Wandering Eyes

Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Saturday, September 6. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximise your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for September 6, 2025, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Moonee Valley & Randwick All Races | Bet Back Run 2nd or 3rd Activate your Bet Back Tool in your Betslip at Moonee Valley & Randwick this Saturday and if your runner comes 2nd or 3rd, get up $50 back as Bonus Cash. Bet Back Tool is only available to use on the day of race, on Fixed Win bets, and on races with 5 or more runners. Neds T&Cs apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Ellerslie (NZ) All Races | Same Race Multi 3+ Leg Bonus Back Place a 3+ leg Same Race Multi bet on any race at Ellerslie (NZ) this Saturday and if 1 leg of your multi fails, get up to $50 back in Bonus Cash. Market available from approximately 8:30am local track time on race day. Neds T&Cs Apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo 25% Winnings Boost! – Moonee Valley & Randwick Get 25% Boosted Winnings paid in BONUS CASH. Fixed win only. First eligible bet per race. Must apply Promotion in bet slip. Cash bet only. Max Bonus $250. Eligible customers only Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo Moonee Valley R2 | Copy Any Bet If Your Horse Runs 2nd or 3rd, Get Cash Back Copy any bet in Moonee Valley race 2 and if it comes second or third, get real cash back up to $25. Eligible Customers Only. Login to Dabble to Claim Promo Saturday Bonus Back 2nd or 3rd | R1-3 at Moonee Valley, Randwick & Belmont Available from 12:00AM AEST Saturday. Auto-applied in Bet Slip. Promotion limits apply. Min 6 runners. Fixed odds only. Check your vault for eligibility. Login to Unibet to Claim Promo Moonee Valley, Doomben & Randwick Races 1-5 | Run 2nd or 3rd Stake Back 50% as Cash up to $25 If your runner runs 2nd or 3rd in Races 1-5 at Moonee Valley, Randwick & Doomben on Saturday, get 50% of your stake back as CASH up to $25. PlayUp T&Cs Apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Bet Boost | Saturday Thoroughbred Meetings Get a bet boost on thoroughbred races around Australia on Saturday. Eligible customers. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo 10% Winnings Boost! – Belmont, Morphettville & Birdsville Get 10% Boosted Winnings paid in BONUS CASH. First eligible bet per race. Must apply Promotion in betslip. Cash bets only. Max bonus $100. Eligible customers only Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% winnings in cash Max Payout $2000. Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds win bets on Australian thoroughbred races only. Excludes boosted, multi, live and bonus bets. PlayUp T&Cs apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Blonde Boosts! Elevate your prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Eligible Customers Only. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Daily Exotic Boosts Boost your exotics by up to 20%. Available on Exactas, Quinellas, Trifectas & First Fours. Excludes Quaddies. Check your vault for eligibility. Login to Unibet to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector | If Your Horse Drifts, You Get The Bigger Price Only available on Australian Horse Racing Fixed Price Win bets placed from 8am AET the day of the race. Eligible customers. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Copycash – Get Copied. Get Paid. Get paid $0.10 every time someone uses Copy Bet to copy your bets. Eligible Customers Only. Login to Dabble to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing thoroughbred bonus promotions for September 6, 2025. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. Horse racing promotions View the full article

When Practical Joke and Life Is Good–both by Into Mischief and out of Distorted Humor mares–each racked up multiple Grade I victories and retired to major stallion farms in Central Kentucky, the cross they share surely earned a second look. After three 3-year-olds of 2025–Eclipse champion Citizen Bull, Patch Adams, and Tappan Street–added another five combined Grade I victories to that same cross in the last 11 months, anyone savvy enough to have a yearling on offer at Keeneland's September sale on the 'Midas Touch' nick looks positively inspired. Three of Into Mischief's Book 1 yearlings are out of Distorted Humor daughters. Warrendale Sales consigns the only colt, hip 90, who is the sole member of the trio slated to go through the ring Monday. Mulholland Springs and Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services will both send fillies Tuesday (hips 201 and 336, respectively). “He's a lovely colt,” said Hunter Simms, a partner in Warrendale and the operation's director of bloodstock services, about hip 90. “He's bred on that really good Into Mischief/Distorted Humor cross that's produced a bunch of Grade I winners and he has the physical to boot as well. He's a nice package and we're really excited to offer him here.” Bred by Pitlochry Partners LLC in Kentucky, the March colt is out of Repartee, who has already produced Canadian champion Munnyfor Ro (Munnings). Repartee's black-type winning dam is a half to GI Ashland Stakes winner Little Belle (A.P. Indy), who produced GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes winner Dickinson (Medaglia d'Oro). She shares a third dam with this year's GI Gamely Stakes winner Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}). That third dam is, of course, the tremendous Flagbird, a half to Broodmare of the Year Prospectors Delite, and a daughter of the wonderful Up the Flagpole. This particular branch of the long-time Phipps family became a Farish family and traces directly tail-female to 1961 Broodmare of the Year Striking, who was a granddaughter of La Troienne. With that stellar family under his girth, what's the physical of the colt like? “He looks a lot like Into Mischief and has great walk to him. He's correct,” said Simms. “In trying to match up the physical of the stallion with the physical of the mare, they were well rewarded with the horse that they got. He vets well. It's only Friday afternoon, but he's been well received for the viewers we've had come through here so far.” Simms said Pitlochry Partners is a group of people with a handful of mares who “like to offer everything for sale. It was always the plan to sell here at Keeneland.” He added, “They had a good sale up north a little while ago and I think September will be just as strong, if not stronger, with the international participation as well.” With outs taken into consideration, a group of 303 elite yearlings is currently scheduled to go through the Keeneland sales ring Monday and Tuesday as part of Book 1. It will be no surprise to learn 29 of them–nearly a whooping 10% of Book 1–are by six-time leading sire Into Mischief, who secured his 26th and 27th Grade I winners last weekend at Saratoga and is poised to add another title this year. The upwardly trending Not This Time matches Into Mischief with 29 lots, as does the much-anticipated first-crop yearling sire Flightline, but no other stallion has more. Knowing Warrendale's offering is bred on Into Mischief's well-proven cross with Distorted Humor gives Simms optimism for the colt's chances to make a little noise in a Book 1 often known for fireworks. “We have high hopes and hopefully we tick all the boxes for everybody and we have a fun time,” said Simms. “He's a nice horse and we're excited to showcase him here this week. Fingers crossed he jumps through all the hoops for all the buyers in Book 1 and we can have a fun afternoon.” The Keeneland September sale kicks off Monday at 1 p.m. The post ‘Excited to Showcase Him’: Warrendale has Only Colt Bred on Red-Hot Cross in Book 1 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Saturday, Haydock, post time: 15:35, THE BETFAIR SPRINT CUP-G1, £427,000, 3yo/up, 6fT Field: Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Diligent Harry (GB) (Due Diligence), Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal), James's Delight (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}), Kind Of Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), Lazzat (Fr) (Territories {Ire}), My Mate Alfie (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Run To Freedom (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Ain't Nobody (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}), Flora Of Bermuda (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), No Half Measures (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), Rage Of Bamby (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Sayidah Dariyan (Ire) (Dariyan {Fr}), Sky Majesty (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Time For Sandals (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}). Reserves: Nighteyes (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Celandine (GB) (Kingman {GB}). TDN Verdict: With the weather having changed dramatically across Europe in recent days, the initial feel of autumn is in the air and with it perhaps a shift in the fortunes for some of summer's luminaries. Lazzat's Royal Ascot heroics mark him out as the one to beat, but the way he was brushed aside attempting back-to-back wins in Deauville's Prix Maurice de Gheest suggests this is not cut and dried. The July Cup heroine No Half Measures has to do it all again, but is still unexposed at this trip, while the Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals is up against her elders and has something to prove. Sky Majesty hails from last year's winning stable and is a filly being brought to a peak at the right time, having mastered two competitive Irish sprints, while last year's runner-up Kind Of Blue at last gave us something to hold on to after his lacklustre spring and early summer campaign. Third in the Phoenix Sprint, he has to up his game again, but we know what he is capable of from last year and it is worth remembering that James Fanshawe won this with his relative The Tin Man in 2018. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, Baden-Baden, Germany, post time: 16:25, T VON ZASTROW STUTENPREIS (BADENER STUTENPREIS)-G2, €70,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT Field: Egina (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), North Reliance (Ger) (Reliable Man {GB}), Tanami Starlet (GB) (Best Solution {Ire}), Weltbeste (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), Innora (Ger) (Lord Of England {Ger}), Lady Charlotte (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), Nyra (Ger) (Isfahan {Ger}), Santagada (GB) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). TDN Verdict: Westminster Stud's G3 Diana Trial victrix Lady Charlotte found it tough going against the boys when relinquishing her unblemished record in July's G1 Deutsches Derby and returned with a fifth in last month's G1 Preis der Diana. She was just over a half-length adrift of closely matched runner-up Innora and third home Nyra, but a half-length in front of Santagada, in that Dusseldorf Classic and will be a warm order to regain the winning habit at the head of a strong sophomore band. Nyra had earlier denied Innora by inches in the G3 Hamburger Stutenpreis on the Derby undercard and both possess solid claims. Best of the older brigade is dual Listed winner Egina, who was last seen finishing third in July's G3 Preis von Lotto Hamburg. [Sean Cronin]. Saturday, Kempton, post time: 13:35, THE UNIBET SEPTEMBER STAKES-G3, £90,000, 3yo/up, 11f 219yT Field: Candleford (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Meydaan (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Kalpana (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Tasmania (Ger) (Australia {GB}), Satavia (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). TDN Verdict: This should be straightforward for last year's winner Kalpana as she is geared towards an Arc tilt, especially after her barnstorming effort in the King George. Only the Hong Kong Vase hero Giavellotto offers any meaningful opposition if she is near her peak, coming off a break having run a touch disappointingly in the Coronation Cup. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, Haydock, post time: 13:15, THE BEST ODDS ON THE BETFAIR EXCHANGE SUPERIOR MILE-G3, £85,000, 3yo/up, 8f 37yT Field: Balmacara (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Checkandchallenge (GB) (Fast Company {Ire}), Ice Max (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Make Me King (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Prague (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Excellent Believe (GB) (Make Believe {GB}), Fearnot (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Snow Master (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Zeus Olympios (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Suite Francaise (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Suite Francaise returns to the course and distance of her Listed Dick Hern Stakes win and is one of a group of three-year-olds with perhaps some more up their sleeve. They include the unbeaten pair Snow Master and Zeus Olympios, who both face an entirely new challenge tackling the Summer Mile fourth Make Me King. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, Kempton, post time: 15:10, THE UNIBET SIRENIA STAKES-G3, £70,000, 2yo, 6fT Field: Beckford's Folly (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Egoli (GB) (No Nay Never), First Legion (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Five Ways (GB) (Kameko), Ninth Crusade (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Rogue Supremacy (GB) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Sirius A (Ire) (Palace Pier {GB}), Super Soldier (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Chicory (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Sayidah Hard Spun (GB) (Ubettabelieveit {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Charlie Appleby always likes to bring a nice type to this race and Beckford's Folly has confidence high following two Newmarket novice wins. Andrew Balding has a strong team of juveniles and puts forward the impressive Salisbury novice winner Five Ways, while Super Soldier is the one with Pattern-race form, having finished second in Chantilly's Prix Robert Papin. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, Haydock, post time: 13:50, THE BETTING.BETFAIR ASCENDANT STAKES-Listed, £40,500, 2yo, 8f 37yT Field: Bourbon Blues (GB) (Space Blues {Ire}), Bow Echo (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Glacius (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), He's Waliim (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Publish (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Shayem (Ire) (King Of Change {GB}), Tailgunner Joe (Knicks Go), Midnight Tango (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). TDN Verdict: Impressive at Newbury on debut last month, 'TDN Rising Star' Bow Echo takes on Juddmonte's exciting Publish in an encounter that could have an impact on next year's Classic picture. The latter was forced to miss the Solario last week and the Gosdens obviously hold him in high regard given their record in that Sandown contest. Newmarket winner Glacius is another with abundant potential in a fascinating affair. [Tom Frary]. Saturday, Craon, France, post time: 17:25, CRITERIUM DE L'OUEST – PRIX DU HARAS DE BOUQUETOT-Listed, €54,900, 2yo, 8 1/4fT Field: Command The Stars (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Agiota (Fr) (Birchwood {Ire}), Good Bye Manu (Ire) (Almanzor {Fr}), Zambezi (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}), Honey Pearl (Fr) (Lucky Team {Fr}), Canena (Fr) (Ulysses {Ire}), Meisho Sugar (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}), Waiting For You (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}). TDN Verdict: Eight contenders head postward with winning form and, in the absence of Dodge City, Mauricio Delcher Sanchez trainee Agiota has found an opening to better his runner-up finish in July's Listed Criterium du Bequet tackling six furlongs at Bordeaux's La Teste. George Scott's in-form stable came close to annexing Wednesday's G3 Zukunfts-Rennen with Commander's Intent and is represented here by dual-winning York nursery runner-up Command The Stars. Anita Wigan's clear-cut Vittel winner Zambezi was narrowly denied over this trip at Vichy last month while Satoshi Kobayashi entry Meisho Sugar is on the upgrade and returns off a three-length maiden triumph at Vichy. Of the remainder, Good Bye Manu boasts a decent level of form and is not without a chance. [Sean Cronin]. Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany, post time: 15:25, WETTSTAR.DE – 155TH GROSSER PREIS VON BADEN-G1, €300,000, 3yo/up, 12fT Field: Alleno (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Cold Heart (Brz) (Alpha, Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}), Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}), Path Of Soldier (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). TDN Verdict: This contest has lost much of its lustre with the defection of G1 Deutsches Derby hero Hochkonig and Godolphin's globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Rebel's Romance. Their absence provides an ideal opportunity for last term's G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes hero Goliath to regain the winning habit after an uninspiring last-of-five in June's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and a second in last month's G3 Prix Gontaut Biron. Laat year's runner-up and April's G1 Tancred Stakes victor Dubai Honour returns to European action for the first time since November and rates a serious threat. Last year's Deutsches Derby fourth Alleno and this year's fourth Path Of Soldier head the home defence. [Sean Cronin]. Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 15:50, QATAR PRIX DU MOULIN DE LONGCHGAMP-G1, €800,000, 3yo/up, 8fT Field: Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Dancing Gemini (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Go To First (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), Lead Artist (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Persica (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}), Sahlan (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Serengeti (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). TDN Verdict: Richard Hannon has yet to win this contest and is represented by Rosallion, winless in four Group 1 starts this year, and his Group 3-winning stablemate Persica in a hot renewal. Aidan O'Brien is three-handed, with jockey bookings and form suggesting G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Henri Matisse as the obvious stable preference. Last term's Poulains runner-up Dancing Gemini, who has finished behind G1 Lockinge Stakes hero Lead Artist twice this year, was ahead of Japan's Go To First when third in last month's G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois. Domestic hopes rest with outsiders Sahlan and Alcantor. [Sean Cronin]. Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 16:25, QATAR PRIX VERMEILLE-G1, €900,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 12fT Field: Survie (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Ginalyah (Ire) (Chachnak {Fr}), Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Whirl (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Gezora (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}). TDN Verdict: This mouthwatering distaffers' clash plays host to G1 Prix de Diane heroine Gezora eyeballing G1 Pretty Polly Stakes and G1 Nassau Stakes victrix Whirl. The former was one length too good for Whirl's stablemate Bedtime Story in the Chantilly Classic and should confirm form with the Ballydoyle back-up, who has failed to fire on all cylinders in two subsequent starts. Christophe Ferland trainee Aventure, runner-up in this and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, was last seen finishing second in June's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and is an obvious danger. Survie has plenty to find with Aventure and Whirl on recent form and returns to action coming back off a second in last month's G1 Prix Jean Romanet, while Ginalyah's presence is baffling. [Sean Cronin]. Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany, post time: 14:00, 92ND BRUNNER – OETTINGEN-RENNEN-G2, €70,000, 3yo/up, 8fT Field: Best Lightning (Fr) (Sidestep {Aus}), Geography (Ger) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Glady Tiger (Ger) (Zoffany {Ire}), Make Me King (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Penalty (Ger) (Frankel {GB}), Short Final (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}), Zabiari (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Quebec (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}). TDN Verdict: This open renewal is at the mercy of the Francis Graffard-trained G3 Prix Bertrand de Breuil victor and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois seventh Zabiari. He encounters last year's winner Penalty, who has failed to fire in five starts since, the four-time Group 3 winner Geography and the consistent veteran Best Lightning, who is set to make his fourth start in this contest. [Sean Cronin]. Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 14:33, QATAR PRIX FOY-G2, €119,000, 4yo/up, 12fT Field: Almaqam (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Cheeky Boy (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}), Mont St Michel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Arrow Eagle (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Map Of Stars (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Byzantine Dream (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}). TDN Verdict: Arc Trials Day, brought forward one week this year, commences with the older horses taking centre stage over the main event's 12-furlong strip. Last term's G2 Prix Niel winner and Arc fourth Sosie has annexed this term's G1 Prix Ganay and G1 Prix d'Ispahan and will head postward coming back off a close-up sixth in July's G1 Coral Eclipse at Sandown. May's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup victor Los Angeles is on a recovery mission after unplaced effort's in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes and G3 Royal Whip and will be chaperoned by stablemate Mont St Michel. Almaqam, Map Of Stars and Arrow Eagle all rate as dangers, while Japanese raider Byzantine Dream takes a step into the unknown coming back off a second in May's G1 Tenno Sho Spring. [Sean Cronin]. Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 16:00, QATAR PRIX NIEL-G2, €119,000, 3yo, 12fT Field: Leffard (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), Cualificar (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Swagman (Ger) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Parachutiste (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Bay City Roller (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Nitoi (Siyouni {Fr}), Aftermath (Ire) (Justify), Tennessee Stud (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). TDN Verdict: Gerard Augustin-Normand and Antonio Caro's G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Leffard sets the standard in a contest with eight runners for the first time since 2014. His main rivals are G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up and G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano third Cualificar and G1 Derby fourth Tennessee Stud, who has not been seen since running fourth in June's G1 Irish Derby. Aidan O'Brien has won this just once, with Soldier Of Fortune in 2007, and relies Swagman, who comes back off an extended break after annexing April's G3 Sandown Classic Trial. Andre Fabre has a record 12 editions in the books and sends forth the unexposed Nitoi for this year's renewal. [Sean Cronin]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Can Kind Of Blue Upstage Lazzat At Haydock? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In returns to South Korea Sept. 7, headlined by the $1.1 million Korea Cup (G3) at 1 1/8 miles and the $1 million Korea Sprint (G3) at six furlongs, both on the dirt track at Seoul Racecourse Park. View the full article

Santa Anita's popular "Ship & Win" program, designed to attract horses from out of state, will be back in effect for the track's Autumn Meeting starting Sept. 26.View the full article

In a continued effort to lure horses from out of state, Santa Anita will once again offer the “Ship and Win” program for the track's Autumn Meet, which kicks off Friday, Sept. 26. With seven 'Win and You're In' events for this year's Breeders' Cup, which will be held at Del Mar Oct. 31-Nov. 1, the five-week meet features increased overnight purses compared to last year and a comprehensive stakes schedule. “The Ship and Win program has continued to attract significant numbers of horses to the Southern California circuit,” said Santa Anita's Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Jason Egan. “With the best weather and [a] great facility at which to race and train, we feel we've got the best turf racing in the nation. The Ship and Win program provides tremendous incentives for those considering stabling here in California year-round.” Horses from out of state who made just one start at the Del Mar Summer Meet will remain eligible for the Ship and Win purse bonus provided they did not make an additional start elsewhere. In dirt races, eligible Ship and Win horses who finish first through fifth will receive a 50% purse bonus. In turf races, eligible horses who finish in the top five will receive a 40% purse bonus. These bonuses are applicable for one start only and do not include stakes races. New Ship and Win horses making their initial California starts will also receive a guaranteed $4,000 in addition to the purse bonuses. Santa Anita's Autumn Meet closes Sunday, Oct. 26. For more information, visit santaanita.com/ship. The post Santa Anita’s ‘Ship and Win’ Program is Back for Autumn Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A cool $15.6 million in prize money is up for grabs Saturday afternoon at Kentucky Downs, as a 12-race program features no fewer than five graded events each worth at least $2 million at distances from 6 1/2 to 12 furlongs. The GII Kentucky Turf Cup wraps up the main events on the afternoon, and a field of 11 will head to the post for a circuit of the undulating turf course, with a berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf on the line. Fort Washington (War Front) is arguably the 'form' horse of the race with three victories from his last four starts, all with Classic-winning jockey Junior Alvarado at the controls. Winner of the GIII Canadian Turf Stakes and GIII Dinner Party Stakes, the 6-year-old entire was too late when dead-heating for fourth in the GII Wise Dan Stakes June 28, but successfully stretched out to 10 furlongs to narrowly defeat Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GI Arlington Million last time. On pedigree he's a candidate to see this out, but will need a trip from an awkward gate. Grand Sonata returned 15-1 to those who believed here last year, but is winless in eight tries since, including a second consecutive runner-up effort in the GII United Nations Stakes prior to his effort at Colonial last time. If it's a class-dropper you're after, perhaps Utah Beach (English Channel) is your animal. Victorious in the GIII Elkhorn Stakes and GIII Louisville Stakes, both over this trip, the gray exits an even fourth to El Cordobes (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the GI Sword Dancer Stakes Aug. 9. Also coming in from the Sword Dancer are the fifth-placed El Rezeen (English Channel) and Vote No (Divisidero), seventh after uncustomarily making the running at Saratoga. The $2.5-million GIII Mint Millions Invitational has attracted its defending champ as well, with Goliad (War Front) making the trek in from California for Richard Mandella. The veteran made every pole a winning one beneath Flavien Prat to return a crisp $20 bill to his backers last September, but he's been shut out in his three appearances since. Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) never truly factored in the Arlington Million a few weeks ago, but he was a cracking third when last seen over the mile in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes, the traditional opener of the Royal Ascot meeting on June 16. Yes, he was 100-1 that day, but he encounters nothing the quality of Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) or Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in this bunch. Brilliant Berti (Noble Mission {GB}) would be an auto-include at anything near his 8-1 morning line and arguably even at half that price. Winner of last year's valuable and age-restricted Gun Runner Stakes at this meeting, the Klein runner is two-for-four this term, including a defeat of the reliable Lagynos (Kantharos) in the May 1 Opening Verse Stakes and a last-out success in the Wise Dan. Sophomore males and fillies run for $2-million pots in the GI Franklin-Simpson Stakes and GII Music City Stakes, respectively. The former features Round 2 of the head-to-head battle between Juddmonte's Spiced Up (Quality Road) and Governor Sam (Improbable), after the Bill Mott trainee flashed home to defeat Governor Sam on the square in the GIII Mahony Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 10. 'TDN Rising Star' Shisospicy (Mitole) is the 3-1 pick in the Music City as she looks to bounce back from a down-the-field finish when pitched in against the boys in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot June 20. Tabiti (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was third in the 25-runner Sandringham Handicap at the Royal Meeting on June 20 and came out of that to share the spoils in the G3 Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood July 30. Kilwin (Twirling Candy) heads back to the grass after winning the June 8 Leslie's Lady Stakes and GI Test Stakes on the main track. Also on the program is the GIII Ladies' Marathon Stakes over the not-so-marathon distance of one mile, 2 1/2 furlongs. Baffert Fields Trio In Search Of a Dozen Debutantes Where it comes to 2-year-old racing, it's perennially an embarrassment of richest for trainer Bob Baffert, who will field three of the seven runners in Saturday's GI Del Mar Debutante,a race he's already won on 11 occasions since Batroyale in 1995. Baoma Corp's Himika (Curlin) really has no business being this effective at abbreviated trips, but the $900,000 OBS April purchase became a 'TDN Rising Star' when galloping by six on five-furlong debut June 12 and she barely broke a sweat when sailing home by better than four lengths in the GIII Sorrento Stakes going three-quarters of a mile Aug. 10. Juan Hernandez rode Himika in those two starts, but opts for fellow 'Rising Star' Explora (Blame) in the Debutante. The $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer also has a pedigree that screams the farther, the better, but she was electric in graudating by 4 3/4 lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs here on Aug. 17. The quick-ish back-up might feel like a negative, but she won the debut with a minimum of fuss and has worked twice since. Richard Mandella won this two years ago with Beholder (Henny Hughes)'s 'Rising Star' daughter Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) and gives it another go with the same stallion's Bourbon and Ginger, who carried Mirco Demuro and the Spendthrift silks to a half-length debut score over Grandma Mary (Bolt d'Oro) going 5 1/2 panels here on Aug. 2. In the afternoon's other graded event at Del Mar, Medoro (Honor Code) , who returned from a December layoff to win the July 20 Osunitas Stakes, looks very tough to go past in the GII John C. Mabee Stakes, though Graham Motion's East Coast shipper Gimme A Nother (SAf) (Gimmethegreenlight {Aus}) is in with a puncher's chance. World Beater Ships Into Colonial World Beater (Oscar Performance) helped make for a very successful Saratoga meeting for Jim and Dana Bernhard's Pin Oak Stud, and having given last weekend's GIII Nashville Derby a miss, looms the one to beat in Saturday's GIII Old Dominion Derby. The nine-furlong contest takes the place on the calendar previously occupied by the Virginia Derby, which was relocated to this track's March meeting as a Kentucky Derby points race. A $105,000 Keeneland September graduate, World Beater has amassed a record of 3-2-1 from six starts on the turf, including the May 31 Audubon Stakes at Churchill and the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational either side of a runner-up effort to Nashville Derby fourth Test Score (Lookin At Lucky) in the GI Belmont Derby. The appropriately named Thirteen Colonies (Hit It a Bomb) merits a small look off a second in Saratoga allowance company behind Simulate (Kitten's Joy), who returned to complete the exacta in the GII Secretariat Stakes here Aug. 9. The afternoon's ninth and final graded stakes is the GIII Singspiel Stakes at Woodbine. The post Breeders’ Cup Berth On The Line In Kentucky Turf Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

King's Plate winner Mansetti makes a second stop along the Canadian Triple Crown when he battles six other Canadian-bred 3-year-olds in the CA$400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes Sept. 9 at Fort Erie.View the full article

BADEN-BADEN, GERMANY – Gestüt Brümmerhof stole the show at the BBAG Yearling Sale for the second year running when Godolphin swooped in to land a Sea The Stars filly out of German 1,000 Guineas heroine Novemba (Gleneagles) for €750,000. That sale represented continued support by Godolphin for the best stock that Germany has to offer given Anthony Stroud and his buying team bought Del Maro (Camelot) from Brummerhof for a record-breaking €850,000 here 12 months ago. Bidding through BBAG boss Klaus Eulenberger, Godolphin held off the attention of Alex Elliott and Kieran Lalor of Al Shira'aa Racing on the sale-topping Sea The Stars filly who is out of a champion in this country and from the family of Old Vic. Brümmerhof boss Gregor Baum said, “Last year we had the great Camelot and this year [we have topped the sale] again. We are pleased that Godolphin have trust in our stud and in German breeding. She is a special individual. A really tough filly, she is not too big and has a lot of character. We love her.” Asked if it was a difficult decision to sell the Sea The Stars filly, he replied, “It's a foal share so Madame Tsui should be happy as well. We'd have loved to keep her because she is a special horse for our family. But we are happy that she has gone to such a good buyer and such a good home. Novemba has a filly foal by Siyouni but she was not covered this year.” Eulenberger confirmed that he was bidding on behalf of Stroud, who was reported to have inspected the stock here on Tuesday before flying to America for the upcoming September Yearling Sale in Keeneland. “We are very thankful for the support of Anthony Stroud, David Loder and Sheikh Mohammed,” Eulenberger said. “They were here on Tuesday and liked the filly a lot. We are very happy that they bought her.” Brümmerhof produced a dominant performance, ending the sale as by far the leading vendor with nine horses sold for a combined sum of €1,545,000. The stud was also responsible for the second-most expensive horse sold on the day, a Camelot colt that was purchased by Philip von Ullmann for €340,000. Out of proven producer Mill Marin (Pivotal), who is the dam of three black-type horses including Group 1 scorer Mendocino (Adlerflug), the Camelot colt will join trainer Joseph O'Brien in Ireland. Von Ullmann said, “[He is] the best-looking colt in the sale for me. He is a star. He is going to go to Joseph and Joseph knows Camelot quite well. I think he was a good buy and also good value. I compared him a little bit to the Camelot [the once-raced Del Maro] from last year. I hope that he will be a horse for the Classics. Obviously it's very early to be saying that but that's what we will hope. He will probably head straight to Ireland now so we'll take it from there.” Of the 198 lots offered, 153 were sold at a clearance rate of 77%, which was up 4% on last year's figures. The €54,929 average was up by 14%, the €55,120 median by the same while turnover climbed by 13% to €8,404,100. Brummitt Goes Big In BBAG Jeremy Brummitt has farmed this sale better than most people in recent times with Group 1 winner Tamfana and leading St Leger hope Lazy Griff notable purchases. The latter was only beaten a little over three lengths in the Derby and, in lot 73, a colt by the bloodstock agent's beloved Stradivarius, Brummitt joked that he may have found Middleham Park Racing a horse who can go one place better at Epsom. Brummitt spent €593,000 on six yearlings, headed by a filly by the red-hot young stallion Palace Pier for €160,000. Meanwhile, the Stradivarius colt cost €140,000 and both of those yearlings were consigned by Gestüt Fährhof. “I thought he [73] was a very nice individual and embodied Strad's good points, which I think are not his coat colour and white socks, but his calm temperament and fluent movement,” Brummitt explained. “A lot of people are looking for a horse who looks like Strad but I'm looking for one who acts like him. I thought this horse acted like him. He's a bigger horse, he's a darker horse but he has effortless grace. He was bought for Middleham Park Racing in the hope that he will be three-and-a-half lengths faster than Lazy Griff!” He added, “I bought a very nice Palace Pier filly. I bought the individual, actually, and, while I am sure there will be Palace Pier fillies with bigger pedigrees at the upcoming sales, I am not sure there will be many with the same athleticism that she has. I think she is a very composed filly. I also bought a Sea The Stars colt [for €130,000] out of a mare that is inbred two by three to Lando. He was half the cost of the stallion fee and I don't know why more people didn't want to buy him. He was bought on spec for Mr [William] Haggas so anyone who wants a certain Group winner should ring up Mr Haggas!” No buyer left BBAG with more individual purchases than Brummitt and, while a number of people expressed difficulty in getting involved in what proved to be yet another bustling yearling sale in Europe, Brummitt maintains that there was a lot of value on offer. He concluded, “I am shocked that the horses here are not making more when you compare it to Doncaster and the Somerville. I think there are some nice horses here and I actually don't think they require as much imagination as people suggest. You've got to be very short-sighted if you need an early two-year-old.” Talking points Leading owner and syndicate manager Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten predictably played a major role. One of the most expensive lots on the day, Gestüt Westerberg's Gleneagles colt [132], was sourced by Baumgarten on behalf of Liberty Racing for €210,000. Westerberg's front of house, Annelie Rodde, said, “For the last two months I've been saying this colt has Hamburg Horn written all over him! He's a lovely horse with a great mind and didn't lose his fantastic walk even though he was flat out showing for the last three days. We are delighted that Liberty Racing has bought him and the Derby dream for 2027 is very much alive.” Baumgarten labelled trade at BBAG to be extremely strong and revealed that, along with purchasing on behalf of Liberty Racing, he sourced various other horses on for new syndicates and ownership groups. He said, “It has been a strong market for the good horses. We are very happy with what we have bought today. The Soldier Hollow filly [67] we bought earlier was on behalf of a new syndicate and she is out of an old Aga Khan family that I love. It's very exciting to buy her on behalf of the new syndicate. It consists of some people who met through Liberty Racing and decided to go and buy something together. I have connected the guys together and they are interested in fillies only.” Blandford Bloodstock agent Stuart Boman has hit the ground running in his new role for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and, after signing for a handful of yearlings at Arqana, he supported the BBAG Yearling Sale when going to €160,000 for a Soldier Hollow colt from Gestüt Park Wiedingen. Boman said, “He has been bought for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and Danny Rolston has been over here with us this week. Soldier Hollow was an outstanding stallion and is a great loss. This is a lovely horse by him – great-mover who vetted very well, which is obviously important for the Jockey Club. This is a sale that the Hong Kong Jockey Club wanted to be active at and to support the German bloodstock industry.” Joseph O'Brien and Kevin Blake have honed in on the progeny of Counterattack and left Baden-Baden with a colt by the Group 1-placed sprinter for €55,000. He was consigned by Gestüt Karlshof. Blake said, “The stallion is under-appreciated and only covered very small crops in recent years, but the percentage of his runners that hit a rating of 100 or greater is very strong. I have been calling him the Chad Bradford of the European stallion scene for a few years now! Joseph felt this colt was one of the better individuals in the sale and he's a full-brother to the highest-rated Counterattack in See Hector, so we feel he was very good value. Joseph and I went on a similar mission to buy the best one by the sire at this sale last year and bought a filly that is getting close to making her debut.” On what was another memorable day for the leading German outfit, Gestüt Brümmerhof was also responsible for lot 56, a Saxon Warrior colt out of outstanding producer Wildfahrte (Mark Of Esteem), the dam of three individual black-type horses – Wildpark (Shamaradal), Wild Approach (New Approach) and Wild Max (Maxios) – and from the family of Waldgeist. It was trainer Marian Weissmeier who went to €200,000 to secure the colt. “He's a very nice colt,” said Weissmeier. “Andreas Suborics inspected him first, and said he liked him, and then I looked at him and liked him too. All the lights were green, so we tried our hardest to get him and thankfully we did. He's for a nice new owner in the stable, Gerd Lutters, who is based in Düsseldorf. We started working together this year. Hetty Spencer has carved out a bit of a niche in Germany and taking the leap in consigning her biggest-ever draft at BBAG paid off with eight lots selling for €258,000. The highlight of which came through lot 127, an Australia colt that went the way of Federico Barberini at €110,000. A quick scan through the results would suggest that there was only one horse bought to go breezing. That was lot 147, a Palace Pier colt purchased for €120,000 by Roderic Kavanagh of Glending Stables. Golden touch It was a rather select offering of pinhooked yearlings on Friday but debut consignor Bartek Radzikowski enjoyed a 'dream' result when the share price in his Intello colt [lot 25] rose from €13,000 to €61,000. It was Baumgarten's Liberty Racing who landed the colt from Radzikowski who, on the eve of the sale, told TDN Europe of how he rears his horses back home in Poland. Speaking after the sale, the young consignor said, “It's an absolute dream. Never did I think that he would make that kind of money. To be completely honest with you, I was expecting only half that much coming here this morning. It's amazing – a day I will not forget.” Thought for the day There is a lot riding on Torquator Tasso being a success at stud and one would have to take encouragement by how his yearlings sold on Friday. All told, 13 of the 15 horses offered by the high-class son of Adlerflug sold for an average of €50,231 and a highest-price of €160,000. The post ‘We Love Her’ – Sea The Stars Filly Heads BBAG Sale At 750k To Godolphin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When the July Cup (G1) winner turns up at Haydock Park eight weeks later, they are usually a short price to follow up, but that is not the case this time, with No Half Measures a little dismissed in the betting for the Sept. 6 Sprint Cup Stakes (G1).View the full article

As I begin my tenure as chair of The Jockey Club, I look to the future with optimism and gratitude for the work already done by so many in our sport. Together, we have elevated safety, strengthened aftercare, and built partnerships that once seemed unlikely. Now, we have the opportunity to take the next step: ending horse slaughter, so that the pipeline that undermines public trust and jeopardizes our horses is finally closed. Long before this conversation reached industry headlines, The Jockey Club was working with animal-welfare experts to raise standards. The creation of the National Horse Racing Advisory Council in 2016 with Humane World for Animals (then the Humane Society of the United States) provided a bridge between racing professionals and advocates. That collaboration sent a clear signal: We are prepared to lead, to evolve, and to ensure our practices reflect the dignity of the horse. It was a forward-looking effort then, and that spirit of leadership and collaboration continues to guide us today. Yet the challenge of the slaughter pipeline has persisted. While we have made significant progress in caring for Thoroughbreds during and after their racing careers, the existence of this pipeline puts horses at unnecessary risk, undermines our progress, and clouds perceptions of our commitment to the animals at the very heart of our sport. The Jockey Club has long supported the SAFE Act (see Chris Heyde's op-ed in the TDN), legislation that would permanently ban horse slaughter in the United States and end the export of horses for slaughter abroad. With our guidance, many leaders across racing have joined in this call from racetracks, breeders, jockeys, owners and beyond demonstrating that this is not a divisive issue but a unifying one, rooted in our respect for the Thoroughbred. As chair of The Jockey Club, I will continue and deepen this commitment. Our industry can thrive only when it reflects the values of care, integrity, and accountability. By ending slaughter, we will remove a shadow that has lingered for too long and allow our investments in aftercare and second careers to reach their full potential. This is a moment to celebrate how far we have come and to finish the work together. Passing the SAFE Act will honor the horses who define our sport and strengthen the foundation for racing's future. –Everett Dobson became The Jockey Club of America's 11th chairman this summer. The post Letter To The Editor: Jockey Club Chairman Dobson In Support Of SAFE Act appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainers Bob Baffert and Chief Stipe O'Neill are the only ones who have entered horses in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) Sept. 7 at Del Mar, Baffert with four and O'Neill with two.View the full article

4th-DMR, $100k, 2yo, 5 1/2f, post time: 6:05 p.m. ET Having unveiled the likes of 'TDN Rising Star' Buetane, a $1.15-million graduate of this year's OBS April Sale, earlier during the summer at Del Mar, trainer Bob Baffert sends out a promising daughter of Tiz the Law in the form of SOUNDS LUCKY on the penultimate day of the meet. The Apr. 22 foal is a maternal granddaughter of Caminadora (More Than Ready), a Grade III winner long on the grass, and first sold for $100,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale before hammering for double that price at Keeneland September last fall. The bay filly caught the eye of the 'Three Amigos'–the sales alias of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman–at this year's OBS March Sale, where she breezed a furlong in :9 4/5 and was knocked down for $550,000. Sounds Lucky is the 5-2 morning-line selection and has go-to rider Juan Hernandez up. TJCIS PPs The post Saturday Insights: Yet Another Expensive Tiz the Law Debuts For Baffert appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wagering increased compared to a year ago in August despite a reduction in the number of race days during the month, according to information released by Equibase on Friday. Total wagering of $1,204,428,838 on races during the month represented a 3.13% increase over the same period from 2024, while available purses of over $153 million were higher by 7.24%. The figure of over $145 million for paid purses in August was also up by 6.33%. As for the total number of race days, they decreased from 416 to 400 (-3.85%) and the number of U.S. races was lower from 3,232 in August 2024 to last month's tally of 3,181 (-1.58%). Average field size in August was down a touch from over a year ago when it was 7.21, and checked in at an average of 7.19 runners, a decrease of 0.28%. However, average daily wagering increased by 7.25% to $3,011,072, and the average available purse number per race day was up 11.53% to $382,641 from the figure of $343,072 in 2024. When it comes to the year-to-date figures, through August of 2024 wagering on U.S. races came in at $8.082-billion, while this year the amount is $7.942-billion (-1.73%). Those numbers include worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races. The post August Economic Indicators: More Wagering, Fewer Race Days appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Igniter (c, 2, Volatile)'s wide-trip, third-place finish behind 'TDN Rising Star' Golden Tornado (McKinzie) in a live maiden special weight at the Spa Aug. 9 on debut continues to look better every day. The runner-up Oscar's Hope (Twirling Candy) returned with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance on Saratoga's closing day program Sept. 1. Golden Tornado, meanwhile, is being aimed at the GI Champagne S. at Aqueduct Oct. 4. Overlooked at odds of 26-1 for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr., Igniter raced on the outside in sixth as Oscar's Hope and Golden Tornado were one-two through an opening quarter in :22.76. The Three Chimneys Farm homebred was on the move while at least four wide and advanced into third approaching the quarter pole as the top two began to get away from the field of eight. Golden Tornado took over in deep stretch and powered clear impressively to graduate by 3 1/4 lengths, stopping the timer for six furlongs in 1:10.87. Igniter continued on nicely down the stretch and finished with interest in a field-best :12.82, crossing the wire 4 3/4 lengths adrift the winner. He earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. Golden Tornado breaks his maiden at first asking in R6 at Saratoga under @jrosariojockey for trainer Danny Gargan! pic.twitter.com/kCfHKBXm0v — TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 9, 2025 “I think he's got stakes potential for sure,” said Chief Stipe Cauthen, Vice Chairman of Three Chimneys Farm. “His race was good and I don't think he was cranked up that much, either.” Cauthen continued, “He was always a nice foal, weanling, yearling, etc. The folks at Three Chimneys–all the managers and staff–liked him, which is always a good sign. He went to the (Keeneland September) sale and just didn't really find a lot of love. He was a good-looking horse and people liked him, but he only had one vetting. He was a scratch just because there wasn't enough interest along with the fact that everybody (at the farm) did like him a lot, top to bottom.” Igniter hails from the second crop of Three Chimneys Farm sophomore sire Volatile. He was produced by Edward P. Evans homebred Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon), winner of the 2010 GI Ruffian Invitational H. Malibu Prayer brought $2 million from Besilu Stables at the Evans dispersal at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale. She was subsequently purchased privately by Three Chimneys. “The whole package from Besilu was purchased by Three Chimneys–it was like 60 horses and that mare was in it,” Cauthen said. “Volatile improves his mares. He added some speed and Igniter is a nice, big colt.” He continued, “I'd say that was the best foal that mare has ever thrown. Cartucho (Gun Runner) was also very nice. And obviously sold for a lot ($1.2 million KEESEP yearling) and was a 'Rising Star.'” Igniter (outside, blue cap & white bridle) finished third behind 'Rising Star' Golden Tornado on debut at the Spa | Sarah Andrew Igniter has breezed three times since his unveiling, including a four-furlong move in :48.21 (9/75) over the Belmont Park training track Sept. 4. The chestnut could potentially make his next start in a maiden special weight at Aqueduct later this month. “I think there's a lot of upside with that horse,” Cauthen said. Since launching 'Second Chances' in 2017, 64 maidens have been featured in these pages (through 2024), producing 25% graded stakes winners, 34% stakes winners and 48% stakes horses. The series has introduced eight future winners at the top level, led by this year's GI Kentucky Derby, GI Belmont Stakes and GI Travers S. winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief), 2023 Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin) and fellow two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo). The post Second Chances: ‘I Think He’s Got Stakes Potential’ – Igniter Exits Key Maiden at the Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The bargain purchase of a Blame filly 10 years ago has yielded Ron and Barbara Perry's Cicero Farms a pair of GI Ballerina Stakes victories, but when Marley's Freedom produced a colt in 2024, the Perrys made the decision to go to market. The yearling by Uncle Mo (hip 34) will go through the sales ring during the first session of the Keeneland September Sale Monday with the VanMeter Sales consignment. “I want to be sure he has the best opportunity to be a superstar,” Barbara Perry said of the decision to put the colt in the sale. “Plus, it's what I promised my husband I would do. I did tell him, if he let me keep Marley, I would sell the first boy. I should probably couch that with, 'But it has to be at the price I want.'” Cicero Farms purchased Marley's Freedom for $35,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale, but Perry admitted she hadn't been shopping for a dirt sprinter when she made the final bid on the Blame filly. “I had wanted a Blame filly for a while,” she explained. “The Blame fillies were running very, very well on the turf. And I love turf racing. I am learning to love dirt racing, as well. But from the time I was young, I've always been fascinated by the turf races. When I was very young, my dad took me back East. I don't remember where we went–I think it was Belmont–and I remember standing on the rail and hearing the horses run by. The grass was six or seven inches long and they were just swooshing through it. It was so amazing. I thought I want one of them.” In 18 lifetime starts, Marley's Freedom never raced on the turf, but she was a six-time graded stakes winner while sprinting on the main track. Her biggest victory came in the 2018 GI Ballerina Stakes. “It was very, very cool,” Perry said of the couple's first top-level victory. “It was amazing. And I remember saying to [trainer] Bob [Baffert], 'I don't know how to pick a horse.' And he said, 'What are you talking about?' I said, 'I bought a turf router that became a dirt sprinter. People shouldn't ask me what I think.'” Marley's Freedom attracted her share of admirers, forcing the Perrys to decide whether to add her to their fledgling breeding operation or sell the future broodmare to the highest bidder. It was an easy decision for Barbara, but it took a little convincing for Ron. “My husband was very excited about having people talk about our horse and selling her at auction,” Perry recalled. “And I had a meltdown on him. I said, 'I am going to tell you what. You need to prove to me that whatever we would sell that filly for, it would make a difference in your daily life. And if you can't do that, then you need to shut up and let me have my filly. I did all the research. Most dirt sprinters sell for around a million and a half dollars and they go to Japan. And at a million and a half, you are not going to buy a new house, nothing is going to change in your daily life, Ron. We were already breeders. So why would we sell the best broodmare prospect we have. That doesn't make any sense.” Marley's Freedom | Sarah Andrew Perry chose Quality Road for Marley's Freedom's first mating. “I asked Bob to critique Marley and he said, 'If she had more leg, she'd be perfect,'” Perry said. “So one of the reasons I picked Quality Road was because he was slightly taller than her and had a nice leg underneath him. And I thought if he can put that leg under the baby, then I would get a horse that would be built similarly to Marley with some leg.” The resulting foal was the now 4-year-old filly Hope Road and, with help from a global pandemic, the Perrys had a very close bond with the filly. “During COVID, we drove across country in our SUV with the cat,” Perry said. “We stayed in a bed and breakfast where we would have them deliver our meals to the porch and then bring it in our little room. We spent a whole month there so we could be with Marley and her baby. I have pictures of my husband sleeping with Hope in the stall as a foal. I held her in my lap when she was born.” Despite the connection, the couple decided they should test the market–and do a trial run for future sales offerings–with their Grade I-winning mare's first foal. “The idea of selling her was not high on my list, but I also thought we had to see what it was like,” Perry admitted. “We really hadn't tried to sell. We had always in the past bred to race. We had some here and there that we would sell, but we really didn't have the experience of selling a quality horse. So in a way, it was putting our training wheels on and seeing what it was like. Even though you have a trusted group that you are working with in your sales guy and prep people, until you experience it and go through it, you really don't know.” The test run failed to result in a sale when Hope Road RNA'd for $575,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. “She didn't ship well to Saratoga, so I didn't think she showed that well,” Perry said. “She was thin–she had lost weight. It happens with some fillies, they don't handle that Saratoga trip. And everyone had told me, 'If you don't get what you think she's worth as a broodmare out of a Grade I winner, you shouldn't undersell her.'” Hope Road joined the Cicero Farms racing stable and soon proved the decision to keep her was a sound one. She won a pair of graded races last year and hit the board in three straight graded races this winter and spring before retracing her dam's hoofsteps to Saratoga to earn her own Ballerina Stakes victory by two lengths Aug. 23. The filly was the third daughter of a Ballerina winner to take the Saratoga event. “I am normally a super statistical person and if I would have looked at the fact that Marley is the third mare in 47 years that's produced a filly to win the Ballerina, and the first one in 20 years, I am pretty sure I would have said, 'Oh no. Let's not do that. That's just a dumb idea.' But because I didn't have the opportunity to do that, it really didn't dawn on me how special it was. Then I really started to look at the statistics when I got home. And to have it be the same trainer and same owner, that didn't happen with the other two. That's unbelievable.” Marley's Freedom's daughter Freedom Song (Medaglia d'Oro), now three, was injured as a yearling and will join the Cicero broodmare band next year. The 11-year-old mare produced a colt by Violence this year and was bred back to Not This Time, but all eyes will be on her yearling colt next Monday at Keeneland. “He is, I think, well put together,” Perry said of the yearling. “A lot of Uncle Mos are really big bodied. He has a big body, but he has substantial bone underneath him. He's got really nice legs on him. He's a typical Uncle Mo. He moves very, very well. He's not super big. He's a nice medium sized horse. To me, he looks like a lot of the nice Uncle Mos that I see that are good, quality racehorses. When I am talking about quality racehorses, I am talking about graded stakes racehorses.” Hip 35 | Amy Lanigan Perry admitted it won't be easy to watch Marley's Freedom's colt go through the sales ring next week. “Ron might have to lock me in the women's restroom,” she said with a laugh. “It's going to be pretty difficult because it's going to be like selling part of the family. But we have already told [consignor] Headley [VanMeter] that we would be happy to stay in for a leg. So if that happens, we wouldn't lose.” While Cicero Farms is now old hat at campaigning Grade I-winning fillies, Perry said the prospect of orchestrating the career of a potential stallion was intimidating. “What happens after he wins that first big race? I don't know all of the things that those guys who consistently go to the Derby know,” she said. “Like WinStar, Spendthrift, Starlight, SF Racing, Zedan, all of those. They have been doing it a long time. They know how to handle a stallion and know when to make that deal. These guys do this for a living. I am not competition for them.” Perry, a student of Federico Tesio, is content to continue to cultivate the success she sees possible with Marley's Freedom and her daughters. “I am breeding Marley to make her a blue-hen mare,” Perry said. “That has been my goal since the day I got her.” Pointing to Blame's blue-hen dam Liable, Perry added, “If you take a look at the big blue-hen mares, in time, thank you Mr. Tesio, you will find they end up being the ones that produce more blue hen mares.” So, while still spending long hours at the couple's Commercial Energy, Perry has developed her own detailed system of determining matings. “I spend hours, days, of obsessing over female family pedigree and how it matches up,” Perry said. “And what the female family produced and what did those lineages look like and if I can find those same lineages that are prominent in the sire. And then I look for that sire and have it match up physically with the horse. So, yes. I go down a massive rabbit hole. My goal is always to breed a good racehorse, a graded stakes racehorse.” While the Perrys might be about to part with Marley's Freedom's first colt, Barbara said there are two mares she has no plans to part with. Ever. “I don't think I could ever sell Hope,” she said. “Hope, Marley and I might be in the same little nursing home together.” The Keeneland September sale begins with the first of two Book 1 sessions Monday starting at 1 p.m. Book 2 sessions Wednesday and Thursday begin at 11 a.m. Following a dark day Friday, the auction continues through Sept. 20 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m. The post Perrys Pirouette into Keeneland September with Uncle Mo Half-Brother to Ballerina Winner Hope Road 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 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 juveniles from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes, sponsored by OBS Sales, highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, including links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Saturday at Del Mar. Saturday, September 6, 2025 Del Mar 3, $80k, 2yo, 1mT, 5:33 p.m. Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Honey's Choice (Liam's Map), OBSAPR, 260,000, :10 C-J V C Training & Sales, agent; B-Jim Downey Del Mar 4, $100k, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 6:05 p.m. Can't Say That (Vino Rosso), OBSMAR, 50,000 PS, :10 2/5 C-de Meric Sales, agent; B-Nick J Hines, agent Mimi's Memory (Charlatan), OBSAPR, 60,000, :21 1/5 C-Wavertree Stables Inc (C Dunne), agt; B-G Papaprodroumou Sounds Lucky (Tiz the Law), OBSMAR, 550,000, :9 4/5 C-C-Wavertree Stables Inc (C Dunne), agt; B-Three Amigos Dmr 6, DMR Debutante-GI, $300k, 2yo, f, 7f, 7:08 p.m. Explora (Blame), FTMMAY, 350,000, :10 1/5 C-Crane Thoroughbred Services, agent; B-Three Amigos Himika (Curlin), OBSAPR, 900,000, :9 4/5 C-de Meric Sales, agent; B-Donato Lanni, agent for Baoma Corp Dmr 7, JuvFilliesTurf-L, $100k, 2yo, f, 1mT, 7:38 p.m. Dats Ms. Blame (Blame), FTMMAY, 145,000, G C-Niall Brennan Stables, agent; B-Dat Racing Stable Improbable U (Improbable), OBSJUN, 65,000, :21 1/5 C-Top Line Sales LLC, agent; B-Mojallali Stable La Ville Lumiere (City of Light), OBSMAR, 475,000, :10 C-Eddie Woods, agent; B-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners Pentle Bay (Uncle Mo), OBSAPR, 180,000, :10 1/5 C-de Meric Sales, agent; B-Fergus Galvin, agent Queen Bay (Charlatan), OBSMAR, 350,000, :10 C-Wavertree Stavles Inc (C Dunne), agt; B-Narvick Int'l The post Summer Breezes Sponsored By OBS: Saturday, September 6, 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It's September and the time of reckonings across Europe's racing programme, with the first two weekends witnessing some crucial deciders ahead of year-end honours. It is fair to say that the sprint scene has been murky for a while and so Saturday's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock takes on extra gravity. Success for Lazzat (Territories) will help clear the picture and if it is a clear-cut one it could even seal his title as champion sprinter, so it is only normal that trainer Jerome Reynier is feeling the heat. “It's a very different feeling when you bring a horse over for a Group 1 and he is the favourite, we are all hoping he doesn't fail,” he said of Wathnan Racing's Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee winner who was second in the Prix Maurice de Gheest last month. “It's a lot of pressure, because if he wins another Group 1 sprint in Europe, he could be the champion of the year and that's very important to all the team,” he added. “He was beaten the other day so he needs to fire back and prove he is the best.” Wathnan also have last year's runner-up Kind Of Blue (Blue Point), who is on the way back after a deflating spring and early summer campaign, and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee third Flora Of Bermuda (Dark Angel) as able deputies. The latter is one of a strong group of fillies assembled for the six-furlong feature alongside the July Cup heroine No Half Measures (Cable Bay), the Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals (Sands Of Mali) and the G3 Ballyogan Stakes winner Sky Majesty (Blue Point). Sky Majesty has been brought to the boil by William Haggas with this in mind and the supplementary entry would be adding to co-owner Tony Bloom's recent spell of good fortune. His racing manager Sean Graham said, “She just hadn't come to herself when she ran first time out at Chelmsford and although she improved significantly for that run, she probably still wasn't where William would have wanted her at Royal Ascot. The ground was very quick that day and maybe she just didn't let herself down on it either and she has won twice at Naas since and looks a million dollars, so we're looking forward to taking our chance.” Arc Clues In Abundance This Weekend Also on Saturday is the G3 September Stakes, where Juddmonte's Kalpana (Study Of Man) takes on the Hong Kong Vase-bound Giavellotto (Mastercraftsman) as they prepare for different autumn and winter targets. Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said of the filly, “It's a stepping-stone towards the Arc and she had a hard race in the King George. She's in good form and we're hopeful that she'll run a good race, but we have an eye on October and that's the big day.” ParisLongchamp's trio of Arc trials take place on Sunday and we will all know a lot more after the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille, G2 Qatar Prix Foy and G2 Qatar Prix Niel. The former is a pinnacle event in its own right and leading ladies don't come much bigger than last year's Arc runner-up Aventure (Sea The Stars), the Nassau and Pretty Polly winner Whirl (Wootton Bassett) and the Prix de Diane heroine Gezora (Almanzor). In a big day for Christophe Soumillon deputising for Ryan Moore, Whirl is one of four high-profile rides alongside Los Angeles (Camelot) in the Foy, the long-absent Swagman (Wootton Bassett) in the Niel and Henri Matisse (Wootton Bassett) in the G1 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. The latter is the outlier on the card, having no bearing on the October showcase, but is a fascinating affair featuring Juddmonte's Lockinge winner Lead Artist (Dubawi) and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Rosallion (Blue Point) who looks to belatedly get off the mark in 2025. As far as the Arc is concerned, some of the key domestic players are Gerard Augustin-Normand and Antonio Caro's Grand Prix de Paris hero Leffard (Le Havre), who looks to seal his bid in the Niel, and the Wertheimers' multiple Group 1 winner Sosie (Sea The Stars) who takes aim at the Foy. The latter can be a middling affair, but this year's renewal looks strong with Ahmed Al Maktoum's promising Almaqam (Lope De Vega) and Kazumi Yoshida's Tenno Sho Spring runner-up Byzantine Dream (Epiphaneia) engaged. The post ‘It’s A Lot Of Pressure’: Reynier Hoping Lazzat Can Clinch The Title appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Wayne Lordan, who was facing a 10-day suspension for using his whip in the incorrect place aboard Precise (Starspangledbanner) at Goodwood last month, has lost his appeal. His ban will begin on September 9 and last through September 18. In addition, he was fined £1,250 after being found in breach of the rules by the whip review committee following his winning effort on the Aidan O'Brien-trained filly in the G3 Prestige Stakes. Lordan admitted he had used his whip in the wrong place once aboard Precise, he contested the committee's conclusion that he had done so three times in total. As a result, he will miss the St Leger Meeting at Doncaster, as well as Irish Champions Weekend. Normally Lordan is O'Brien's second-call rider behind Ryan Moore, who is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a fractured femur. The panel was chaired by HH James O'Mahony, and they upheld the original decision of the whip review committee. The rider's deposit will be returned. The post Wayne Lordan To Miss Key Meetings After Appeal Fails appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The stakes-winning Hey Nay Nay tries two turns for the first time in the Sept. 7 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes (G3T) at Del Mar. View the full article

By Michael Guerin It was the night of the “we didn’t know what to expect” horses at Addington on Friday night. Not that anybody doubted the ability of Alta Meteor, Got The Chocolates, Oscar Bonavena or even earlier winner Treacherous Baby going into Friday night’s massive 13-race card. It was just that all of them had at least some of questions hanging over their heads. They answered those questions with sheer class. In the case of Alta Meteor in the Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup it also helped he has great standing start manners and driver Tim Williams was able to control the race. That was enough to answer the questions about whether he could be right up to the mark after a respiratory infection since his last race, with his natural athletic ability doing the rest as key rivals Akuta and We Walk By Faith got too far back. “We were coming here wondering just how he would go after that setback,” admitted co-trainer Amanda Telfer. “But he is in the Cup (NZ) now and we can place him where we want to get him ready for that.” We Walk By Faith was excellent in second while Franco Marek and Renegade were too but Akuta blew out late as trainer-driver Mark Purdon warned punters he might. All in all, a good next step toward the spring for the first five home. Got The Chocolates had his questions marks heading into the Ian Dobson Memorial as John Dunn didn’t want to keep putting him to the sword and that had speed mappers thinking the heavily-backed Rubura and Bar Louie would control the race. They did. It didn’t matter. After they has sorted themselves out early Got The Chocolates was left parked but he simply outstayed the Queensland Derby winner in a stunning win, surging further clear the closer they got to the line. If it wasn’t for Marketplace then Got The Chocolates would be in for a stunningly exciting summer. As it is the question now becomes can he finally snare a big one? I kinda hope so. There are always questions marks over Oscar Bonavena these days. Will he behave? Is he 100 per cent? Is he is too old? Does he even care? But once he stepped better than key rival Muscle Mountain and inside 800m worked his way into the one-one this $40,000 ITM Ordeal Cup was his to lose. His rivals all gave each other a hard time and Oscar was sitting back laughing and wondering when to open the hurt locker. When he did it hurt bad as he smashed his rivals and now remarkably finds himself as favourite again for the Renwick Farms Dominion on Cup Day. If he wins the Dominion again they should name the Addington stabling block after Oscar. Ok, that might be a step too far. But they should name a stall or two after him for oddball, old, wonderful trotters who can do magic tricks like the one Oscar keeps pulling off. By the way, did you know Oscar Bonavena is named after the profesional boxer Oscar “Ringo” Bonavena, who had 58 career victories. Oscar the horse now has 35. Treacherous Baby was the other former Group 1 winner returning to Addington with a win on Friday night and she beat some very smart boys even though trainer-driver Purdon was concerned she had missed some work after her last start win. Again her beautiful trip in the running meant that mattered less and she won like the very good mare she is turning into. The other winners had plenty of class about them, like Lizzie Borden in the opener and Stumblin In in the juvenile pace while Celestial Sea was superb in her Nevele R heat to head home another good night for Team Dunn – John Dunn having four winning drives on the night. View the full article

By Michael Guerin As one door closes, another opens. That tells the tale of Cyclone Rebel, who caused a mammoth upset winning on debut at Alexandra Park on Friday night at $70 on the tote. The son of Bettors Delight had to be good too, overcoming a second line draw in the hands of Matty White to divebomb Andretti, whose drive from Andre Poutama to be trailing early from barrier eight deserved better. But the winner did what very few juveniles do, particularly in Woodlands Sires’ Stakes heats and trainer Tate Hopkins admits he was a touch surprised. “I have always liked him but you don’t really expect them to win like that on debut,” he told HRNZ. “When you see them draw the second line in a capacity field for a Sires’ Stakes heat, I’ll be honest I would have been happy to see him running on well for sixth or seventh.” Cyclone Rebel’s case was helped by a searing early speed as three of the favourites all got involved early but he still had to be excellent to win and he is bred to be good. He is the younger half brother to Cyclone Jordy (Art Major) who won the Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes at Alexandra Park last season before being sold for good money to West Australia where he has proven to be one of the best of his age. “At the time this horse was a yearling and the guys who own them, who have been great to deal with for a long time, decided if they were going to sell Jordy they wanted to keep this horse. “So a deal was done where Frank and Ann (Cooney) came in on this horses with the guys who bred him and they now all race him together. “But that meant he didn’t go through the sales so he isn’t Harness Millions eligible.” Hopkins of course worked for Frank Cooney for a long time and was then in training partnership with the popular horseman before Frank took a step back from the business after a race smash. Cyclone Rebel is the fourth foal of Cyclone Kate, who won 21 races here and in Australia for well-known owners Mark Lyon, former All Black Ant Strachan, trainer Gareth Dixon and the famous cricketing brothers Kyle and Heath Mills. “He is obviously very good and I suppose we have to start thinking about the Sires’ Stakes but I will need to give him a couple more starts first to see exactly where he is at,” says Hopkins, who is training 12 at the moment. While he came from a second line draw the night’s other big winners at Alexandra Park were all on the speed. Sooner The Bettor defied a weird odds drift to lead throughout in the main pace with Harrison Orange getting his timing spot on to beat Better Knuckle Up and Jeremiah, with a 26.8 second last 400m as they all prepare for the Spring Cup in a few weeks. Odds-on favourite Castana continued his great run of form after trailing for most of the main trot, things only getting a little tricky when Bolt For The Hill ran to the lead at the 400m but driver Taitlyn Hanara was able to get back to the passing lane to grab the win. And Shezsofast was able to use her speed to lead for most of her Dunstan Feeds Sires’ Stakes heat for the girls to post a 1:56.2 mile rate for the 1700m. View the full article

Harness Racing New Zealand is proud to unveil Paddock to Podium, a bold new breeding incentive. Starting on January 1, 2026 it is designed to reignite and grow our foal crop. The scheme offers a 5% credit to the listed breeder of all prize money won by NZ-foaled 2YO – 6YO horses finishing 1st to 4th in all races in New Zealand, other than in Group and Listed races. For Group and Listed races, $1000 will be split among the breeders of horses finishing 1st–5th. These credits can be used directly against stallion service fees and semen transport costs, helping breeders to reinvest and grow the next generation of champions. The total liability is estimated at $1.4m annually. “It isn’t just about funding though,” says HRNZ Chief Executive Brad Steele “it’s about securing the sustainability of our foal crops and ensuring we continue to produce world class progeny.” “It must be stressed than this is credit, not cash, reimbursing a breeder for stallion fees on a mare they own,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden. “The breeders of current racehorses will accrue the credits.” “This is about putting breeders back at the heart of our sport. If you left mares empty last year, now is the time to come back in. The more you breed, the more credits you earn,” says Peden. HRNZ is committed to the scheme annually for the next five years, budget permitting. For HRNZ “the breeder” is usually the person in HRNZ’s InfoHorse when the racehorse was born. For embryo transfer foals the breeder is the owner at the time of service. For breeding co-ownerships the credit will be allocated to co-owners according to their recorded ownership share, not to the breeding entity. For syndicates, trusts and companies the credit will be awarded to the entity. Paddock To Podium has been designed to work in tandem with other recent initiatives: 1. The Entain 2YO Bonus where owners get $8000 and breeders $4000 for any 2YO winning his/her first race. 2. The Fillies and Mares Credit Scheme where a $750 breeding credit (not cash) is attached to the mare for every win. It is capped at $6,000 and/or 8 wins. 3. The Silk Road series, with $250,000 in extra stakes, to encourage Fillies and Mares to continue racing before heading to the broodmare barn. 4. The Harness 5000 for horses bred to stallions whose stud fee was $5000 or less during the year of conception. They will be eligible to race in 12 $60,000 races at Ashburton on December as long as they have had at least five starts during the qualifying period. The Harness 5000 will be run annually for the next five years. “Schemes similar to this have been successful in France and Japan in maintaining breeding numbers. “Together these initiatives are a significant investment in our future,” says Peden, “to the order of $3.4m.” “This would be the biggest ever total investment made by HRNZ into NZ breeding,” says Steele. FAQs : How does it work? Credits, rather than cash, will be earned on 2YO to 6YO horses foaled in New Zealand, for each racing season. They can be applied to stallion fees (including semen transport costs). Breeders can use credit on any mare you are breeding – not just the dam of the horse that earned it. Breeders claiming reimbursement will apply online to HRNZ to use the credit. The process will be announced. Who will be affected? In 2025, over 600 breeding entities were active, and this scheme will impact thousands of horses and breeders across New Zealand. When can credits be used? Credits must be used within the two full breeding seasons of the calendar racing year they were earned. Earnings start 1 January 2026, so the last breeding season for the 2026 racing year credits is 28/29, i.e. claims received by 31 July 2029. What happens when breeders in a co-ownership arrangement enter into an informal arrangement from year to year on who breeds the mare? It is common practice for groups of co-owner breeders to make different informal ownership arrangements year to year for the breeding of a mare. For example, within an ownership group, the co-owners may take turn about to bred the mare. Or, one owner may drop out leaving the breeding that year to other co-owners. The proportion of ownership in these informal breeding arrangements may not reflect the underlying ownership percentages for the mare. The Paddock To Podium credits will be paid according to the underlying ownership percentages, not the informal arrangements. Breeders will need to change the ownership percentages at the time of breeding the mare before registering the foal if the credits are going to go to the rightful person. You can only claim credits for your share if you’re listed as an official breeder and at the HRNZ recorded percentage of ownership. What happens if there are special circumstances? 1. Packaged Services – If an invoice from the stud is for a stallion service fee included in a package of other breeding related services the stallion service fee component must be separately identifiable. 2. “Early Bird” Payments – If a breeder pays a stud farm under an “Early Bird” payment incentive scheme or uses frozen semen a breeder cannot make a claim unless they have a paid invoice and proof of a 42 day pregnancy. 3. Sale of an in-foal mare – If a breeder sells an in-foal mare, the breeder can apply to be reimbursed for the eligible costs for the 42 day positive in-foal mare. A buyer of an in-foal mare cannot claim Paddock To Podium credits for that mare’s pregnancy as the buyer did not contract the service that resulted in the pregnancy. 4. Loss of Pregnancy – If a pregnancy is lost, and a Paddock To Podium credit has been paid no further claim can be made for that mare if she is bred again. If the mare is not bred, HRNZ reserves the right to reclaim the paid credit from the recipient. What is the scheme going to cost? The total liability is estimated at $1.4m, if all credits are drawn down. HRNZ will closely monitor the draw down of credits and make the appropriate reserves provision. First payments will be in the 26/27 breeding season for credits from 1 January 2026. How long will Paddock to Podium be going for? Annually for five years, budget permitting. View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz Benjamin Butcher reached a special milestone at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night, driving one of his own horses to victory for the very first time. The achievement came with I Can Too, in the Xmas Packages On Sale Now @ Cambridge Raceway Mobile Pace. Despite an awkward draw on the outside of the mobile, Butcher pressed forward early to take the lead. From there, he rated the race perfectly and held off challengers to win by the narrowest of margins. For Butcher, it was a special moment and his seventh training success overall. “It’s been a long time coming, it feels good to get the monkey off of my back,” he said, “Me, Dad (David) and Zach have all had a winner in my colours now, so I’ll have to get it framed.” The gelding had shown promise the week before, and Butcher felt he had the right horse to seize the opportunity. “He went really well in the Winter Rewards last week, he was just unlucky and didn’t get a run,” he said. “It was only a small field last night and there wasn’t a lot of gate-speed, I was having to hang onto him so I thought, ‘I might as well press on.’ He’s such an honest horse and he got the job done, so that’s the main thing.” It wasn’t the only highlight of the night, with Butcher also training and driving Abman and Barbarossa to third-place finishes in their respective races. Both impressed their trainer with honest efforts. “I was a bit unlucky with Abman, we probably would’ve run into second if we’d gotten some clear air, but I’m very happy with the way he’s going and that he’s getting back to where I want him.” “Barbarossa’s just an old tradesman, a war horse. He never goes a bad race and he’s always thereabouts. He’s found the right grade where he should be in the money most weeks now. They both raced really well.” The win is even more meaningful given the adversity Butcher has faced. In August last year he was involved in a serious crash at Alexandra Park that sidelined him for months. “I started slowly working back with the horses about four months after the accident, it was the head injury that gave me the most grief,” he explained. “It’s one of those things that until you’ve had your own one it’s hard to understand what you have to go through. I’m still not 100 percent, I’m pretty good but I do still have the off day here and there. It’s a work in progress, but it will just be a time thing.” Now, Butcher is firmly back into his routine. He currently has five horses in his own name and is also looking after seven from his father’s team while he’s in Europe. “It keeps me busy enough, but Mike Berger has been giving me a hand in the mornings and that’s a massive help. We have a bit of a laugh and it’s quite enjoyable, he’s a good man.” Looking ahead, Butcher’s goal is straightforward. “I just want to keep doing the best I can for the owners who are giving me the opportunity to train their horses.” View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Laurence Hanrahan is hoping for a bit of beginner’s luck at Methven on Sunday. The meeting at Mt Harding is the opening grasstrack meeting of the spring. It is also his first meeting as Methven Trotting Club president, having recently taken over from Michael Heenan. It’s his first stint as president. “I’ve been on a committee a while,” says Hanrahan, “I’ve had a few breaks but it will be somewhere around the 20 year mark.” Hanrahan says he’s a bit nervous about the weather leading into Sunday’s 11 race card (starting at 11.34am) though the forecast for the day itself is encouraging with 17 degrees and no rain. “The track’s looking really good so we are hopeful things will go well” Hanrahan’s also come up with a “Horse of the Day” concept that will be rolled out at every one of their meetings. It sees one horse randomly drawn out before the first race of the day, with the winner receiving a bottle of wine. If the horse drawn then goes on to win its race it will receive a magnum of champagne plus $1000 will be given to the owner/owners, $300 to the trainer and $200 to the driver. “I spotted it at another club who were doing something similar so I thought I’d sit on it,” says Hanrahan, “the response has been very positive. Everyone loves it when you give stuff away!” “Plus the club is always open to new ideas and have been very supportive.” Hanrahan will also line up two starters, with Bautista in Race 4, the Bus and Truck Bodyworks Mobile Pace (12.55pm) and Elite Styx in Race 6, the Betavet (Junior Drivers) Mobile Pace (2.07pm). “Back in a Rating 35 Bautista will be very competitive and Elite Styx has her best draw for a while so hopefully she’ll get a good run.” Bautista is a $2.30 favourite while Elite Styx, who has drawn 3, is at $35, with the Brent and Tim White-trained Clonakilty a $2.50 favourite. To see the Methven fields click here View the full article