Wandering Eyes

Maiden Watch: Week of July 15-July 21View the full article

The Jockeys' Guild and Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, in conjunction with racetracks across the United States, announced that riders competing July 27 will pay tribute to National Disability Independence Day and raise funds for the PDJF.View the full article

by Steve Montemarano It was just another day making sales calls. About 12 years ago, I walked into a Farmstead Veterinary clinic in rural Indiana and looked at their wall-mounted cork board–the kind with tacked-up business cards. There was a gleaming picture of a horse with a flaxen mane and tail. I said to Ken Kimmick, DVM, “I know that horse. That's Hap.” A stunned Dr. Kimmick replied that was indeed Hap, and the story unfolded. Hap had a royal pedigree and was bred and owned by Allen Paulson. But Hap's recent passing at age 28 at Old Friends Farm went largely unnoticed even though the colt earned $1.3 million as a multiple-graded-stakes-winning superstar. He won the GII Bernard Baruch twice, the GII Keeneland Shadwell Turf, the GII Dixie Stakes, The GII Fourstardave, and the GIII New Hampshire Sweeps at the now-defunct Rockingham Park. Hap also participated in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and the GI Breeders Cup Mile. But eventually his front-page triumphs and supermodel good looks became back-page fodder. In 2009, he was catalogued at the Keeneland January venue and sold for $7,300, the victim of a racing-related ankle injury and dwindled interest in a stallion prospect with a turf pedigree. A few years later, a client of Dr. Kimmick's named Richard Anderson arranged to lease Hap. However, the stallion was in poor condition. The soft-spoken Kimmick knew something had to be done and recommended Hap be signed over to Richard to avoid involving animal control. It was estimated that Hap weighed 600 pounds. His once-brilliant chestnut coat was dull and falling out. Richard Anderson, a retired truck driver who suffered from Parkinson's disease, hitched his horse trailer and loaded both Hap and his starving pasture companion-who lay down in the trailer and had to be euthanized. “You could have thought these horses were in a concentration camp,” said Kimmick. Dr. Kimmick and Anderson nursed Hap back to normal weight. “Emaciated horses require a careful refeeding program. It was a slow process and Hap was on death's door,” said Kimmick. Hap was a model patient who Anderson, despite his illness and cane use, could easily hand graze. Unfortunately, Anderson's health worsened and Hap needed to be moved. The stallion's future became uncertain again and the teenaged Hap had few options. I felt Hap's distress. My wife tolerated the idea of buying the five-acre field next to our home to raise Hap. That dream was crushed by financial reality. But what could be done? Kiaran McLaughlin knew Hap's former trainer and gave me that cell phone number. I called twice, left messages not asking for anything but advice, but didn't receive a return call. Maybe I misdialed. Photographer Barbara Livingston emailed beautiful pictures of Hap during his racing days and offered encouragement regarding Hap's predicament, but a resolution was at impasse. The situation became so frustrating that Hap's plight became a pledge, one that took on a life of its own. I met Michael Blowen at Old Friends Farm, and he couldn't have been nicer. It seemed that Hap might land there. But there were only a few slots for the many horses in need. I recall making a small donation, and then prayed. The months went by. As Richard Anderson became weaker, his wife pleaded for help. One night lying in bed things changed. Who owned Hap as a racehorse? The Allen Paulsen Living Trust did, but by that time Mr. Paulsen had passed away. What about his wife Madeleine, who subsequently married oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens? And after an internet search, I found Pickens's business website, clicked on the “contact us” tab, and asked that Madeleine be made aware of Hap's journey. Exasperated, the thought was, `why would a billionaire return this inquiry?' A few hours later the phone rang, and it was Madeleine. We talked about Hap's situation; she was empathetic and kind. About two days later, Cindy Grisolia at Old Friends called and said Hap was accepted. It didn't take a genius to figure that Madeleine pulled some strings, but she never boasted that. Hap was then boarded at Pleasantview Farm in Carlisle, Kentucky. The farm owner, Stephen Upchurch, took care of Hap for eight years. He nursed the stallion though the ups and downs of aging. When Hap lost his will to live, Stephen asked if Hap could be buried on his farm. From a Saratoga superstar to lying in peace in rural Kentucky, Hap was loved to the end by a person who never benefitted from his racing career, but became a loyal friend. “We were honored to get a horse like Hap,” said Grisolia. “That's the spirit of Old Friends.” There are wonderful people in racing that care about horses. They seem immune to compassion fatigue–a term that refers to a loss of empathy due to an overload of stress. Yet, the number of horses in need and the resources required for their care can be overwhelming. There were 17,000 foals born in 2023, of which 66% are predicted to race. It probably takes 25,000 broodmares to produce these foals and an estimated 10% of the broodmare population are likely replaced annually. Only a few new stallion prospects are retired each year. Over the past 25 years, there have been 643,000 registered Thoroughbreds. As these data are analyzed, it reveals potential for many Thoroughbred racehorses to be unaccounted for. Hopefully, this story provides hope and a bittersweet perspective. The horses give their all and ultimately rely on us to provide them with a safety net. The author writes and is an equine pharmaceutical rep. The post Hap-Pily Ever After appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A well-matched field of eight is set to line up for Wednesday's GII Honorable Miss Stakes at Saratoga. Riding a three-race win streak, Juddmonte's Accede (Into Mischief) posted a last-out neck victory in the seven-furlong GII Bed 'O Roses at the Big A June 15. Trained by Chad Brown, the homebred previously recorded a pair of wins at Keeneland at the oval's Fall and Spring meets, including a 1 3/4-length score going six panels against optional claiming company in her seasonal return Apr. 24. “We'll plan on keeping her running sprint distances and I'm really pleased with her development,” said Brown. “She's taken the time off well and she's done everything you'd want to see from three to four.” Brown added he was pleased with Accede's final work for the Honorable Miss when covering a half-mile in :48.46 over the Spa main track July 18. “She's doing great and had her final work [July 18],” said Brown. “She's come back this year a little faster and stronger after a rest after her 3-year-old season. I really like where she's at.” Flavien Prat takes over from Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard for her three latest wins. Also heading into the six-furlong test off a win, Robert and Lawana Low's Munny's Gold (Munnings) came home a two-length winner after 10 months on the sidelines in a Saratoga allowance June 7. Runner up in last season's GII Eight Belles Stakes and third in the GI Test, the Florida bred will be accompanied by her regular pilot, Irad Ortiz Jr. “I thought it was a very good comeback. It was good to see her back in what appears to be top form,” said Todd Pletcher. “It was a good stepping stone to this. I think she's had some physical maturity [since last year] and is a little bigger and a little stronger.” Munnys Gold has worked consistently at Saratoga, and breezed a half-mile solo in :50.50 seconds July 17 over the main track. “She's doing excellent and breezed well,” he said after last week's work. “Everything is on target. She's a pretty enthusiastic horse to train on a daily basis, so we just try to keep her as calm and relaxed as we can. She's an absolute sweetheart to be around, unless you're trying to gallop her. She's very forward in her gallops.” Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Jarret Prussin's Clearly Unhinged (Into Mischief) looks to remain perfect under the guidance of trainer Steve Asmussen. The 4-year-old won twice for conditioner Michael McCarthy last season and was defeated a head by Pretty Mischievous in the Test last year before a runner-up effort in the GIII Chillingworth at Santa Anita in September. She completed her sophomore season with off-the-board finishes there in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and GI La Brea Stakes. This year, Clearly Unhinged is undefeated in two outings for Asmussen, beginning with a 2 3/4-length win in a five-furlong off-the-turf optional claimer in April at Churchill Downs and most recently when taking her first graded victory in the GIII Winning Colors Stakes May 27 over the same oval. Joel Rosario, aboard for both wins, is slated to ride. Last December's GIII Sugar Swirl Stakes winner Spirit Wind (Bahamian Squall) was a last-out winner at Lone Star in the Memorial Day Sprint Stakes May 27 and attempts to make it two straight with Mike Smith in the saddle, while Sterling Silver (Cupid), third in the June 23 Dancing Renee Stakes against New York breds will try to record her first win since taking a seven-furlong Tampa handicap Mar. 9. The post Competitive Affair on Tap in Honorable Miss appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Payne retires with 772 victories to her name, with her first winner coming as a 15-year-old for her father, Paddy Payne Sr. Having previously said it would be her last season riding, she will now concentrate on training.View the full article

Following his gutsy win in the July 20 Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, Dornoch has joined the top 10 in the latest edition of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Top Thoroughbred Poll.View the full article

Colonial Downs has added an extra day of live racing Sept. 4, serving as a make-up day for the nine-race card lost July 12. First post is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET.View the full article

The second of four Kentucky Derby points races to be contested at Oaklawn, the Southwest Stakes (G3) joins the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) and $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) as seven-figure preps for the first race of the Triple Crown.View the full article

Liable, the 2010 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year known for producing 2010 Eclipse Award-winning older male and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Blame, died July 19 due to infirmities of old age.View the full article

June was the warmest month on record-the twelfth consecutive month of record global temperatures. Climate change is hitting all walks of life. Horse racing, too. Last year, unusually hot temperatures coupled with unusually little rain fueled huge wildfires in Canada, impacting air quality and causing the cancellation of racing and training in both Canada and New York. Just last month, New Mexico's Ruidoso Downs narrowly avoided a wildfire that tore through the area. The track hasn't been so lucky in the aftermath, thanks to frequent flash flooding leading to the cancellation of the last few weeks of the current meet. Experts have linked the severity of these events to a warming climate. Indeed, scientists warn that extreme weather events are likely to become more frequent and more intense. This includes the hurricanes that barrel up the East Coast, and ripped through Puerto Rico's Camarero racetrack just a few years ago. Climate change has also been linked to the shifting behaviour of tornadoes in places like Oklahoma, where one such event recently caused “significant damage” to Will Rogers Dows. “We are being told by climate scientists that we're seeing an increase in these extreme weather events. What you ordinarily thought of as a New Orleans-type tropical storm is now going to be the norm in a lot of other parts of the country,” said Mick Peterson, executive director of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory (RSTL) and professor of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering at the University of Kentucky. “These are all incredibly difficult [weather patterns] to deal with on a dirt or turf track.” Synthetic surfaces, however, offer an alternative for track operators who are currently ripping up their seasonal weather rulebooks all the while ripping out their hair. That, and they can provide something of a bulwark against the economic wreckage wrought by a changing climate. “You need options,” Peterson said, “if you're going to keep racing and keep a racing schedule on track.” Synthetics in General Last month at The Jockey Club Welfare and Safety summit, researchers from McKinsey rolled out several statistics related to synthetic surfaces, mainly aligned with their good safety record. All five synthetic surfaces in North America, for example, are among the 15 safest tracks overall. When it comes to the role of synthetics in a rapidly warming world, however, it's perhaps those they issued out about dirt tracks that prove most pertinent. The safest dirt tracks, they said, are in hot dry climates (with a 1.31 fatality rate per 1,000 starts). Dirt surfaces with the highest equine fatality rates, however, are in climates with wet and cold, freezing winters (1.53 fatalities per 1,000 starts). “Synthetic tracks really shine in some of those conditions where it is most difficult to maintain a dirt track,” said Peterson. In short, what synthetic surfaces do in these circumstances is remove a lot of the uncertainty, along with much of the time-consuming maintenance work to protect dirt from inclement weather, he said. “Last night here at Saratoga, we had a huge amount of rain. Trees down,” said Peterson, who spoke before the start of the Saratoga summer meet. “We're fine. They can handle it. But if they hadn't had the track sealed and properly prepared for it, it would have been an incredibly difficult day to have racing.” Woodbine made the switch from its old Polytrack to its current Tapeta surface in 2016. According to Ryan Stafford, the track's director of racing surfaces, what the synthetic surface offers is greater consistency in the face of “all-over-the-place” weather patterns. “This year and last year, we experienced a higher frequency of rain in the summer months, whereas go back a few years, you'd tend to have more drought conditions,” said Stafford. While the Tapeta “works well” in milder temperatures, “it really shines when we have rain,” said Stafford. He added how “maintenance wise,” heavy rainfall doesn't require the sort of shift in approach that a dirt surface might. “We tend to go out after every two races with the gallop master [a harrow] to go over the track. We don't really have to switch anything up,” he said. “Maybe I'll put the teeth down another quarter-inch, just to loosen things up a little bit. But it's not like we have to go from the gallop master to the power harrow.” The same principle applies when temperatures plummet. “In the freezing rain or any adverse weather in the springtime, the synthetic provides a consistent surface for the horses to train on,” said Stafford. “If you have consistently frozen temperatures, it's a lot easier to manage than dirt, which can be different every day.” The trick, he added, is to routinely restock the materials and the polymer coating. “Twice a year we'll put fibers on. That helps to replenish the fibers that have broken down. Helps keep everything together,” said Stafford. “And then the Tapeta team will come up and help us put polymers on the track to rejuvenate the wax. The wax that is on there has quite a broad temperature range.” The Turf Component Dirt tracks aren't the only ones in the crosshairs of a changing climate. “Mother nature always seems to throw things at us that are new and different,” said Gregg Munshaw, director of agronomy at the Pinnacle Ag Research Center. “We don't know what this global warming means to us. How hot are we going to get? How many more crazy rain events are we going to get a year?” Munshaw added. “But we can solve today's problems and try to guess at what's to come in the future.” In Munshaw's telling, the science around a good turf course is a complex beast. There are warm-season grasses and cool-season grasses. Soil type is key to water use. Pesticides play a vital part of the equation. Species selection is equally important. Some grasses are better at conducting photosynthesis, and handling heat and drought, than others, for example. “How the grass grows is fascinating,” said Munshaw. “The warm-season grasses are called C4 grasses. They're more effective at conducting photosynthesis than C3 grasses, which are cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass. They conserve water in the process-they're not just spewing out water through the leaves. They're holding onto the water.” Is climate change making it harder to maintain a turf course? “Yes and no,” said Munshaw. Evolving weather patterns are forcing some tracks in the Midwest to change the types of grass they seed their tracks with. It's altering growing seasons. It's even causing a shift in the sorts of diseases that can kill off the turf itself. “I'd love to go into some of the racing offices and say, 'hey, change your racing to these different times of the year,'” said Munshaw. “But obviously that's not going to happen. They're not going to change-or cannot.” In the face of heavier seasonal rainfall, one option that track operators have is to widen turf courses to maneuver the running rail. “That would be the ultimate goal, having a wide-enough turf track so you can move racing lanes around,” Munshaw said, pointing favorably to Colonial Downs. Another option, of course, is to switch the racing onto a synthetic track-if that option is available. “The grass can take a lot, but it has to have a break if you want to keep running on it. You've got to give it time to recover or else it will rip apart,” Munshaw said. “What NYRA's doing is fantastic,” he added, of the New York Racing Association's plans to use a new mile-round Tapeta surface for a three-month period every winter when Belmont Park reopens in 2026. “These challenges that we're facing with the changing climate are being met head on by the end users and the [grass] breeders,” he added. “They're coming up with more options to keep these surfaces running at their best.” The Hotter Climates The hotter it gets in the West, the greater the premium that will be placed on water. Which begs the question: Which surface uses less water: dirt or synthetic? The answer appears regional. According to Stafford, he doesn't use nearly as much water on the Tapeta surface during the hot summer months than when it was first installed, and less than what a dirt surface would require. “At one point in time, we used to put a lot of water on the surface to cool it. But as we've adjusted things over time, we don't have to use nearly so much,” he said. “It's been holding up well in the heat,” he added. “The biggest factor is the sunshine. If you've got clear skies and the sun beating down on it, it can loosen off the top of the Tapeta. The times are a little bit slower if it's sunny, and a little more kickback. But we've been managing pretty well with it.” As long-time track superintendent Dennis Moore points out, however, the humidity of the summer months at Woodbine is different to the dry heat of Southern California. “I think we used about the same amount of water on the synthetic at Hollywood [Park] as we use on dirt,” said Moore, recalling his experiences during California's ill-fated venture into synthetics some 15 years ago. “We'd put water on before the races. After every race, we would go and put water on,” said Moore. “We'd do it after the races as well.” What necessitated such heavy water use on Hollywood Park's Cushion Track, said Moore, was how the integrity of the materials changed above a certain temperature. “When [the material] gets so hot, which is usually about 160 degrees [Fahrenheit], the material starts changing drastically. It gets heavier,” said Moore, who added that frequent watering kept the track to between 100 and 110 degrees. This is hardly surprising, said Peterson. “In short, wax gets softer and melts when you heat it up,” he said. While some synthetic surfaces are more adept at withstanding extreme heat than others, said Peterson, more overall research needs to be conducted into the “temperature sensitivity” of synthetic surfaces, and how that impacts the “biomechanics” of the horses going over it. “I think the Polytrack that is in Australia and New Zealand is doing a good job. And I would like to see some of these arena manufacturers, see what they can do. A lot of them have developed a lot more sophisticated coatings to withstand heat,” said Peterson. Heavy Rain Climate experts predict that while California (and the West in general) will see drought periods that are longer and harsher, they'll likely be punctuated by shorter bursts of much heavier and more intense rainfall. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) has an inclement weather policy that precludes training when the main track has been sealed, along with high-speed works over the track for at least another 24 hours once the track has been opened. This last six-month meet alone saw multiple days of cancelled racing because of rain (though interestingly, the CHRB's weather policy still permits racing on a sealed track). If such a future is indeed on the cards for California, then a switch from dirt to synthetics would largely remove the risk of training and race-days during unusually wet winters, said Eoin Harty, California Thoroughbred Trainers president and a vocal proponent of synthetic surfaces. It would also help with the coffers, he said. “If we're not training and racing, we're not earning money. And if we're not earning money, why are we here?” said Harty. Del Mar and Santa Anita are now consistently two of the safest tracks in the country. But Harty argues that a slew of safety protocols deployed in California in recent years all played a part in the state's marked progress on equine welfare. “Yes, the tracks are considerably safer, and I think Dennis Moore is a hell of a track man. But there are a lot of mitigating factors that go into it,” said Harty. “Is it the track or the protocols that the trainers have to go through before working a horse or running a horse that makes the difference?” At the end of the day, said Harty, synthetic surfaces are statistically kinder on horses, and the reintroduction of a synthetic main track to Santa Anita would lessen the need for such rigorous regulatory intervention. It might also reinvigorate the racing product, he added. “The number of races is down. The numbers of racing days is down. And the field sizes are considerably smaller,” said Harty. “If Santa Anita was a turf-synthetic track, it could even encourage greater participation from international runners.” Which leads onto some of the other statistics the McKinsey researchers rolled out last month in an effort to dispel common myths associated with synthetic surfaces. According to their calculations, the average field sizes on all-weather surfaces differed little to those on dirt, while the average win/place/show handle per-race on all-weather surfaces also matched those on dirt surfaces. What's more, they said the average career length in years among horses who ran more on synthetic was not significantly different to those who ran more on dirt. Florida is often classed as “ground zero” for climate change, due to the cascading impacts from record-breaking hurricanes, sea level rise and flooding. Florida-based David Fawkes describes Gulfstream Park's Tapeta as having “its up and downs, like all tracks.” “It's great to save races because people don't scratch, unless the horse simply doesn't like it,” said Fawkes. “I've got a few horses that simply don't like the synthetic. But then, I've got some horses that don't like the dirt but like the synthetic.” One negative, he said, is that during the hotter summer months, the track slows down between morning training and the afternoon races. “In the morning, you can go out there and breeze, and you might work in 0:46-don't get too excited. In the afternoon when the sun hits it and loosens it up, it's going to struggle to go in 0:48,” said Fawkes, describing the track as a “little jarry” in extreme heat. After rainfall, however, “it's tighter and nicer and easier on the horses,” said Fawkes. “All in all,” he added, “it's pretty good.” The post The Role of Synthetic Tracks in the Age of Climate Change appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Racetracks across the country will pay tribute to National Disability Independence Day and raise awareness and funds for the Jockeys' Guild and Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) the week of July 27. Racetracks will host activities this upcoming Saturday, while several racetracks that do not host live racing on that day will be participating on another date during the week. Fans and industry participants may contribute to the PDJF at www.PDJF.org. “I am honored by how this sport and the racing fans have given so much to me both before and after my injury in 1978,” said Triple Crown-winning rider Ron Turcotte. “One of the things I am most proud of is being affiliated with the PDJF and the work that the PDJF is able to provide permanently disabled jockeys. This work would not be possible without the support of the jockeys and all involved in hosting Jockeys Across America Day at racetracks around the country.” Jockeys are expected to participate in various activities to support the PDJF while paying tribute to National Disability Independence Day, which marks the 34th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The post Tracks, Jockeys Pay Tribute to PDJF July 27 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Liable (Seeking the Gold–Bound, by Nijinsky II), the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Blame (Arch), died July 19 due to the infirmities of old age. She was 29. A homebred for Claiborne Farm, in partnership with Nicole Perry Gorman, Liable was out of the Grade I-placed Bound, who herself was bred by and raced for Claiborne. Adele Dilschneider later assumed Gorman's place in the partnership prior to Liable's racing career. Multiple stakes-placed on the track, Liable retired to the Claiborne broodmare band in 2000. Her first foal, Apt (A.P. Indy), is the dam of graded winner Carve (First Samurai) and stakes winners Sloane Avenue (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Apropos (First Samurai). Liable produced Blame in 2006. The bay won the 2010 GI Whitney Handicap and GI Stephen Foster Stakes before famously capping his career with a narrow victory over Zenyatta in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. He was named the season's champion older male and his exploits earned Liable the title of broodmare of the year. Blame now resides as a stallion at Claiborne Farm, where he has sired six Grade I winners and is the broodmare sire of 2022 champion 2-year-old colt Forte (Violence), as well as 2024 graded/group stakes winners Switzerland (Aus) (Speightstown), Honor D Lady (Honor Code), and Tiny Temper (Arrogate). Liable is also the dam of multiple stakes winner Tend (Dynaformer). In all, she produced five winners from six total foals. Claiborne's broodmare band currently includes Liable's daughter Might, a full-sister to Blame, who produced a War of Will filly in 2024. Liable will be buried in Claiborne Farm's Marchmont Cemetery. The post Liable, Dam of Blame, Dies at 29 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The lack of top-class talent in this season's sprint division was laid bare by Timeform on Tuesday as the organisation revealed that the class of 2024 currently rank well below the 10 highest-rated sprinters to have raced in Europe since 2015. Australian-trained sprinter Asfoora (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) achieved a rating of 122 when winning the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, a figure that was matched this month by Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) when he gained his first Group 1 success in the July Cup at Newmarket, making them the joint highest-rated sprinters to have raced in Britain and Ireland this season. However, the overall weakness of the division is underlined by the fact that a Timeform rating of 122 still leaves that pair well adrift of Caravaggio, Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and Merchant Navy (Aus), who all achieved a rating of 126 and share joint-tenth position in the list of top sprinters since 2015. Top of the list is four-time Group 1 winner Battaash (Ire) with a rating of 136, with fellow Charlie Hills trainee Muhaarar (GB) next on 134 having also won four contests at the top level during a sparkling three-year-old campaign in 2015. July Cup and Sprint Cup scorer Harry Angel (Ire) is best of the rest in third on 132. A feature of the top three is that they all managed to win a Group 1 in open company at three, something this year's Commonwealth Cup hero Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) (120) failed to manage when sent off the 11-8 favourite for the July Cup. Inisherin now shares top spot among this season's highest-rated three-year-old sprinters with King Charles III Stakes third Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), with last weekend's Hackwood Stakes winner Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) next on 118. Last year's champion sprinter was Shaquille (GB) with a Timeform rating of 123, but it's now been five years–going back to Battaash's peak in 2019–since a European-based sprinter achieved a rating in excess of 128. Incidentally, it's been the same story across the range of distances so far this season, with that rating of 128 yet to be surpassed by any horse trained in Britain and Ireland. Gold Cup victor Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Tattersalls Gold Cup winner White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) currently top the Timeform standings on exactly 128, closely followed by Derby and Coral-Eclipse scorer City Of Troy (Justify) on 127p–the 'p' attached to his rating denotes that he remains open to improvement–and the six-time Group 1 winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) on 127, who heads the betting for Saturday's G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot. Progressive four-year-old Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) is another with the potential to improve on a rating of 126p, while Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) appears to be City Of Troy's biggest rival in the three-year-old ranks on a rating of 126. The post Sprinting Class of 2024 the Weakest in a Decade According to Timeform appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

When is it the right time to enact a succession plan? Already in this series, we've discussed the obstacles that can come with handing the reins over to the next generation and how families must adjust to a shift in dynamic as roles evolve. But how does a parent know when their son or daughter is sufficiently prepared for the task of running the family business? For Tom Hinkle, it was when he realized that his daughter's abilities surpassed his own. “I recognized that her attention to detail was better than mine,” Hinkle explained. “I'm pretty self-disciplined, but she's very disciplined.” Tom's daughter Anne Archer Hinkle is quick to interject into the conversation, saying she's not sure that's exactly fair, but her new credentials speak for themselves. Last fall, Anne Archer took over the role of general manager at Hinkle Farms from her father, continuing the tradition of a farm that has been family-run from the beginning. Tom's grandfather purchased the core acreage of their Paris, Kentucky-based operation back in the 1920s to farm cattle and Bluegrass seed. Tom and his siblings grew up on the farm, which was then call Hidaway Farms, and when their father bought a couple of mares in the mid-60s, Tom and his brother Henry were the two that developed an interest in the Thoroughbred business. After Henry graduated college he began managing Hidaway, but eventually moved over to the other family business, Hinkle Contracting Corporation. When Tom graduated from Centre College in 1979, he took over managing the farm and focused on building their reputation as a boarding business while also maintaining the family's own small broodmare band and cattle division. In the 1980s, the operation fell on hard times and Tom made the decision to maintain his leadership role with the farm while also providing for his young family by joining his brother at Hinkle Contracting. Since then, Tom and Henry have worked together to run their family's Thoroughbred division. The business changed its name from Hidaway Farm to Hinkle Farms (the latter being much easier for people to say and spell) and about 15 years ago, they shifted focus from boarding client horses to building their own boutique broodmare band. The property has expanded to over 1,000 acres. Anne Archer visits with Seeking Gabrielle's Constitution filly | Katie Petrunyak In spite of those changes, the family's commitment to their land and the animals raised on it has remained unchanged. Now there is a new generation of Hinkles. Of the 10 cousins that follow Tom and Henry's generation, Tom's daughter Anne Archer was the one who always had a passion for animals. Anne Archer did not grow up with the expectation that she would take over the farm one day. As a child she hoped to become a veterinarian, perhaps someday tending to the farm's variety of equine and bovine constituents. After double majoring in Spanish and History, Anne Archer was working at a small animal clinic when she decided that a career in veterinary medicine was not for her. She realized that most animals did not receive the meticulous care that the Thoroughbreds at her family farm enjoyed. “If I could have just stayed in the back all day and worked with the animals, I would have really enjoyed it,” Anne Archer explained. “But I got really upset seeing the way some animals were treated. It made me think that you should really have some sort of background check before you can take care of animals. I realized I didn't want to feel like I had to convince someone to spend $20 on a medication for their animal.” In 2014, Anne Archer returned to her family's farm. She started out in the office studying racing forms and poring over pedigrees. She researched fillies in the claiming ranks that might make good pinhooking or broodmare prospects. One of her early finds, Denali Dreamscape (Corinthian), has produced two stakes horses bred by Hinkle Farms. The latest was last year's GIII Smarty Jones Stakes third-place finisher Daydreaming Boy (Goldencents). Over the next decade, Anne Archer became increasingly involved in the day-to-day aspects of the farm. She began working alongside her father and uncle during the sales and when it came time to plan stallion matings, she improved the efficiency of their selection process. “I think she really helped us improve what we did analytically in making decisions about matings,” explained Tom. “Some of the things that we did were more by feel and intuition and less by analysis. She has helped develop some metrics and does quite a bit of research.” When Anne Archer took over the role of general manager last year, it was a seamless transition. Tom and Henry are still very much involved in major business decisions, but Anne Archer is the one working closely with farm management and overseeing the day-to-day tasks of the operation. “I did not make a real effort or go out of my way to try to get any of my kids interested,” said Tom. “I'm certainly glad that they are interested, and Anne Archer is in particular, but it's such a hard way to make a living. It can be very challenging emotionally. With most assets, at the end of the day you can lock the doors, turn off the lights and call it a day. Chances are most everything's going to be fine the next morning. With these animals, that's part of it. They're subject to doing anything at any time and despite all the best efforts you make to make sure they're safe, there are things that happen that you can't control.” Tom and Anne Archer both recall a story that illustrates the unpredictability of their chosen profession. In the summer of 2018, a group of yearlings got through the fence in the middle night and were gallivanting down the center of Cane Ridge Road by moonlight before they were all rounded up. One of those youngsters was a daughter of War Front out of the farm's prized broodmare Seeking Gabrielle (Forestry), the dam of champion Nyquist. Thankfully, the filly returned to her stall unscathed. A few weeks later, she was the highest-priced filly to sell at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale, going to Godolphin for $1.75 million. Seeking Gabrielle, who the Hinkle family purchased for $100,000 out of the 2013 Keeneland November Sale immediately after they watched a weanling-aged Nyquist go through the ring just before her, is still the matriarch of Hinkle Farms today. This year she produced a Constitution filly and was bred back to Gun Runner. With around 35 mares bred at Hinkle Farms each year, there can hardly ever be enough hands helping keep the business up and running. As Anne Archer has stepped into her new role, one of her first orders of business has been related to the people on the farm rather than the horses. “I think the most challenging part about running an operation is managing your team of people,” she explained. “With most farms unless you are really, really large, you have to figure out a way to effectively utilize your staff and move them around the farm throughout the year. I think that through those transitions, like when your focus shifts to the yearlings in the summer, it can be easy to lose track of what's happening with the mares and the foals unless you stay really diligent and mindful about basic things that have to happen every day. You have to be disciplined about how you structure your crew and where you put them. You don't necessarily want to put all your best horsemen where the biggest fire is burning because you still have half the farm that needs to be cared for too. Even when you're in the midst of yearling prep, the work doesn't go down on the mare and foal side.” “We have an awesome team on the farm and a great broodmare manager and yearling manager,” she continued. “Because they're so good at what they do, it makes what I do a lot easier.” Through her background in veterinary care, biosecurity is another area where Anne Archer has raised the bar. “Overall, how the farm treated biosecurity 20 or 30 years ago is a lot different,” Tom reflected. “I think Anne Archer would probably say we can do better than what we're doing, but we're doing a heck of a lot better than we ever used to.” A Nyquist filly out of Whoa Nessie (Square Eddie), a full-sister to the dam of Grade I victor Slow Down Andy (Nyquist), enjoys a sunny afternoon at Hinkle Farms | Katie Petrunyak Ever since the devastating effects of rotavirus B began in 2021, Anne Archer has led the charge in the Hinkle Farm team's relentless pursuit of improving their level of biosecurity. “When rotavirus B came out, we reworked how we foal,” she explained. “We built a lot of new paddocks and got these big outdoor lights so we can foal everyone outside. We do still occasionally get sick foals where you do all these diagnostics to figure out what exactly it is and all the tests will show up negative for everything. Every time that we have a sick horse, my mind immediately goes to finding the gap in biosecurity.” One area of focus for Henry and Tom throughout their years of managing the farm was developing mares and their families. They purchased the broodmare Affordable Price (Drouilly {FR}) before the turn of the century and she was responsible for several stakes winners that went on to be producers for Hinkle Farms. One of her daughters Buy the Barrel (E Dubai) raced for Hinkle Farms and won the 2008 GII Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes before having her own successful breeding career. She was responsible for Indian Bay (Indian Charlie), who is the dam of Hinkle Farms-bred Tarabi (First Samurai)–the third-place finisher in the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. “Now Affordable Price is the third dam in some of the yearlings that we sell,” said Tom. “It's been our theory that if we're going to stay in the game as a breeder, rather than sell mares when they get to the top, we keep them. There's certainly risk in doing that, but if Anne Archer and her brother and sister and cousins want to still be in the game when my brothers and I are gone, they've got to have a foundation to build from.” With two children ages four and two and another on the way come October, Anne Archer is in the process of renovating the original home on Hinkle Farms for her family to move into. Soon another generation of Hinkles will be raised on the sprawling acreage of the family's Bourbon County farm. For now, Anne Archer is the only member of her Hinkle generation with a passion for Thoroughbreds, but she hopes that someday, between her siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews and even her own children, that might change. “A lot of them are involved in other aspects of the family business, but everyone is really supportive,” she said. “What makes this so enjoyable for me I think is that I am able to share it with my dad and my uncle. Neither of them are going anywhere anytime soon, but one day I'd like to be out at the sale looking at mares or poring over mating decisions with my family.” “Who knows what the future holds for the next generation down the road?” added Tom. “The main part of the farm has been in our family for over 100 years now and hopefully it will still be with us in another 100 years. I'm proud that we have been able to be in the breeding game and stay in it for a long time. I think statistics can figure out that we've been a breeder of better-than-average racehorses. I'm proud that we have a reputation for integrity where people like buying from us and now I'm proud that we have transitioned into another generation.” With Anne Archer at the helm, the commitment to the horses raised at Hinkle Farms that started back with Tom and Henry is as strong as ever. “Our guiding light when we're trying to make a decision is what is the right thing to do for the horse,” said Anne Archer. “We will always do the right thing by the horse. I never doubt that.” The post ‘Succession’ Presented by Neuman Equine Insurance: Hinkle Farms appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Next week's G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes looks set to be the highlight of Glorious Goodwood, with a clash of the Guineas winners on the cards as Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) clashes once more with Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Rosallion, who was second to Notable Speech in the 2,000 Guineas and then won both the Irish 2,000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace Stakes, is currently the highest-rated miler in the world and is said by trainer Richard Hannon to be “peaking”. At Goodwood, he is also likely to have to take on his Royal Ascot runner-up Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})once more along with some classy older horses including the G1 Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval (Fr) (Ribchester {Ire}). Speaking at a stable visit organised by Goodwood Racecourse, Hannon said, “You always dream and hope that they are something that they are probably not, but this fella is probably everything you could ever dream of. My dad might disagree but I think Rosallion is the best miler we have had and certainly the best since Canford Cliffs. Time will tell whether he is better. “Rosallion has won three Group 1s, including one as a two-year-old, and has got better with every run. He can sometimes be a little bit keen, but he has always been professional. He is in such good nick and has never been moving better. I think he is peaking. He has been a different horse since the 2,000 Guineas and he has turned from a boy to a man as the season has progressed. “The Irish 2,000 Guineas was not run to suit him and that's maybe why he didn't have loads to spare, but he made up loads of ground and clocked 42mph at one stage. We might ride him a little closer to the pace at Goodwood.” He continued, “There were three Guineas winners in the St James's Palace Stakes. For me it was a championship race. This time we are taking on older horses for the first time, so it is a new challenge. I am hoping the track at Goodwood won't be a problem. It is an unknown. The tracks he has run at – Ascot, Newbury, Doncaster, Longchamp, the Curragh – are flat. I am not sure he came down the hill that well at Newmarket, so it is a little bit of a worry.” Hannon is nevertheless relishing the prospect of his stable star's return and said that he hopes Rosallion's owner-breeder, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, might consider keeping him in training as a four-year-old. “He has always been a bit special,” said Hannon, who also trained the top miler Night Of Thunder (Ire). “You can sometimes be guilty of describing horses how you hope they are rather than what they actually are. I feel this fella has now proved it. He has been massively important to us and the horse of my career so far. I have won Classics and Group 1s but this horse seems a little bit more. “Maybe I didn't appreciate things early in my career as much as I should have. Then when you have a few years when you don't have really good horses, you really miss them. So when you get one again, you are not going to allow the moment to pass you by. He added, “After this race, we might take in a Prix du Moulin and then put him away. Whether he stays in training next year is a decision for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid but I very much hope so.” Hannon confirmed that Wathnan Racing's Haatem (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}), who was runner-up to Rosallion in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and then won the G3 Jersey Stakes, would head to France for his next run. “Haatem will go for the Prix Jacques Le Marois,” he said. “He is reliable, sound and talented, and a Group 1 win will surely come his way soon. He has exceeded expectations and wears his heart on his sleeve.” The post Rosallion to Sussex; Haatem to Jacques le Marois appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. To follow are the horses entered for Wednesday at Saratoga: Wednesday, July 24, 2024 Saratoga 2, $90k, 2yo, (S), 5 1/2fT, 1:44 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Epitaph (Country House), FTMMAY, 15,000, :10.3 C-Randy Miles, agent; B-Gary Contessa, agent Nonno Joe (Solomini), OBSAPR, 85,000, :10.2 C-Britton Peak, agent; B-Bloodstockadvisors.com, agt J Taisey Pay the Juice (Omaha Beach), OBSMAR, 200,000, :10 C-Eddie Woods, agent; B-August Dawn Farm Strand Road (Astern {Aus}), OBSJUN, 15,000, :10.1 C-Santa Fe Thoroughbreds; B-Blackstone Street Racing The post Summer Breezes, Sponsored By OBS: July 24, 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Colonial Downs has added an extra day of live racing Sept. 4 to its meet to make up for the nine-race card which was cancelled July 12 due to severe weather and excessive rain fall in the New Kent area. The added card on Sept. 4 will kick off a four-day race week to close the 2024 meet, which wraps up with the New Kent County Virginia Derby Day Sept. 7. The GIII New Kent County Virginia Derby headlines a card with $1.3 million in stakes purses, including five other turf stakes. The post Colonial Downs Adds Make-Up Date appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The GIII Southwest Stakes, won by subsequent GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) this year, will be worth $1 million in 2025, Oaklawn Park announced Tuesday. The race was worth $800,000 this year. The second of four Kentucky Derby points races to be contested at Oaklawn, the Southwest will be run Jan. 25 and joins the $1.25-million GII Rebel Stakes and the $1.5-million GI Arkansas Derby as Oaklawn's seven-figure preps for the first race of the Triple Crown. Oaklawn's Derby prep series begins with the Jan. 4 $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes. The Rebel is scheduled for Feb. 22 and the Arkansas Derby will be run Mar. 29. The Smarty Jones, Southwest and Rebel are run at 1 1/16 miles, while the Arkansas Derby is 1 1/8 miles. Purses for Kentucky Oaks points races at Oaklawn have also increased, with the GIII Honeybee Stakes being bumped $100,000 to $500,000 and the Martha Washington Stakes increased to $300,000. The Martha Washington kicks off the series and will complement the Southwest Stakes Day card. The Honeybee is scheduled to complement the Rebel Stakes Day program. Both serve as preps for the $750,000 GII Fantasy Stakes, which served as a launching pad this year for GI Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna). “With the success of Arkansas-owned Mystik Dan and of Thorpedo Anna, the facts speak for themselves and echo what we've been saying for a number of years,” Oaklawn president Louis Cella said. “There is no better place for horsemen to prepare Thoroughbreds for future success than Oaklawn. Not only were our runners able to win the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks this year, Seize the Grey (Arrogate) keyed a Preakness Stakes trifecta of horses that had competed in Oaklawn races.” In addition to the 47 traditional stakes races that offer a total of $16.2 million in purses, Oaklawn also announced the addition of 10 restricted overnight stakes races, each offering a purse of $145,000, making the Arkansas track's 2024/2025 stakes schedule worth $17.65 million. Other premiere races on the Oaklawn schedule include the $1.25-million GI Apple Blossom Handicap for older fillies and mares Apr. 12, and the $1.25-million GII Oaklawn Handicap Apr. 19. Prep races for the Apple Blossom include the $250,000 GIII Bayakoa Stakes, which will be run Feb. 8, and the $400,000 GII Azeri Stakes Mar. 8. Preps for the Oaklawn Handicap include the $500,000 GIII Razorback Stakes Feb. 22 and the $500,000 GIII Essex Stakes Mar. 22. The $250,000 GIII Whitmore Stakes will be run Mar. 15, and the $500,000 GIII Count Fleet Sprint Handicap is scheduled for Apr. 12. The $500,000 GIII Oaklawn Mile is one of the three stakes races that will support the Arkansas Derby Day card Mar. 29. Oaklawn's 2024-2025 season opens Dec. 6 and continues through May 3. The post 2025 Southwest Stakes Worth $1 Million appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There was no secret about what Get Smokin would try to do in the July 20 United Nations Stakes (G2T) at Monmouth Park - go to the lead and see if he could hold on. He did. But just barely.View the full article

Emma-Lee Browne intends to set her sights a bit lower with her smart stayer Basilinna (NZ) (Staphanos) as she plots out a spring program designed to avoid the bigger races with the rising four-year-old mare. As the Pakenham-based trainer pointed out, Basilinna has spent virtually all of her career running at the higher levels. “She’s only won one race. She’s done her time in the deep end,” Browne said of a horse who followed a maiden win at her second start at Cranbourne last September with her next seven runs comprising two Group One races, three at Group Two level and two Group Threes. Basilinna has proven adept at in Group class, having finished third last spring in the Gr.1 VRC Oaks and Gr.3 Ethereal Stakes. Basilinna’s autumn campaign consisted of four starts, with her best effort a second placing behind Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun) in the G2 Kewney Stakes at Flemington, while she finished sixth in the ATC Oaks at her most recent start, also behind Autumn Angel. “We’re pretty excited about her and what we can do but we will be taking it easy. There are a lot of nice fillies and mares races in the spring, which we think we will target,” she said. Browne said a race such as the Matriarch Stakes at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival could be a target. Browne, who trains in partnership with her husband David, said Basilinna has done her first piece of fast work at Cranbourne and they were really pleased with it. View the full article

James Doyle has been confirmed to ride Irish Derby runner-up Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. A Group 1 winner in last season's Criterium International, David Menuisier's colt ran the best race of his three-year-old campaign when pushing Los Angeles close at the Curragh last month. With Oisin Murphy confirmed to ride the John and Thady Gosden-trained Middle Earth, Menuisier has snapped up the services of Doyle. He confirmed, “James Doyle is going to ride. He won't need any riding instructions – he knows his way around!” Sunway is a 10-1 shot with William Hill, who on Tuesday morning trimmed the odds of Ralph Beckett's top-class filly Bluestocking to 5-1 from 7-1. Auguste Rodin is the 5-4 favourite. Menuisier continued, “He had a stretch of the legs this morning and seems A1 and in very good form. Fingers crossed, all being well between now and then, he'll go to Ascot. “The horse ran really well in Ireland and we know that if you're a good three-year-old, getting 11lb in the King George is definitely a plus. The opposition is strong, but we feel the horse is on the up and we feel he could improve with decent ground as well, so we ought to try and take it from there.” The post James Doyle To Ride Irish Derby Runner-Up Sunway In King George appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Michelle Payne, who became a global sensation when partnering 100-1 outsider Prince Of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) to a memorable triumph in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, has officially retired from the saddle. A winner of 772 races throughout her career, Payne will now switch her attention to training winners rather than riding them. “I've handed in my license so that's it for me,” Payne told justhorseracing.com.au. “It was a tough decision to come to and obviously took a lot of time to decide on. But I've achieved my biggest dream of winning the Melbourne Cup and had my time in the sun. I really enjoyed it and obviously loved the competitive side of riding and being out there and being connected with the horse.” She added, “(I'm now) really looking forward to the training side of things, you still get as much of a kick out of it just watching it. I probably get a bit more nervous, which is interesting because it gets taken out of your hands a bit. But at the end of the day, it was always going to come to an end and I'm content and looking forward to the next step.” The post Melbourne Cup Winner Michelle Payne Confirms Retirement From Saddle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dollars & Sense with Frank AngstView the full article

The Chris Pollard-trained Early Crow winning at Fannie Bay last Saturday. Picture: Darwin Turf Club Write Your Name and Early Crow will defend the Darwin Cup (2050m) and Palmerston Sprint (1200m) at Fannie Bay in August. On August 5, Write Your Name will contest the $200,000 Darwin Cup, while Early Crow will line up in the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint on August 3. During the 2023 Darwin Cup Carnival, Write Your Name and Early Crow raced for long-time NT trainer Dick Leech. In March, Leech was disqualified for 12 months when found guilty of injecting a horse without the permission of stewards. The suspension was imposed during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival, with the Top End’s leading trainer, Gary Clarke, agreeing to take over Leech’s stable. Write Your Name, an eight-year-old gelding by Written Tycoon, had two starts for Clarke in the Red Centre, finishing fifth in the Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) and ninth in the Alice Springs Cup (2000m). Early Crow, a five-year-old gelding by Kuroshio, was 10th in the Pioneer Sprint (1200m). Write Your Name, last year’s Alice Springs Cup winner, was named Horse of the Year and Middle Distance/Stayer of the Year in Darwin and Alice Springs for 2023. Early Crow was named Sprinter of the Year in the Top End and in the Red Centre for 2023. A majority of Leech’s team are now with Darwin trainer Chris Pollard, while a handful remain with Clarke. Write Your Name, victorious in an open 1200m handicap in early March before the Alice Springs Cup Carnival and Leech’s suspension, made his Darwin return on July 17 when he carried 62kg before finishing strongly for fourth in an 1100m open handicap. To complete his Darwin Cup preparations, Write Your Name lines up in the $50,000 Metric Mile (1600m) on Saturday – the feature on Day 5 of the Darwin Cup Carnival. “He’s a bit behind the eight ball, but he was terrific last year, and he did race on well the other day,” Thoroughbred Racing NT chief executive Andrew O’Toole said. Early Crow was a first-up fifth in an 1100m open handicap at Fannie Bay on July 6 before he powered home to claim a narrow win at weight-for-age level over 1200m last Saturday. Prominent NT jockey Sonja Logan missed out on riding Early Crow in last year’s Palmerston Sprint when sidelined due to injuries suffered when assaulted outside her Darwin home. Logan piloted the gelding to victory last weekend and is booked to ride Early Crow in the Palmerston. “He’s definitely going to be a good contender once again coming into the Sprint off his last win, that’s for sure,” Logan said. “They went pretty hard up in front, he just tracked into the race and finished off strong. “He finished off the way you want a nice sprinter to finish. “He had a lot left in the tank, which is a good sign as well. “I was meant to ride him when he won the week before the Palmerston, that’s before I was assaulted. “Aaron Sweeney picked up the ride, and a week later he came out and won the Sprint.” Horse racing news View the full article

Race 8 SADDLERY WAREHOUSE 2000m UNEQUIVOCAL (M McNAB) – Stable representative Mr. J Walker advised stewards, trainer Mr. A Forsman was satisfied with the post-race condition of the filly, however, UNEQUIVOCAL has now been sent for a spell. The post Waikato Thoroughbred Racing @ Cambridge Synthetic, Saturday 10 July 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article