Wandering Eyes

Trainer Wayne Catalano celebrated his 3000th career win Sunday when 4-year-old gelding Alilnalot (Tapiture) won race four at Ellis Park, a $30,000 maiden claimer. Catalano, who began his training career in 1983 following a successful riding career, has seen over 15,000 horses start under his name including the likes of GI Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Aloha West (Hard Spun) and dual Breeders' Cup winner Stephanie's Kitten (Kitten's Joy). “I've been waiting on this one a long time,” said Catalano after the milestone Sunday. “I got to have my family here today and it means the world to me.” The post Trainer Wayne Catalano Celebrates 3,000 Career Wins Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rider Penalties K Mudhoo | Oamaru 21 July; careless riding; suspended 27 July – 3 August inclusive. A Balloo | Oamaru 21 July; use of whip; suspended 27 July – 4 August inclusive. K Williams | Oamaru 21 July; use of whip; suspended 22-26 July inclusive. T Ladouceur | Oamaru 21 July; use of whip (2 charges); suspended 22 July – 10 August inclusive. Trainer Penalty J & R Vance | Auckland 21 July; incorrect gear; fined $100. Horse Penalty SWEET AND SASSY | Auckland 21 July; late scratching after refusing to load; must complete trial. General The Auckland TR meeting scheduled for 17 July was transferred to 21 July due to mechanical issues. The Hawke’s Bay RI meeting scheduled for 18 July was abandoned due to the weather and track conditions. The Racing Rotorua meeting scheduled for 20 July was abandoned due to the weather and track conditions. The Taranaki RI meeting scheduled for 20 July was abandoned due to the weather and track conditions. The post 15-21 July 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Following his July 20 victory in the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, Dornoch walked off the van early the morning of July 21 and into Danny Gargan's barn at Saratoga Race Course. The trainer was still walking on air.View the full article

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Without Caution was a professional first-out winner at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Driver Penalties S O’Reilly | NZ Metropolitan 19 July; medical clearance required. H Chief Stipelas | NZ Metropolitan 19 July; incompetent driving; suspended 22 July – 29 August inclusive. C Butt | NZ Metropolitan 19 July; use of whip; suspended 20 July – 4 August inclusive. Protest DANCING GLENIS | NZ Metropolitan 19 July; raced in incorrect gait for a distance; disqualified from 5th. The post 15-21 July 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Trainer Penalty B Pringle | Non-raceday dated 17 July; failed to present runner free of prohibited substance (2 charges); fined $7,000. General The Southland GRC meeting scheduled for 15 July was abandoned due to a frozen track. Protests GRANDE VUE ACE | Auckland 28 January; raced with prohibited substance in system; disqualified from 1st. GRANDE VUE ACE | Christchurch 15 February; raced with prohibited substance in system; disqualified from 1st. The post 15-21 July 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

With plenty of power left in her tank down the lane, Raging Sea (Curlin–Stormy Welcome, Storm Cat) took home the GII Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga on Sunday afternoon. Last seen running fourth in the GI Odgen Phipps Stakes over this course last month and as an 8-5 shot here, the 4-year-old chestnut set up shop just behind pacemaker Misty Veil (Tonalist) once the backstretch began to unfurl. The homebred waited her turn and the rail opened up at the top of the stretch. Kicking for home, the filly flashed her late speed and won by two lengths over Shotgun Hottie (Gun Runner). The final running time was 1:51.95. Lifetime Record: 10-5-1-1. O/B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC; T-Chad Brown. Your 8/5 favorite Raging Sea pulls away in the G2 Shuvee S. at Saratoga under Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown! The third stakes win for this 4YO filly by Curlin. pic.twitter.com/nlSz35br84 — TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) July 21, 2024 The post Raging Sea Keeps Afloat Down The Lane To Win Shuvee Stakes At Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sakima, an AU$1.25 million daughter of 2013 Alcibiades (G1) winner My Conquestadory, earned her first career victory at Kensington July 17.View the full article

It was announced during the telecast of the GI Haskell Stakes that Dornoch (Good Magic) will stand at stud at Spendthrift Farm. Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey addresses another big move by his team. TDN: What is it about Dornoch that makes him a good stallion candidate? NT: He's obviously got a great pedigree and he's a very talented horse. We always thought he was a really talented horse. They tried to rate him in the Blue Grass and he got wiped out from the one hole in the Derby. The luster went off him a little bit. He's now come back and shown what he truly is. He's a horse that when you put him in a race, he likes to gauge other horses. I've always likened him to a kid who just loves to compete. He's out there playing but when you go to compete with him that's when he shows his talent and his toughness and competitiveness. He was a very nice horse as a 2-year-old and as an early 3-year-old. In the last two races he's re-established what he's able to do. He's a big, beautiful, classy-looking animal. With that pedigree and with his looks, that made him a no-brainer as stallion prospect. When he won the Belmont, we felt like it was time to try to get something done on him. This was a good deal for both sides and we're thrilled he's coming to Spendthrift. TDN: Can you give us a time line on how and when the deal was struck? NT: It was after the Belmont. Every stud farm is watching all these races. (Spendthrift owner) Eric Gustavson asked the question, if they win the Belmont, who would we go after? We named a few horses and he was one of them. TDN: He will be one of the first sons of Good Magic to go to stud. How much did you take into account how well-bred he is? NT: Puca has established herself as a heck of a mare. Curlin is a phenomenal sire. You worry about trying to stand the son of a younger stallion. But we felt that Good Magic has established himself now to a level where it's very appealing to stand a son. The sire line has been so good and Good Magic is establishing himself as a very nice stallion. That he is the sire was certainly a plus. TDN: Spendthrift has been very aggressive lately and has not been afraid to go after any stallion. What is the mantra at Spendthrift right now? NT: Early on, if you look at some of our success, it was really shaped by Malibu Moon and, more recently, Into Mischief. These were horses who started at a very low level before rising to the highest levels of the sport. That has shaped a lot of what we've done. We realize a good stallion could come from anywhere, but the reality is, with the way the market has evolved over the last 10 to 15 years, everybody's filter has gotten a little finer, so far as the yearlings they'll buy, the pedigrees they'll buy, the individuals they will buy and then who will they breed to. The commercial market is a huge factor in shaping the decisions we make. We understand that nobody knows where the best stallions are going to come from. But it's safe to say that what a stallion needs to be successful is opportunity. And opportunity comes from breeders being willing to breed to a stallion. What breeders are willing to do and what range they'll play in is what has caused our shift so far as playing at a higher level. Into Mischief was a struggle. So was Malibu Moon, who started as a regional horse. Those are horses that would struggle even more today. People are so discerning now so far as what they'll buy and who they will breed to and that's really what has formed a lot of our thinking. We recognize that there are breeders at all levels of the market and there are good horses that come from all levels of the market. We've always tried to have horses that fit a variety of price points. We'd like the breeding game to work for all breeders at all levels. That is very important to us. It is realities of the market have caused us to shift to a higher end horse. The post How Spendthrift Got Dornoch: A Q&A With Ned Toffey appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) breezed a solo four furlongs Sunday in :49.73 over the Oklahoma training track for trainer Chad Brown in his final work before Saturday's GII Jim Dandy Stakes. NYRA clockers noted an opening quarter-mile in :25.25 and a gallop out in 1:02.68, 1:14.93 and 1:28.92. “He did super. He's in a nice rhythm,” said Brown. “He's been working solo on the training track – I'm liking it. He galloped out with good energy. That's just what I'm looking for six days out.” Sierra Leone was third last out in the GI Belmont Stakes to Dornoch (Good Magic) who returned July 20 to win the GI Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. “He's at a stage of his development where it was something to transition into,” Brown continued. “I'm very flexible in training them and observing where they are in their development. For right now, at this point of his campaign, it's working for him taking him out of company for a little bit. He's very fit and I'm just looking to bring him to the race healthy and focused.” 3rd place @BelmontStakes finisher SIERRA LEONE was spotted on the Oklahoma Training Track this morning! Next stop, G2 Jim Dandy? pic.twitter.com/pOTMDTiRCF — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) July 21, 2024 The GII Jim Dandy Stakes will serve as a prep for GI DraftKings Travers Stakes Aug. 24 at Saratoga. Joining Sierra Leone in the Travers will be stablemate Unmatched Wisdom (Cairo Prince) who won the listed Curlin Stakes July 19. “I think he's earned his right,” Brown said. “If all the horses in this division stay healthy, it's shaping up to be a really strong edition of the Travers, so he's going to have to step up considerably but he's undefeated and he has good positional speed. I think his best races and his best numbers are ahead of him. With that said, if he moves forward, he could be in the mix.” Ways and Means (Practical Joke), another Brown-trained 'TDN Rising Star', also got a prep in over the Oklahoma track for the GI Test Stakes Aug. 3. “She's in a nice rhythm breezing by herself,” Brown said. “After that big win here – a confidence-building allowance race Belmont week – she's really where I need her to be fitness wise and now it's just some maintenance coming into the Test. She'll have one more work and that might not be a big field, but that will be a strong field and she'll really have to show her best stuff.” The post Sierra Leone Gets Final Jim Dandy Prep For Brown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Dornoch (Good Magic) didn't get much respect heading into the GI Belmont Stakes, and his bandwagon wasn't exactly overburdened with supporters after his 17-1 victory over 'TDN Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution), either. On Saturday at Monmouth Park, bettors let the winner of the third leg of the Triple Crown go as the tepid 3.4-1 third choice in the seven-horse GI Haskell Stakes, believing with 4-5 certainty that a now-more-experienced Mindframe wouldn't, for a second straight race, allow Dornoch to claw back the lead in deep stretch like he did six weeks ago at Saratoga. Yet that's exactly what happened. The colt with the higher perceived potential again yielded to the rival who was believed to have already peaked. Beyond producing the same one-two result, there were enough tactical similarities between Dornoch's 1 1/4-length score over nine furlongs at the New Jersey shore and his half-length win over 10 furlongs at the Spa for the headlines to term the Haskell a “repeat” of the Belmont. But that's an oversimplified analogy that again shortchanges Dornoch in the respect department. Dornoch's lack of gravitas within the 3-year-old pecking order is nothing new. As a full brother to 2023 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage, this $325,000 KEESEP colt debuted at Saratoga last summer with outsized-and perhaps unfair-expectations. He lost his first two starts, broke his maiden as a 6 1/2-length, favored winner at Keeneland, then prevailed in a pair of Grade II stakes in which he was widely deemed to have been the beneficiary of the competition either committing late-race blunders or not showing up at all. In April, Dornoch flubbed his final Derby prep, then beat only half the field in the Derby itself. But the star of trainer Danny Gargan's barn has since rebounded with back-to-back Grade I wins, eclipsing his big brother's post-Triple Crown career arc and establishing Dornoch as a no-drama, no-quit grinder. Dornoch still doesn't resonate as a “Wow!” colt. But he is now firmly established as a speed-centric stayer who punches back well above his weight when accosted. That's a dangerous combination entering the second half of a season in which a number of A-list contenders in the older male dirt route division have earned their reputations based on flash and panache, yet are light in terms of consistency and reliability. Last Dec. 2, Dornoch won the nine-furlong, GII Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct by outgunning five rivals for the lead, taking mid-race pace pressure, swatting back several fresh challengers on the far turn, then brushing the inside rail in the stretch before re-surging late to snatch back the lead from 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone, a $2.3-million Gun Runner colt who would end up being the next-out winner of the GII Risen Star Stakes and the eventual second-favorite in the Kentucky Derby. At the time, the popular narrative was that even though both colts lost focus through the lane, Dornoch supposedly prevailed only because the lugging-in Sierra Leone wasn't fully cranked for prime time in only his second career start. Over the winter, Gargan, who admitted Mage's little brother had a tendency to “goof off,” expressed a desire to teach Dornoch how to settle and rate from off the pace. He thought that opportunity would come in the colt's next start, the Mar. 2 GII Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream. But that race was decimated by four late scratches that left the race void of speed, and Gargan called a last-minute audible, telling jockey Luis Saez to instead send Dornoch straight to the front per usual. Dornoch ended up administering a straightforward wiring over four weak rivals at 1-5 odds. Here too, his performance was panned, because he didn't beat any contenders of consequence and his Beyer Speed Figure took a one-point dip off the 91 he had earned in the Remsen. Gargan still wanted to see how Dornoch could handle coming from a bit farther behind, and even though many trainers wouldn't think of trying so drastic a tactics change in a final race before the Kentucky Derby, Gargan instructed Saez to do just that in the Apr. 6 GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. Saez had a hard time trying to keep his colt under wraps around the first turn, and Dornoch, pelted with dirt kickback while hemmed midpack at the rail for most of his trip, then only had mild response and ran up on the heels of a rival when asked for late-race response. The winner, Sierra Leone, blew by in upper stretch and Dornoch ended up a punchless fourth. Gargan then admitted he had made a mistake, and vowed to let Dornoch revert to doing as he liked out of the gate, which meant rolling to the lead in the Derby and taking the field as far as he could on the front end. Then the post position gods intervened and buried Dornoch in the dreaded one hole, a gate placement in the 20-horse Derby that has not produced a winner since Ferdinand in 1986. On the first Saturday in May, Dornoch got bumped and brushed at the break, then never settled while pinned inside. He launched into a decent bid coming free from cover on the far turn, then checked hard when a hole in the pack of contenders closed turning for home. He had some mild interest in upper stretch but encountered more roughhousing, and Saez didn't hammer on Dornoch when it became apparent tenth place was the best he'd be able to attain in the Derby. Dornoch wins the GI Belmont Stakes | Sarah Andrew If you looked at Dornoch's chances in the Belmont Stakes through the lens that he had been forced well out of his comfort zone in two consecutive races after not getting much out of that cakewalk win in his first start at age three, you were rewarded with that juicy 17-1 overlay in Saratoga's truncated (from 12 furlongs to 10) version of the third leg of the Triple Crown. From post six in the Belmont Stakes, Dornoch put outside pressure on rail-drawn GI Preakness Stakes upsetter Seize the Grey (Arrogate), took over on the far turn, then was under siege and under the whip at the head of the lane with Mindframe drawing dead aim. Admirably and somewhat unexpectedly, Dornoch dug in and sparred hard, while Mindframe came unglued for a few strides and couldn't seal the deal. Mindframe re-rallied belatedly in the shadow of the wire, but Dornoch had built up enough of a cushion to win by a diminishing margin. By capturing the Belmont, Dornoch had beaten both the winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness-Mystik Dan (Goldencents) and Seize the Grey-plus his arch-rival, Sierra Leone (who was third), and the up-and-coming Mindframe. Yet the betting public still believed Dornoch had more to prove in the Haskell, emphatically backing Mindframe to odds-on favoritism while installing 'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake (Into Mischief) as the second choice off a nearly four-month layoff. Dornoch broke alertly from post one while Mindframe stumbled and was bumped coming out of gate six. The stutter-step start alone was not Mindframe's undoing, as Irad Ortiz, Jr. recovered him well enough to place Mindframe fourth down along the inside. But the difference in their breaks enabled Dornoch to establish command without pressure through an opening quarter in :23.32, and once the field sorted itself out onto the backstretch run, Saez expertly backed down the second quarter-mile split to a waltzing :24.76. Quickening to :23.97 for the third quarter, Dornoch got double-teamed three-eighths out, first by Timberlake and then the full-of-steam, four-deep Mindframe. Timberlake edged in front only for an instant, but Midframe powered past with what looked to be the winning Haskell move 2 1/2 furlongs from the wire. Mindframe held that lead to the three-sixteenths marker through a fourth quarter-mile split of :25.23, yet Dornoch cut the corner closest to the rail under stern right-handed encouragement and simply wouldn't give up. At the same time that Dornoch was responding to all-out rousing, Mindframe was still being hand-ridden, and as he drifted out to the five path, Mindframe disengaged like a ship adrift. Ortiz resorted to belated stick work on alternating sides, but his efforts yielded more lateral movement than forward progress from Mindframe. Dornoch kept Mindframe at bay through a final furlong clocked in a moderate :13.03. So how fast was Dornoch's Haskell? The answer depends upon whether you prefer raw final times or Beyer Speed Figures, which take into account class-related par times while also factoring in how the track was playing on that particular day. Dornoch's final time of 1:50.31 was the slowest Haskell since Authentic ran 1:50.45 in 2020. In fact, the only other sub-1:50 clocking in the past decade was when Dornoch's sire, Good Magic, stopped the timer in 1:50.01 in 2018. But Dornoch's assigned Beyer of 103 equates to the fastest figure for the Haskell since American Pharoah ripped through nine furlongs with a 109 Beyer in 2015. The post The Week In Review: You Still Don’t Respect Dornoch? That’s Your Problem, Not His appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Harry Sweeney is one of Irish racing's finest exports. A qualified vet, he has been based in the Far East for 35 years, where he operates from the world renowned Paca Paca Farm as well as holding the position of President at Darley Japan. From big-money pinhooks to sleepless nights after some frightening losses, breeding Japanese Derby winner Deep Brilliante and how he engineered a plan to be granted an owner's licence in the country, Sweeney makes for a fascinating and entertaining Q&A. The Marco Polo of Irish racing sat down with Brian Sheerin for breakfast following the Select Sale in Japan. How do you reflect on the JRHA Select Sale? I was reasonably pleased-I wasn't elated. I mean, it certainly wasn't the bonanza of last year for Paca Paca. Traditionally, we used to assess this sale in sumo terms. There is a term we commonly refer to in Japan that relates to sumo. It's when a mid-ranking wrestler would set out to win more bouts than he lost in a 13-day tournament. Then they were happy. That's called kachi-koshi. That is our bar for Paca Paca going into any sale and we achieved that. We had seven foals in the sale–one was consigned under a slightly different name–and we sold four. You have to be reasonable and, even with the weak exchange rate, the Baaeed (GB) foal sold for £275,000. For a foal of just three months old, that is fantastic business. There won't be many foals by Baaeed who sell for more than that at Tattersalls in December so I have to be pleased. However, when you look at what that same exact foal might have made had he been offered by Northern Farm for example, there is a little bit of a difference. But Northern Farm has a huge brand and the market appreciates their brand. Do you know the way they were selling Aston Martin cars on the sales complex? Well, some of my fellow breeders will be driving Aston Martins after the sale. I will be driving a Toyota Land Cruiser. But a Toyota Land Cruiser is still a very fine car and it suits me better. And do you know what? I feel privileged and lucky to have it. Can that be frustrating? Of course it can be frustrating but I have been here for 35 years so I accept it. And you might look across and question things but Japan is still a very good place to make a living so I am happy. This is a very special market, the Select Sale especially, and certainly Northern Farm is extremely dominant. You don't need AI to work that out. But even AI would be confounded by the scale of the dominance. But, listen, Northern Farm has invested heavily in its broodmare band and everyone working there works very hard so they deserve a lot of the success they are enjoying. While other farms might begrudge that success, I don't, because a rising tide lifts all boats. But I have been selling at the Select Sale since day one and I have seen good days, I have seen bad days and I have also seen brilliant days. I am reconciled with it. It's not the pressure that it used to be. Our kids are grown up and we've paid for their education. My farm is also paid for so it's not the do-or-die scenario of continuing in business or going bankrupt like it used to be. Does that change how you operate? With less responsibility you can essentially take more risk. We can take more risks, of course. But you sleep a bit better when doing so. Including lot 400, who will be the first Baaeed foal to be sold anywhere in the world. He's one of six foals being offered by Irishman Harry Sweeney of Paca Paca Farm. pic.twitter.com/pZTxVNmjbZ — Brian Sheerin (@BrianSheerin91) July 9, 2024 Can you tell me about some of those sleepless nights? There were times when you bit off a lot. There were good years and bad years. When the market crashed in 2008, that Select Sale was an absolute disaster for us. A wipeout. I think we had 12 foals in the sale and we sold just one. We had four young sons at the time. I can remember we had planned a holiday in Indonesia and Borneo shortly after the sale. I can remember being in the middle of the jungle in Borneo, deep inside the rainforest and thinking, 'I am in some hole right now'. I was in deep-I was deeply fu***d. That's all I could think of on that holiday and there was some sort of poeticness to the whole thing as, here I was in the middle of the jungle cut off from civilisation when, in business, I was in the biggest hole I had ever found myself in. How did you get out? I worked hard. Worked really, really hard. A lot of well-known horses in Japan, America and even in Europe were born and raised in Paca Paca. Even last year's St Leger winner Continuous (Jpn) is a graduate of yours. That must give you a lot of pleasure. We have a lot of good clients and it's great to see them doing well. Maybe we don't deserve some of the accolades because, here in Japan, there is a clear distinction between the mare's owner and where a foal is born. Oftentimes, it's the farm at which a racehorse was born that receives the accolades. The racing papers carry the breeding farm, but that is not the breeder. So, if Brian Sheerin for example has a mare at Paca Paca, he won't get mentioned in the papers but Paca Paca will. In your role with Darley Japan, you have welcomed well-known horses in Europe like Hukum (Ire) and Adayar (Ire) to the stallion roster. How have they been received and is it difficult taking on the might of a 30-strong Shadai Stallion Station roster? We welcomed another new horse, Palace Malice, to Japan recently. He's standing at ¥3.5 million and has covered 262 mares and has more than 200 of those in foal. You know, if you bring the right product, you will do well. A lot of good mares–some from Northern Farm and Shadai Farm–have been sent to Palace Malice. So if you have the right stallion at the right price, you can survive. But you need to be lucky as well. Two days after we announced the deal for Palice Malice, his son Jantar Mantar (Jpn) won a Group 1 race. A lot of people in Japan thought 'Harry Sweeney is brilliant' and I haven't dissuaded them from that thought! But the fact is, we were really lucky. Jantar Mantar went on to become the champion two-year-old in Japan and is a Group 1 winner at three as well. So it worked out but there are plenty of occasions in bloodstock when it doesn't. You have a number of horses in the Selection Sale. What sort of trade should we be expecting there? It will be decent trade without being the bonanza of the Select Sale but that is a complete bubble. That's why I would advise absolute caution for a foreigner looking in on the Select Sale. The Selection Sale is the real market. If you were to find yourself in a position of power or one where you could make meaningful change to the way racing was run back home in Ireland, what would you bring back from your learnings in Japan? I'm not really interested in commenting on that as I don't know enough about it. But, the big difference here is that we have a Tote that runs betting and we have a government subsidiary that owns the Tote, the tracks and the two main training centres and they are reinvesting in racing in Japan. It's all controlled by one body and there's great transparency. We don't have competing forces. We have the JRA and then we have a second body, which is the NAR. While the JRA is effectively a semi-state body, a subsidiary of the department of agriculture, the local racing is run by the NAR. That is run by the local municipal governments as well so that is effectively a semi-state body, albeit at a different level. They work very much in tandem together so it is a very well-regulated and uniformed body which has one focus. Unfortunately, racing has evolved in a very different way in Europe. Japan is a racing utopia…..almost. Now, the 'almost' in that sentence carries plenty of weight, but there are a lot of great things about racing here-enormous prize-money, great fan attendance, great love of the horse, an excellent demographic of young people going to the races and more. You go to any of the big meetings in Japan and it costs £1 of an admission fee and that includes a racecard. People dress casually as well. It's very casual, they bring their kids, bring a picnic and it's just a great day out. And what could I take back home to Ireland? Outside of prize-money and fan engagement, the biggest thing I have taken from this trip is how important distance is to the breed over here? For example, there are only two Group 1 races over sprint trips in Japan. Credit to the JRA for that. Even our 2,000 Guineas, that's run over 10 furlongs. Japan is the country of 10 furlong two-year-old maidens. Where else would you find that? Even Deep Impact (Jpn). He debuted over 10 furlongs. That's the way it is. The reverse is true, in that there are very limited opportunities for sprinters over here. If I was to go back to my main employment with Godolphin, as opposed to my hobby farm at Paca Paca [!], we raced some fine horses over here, including Fine Needle (Jpn). He was a champion miler/sprinter but in truth he was a sprinter. There are only two Grade 1 races in the entire programme under a mile out here and he won both of those. Another thing that was quite noticeable was how the Japanese place perhaps even more emphasis on the book rather than the model compared to other parts of the world. Oh yes. But, to be honest, this is an imprecise science. A few years ago, myself and my farm manager, James Butler, set ourselves a task of finding what we thought would be the worst value of the Select Sale. It was just a little bit of a game between ourselves. We had looked at nearly all of the yearlings in the sale. There was one filly in particular and she had shocking-and I mean shocking-front legs. She went on to make a lot of money and we both agreed that she was the worst value of the sale. What happened? She went on to become a Group 1 winner in Japan. Pedigree is very important in Japan. And size, actually. They are not as critical on conformation and things like that. But, you know what, maybe they're right. Maybe we are too caught up on conformation and things like that at home. I have just had a text message from Jack Cantillon asking 'how the Christopher Columbus of Irish racing is getting on…..' Well, if Jack was more familiar with his history, he might have said the Marco Polo of Irish racing because Christopher Columbus sailed west whereas Marco Polo went east! I actually didn't know a lot about you or Paca Paca before this trip and it's only now that I am realising the scale of the achievement. I'm not just saying this because you're sitting in front of me but, what you have achieved in Japan, it must be up there with some of the great pioneering feats in Irish racing. Well, that's a very kind thing to say, so thank you. But it has been acknowledged, and I did win the inaugural Wild Geese Award at the ITBA Awards a number of years ago. That was a great honour. But you talk about great pioneering feats, but sometimes fate deals you a hand. You have to understand that when I came out here it was a very different era. I graduated from college in 1983 and those were very dark days in the Irish economy. There were huge unemployment rates in Ireland at that time. A lot my class emigrated because there were simply no other options. It was by chance that I ended up in Japan. Now, it was a tough job, but one I was well paid for. Because I was being well paid, and because things were so bad in Ireland, I was going to f****** suck it up. I'm not saying it was easy because it wasn't but anyone who succeeds in business does the same. Life is not easy and success doesn't come easy to anyone. So yes, I did work hard. But, do you know what? I worked hard because I had no other option. And that's the truth. It needed to work. When I first came here, I was a bit like you. I could see the scale of things. All I could think was 'wow'. I could see the scale of opportunity here. I said to myself, 'imagine, just imagine, if I could get a tiny piece of the pie-even a tiny piece of the crust.' So I set about doing that and got a few crusts along the way. It's a big, big pie out here. Given your veterinary background and the Japanese approach to buying horses, did you have to forget much of what you learned with regards to conformation etc? There is a very big distinction between buying a horse to sell on and buying a horse to race. They are completely different things. Generally speaking, they need to be correct but I can tell you that, the longer you stay in this business, the more you realise that winners-and champions-come in all shapes and sizes. Yes, I am a little less critical of certain things as opposed to when I came out here first. One thing that is unique in Japan is that most horses in Japan race and Japanese trainers do a very good job in getting their horses to the track. If you end up with a sound horse, there's a fantastic programme out here. A lot of yearlings in Europe will have had corrective measures such as screws etc. Would that be as big out here? It's not as big but it's coming along. There were certain yearlings at the Select Sale and it was clear that they had had screws. It's funny, you don't have to declare that but you do have to declare if they have had any OCD surgery. At the Selection Sale, you need to declare where any surgery took place where an anaesthetic was used. So there are different rules for each sale. I could name a number of horses who had screws and went on to win Classics. There are plenty of great-looking horses, with great legs and a great walk, but they turn out to be bloody poor racehorses. Plenty! So I think we can get a little bit caught up on that. Say you are walking down the high street and you see this beautiful suit and you say, 'I want that'. Okay, it looks great, but it might not keep you warm. You might be better off going down the road and buying something half the price. It might not look as good but it will do a better job of keeping you warm and it costs you less money. In fact, the cheap horses are earning the very same as the expensive horses do here in Japan. Possibly, the best value to be had at the sales here in Japan is by buying the horses who RNAd. Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), the champion sprinter and sire of Almond Eye (Jpn), is a famous example of a high-class horse who failed to sell in the ring. Continuous: Coolmore's St Leger winner was born and raised at Paca Paca | Scoop Dyga Would you say that breeding the Japanese Derby winner Deep Brilliante (Jpn) stands out as your greatest achievement in the sport? It's a big achievement when you can survive in business, educate your family and make a living. Anybody who can do that is doing well. But I would consider being granted my JRA owner's licence as my biggest achievement. That was huge because there was a lot of red tape there and I was aiming to be the first foreigner ever to be granted a JRA owner's license. On a lighter note, another thing I am proud of is the decriminalisation of wearing shorts to the sales! Can you paint a picture as to how difficult it was to get your foot on the ladder here in Japan? Okay, well one of the first things I saw an opportunity to make money on was pinhooking here in Japan. So buying foals or yearlings in Japan and bringing them back and selling them in Europe or the USA. We had some astounding profits and some shocking losses doing that. But it was 25 or 30 years ago now when I tried to buy my first horse in Japan and, at that time, you didn't have to register to buy a horse but you did have to bring a deposit. That deposit was roughly $25,000 in cash. Now, there was a lovely filly at this particular sale and I can remember thinking, 'I need to give this a go.' Typical Irishman, I arrived at the sales company with my brown paper envelope with $25,000 in cash inside and there was pandemonium. Here was a foreigner wanting to buy at the sales. What do we do? They brought me upstairs to the office. So here I was, sitting at this long rectangular boardroom table, with a room full of white envelopes stuffed with $25,000 in cash along with my brown envelope. I was left thinking, why is my brown envelope not being treated the same as all of these white envelopes? Is my money not the same? The sales company would only let me buy the horse if I didn't use my own name. I needed to go through an agent. Also, I had to get a guarantor. That pissed me off big time. I was being treated differently, which wasn't very nice. But I ended up buying the horse and I kept the name card of that filly and got it framed. So, if you ever come to Paca Paca, you will see that hanging proud on the wall. That is where this all started. From there, I spent a lot of time reading up on what I could and couldn't do at the sales and in racing in Japan. It spurred me on. Don't piss off an Irishman! I had to harangue people but I got a lot of support. I even got support from within the Irish government. To become a JRA owner, it's very difficult. It's much easier to become an owner in Europe than it is over here. The amount of paperwork that you have to submit is enormous. Most people wouldn't go through with it as it is very invasive. I spent years getting ready for this as there are all sorts of parameters you need to hit in terms of pay and taxes before you could be accepted. When the time came to consider my application, I thought, 'do you know what would be a big help here is a little bit of a word of endorsement for Harry Sweeney'. Through a friend of mine who happened to be working in the Government press office, I asked if there would be any chance that our then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern would write a letter of support. The good news came and I was told to draft something and send it in. I drafted something, where it mentioned the great relationships between Japan and Ireland, some of the horses who had been based at the Irish National Stud for Japanese clients and the fact that Rathbarry had a Japanese-bred stallion at the time. And then at the end, by the way, Harry Sweeney is currently applying for his JRA owner's licence and we consider this to be very important. Something like that. It was addressed to the president of the JRA but, when Bertie and his colleagues sent it over, they crossed out the president of the JRA and wrote, 'Dear Mr Koizumi' instead. Who was Mr Koizumi? He was the Japanese prime minister at the time. So the letter came through in the diplomatic bag where diplomatic communications are shared. The ambassador gets it, he toddles down to the Department of Foreign Affairs, and then it gets circulated to the Department of Agriculture. It finally percolates down to the JRA. Here we have the Japanese and Irish prime ministers advocating for Harry Sweeney who is applying for his owner's licence. You couldn't make it up. So, when I said I had support, I had a lot of it. Brian Kavanagh supported me as well. I didn't do this entirely on my own and I am grateful for everybody who has helped me. The post Breakfast With Harry Sweeney – One Of Irish Racing’s Great Pioneers And Master Of Paca Paca Farm 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 Monday at Ellis Park: Monday, July 22, 2024 Ellis 3, $71k, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:49 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Big Air (Vekoma), OBSMAR, 120,000, :10.2 C-Kings Equine, agt for Spendthrift Farm; B-Michael Maker Fugitive Star (Nyquist), FTMMAY, 200,000, :21.3 C-Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, agent; B-Jonathan Kalman 4th-Ellis, $71k, 2yo, (R), 5 1/2fT, 2:21 p.m. ET Very Bold (Union Rags), OBSMAR, 45,000, :10.3 C-Gene Recio, agent; B-Calumet Farm The post Summer Breezes, Sponsored By OBS: July 22, 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The hitherto undefeated Fraise Des Bois (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}–Artifix {Ire}, by Lawman {Fr}) registered a hattrick of 5 1/2-furlong victories at Tarbes earlier in the campaign and continued on an upward trajectory with a career high in Sunday's Listed Criterium du Bequet at La Teste. The eventual winner recovered from a stuttering start to track the leaders in fifth after the initial strides of this black-type debut. Fanning wide to the stands' side off the home turn, she seized control with 300 metres remaining and powered clear inside the final furlong to trounce Imparable (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) by a mightily impressive seven lengths. Fraise Des Bois, who becomes the eighth stakes-winner for her sire, is the fourth of five foals and one of three scorers produced by a half-sister to G2 Prix de Malleret runner-up Fuse (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}). The March-foaled bay is a full-sister to a yearling colt and kin to stakes-winning G3 Prix des Reservoirs and G3 Prix Vanteaux placegetter Around Midnight (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}). The winner's third dam Sea Hill (Seattle Slew) is also the dam of G2 Prix de Malleret victrix and G1 Prix de l'Opera third Legerete (Rahy) as well as being the second dam of G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-winning sire Falco (Pivotal {GB}). Sea Hill is kin to G1 Prix Lupin-winning sire Groom Dancer (Blushing Groom {Fr}), Group 3-winning sire Tagel (Cox's Ridge) and to the dam of G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud heroine Plumania (GB) (Anabaa) and G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Balladeuse (Fr) (Singspiel {Ire}). Balladeuse, in turn, is the dam of G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Left Hand (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). This is also the family of G1 Prix Royal-Oak hero and last week's G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil winner Double Major (Ire) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}). (J-B.Eyquem) s'illustre une nouvelle fois ! La pensionnaire de Jean-Claude Rouget s'adjuge le Critérium de Béquet – Ventes Osarus (Listed) à La Teste et reste invaincue (4 courses – 4 victoires). Imparable La Samana pic.twitter.com/9JFZQJClqS — Equidia (@equidia) July 21, 2024 Sunday, La Teste-Bassin Arcachon, France CRITERIUM DU BEQUET – VENTES OSARUS-Listed, €60,000, La Teste-Bassin Arcachon, 7-21, 2yo, 6fT, 1:14.62, vsf. 1–FRAISE DES BOIS (FR), 125, f, 2, by Zelzal (Fr) 1st Dam: Artifix (Ire), by Lawman (Fr) 2nd Dam: Houleuse, by Dynaformer 3rd Dam: Sea Hill, by Seattle Slew 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (€75,000 Ylg '23 ARQOCT). O-Denford Stud; B-Mme Camille Vitse, Guillaume Vitse, Mme Axelle Vitse & Mme Valentine Vitse (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Jean-Bernard Eyquem. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, €66,500. 2–Imparable (Ire), 125, f, 2, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Impassable (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Christopher Head. €12,000. 3–La Samana (Fr), 125, f, 2, Goken (Fr)–Steel Woman (Ire), by Anabaa. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Guy Pariente Holding & Gemini Stud; B-Gemini Stud, Jean Boniche & Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €9,000. Margins: 7, 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 3.00, 9.00, 3.60. Also Ran: Unspoken Love (Ire), Octans (Spa), Sardaigne (Fr), Faraona Cen (Ire), Golden Furius (Ire), Hello Jeeby (Fr). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post Zelzal’s Fraise Des Bois Remains Unbeaten With Seven-Length Rout at La Teste appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Juddmonte's Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}–Pavlosk, by Arch) attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with a five-length rout going six furlongs at Cork in her June 14 unveiling and stepped forward to justify 13-8 favouritism in Sunday's G3 Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh. The Ger Lyons trainee was bumped at the break and raced three lengths off the leader as Treasure Isle (Ire) (No Nay Never) set a searching tempo up front. Powering forward once past halfway, she was shaken up to launch her challenge approaching the final furlong and was driven out in the closing stages to withstand the late charge of 'TDN Rising Star' Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by a half-length. “She's a filly we've always liked and has a temperament to die for,” said Lyons. “She's become more switched off since she ran in Cork. It's okay winning the way she did in Cork, but we learned nothing because she did it all on her own. Coming here, you're lobbing into a proper stakes race against the boys and you are wondering what did she learn. She's just been so switched off at home since Cork and Colin [Keane] said that you can't get over her temperament. She got mashed out of the stalls and then had to do it the hard way. She got to the front and parked and looked around. Maybe she'll improve and she needs to improve if we're going to keep going forward.” Looking ahead, the trainer added, “We'll see how she comes out of this race, but at the minute we're going to take on the boys in the [Aug. 19 G1] Phoenix Stakes. You need the temperament for the Group 1s and she seems to have that. We'll stick to six [furlongs] and I would have thought she'll get further. She's going to be a [1000] Guineas filly and I'll be training her for the Guineas.” Babouche is the sixth foal and scorer produced by Listed Michael Seely Memorial Stakes victrix Pavlosk (Arch), herself a full-sister to Listed Prix Casimir Delamarre winner Rostova. Pavlosk is also a half-sister to the dual Group 3-winning G1 Gran Premio di Milano third Exhibit One (Silver Hawk), herself the dam of G3 Chunichi Shimbun Hai victor Maitres d'Art (Jpn) (Zenno Rob Roy {Jpn}) and Listed Sandringham Handicap runner-up Auction (Ire) (Mr. Greeley). Zarinsk's third dam Bold Empress (Diesis {GB}) is kin to multiple Group 1-winning sire Zafonic (Mr. Prospector) while her descendants also include stakes-winning G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches second Irish Rookie (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), G2 Maurice Lacroix Trophy victrix Daring Love (Ger) (Big Shuffle) and G2 Oettingen-Rennen scorer Dapango (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). The May-foaled homebred bay is a full-sister to last year's G2 Minstrel Stakes, G3 Brownstown Stakes and G3 Cornelscourt Stakes victrix Zarinsk (GB). She is also kin to the stakes-placed Derevo (GB) (Dansili {GB}), a yearling filly by Expert Eye (GB) and a weanling filly by Bated Breath (GB). Unbeaten! Babouche makes it two from two as this exciting Kodiac filly beats the boys with class and courage in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes for Ger Lyons, @ctkjockey and @JuddmonteFarms @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/DlATSsl4kt — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 21, 2024 Sunday, Curragh, Ireland JEBEL ALI RACECOURSE AND STABLES ANGLESEY STAKES-G3, €63,250, Curragh, 7-21, 2yo, 6f 63yT, 1:15.69, gd. 1–BABOUCHE (GB), 128, f, 2, by Kodiac (GB) 1st Dam: Pavlosk (SW-Eng), by Arch 2nd Dam: Tsar's Pride (GB), by Sadler's Wells 3rd Dam: Bold Empress, by Diesis (GB) TDN Rising Star. 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Ger Lyons; J-Colin Keane. €33,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $47,125. *Full to Zarinsk (GB), MGSW-Ire, $258,347; and 1/2 to Derevo (GB) (Dansili {GB}), SP-KSA, $479,020. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Camille Pissarro (Ire), 131, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Entreat (GB), by Pivotal (GB). TDN Rising Star. (1,250,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Peter M Brant; B-CN Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €11,000. 3–California Dreamer (GB), 128, f, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–Penelopa (GB), by Giant's Causeway. (130,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-Amo Racing Ltd & Giselle De Aguiar; B-Ickworth Stud (GB); T-Adrian Murray. €5,500. Margins: HF, 1 3/4, SHD. Odds: 1.63, 4.50, 7.00. Also Ran: Treasure Isle (Ire), Regal Gem (GB), Sir Yoshi (Ire), Cowardofthecounty (Ire), No Return (Ire), Celtic Chieftain (Ire), Barton Key (Ire). Scratched: Black Forza. The post TDN Rising Star Babouche Goes Two-for-Two in the Anglesey appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Juddmonte's Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Red Impression {GB}, by Dark Angel {Ire}) had already shown that she is a top-drawer prospect with impressive late fractions on her seven-furlong Curragh debut last month and merely confirmed that with another scintillating performance to become her sire's 42nd TDN Rising Star on Sunday. Narrowly denied by Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) when storming home late on her racecourse bow, the Ger Lyons-trained homebred was sent straight to the lead this time by Colin Keane. Never in any danger with her armoury of speed such a dramatic weapon, the relative of the G1 Prix de la Foret heroine Etoile Montante (Miswaki) powered through the last half mile with consistent 11-and-change sectionals. At the line, the 8-11 favourite had 4 1/4 lengths to spare over the 50-1 shot Indigo Dream (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who interestingly had been nine lengths behind the pick of the 2-year-old TDN Rising Stars in Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) at Leopardstown on her debut. Ballydoyle's beautifully-bred Ballet Slippers (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the first foal out of Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), fared best of the newcomers a head away in third. “It was no more than you would probably have expected from her after seeing her on debut,” Lyons said of Frankel's fifth TDN Rising Star of 2024 alongside the aforementioned Bedtime Story and Lake Victoria as well as Gun of Brixton (Fr) and the G3 Prix du Lys winner and G1 Grand Prix de Paris third Delius (GB). “She stepped forward nicely and you'd expect her to win her maiden that way, so we're delighted with her.” “We'll see how she comes out of it before making any plans, as I don't think she's a 2-year-old and it's all about next year with her,” the trainer added. “We'll let her tell me what we do with her, whether we bring her back–I'll tell Barry [Mahon] what I'm seeing at home and discuss with the [Adbullah] family about whether we come back for the [G1] Moyglare or something like that. She's done a lot quick, we are only in the middle of July and I thought I'd seen in the parade ring that she's very much on the leg. She looked raw going down to the start and it's pure raw ability what you are seeing out there.” Signed, sealed, delivered. The exciting Red Letter (Frankel) strikes from a host of well-bred newcomers and looks a filly to note for Ger Lyons, @ctkjockey and @JuddmonteFarms at @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/iquxYgPMYF — Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 21, 2024 The post Another Frankel TDN Rising Star As Juddmonte’s Red Letter Strikes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Irish jumps jockey Conor Brassil underlined his toughness when he won his first Australian race by taking out the feature event the Brendan Drescher Hurdle (3500m) at Pakenham on Right Now (NZ) (Wrote). It was less than a month ago Brassil suffered a small fracture in his lower back when he fell from Custom Of The Sea at Warrnambool. The win on the Bevan Laming-trained jumper was his first ride back. It was only Brassil’s second meeting riding in Australia and only his fifth ride. Brassil rode Right Now into second placing at that Warrnambool meeting, but was worried he might have lost the ride as Darryl Horner Junior won on him two weeks later at the same track. Brassil thanked Laming for giving him the ride and he said he had to work to get down to 65kg for his return ride. Brassil said when he finished second on Right Now at Warrnambool he got to the front too soon. “He idles when he gets to the front too soon. I said to Richard (Laming) he’s better off the pace and I got there too early today anyway,” Brassil told Racing.com. The race was run at a hectic pace with Dubai Moon taking on the other frontrunner Fabalot from the outset. Brassil had Right Now travelling perfectly throughout and he took the lead at the second last jump and went on to win by 14 lengths over The Good Fight (NZ) (High Chaparral) with Lincoln King (NZ) (Shocking) a length and a quarter away third. View the full article

Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler will consider a late nomination for the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) after Master Marko (NZ) (Contributer) overcame a wide run to blow his rivals away in Sunday’s Crombie & Price Ltd Oamaru Cup (1600m). The TAB now rates Master Marko a $10 chance for the Winter Cup at Riccarton on August 3. Tyler has previously won the showpiece flat race of the Grand National Carnival with Timy Tyler in 2015. Tyler did not put Master Marko’s name forward when the early Winter Cup nominations closed on June 11. At that stage the gelding had only recently returned from a two-year stint in Queensland that produced four wins and concluded with an unplaced finish at Doomben on April 13. Master Marko made his return to New Zealand racing with an eye-catching second in a 1400m open handicap at Ashburton on July 4, and his second-up performance in Sunday’s $40,000 feature may force Tyler into a Winter Cup rethink. After breaking well from gate nine, Master Marko was prominent in the early stages of the race but was caught wide when others pushed through underneath him. Jockey Ciel Butler eased him back in search of a better position, but he remained trapped four or five wide all the way. Despite covering extra ground, Master Marko moved forward purposefully coming down the side of the track, cruising past the front-running pair of Conor O’Ceirin and Lord Darci just before the home turn. Master Marko maintained that momentum and charged clear down the home straight, opening up a dominant winning margin of six and a half lengths. He credited Butler with the 50th win of her riding career. Tyler had been delighted with Master Marko’s condition leading into the race and expected the addition of visor blinkers to lift his performance on Sunday, but even he was taken aback by the five-year-old’s tour de force. “We thought he’d go well, but I definitely didn’t expect him to win like that,” Tyler said. “He had to cover a lot of ground, so that was a big performance. He’s a pretty good horse. “He’s come back beautifully from Australia and he’s looking as good as he’s ever looked. He handles travel and work and nothing seems to faze him at all. Hopefully we’ll have a bit more to look forward to with him. “I suppose the Winter Cup is the obvious target now, but we’ll just have a bit of a think about things before we commit to paying that late nomination fee. We’ll see how he comes through this and hopefully get some idea of what the track conditions might be like up there for the Cup.” Bred by Raffles Dancers, whose name has been put in international lights over the last 12 months by the superstar mare Imperatriz, Master Marko is by Contributer out of the Exceed and Excel mare Miss Haydn. Master Marko was offered by Raffles Farm in an online auction on Gavelhouse.com in May of 2020, where Michael Tyler bought him for just $700. Kelvin Tyler shares ownership of Master Marko with his wife Vanessa. From a 39-start career, Master Marko has now had five wins, five seconds and nine thirds and has amassed $195,427 in stakes. Prior to his move to Australia, he finished third in the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1500m) and fourth in the Listed Southland Guineas (1600m). Aljay and Jay Bee Gee remain the equal $7 favourites for the Winter Cup, with Belardo Boy and Bradman just behind them at $8. Master Marko shares $10 fifth favouritism with Justaskme and Spencer, who will both contest the rescheduled Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) at Hawera on Tuesday. View the full article

Free going galloper Natural Momentum (NZ) (Natural Destiny) never gave his rivals a look in as he led from barrier rise to take out the feature open sprint contest at Oamaru on Sunday, the Glenmoa Farms Ltd River Plate Trophy (1200m). The six-year-old son of Natural Destiny was having just his second start in a new campaign having kicked off at Ashburton earlier in the month over 1200m, his first start since February 2023. Trainer Bruce Tapper wasn’t afraid to take on some hardy winter performers and with Kendra Bakker in the saddle, his charge carried the featherweight of just 52.5kgs courtesy of Bakker’s apprentice allowance. Natural Momentum began smartly for Bakker but was immediately challenged by Miss Harley Quinn as the pair set up a solid pace in front throughout. Bakker eased her mount away from his pursuers rounding the home bend and despite being challenged by the highly favoured pair of Midnight Runner and Street Fightin Man in the closing stages, he maintained a strong gallop to register his third career victory in a handy 1.15.2 on the Heavy 10 surface. Tapper had been concerned the task may have proved a little tough as his charge was only second up but was pleased to see him back to his best. “He was sore in a fetlock, so we put him away for a decent break and gave him plenty of time to get over that,” Tapper said. “He went nicely first up at Ashburton, but I was a little worried as sometimes that can flatten them and thought he may have needed one more run. “The claim of Kendra played its part though and he did it quite nicely. “She rode him really well and the ground against the rail looked as good as any, so she kept him hard up against it and got the job done.” Tapper doesn’t have any plans at this stage for the rest of the winter and will take some time to assess his options once he sees what sort of ratings rise his charge will receive from the handicapper. “He will cop plenty of points for that, so we’ll just wait and see before we get too far ahead of ourselves,” he said. “We will take him home and he can have an easy time of it although he will still have work to do as he is our babysitter, and we use him to help educate the young ones and take them through the gates etc. “He does a great job and is a lovely horse, so we’re thrilled to see him back winning again.” Raced under the Clearview Park banner, Natural Momentum is out of the Centaine mare Contrary and comes from an extended family that includes stakes performers Vera’s Pal, who won fifteen races and was Group One placed, and Gr.2 JJ Liston Stakes (1400m) winner Jim’s Mate. View the full article

Talented and well-related filly Blondie (NZ) (Belardo) returned to racing with a dominant front-running performance in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m) at Pukekohe on Sunday. The three-year-old showed real promise with placings in both of her two starts last spring. She was runner-up behind About A Girl at Tauranga in October, with subsequent Group Two winner About Time just behind her in third. In her only other start, Blondie ran a close third behind Tanganyika and Rezeki at Taupo in early November. After seven months on the sidelines, Blondie caught the eye with a three-length trial win at Pukekohe on June 25. That earned the Lauren Brennan-trained runner $1.60 favouritism for her raceday return on Sunday, and she produced a performance worthy of that strong support. Driven straight to the lead by jockey Billy Jacobson, Blondie dictated terms in front up to the home turn. Jacobson shook the reins at the top of the straight and Blondie kicked powerfully, quickly moving three or four lengths clear of her nearest rival. Despite drifting back towards the inside rail through the last 150m, Blondie maintained a commanding lead and crossed the finish line two and a half lengths in front of Flutterbelle. From three starts, Blondie has now recorded a win and two placings, earning $14,515 for her owner-breeder Greg McCarthy. Blondie was also eligible for the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series bonus that was attached to Sunday’s race. Out of the winning Stravinsky mare Muriwai, Blondie comes from a quality family built up by McCarthy. His Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) winner Francesca is a daughter of Muriwai’s half-sister Matagouri, while the highly talented multiple Group Three winner Ayrton – who McCarthy retained a share in when he was sold to Australian syndicators Roll The Dice Racing – is out of a half-sister to Blondie’s second dam. Blondie is a half-sister to the Brennan-trained Sir Sterling, who himself has won three races and has produced a number of notable performances in strong company, including a close and unlucky sixth in the Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) in January of last year. “Blondie is a filly that we’ve always had a lot of time for,” Brennan said. “She was a late foal, but when she came into the stable as a two-year-old, she already looked like a three-year-old. She was so well-developed, it was like she was a year above herself. “She’s quite similar to her half-brother Sir Sterling in that respect – both very strong, well-built horses. “Blondie showed plenty of ability from the get-go and has done everything we asked, but she had a chip taken out of her knee after those first couple of starts in the spring. That was why she had quite a lengthy spell and we’re only getting her up and going again now. For her to produce that sort of performance first-up today was quite impressive. “Being by Belardo, she obviously handles wet tracks well, so we’d like to think we could look at a few more races with her in this campaign. We haven’t really delved into it too much yet, we’ll just get her home and see how she comes through this before making any plans.” View the full article

Exciting filly Diablo Blanco (NZ) (Super Seth) made the perfect start to her new campaign with a comfortable victory in the Bevan Crombie Memorial (1200m) at Oamaru on Sunday. The daughter of Super Seth made her presence felt early in the juvenile season defeating subsequent stakes performer Dream Of The Moon, and rounded out a four-start campaign with a solid performance into fourth in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham, won by high-class filly Captured By Love. Returning to trainer Richard Didham’s Aylesbury base, Diablo Blanco was given a well-earned spell through the autumn before making her race-day return in the latter part of the season. With her previous credentials, Diablo Blanco closed a $2.10 favourite ahead of Mamaea, with debutants Matakana Perkynana, Pretending and Mr Pacquiao completing the small field. In the hands of Ashvin Goindasamy, the filly was swiftly into stride near the speed outside of Pretending, who set a steady tempo and was joined by Diablo Blanco who loomed strongly on the home turn. Matakana Perkynana was eye-catching late chasing the favourite gamely, but Diablo Blanco was too classy cruising to the line under hands and heels to score by three-quarters of a length. “I thought she was super, with just five runners it felt like a trial really so it was a good hit out for her,” Didham said. “Ashvin said she was cruising all the way, so I’m very pleased with how she’s hit the line and pulled up. “For a two-year-old, she acts like she’s four or five. She’s great to handle and has no bad traits at all.” Heading into the new season, Didham has high hopes for the filly, with the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) on September 14 a hopeful stepping stone towards the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) during New Zealand Cup Week in November. Diablo Blanco races in the distinctive Milan Park silks, representing Tony Rider who bred the filly alongside Little River Thoroughbreds. She is the fourth foal out of No Excuse Needed mare Phoebe Snow, who has produced another three-race winner in Miss Dixie. She has now recorded two wins and a minor placing from five starts, collecting $64,525 in stakes. View the full article

The New Zealand thoroughbred racing industry breathed a collective sigh of relief when the gates crashed open for the first on the card at Pukekohe on Sunday after a horror week that saw race meetings abandoned on four separate occasions. The fickle winter weather put paid to meetings at Hastings on Thursday and both Rotorua and New Plymouth on Saturday whilst a failure with the vehicle designated to tow the starting gates to Pukekohe on Wednesday saw that meeting also abandoned, with the replacement date set down for Sunday. Thankfully the meeting went ahead on the Heavy 10 surface and was kicked off with a hard-fought win by race favourite Sulabella (NZ) (Proisir) for Ruakaka trainer and part-owner Michelle Bradley. Sent out at odds of $2.30 on the tote, rider Kelly Myers had the daughter of Proisir situated beautifully in the slipstream of pacemaker Night Warrior throughout before issuing her challenge shortly after straightening. Sulabella strode clear but the toll of her 58kg impost began to tell on her in the closing stages as lightweight Jakama Krystal, carrying 8kgs less, began to eat into her lead however the winning post came up in time as Sulabella held on by half a length, with Night Warrior battling into third six lengths further astern. Bradley, who brought two runners to the meeting, was delighted to strike early on the programme as she had been worried about the very heavy nature of the track. “It is very testing out there which is a bit different to home as we have been going around on a Good 4 lately,” Bradley said. “She doesn’t need heavy tracks but can get through them ok and she did that well today. “She had been going nice races in behind them, so we took her to Rotorua last start where she won and took a heap of confidence from that. “It wasn’t originally the plan to come here but when we saw the nominations we took a punt, and it paid off. “We will take her home now and see how she pulls up as there are still a few meetings left up there over the winter months. “We may not back her up at the 3 August meeting but there is a lovely race for her over 1600m a fortnight later which will suit her depending on how the handicapper treats her for this win.” Bred by Cam and Eva Heron of Highline Thoroughbreds, Sulabella is out of the Conatus mare Amiga Mia and was purchased for $12,000 by Bradley out of Highline’s Book 2 Yearling Sale draft at Karaka in 2020. She has now won five of her 26 starts and just under $97,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

What Wagga Races Where Murrumbidgee Turf Club – Travers St, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 When Monday, July 22, 2024 First Race 12:35pm AEST Visit Dabble NSW racing heads to the Riverina region on Monday afternoon, with the Murrumbidgee Turf Club set to host a competitive eight-part program. The rail is out +6m between the 1400m marker to the winning post, while the remainder is in the true position the rest of the way around. The track is rated a Heavy 9 at the time of writing, but with minimal rainfall forecast in the lead-up, punters can anticipate an upgrade to the Soft range. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 12:35pm local time. Best Bet at Wagga: Bernay Although Bernay is winless heading into start nine, the Ben Brisbourne-trained mare appears ready to peak fourth-up into the campaign. The daughter of Invincible Spirit has been held back to the 900m at Albury in her last two starts, finding the journey too sharp as she hit the line well to be defeated by a combined 2.7 lengths. Getting back to the 1000m on firming ground should be ideal, and with Josh Richards likely to lob into the one-one from the soft draw (2), watch for Bernay to close off best in the Wagga opener. Best Bet Race 1 – #6 Bernay (2) 4yo Mare | T: Ben Brisbourne | J: Josh Richards (57kg) +180 with Picklebet Next Best at Wagga: Alchian After saluting in two of his last three starts, Alchian looks perfectly placed to add another win to the tally this preparation. The team Hayes-trained four-year-old got the head down where it mattered most in his latest performance on the synthetic surface at Ballarat on July 14 and did the job, lugging 61.5kg to victory. 3kg claiming apprentice Brittany Button takes the reins this time, and with the much-needed relief in the weights strengthening his chances, Alchian should prove hard to hold out in this BM74 contest. Next Best Race 3 – #1 Alchian (6) 4yo Gelding | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Brittany Button (a3) (60.5kg) +180 with Neds Best Value at Wagga: Lady Redwood Lady Redwood returns after a 243-day spell and brings an element of quality to this BM82 contest. The 1400m is well and truly short of her best trip based on her two wins coming over staying distances last campaign, but with the drop back to country grade a significant one after contesting metro company, the $71.00 with online bookmakers is simply too big to ignore. She’ll be doing her best work late, and although she might need the run before producing her best, Lady Redwood still warrants an each-way ticket in the Wagga finale. Best Value Race 8 – #1 Lady Redwood (12) 6yo Mare | T: Paul Murray | J: Olivia Chambers (a1.5) (60.5kg) +7000 with PlayUp Monday quaddie tips for the Wagga Wagga quadrella selections Monday, July 22, 2024 1-2-3-9-10 1-2-3-10 2-10-11-12-13 1-2-9-11 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

In her stakes debut, Iscreamuscream sets the pace in the one-mile San Clemente Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar, defeating Zona Verde and previously undefeated Medoro.View the full article

With two wins in as many starts, Iscreamuscream (Twirling Candy–Silver Screamer, by Cozzene) did not melt under the pressure as the filly took home the first graded win of her young career in the GII San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on opening day. After breaking her maiden at first asking last fall at Santa Anita, Iscreamuscream cleared the optional claiming ranks last month in Arcadia while sprinting on the grass. Ready to extend out to a mile and clocked in as the 6-5 choice, the 3-year-old shot to the lead and established herself through the backstretch. As the field began to bear down on her, the Phil D'Amato trainee turned up the heat through the lane and outlasted her stablemate Zona Verde (Ire) (Calyx {GB}). The final running time was 1:35.87. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. Sales History: $55,000 '22 KEESEP; $145,000 '23 OBSMAR. ISCREAMUSCREAM ($4.40) we all scream for graded stakes victories! The $200,000 San Clemente Stakes (G2) at @DelMarRacing went to the undefeated Twirling Candy (@LanesEndFarms) filly ridden by @HIBerrios! @PhilDamato11 conditioned for owners @lrfracing. pic.twitter.com/W52vrWLawM — FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) July 21, 2024 Saturday, Del Mar SAN CLEMENTE H.-GII, $202,500, Del Mar, 7-20, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.87, fm. 1–ISCREAMUSCREAM, 119, f, 3, by Twirling Candy 1st Dam: Silver Screamer (GSW, $314,245), by Cozzene 2nd Dam: West Sider, by Gone West 3rd Dam: Fariedah, by Topsider 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($9,000 RNA Wlg '21 KEENOV; $55,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $145,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR). O-Little Red Feather Racing, John Hundley Jr, Marsha Naify, John Snyder and Stacey Snyder; B-Hunter Rankin & Walker Hancock (KY); T-Philip D'Amato; J-Hector Isaac Berrios. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $189,600. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Zona Verde (Ire), 120, f, 3, Calyx (GB)–Namibie (GB), by Dark Angel (Ire). (30,000gns RNA Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables and Michael Nentwig; B-Knockainey Stud (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $40,000. 3–Medoro, 124, f, 3, Honor Code–Achira, by English Channel. O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Parks Investment Group, LLC (KY); T-Peter Eurton. $24,000. Margins: 3/4, HF, 2. Odds: 1.20, 9.00, 2.10. Also Ran: Sakura Blossom, Omaha Girl, Loterie (Ire), Invincible Molly (GB), Sea Dancer, Rascality, Flattery. Scratched: Alluring, Antifona (Fr). Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post Twirling Candy’s Iscreamuscream Refuses To Melt In San Clemente As Del Mar Opens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article