matter the venue, no matter the size of the purse. Even an nine-horse field seems like something out of a different era. There are too many stakes races and not enough horse to fill them. It's really that simple. Never was that more evident than last weekend. Saratoga and Del Mar are huge meets for 2-year-olds, with the top barns eager to unveil their next stars as they take their first steps towards Grade I races and the Breeders' Cup. Del Mar offered the GIII Sorrento S. for 2-year-old fillies on Saturday and the GIII Best Pal S. for 2-year-old males on the following day. The Sorrento had four horses. The Best Pal had four horses. Nothing wrong with the winners. 'TDN Rising Star' Nooni (Win Win Win), the $1.8-million sales topper at OBS March, won the Sorrento. Trained by Bob Baffert (who else?) she was professional in victory and won decisively. She paid $3. Baffert also won the Best Pal with 'Rising Star' Getaway Car (Curlin), who paid $2.60. That Baffert seems to train every good 2-year-old in California certainly doesn't help, but it's not Baffert's job to fill races. Where was everybody else? At least things were better at Saratoga where 'TDN Rising Star' Showcase (Uncle Mo) won an eight-horse race in the GII Sanford S. On Sunday at Saratoga, there was $1.1 million up for grabs in the GI Fourstardave H. and the GI Saratoga Invitational Derby. Each race drew only six horses. Colonial Downs rolled out its best card of the meet Sunday, running the big three grass races that were for so long part of the menu at Arlington Park. The GII Secretariat S., with a purse of $500,000 attracted just six horses. The GII Beverly D., also worth $500,000, had just five starters. The GI Arlington Million was also a six-horse race. What happened at Colonial shouldn't necessarily have been much of a surprise. Kentucky Downs, already an embarrassment of riches, just announced that an additional $3.7 million has been added to the stakes schedule. The GIII Nashville Derby has been bumped to $3.1 million from $2.5 million, making it, for Kentucky-breds, the second richest race run in the state, behind only the GI Kentucky Derby. Total purses for the meet will be $37 million. Seven more stakes at the meet will be worth $2 million and 15 more races will be worth $1 million. With Kentucky Downs set to open Aug. 29, just 18 days after the Colonial races, what is Colonial supposed to do? They can't compete with Kentucky Downs when it comes to purses, and neither can anyone else. Unfortunately, the amount of stakes races with short fields is getting worse all the time. There have been 26 graded stakes races run this year that have had fields of five or fewer. Nine of them have been run in California, a circuit that is having a terrible time trying to compete with the ridiculously rich races run in Kentucky, Arkansas and New York. There have been seven graded races run this year with fields of four or fewer. That list includes races as important as the GI Test S., the GII San Felipe S. and the GI Coaching Club American Oaks. Our best races from a quality standpoint are becoming our worst races from the standpoint of what makes for a good betting race. People don't want to bet on four and five-horse fields, even if they are some of the more prestigious races on the calendar. That's not good for business. Outside of the Kentucky Downs factor, the problem is that, with the foal crops declining each year, there just aren't enough good horses to go around. The Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) has responded by downgrading dozens of stakes over the last few years. But they haven't gone far enough. The real solution is to simply get rid of a bunch of these underperforming races. Does Saratoga really need three stakes races for 2-year-olds and three more for 2-year-old fillies? Won by horses like Kelso, Skip Away, Easy Goer, Forego, Dr. Fager and Buckpasser, the Suburban Handicap, currently a Grade II race, has drawn fields of seven, five, five, six and six over the last five years and has been won by some rather forgettable horses. At Santa Anita, for the second straight year, they could only get four horses for the GII Californian Stakes. Would anybody really miss the Suburban, the California or maybe the Saratoga Special if they simply went away? The answer is obvious, and it is no. Racing secretaries, directors of racing and track presidents need to show some tough love to these races and use their resources elsewhere. The game would be better off for it. Karl Broberg Retires Karl Broberg, 53, has trained the winners of 4,902 races and dominated racing at places like Delta Downs since beginning his training career 15 years ago. He was the leading trainer in the country in terms of wins six years running, from 2014 to 2019. But even with all that success, he has decided to move on. Broberg announced on X last week that he was stepping away from training in order to focus on developing horses at his farm. Broberg, who likes to think outside the box and loves gambling on horses as much as he does training them, told the Daily Racing Form that he also will be working as a bloodstock agent, finding yearlings for clients and himself. He will continue to own some horses and they will be trained by his current assistant Abel Ramirez. “The claiming game at the majority of the tracks that I have historically run at is gone,” he told the DRF. “I figured it would be a great time to take a step back, work to buy yearlings, see if we can do some pinhooking, or just help get horses ready for other people. In the next few years, you are going to see so many more fall to the wayside. I just want to make sure I'm ahead of it.” The post Where Have All The Stakes Horses Gone? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing fans at Colonial Downs Aug. 11 were treated to a duel of Canadian horses of the year as the sixth meeting between 2022 winner Moira and 2023 winner Fev Rover came down to the final jumps of the $500,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G2T).View the full article

The recent Kevin Coleman-trained Leopardstown maiden winner Latin Fever (Ire) (Equiano {Fr}) has been purchased to continue her career in the United States in a deal brokered by Avenue Bloodstock's Mark McStay and Philip Shelton of Medallion Racing. The juvenile filly, who was bred by Donal Boylan and bought as a yearling by Adam Potts and Danny Donovan for €27,000, won on debut at odds of 80/1. Commenting on the purchase, McStay said, “Latin Fever couldn't have been more visually impressive on debut and I'm delighted that we've secured her for a group of American-based owners. Interestingly my form analyst Philip Hackett was extremely keen that we should pay her serious attention and was on the phone immediately after the race.” He continued, “When I presented her to Philip Shelton we were all on the same page. Adam Potts was extremely straightforward to deal with and a lot of credit goes to him and his co-owners [Brian Sheerin and Danny O'Donovan] along with trainer Kevin Coleman. Joe Miller, representing Rancho Temescal, was also interested in her from the outset so they've also joined the partnership, I believe. Completing the ownership group are Omar Aldabbagh, Steve Weston's Parkland Thoroughbreds, Evan Trommer and Medallion Racing. Let's hope she's lucky.” Medallion Racing's Philip Shelton added, “We are very excited about Latin Fever. She won from an impossible position at Leopardstown. She is going to Mark Casse and we are pointing her to the G1 Natalma at Woodbine. We've had good luck with Mark on another Irish import in Papilio.” The post Latin Fever Sold to America After Impressive Maiden Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The colt crowned Cartier Horse of the Year in 2021 when he retired as a five-time Group 1 winner; an elite miler who also won five races at the top level, notably at Royal Ascot in both 2020 and 2021; and the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero of 2021, speedy enough to win the previous year's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over six and a half furlongs. Those three summations alone should give some idea of the calibre of racehorse we're dealing with when it comes to the 2025 crop of first-season sires. But that is in the past, their exploits on the track consigned to the history books. Now all attentions turn to their second careers in the stallion ranks, with one of the first big examinations of their credentials set to come at this week's Arqana August Sale when we all get the chance to cast an eye over their first yearlings. Altogether six as yet unproven stallions are represented by yearlings scheduled to go through the ring at Arqana. They include St Mark's Basilica (Fr), who seems destined to take star billing in this category if sheer weight of numbers alone is anything to go by. With 12 lots by St Mark's Basilica in the catalogue, he is the most heavily represented of the first-season sires, ahead of fellow French Classic winner Victor Ludorum (GB) with 10. A half-brother to the 2,000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia (Ire) by Siyouni (Fr), St Mark's Basilica was a seven-figure yearling in his own right when sold to MV Magnier for 1,300,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1. Almost a year to the day that he went under the hammer at Tattersalls, he returned to Newmarket to crown his juvenile campaign with victory in the G1 Dewhurst Stakes. The title of Europe's champion two-year-old was just the first of many to be earned by St Mark's Basilica, who added four further Group 1 wins to his tally in 2021, first completing a French Classic double in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club and then decisively beating his elders in the Coral-Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes. That sequence of victories saw him retire to Coolmore Stud at the end of 2021 as the world champion three-year-old colt. St Mark's Basilica covered 176 mares, at a fee of €65,000, in his first season at stud, including the Oaks heroine Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) whose filly by the stallion was the highest-priced foal sold in Europe and North America last year when bought by Newsells Park Stud for 575,000gns at the December Foal Sale. If that's a sign of things to come then expect fireworks when the first dozen yearlings by St Mark's Basilica are sold at Arqana. Three of them will be offered by Ecurie des Monceaux whose Henri Bozo spoke with Emma Berry in Monday's TDN, highlighting Lot 178, a half-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}), and Lot 270, a half-sister to the Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and G1 McKinnon Stakes victrix Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as ones to watch. Another to look out for is Lot 136, a filly out of the winning Frankel (GB) mare Frisella (GB) offered by Haras de Montaigu. Already the dam of the Listed-placed Grand Scoop (GB) (No Nay Never), Frisella is in turn out of a Dansili (GB) half-sister to the outstanding miler and sire Kingman (GB). The standout performer among Kingman's progeny to date is the five-time Group 1 winner Palace Pier (GB), another first-season sire who has four yearlings catalogued to sell at the Arqana August Sale. Palace Pier covered 154 mares in his first season as a Darley stallion, at a fee of £55,000, having retired to Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket as the winner of nine of his 11 races for the Gosden yard. His five-top level wins included the St James's Palace Stakes and Queen Anne Stakes when appearing at Royal Ascot in consecutive years, while, fittingly for the week that's in it, he also won back-to-back editions of the Prix Jacques le Marois. As for the four yearlings set to be offered in the seaside town where their sire enjoyed two of his finest hours, Lot 58 is sure to attract plenty of interest as a half-brother to the G1 Prix de la Foret winner and sire Aclaim (Ire), consigned by Haras d'Etreham. Similar comments apply to Lot 320, a filly consigned by Haras des Capucines. She is out of the Listed-placed Sun Bear (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is in turn out of the Irish Oaks scorer Great Heavens (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Palace Pier is one of three Darley stallions with first-time representation at the Arqana August Sale, with the others including the aforementioned Victor Ludorum, who will be standing at Etreham from 2025 after it was announced that Darley's French-based stallions would be on the move having long stood at Julian Ince's Haras du Logis. Victor Ludorum arrived there ahead of the 2022 breeding season as a five-time winner for Andre Fabre. He was unbeaten in three starts at two, culminating with a ready win in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, before gaining the biggest success of his career when winning the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains as a three-year-old. Standing at a fee of €15,000, Victor Ludorum reportedly covered 154 mares in his first season at Haras du Logis, including the unraced Mastercraftsman (Ire) mare Harem Mistress (Ire), dam of the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes runner-up Zarakem (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). The result of that mating is Lot 152, a filly described by Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure as “a good showcase for the stallion” when he spoke to TDN last week. Of the other nine yearlings by Victor Ludorum, Lot 32 also deserves a mention. This filly from the La Motteraye Consignment is a half-sister to the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup scorer Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}). La Motteraye are also responsible for one of the three yearlings on offer from the first crop of the prolific Space Blues (Ire), who retired to Darley's Kildangan Stud in Ireland as the winner of 11 of his 19 starts for Charlie Appleby. Like Palace Pier, he too enjoyed one of his finest hours at Deauville when winning the Prix Maurice de Gheest in 2020, before bowing out in a blaze of glory the following year with back-to-back top-level victories in the Prix de la Foret and Breeders' Cup Mile. Blessed with a potent turn of foot, Space Blues proved popular with breeders in his first season at Kildangan when covering 160 mares at a €17,500 fee, including the winning Gooseley Chope (Fr), dam of the dual Group 3 winner and sire Goken (Fr), who was also third in the G1 King's Stand Stakes. The resulting colt will be offered by Haras de Colleville as Lot 145, while the filly from La Motteraye comes just two lots later. Her second dam is the classy Naissance Royale (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), the winner of the GII Lake Placid Stakes, GII Nassau Stakes and GII Las Palmas Handicap in North America. La Motteraye's Lot 259, a filly out of an unraced half-sister to the GII New York Stakes and G3 Prix de Psyche heroine Homerique (Exchange Rate), is also significant for being the only yearling by the G1 July Cup winner Starman (GB) to be offered this week. Incidentally, the progeny of Tally-Ho Stud resident Starman are sure to become a more common sight as we progress through the yearling sales season. After all, the son of Dutch Art (GB) was the busiest new stallion in Europe in 2022 when covering a bumper book of 254 mares, at a fee of €17,500. Last but not least, the G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Lucky Vega (Ire), who was also placed in the 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes as a three-year-old, will be represented by three yearlings this week. He commanded the lowest fee of the six first-season sires at €15,000, but the team at the Irish National Stud were rewarded with a healthy book of 152 mares. The pick of his three yearlings at Arqana could be Lot 321, a half-sister to the multiple Listed winner Taamol (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) consigned by Jamie Railton Sales Agency, although Lot 277 shouldn't be allowed to go under the radar, either. The filly offered by Coulonces has an interesting mix of speed and stamina in her pedigree, being out of a half-sister to the G1 Prix du Cadran scorer Mille Et Mille (GB) (Muhtathir {GB}). The post St Mark’s Basilica and Palace Pier Lead First-Season Sires to Note at Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After a career spanning more than three decades, Benjie LaRue has announced his retirement from horse training.View the full article

Grade 1 winner She Feels Pretty attempts to get back in the win column Aug. 17 as she is scheduled to compete against 10 other 3-year-old fillies in the $200,000 Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

The catalogues for Books 2-4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale are now available online. Book 2 comprises 773 yearlings and takes place from October 14-16, while 571 lots are scheduled to go under the hammer from October 17-18 when Book 3 takes centre stage. Book 4 has a further 81 yearlings also selling on Friday, October 18, immediately following the conclusion of Book 3. Recent graduates of Book 2 include a number of Group 1 winners this year, headed by the Queen Anne Stakes scorer Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who doubled his top-level tally when landing Sunday's Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. He is joined by the seven-time Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), last seen winning the Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo in June, and July Cup hero Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}). The 2024 catalogue features own or half-brothers and sisters to an impressive 172 Group and Listed winners, including Lot 748, the Sea The Stars (Ire) half-brother to Derby winner Golden Horn (GB); Lot 738, the Palace Pier (GB) half-brother to Group 1-winning sprinter Regional (GB) (Territories {Ire}); and Lot 717, the Ulysses (Ire) half-brother to the G1 Sun Chariot Stakes heroine Integral (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}). In addition, there are 125 sons and daughters of Group- and Listed-winning mares catalogued, including Lot 1205, the Dubawi (Ire) colt out of the G1 Prix de Diane scorer Star Of Seville (GB) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), and Lot 916, the Mehmas (Ire) filly out of the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner Mabs Cross (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). Tattersalls chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Hong Kong-trained global superstar Romantic Warrior has been an extraordinary ambassador for Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, as have the locally trained Group 1 stars Charyn and Mill Stream. Along with Group 2 Queen Mary winner Leovanni, purchased for just 20,000 guineas at Book 3 last year, they demonstrate the quality and value on offer during the second week of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. “As ever Books 2, 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale showcase so many of the finest British and Irish yearlings and the combination of quality yearlings and consistent global success at the highest level is a compelling mix for huge numbers of buyers from throughout Europe and further afield.” The post Catalogues Released for Books 2, 3 and 4 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Mark Casse has had plenty of good horses in his career. His favorite is not all that surprising. He has had an audience with one of the most iconic people the world has ever seen. He is one of a select few to have been elected into Racing Hall of Fames in the U.S. and Canada. What does he do when he has a little down time? What's the deal with Tom Cruise? Read more in this week's Saratoga Conversation to find out. TDN: Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you have won 16 Sovereign Awards as leading trainer in Canada. MC: Yes. Sixteen. TDN: And 13 in a row? MC: Maybe (smiles). TDN: Those are some pretty solid numbers. What does it mean to you? MC: In the beginning, I used to wonder when the Yankees won the World Series a few years in a row, I said, 'what motivates you?' And I would say after winning 16, what motivates me is not losing. TDN: So, it's a quest now. MC: Of course. About two years ago, I came pretty close to losing it for the first time in a long time. And I said, 'well, that's not going to happen again.' TDN: This is something you want to dominate. MC: Well, I don't want to lose it. And I have to dominate it because it's human nature. The voters want to give it to somebody else. TDN: It's like the Yankees. People root against them because they win. MC: I have a lot of people who root against me in Canada. Of course. TDN: You are the evil empire of Canada. MC: I would not want to be described that way … obviously a lot of people don't like me, but they would like to be me. TDN: There is respect there. MC: I would hope so. TDN: In addition to being in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, you are also in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame here. I think there are three others –Roger Attfield, Lucien Lauren and Horatio Luro. MC: Very good group. TDN: I remember you telling the story where you were at the (U.S.) Hall of Fame with your dad and you said you were going to be in there one day. MC: I was 12. And he said, 'I know you will.' Horses, horse racing have been my entire life. If that is your life, what is it you want to be? You want to be in the Hall of Fame because the Hall of Fame says that you weren't good one year, you weren't good two years, you were good over a long period of time. To get into the Hall of Fame, not only do you have to be good for 25 years, but you have to stay out of trouble, too. Not everyone can do that. TDN: Your career is still going, but, so far, what has been your proudest achievement? MC: The Hall of Fame would be No. 1. One horse, one race? It would be Tepin winning the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot (in 2016) just because it's so difficult to do. We have won Triple Crown races (2019 Preakness with War of Will, 2019 Belmont with Sir Winston), we've won six Breeders' Cup races … but to go over and win and beat them at their own game … We have some horses that go to Europe, but they haven't had as much luck lately at Royal Ascot. We have beat them sprinting, but I don't know if sprinting is their forte. We beat them at their own game, which shows you how great Tepin was. Tepin | Sarah Andrew TDN: You look at the roster you have had. Tepin, World Approval, Classic Empire, War of Will, Fev Rover … just to name a few. Is there a favorite? MC: Nah. There's not a favorite. They are all your kids. When we won the Belmont with Sir Winston, my wife (Tina) said, 'smile! You have to smile.' It was hard. I was excited and happy for the (owners Tracey and Carol) Farmers and to win the Belmont is a great feat, but you have to remember they are our kids. One kid (Sir Winston) achieved greatness that day and the other kid (War of Will, who was ninth) was a failure. Just think about it. You are happy for the one that achieved greatness, but you feel bad for the one that didn't. I run a lot of horses in a lot of races– big races–and a lot of times I run multiple ones. We won seven races a couple weeks ago (at multiple tracks) and four stakes and my focus was on the ones that lost. It's a bad thing, but it's what I do. TDN: So, you smiled at the Belmont, right? MC: I smiled. Because my wife told me to. I listen to her. TDN: Favorite race track. MC: I am going to say, right here. Saratoga. And it's been my Achilles heel on many occasions. This is where I have a lot of memories with my dad (the late Norman Casse Sr., who started the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. in 1974 and served as the organization's chairman for 27 years). Churchill would be a close second. TDN: Where is Woodbine? MC: Woodbine would probably be third. Now, if you talk about a training facility, there is no place better to train than Woodbine for so many reasons. But as far as where do I want to win? Right here. TDN: Everyone's watching. MC: You got it. TDN: I know that you love to golf, and you love to fish. If you can only pick one, which one are you doing? MC: I like golf. When I am in Ocala, I wake up at 4 (a.m.) and I play 18 holes on my golf simulator from 4-5. And then I make breakfast for my wife and son (Colby) and I go to work. I usually play a par 3. I shot 10-under one day. I had a hole-in-one at 4:38 in the morning (laughs). TDN: Did you smile then? MC: Oh, yeah. I enjoy that. And we watch horses train. I get videos all morning long. We have this thing I call the VLL–the Video Lameness Locator. Anytime any of my assistants anywhere have an issue, they run this App. You jog the horse, and it takes about a minute. It gets uploaded and it goes to a computer in Stockholm, Sweden. The computer analyzes 100 key points in the horse's stride and, within three minutes, I will have the results. TDN: Modern technology. MC: My Boy Prince has already been sent to me and he's the favorite for the King's Plate. He breezed (Thursday morning) and, at 6 a.m., it showed me how he was. TDN: You have a pond at your farm in Ocala. MC: I have two ponds. TDN: Whenever you catch a fish, you always throw it back, right? MC: Always. I have an older pond that has been there 20 some years and I have a newer pond. I told my wife I was going to build a little pond and she came out and said, 'I thought this was supposed to be little!' It's deeper. Our old pond is only about five feet deep. Our new one is, in some spots, 20 feet deep. If I catch a big bass in the small pond, I carry him over and put him in the big pond so he can grow. TDN: You don't name your fish, do you? MC: Nah! You know what? I have a wonderful life. We have ducks that are there every day. We have a set of geese that come every year, have their babies. They will bring their babies back the next year and then they will run them off and they'll have more. We have three right now. We have baby ducks. I enjoy that. TDN: It truly is an animal farm. MC: Yeah. It is. I am fortunate. I live in paradise. I can walk to work. I can go and fish in the front yard. And I can hit (golf) shots 150 yards to a green or I can go my golf simulator. I need these things because my day is so full that I could not go and do those things. TDN: I ask two questions to everyone. One is, if there was a movie made about your life and you can pick the actor to play you, who are you picking? MC: I don't know. Maybe, simply because of his size, Tom Cruise. We are pretty much the same age. He's not very tall (he is 5′ 7″). I am 5′ 5″. He has dark hair, and I don't have any hair anymore. I am going with Tom Cruise. TDN: The other one question is if you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be? MC: My dad. JFK. And I loved the Queen (Elizabeth II). She was amazing. Loved horses. I got to meet her. TDN: What was that like? MC: It's a bit of a funny story. When we had Tepin, after she won (at Royal Ascot) I did so many interviews. An hour went by. And I said, 'when do I get to meet the Queen?' And they said, 'you missed her.' I was like, 'you've got to be kidding me!' The next day I did an interview for the “Racing Post.” They asked with the success I have had, would I come back. I said, 'only if I get to meet the Queen.' I didn't know that she read the “Racing Post.” It just happened that the next year, we ran a horse. We were in our box, and we were going to run at about 2:30 (p.m.). At 1, a representative of the Queen showed up and said the Queen would like to meet you. Wow! Tina, Colby and I went there. You have to understand, I have to go saddle this horse. I don't have a lot of time. We are talking, and she keeps talking and we're talking and talking and talking. I am thinking, 'I am going to miss going to saddle this horse.' Her representative said, 'Your majesty, he has to go saddle his horse.' And she goes, “Oh! Tally-ho! Off you go!' And that was it. Colby, who was 12 at the time, said, 'dad, were you nervous?' I said, 'not really.' He said, 'my knees were shaking!' War of Will | Claiborne TDN: Favorite horse racing movie. MC: I have to go with “Seabiscuit.' For sure. Gary (Barber, one of his owners) produced it. TDN: That would be the right answer for you. What is your favorite holiday? MC: Christmas. The kids come around. Memories from when I was young with my mom and my dad. I was born on Valentine's Day. Poor Tina takes a whipping on Valentine's Day because it's my birthday. TDN: Favorite go-to meal. MC: My wife is a very, very good cook. I like steak and potatoes. I am pretty easy. She is amazing. We eat at home all the time. TDN: A horse trainer is not your typical job. When is the last time you had a vacation? MC: I made myself. It was the beginning of December, I got all the kids and grandkids, girlfriends and husbands and wives and Tina and I rented a big house. We all met, and it was near St Petersburg, Fla. And everybody got sick. We've talked about it. Tina and I would like to go to Europe. The problem is the only time we can go is December because we've got the Breeders' Cup. It's not easy. TDN: To do this job, you have to be all in. MC: Yes. I try to take one day up here to catch up and, usually, it's on a Tuesday. I would say my day consists of 30 phone calls and 100 texts. Every day. On the weekends, we run all over so that is a very busy time for us. Monday and Tuesday, everyone (owner) that did not have a horse run over the weekend is catching up with me. TDN: How many horses do you have all over the place? MC: Right now, racing at the track, we have 160, 170. TDN: How do you keep track of them? MC: I have a pretty good system. I have 10 people that have been with me 30 years. TDN: If you had five stalls open at this barn and you could put five horses from history in them, who would they be? But none of them could be yours. MC: Good question. I guess Secretariat. Flightline. I think Flightline might be the best horse I ever saw run. American Pharoah was a heckuva horse. I would have loved to have Desert Vixen (Eclipse Award-winning filly at age 3 and 4) because (owner) Mr. (Harry) Mangurian was a big part of my life and that was his big filly. And I will go with Dr. Fager. TDN: Pretty good starting five. Favorite sport other than horse racing. MC: It comes and goes, but golf. I watch it. Play it. I like poker, too. TDN: Do you play? MC: I do. TDN: Do you have a poker face? MC: Probably. TDN: You are pretty good at it. MC: I have won big tournaments. About 30 years ago, Harry Mangurian told me that this sport is going to take off. This was (Texas) Hold 'Em. He would take me to Vegas when I was working with him, and I played out there and then I stopped playing. OBS recently got a card room. During the week, sometimes I'll go over and play. They call me Computer Man because I always have my computer doing work. I can't go for three hours and not do work. That's why golf is very hard for me. If I do it, then I am in the middle of the night doing my work and I'm tired. TDN: Do you watch TV? MC: Not much. We like the “Formula 1: Drive to Survive.” My favorite movie? “The American President.” TDN: You can't imagine yourself doing anything but this. MC: No. Because it's all I have ever done. Always wanted to do this. The post The Saratoga Conversation: Mark Casse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It is impossible to miss the draft from Haras des Capucines as you arrive at the main concourse of the Arqana salåes grounds. For a start it is the largest in the book with 45 yearlings catalogued for sale, and it includes a spacious seating area for viewers to take a break while working their way through lists. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Eric Puerari and Michel Zerolo consigning in Deauville under the Capucines banner. Following the August Sale they will also offer 20 yearlings for next week's V.2 Sale, from which they sold the Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration Of War) in 2016. Eric Puerari says: “With Etreham, we have each of us been on the podium 20 times at this sale since the year 2000. “Over the last few years the Arqana results have been good, and from Capucines we had this year's French Oaks winner, Sparkling Plenty, in our draft, even though she didn't get sold, and also Borna, who missed out on victory in the German Derby by a nose. “Deauville is a really good source of group winners. Everybody knows it and that's what gives us confidence now. It's impossible to say what will happen, and of course for the first time in many years Jean-Claude Rouget will not be present at the sales and we will miss him a lot. He has been a driving force at the sales for so many years and hopefully he will be back in October. We of course also depend a lot on the international market and Arqana does a good job on bringing people to the sale. “Of the three-year-old generation, from horses we sold two years ago, along with Sparkling Plenty and Borna there is also War Chimes, who was third in the Oaks [at Epsom] and altogether we have 11 black-type horses who were sold in that crop, including George Strawbridge's Vigatata [who was third in Sunday's G3 Prix Lady O'Reilly] . “From this year's two-year-old crop Tiego The First, a very good Blue Point colt, won the Prix Roland Chambure and Houquetot has won twice [and was second in the G3 Prix Francois Boutin on Sunday]. It's quite lively for us right now.” Draft highlights: Lot 4, a filly by Kingman (GB) out of Tamazirte (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) You'll have to be ringside early to catch this filly going through. A winner at Group 2 and 3 level, Tamazirte was also runner-up in both the Prix de Diane and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. She has proved equally useful as a broodmare, and this filly is a full-sibling to her dual Group 3-wining son and first-season sire Chachnak (Fr), who has one winner from his five runners to date. Lot 28, a filly by Frankel (GB) out of Waldjagd (GB) (Observatory) “She's a spectacular filly and the two-year-old [Misunderstood] just won the Prix de Crevecoeur on his first start and is aiming for the Grand Criterium,” Puerari notes. A black-type performer, Waldjagd is a daughter of the German St Leger winner Wurftaube (Ger) (Acatenango {Gr}) from an accomplished family which includes the Arc winner Waldgeist (GB) and St Leger winner Masked Marvel (Ire). The yearling is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Waldbiene (Ger) (Intello {Ger}) and Listed winner Urwald (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}). Lot 218, a colt by Galiway (GB) out of Milena's Dream (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) “We have a very good group of Galiway yearlings; several of them look very racy, including the brother to Etoile,” says Puerari. Milena's Dream was herself fourth in the G3 Prix des Reservoirs as a juvenile and her standout performer at stud so far is the GI EP Taylor Stakes winner Etoile (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who was also won the G3 Prix Cleopatre. Claim to fame: Along with two of this season's Classic winners in the aforementioned Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) and G2 Derby Italiano hero Borna (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), graduates from previous drafts of Capucines at Arqana include the Breeders' Cup winner Zagora (Fr) and Flotilla (Fr). The latter also won the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and she is joined on the list by fellow Group 1 winners Morandi (Fr), Never On Sunday (Fr) and Etoile, among others. Haras des Capucines has also sold the sole Classic winner to emerge from the V.2 Sale to date in Olmedo, while another Breeders' Cup winner, Audarya (Fr), was offered at the October Sale. Last word: “We'll be showing horses from Tuesday and will be ready early each morning. I always admire the British and Irish buyers who are up very late in the evenings but then arrive very early in the mornings to see the horses. It's impressive: they are well organised and courageous.” The post The Arqana Lowdown: Haras des Capucines appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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A weight was lifted off Kieran Shoemark at Deauville. He was not the reason Inspiral had stopped winning. Shoemark was a spectator as Cheveley Park Stud's distinguished Frankel mare was soundly beaten into third behind Charyn in Sunday's Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois. The ride on Inspiral had passed to Ryan Moore as turbulence gripped Shoemark's season – his first as Frankie Dettori's replacement at the John and Thady Gosden yard. The starting point is that nobody gets to be first jockey to the Gosdens without the necessary talent. The second is that Inspiral's second consecutive slow start and Charyn's brilliance were too much even for Moore. Shoemark will have spotted Callum Shepherd's name on the Marois card. Shepherd, who finished fourth on Quddwah, endured this year's highest profile jocking-off, on Ambiente Friendly in the Derby. Being 'dropped' in racing is as old as the Thoroughbred. Inspiral's best appears to be behind her. But there is no reason why Shoemark cannot absorb the blow of the Inspiral demotion and reboot his year, as Dettori himself did after provoking the displeasure of Gosden snr. The mistake is not to go through a rough patch. It's to surrender to despondency. Shoemark's appointment at Clarehaven could be seen as a classic dance move in sport, where the new No 1 is the polar opposite of his predecessor. Plainly Dettori and Shoemark are contrasting personalities – though Dettori, too, had his substance abuse phase. The perception of Shoemark is bound to be skewed subconsciously by the reality that he isn't Frankie Dettori. All Manchester United managers since Sir Alex Ferguson have suffered in part because they are not him. But 'personality' is only one factor propelling a horse in a race. Ryan Moore manages to be the world's best jockey without putting on a cabaret. His talent does the singing and dancing. Shoemark will be smart enough to know he's toiling in the void left by Dettori; that any perceived error will mutate into a debate about whether he was the right pick in the first place as the Gosdens' go-to rider. A helpful link can be traced to Shoemark's earlier problems with drink and drugs. One lesson of addiction is that it can be overcome (not always, but with luck, and love). A negative publicity maelstrom is also survivable, especially in this age of hurtling events, when every sports story lasts about five minutes. The ignorance of the vengeful keyboard warrior takes no account of balance or context It may help Shoemark to see the adverse comment at Goodwood as a routine pile-on, short-lived, and correctable by winners and good riding. The fundamental truth about pile-ons is that the assailants will soon rush off to start a new one. Only the duration of your own time as the target is in question. Which is not to say that jockeys should be exempt from scrutiny and criticism. Journalists are not meant to be cheerleaders. Journalism must, though, resist the temptation to keep saying what has already been said, to gnaw on the already chewed. I have no difficulty in pleading guilty to that myself in the past. This column will neither revisit the technicalities of his rides on Emily Upjohn or Free Wind at Goodwood, nor pronounce on whether Shoemark is riding badly or well – except to say that an indispensable ingredient of success in all sports is confidence. Even the greatest goalscorers, golfers and Wimbledon champions will tell you that self-belief is no respecter of status. When confidence exits stage left, doubt enters stage right. Clarity of thought then follows self-assurance out of the building. A fog of uncertainty creeps across the normal execution of skills. It should surprise no-one that Shoemark soon found himself in a binary bunfight. That's how most discussions happen. It's not the “media” who torture professional sportsmen and women these days so much as social media, with its drive-by cruelty. The ignorance of the vengeful keyboard warrior takes no account of balance or context. In that world, a feeling is presented as fact. Everyone is a columnist now. People who play sport for a living must learn to distinguish between noise and valid comment. It's not easy. The worst-case scenario would be that Shoemark loses the Gosden retainer, either gradually or suddenly. The best one is that the Gosdens view the past fortnight as a standard patch of turmoil for a good jockey who finds himself in the fiercest spotlight of his career. Emily Upjohn's owner has already given Shoemark his “100% support” and Gosden has been protective. There's no hiding it: the melodrama of elite sport feeds on sackings and rifts and reckonings. In racing, the Gosden-Dettori froideur was much bigger news than the Shoemark kerfuffle. Many seemingly intractable 'issues' resolve themselves with calm discussion and constructive honesty. Shoemark has had a tricky summer. Losing the ride on Inspiral will have hurt him. None of that is terminal. The poet Robert Frost said that everything he had learned about life could be summarised in three words: “It goes on.” The post Inspiral Loss Takes Sting out of Shoemark Pile-On appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

South African jockey breaks through with the ninth ride of his stint Down Under, delivering aboard Peridot Star for Phillip Stokes on MondayView the full article