Wandering Eyes

It's been nearly 30 years since trainer Bob Baffert won his first GI Del Mar Debutante Stakes with Batroyale back in 1995. The Hall of Fame conditioner looks to have a stranglehold on this year's renewal of the seven-furlong contest, as he sends out a pair of big-money fillies, each campaigned by previous Debutante scorers. Front and center is 'TDN Rising Star' Nooni (Win Win Win), the $1.8-million topper from this year's OBS March Sale, who looks to become the second winner of the event in the last four years for Zedan Racing Stables, who also sent out 2020 OBS April topper and fellow 'Rising Star' Princess Noor (Not This Time) to take that year's Debutante. While the latter returned on short rest to dismantle her field, Nooni has two starts under her belt, a towering maiden success at Santa Anita June 13 ahead of a 1 1/2-length defeat of the re-opposing Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) in the local GIII Sorrento Stakes Aug. 10. Tenma (Nyquist) made $850,000 at this year's OBS April Sale and showed plenty of grit in graduating by a neck going 5 1/2 furlongs Aug. 14. The dark bay races in the colors of Baoma Corp., whose Bast (Uncle Mo) aired by nearly nine lengths in the 2019 Debutante. Drawn outside in the field of seven is 'TDN Rising Star' Jack's Magic Girl (Good Magic), who proved a professional winner of her one-mile debut over the local turf course Aug. 3. Connections give Saturday's Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf a miss in favor of this Grade I test on the main track, a surface over which she has always trained very well. The afternoon's other graded stakes is the GII John C. Mabee Stakes, which very much looks like a two-horse race between Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}), winner of three straight and six of eight on this circuit, and Didia (Arg) (Orpen), victorious in the GI New York Stakes two starts back and exiting a close fourth in the GI Diana Stakes at Saratoga July 13. Pair of BC Challenge Races Among Six KD Stakes It's another big afternoon of racing at Kentucky Downs, with six graded stakes on tap, including a couple of Breeders' Cup spots up for grabs. The $2-million GII Ainsworth Turf Sprint–with a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on the line–has lured this country's top grass sprinter in the form of Cogburn (Not This Time), winner of five of his six starts since switching surfaces, chief among them that jaw-dropping performance in the GI Jaipur Stakes at Saratoga June 8 where he completed the 5 1/2 furlongs in an other-worldly :59.80. His lone defeat on the turf happened to come in this event 12 months ago, where he was only fifth in a blanket finish behind Gear Jockey (Twirling Candy)–who was winning the race for the second time in three years–and One Timer (Trappe Shot), winner of the 2022 GII Franklin-Simpson Stakes. Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) was just beaten by Cogburn in the 2023 GIII Troy Stakes at the Spa, but won the Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial the following month before scoring at 12-1 in the Turf Sprint. The bay returned from a near nine-month absence to be a good fourth in a salty Saratoga allowance July 28 and can improve for the comebacker. Fitri Hay's Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) has just two wins from his last dozen starts, but they are a pair of doozies–an 80-1 upset of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last June before successfully defending in that test at odds of 14-1 this year. The GII Turf Cup, which offers the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, welcomes back its defending champ in the form of Get Smokin (Get Stormy), who proved not for catching when attempting this 12-furlong distance for the first time last September. His last-out victory in the July 20 GII United Nations Stakes has been flattered by a pair of subsequent stakes winners and he'll try to play catch me if you can, though the similarly speedy Balladeer (Distorted Humor) could be a fly in the ointment. Integration (Quality Road) is the 8-5 favorite on the morning line, but he tries to negotiate a mile and four furlongs for the first time in his career, having finished a sound second to Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the GI Arlington Million Aug. 11. Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was a close third to recent GIII Nashville Derby winner Bellum Justum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the Listed Blue Riband Trial at Epsom Apr. 23 and was the easy winner of the G3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh before struggling home 12th in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal Meeting June 21. The competition is considerably lighter here, but the hurdles are not insignificant. A field of 12 will head to the gate for this year's Franklin-Simpson, which carries Grade I status for the first time. Speed has been playing favorably over the course of the first few days of the meeting at Kentucky Downs, and that could play into the hands of the fleet Joe Shiesty (Air Force Blue). Having employed front-running tactics to win a pair of races over the Turfway synthetic track over the winter, the bay gelding ran them off their feet in the May 1 William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs. He stubbed his toe when seventh against his elders in the KD Preview Turf Sprint at Ellis Aug. 4, but he is back with his own age group today and is capable of an upset. Mansa Musa (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) was second to the outstanding filly Star of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) in Saratoga's GIII Quick Call Stakes July 14, finishing one spot ahead of Fandom (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), who turned the tables in the Mahony Stakes Aug. 11. Howard Wolowitz (Munnings) graduated by a big margin over the Gulfstream Tapeta June 22 and exits a troubled fourth in the Mahony. Resolute Racing's Pounce (Lookin At Lucky) rates the marquee in the GII Music City Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs and she cuts back in trip off a victory in the one-mile GIII Lake George Stakes at Saratoga July 20. Vive Veuve (Collected) charged home to be third in the Lake George, while Canadian raider Time to Dazzle (Not This Time) is a threat if running back to her 11-1 upset of the GIII Ontario Colleen Stakes at Woodbine July 27. One More Go On the Grass For the Virginia Derby During last month's Arlington Million program, it was revealed that the 2025 Virginia Derby will be staged during a March mini-meet at Colonial Downs on the main track as a qualifying points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. A field of 12 that lacks a true standout is set to load the gate for Saturday's final renewal over the inner turf course in New Kent County. 'TDN Rising Star' Deterministic (Liam's Map) is the 3-1 morning-line favorite and looked a real candidate for the Classics when running out a two-length winner of the GIII Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in March. Well-beaten in two subsequent tries on the dirt, the $625,000 Keeneland September grad has shown promise on the grass, finishing second to Neat (Constitution) in the GIII Manila Stakes on June 29 ahead of a third to Carson's Run (Cupid) in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes Aug. 11. He is capable, but needs to show he can finish the job. Should he falter, Florida invader Grand Mo the First (Uncle Mo) could prove the beneficiary. A distant third in the GI Curlin Florida Derby and never a factor in the GI Kentucky Derby, he made a smooth transition to the turf with a battling success in the Aug. 3 Bears Den Stakes at Gulfstream. Others in with a fighting chance include Zverev (Oscar Performance), a troubled sixth to Neat in the GII Hall of Fame Stakes Aug. 2; and Herchee (Twirling Candy), perfect in two starts and cross-entered for Sunday's $1.5-million Gun Runner Stakes at Kentucky Downs. The post Sales-Topping Nooni Goes For Three Straight In DMR Debutante appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Following its inaugural Media & Content Cohort Training in April, Light Up Racing has expanded its fall tour with new sessions to be held at Santa Anita Sept. 29-30, and at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga location Oct. 3-4., Light Up said in a Friday release. Each cohort brings together a diverse group of up to 25 participants from across the industry, including trainers, owners, media professionals, and influencers, all united by a shared commitment to promoting the sport's brighter future and to help shape a positive public perception. “This program isn't just about learning skills–it's about shifting the narrative,” said Vicky Leonard of the Kick Collective. “We're empowering participants to become confident, compelling ambassadors for horse racing, bringing transparency and positivity to the forefront of the conversation.” Over two days, participants will build their personal brands, hone their storytelling skills, and learn the art of creating engaging, impactful content that resonates with modern audiences. “Our goal is simple: to give participants not just tools, but the confidence to wield those tools effectively,” Leonard said. “When they walk away from this training, they won't just have skills–they'll have a voice, a perspective, and a community standing with them.” Click here for more information. The post Light Up Racing Expands Media And Content Cohort Training Into The Fall appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Runner-up to Getaway Car in the Best Pal Stakes (G3) on dirt, Bow River Ranch's Mischief River switches surfaces in the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes (G3T) Sept. 8.View the full article

The Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, the select races that will determine the preference list for the 151st Kentucky Derby, is out, Churchill Downs said in a press release on Friday. During a special meeting at Colonial Downs, the Virginia Derby–occupying a spot on the racing calendar that was previously void of any qualifying races on Saturday, Mar. 15–is the latest addition to the schedule. The race will award 105 points to the top five finishers including 50 points to the winner. As for the Road to the Kentucky Derby prep schedule, which begins Saturday, Sept. 14 with the GIII Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, those races annually award a sliding scale of points to the top five finishing positions. At the conclusion of the series, the leaderboard will determine the preference list for entries into the 20-horse field. In addition to the primary 36-race Road to the Kentucky Derby series, there are two separate series that carve out potential spots for international horses from Japan, Europe and the United Arab of Emirates. The European Road to the Derby has been rebranded as the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Apr. 5 running of the G2 UAE Derby has been removed from America's primary Road to the Kentucky Derby and will now conclude this newly-rebranded stand-alone series that will carve out two invitations to the top point earners. Additionally, the Cardinal Condition Stakes at Chelmsford City has been removed from the series and, instead, the winner will receive an automatic berth in the starting gate for the GII American Turf Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard. No changes were made to the stand-alone Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Six horses based in Japan have competed in the Derby since the series debuted in 2017. Two other rule changes have been instituted. In the event a Championship Series race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks is run with a five-horse field, only 75% of the points will be proportionally awarded. A Championship Series race field with four or less horses will be proportionally awarded 50% of the total points. As for entry into the GI Kentucky Oaks, the Virginia Oaks will be run on the Virginia Derby undercard and become a qualifier for that the 33-race series. Click here for the complete Derby prep schedule. The post 36-Race Kentucky Derby Prep Schedule Released By Churchill Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

3rd-DMR, 75K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 5:30 p.m. One of two entries for trainer Bob Baffert, the New York-bred ZABO (Justify) sold to Zedan Racing for $700,000 at OBS March earlier this year from the Chester and Mary Broman consignment. The colt is the first foal out of MSW/GSP Pauseforthecause (Giant's Causeway) who earned nearly $550,000 in her career and is herself a daughter of MSW/GISP Spritely (Touch Gold). After bringing just $100,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September, Zabo impressed with a sharp quarter-mile breeze in :20.2. Joining him to the outside is stablemate King's Road (Quality Road), a $525,000 Keeneland September grad for the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables. The dam is a half-sister to GSW Mrs. Danvers (Tapit) and from the family of MGSW/MGISP Teammate (A.P. Indy) and, most notably, GSW/GISP and prolific turf sire War Front (Danzig). TJCIS PPS 6th-DMR, 75K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 7:00 p.m. Another Baffert pair gets on the main track later in the card with Into Midnight (Into Mischief) breaking from the gate under Victor Espinoza. Dam Midnight Lucky, bought as a yearling at Saratoga by Mike Pegram for $200,000, would take both the GI Acorn Stakes and the GI Humana Distaff Stakes in her racing career. The family includes GISW and $2.9m Stonestreet broodmare buy Hookedonthefeelin (Citidancer) and her progeny MGISW Pussycat Doll (Real Quiet) and GISW and sire Jimmy Creed (Distorted Humor). Stablemate Yaqin (Nyquist), a $525,000 OBS April grad for Zedan Racing, is out of a half-sister to the late Laoban (Uncle Mo) and to the dam of Canadian champion 2-year-old colt Mr. Hustle (Declaration of War). TJCIS PPS 4th-CNL, 60K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 2:30 p.m. Another son of Justify debuts on the grass as Marshal, a $600,000 Keeneland September purchase for Pin Oak Stud, makes the races Saturday on Colonial Downs' closing weekend. From three foals to race, dam Durga Devi (Ire), who is a half to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Wrote (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), has produced a Scandinavian champion 2-year-old colt in Downtown Leo (Speightstown) and Saudi Arabian winner Sa'aeid (Munnings). TJCIS PPS The post Saturday Insights: Baffert Brings A Strong Hand Into Del Mar’s Closing Weekend appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority released a statement about the Parx Racing turf course after officials and racetrack surface experts examined it earlier this week. View the full article

The seventh installment in the 2024 OwnerView webinar series was held Sept. 3 and discussed the pros and cons that come with buying and racing on an international stage.View the full article

Best Pal Stakes (G3) winner Getaway Car will likely be the favorite in the Del Mar Futurity (G1). He has leading Del Mar rider Juan Hernandez aboard.View the full article

Blinkers on and a switch back to rider Luis Saez drew the best out of Safeen, who set a track record in winning the $453,575 One Dreamer Stakes Sept. 5 at Kentucky Downs.View the full article

Pinhooking is a risky old business, but then again, so is breeding. Pinhookers at least have the chance to observe a live animal in front of them, watch them walk up and down and make their judgments accordingly. Those who have been around young stock for many a year can make an educated guess as to how a particular youngster may continue to develop, and work out if there are certain aspects which can be helped though improved nutrition or judicious farriery. Then there are the random elements, for better or worse, over which they have no control: illness, injury, a sire suddenly going hot or cold, or a major update in the family. These are early days in this year's yearling season, with plenty of major sales yet to come, and while the expansion of the sales season to its current crowded calendar is often rued by participants, there are clearly more than enough horses being bred to create strong demand for places. Whether there are enough buyers to go round will be the more salient point and, following a recent steady rise in the foal crop numbers, it would be no surprise to see those figures drop again if the current season continues as it has begun. Following an eight-day period in which 886 yearlings passed through the ring in Doncaster and Newmarket, at two pretty comparable sales, it is worth taking a look at how the pinhookers have fared so far at that more commercial end of the market. While these workings cannot be completely accurate to the pound, euro or guinea, they are more than just scribbles on the back of a cigarette packet and take in the prices listed by the sales companies at the time of foal and yearling sales,. We have added a running cost of £12,000 for keep, feed, veterinary, shoeing, sales prep and sales entry fees. Depending on whether someone has their own farm, or where they choose to board a horse, will obviously mean that costs for each individual can vary significantly. And it is worth noting that sometimes a horse can appear to be bought and sold by different names but have actually not changed ownership at all. With these caveats, let's call this an overview of the pinhooking situation so far. We'll deal with the two British yearling sales first. Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale Sale as a whole: 460 lots offered 381 sold (83%) £15,047,500 turnover £39,495 average £30,000 median 145 lots pinhooked as foals: 54 made a profit (37%) 86 sold at a loss (59%) Five broke even Average profit £20,800 Average loss £17,500 A pinhooking highlight here was provided by lot 167, the daughter of Churchill (Ire) who had been bought for €22,000 as a foal and sold by Peter Nolan to Richard Ryan on behalf of Teme Valley Racing for £100,000. Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale Sale as a whole: 426 lots offered 316 sold (74%) 9,101,715gns turnover (£9,556,800) 28,252gns average (£29,664) 22,000gns median (£23,100) 118 pinhooked as foals: 34 made a profit (29%) 79 sold at a loss (67%) Five broke even Average profit 18,670gns (£19,600) Average loss 17,750gns (£18,600) There was much praise for teenager Ruairi Kilmartin, who bought a Dark Angel (Ire) filly for €7,000 at Goffs last November and sold her to Paul Corrigan for 70,000gns at Tattersalls with a nice update provided by full-sister Heritage House (Ire). The European season of course kicked off in France in August with Arqana's elite yearling sale. At this level, there are fewer pinhooks but they have naturally been bought for higher prices as foals. The risks are greater but so too can be the rewards. The picture does indeed look quite different here, with the profitable transactions outweighing the loss-makers, but pinhooking at this level is a brave man's (or woman's) game. Al Shaqab Racing's €400,000 purchase of lot 315, a Camelot (GB) colt out of Soul Music (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), provided a great return for Kildaragh Stud. He had been bought for €80,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale. Arqana August Yearling Sale Sale as a whole: 292 lots offered 226 sold (77%) €50,577,000 turnover €216,881 average €140,000 median 30 pinhooked as foals: 20 made a profit (66.6%) 10 made a loss (33.3%) Average profit €124,650 Average loss €74,200 Pinhooking, for some, has become almost as much of a sport as actually racing a horse, and the experienced participants are a hardy breed. Behind the headlines, there are plenty who appear to have had their fingers burned, though the extent of that is also hard to ascertain as many pinhookers work in syndicates to spread the risk, with one decent sale often keeping the whole operation afloat if a few don't make the grade. Whether the dabblers will be put off by recent results will only become apparent as the foal sales get underway later this year, and in the meantime the breeze-up buyers have already been making the presence felt and will doubtless be active during Keeneland's September Yearling Sale, which starts on Monday. The post Pinhooking: Paradise or Purgatory? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Juddmonte General Manager Garrett O'Rourke joined an OwnerView panel Sept. 3, which included Peter Bradley of Bradley Thoroughbreds and Medallion Racing Manager Phillip Shelton, to discuss the international racing market, the online conference said in a Friday release by the Jockey Club of America who co-hosts the series. During the event O'Rourke was asked about Juddmonte's process when it comes to where they race their horses and how they decide to keep certain stock either abroad or in the U.S. “It used to be, years ago, sometimes when Lasix was allowed over here [the United States], we would bring a horse that maybe needed Lasix, but that's not an issue anymore,” said O'Rourke. A Q&A, sponsored by West Point Thoroughbreds, allowed attendees to post questions, which were then answered at the conclusion of the webinar. Co-hosted by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Stoll Keenon Ogden, and The Green Group, the panel was sponsored by Centennial Farms and Coolmore America. Click here to access past videos and for a schedule of upcoming presentations. The post OwnerView Webinar Covers International Market, Includes Garrett O’Rourke appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Oct. 27 G3 Herbst-Stutenpreis will now be sponsored by Arqana, the sales company announced on Friday. The winner of the 2200-metre race for fillies and mares ages three and above will receive a free entry into the Arqana Vente d'Elevate that takes place on Dec. 7-10. Arqana will also partner the owner and breeder festival to be held at Hannover Racecourse in Germany on “Race Day of the Studs”. Arqana's bloodstock director Ludovic Cornuel said, “We are delighted to be sponsoring the Herbst-Stutenpreis and to be associated with the breeding symposium being held that same weekend in Hannover. This race meeting is an important time of the year for German breeders and owners, and we are delighted to be able to be part of it. Every year, high-quality horses from Germany are entrusted to us in the sales ring and we welcome many German buyers to Deauville. We are therefore delighted to support the German breeding industry, which produces top-class horses year after year that go on to excel on the international stage.” Gregor Baum, president of the German Owners and Breeders association and president of Hannover Racecourse added, “We are pleased and grateful, that Arqana supports the owner and breeder festival as one of the main sponsors. This shows great appreciation from one of Europe's most important auction companies for the German racing and thoroughbred breeding.” The post Arqana To Sponsor Herbst-Stutenpreis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Stonestreet Farm has had plenty of stacked rosters going into Book 1 of the Keeneland September Sale, but the farm's longtime bloodstock advisor John Moynihan estimates that this year's class of of yearlings is among the best that the operation has ever presented to the market. “It's rare that you get the physical horse with these amazing pedigrees because so many times you get a physical and you don't have the pedigree or you get the pedigree but you don't have the physical,” Moynihan reflected. “We're very fortunate this year to have some absolutely amazing physicals that also have some of the best pedigrees you'll find at Keeneland this year. I hope people are as excited as we are about them because we think they're very, very special.” Among the nine Book 1-bound Stonestreet yearlings, three are out of Grade I winners and six are siblings of Grade I winners. Early in the first session on Monday Sept. 9, all eyes will be on Hip 25, an Into Mischief daughter of Stonestreet's Broodmare of the Year Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy). The Gainesway-consigned filly is the first of her dam's progeny to go to auction since two-time Eclipse champion Malathaat (Curlin) graced the same sales ring in 2019 and sold to Shadwell for $1.05 million. Dreaming of Julia–herself out of one of Stonestreet's foundation mares in Grade I victress Dream Rush (Wild Rush)–is also responsible for MGSW Julia Shining (Curlin) and she has several other young fillies in the pipeline (more on Stonestreet's monarch mare here). “The Into Mischief-Dreaming of Julia filly is out of one of our storied families in Dream Rush and Dreaming of Julia,” said Moynihan. “Rarely do we sell fillies out of this family. This filly has amazing value as a racing prospect. She has amazing value residually as a broodmare prospect. I would have to believe she's one of the most special filly offerings coming up this year at Keeneland.” Yet another progeny of a Stonestreet-campaigned Grade I winner who went on to produce a Grade I winner, Hip 347 is a colt by Curlin out of three-time Grade I winner Cavorting (Bernardini). The earner of over $2 million on the racetrack, Cavorting has since produced three stakes horses from three horses to race. Stonestreet's three-time Grade I victress Clairiere (Curlin) leads the charge, followed by her younger siblings La Crete (Medaglia d'Oro) and Judge Miller (Curlin), who ran third in this year's GII Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes. Cavorting's Curlin yearling will be consigned by Indian Creek. “Cavorting is a 100% stakes producer,” noted Moynihan. “This yearling is a full to Clairiere and Judge Miller and he's a fabulous physical. I just can't imagine a horse with a better pedigree that stacks up physically to this horse at Keeneland.” Moynihan explained that yearlings out of mares like Dreaming of Julia and Cavorting illustrate how the Stonestreet program has advanced since it was first founded by the late Jess Jackson and his wife Barbara Banke two decades ago. “These are fruits that we planted 10, 15 years ago,” he said. “You take mares like Dream Rush and so on and you see what she's produced and what her daughters have produced with Dreaming of Julia and others. It's what we strove to do when Jess and Barbara started Stonestreet and it is now coming to fruition. Knowing the female families that we've had over the years and seeing the good horses that have come out of it, in my opinion every year it tends to get a little better. In a lot of businesses that's not the case, but we've constantly tried to replenish our broodmare band and we're constantly trying to make things better.” It's impossible to think back on the early days of Stonestreet's racing stable without remembering Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro). At this year's September Sale, the champion mare will be represented by a granddaughter in Hip 175. By Quality Road, the Summerfield-consigned filly is out of Stonestreet's homebred GI Spinaway Stakes victress Rachel's Valentina (Bernardini). Last year, Rachel's Valentina was responsible for an Into Mischief colt that sold for $1.5 million to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. That colt has yet to race but has been named Valentinian. An Into Mischief colt out of Catch the Moon keeps an eye on the camera as he comes in from turnout | Sara Gordon Also selling in Book 1 next week, Stonestreet will offer a filly from the first crop of Charlatan out of Rachel Alexandra's full-sister Samantha Nicole as Hip 195. Moynihan pointed to Hip 345 as another stellar physical with a pedigree to match. The son of Into Mischief is out of Catch the Moon (Malibu Moon), the dam of four graded stakes winners including Grade I victor and young sire Girvin (Tale of Ekati) and the late MGIP Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow). “This colt looks like he could be super precocious,” Moynihan said. “He looks blazing fast to me. To have an Into Mischief colt that physically looks like this horse and is a half to an up-and-coming stallion in Girvin, I think the sky is the limit for success on the racetrack or for someone in the thought process of buying a horse that could end up being an amazing stallion prospect down the road.” Other Stonestreet yearlings offered in Book 1 that are siblings to Grade I winners include Hip 161, a Curlin half-sister to champion sprinter Gamine (Into Mischief); Hip 318, a Curlin filly out of Grade II winner Authenticity (Quiet American), the dam of Grade I victor and sire Charlatan (Speightstown); and Hip 319, a full-sister to dual Grade I victor and young sire Cyberknife (Gun Runner). Of Hip 319, Moynihan said, “Cyberknife won the Haskell and the Arkansas Derby. I had seen him and he was a very nice physical. We bought the mare carrying this filly and I was hoping that the foal would be of similar quality. She's absolutely gorgeous. She's a little bit of a later foal, but she still looks like she'd be precocious. Amazing presence, amazing athleticism. For me, she's as good as it gets for a filly.” When it comes to presenting their yearlings to the market, Moynihan said it is the processes leading up to the sale and the events that come after the drop of the hammer that matter most. “We raise our horses to be racehorses,” he said. “They spend the majority of their time outside. Robert [Turner, Stonestreet Yearling Manager] and his crew have done an amazing job, as they do every year, in bringing the horses to market and letting every horse develop at their own pace. A huge sales price is great, but our main objective is to breed these horses so they're successful on the racetrack. That's the most important thing.” A Breeder's Philosophy A full-sister to Grade I victor and sire Cyberknife (left) poses with a Charlatan filly out of GSW I'm a Looker (Henny Hughes) | Sara Gordon At the helm of Stonestreet's prolific operation, Barbara Banke is eager for the Keeneland September Book 1 action to begin next week. “I'm proud of the fact that we're bringing the best to the market and the best for Keeneland, helping make Book 1 of this year a really fantastic book,” she said. “It's one that is a must for anybody that is in the horse business.” The art of choosing which yearlings to sell and which horses to campaign in the Stonestreet silks is something that Banke and advisors like Moynihan have been working to perfect over the years. Some fillies are retained to go to the farm's broodmare band someday, but the vast majority of Stonestreet's yearlings, both colts and fillies, go to auction. “People ask us sometimes why some of these fillies are coming to auction and why wouldn't we be keeping them,” said Moynihan. “If we have fillies out of families, we may retain a filly here and there to replenish our broodmare band because that's what keeps Stonestreet's breeding program going, but we sell roughly 90% of the yearlings that we produce every year.” Moynihan explained that oftentimes fillies with world-class pedigrees are sold in order to diversify the female families represented within the broodmare band and to allow maximal opportunities for Stonestreet to support its stallion interests. “Our philosophy is that with our current stallion interest, a lot of those fillies can't be bred back to the same stallion that they are by, so we can sell those fillies,” he said. “We're more apt to keep an Into Mischief filly than we are a Curlin filly.” Stonestreet continually supports its perennial leading sire Curlin and has interests in other sires on the rise like Good Magic and Charlatan. Along with the Curlin half-sisters to Gamine and Charlatan, Stonestreet will also offer Hip 10, a Curlin filly out of Grade I-placed Dawn the Destroyer (Speightstown), in Book 1. “I like seeing our horses compete on the racetrack and I have sold some wonderful champions like Malathaat and Gamine,” Banke said. “I sold Good Magic and retained part of him. I'm proud of all of our horses that compete on the racetrack, whether we have a part of them or not.” “All the yearlings that we bring to market we stand behind to the point where I'm sure people realize that we've liked them so much that we've kept parts of them,” added Moynihan. “That's how much we believe in the product that we produce, so I think that says an abundance of things in respect to prospective buyers and how they should look at our horses.” In recent headlines, Stonestreet bred and later retained a piece of Prince of Monaco (Speightstown), a $950,000 yearling at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. The winner of the GI Del Mar Futurity at two, the colt has placed second in the GI Woody Stephens Stakes and GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes so far this year. Continuing the Legacy A morning at Stonestreet Farm's yearling division in Versailles, Kentucky | Sara Gordon On the eve of ship-in day for the Book 1 yearlings, Banke was out at the Stonestreet yearling division for one final at-home inspection. By her side was her son, Chris Jackson. Jackson followed in the footsteps of his parents with his own passion for wine-making, but over the years he has also developed an interest in the Thoroughbred side of the family business. Jackson said the launching point for his own passion for the sport was Curlin's Hall of Fame-worthy career. “It's a lot of fun when you get to watch champions compete, when you think about Curlin or Rachel Alexandra or some of the homebreds that we've been able to compete like Good Magic and Lady Aurelia,” he said. “Watching them has been what has got me hooked in the sport.” Jackson spends the majority of his time in California, where he is the Proprietor and Family Ambassador for Jackson Family Wines. His role encompasses everything from sales and marketing to production and the wine-making itself. Jackson said there are plenty of comparisons between raising Thoroughbreds and producing wine. “Both wine and Thoroughbreds take a long-term vision,” he explained. “In the instance of Thoroughbreds, you're breeding top mares with top stallions and trying to build the integrity of your genetic pool. With wine-making, you're working with top vineyards and trying to make the best wine that you can. Both take patience and an eye towards quality.” Jackson will not be in Lexington for much of the Keeneland Sale as September is the heart of harvest season in California, but he will be supporting from afar. “It has been a lot of highs and a lot of lows, but I am so proud of my mother,” he said. “My mother is a big believer in the fact that if you have a horseperson's attitude and you invest in the Thoroughbred first, quality shows over time.” The post Stonestreet Poised for a Book One to Remember appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A pair of races from the abandoned Salisbury meeting on Thursday have been rescheduled for Friday, Sept. 13, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced on Friday. The £45,000 G3 Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes and the £35,000 Listed Quidhampton Maiden Fillies' Stakes will both move to the Salisbury meeting on Sept. 13. The Dick Poole will be shown live on ITV Racing. Original entries for both races have been cancelled and the races will re-open for new entries tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 7, closing at 12 noon along with the rest of the eight-race card. The post Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes Rescheduled For Sept. 13 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Aidan O'Brien trainee Ballet Slippers (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the first foal produced by multiple Group 1-winning distaffer Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), shed maiden status at the third attempt in Friday's Wesco Anixter EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes at Ascot. She had previously encountered the 'TDN Rising Star' displays of Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Falling Snow (Ire) (Justify) in outings at the Curragh in July and August and, without anything of that calibre in opposition, justified 1-4 favouritism with a one-length defeat of Music Piece (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the one-mile contest. Sparkling pedigree! Ballet Slippers, who is a daughter of Dubawi and Magical, gets off the mark on the third attempt at @Ascot for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien… pic.twitter.com/b6oj41UbDn — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 6, 2024 The post Dubawi Daughter of Magical Sheds Maiden Status at Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Recent Japanese transplant Palace Malice covered 262 mares in his first season at Darley Japan, the stud announced. The 2013 GI Belmont Stakes-winning son of Curlin has already enjoyed success in the Land of the Rising Sun with his progeny. Jantar Mantar (Jpn) is a winner of the G1 NHK Mile Cup this year and the 2023 G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes the same term he was crowned Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Colt. Palace Malice, who stood for ¥3,500,000 (€22,139) in 2024, also has the Japanese Group 3 winner Noble Roger to his credit. Seven of his eight Japanese runners have found the winner's circle. Another new stallion for the 2024 season, fellow former American-based stallion Yoshida (Jpn), bred 131 mares. Descended from Sunday Silence through Heart's Cry (Jpn), the 10-year-old has four stakes winners worldwide, led by GII Lake Placid Stakes scorer Grayosh. Japanese champion Tower Of London (Jpn), a son of Raven's Pass, covered 172 mares. His eldest foals are juveniles. The remainder of the Darley roster covered less than a hundred mares apiece: Will Take Charge (86), whose eldest Japanese-bred foals are now yearlings, solid dirt sire Pyro (74), Japanese Champion Sprinter Fine Needle (Jpn) (61), first-year stallions Hukum (Ire) (58), a multiple Group 1 winner, and G1 Derby winner Adayar (Ire)'s first foals will arrive next spring (69). Other Darley stallions include dual G1 Dubai World Cup hero Thunder Snow (Ire) (45), American Patriot (68) and GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Talismanic (GB) at 56. The post Palace Malice Leads Darley Japan Roster With 262 Mares Bred appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Construction that began earlier this summer on three horse show arenas is nearing completion in the Santa Anita Park infield and will not affect training or racing at the track, according to a Wednesday 1/ST Racing press release. Led by track consultant Dennis Moore, the construction will not impact morning training or afternoon racing as the Autumn Meet opens at the end of September. The arenas will be used for the first time in collaboration with The Lugano Diamonds Split Rock Jumping Tour, and will feature two weeks of back-to-back international competition beginning in mid-November. The events will mark the return of international show jumping to Santa Anita since the track was the host venue for the equestrian events during the 1984 Olympic Games. The post Horse Show Arenas In Santa Anita Park’s Infield Almost Complete 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, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Saturday at Kentucky Downs and Del Mar: Saturday, September 7, 2024 KY Downs 1, $170k, 2yo, f, 6 1/2fT, 12:30 p.m. ET Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze Close Up (Demarchelier {GB})-AE, OBSAPR, 135,000, :10 C-Majestic, agent; B-Victory Racing Partners Del Mar 3, $75k, 2yo, 1mT, 5:30 p.m. ET Zabo (Justify), OBSMAR, 700,000, :20 2/5 C-Pick View LLC, agent; B-Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing DMR Debutante-GI, $300k, 2yo, f, 7f, 6:00 p.m. ET Jack's Magic Girl (Good Magic), OBSAPR, 100,000, :10 1/5 C-Eddie Woods, agent; B-Osbaldo Jauregui Nooni (Win Win Win), OBSMAR, 1,800,000, :20 1/5 C-Ocala Stud; B-Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing Proud Starlet (Mendelssohn), OBSAPR, 220,000, :9 4/5 C-Randy Miles, agent; B-Trevor Smith So There She Was (Munnings), OBSMAR, 100,000, :10 1/5 C-Gene Recio, agent; B-Steve Rothblum, agent for Mark Davis Tenma (Nyquist), OBSAPR, 850,000, :9 4/5 C-Wavertree Stables (C Dunne), agt; B-D Lanni, agt Baoma Corp DMR JuvFlTurf S., $100k, 2yo, f, 1mT, 6:30 p.m. ET Apocalyptic (Cairo Prince), OBSMAR, 50,000, :10 1/5 C-Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, agent; B-Meah/Lloyd Bloodstock, agent for Starry Night Racing Caitlin Fever (Caracaro), OBSMAR, 52,000, :21 4/5 C-Omega Farm, agent; B-Peter Miller, agent Casalu (Caracaro), OBSAPR, 775,000, :20 2/5 C-Global Thoroughbreds LLC, agent; B-Three Amigos Global Consort (Global Campaign), OBSMAR, 70,000, :10 2/5 C-Woodside Ranch, agent; B-R Baltas, agt for Paula Capestro Madonna of Loreto (Caravaggio), FTMMAY, 175,000, :10 1/5 C-Scanlon Training & Sales, agent; B-LRF Racing, John Dowd, agt Twirling Light (Twirling Candy), OBSMAR, 600,000, :10 C-Eddie Woods, agent; B-Jet Horse LLC, Peter Miller, agent Del Mar 6, $75k, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 7:00 p.m. ET Charlie's to Blame (Blame), FTMMAY, 400,000, :10 1/5 C-Top Line Sales LLC, agent; B-Dennis O'Neill Elusive Moon (Malibu Moon), OBSAPR, 125,000, :10 1/5 C-Scanlon Training & Sales, agent; B-P & L Amestoy & Dr P Jenson Start Mo Up (Mo Town), OBSMAR, 36,000, :10 1/5 C-Dynasty Thoroughbreds; B-J Kejzerowicz, agt Randy Gootzeit Yaqin (Nyquist), OBSAPR, 525,000, :10 C-GOP Racing Stable Corp; B-D Lanni, agt Zedan Racing Stable The post Summer Breezes, Sponsored By OBS: September 7, 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Venerable galloper Lion’s Roar (NZ) (Contributer) has added the Listed Wyong Cup (2100m) to his trophy cabinet for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton. Ridden by Jason Collett, the son of Contributer sat off the leader Camaguey throughout before getting the better of his rivals in the home straight despite lumping 59kg topweight. The seven-year-old gelding had just over half a length to spare over Luncies (Iffraaj), with the Gr.1 VRC Derby winner Manzoice (Almanzor) back in third. A Group One winner at three, Lion’s Roar has been a great money-spinner for connections with A$2,306,445 in prize money care of his six wins and ten placings and care of his Wyong Cup win gains a start in the A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on November 5. “He has been a tremendous horse for Champion Thoroughbreds and our stable,” O’Shea said. “He gets into the Big Dance, so we look forward to getting him there on Melbourne Cup Day. “Jason is riding in sensational form. He is riding confidently, and we are lucky to be associated with him.” O’Shea, in conjunction with Jason Abrahams of Champion Thoroughbreds, purchased the Peter Gillespie-bred son of Contributer from the Book 2 draft of Wellfield Lodge for $65,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling sale. O’Shea knew a thing or two about Contributer, having trained the son of High Chaparral to Group One victories in the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) and Ranvet Stakes (2000m), and described Lion’s Roar as very much in the mould of his father. Lion’s Roar is out of the four-time winning Black Minnaloushe mare, Minnaleo, a half-sister to Group One performer Vaquera (NZ) (High Chaparral), with both out of the Group One winner The Mighty Lions (NZ) (Grosvenor). View the full article

The Challenge, presented by GaineswayView the full article

Seven milers will go to post for Sunday's G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, with Nurlan Bizakov's G1 Queen Anne Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois hero Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) set to lock horns with Godolphin's G1 2,000 Guineas and G1 Sussex Stakes winner Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Godolphin also have the Andre Fabre-trained multiple group winner Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}), whose forward-going tendency will complement Charlie Appleby's hold-up merchant, while Ballydoyle's G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes winner and G1 St James's Palace Stakes runner-up Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) bids for redemption having been a disappointing fourth as favourite for the Sussex. Nurlan Bizakov is also represented by the Christopher Head-trained dual group 3 scorer Ramadan (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), Francois Rohaut saddles Patrick Sabban's progressive 5-year-old Caramelito (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) and the Wertheimers' 2023 G1 Prix de la Foret heroine Kelina (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) completes the line-up. Soft ground is almost a certainty after heavy rain hit the Paris track on Thursday. The post Charyn And Notable Speech Clash On In The Moulin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Race 9 ST JOHNS CLUB 2060m SMOKIN MO (O Bossom) – Trainer Mr. A Meadows reported to Stewards, on return to the stable SMOKIN MO underwent farrier attention which revealed a foot abscess to the left fore foot and receiving the appropriate treatment. A Meadows further advised it is his intention to continue on with SMOKIN MO’S current preparation once the abscess subsides. The post Wanganui Jockey Club @ Wanganui, Saturday 31 August 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

There are 12 horse racing meetings set for Australia on Saturday, September 7. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Moonee Valley, Randwick, Doomben, Belmont & Birdsville. Saturday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – September 7, 2024 Moonee Valley Racing Tips Randwick Racing Tips Doomben Racing Tips Belmont Racing Tips Birdsville Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on September 7, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you prepared to lose today? Full terms. 2 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 3 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble Have a Dabble with friends! Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Recommended! Bet365 Signup Code GETON 4 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. 5 Next Gen Racing Betting PickleBet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. 6 Bet With A Boom BoomBet Daily Racing Promotions – Login to view! Join Boombet Review 18+ Gamble responsibly. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place. Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article

Everyone enjoys a winter holiday in the sun and racehorses appear to be no different. A case in point is the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel) who runs first-up in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday. The contrast between I Wish I Win’s past two winters could not be more telling after the sprinter spent one in the cold in Victoria and another in the warmth of Queensland. Admittedly I Wish I Win raced further into winter this year than he did last, but Coleman said the difference from one year to the next has been very different. “When he came back in from his spell last year, he was a hairy little beast that looked like a Shetland pony you had pulled out of the back paddock,” Coleman said. “This year he came back in and has had a beautiful coat the whole way through. “I can always tell at the start of his preparations, he’s normally fat and lazy, whereas this time he’s been pretty switched on the whole time. “That’s when you know he’s ready to go, he switches on in his work from being a lazy slob.” I Wish I Win already has a slot in The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 19 and after Saturday it will be off to the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on September 27. Coleman expects the 1000m on Saturday to be too short, but I Wish I Win can do the amazing, like when running second to Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) first-up in last year’s Gr.1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington. “He’s not screwed down and we’ve still got six weeks until Grand Final Day,” Coleman said. “But he’s such a talented horse, nothing is off the table with him. We saw what he did up the straight at Flemington when we thought they would be way too sharp as well. “You don’t want him to have a gut-buster, so we’ll be bearing that in mind. As long as he’s finishing strongly, taking fitness improvement and pulling up well, that’s what we’ll be looking to see.” View the full article

Grant Cooksley won the Gr.1 Westbury Stud Tarzino Trophy (1400m) as a jockey seven years ago aboard the Shelley Hale-trained Close Up, and on Saturday he will vie to capture the Hastings feature as a trainer. His win aboard Close Up was the last of Cooksley’s 66 Group One victories in the saddle, and he said he got a massive thrill out of scoring his first win in the race for Hale. “He won it quite well, it was good to get the win for Shelley,” Cooksley said. “I hadn’t ridden much at Hastings at that meeting, that is the only one (Tarzino Trophy) I have won there.” Hale, who also co-bred and co-owns the now 15-year-old gelding, holds fond memories of the race. “It was a great thrill, and to do it with Cooky as well was fantastic,” she said. “He had been a stalwart of the team and as it turned out it was his last Group One. It felt a bit like a family affair – an older horse and an older jockey, it was great fun.” The Shinko King gelding had finished runner-up in the Gr.2 Foxbrdge Plate (1200m) at his previous start but wasn’t assured a start in the Tarzino Trophy until the morning of the race. “He went great in the Foxbridge Plate and that swayed us to go,” Hale said. “He hadn’t tackled weight-for-age until the Foxbridge, so that gave us the confidence that we were thereabouts to have a go. “He was really fit because he had had a few runs through winter. We were first on the ballot, so we didn’t find out until race morning that we were definitely a starter. That added a little bit more excitement to the day. “We had heard a little rumour (of a scratching) but that wasn’t confirmed to me until the (racing) bureau rang me at 6am on Saturday morning. We were in the truck and away we went and got the result.” Close Up and Cooksley went on to finish runner-up in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) in their following start, giving Hale vindication that his Group One victory was no fluke. “That (Windsor Park Plate performance) made me really proud because a lot of people probably thought on Tarzino Day that he was a Winter horse that got there on fitness, but he showed them he had the class to do it when backing up that form in the next race. “He was a little unlucky in the Windsor Park too, Grant said if he had been out a little wider on the track where the winner was then he would have been right in the fight.” Hale said getting the win with a horse she has bred added a lot of sentimentality to the occasion. “When you own and breed them it is even more special,” she said. “You have had them from day dot, so they are like part of the family.” Close Up retired a year later after his run in the 2018 edition of the Windsor Park Plate, and he is now enjoying retirement at Hale’s property, where he is currently keeping a close eye on Group Three winner Denby Road during his rehabilitation. “Denby Road is having some box rehabilitation for a few weeks, so Close Up has been hauled in to be Denby Road’s box mate. He is a great natured horse and he is really good with young horses. “He is living a great life and he is a happy boy.” Hale has had a frustrating run with Denby Road, who injured a tendon following a trial 12 months ago, and he has continued to be plagued by soundness issues. “He injured his tendon 12 months ago and we got him right for that and then he was back in work and was coming up nicely, but he got some mild lameness,” she said. “We have done all the x-rays and scans and there was nothing to be found, so just to be conservative he is having some box rest before some more time in the paddock, and then we will reevaluate and see how we go. “He is a really big horse and sometimes they do have a few extra niggles than the smaller ones do.” While her patience is being well and truly tested with her current stable star, Hale is looking forward to the weekend where she is hoping Cooksley can emulate their success in the Tarzino Trophy. “I would like to wish Cooky all the best for the Tarzino on the weekend and I am hoping he can get one as a trainer,” she said. The Byerley Park horseman, who trains alongside Bruce Wallace, will be represented in the Group One feature by Sacred Satono, who is rated a $11 fourth favourite for Saturday. The son of Satono Aladdin finished midfield in last month’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), but Cooksley said the Heavy10 track conditions weren’t to his liking. “The track pulled him up a little bit there,” Cooksley said. “He has improved and he has got a good draw (3), so at least he will get a nice run.” Meanwhile, stablemate Trust In You is gearing up for a trip across the Tasman, with the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) nominated gelding set to fly to Melbourne next week. The six-year-old was second-up at Matamata on Wednesday where he finished third behind Casino Princess in the Robert Bruce Clothier Memorial (1600m), securing his plane ticket in the process. “I thought it was a good run, especially on a wet track,” Cooksley said. “A mile is a bit short for him, he wants 2000m to a mile-and-a-half. “He is going to Melbourne next Wednesday. He will start in the Foundation Cup (Gr.3, 2000m) on the 21st (of September). “He is nominated for the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup, so we will just see what happens. The owners are really keen to head that way.” View the full article