Wandering Eyes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ten days before the start of the Saratoga season, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott was typically optimistic and realistic about how his stable might follow yet another solid summer at the Spa. Long a force at Saratoga, where he has won or shared nine titles, Mott was without most of the heavy hitters from the lineup that carried him to an Eclipse Award: – Horse of the Year and champion Cody's Wish (Curlin), third in the GI Whitney in the experiment at 1 1/8 miles, was retired. – Champion Elite Power (Curlin), winner of the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt, was retired. – Champion Just FYI (Justify), who broke her maiden at Saratoga, was getting some time off at the farm. – GII Wood Memorial winner Resilience (Into Mischief), sixth in his 2023 debut at Saratoga, who was sixth in the GI Kentucky Derby and 10th in the GI Belmont Stakes, was also out of training at a farm. – Veteran Channel Maker (English Channel), winner of the GII Bowling Green, was retired. A week later, Mott lost another veteran star, Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), who was sent off to retirement. Casa Creed won the GIII Kelso and the GI Fourstardave in 2023. “We're rebuilding this year,” Mott said on that morning in early July. “We're looking for some new guys. We need some new faces and hopefully some of the 2-year-olds turn out and maybe some of the 3-year-olds from last year are going to show up.” As rebuilds go, this one has been sprinter-quality quick. Through the midpoint of the season Wednesday, Mott had 12 wins from 50 starts and earnings of $1,587,654. He picked up another third with his lone starter on Thursday. He is tied for third in victories with Todd Pletcher and is second to Chad Brown in purse money earned. His 56 percent in-the-money rate is second only to Brad Cox's 60.7 among the top 10 on the earnings table. Last year, he won 17 of 119 starts and earned $2,805,937. Mott said that he understood that he faced the task of restocking a deep and talented roster. “I knew that was coming,” he said. “I saw it coming last year. It's not like it snuck up on me. I was well aware of it. It's hard to replace some of those horses we had. They were older horses that had won Breeders' Cups, and we got them back for another year. And they won another Breeders' Cup. It's hard to come up with those horses for one year, much less to be lucky enough to have them two years.” Arthur's Ride | Sarah Andrew In August, the Mott barn has been white hot with a record of 6-5-3 in 14 starts at four tracks across the country. The biggest victory of this Saratoga season was by Arthur's Ride (Tapit) in the GI Whitney Stakes on Aug. 3 in his first try in a stakes. With a dozen different winners–Scotland (Good Magic) is the only one who won for Mott in 2023–and three stakes victories, Mott gave his stable a solid grade at Saratoga. “I'd say, excellent so far,” he said. “Up to this point, we're very fortunate. They've been running good. We've been in some spots that the horses have run well. They've fit. I was lucky enough to have Arthur's Ride ready to go. That was huge having him winning that race. For everybody. Huge for Arthur's ride and the connections.” Mott picked up a pair of decisive firsts Wednesday, which pushed his win total at Saratoga to 497, second to Pletcher's 714 and just ahead of Brown's 493. Equibase stats show that Mott made his first foray to Saratoga in 1984 with three seconds in seven starts. He was winless again as a shipper in 1985, but was second in all four starts. In 1992, Mott tied for the meet title with D. Wayne Lukas with 14 wins. It was first of the 30 years that he has won at least 10 races at Saratoga. He also won the training title in 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and once more in 2007 with a personal-best 27 victories. While Mott is a major player at all of the high-level meets he competes in, he no longer carries the number of horses needed to vie with Brown and Pletcher for championships. He is planning to go after a some more Grade I Saratoga scores–his first Whitney success was his 28th overall–with 10-time graded stakes winner War Like Goddess (English Channel) in the Flower Bowl and GIII Ohio Derby winner Batten Down (Tapit) in the Travers. Junior Alvarado | Sarah Andrew Veteran jockey Junior Alvarado is Mott's go-to rider and has been up for eight of his wins this summer. Alvarado said there was some question about how the stable would fare this year with the departure of so many standouts. “We were worried because there were a lot of horses–Elite Power, Cody's Wish–that were going away,” he said. “We knew we had to replace them and now it is mid-year and there are a couple horses showing up and we hope it puts us into a good spot at the end of the year. And we are hoping for some of the babies to start waking up.” Through Thursday Mott has saddled 16 2-year-olds at the meet and has a record of 2-2-2. “He has a lot of good babies here,” Alvarado said. “They're just a little behind mentally and late-developing horses. I think that's what Bill's best for. He gives them time, and they eventually come around as good as they can be.” Mott, 71, a member of the Hall of Fame since 1998, uses a patient approach to improve and grow the many types of horses that come into his barn. “He lets them find themselves,” Alvarado said. “That's what he's known for and that's why his horses really develop into nice horses and they are very good later on.” Mott said he is dealing with what he said was “a little virus” in his stable that may have an impact on some 2-year-olds starting in the coming weeks. Looking toward the second half of the meet for his stable, Mott is typically optimistic and realistic. “It's day to day,” said. “We're lucky to have some more horses to run, and hopefully we can make them fit in.” The post Despite Losing Many Stars, Mott’s Stable Remains a Force at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The celebrity teams for Hurling for Cancer Research, set for Netwatch Cullen Park on Monday Aug. 12, were revealed by Jim Bolger and Davy Russell on Thursday. The event, which starts at 7 p.m. aids the Irish Cancer Society and will be broadcast on TG4 for the first time. To date, Hurling for Cancer Research has raised an incredible €1.5m for cancer research. Liam Griffin and Brian Cody wil act as Bainisteoirí. Others signed on include John Kiely, Mark Landers, Jimmy Barry Murphy, Paul Townend, Rachael Blackmore, Bernard Dunne, Cora Staunton, Ursula Jacob, Peter Canavan, Paul Nolan, Michael Darragh MacAuley, Michael Duignan and Joanne O'Riordan are among those stepping up to act as selectors, commentators, side-line officials, umpires and maor uisce. To buy tickets (€10/person, €20/family), please visit the Hurling for Cancer Research website. The post Hurling For Cancer Research Teams Announced appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The upcoming entertainment roster for the inaugural California Crown will include VIP area trackside performances including Griffin, Lil Yachty, Shaboozey, Frank Walker and Zack Bia. Tickets for the event, which will take place at Santa Anita Park Sept. 28, are available at www.californiacrown.com. The California Crown marks the second race in 1/ST's Grand 3 $25-million racing and incentive series connecting the GI Preakness, The California Crown and the 2025 GI Pegasus World Cup. The California Crown race day will offer $3,000,000 in purses, including the $1,000,000 GI California Crown, replacing the Awesome Again Stakes for 3-year-olds & up run on 1 1/8 mile. The day will also feature the $750,000 GII California Crown John Henry Turf and the $750,000 GII California Crown Eddie D. Turf Sprint. 1/ST joins forces with Los Angeles-based hospitality and lifestyle marketing company The h.wood Group, which will create an old Hollywood glamor theme for the day with luxury hospitality experiences curated by Delilah, Funke by Chef Evan Funke and Wally's. For more information on premium seating, contact premiumseating@californiacrown.com. For more information or to explore accommodation options, click here. The post California Crown Entertainment Lineup Unveiled, Tickets on Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A total of 172 horses, including Group 1 winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) (lot 172) have been catalogued for the Tattersalls Online August Sale. The sale begins at noon on Wednesday, Aug. 14 and ends beginning at noon on Thursday, Aug. 15. There are 139 horses in/out of training, 16 broodmares, nine stores, four yearlings, three foals, and the aforementioned Dubai Mile, who will be offered by Martyn Meade's Manton Park Stud, where he stood his first season in 2024. Baroda Stud will consign Useful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 119), who is out of Group 1 winner Nickname (Scat Daddy). Another lot of note is James Ferguson Racing's lot 59, Gulf Legend (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is currently rated 88. He is a half-brother to Group 1 winner Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). The Gigginstown Annual Dispersal is also part of the sale and features eight lots. The post Dubai Mile Among Tattersalls Online August Lots appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last year's renewal of Leopardstown's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden was garnered by subsequent G3 Gallinule Stakes victor Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Thursday's latest edition witnessed the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Adrian Murray trainee and G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes entry Hill Road (Quality Road–Exotic Notion, by Lemon Drop Kid). Hill Road, a $350,000 Keeneland September yearling who registered a May 27 Naas barrier-trial 'win' between missed engagements at the Curragh in May and June, broke well and raced in a handy third after the initial exchanges of this debut proper. Nudged along rounding the home turn, the 11-2 chance was ridden to the front passing the quarter-mile marker and lengthened clear in style inside the final furlong to easily defeat Shackleton (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) by an impressive five lengths. “We've always held this lad in good regard,” revealed Murray. “We had him ready early in the year and he won a barrier trial in Naas. We backed off him as we wanted to give him time to strengthen up and mature. He's all there now and we'll probably come back here for the Group 2 [Golden Fleece Stakes] over a mile on Champions Weekend. He's a very laid-back horse and takes a bit of revving up. It's a good sign in a horse.” Hill Road is the third of five foals and first scorer produced by the stakes-placed Exotic Notion (Lemon Drop Kid), herself a half-sister to G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational hero and multiple Grade I-winning sire City Of Light (Quality Road) and the stakes-placed Pointsman (Mt. Livermore). The April-foaled bay, whose dam was bred to Practical Joke this year, is kin to a yearling colt and a weanling colt by Uncle Mo. $350,000 buy Hill Road (Quality Road) is related to @BreedersCup Turf Mile winner City Of Light and makes a fine start on debut for Adrian Murray at @LeopardstownRC @amoracingltd pic.twitter.com/NWrULTPtat — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 8, 2024 The post Quality Road’s Hill Road Wins At Leopardstown For Amo Racing, Snags TDN Rising Star appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Group 1 winner Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) will race for the Al Riffa Syndicate and Masaaki Matsushima beginning in Sunday's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin. The Joseph O'Brien trainee's long-term goal remains the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Matsushima has already enjoyed some success in Europe as the part-owner of G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}). The 4-year-old won the G1 National Stakes at two, and added runner-up finishes in both the G3 International S. and G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. Fourth in the G1 Prix Ganay this April, he was sixth in the GI Manhattan Stakes in America in June. In his latest appearance, he was an encouraging second in the G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown behind City Of Troy (Justify) in early July. “Obviously, it was a fantastic run at Sandown,” O'Brien told the Nick Luck Daily. “The Arc is a big target for him in the autumn. It would be great if we could have a good run in Germany at the weekend on the way there. “I think we always had it in our minds that he would stay a mile-and-a-half. His dam is a sister to a horse that was placed in the Ascot Gold Cup, so there's plenty of stamina in his family. And she's obviously by Galileo (Ire). He's a Group 1 winner at seven furlongs and it was a big run in the Eclipse last time at 10 [furlongs] last time in the Eclipse. We have always expected that the best of him would be seen when he gets to go 12 furlongs. “He's a very big horse. He was a big yearling and was a high class 2-year-old. That was why we decided not to run him again after the National Stakes. He had a good 3-year-old year. He had a little setback on the eve of the Champion Stakes, and he's come back on the back of a career best at Sandown. This looks like an open Group 1 and it's a logical spot for him.” The post Arc Still The Goal For Al Riffa, As Masaaki Matsuhima Joins Ownership appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races canceled its Aug. 8 card due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby moving through the area, and Delaware Park and Laurel Park canceled racing Aug. 9.View the full article

Dominant Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Laurel River retains his spot as the highest-rated horse in Longines' recently published World's Best Racehorse Rankings.View the full article

Delaware Park has cancelled the live racing card scheduled for Friday, Aug. 9 due to the expected impact from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. Live racing is scheduled to resume on Saturday, Aug. 10. Laurel Park has also decided to cancel its nine-race card Friday. Both tracks are expected to resume racing Saturday, Aug. 10. For more info., click here for Delaware Park and here for Laurel Park. The post Delaware, Laurel Cancel Friday Cards Due to Tropical Storm Debby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It's usually the jockeys who dominate the headlines at Ascot's Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup fixture, but the Jim Goldie-trained Jordan Electrics (GB) will be well worth a few column inches of his own should the eight-year-old continue his remarkable winning sequence when he teams up with the British-born, Australian-based Rachel King in Saturday's 'Dash' run over five furlongs. When Jordan Electrics made his first appearance of 2024 at Musselburgh in April, he did so as an admirable sprinter–the sort of horse anybody would love to own as the winner of nine races–but one whose ceiling appeared to be fairly well established, never having won from a BHA rating above 74. However, nearly four months on from that ninth-place finish at Musselburgh, it's fair to say that the remains of that ceiling now lie shattered on the Hamilton turf, the scene of five of the seven wins he's accumulated so far this season. For good measure, when he gained his fourth straight success at the South Lanarkshire track last Saturday, he clocked a rapid time of 56.96s, lowering the five-furlong course record to go with the six-furlong record he'd broken a couple of weeks earlier. Now up to a rating of 102, having started the calendar year off 72, Jordan Electrics is no doubt in the conversation when it comes to the most-improved horse of the season. What the son of Dandy Man (Ire) has achieved is quite simply extraordinary, so too the where–he's now the winningmost horse at Hamilton with nine career victories–but the only way to start the conversation with Goldie when it comes to the arc of this horse's improvement is the simple question of 'How?'. “I wish I knew!” laughs the trainer based at Libohill Farm in Uplawmoor, located roughly 45 minutes away from the course Jordan Electrics has made his own. Not too far to go then, although a small change to the travel routine of “the wee horse” is identified as one of the reasons why he's seemingly an improved model this year. “He used to get angry if you travelled him with other horses,” Goldie explains. “He would be kicking the partition and carrying on. We just don't travel him with other horses now. We've put him in a stable on his own and in his own wee world he's quite happy and saves all of his energy for the racecourse. “I've studied sprinters for years and I used to be fascinated with Dandy Nicholls. He was a master with them and David Chapman was before him. It's just about finding what works for certain horses and to keep doing it.” He adds, “It's quite a remarkable achievement for the wee horse. He's not a big horse but very well balanced, well put together and very sound, touch wood. That's the main thing and he comes out of his races very well.” Jordan Electrics's robust constitution should stand him in good stead at Ascot on Saturday when he faces his toughest test yet, stepping up further in grade after only seven days off. Is it possible that he could still have more to offer? Goldie is as eager to find out as the rest of us. “I'll be curious to see how far the graph goes because if you're carrying top weight and still breaking course records, it's not as if you're scraping home, is it?” he points out. “He's in sparkling form and hopefully we can keep the ball rolling. “Paul Mulrennan has won a good few races on him and it will be interesting going to a Shergar Cup. He's a straightforward horse and hopefully the jockey [King] gets a good tune out of him. “If there's a tailwind, we're laughing. He's very fast and he breaks well, so he'll be on the pace I would imagine. If there's a headwind, it makes it difficult for front-runners. He doesn't need to make the running but he's sharp. “Whatever he does, it seems to work perfectly at Hamilton. Ascot is a different ball game, but I've done quite well at the meeting over the years and we're looking forward to it.” Jordan Electrics takes his name after his owner's family business in Lanarkshire and is quickly developing a cult following according to Goldie, who explains, “Brian Jordan, it's his family who own him. Brian has been retired for a few years now, but the business is still going. You can imagine all the workers back him, so he's most popular horse in Scotland at the moment! He's got a huge fan base.” Similar comments apply to stable-mate Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), who was just a four-year-old when Dutch rider Adrie De Vries partnered him to victory at the Shergar Cup back in 2017. The winner of the John Smith's Cup, Old Borough Cup, Cumberland Lodge Stakes, St Simon Stakes, Brigadier Gerard Stakes and Gala Stakes in the interim, Euchen Glen is still going strong at the age of 11 and no conversation with Goldie would be complete without mention of the much-loved veteran. “He's in great order,” Goldie says of the 13-time winner. “I wouldn't say he was unlucky at Goodwood [when finishing fourth last time], but Joe Fanning is a master at getting to the front and stacking them up and we were sitting out the back. But that's the risk you take when you drop in. You just hope the race is run to suit you. “We're probably heading to York. That's where he had one of his most famous victories when he beat the St Leger winner Logician in the Cumberland Lodge [the rescheduled race after the original Ascot fixture was abandoned]. There's a mile-and-a-half race on the Friday of the Ebor Festival he might go for.” The Goldie team can embark on the long journey to Ascot on Saturday and to York in under a fortnight safe in the knowledge that the stable seems to be in rude health. From 20 runners so far in August, only four have finished outside of the first four places. “Midsummer is usually our time of the year,” says the trainer, before revealing one of the possible reasons why. “Probably one of our secrets is that we grow our own organic haylage for the horses. We don't have enough to do them all year, so we purposely put them on the organic haylage at this time of year. “It's made the news this morning that the scientists can tell how good a racehorse is going to be when they're a month old from the bacteria in their gut. Maybe that's a big factor. If you're feeding them organic haylage, you're not going to have the same chemicals and what not. “We do that with them all and one or two of them are having a good season–but they're not all improving 30lb anyway!” The post Shergar Cup Contender Jordan Electrics Chasing Eighth Win of 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

by Lindy Maurice Working together. Two simple words. But such a powerful concept. And, I believe, the power behind those words represents the future prosperity of our industry. If we don't work together to solve our issues (which are remarkably the same globally), there are strong reasons to believe that we won't have an industry to delight, stimulate and inspire for future generations. For those who don't know me, I founded Thoroughbred Industry Careers (TIC) in 2019–with enormous help from Godolphin and many others in the racing and breeding world–as I saw a real need in Australia to proactively and strategically turn the tide on a declining workforce. Too many in Australia have little or no connection with the Thoroughbred and do not realise that fulfilling careers are available and the next generation coming through have little or zero awareness of horseracing. And that is despite the fact we have extraordinary levels of horse ownership and more than 80,000 people working alongside our Thoroughbreds. Here's how big the problem is: I did a focus group with a secondary school's equestrian team of 15 students, and only one person could name anything to do with horseracing. A girl put her hand up and said: “I've heard of Winx”. Others all stared at me blankly. No wonder everyone's saying they can't get staff, as even young people who ride horses don't know the thoroughbred industry exists as a career or as a sport. The Valley races | Darren Tindale So, in 2019 Thoroughbred Industry Careers launched a 12-month course that aimed to educate young people on both the breeding and racing sides to the industry and out of that it created track riders, jockey's, stable and stud staff and even media out of school-leavers, a lot of whom had little or no previous experience with horses. So far, so good. We were delighted to have gone some way to creating our own 'British Racing School'. Then disaster: in mid-2022, for economic and political reasons, we lost our “training centre” when the New South Wales state government closed the Richmond equine courses, which hosted the core 'work safe' training our students. Suddenly we were in limbo and there is no alternative to what Richmond offered two years on–to be clear, that is face to face training with thoroughbreds, like the training that is offered at the British Racing School or RACE in Ireland. I came very close to giving up everything. Only the intervention of key figures and unwavering support from John Messara, Vin Cox and Chris Waller's Charlie Duckworth kept me on track. One small point of comfort was that we had been planning pony racing as a bridge from childhood to the school-leaver years. So we just went hard at that. And we've enjoyed success with Season One now finished and Season Two around the corner. Long term secure funding remains an issue, always. Doing anything nationally in Australia, puts you in no man's land politically, so every year, cap in hand, we have to raise the funds to implement our initiatives. Thanks to the newly launched 'Women in Racing Awards' initiated by Katie Page of Magic Millions and TAB, winning the inaugural award, has afforded me to recently conduct an inspiring mini tour of England, Ireland and France, with the aim of ensuring best practice in our pony racing. But beyond that, my time in Europe has reminded me how broadly, we all face the same challenges. And that is why it was such a breath of fresh air to meet Diana Cooper, of Godolphin, when I was planning the launch of TIC. I have been able to draw upon the wisdom and experience of so many like-minded souls, but as soon as I met Diana, it was clear we saw things in the same light. This was her “space” and both then and now we find it difficult to stop talking about all the possibilities the industry presents. Back then, Godolphin sponsored me to visit the UK and Ireland to review all the education initiatives that were already in place. These countries are well ahead of what is on offer in Australia. Next, Godolphin arranged for so many industry players to meet and from that emerged Together for Racing International (TfRI). This was clearly what we needed, being able to exchange views with people from all over the world. And what a delight to discover we were all on the same page. We all have the same issues, so we could share ideas and learn from initiatives we were working on. Australia Day | ATC Fast forward a few years and we all met in Deauville as a much more cohesive and vibrant TfRI! So truly joined-up care for thoroughbreds and the people who work with them really is coming together, and that is made all the easier thanks to technology. This meeting of minds from different racing precincts and how we can learn from one another is truly humbling. What has been created is a global think tank. And I have to say that so much of this is emerging thanks to Godolphin. Without Godolphin, the danger is that each country would be working in a silo. Diana is so brilliant at bringing people together and ensuring that ideas are shared and, crucially, that things happen. But while technology fuels our collaboration, it is the welfare of horses and the people who tend to them lies at the heart of what we do. It is vital to have good people looking after our horses because the horses' well-being is everything. That's the very essence of our social licence. The industry has to realise we're as much in the horse business as we're in the people business. People define our industry–robots or AI are never going to take care of our racehorses. And because it's always going to be a people-heavy industry, we have to invest in people, their education and welfare. And while at TIC we have been working exclusively with children and young adults, those educational needs never end, no matter how old you are. Which is why any support, such as Godolphin's Flying Start programme, the excellent Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards and other ongoing initiatives that celebrate our people, should be applauded. For the next generation though, making those connections to horseracing is everything. First, we have to ensure in Australia that children and their parents have heard about us. So, we've run taster days and we've hosted around 350 kids from 77 pony clubs right across the country in the last 12 months. We give them an illustrated booklet outlining the history of horseracing, how we look after our horses, what happens to them after racing, plus all the different careers available–all the time making a connection with the thoroughbred world. Any sort of engagement with our world and we're winning. What we are trying to do is transfer the love and passion we all experienced the first time we connected with racing. It's showing them, it's lifting up the curtain and saying, here it is. This is horse heaven. This is where it all happens. Lindy Maurice is the CEO of Thoroughbred Industry Careers and was named the National Racing Woman of the Year in Australia for 2024. The post Letter To The Editor: Head Of TIC Calls For Greater Global Collaboration appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Before his Not This Time colt topped the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale at $3.4 million, Bill Casner had never individually sold a million-dollar horse. And while he suspected this would be the one-his biggest breeding triumph in a long and distinguished history in the game–he wasn't at the sale Monday night. He had, he said, something more important to do. Instead, Casner was 7,300 miles away in Kenya to support the work of his daughter, Kayce Anderson, the founder of For the Good, a charity which helps girls in remote parts of Kenya stay in school. “She asked me to go on this trip a year ago, and I didn't let anything interfere with it,” Casner said. He knew that the Not This Time colt out of Kayce Ace-named for his daughter-was going to be a hot property. Not only had it been evident since the colt was foaled, but all the right people were looking at him, and bloodstock advisor Chief Stipe Cauthen and consignor Kim Nardelli had been telling him the colt `was going to ring the bell.' And yet, he said, “That was an amazing thing the other night to sell that horse, no doubt a once-in-a-lifetime event, but I wouldn't have traded this trip to be there to see that horse sell. For me, this has been so much more rewarding.” Casner's daughter founded For the Good 10 years ago, and its initial goal was to allow girls in Kenya reaching puberty to continue to go to school by providing them with sanitary products. “Because they don't have even the most basic means of hygiene, they would stay out of school five days a month at that time,” he explained. “Pretty quickly, they would fall behind and drop out, and be cast into a life of childbearing and hard labor.” “I came over here because I wanted to see where Kayce has been doing her work for the last 10 years,” he said. “Helping young girls stay in school evolved into building secondary schools that are public. Most secondary schools in Kenya are private and so many families just don't have the means to be able to send their children to school, especially the girls. If they have several children, the boys might go but the girls don't get that benefit. But with free secondary education, they are able to go.” For the Good has been named a top-ranked charity by GlobalGiving, and they have entered over 1,000 children into schools since the end of the Covid pandemic. Girls serviced by For The Good are able to stay in school, ensuring a better future | Kate Lapides photo Casner was in the Masai region with Kayce at a dedication at one such new school this week. In the last presidential election, Casner explained, For the Good approached a candidate about supporting free secondary education in Kenya, explaining that the stance could help get him elected. He agreed, and won in a landslide. Now, the government puts up a third of the money necessary to build the schools, the community raises one third, and For the Good donates a third. At the recent dedication, “the community had raised 250 million shillings,” he said, “which translates to about $18-$19,000. They are expected to take part in the construction, and For The Good will match what they raise. They raise those funds by all of the individual families donating a goat. It really becomes a community effort. It's easy to give somebody something, but when they have to be a partner and they understand they have to do their part, it becomes much more meaningful.” “As a father, the dedication yesterday, to see what she has accomplished, meant the world,” he said. “She won't speak of it, but she's a rock star over here. When she goes to a community, they all turn out. There were at least 250 people at the dedication. It was wonderful. She's doing some extremely important work and helping to change the world, one child at a time, one woman at a time.” What a contrast from our lives back in America, he said. “It puts everything into perspective,” he said. “The privilege that we have to live where we do in the times that we live it in. The opportunities that we have for our own children, for education, for health care, we take it for granted, and for these people it's something that is a rarity for them. They live very hard lives. Schools are very sparse. They may be five or 10 kilometers away which makes it impractical for kids to go to school. So when these schools are built, it gives those children a chance to get an education.” When Anderson started the charity, she decided not to barge into these communities telling people what they needed. Instead, she brought them something. “It's very hard to go into someone else's community saying, `we're from America and we know what to do.' That just doesn't work. So she made up these kits that had eight reusable pads that could be washed, and hung outside where the ultraviolet rays could sterilize them. It allowed the girls to stay in school and it was something that was well received by the teachers and community leaders. It was something they saw as helpful. It has evolved into so much more. One of the things they have done is stipulate that half of the teachers have to be women, which gives those young girls role models. They don't have to have a life of hard labor. If they aspire and dream, they have the opportunity to accomplish so much.” Wildebeests in Kenya's Masai Mara. “It was unbelievable,” said Casner. “That's all you could see for as far as the horizon.” | Getty Images Casner took some time to enjoy some of Kenya's natural wonders as well, experiencing the Great Wildebeest Migration, where over 1.2 million wildebeests and another 300,000 zebras and gazelles make an annual trek through the Masai Mara. In a conservatory, he saw lions, elephants, and rhinos. Kenya banned hunting in 1977, and the country is now home to 25,000 animal species, making it one of the 10 most biodiverse countries on earth. But the contrast between the two worlds he experienced Monday wasn't lost on him. “I thought about that Monday night,” he said. “I knew most people considered him the best horse at the sale. He's checked all the boxes. We've known it for a long time. I was staying at a very primitive eco camp in the Masai territory where Kayce does her work. No electricity. No wifi. I set my alarm for 3:30 in the morning and crawled out of bed. There was no signal, but there was one little place on a hill 200 yards from the camp where you could get a call through, and I went out there with a flashlight at 3:30 in the morning and waited for a call. It was black out there, and I was looking for the snakes. It's the bush. They've had lions wander through, elephants on their migration. Kim called me and I could hear the bidding. I was hoping this horse would be 1.5 maybe two million, but the stars were aligned and he kept going.” But Casner said it was hard not to compare what was happening half a world away to what was happening right in front of him. “The juxtaposition of it has not escaped me,” he said.”I think about how little these people have and how little they live on annually and then I think about how many people that horse could feed. How much good it could do.” Secondary school in Kenya | Kate Lapides photo When she told her father about her idea for the charity, he warned her that she was going to have to stand on her own two feet. “In the beginning, I said `I'm not going to fund this thing. If it's to be, you've got to make it happen.' She said, `I don't want you to fund it. If it's to be, I will make it happen.' I'm certainly a supporter but she has gone out and found people who believe in it and she has made it work.” So while the money from the Kayce Ace yearling will “help the bottom line of the horse budget,” says Casner, he adds that a `significant portion' of it will go to For The Good. “I'm incredibly proud of my daughter,” said Casner. “As parents, we want our kids to grow up and be good, self-sustaining human beings and leave a positive footprint on this planet. And she has gone so far beyond that.” To learn more or make a donation to For The Good, visit www.forthegood.org or click here. The post While His $3.4 Million Yearling Was Topping the Sale, Casner Was Worlds Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Charles Town canceled racing Aug. 8 as a result of the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby moving through the area.View the full article

The Del Mar Jockeys will try their best to top their Saratoga counterparts in the ongoing Battle of East-vs-West Aug. 11. Performances are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. PT and will feature live and silent auctions and a cash bar.View the full article

Jean-Claude Rouget and Jerome Reynier, two of France's most successful trainers, have announced they will unite their operations on a joint license from Jan. 1 next year.View the full article

Dr. Rolf Embertson–a founding partner, shareholder and surgeon at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital–presented during the sixth installment held on Aug. 6 of the 2024 OwnerView webinar series which focused on the importance of a clear airway in racehorses, The Jockey Club of America said in a Thursday release. During the event, Dr. Embertson explained some of the common throat problems in Thoroughbreds. He detailed how those issues affect horses, and how they are perceived at sales and during their racing careers. A Q&A, sponsored by West Point Thoroughbreds, allowed attendees to post questions, which were then answered at the conclusion of the webinar. Hosted by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Stoll Keenon Ogden, and The Green Group, the panel was sponsored by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. Click here to access past videos and for a schedule of upcoming presentations. The post OwnerView Webinar Covers Throat Surgery In Horses With Dr. Rolf Embertson appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), who won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, has received a mark of 125, good for second in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. Leading the list is G1 Dubai World Cup hero Laurel River (Into Mischief) at 128, while G1 Derby and G1 Eclipse Stakes victor City Of Troy (Justify) and UAE and Hong Kong Group 1 winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are both tied for third on a mark of 123. In a five-way tie for fifth, Group 1 winner Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) improved to 122 after winning the G2 Lennox Stakes, while G1 2000 Guineas winner and recent G1 Sussex Stakes hero Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) also rose to 122. Also ranked at 122 is Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), and Hong Kong's Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who won the G1 Yasuda Kinen. Rounding out the fivesome is G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), who added the G1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Other ranked horses include GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes victor Dornoch (Good Magic) at 121, as is GII Jim Dandy Stakes and GI Florida Derby winner Fierceness (City Of Light). A newcomer to the rankings is Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), who won the GI Coaching Club American Oaks in commanding fashion to go with her other Grade I victories in the Acorn Stakes and Kentucky Oaks. For the full list, please visit the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities website. The post Goliath Moves Into Second On The Longines WBRR After King George Tally appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Leading jockey Lisa Allpress. Photo: Nicole Troost Leading jockey Lisa Allpress will be on the sidelines for an indefinite period after suffering a broken vertebra following a fall at Riccarton Park on Wednesday. Her mount, Pretending, broke down after crossing the line, dislodging Allpress, with the fall resulting in her injury. She subsequently underwent surgery at Christchurch Hospital on Thursday morning and her husband, Karl Allpress, said she has come through it well. “She is in Christchurch Hospital, and she has just got out of surgery,” he said. “She broke a vertebra in the lower back, and rods and screws have been put in there. “The operation went well, but at this stage it will be a long road to recovery. In true Lisa fashion, she is pretty tough, and she can beat the odds most of the time. “I will get down to Christchurch as soon as I can, but she is in the right place anyway.” It’s been a traumatic week for the Allpress family, with Karl also having lost his father. “We have had a week from hell because my Dad passed away and then this happens,” he said. The injury has also put an end to a looming trip to Japan for the couple. “Next Wednesday we were heading off to Japan for the World Jockeys’ Series,” Allpress said. “She works really hard to try and get these international invitations, and she has been lucky to get a few over the years. “She has got a really good relationship with the JRA (Japan Racing Authority), and she has got a big fan base over there, so we were really looking forward to it.” Allpress said his wife was looking forward to riding over spring and making her way towards the 2000-win mark, having 1948 domestic wins to her name to date. “She is riding winners and is trying to get to that magical 2000-win mark,” Allpress said. “She was on a really good roll, getting some nice rides and heading into the spring and building up relationships with good horses, and then this happens. But at the end of the day, I still have a wife, so that is the main thing. “They will do further scans and x-rays and we will go from there.” Horse racing news View the full article

Trainer Tony Pike is looking forward to campaigning Rudyard this spring. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Rudyard made impressive progress last campaign and further improvement is expected from the dependable performer this time around. The Tony Pike-trained son of Charm Spirit made his way through the grades, placing in the inaugural $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) along the way, before bagging a pair of open handicaps at Ellerslie and Pukekohe. He finished third in a 900m open heat at Te Rapa on Tuesday ahead of loftier targets through his upcoming spring and summer campaign. “He had quiet day out and he has come back in good order and he’ll probably have one more barrier trial and we’ll make a firm plan after that,” Pike said. “He was really consistent throughout last time and he’s the sort of horse that is still reasonably well-placed in handicaps so he should be able to pick up a couple of nice races. “He looks like he is in for a good season and if we place him right, he should be able to collect plenty of prizemoney.” Rudyard has won six of his 22 starts and Pike could look further afield later in the year. “There are plenty of options for him, possibly the Coupland’s Mile (Group 3, 1600m) at Riccarton might be a nice target for him,” he said. “He is entered for all three of the Hawkes Bay races, but he’ll probably miss the first one (Group 1 Tarzino Trophy, 1400m) and maybe have a crack at the mile (Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Plate, 1600m). “Obviously, Legarto will hang around for that and she’s going to be very hard to beat in those races, so we’ll wait and see.” Two other younger members of the stable, Archaic Smile and Witz End, also stretched their legs at Tuesday’s trials. Saxon Warrior filly Archaic Smile won the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) last season and finished runner-up in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). “I’m more than happy with her and she’ll improve a heap with the trial,” Pike said. “We’ll work out in the next week or so whether we head to Taupo for the fillies’ race as a pipe opener to the Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) or trial her again.” Witz End won twice last preparation and ran second in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas before he finished well back in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Randwick. “He has come back really well and obviously a heavy track around that tighter circuit with his action prevented him from showing his best,” Pike said. “He’ll take plenty of improvement out of his trial and he is a horse that I think the Coupland’s on a big, roomy track, especially with a firm surface, would be ideal.” Pike will have only two runners on Saturday at Te Rapa, with Agera getting the nod over Revuelto. “August will be pretty quiet and come September, like all the stables, we’ll be well underway,” Pike said. “Agera missed a couple of runs with abandonments and extremely heavy tracks, but he likes Te Rapa. “Admittedly, second-up over a mile is a slight query but he has worked very well and he should have a little bit more quality against most of those runners and looks a strong winning chance. “Revuelto was good winning on a very wet track at Counties. He still does a fair bit wrong, he’s on and off the bridle in his races, but he’s genuine enough and he’s improved and an each way chance at a bigger price.” Horse racing news View the full article

Synthetic track specialist Heart Of Gold. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) The $100,000 TAB 2000 was tailor-made for a horse like Heart Of Gold, and the Sam Mynott-trained gelding simply dominated the feature at Cambridge Synthetic on Thursday. There are few horses around the country with a synthetic record like Heart Of Gold, with each of his six race victories coming at the Cambridge venue, initially for Darryn and Briar Weatherley before moving to Mynott’s stable over the summer period. Mynott earmarked the innovation race early in his current preparation and his sterling form on the surface continued in the lead-up, with a win and a close-up third behind race-rival Zappa Jak a fortnight ago placing him a $5.60 hope, with Rocket Lad on top at $3.70 with horse racing bookmakers. In the hands of Sam Spratt, Heart Of Gold settled into the box-seat third behind top-weight Opawa Jack, who set a solid tempo down the back straight. The majority of the 12-horse field were off the bridle nearing the home turn, but Heart Of Gold was travelling up strongly under Spratt and soon kicked away, with the margin only extending as he bolted in by 4.25 lengths. Ultimate Focus was game running into second, while Central Districts visitors Zappa Jak and Opawa Jack stuck on well to fill the first four. Mynott was thrilled to pick up the major spoils in a concept well-suited to the son of Niagara. “It was brilliant, we’ve been setting him for this race for the last couple of months and I was pretty happy with him coming into today,” she said. “We thought we had him pretty spot on and he’s broken the track record, so he’s definitely run well. “I think it’s an amazing incentive by Entain to put these races on, when otherwise would you get to race for $100,000 at Cambridge? There are horses that would never get a chance to run for that kind of stake, but here we are today and it’s great.” Although he is yet to salute on turf, Mynott has faith that Heart Of Gold can continue his synthetic form into the summer time with potential Group targets in mind. “He’s going to the paddock for a month now, that was always the plan,” she said. “I know he’s probably labelled as a poly horse, but on a good track on the turf I think he will be pretty competitive this season. “We’ll probably get him back in and hopefully target a race like the Waikato Cup (Group 3, 2400m) or something like that.” Heart Of Gold races in the colours of his owner-breeder Pam Brindley and her late husband Geoff, who have supported Mynott for a long period of time. “I had this horse as a yearling for Pam, I’ve had a few horses for her and she’s such a lovely person,” Mynott said. “She asked me if I could take him and give him a go and we do different things with him, he hardly ever gallops at the track. He goes for farm hacks, he goes around the hurdles and that just keeps him a really happy horse, he thrives off that type of lifestyle. “It’s awesome to get this for her, she loves her horses and if I ever say that I think one needs a break or whatever it will be, she trusts me to make that call. “She’s been a very loyal supporter of racing and on the poly track as well, so she really deserves this.” The seven-year-old was the fourth foal out of Brindley’s unraced Volksraad mare Champagne Lady, who also produced Listed performer Align With Me. Horse racing news View the full article

The 12th annual jockey karaoke contest held July 25 in Saratoga Springs raised over $140,000 for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) and the second half of the event is scheduled for next Sunday, Aug. 11 at Del Mar, the non-profit said in a release on Thursday. The competition between the jockeys at the Spa included judges Jayson Werth and Father Jim Sichko. Famed track announcer Tom Durkin once again served as emcee. Sponsors who made the event possible included 1/ST Bet, Godolphin, Donegal Racing, NYRA, Centennial Farms, Michael Imperio, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, WinStar Farm and the Jockeys' Guild. Click here for more information about the Del Mar event. The post Jockey Karaoke At The Spa Raises Over $140K For PDJF, Del Mar Next appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

World Pool will be part of the G1 Irish St Leger Day at the Curragh on Sept. 15 for the first time, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) announced on Thursday. It is one of three race meetings the globally commingled pools will be active at across the world that weekend, joining G1 Irish Champions Day on Sept. 14 and Makybe Diva Stakes Day at Flemington in Australia earlier that same day. With this addition, the entire Irish Champions Weekend will be part of the World Pool for the first time. A further two new race days have been added to the World Pool roster for the remainder of 2024, with World Pool active for the first time on Grosser Preis von Bayern Day (Nov. 10) from Munich, Germany and in operation for Argentina's G1 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (Dec. 15) from San Isidro. Michael Fitzsimons, executive director, Wagering Products at the HKJC, said, “It's been another busy period for World Pool, and we're delighted to maintain the momentum by announcing our updated programme for the final five months of 2024. “We are always looking to strengthen our offering and by adding new World Pool race days from Ireland, Australia, Argentina and Germany to our roster for the remainder of the year, we continue to offer our global customers exciting, high-quality racing from all corners of the world.” The post World Pool To Be Active During Irish Champions Weekend appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Keeneland Library's Lecture Series returns with presentations by Maryland horseman and journalist Josh Pons, and NBC's Emmy Award-winning commentator Tom Hammond, the repository said in a release Thursday morning. Pons, author of the newly-released Letters from Country Life: Adolphe Pons, Man o' War, and the Founding of Maryland's Oldest Thoroughbred Farm, will speak Aug. 29. Hammond's presentation over his new autobiography entitled Races, Games, and Olympic Dreams: A Sportscaster's Life is set for Sept. 24. Both programs will be held at Keeneland Library from 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET. Each presentation will be followed by a reception and book signing, and a limited number of books will be available for purchase. Partial proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Keeneland Library Foundation, which supports the Library's preservation, education and outreach projects. Click here to purchase tickets or call (859) 254-3412. The post Keeneland Library Lecture Series To Feature Josh Pons And Tom Hammond appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

After a bidding battle, the star mare Prowess (NZ) (Proisir {Aus}) was snapped up for NZ$1,452,500 (€796,747) by an entity under the name Downtown from the Gavelhouse Plus standalone auction. The bidding was active between several parties, including underbidders Cambridge Stud, but Downtown responded to the increments and added the dual Group 1 winner to their broodmare band. Prowess retired with eight victories from 12 starts, ranging in distances from 1200 to 2050 metres. She was crowned the Champion Middle Distance Horse in New Zealand and claimed two Group 1 victories, along with a placing in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas. Her dam, Donna Marie (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}), was served by Proisir last season and is set to return to the champion sire this spring. Prowess's full-sister was knocked down for NZ$1.6 million at this year's New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale. The filly was purchased by the Pakenham-based trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman under the Moody Racing banner. She has been named Seychelles (NZ). The post Prowess Makes NZ$1.452 Million On Gavelhouse Plus appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at 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 9, 2024 Saratoga 6, $90k, 2yo, (S), 6 1/2f, 4:02 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze A Million Stories (Thousand Words), FTMMAY, 100,000, :10 3/5 C-Julie Davies LLC, agent; B-Zilla Racing Stables Ozzy (Bernardini), OBSAPR, 35,000, :21 1/5 C-Arindel; B-Smart Choice Stable The post Summer Breezes, Sponsored By OBS: August 9, 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article