Wandering Eyes

What will racing look like in 10 years? We asked some of racing's best and brightest to give us their predictions. Want to submit an answer? Email suefinley@thetdn.com BARRY IRWIN, CEO OF TEAM VALOR INTERNATIONAL Racing will contract in size and be conducted at fewer venues. The names Stronach and 1st Racing will disappear and become as remote as the names Adena Springs and Magna. NYRA and TwinSpires will control the game. In 2036 there will only be racing in New York (Belmont/Saratoga), Florida (Ocala), Maryland (Pimlico), Kentucky (Keeneland, Churchill, Kentucky Downs) and Oaklawn Park. Racing will become a team sport, with only the super wealthy able to afford team franchises. HISA will disappear. Integrity and safety will become strictly the province of a league office that will set and enforce the rules, with its own team of scientists analyzing all aspects of the equine athlete. Only professionals will be allowed access to the stable area. Owners, supplement pushers, bloodstock agents and fans will be barred. With wagering set to increase exponentially, stable areas will be controlled like Hong Kong operates today. Ex-FBI employees will control every aspect of surveillance of the stable area, as gambling on horses will only thrive with rigorous attention paid to its athletes and participants. Smaller tracks will become outlaw operations with the participants not allowed to engage in the major league. Fewer mares will be bred to fewer stallions, but breeders and stallion operations will make more profit from their investments, as fewer animals equates to much higher prices. Wealthy folks will return to breeding and racing horses even though all previous tax incentives will disappear. These individuals will return to racing and breeding because it will be profitable and a sporting challenge. The Jockey Club will cease to become relevant, as racetracks will dominate the equine landscape. Horsemen's group like the HBPA and the TOC will be replaced by labor unions. All backstretch denizens will belong to a union. AI will completely change how horseplayers bet on the races. Daily Racing Form will disappear and will seem a quaint remembrance of the horse and buggy days of Thoroughbred racing. Horseplayers will be younger and more plentiful, with oldersters unable to keep pace with their younger rivals, whose embrace of AI and quantum computing will leave most players of a certain age in the dust. CAW is a technique every player involved in betting on horses will employ. The post Racing in 2036: Barry Irwin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Texas Thoroughbred Association (TTA) will implement a number of changes to racing in Texas for 2026 and beyond, according to a release sent by the organization Wednesday. Dates and locations for the TTA Futurity, Derby, and Oaks will be adjusted, with the Futurity moved from July at Lone Star Park to December at Sam Houston Race Park in order to give 2-year-olds more time to develop. The Derby and Oaks, run at Sam Houston in March in 2025, will again be run in the spring at Sam Houston for 2026, but will move to Lone Star for 2027. “The Texas Thoroughbred Association is very excited about these changes” said TTA Executive Director Tracy Sheffield. “We feel that these changes will make several of our most exciting stakes races accessible to a greater number of horses.” In addition, the Texas Stallion Stakes Series will now allow 2-year-olds to be nominated if connections missed nominating during the runner's weanling or yearling years. A horse that has gone through a TTA sale can now be nominated as a 2-year-old by May 1 for a $5,000 fee. The post Dates, Locations Adjusted for TTA Races appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Defending race winner Major Dude and fellow millionaires Wolfie's Dynaghost and Chasing the Crown lead a stacked group of 10 older horses in the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G3T) Dec. 20 at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

The Texas Stallion Stakes Series now has a pathway to nominate 2-year-olds.View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features an exciting newcomer for Amo Racing. 1.52 Southwell, Novice, 2yo, 6f 16y (AWT) FIREWALKER (GB) (Kingman {GB}) makes his belated debut just over two years since making the top five lots at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale when selling to Amo Racing for 360,000gns. Kevin Philippart De Foy introduces the likely hot favourite in a winnable affair as connections look for a bright start for the half-brother to the high-class Group 1 sprinter Dragon Symbol by Cable Bay who, like Kingman, is a son of Invincible Spirit. Another of his kin is this year's Sandy Lane winner Symbol Of Honour (Havana Grey), so there is plenty of time to fulfil obvious potential. The post Dragon Symbol’s Half-Brother Firewalker Debuts at Southwell appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Saudi Arabia's newest group 1 race has received a huge prize money boost with the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia announcing Dec. 17 that the 2026 Neom Turf Cup (G1T) will be staged for $3 million, an increase of 50%.View the full article

A highly respected team of equine veterinarians is set to serve the 2025-26 racing season at Santa Anita Park starting Dec. 26 with opening day of the Classic Meet. View the full article

Pyromancer (Jpn) (Pyro) extended his career record to three wins from as many starts with a narrow victory in Wednesday's $458,745 Listed Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse, earning 20 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in the process. Content to stalk the early pace just outside of Idaten Shacho (Goldencents), the 13-10 second pick had favored and previously unbeaten Best Green (Jpn) (Smart Falcon {Jpn}) just off his flank and was outmoved by the 9-10 chalk nearing the straight. Boxing on gamely from between horses, Pyromancer got the better of that battle, then flashed past the post just in front as the filly Tamamo Freesia (Jpn) (Le Vent Se Leve {Jpn}) took a dive at him late. None of the horses from the first leg of the four-race series, last month's Cattleya Stakes (allowance) won by Satono Voyage (Jpn) (Into Mischief), pressed on to the second of the races, leaving Pyromancer at the top of the table at the midway stage. A debut winner over 1800 meters at Kyoto Oct. 5, Pyromancer made it two-for-two with a half-length success in a first-level allowance over that same course and distance Nov. 2. The dark bay was cutting back to the mile on Wednesday. A 10th stakes winner for his Darley Japan-based stallion (by Pulpit–Wild Vision) and the 60th black-type winner from a daughter of Hard Spun, Pyromancer is one of two winners out of an unplaced half-sister to Triple Ace (Ire) (Shamardal), Group 2-placed at two on the turf in Japan. The French Classic-placed third dam was responsible for seven winners, including MGSW champion State Shinto (Pleasant Colony). Centrifuge is also the dam of a yearling colt by Discreet Cat and a weanling colt by Tower of London (Jpn) (Raven's Pass). The Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby continues with the one-mile Listed Hyacinth Stakes in late February and the Fukuryu Stakes (allowance) at the back end of March. Wednesday, Kawasaki, Japan ZEN-NIPPON NISAI YUSHUN (Jpn-G1)-Listed, ¥71,400,000, Kawasaki, 12-17, 2yo, 1600m, 1:44.20, yl. 1–PYROMANCER (JPN), 123, c, 2, by Pyro 1st Dam: Centrifuge (Jpn), by Hard Spun 2nd Dam: Triple Pirouette, by Sunday Silence 3rd Dam: Sha Tha, by Mr. Prospector 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Godolphin; B-Darley Japan Farm; T-Keiji Yoshimura; J-Mirai Iwata; ¥42,000,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥60,943,000. 2–Tamamo Freesia (Jpn), 121, f, 2, Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn)– Tamamo El Dorado (Jpn), by Gold Allure (Jpn). O-Tamao Inc.; B-Okada Farm; ¥14,700,000. 3–Best Green (Jpn), 123, c, 2, Smart Falcon (Jpn)–Peaceful Joy (Jpn), by Pyro. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Yasuhide Kuninobu; B-Kitajima Farm; ¥8,400,000. Margins: NK, 1, 1HF. Odds: 1.30, 7.70, 0.90. Also Ran: Ayasan Jotaro (Jpn), Cosmo Gigantea (Jpn), Life Of Raccoon (Jpn), Fleur d'Or (Jpn), Idaten Shacho, Balcanicus (Jpn). Click for the goracing.jp chart and VIDEO (SC 4). The post Godolphin Homebred Pyromancer Guts It Out In Derby Points Race appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Friday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 9.00pm, AL MAKTOUM MILE SPONSORED BY EMAAR-G2, AED1,000,000, 3yo/up, 1600m Field: Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Meshtri (Medaglia d'Oro), Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}), Mendelssohn Bay (Mendelssohn), Commissioner King (Commissioner), Morning (Munnings), Castlewarden (Into Mischief), Killer Collect (Collected), Masmak (Vino Rosso), West Saratoga (Exaggerator), Musical Dancer (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), David Of Athens (Nyquist). TDN Analysis: Bhupat Seemar saddles no fewer than eight of the 13 runners, headed by March's G2 Al Maktoum Classic winner Imperial Emperor and recent Dubai Creek Mile scorer Mendelssohn Bay. Defending champion Meshtri was six lengths behind Mendelssohn Bay in that Listed contest and needs to take a big step forward, while the French-trained King Gold returns to Dubai for the first time since filling the runner-up spot in April's G2 Godolphin Mile, having also won the G2 Firebreak Stakes earlier in the year. The unexposed Killer Collect, another Seemar trainee, and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile fourth Tumbarumba, having his first start for Hamad Al Jehani, are others to consider in a wide-open renewal. [Adam Houghton]. Friday, Meydan, UAE, post time: 8.25pm, AL RASHIDIYA SPONSORED BY EMAAR-G2, AED850,000, 3yo/up, 1800mT Field: Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), First Conquest (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), Chicago Critic (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Caramelito (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Stormy Ocean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Miss Of Change (Fr) (King Of Change {GB}). TDN Analysis: A four-time winner at the top level, Nations Pride has been a terrific servant to the Charlie Appleby stable, but he might prove vulnerable here to the younger legs of stablemate Opera Ballo, who remains a colt of huge potential after his runner-up finish in the G2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket when last seen. The style of racing in Dubai should suit the 'TDN Rising Star' and this looks a good opportunity for him to gain his fifth career win on just his seventh start. First Conquest completes the strong Godolphin team as Appleby seeks a fourth consecutive victory in the Al Rashidiya, with Chicago Critic perhaps best of the remainder. [Adam Houghton]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Opera Ballo the One to Beat in Al Rashidiya appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Jonny Turner Carter Dalgety thinks it’s a good thing Friday’s Ascot Park Invercargill Cup isn’t run on paper. Dalgety will attempt to win the fourth running of Southland’s biggest race at Group 1 level, with two of those titles already to his name. After Krug’s victory in 2022, Dalgety and parents Cran and Chrissie produced Republican Party to win the event last year and it proved to be the starting point for the six-year-old establishing himself as New Zealand’s best open class pacer. A year on and little has changed, with Republican Party installed as a hot favourite for Friday’s race. The difference this year is the 2024 champion will start another 10m back on the 20m back mark. Dalgety has had plenty of time to assess that mark and his possible tactics from it. And nothing has been setting off alarm bells. “On paper it does look like a tough mark and it is not going to be easy.” “But there are a few things in our favour.” “Making a good beginning will be the key to it all, we will want to make it up as quickly as possible.” “He has been getting away great lately, so fingers crossed he can do it again.” “I think so long as we aren’t too far off them then I will have a few options.” “He’s the horse to beat and everyone will be out to make it hard for him, it is a Group 1 race and he will have to earn it.” “But I think he can.” Republican Party tuned up for his Invercargill Cup defence with a brilliant victory at Addington last week. The Dalgety camp hopes it has the pacer just where he needs to be on Friday. “He was reasonably forward going into that race, but he did have a good blow afterwards.” “It is a good thing it panned out the way it did, because that should have him pretty spot on for this week.” “He’s been in a great space right the way through and as far as how he is looking and how he is feeling, we couldn’t be happier with him.” Team Dalgety start three horses on the Invercargill Cup undercard in Treacherous Dreams, Eun Sogno and The Queens Gambit. “They all look nice chances in pretty competitive races.” “Of our team The Queens Gambit has come on really nicely since her last run.” “She ran second to Eun Sogno who is a colt, which is pretty respectable form.” “He would be a good chance himself, he’s in a nice field but that is nothing new for him.” “And Treacherous Dream has the perfect draw for Invercargill with his gate speed, he’s pretty genuine too.” The Dalgety camp also start Franco Sinatra in the Invercargill Cup, with the pacer expected to be among the outsiders of the field. Racing journalist Jonny Turner is here to help with his five horses to follow. Race 12 (8.52pm)- J T Boe He’s big, he’s raw and he’s got a motor. It sounds good but he is probably not your typical Ascot Park horse. However the key to this promising three-year-old’s chances is that his two main rivals have drawn tricky spots. Always Dreaming is snookered away in barrier 1 on the second row, while Seaside Rose is drawn towards the outside of the second row. J T Boe has shown he can rough it and I expect Tim Williams to keep him in clear air and let him show off his staying prowess. Race 9 (7.10pm) – Mr Love A 15m head-start will do me. Stepping back up to the 2700m staying trip after a second placing in a Group One Dominion looks just perfect for Mr Love. He has to beat his stablemate Muscle Mountain who is a deserved favourite, but with a 15m handicap advantage I think he can do just that. The key to the race looks to be Mr Love maintaining his head-start on his stablemate and main rival. With the horses in front of them in the handicaps, it looks unlikely anything would hold out Mr Love if he were to press towards the lead. That’s the scenario in which he can come out on top. Race 5 (4.52pm) – Treacherous Dreams Sometimes at Ascot Park you don’t have to go with the best horse in the race. Without wanting to disrespect anyone involved, I think Transonic is the best horse in Friday’s fifth event. But the race looks to set up perfectly for Treacherous Dreams. He’s got gate speed, a great draw and a positive driver, plus he is in form. And to be clear, he is no slouch. He brings very respectable Addington form south. Transonic may prove to be too good, and it may depend on how far off the speed he is from barrier 4 on the second row. But given he opened at $1.65, Treacherous Dreams looks the more attractive play. Race 3 (3.52pm) – Becky’s Girl She’s probably just better than her rivals. Becky’s Girl brings form through a stronger series of Addington races than her rivals do. She’s mixed it with top class colts and geldings, as well as fillies, and gone some very good races in the process. Becky’s Girl has drawn a little wide, but most of her rivals aren’t likely to make her work too hard if she wants to press forward. Expect her to be on the speed and hard to beat. Race 6 (5.27pm) – B D Hall Being on speed and out of trouble will be the plan for this big striding trotter. He’s another that may not look perfectly suited to Ascot Park at first glance, but he cornered like a greyhound when winning his only start at the track. The three-year-old gives away experience, but he doesn’t look to give away a talent advantage to those off handicaps. If he is able to step away cleanly he might set a task that will prove too tough for those behind him. He looks the pick of those off the front and a great Invercargill Cup Day chance. View the full article

By Jordyn Bublitz David Marshall might not be as visible around the race-tracks as he once was, but he will still have a strong presence at Cambridge Raceway tonight with two fillies stepping out for the Movie Night At The Raceway 21st Dec Mobile Pace. These days Marshall keeps his operation deliberately small, a change that has come about as his son Kyle has forged his own successful path across the Tasman. Kyle, alongside partner Sophie Jeffries, has built a thriving training business in Victoria. “He’s doing so well over there, I’m really proud of him,” Marshall said. “Him and Sophie are going huge. It’s great, especially because they’ve done it all on their own.” Back home, Marshall has opted for quality over quantity, with just two horses currently in work. Both are fillies, both are home-bred, and both have been entirely produced by Marshall from the very beginning. Those two fillies are Lil Mac and Arose, who will meet each other head-to-head tonight (6.22pm). Both will be long odds with Arose at $31 and Lil Mac at $61. Arose has already had a look at race-day conditions, making her debut, finishing sixth, at Cambridge on November 14. Marshall was more than satisfied with what he saw. “I thought it was really good,” he said. “I told Todd (Mitchell) I’d be happy if we got a soft trip and a nice run home, and that’s exactly what we got. To be fair, she was a bit unlucky, the gap just closed on her going up the straight, but I was really happy with her run.” Lil Mac, meanwhile, will be stepping out for her debut tonight. Marshall admits she has taken a little longer to come to hand, but patience has been the key. “She hasn’t got the greatest conformation and she’s a bit nervy,” he explained. “But when she’s in the gear she’s completely fine. Because of her conformation I haven’t done a lot with her. She actually ended up in a qualifying trial because there were no learners’ heats and she qualified, so I thought she could race this week and then go out for a break.” Marshall believes time will be Lil Mac’s greatest ally. “I think she’ll come back as quite a nice three-year-old,” he said. “She’s a big filly, so we’ve had to take things easy, but she’s come a long way in a short time.” Asked if he could split the pair, Marshall was diplomatic. “They’re pretty even at this stage,” he said. “We’ll know a bit more in another six months. Arose is probably going a little bit better at the moment, but she’s done a lot more than the other filly.” View the full article

Racing Australia has accepted the move by the Asian Racing Federation to seize control of the Australian black-type pattern, a step that will lead to its Asian Pattern Committee deciding on upgrades and downgrades before the start of next season.View the full article

Oaklawn's 2025 Thoroughbred racing season opened emphatically, with strong attendance, record wagering, and memorable on-track milestones highlighting an exceptional opening weekend. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Among this week's rulings, trainer Carlos Sedillo has been suspended 18 months and fined $12,500 after he was found in possession of Levothyroxine—a banned synthetic thyroid drug—at Sunland Park in New Mexico on March 6. His suspension began on December 11. The case was resolved without a hearing. Sedillo has been training on and off since 1994, according to Equibase. During that time, he has trained nearly 300 winners from nearly 2000 starts. In 2012, the New Mexico Racing Commission suspended Sedillo 10 years after two of his horses tested positive for Dermorphin, a prohibited class 1 drug and powerful opioid colloquially called “frog juice” as a result of being found in the skin of a certain South American frog. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 12/16/2025 Licensee: Jospeh Davis, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Camphor—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Dreaming Bonita on 10/1/25. Dreaming Bonita was entered in race 11 at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Oct. 1, but was scratched pre-race. Dates: 12/16/2025 Licensee: Jorge Abreau, trainer Penalty: A written reprimand. Admission. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Silver Satin on 11/1/25. Dates: 12/16/2025 Licensee: Richard Mandella, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Tamara, who won the GIII Chillingworth Stakes at Santa Anita on 10/04/25. Dates: 12/16/2025 Licensee: Tareq Moubarek, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points.Final decision of HIWU. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Ranitidine—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Neural Network on 11/2/25. Dates: 12/15/2025 Licensee: Linda K. Dixon, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on December 16, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a combined fine of $1,500; imposition of a combined 3 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Queen's Cat, who won at Finger Lakes on 10/8/25; and for the presence of Methocarbamol—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Honest Reason, who finished second at Finger Lakes on 11/10/25. Dates: 12/12/2025 Licensee: Brian Cook, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Flunixin—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Mia Vita on 10/31/25. Dates: 12/11/2025 Licensee: Chris Englehart, trainer Penalty: A written reprimand. Admission. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Shehanah on 11/07/25. Dates: 12/10/2025 Licensee: Carlos Sedillo, trainer Penalty: 18-month period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on December 11, 2025; a fine of $12,500.Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the possession of Levothyroxine—a banned substance—for an event dated 3/6/25. Pending ADMC Violations 12/17/2025, Anna Navarrete, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Medroxyprogesterone—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from Purse Snatcher on 11/12/25. 12/17/2025, William Robert Bailes, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Tramadol—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from Double Airo, who won at Penn National on 10/30/25. 12/17/2025, Jesus Nunez, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Tramadol—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from Crazy About You, who won at Los Alamitos on 9/27/25. 12/15/2025, Nick Canani, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Bloodline, who finished sixth at Churchill Downs on 11/6/25. 12/15/2025, Amelia Green, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Devilish Green, who won at Belmont at the Big A on 10/4/25. 12/15/2025, Vladamir Cerin, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Doncic, who won at Santa Anita on 10/3/25. 12/12/2025, Howard Brown Jr., trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Tramadol—a class B controlled substance—in a sample taken from She Can Scat, who won at Parx Racing on 11/3/25. 12/12/2025, Bruno Tessore, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Tom S, who finished second at Laurel Park on 10/19/25. The post National Rulings December 11-17: Trainer Sedillo Suspended 18 Months appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Brandon Pennington still remembers the night he stood frozen in the corner of the living room, a child watching an adult come undone. His grandmother clawed at the couch cushions, tearing through pillows with frantic hands as she screamed his name. The drugs had erased her sense of reality. She was certain he was late for school. Somehow, Brandon cut through the confusion long enough to calm her, promising he would go get ready even though the sky outside had already gone dark. He retreated to the bathroom and listened through the door for any sign she might spiral further. Pennington made a promise he would repeat to himself throughout his childhood–whatever his future held, he would never ask his own children to carry such a weight. In the years that followed, Pennington became the very thing he had sworn he would never be. He became so entrenched in substance abuse that he chose to stay away from his children rather than let them see him in that state. Even in the darkest chapters of Pennington's life, the pull of addiction was strong, but so was the drive to be the parent he never had. Through Stable Recovery, he found a way out. Today, he is not only a steady presence in his children's lives, but someone whose job depends on others being able to rely on him. Growing up in Central Kentucky, Pennington moved between his parents' homes and both sets of grandparents. With nearly everyone in his family battling addiction, he learned from an early age that stability was never guaranteed. “Not being around your parents sucks,” said Pennington. “After going through addiction myself, I can see why they weren't there and I can understand it. That doesn't make it right, but I can understand it.” One day when Pennington was in high school, he and a friend swiped a bottle of wine from the fridge. Soon, they were smoking weed together. Then a friend offered him a clonazepam. Each step felt small, even harmless, but together they pulled him onto a path he wouldn't fully understand until the addiction had already taken hold. “I guess you could say it was peer pressure,” he recalled. “From then on, I don't want to say it wasn't my choice, but I liked the feeling so I decided to continue to chase it.” Pennington dropped out of high school. Eventually, even holding down a job at a fast food restaurant became impossible. His addiction escalated from pills to heroin to meth. He never had a real relationship with his father, but as his substance abuse intensified, he gravitated toward his mother. For a time he lived with her and they used drugs together. Their fractured states of mind often led to fights, and sometimes she would kick him out of her house. It was a broken relationship, but it was one of the few he had. He also remained close with his grandmother, whose addiction worsened as time went on. Eight years ago, his grandmother overdosed and died. When his mother passed away the same way the following year, the fragile network of family Pennington had left collapsed entirely. Even before their passing, Pennington had known that such an ending was almost inevitable for both family members. “I stayed really high to not think about it,” Pennington explained. “It's not like I knew it was going to happen or anything, but I kind of distanced myself from my grandmother for a while because I thought if something did happen, then it wouldn't hurt as bad. It was wrong of me to think that because I should have spent as much time with her as I could.” Pennington cycled through different detox and rehabilitation centers for years. He would go in believing each time would be the last only to fall into the same old habits once he was released. He had heard about Stable Recovery and its School of Horsemanship, but turned down the opportunity several times. Pennington had grown up around his grandfather's horse farm, but those early years of hard labor had fostered a resentment for the animals. Eventually, a friend committed to trying Stable Recovery and convinced Pennington to join him. A few weeks in, the program's coordinator Josh Franks could tell that the hands-on horse aspect of the School of Horsemanship was not the right fit for Pennington, but he saw that he was reliable and excelled at practical, task-oriented work. Pennington moved over to Taylor Made's maintenance division. He quickly became an asset to the team there and upon graduating from Stable Recovery, accepted a full-time job with Taylor Made. Pennington on the job at Taylor Made | Kelcey Loges Pennington moved into an apartment with a friend who was also in recovery, but fell back into old patterns when the friend's girlfriend started getting high in the house. “That time I didn't use IV drugs, but I was more broken spiritually and mentally than I had ever been before,” he recalled. “Being sober and being happy and then going back to what I was doing, it wasn't good. When I came back to Stable Recovery the second time, this time I was done. My first time, I didn't connect with the people there. I'd come home and go to my room. This time I really connected and that made a big difference.” Pennington returned to Stable Recovery a little under two years ago. His job with the maintenance crew was waiting for him, and in a relatively short time, he worked his way up to his current role as maintenance foreman. No two days on the job are the same. In the fall Pennington is busy conducting the behind-the-scenes set-up of the Taylor Made sales consignment. The resentment of his youth has given way to an appreciation for the animals, and he now enjoys hauling yearlings to the sales and mares to the breeding shed. This fall, Pennington brought Taylor Made's new recruit Arthur's Ride (Tapit) home to the stallion division. “I'm always doing something different,” said Pennington. “That's one thing I love about my job. I've worked a lot of factory jobs and doing the same thing over and over killed me. That's just not good for me or my sobriety.” Pennington's schedule can be rather hectic, especially during sales season when the various consignment set-ups are calling him in need of extra shanks or help fixing a propane tank. Pennington thrives on the responsibility. “I like being able to do whatever needs to be done,” he said. “Sometimes it gets to be a lot, but then I have to remind myself that there was a time nobody wanted to call me. I'm blessed today that people can trust me and they want to call me and ask me for things.” Pennington is also working to build a relationship with his two pre-teen children. They live nearby with their mother, who is also in recovery. “When I was getting high, I didn't want to see them anyway because I didn't want to put them around that,” he admitted. “I'd call and talk to them, but that hurt too. Sometimes just staying away is the best thing that you can do in a situation like that, but I hate that I lost so much time.” Now one year and nine months sober, he still attends Stable Recovery meetings several times a week. It's a lot to juggle between working six days a week and spending quality time with his children, but he said the commitment is worth it. “I don't like speaking in public, so for me I think just listening and relating is helpful. Usually if something is going on in my life that day, most of the time I can go to a meeting and I can hear what I need to hear.” Pennington has also re-built a relationship with his half-sister. This year, they went bungee jumping together. Next year, they plan to try skydiving–a leap that, for Pennington, feels symbolic of how far he's come. “I think being on this farm, so many people rely on me,” he said. “I don't want to let them down. I've got things that I don't want to lose now.” After years of feeling alone and helpless, Pennington has become someone others can truly depend on. For him, that purpose has made all the difference. The post The Road Back: Taylor Made’s Brandon Pennington Learning to Be Relied On appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Edited Press Release A highly respected team of equine veterinarians is set to serve the 2025-26 racing season at Santa Anita Park starting on Friday, Dec. 26 with opening day of the Classic Meet. Under the leadership of Dr. Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer of Santa Anita's parent company 1/ST Racing, a total of seven veterinarians will be on hand to oversee every aspect of training and racing at Santa Anita. Santa Anita will host a total of 78 race days from the start of the traditional Classic Meet until the end of the Hollywood Meet of June 14. In addition to hosting live racing, Santa Anita will also continue to serve as one of the largest training centers in the country. Each year, approximately 375,0000 training sessions are conducted at Santa Anita. Joining Benson on the Santa Anita veterinary staff are Dr. Laurie Bohannon, Senior Associate Veterinarian; Dr. Nolton Pattio, the official veterinarian appointed by the California Horse Racing Board; and Association Veterinarians Dr. Jay Deluhery, Dr. Tim Grande, Dr. Fernanda Machado and Dr. Michael Pirrone. “The Santa Anita Park Veterinary team includes doctors with significant equine veterinary experience and additional training beyond their veterinary degrees,” Benson said. “Along with decades of racing experience, the team holds advanced degrees and training in equine surgery, farriery, biosecurity, and animal welfare, which has allowed them to improve the lives and safety of all horses at Santa Anita Park.” Among the duties of the veterinary team is to provide physical examinations of every horse that is entered to race, as well as all horses that are scheduled to perform high-velocity exercise during morning training. “We will maintain a strong presence to help ensure continued industry-leading safety standards,” Benson said. In addition to employing a top team of veterinarians, Santa Anita also boasts a state-of-the-art equine medical clinic in its stable area to aid with diagnosis and recovery. In recent years, the clinic has been upgraded to include such cutting-edge equipment as a standing equine PET scan machine, which was the first of its kind in the nation when unveiled; and a standing MRI machine. Both add to the array of diagnostic options available for owners and trainers at the clinic. The post Top Team of Veterinarians Set for 2025-26 Season at Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

7th-FG, $56K, OC50k/n2x, 3yo/up, 6f, 4:45 p.m. ET. In last year's Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds, BUILT (Hard Spun) went gate to wire and won by 6 3/4 lengths for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. After running through the rest of the Louisiana series, the colt bypassed the Derby and opted for the GII Pat Day Mile, finishing well-beaten. Now ready to return to the races in New Orleans he will have the services of Jareth Loveberry. Initially an $82,000 Keeneland September grad, Eclipse acquired Built for $260,000 at the 2024 OBS April sale. The Wayne Catalano trainee is out of Sea Garden (Curlin), who was taken home by Finn Green for $600,000 at the recent Keeneland November sale while in foal to Practical Joke. This dam is a half-sister to Canadian GSW Glenville Gardens. (Street Cry {Ire}). TJCIS PPS Built Gun Runner Stakes @fairgroundsnola pic.twitter.com/amKpm1VOdw — TDN (@theTDN) December 21, 2024 The post Thursday’s Racing Insights: With Race Return In The Offing, Built To Run Again At Fair Grounds appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The New York Racing Association announced Dec. 17 the stakes schedule for the 2026 winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, which will include 20 stakes races worth more than $3.1 million in total purses.View the full article

As the dust settles on the 2025 racing season, the TDN Writers' Room team is gathering for one last round of conversation. In this festive finale, presented as always by Keeneland, Bill Finley, Randy Moss and Zoe Cadman pull up a chair to celebrate and unpack the moments that defined the year. The team takes a deep dive into the top horses and races of 2025. It's no secret that Book'em Danno (Bucchero) was Bill's favorite horse, but Randy and Zoe shared “Top Race of the Year” picks that might catch you by surprise. While Sovereignty (Into Mischief) was the obvious choice for the horse the crew is most looking forward to seeing next year, they also highlighted a few under-the-radar prospects you'll want to keep an eye on. It wouldn't be a holiday party without a little embarrassment. The team fielded “life” questions dreamed up by our producers, including a hilarious look back at the worst jobs they ever held before they found their way to the press box. The producers decided to lower the “professional” bar just a bit by forcing the hosts to show their high school yearbook photos. Later in the show, the team tackled some thought-provoking listener write-in questions. They take on a massive hypothetical: If racing were given a blank slate, how would you draw up the schedule? The trio also breaks down their varying handicapping methodologies, revealing what they each prioritize when dissecting a race. The conversation took a poignant turn as each host identified the specific moment from 2025 that reminded them why they love horse racing. The TDN Writers' Room is also sponsored by Gainesway, the PHBA, the KTOB, 1/ST TV and West Point Thoroughbreds. Ready to toast to 2025? Click here for the audio version or watch the full episode below. The post TDN Writers’ Room Holiday Special appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pyromancer remained undefeated after three starts and seized the lead in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun Dec. 17 at Kawasaki Racecourse.View the full article

Glenview Stud stallion Blue Bresil, described as “one of the leading National Hunt stallions of his time”, has died at the age of 20, the County Cork farm announced on Wednesday. “Blue Bresil is already the sire of 39 stakes performers and 23 black-type winners including 8 individual Grade 1 winners to date, headed by the exceptional 8-time Gr.1 hurdler Constitution Hill,” read a statement from Glenview posted on social media. “His top-level performers also include 3-time Gr.1 chaser Blue Lord, dual Gr.1 chaser Royale Pagaille, dual Gr.1 hurdler L'Autonomie, Gr.1 hurdlers Good Lord, Inthepocket and Mick Jazz, and Gr.1 bumper winner Redemption Day.” Bred by Jean-Louis Pariente, Blue Bresil's best efforts on the Flat included third-place finishes in both the G2 Prix Noailles and G2 Prix Hocquart as a three-year-old. He was later campaigned over hurdles, with a runner-up finish in the G2 Prix Amadou featuring among his notable results in that sphere. Retired to Haras de la Croix Sonnet in France for the 2010 breeding season, the son of Smadoun also spent four seasons at Yorton Stud in Britain from 2016. His oldest runners bred since his arrival at Glenview in 2020 are now four and include a number of exciting point winners. The statement continued, “We would like to sincerely thank everyone who supported him throughout his career, with special thanks to the Glenview Stud staff for their exceptional care and dedication. We also extend our gratitude to Yorton Farm for managing his career in the UK with such professionalism. “Blue Bresil will be greatly missed by everyone at Glenview and Rathbarry Studs, but his legacy will live on through his progeny. He leaves his stamp as one of the leading National Hunt stallions of his time.” The post Blue Bresil, Sire of Outstanding Hurdler Constitution Hill, Dies at 20 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk After impressing with a win on debut Amistozo will line up for the second time in eight days, at Methven today. “When I saw there was another race for her, a one win trot, I thought we’d make the most of it,” says trainer-driver John Morrison. The Creatine three-year-old had a slight bobble at the start of her first race on the grass at Oamaru last Wednesday before going to the front and holding comfortably to win by a length. “She just wanted to go too fast at the start but she corrected herself and got the job done.” Amistozo clearly showed she had ability leading up to her first up win. She had won four preparatory workouts and/or trials. Morrison got the filly as “a late yearling or early two-year-old” from her breeders Steve and Natalie Roulston. Today she’ll take her place in Race 11 (8.01pm) the Oscar Bonavena Standing at Stud Trot. “We’ve drawn out a bit (10) and that won’t hurt,” says Morrison. “She has to get educated about racing in big fields.” So can she go two from two at Mt Harding today? “It’s big ask for a young trotter to do that,” says Morrison, “but she’s going good enough.” “If she runs a nice race and is running on I’ll be happy.” In a big field of 17 trotters, the markets have her as a $2.50 favourite, with the Paul Nairn-trained Call Dudley next at $3.70. Methven’s 12-race programme gets underway at 3.15pm. View the full article

The stakes schedule for the 2026 winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack will include 20 stakes races worth more than $3.1 million in total purses, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced Wednesday. The 2026 Aqueduct winter meet will open Wednesday, Jan. 1 and continue through Sunday, Mar. 30. The winter meet will offer 45 live race days in total. The centerpiece of the winter meet stakes calendar is the Saturday, Feb. 28 card offering four stakes, led by the one-mile Grade III, $300,000 Gotham, providing 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The Gotham Day card also includes the Listed one-mile $200,000 Busher for 3-year-old fillies, offering 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. The full 2026 calendar of live race dates at NYRA is subject to New York State Gaming Commission approval, which remains pending. Click here for the complete winter meet stakes schedule. The post Gotham Anchors Stakes Schedule for 2026 Aqueduct Winter Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Super Corredora (Gun Runner), a front-running, upset winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, will launch her sophomore campaign in the GIII Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita Feb. 1, according to trainer John Sadler. She returned to the worktab with a three-furlong bullet in :34.60 (1/9) in Arcadia Dec. 12. “She had her little vacation and she's doing really well,” Sadler said. “She had her first work Friday. Right now, the plan calls for her to go in the Las Virgenes and have one more prep, whether it's the (GII) Santa Anita Oaks (Apr. 4) or whatever, then the (GI) Kentucky Oaks (May 1).” Sadler continued, “She stayed with the string here at Santa Anita and took her little time off really well. I think she can step forward at three, she's got that kind of talent. We're excited for next year. She'll probably work a half (mile) this weekend, then progress towards February.” Super Corredora cleared her eight rivals beneath an aggressive ride from Hector Berrios, set a fast pace and made every pole a winning one at odds of 8-1 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar Oct. 31, good for an 84 Beyer Speed Figure. It was 3/4 of a length back to favored GII Oak Leaf S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Explora (Blame) in second. Fellow 'Rising Star' Percy's Bar (Upstart), disqualified from first and placed second for causing interference in the GI Darley Alcibiades S., was third. Super Corredora is our @NetJets #BreedersCup Juvenile Fillies Champ! pic.twitter.com/D2qslRv3nQ — Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) October 31, 2025 Super Corredora was previously a runaway maiden winner at third asking–her first try around two turns–going a mile at Santa Anita Oct. 11. The bay sprinted in her first two tries at Del Mar, finishing fifth July 19 and second Aug. 9, respectively. The 55th annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards will be held on Jan. 22 at The Breakers Palm Beach. “We're excited, we think she earned it,” Sadler said of potential championship honors. “She's undefeated around two turns. We think the best is still in her future.” Super Corredora, a $400,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate, is campaigned in partnership by West Point Thoroughbreds, Spartan Equine Racing, Robert C. Gardiner and Michael W. Olszewski. One of three Breeders' Cup winners for leading young sire Gun Runner, Super Corredora was bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds. She was produced by Super Simple (Super Saver), a winning homebred for Winchell Thoroughbreds and a half-sister to the stakes-winning dam of MGISW Gunite (Gun Runner). Super Simple brought $2.3 million from Summer Wind Equine in foal to Gunite at last month's Keeneland November sale. The post Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Heroine Super Corredora Back to Work, Targeting Las Virgenes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racing Australia has accepted the move by the Asian Racing Federation to seize control of the Australian black type pattern, a step that will lead to its Asian Pattern Committee deciding on upgrades and downgrades before the start of next season.View the full article