Wandering Eyes

Maiden Watch: Week of June 24-June 30View the full article

Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Kenny McPeek was celebrated July 2 for his many achievements in the Thoroughbred industry. Lexington mayor Linda Gorton proclaimed it Kenny McPeek Day in the city.View the full article

Fasig-Tipton Digital has been hitting the mark with flash sales as of late. While the auction house is selective when it comes to picking out the right kind of horse to offer in these exclusive auctions, the two flash sales that they've conducted so far this year have been shining success stories for the sellers and for Fasig-Tipton. Mensa, the first 2-year-old winner for his freshman sire Complexity, set a record as the most expensive offering to sell on Fasig-Tipton Digital when he was purchased by John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock for $740,000 on April 29. Last week, Cloudy Dancer (GB)(Invincible Spirit {Ire}) became the subject of a second flash sale after her son Shareholder (Not This Time) won the G2 Norfolk Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting. The 8-year-old mare sold on Friday, June 28 for $430,000 to David Hutson. The TDN is in the process of launching a new weekly podcast, The Racing Business Hour. Hosted by Bill Finley and Katie Petrunyak, the show will focus on news in racing that has a direct impact on businesses within the industry. As part of our pilot episode, we brought in Fasig-Tipton's Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron to discuss the growth of flash sales within the digital sales arena. TDN: What was the process like of getting in touch with the Cloudy Dancer's owner, Skyfall Thoroughbreds LLC, and then getting the ball rolling to conduct a flash sale? LA: Well Grant [Williamson] and Boyd [Browning] had gotten in touch with the owner about the possibility of doing a flash sale. I was actually on vacation with my family. They called me and said they were wanting to do this and asked me what I thought. I thought it was a great opportunity to show what our digital website is capable of to capitalize on an update. I was thrilled to have her on there and it ended up being very successful. TDN: Bidding opened up on Cloudy Dancer just five days after Shareholder's Norfolk win. Was that a tight turnaround to get everything in motion? LA: For a one-horse sale, it's not a tight turnaround. It is tough in a normal digital situation because we only give ourselves about a week to turn around a catalog. We will have 100 to 150 head in a catalog and we only have a week to turn that around. That is a ton of work as far as collecting paperwork, getting good pictures and video, getting all the vetting done and all of that, so when you take that and you turn it into one horse, it seems very easy compared to what it's like to do a monthly digital auction. TDN: Cloudy Dancer drew 2,432 views over the four days of bidding. That's a huge number, but how do you ensure that you're getting the right people and the right type of buyers visiting the website and checking out her page? LA: I think the best part for me about Digital is that it's still Fasig-Tipton, the oldest auction house in North America. So there's a huge emailing list we have and we use the TDN to get the word out. Getting this in front of the people that we think need to have it is easy, but when you take a guy like Mr. Hutson who hasn't been as active as he had been in the past, none of us would have expected him to be the purchaser of the horse. So that's kind of the beauty of digital is that it's bringing in a whole new segment of the market that we're not expecting. We have our expectations of the buyers that will come to the sales, but when you go digital, we've had a whole other group of people come in that have never done business with Fasig-Tipton. So it's exciting to see growth in the auction business in general, which is great for everyone. TDN: We've all grown so accustomed to the digital sales arena, but it was only a little over two years ago that you launched Fasig-Tipton Digital. What have you learned and how has the platform evolved since you first started? LA: We have taken baby steps and learned the best way to set the catalogs up with what is going to sell during certain times of the year. We've gotten to the point now where we know it's hard to sell a broodmare or broodmare prospect in June if she doesn't have an update. In general, mindframes are starting to move towards racehorses. I would have told you in the beginning that I think young stock–weanlings and yearlings–would never be able to be sold online. They would always be in person. But now we're seeing a boom of those kinds of horses being sold online. It has evolved at a very rapid pace. I mean, exponential growth. We've already sold more horses this year than we did last year. When we first started doing it, it was about how often can we have a sale with a critical mass of horses? Now we don't have a choice. If we don't have a sale, people are saying, 'Why aren't you having a sale this month?' Which is a blessing for us, there's no doubt about that. The whole point in doing this all along was to offer our clients another avenue to sell horses and to make it more liquid. I think from the sellers to the buyers to us, it has been beneficial for everyone involved and I think that's why it is working so well. We have the highest average in digital sales in the world. We also have the highest clearance rate. I think the thing I'm most proud of this year is that we've boasted a 90% clearance rate and we've sold over 500 head of horses. There is just not another segment of the market that is as strong as that. I think when you do things that are of benefit to your client, that's why it works. This was put out here for them to use and they have. We're very appreciative of that and I think the clients are too. I have a lot of people that are returning customers. TDN: So now you have monthly digital sales, flash sales, and of course the “old school” in-person sales. If you're approaching an owner about potentially selling through Fasig-Tipton, under what circumstances are you going to recommend a flash sale, a monthly digital sale, or waiting until the next in-person sale comes around? LA: So I'll say this: flash sales are extremely difficult. It's very difficult to get a huge update no matter who you are. To get that horse winning the Norfolk like he did, to look like he could possibly be one of the best 2-year-olds in Europe, that's hard to get. It's even harder to find an owner that is realistic about what the value of the horse may be. So we've been approached quite a few times about different flash sales where owners had astronomical expectations, but that's the one thing for me that's so important is if you do a flash sale, it has to work. That's a lot of pressure, but if we put up flash sales and they RNA every time, no one is going to return to that. So for us, it's getting that recipe right of a huge update, a realistic owner and a buying base that is willing to participate. That's why we have so few of them is because all of those buttons have to be pressed in order for us to take that task on and that's why the ones we've had have been so successful. When it comes to deciding between a flash sale and a monthly sale, you know when you have a flash sale horse. It's a huge update and it doesn't come around that often. With the monthly digital sales, it depends on the time of year. Right now, I would say you want any racehorse you can put online. With our July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale coming up, a lot of people feel more comfortable selling in that arena and that's great. I'm glad that Fasig-Tipton has options for people to choose from going in person to going digital. The post Q and A with Leif Aaron on the Growth of Flash Sales appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation and the Race for Education are awarding $58,000 in scholarships for 2024. Recipients of the scholarships were selected based on academic excellence, community involvement, and financial need. The 2024 KEEP Foundation/Race for Education Scholarship Recipients are: Evelyn Bolton, Brant Brower, Catherine Brown, Kara Chief Stipelas, Alysa Farrell, Gabriella Ferraz, Gracie Lynch, Eli Morris, Lauren Mullikin, Thomas Mullikin, Emma Mulvihill, Ella O'Brien, Charlotte Odom, Kaitlyn Praisler, Cheryl Redden, Julissa Sepulveda, Nadia Shurley, Samantha Versocki, Emma Wade, and Logan West. “We are proud to support these bright and dedicated students as they pursue their dreams,” said KEEP's Brittany Bell. “Education is a powerful tool for change and, through these scholarships, we hope to make a lasting impact on the lives of our recipients, their communities and the future of the equine industry.” In addition to the 20 KEEP Foundation/Race for Education Scholarship recipients, the Race for Education also awarded its annual Robert J. Frankel Scholarship to four students: Nathalie Amezcua, Christine Hernandez Parreno, Nicole Luna Avalos, and Anitza Parrilla. The Robert J. Frankel Scholarship is available to a student attending a college or university in California or New York state, pursuing any field of study, whose family is employed in the Thoroughbred industry. “Our partnership with the KEEP Foundation has allowed us to extend our reach and support to even more students,” said Elisabeth Jensen, Executive Director of The Race for Education. “We are grateful for the continued support of our industry which includes: the Alex G. Campbell Foundation, the Gary Broad Foundation, the Mary K. Oxley Foundation, Thoroughbred Charities of America, Frankel Family Foundation, Mt. Brilliant Family Foundation and others. We are especially honored and thankful for the recent $500,000 bequeath from the Robert Reeves Estate, which will allow us to continue to provide scholarship opportunities to the equine industry.” The post KEEP, Race for Education Award $58k in Scholarships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Noches de Polo, an evening of polo, music, and asado, will be held July 12 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Commonwealth Polo Club on Bethlehem Road in Paris, Kentucky with proceeds benefitting the Wasabi Aftercare Fund. Admission is $20 per carload, while asado is $40 per person. Outside of the asado, it is a bring your own food and beverage event with polo played under the lights. “When you attend this event, not only do you get to enjoy an evening of polo, you also are supporting Thoroughbred aftercare,” said Wasabi's Michele Kuegler. “For all our horses do for us, the least we can do is provide them with a safe and secure retirement.” For more information and for tickets, click here. The post Noches de Polo to Benefit Wasabi Aftercare Fund appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last Saturday, the penultimate day of the Queensland Racing Carnival took centre stage at Eagle Farm, while Caulfield and Rosehill held strong support cards. From the Caulfield and Rosehill meetings, we have found three runners that are worth following at their next start. You can put these horses into your blackbook with your chosen bookmaker and receive notifications before they run again. Caulfield Track rating: Soft 7 Rail position: +12m entire circuit Race 8: 3YO Handicap (1000m) | Time: 0:58.03 Horse to follow: Fleetwood (3rd) The race that caused the most controversy was the eighth event at Caulfield, as the heavily-backed favourite, Fleetwood, missed the jump by five lengths. The James Cummings-trained galloper was ridden up for most of the 1000m contest, but given the slow tempo and margin he gave the leaders, he never played a role in the race. Post-race, the vision of the barriers showed that a barrier attendant may have held onto the son of Encryption a little too long and therefore could have cost him a fair start. However, the stewards saw it differently and declared him a starter, a decision that outraged punters across the country. When to bet: Even with the unfortunate circumstances, Fleetwood ran home strongly and finished third, so wherever he goes next, he will have plenty of supporters. Rosehill Track rating: Heavy 8 Rail position: True entire circuit Race 9: Benchmark 88 Handicap (1500m) | Time: 1:32.45 Horse to follow: Aramco (5th) After racing under the care of Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr for his first eight starts, Aramco was transferred to the Chris Waller stable, and he produced an encouraging performance over 1500m first-up. The son of Sea The Moon has good form over 2000m from his last preparation, so 1500m was always going to be short of his best, but connections would have been impressed with their geldings last 200m, as he ran through the line strongly. Although the five-year-old gelding was running on Heavy ground for the first time, he lengthened nicely in the concluding stages to finish fifth, beaten just over a length by Highlights. When to bet: A rise in trip second-up looks to be the ideal plan, and with an 1800m race in the same grade scheduled for Randwick on July 13, Aramco will go around as a top chance. Race 10: Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m) | Time: 1:52.35 Horse to follow: Don Diego De Vega (2nd) Don Diego De Vega made his Australian debut last Saturday at Rosehill for the Annabel Neasham stable, and he was very good behind another European import, Bear On The Loose, who was heavily backed and saluted as an impressive winner. The son of Lope De Vega has solid form over 2000m-plus in Europe, and he was coming off two trials over 1050m and 1200m in readiness for the 1800m event last weekend. This four-year-old gelding only had five starts before making his way to Australia, and after his second-place finish first-up, he will only improve the further he rises in distance throughout this preparation. When to bet: If Neasham and her team can find a race over 2000m for Don Diego De Vega second-up in a similar grade, he will prove very hard to beat. Top horse racing sites for blackbook features Horse racing tips View the full article

Seventeen horses have been supplemented to the upcoming Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age sale. The newest entries are catalogued as hips 501-517 and include: Lake Abanakee (Central Banker) (hip 503), a 3-year-old New York-bred filly who is undefeated in two starts this year and who is consigned by Elite, agent. Tigerish (Tiz the Law) (hip 509), a first-out winner at Horseshoe Indianapolis and a half-sister to Grade I winner Avenge (War Front), graded stakes winner Liguria (War Front), and multiple stakes winner and stakes producer Lira (Giant's Casueway). The 2-year-old filly is consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent. Just a Care (Ire) (Australia {GB}) (hip 517), a stakes-placed 4-year-old filly from the family of leading European first-crop sire Sergei Prokofiev. She is consigned by St George Sales, agent. The July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale will be held next Monday beginning at 3 p.m. Fasig-Tipton will conduct its July Sale of Selected Yearlings the following day beginning at 10 a.m. Online bidding and phone bidding will be available for all sales. The post 17 Added to Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Lexington-Fayette (Kentucky) Urban County Government's 12th District Councilmember Kathy Plomin will host an information session on the two industrial-scale solar farm proposals in rural Fayette County in the Haley Road/Winchester Road area next Monday, July 8 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Macdeonia Christian Church, 4551 Winchester Road, Lexington. Members of the Lexington-Fayette or surrounding counties who are interested in learning more about these potential developments are encouraged to attend. There will be important information on the status of the proposals, time for questions and public input, and information about how the public can weigh in with the LFUCG Planning Commission and the Public Service Commission. Eatern Kentucky Power Cooperative has submitted a proposal for a 400-acre industrial solar development on Winchester Road. That proposal is currently moving through the Kentucky Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities in Kentucky, according to the Alliance. EKPC is a not-for-profit generation and transmission electric utility with headquarters in Winchester, Ky. Silicon Ranch, a solar power company based in Nashville, has proposed a Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to permit industrial-scale solar facilities in the agricultural zones of the county. That proposal is currently moving through the planning commission. Approval would allow industrial solar farms in any agricultural zone with a conditional use permit, to be evaluated by the Board of Adjustment under limited conditions, according to the Fayette Alliance. For more information, visit the Fayette Alliance website. The post Information Session Monday for Fayette Industrial Solar Proposals appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A week ago, the colt wasn't among the top 46 Thoroughbreds receiving votes; after Saturday's win he's fourth overall with 148 points, one more than Adare Manor. View the full article

The apparent strength of the Pimlico Special (G3), where Red Route One ran fourth, as well as his overall form and $1.6 million bankroll—will likely make him the favorite over 10 rivals July 6 in the $300,000 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows. View the full article

According to reports, Kentucky Derby (G1) fifth-place finisher T O Password will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after sustaining fractures to both front legs in Japan.View the full article

The “Beat Byk NHC Challenge” will return this summer as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and Steve Byk, host of the Thoroughbred radio news magazine “At the Races” on Sirius XM, partner to send one NHC Tour member to Las Vegas to compete in the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) next March. Now in its sixth season, the “Beat Byk NHC Challenge” will be held July 11 through Sept. 2. Each Thursday, Byk will select the weekend stakes races to comprise that week's promotion and announce them on “At the Races” and on his twitter page, @Steve_Byk. Listeners can visit https://www.ntra.com/beatbyk/ and can either use Byk's selection to win the featured race or try to 'beat Byk' by selecting another horse. All who correctly select the winning horse in each round will advance to a NHC “Beat Byk” online qualifier Sept. 14. The winner of the “Beat Byk” online qualifier will represent “At the Races” at the 2025 NHC Mar. 14-16, 2025 at the Horseshoe Las Vegas. NHC Tour membership is required to compete in the September NHC online qualifier. Complete rules for the Beat Byk Challenge can be found at https://www.ntra.com/beatbyk/. “Beat Byk is my favorite highlight of the summer season,” Steve Byk said. “It's important for there to be ways to get to Vegas for free and I'm delighted that so many players tell me Beat Byk has been a gateway to NHC and contest play in general.” The post Beat Byk Back for 2024 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Canadian champion sprinter Hazelbrook (Bayern), in foal to Triple Crown winner Justify, and multiple stakes winner Lucky Girl (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) highlight the inaugural Inglis Digital USA July Sale. “We are excited to feature these two impressive entries in our inaugural sale as Inglis Digital USA,” said CEO Liza Hendriks. “The global demand for both buying and selling has been substantial, highlighting the international appeal of these two mares. They are the first of many high-quality listings to come, and we look forward to showcasing more in our July Sale and future sales.” The 6-year-old Hazelbrook, carrying her first foal, won the 2022 GIII Hendrie S. and GIII Ontario Fashion S. before earning the Soveriegn Award that season as Canada's top female sprinter. “Hazelbrook is a very commercial physical, balanced, and strong. Looking deeper into her race record, you will see that she had tremendous raw ability; she was a champion sprinter. She ran a five Ragozin, which would match many Grade I horses,” said Tom Ryan. “Breeding a mare of her ability to a stallion with no limitations in Justify made perfect sense to me. Speed and versatility crossed with the high-cruising speed that Justify possessed and is reproducing globally.” The 5-year-old Lucky Girl is being offered as a racing or broodmare prospect. Trained by Phil D'Amato, the bay mare won the 2023 Swingtime S. and 2022 China Doll S. and Lady of Shamrock S. She was fourth in the GIII Monrovia S. in April and in the Mizdirection S. in May and is nominated to the July 21 Osunitas S. at Del Mar. “We are excited to announce the forthcoming sale of an exceptional filly, celebrated for her impressive record of three stakes wins and a remarkable mile time of 1:34,” said James Keogh, whose Grovendale consigns Lucky Girl to the July sale. “Sired by the influential Exceed and Excel, renowned for his significant impact on broodmare pedigrees, she represents an unparalleled opportunity in both racing and breeding circles.” Entries for the Inglis Digital USA July Sale remain open through July 8. Bidding will open July 12 at 2 p.m. ET and will close July 17 at 2 p.m. ET at www.inglisdigitalusa.com. The post Stakes-Winning Mares Highlight Inglis Digital USA July Sale Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Connections of Ramatuelle are targeting an autumn campaign with the daughter of Justify after she finished third in the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, deciding against a tilt at the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on Sunday. Trained by Christopher Head, Ramatuelle won the G2 Prix Robert Papin as a two-year-old and has since finished placed at the top level on three occasions. Runner-up to Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in last year's Prix Morny at Deauville, she preceded her Royal Ascot effort with another third-place finish in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket. The three-year-old is now set to drop back to seven furlongs when she makes her next intended appearance in the G1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Sunday, October 6, with an outing at the Breeders' Cup also on the agenda for later in the year. “The owners want to respect her and make the best programme ever for her,” said Head. “We are going to wait for the Prix de la Foret and then the Breeders' Cup. That's the idea [to drop her back to seven furlongs] and obviously the Breeders' Cup at the end of the season on the mile is pretty much going to suit her profile. “I think it is the best bet we can get with her for the season. She is full of speed and the mile might be a bit tricky for her at the end. So, everything says she's better at that type of distance.” The Adrian Murray-trained Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) will be another absentee from the Sunday's Prix Jean Prat, having failed to recover in time from the setback which ruled him out of Royal Ascot. A Group 1 winner as a juvenile when landing the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, Bucanero Fuerte was last seen winning the G3 Lacken Stakes on his first start of the campaign at Naas in May, with signs of travel sickness forcing him to miss Ascot when he was among the favourites for the G1 Commonwealth Cup. “We're thinking of the July Cup at Newmarket,” Murray said of future plans for the colt. “He won't be ready for France [Prix Jean Prat]. We're aiming for Newmarket but whether we will have him ready in time, I don't know. “He will have lost a good bit of weight and we're having to build him back up. We're hoping to have him there, but there's no guarantee. We have a lot of options for him if we don't get him to Newmarket.” The post Ramatuelle and Bucanero Fuerte Both Expected to Skip Prix Jean Prat appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A €210,000 daughter of Too Darn Hot (GB) headlined what was a predictably tricky two-year-old section to the Summer Sale at Arqana as the curtain definitively came down on the 2024 breeze-up season. It was Brendan Holland's Grove Stud who consigned the day one top lot, who was bought by bloodstock agent Arthur Hoyeau on behalf of MyRaceHorse. “She's been bought for MyRaceHorse and will go to the United States,” said Hoyeau. “She's a very interesting filly with lots of qualities and has the perfect profile to go to the States. She breezed well yesterday and we've had very positive feedback on her preparation. We're very happy.” The Tuesday sale-topper was sourced by Holland from the Book 1 session of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 80,000gns. She is out of the winning mare Formidable Kitt (GB), who belongs to the well-known Chasemore Farm family and is a half-sister to black-type performers Arthur Kitt (GB) (Camelot {GB}) and Eartha Kitt (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). Formidable Kitt has already produced a classy type herself through Kitteridge (GB) (Camelot {GB}), who won her maiden at Newcastle before gaining black-type when third in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket earlier this year. Explaining how he ended up bringing lot 47 to the Summer Sale at Arqana, Holland said, “She wasn't ready for an earlier sale so we gave her the time and thankfully it has worked out. I didn't even enter her in any earlier sale than this. We were pretty confident coming here that she would go down well and, since we have bought her, we couldn't have wished for the sire to have progressed like he has. He's been having Classic winners and of course this filly's sister got black-type this year as well, so the whole thing has fallen into place.” He added, “It's unusual that something of this quality gets presented here at this sale. It was slightly by default but I just felt that she had a strong pedigree and, if she needed the time, she needed the time. We'd no choice but to come here and it has worked out in everybody's favour.” Renowned breeze-up handler Willie Browne of Mocklershill also featured among the top lots when selling a Kodiac (GB) colt for €52,000 to trainer Yann Barberot. Like Holland, Browne described this year's trade as respectable rather than memorable. He said, “We sold a Kodiac on behalf of a client but he actually lost money. Blarney got a touch there today, and fair play to him, but we were under no illusions whatsoever coming over here for this sale.” Browne added, “Tattersalls Ireland was a complete one-off this year. They had the people there to bolster up that sale and, consequently, they had a 90 per cent clearance rate. That was night and day compared to all of the other breeze-up sales this year. Outside of Fairyhouse, there was no middle and no bottom to the breeze-up market this year. “I had two or three horses who made a substantial amount of money and that steadied the ship but I wouldn't have made any money. Relatively speaking, I did okay. I didn't do too much damage but it has been a really tough year for a lot of people. I'd say I only washed my face.” Holland agreed with Browne's summary that a lot of handlers felt the going tough, particularly in the middle to lower end of the market, and stressed that there is a finite number of horses that can pass through the breeze-up system in a given year. “It [the market] feels tough and the consensus is that it was tough this year,” Holland explained. “The amount of money spent at the breeze-up sales this year was certainly on a par to last year but there was a slight increase in the number of horses offered. There was a similar amount of horses sold so that number has remained static. Like any other market, the breeze-up sector is a finite market and everyone within the sector and within the industry needs to be mindful of that.” The Summer Sale at Arqana will not be the only alternative that breeze-up consignors will have when it comes to offering horses that either missed a slot or failed to find a suitor at one of the earlier sales. Goffs is set to enter the market in 2025 while Goresbride has stated its intention to return to the breeze-up sector as well. Suddenly, from one breeze-up sale in Ireland, there could potentially be three, and Holland revealed that the Breeze-Up Consignors Association will be meeting to discuss this very proposition in the coming weeks. Asked how he would be approaching the yearling sales in light of this year's trade and considering the new dimension to next year's breeze-up circuit, Holland said, “I have no intention of changing anything drastically. We try to do things better every year. My numbers have stayed the same for over 10 years now-I never sell more than 25 horses. I'm the same as everyone else, I just try to buy the best horse I can for the money I have.” He added, “But there is plenty to think about ahead of next year. We are getting very close [to the limit of horses passing through the system] and there were roughly 1,100 breeze-up horses offered before this sale today and 750 of them were sold. “Those numbers are very similar to last year. Everyone is thinking about it [the two new sales] and it will be discussed formally amongst ourselves as an association in the coming weeks.” Of the 93 breeze-up horses offered on Tuesday, just 46 were sold, representing a clearance rate of 49%. The post Holland Ends “Tough” Breeze-Up Year On High With 210k Too Darn Hot Filly At Arqana appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

World Pool turnover on the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and Irish Derby Day as a whole posted new records on Sunday. Turnover from World Pool bet types on the Irish Derby rose four percent on last year to hit HK$35.4 million (€4.2 million). Across the nine races, the total value of bets placed reached HK$235 million (€28 million), up on last year's figure of HK$220.7 million (€26.3 million) on what was World Pool's second year in operation on Irish Derby Day. Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), said, “Once again we were treated to some brilliant racing on Irish Derby Day and it was fantastic to have all nine races from the Curragh available to our global customers as part of World Pool. The Irish Derby is a highlight of the Irish Flat season and we were pleased to see improved turnover on the race, 12 months on from World Pool's first involvement on Irish Derby Day, as well as over the day as a whole.” The post Irish Derby Day Records Highest Ever Turnover on World Pool appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Filippo Ezri and Jean-Pierre Djian's Une Pointure (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}–Whipcorse {Fr}, by Whipper), a Marcel Rolland trainee, backed up a debut third at Saint-Cloud last month with an impressive seven-length tally over six furlongs in Tuesday's Prix de la Verrerie at Chantilly. 3rd-Chantilly, €30,000, Mdn, 7-2, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:11.57, g/s. UNE POINTURE (FR) (f, 2, Dabirsim {Fr}–Whipcorse {Fr}, by Whipper), who hit the board going seven furlongs at Saint-Cloud in her June 4 debut last time, broke in mid division and moved forward to stalk the leaders in third after the initial skirmishes of this one. Tanking to the front approaching the quarter-mile marker, the 51-10 third choice was not for catching thereafter and romped clear under urging in the closing stages to defeat La Flute (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by an impressive seven lengths. The January-foaled bay hails from the family of Group 1-placed sire Carrowkeel (Ire) (Waajib {Ire}). Sales history: €77,000 Ylg '23 ARQAUG. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, €19,500. Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV. O-Filippo Ezri & Jean-Pierre Djian; B-Haras de Grandcamp, Christopher Hogg & Gerard L Ferron (FR); T-Marcel Rolland. The post Dabirsim Filly Romps To Impressive Success at Chantilly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bloodstock agent Rick Abbott has been named the judge for the 90th annual Maryland Horse Breeders Association Yearling Show to be held July 21 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. With his wife Dixie, Abbott operated Charlton Bloodstock for nearly 40 years, selling yearlings, weanlings and broodmares at the major sales around the country. Charlton, headquartered in Pennsylvania, was one of the region's top consignors for decades. In addition to selling horses for clients, Charlton became a busy breeding farm, boarding and foaling mares and, early on, even standing a stallion or two. “I've looked at a lot of yearlings over the years,” Abbott said of his bloodstock career. “I feel honored to be asked to judge the 90th anniversary of this show.” The Abbotts retired in 2016, sending their final Charlton consignment to that fall's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic yearling sale. The post Rick Abbott to Judge MHBA Yearling Show appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Entries are closing at noon on Thursday, July 4 for the next session of Irish EBF Barrier Trials. Operated by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) and backed by the Irish EBF and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), Trials are open to unraced two-year-olds and three-year-olds, with the next session due to take place at Dundalk Stadium on Monday, July 8. The Trials at Dundalk are run over five, six and seven furlongs. Trials are principally staged to meet the strong demand from overseas for quality unraced thoroughbreds out of Ireland, with graduates having sold for significant sums on a regular basis. Trials are recorded, timed and made available to view online shortly after running on the ITM website and social media. A live stream is available on the ITM YouTube channel. For more information and to make an entry, click here. The post Entries for Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Dundalk Close on Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Most Thoroughbreds do not race beyond 1 1/4 miles. Then there's Michael Foster's Next.View the full article

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has released an extensive set of educational material in preparation for the revised rules under the Racetrack Safety Program which take effect July 8. Handbooks on the new rules can be found on the organization's web site and include information for veterinarians, stewards and trainers. Infographics on the site include material on air quality index protocal; intra-articular injections; medical therapeutic devices; prohibited practices; shockwave treatment guidelines; void claims; vet's list; and welfare and deprivation of care. The racetrack safety rules which begin July 8, can be viewed here. The post HISA Publishes Educational Material for Updated Racetrack Safety Program appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Pierre Ng reclaimed the ascendancy in the rollercoaster tussle for the 2023/24 Hong Kong trainers’ championship with a crucial double at Sha Tin on Monday to edge two wins clear of Francis Lui. With only four meetings left in the season, Ng leads Lui 67-65 after Alexis Badel piloted Gangnam Star (NZ) (Telperion) to victory in the Class 5 Uncompromising Integrity Handicap (1400m) and Super Bonus (Bungle Inthejungle) won the Class 4 Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup Handicap (1200m) under Andrea Atzeni. “Brilliant. I’m quite happy. At this stage, I just have to keep going. Hopefully we get more winners in the next few meetings,” Ng said of the championship standings. “Andrea told me he lost his iron out of the gates (on Super Bonus), so luckily picked it back up. Luckily the pace wasn’t that fast – they did the first section in 24.35s, which is quite easy for him to roll along. “He was three-wide all the way, but he’s made improvement. He used to just stop or want to get away from horses in the straight, but now he’s more straightforward and finishes off hard.” Gangnam Star triumphed at his 12th start. “He took a bit of time to get his first win. He was very difficult from the start when he came to Hong Kong, so he needed time to get settled down. When we tried to run him (last October), he had a heart problem, so then we had to step back again and start him later on,” Ng said. “It’s good that he can find some confidence today to hit the front because he’s a thinker – he’s always thinking what to do and what not to do. He won well.” While Ng shared training honours with Chris So, Lyle Hewitson snared a treble with wins on So-trained pair Flying High (Office Bearer) and Parterre (Flower Alley) before saluting on Michael Chang’s Ching (NZ) (Frosted) in the Class 3 Better Future Handicap (1600m). “Just really happy, I came to the meeting thinking I had a decent book,” Hewitson said. “I didn’t think there was a standout but the cards fell in my favour and everything worked out really well. “To cap it off with Ching was great. He’s been a special horse to me in Hong Kong and, like Chris So’s horses, Ching was beautifully prepared and I was the lucky recipient.” Zac Purton logged a brace on a pair of promising talents – Bottomuptogether (Shamus Award), who is unbeaten after three starts following his searing win in the Class 3 Sportsmanship Handicap (1200m) and Amazing Fun (NZ) (Tivaci), who made an impressive debut with success in the Class 4 Racing Goes On Handicap (1000m) for Dennis Yip. Ridden quietly by Purton, Tivaci gelding Amazing Fun clocked 56.22s up the straight course. “He’s got ability, this horse. Early in the season I trialled him and he was very good but at that stage he didn’t relax,” Yip said. “After that he was ready to race, but he got injured. I put him in Conghua and told my son to teach him to relax in the morning. “The horse is now very relaxed and it’s lucky this race was there for him. When he passed the other horses, Zac said he didn’t know what to do and the horse was looking around a bit. He needs time to keep improving.” View the full article

Promising four-year-old Knight’s Realm (NZ) (Castledale) could book his ticket south to the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton next month if he performs up to expectations in the J F Grylls Memorial Classic (1400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The son of Castledale has be in a purple patch of form, winning two and finishing runner-up in two of his four starts this preparation, including carrying 60kg to victory over 1300m at Pukekohe last start. Trainer Clinton Isdale has plenty of time for the gelding and believes he is capable of featuring in the Winter Cup. “Knight’s Realm is a really exciting horse,” he said. “Every time we step him up, he just keeps on putting his hand up. Even the other day with 60 kilos was quite impressive. “This will tell us if we have got a horse good enough to go down for the Winter Cup.” Meanwhile, Isdale will head to Rotorua on Wednesday where he will be represented by last start runner-up Impressive Belle (Press Statement) in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1215m). “It was her first start for me the other day and she went nice enough,” Isdale said. “Hopefully she handles the wet track tomorrow and I am hoping she will be thereabouts.” The Cambridge trainer will head south to line-up two runners at Awapuni’s Synthetic meeting, including Mirabella (NZ) (Sweynesse) and San Simeon (NZ) (Zacinto). “Mirabella is a nice two-year-old,” Isdale said. “She trialled up really well ahead of her two-year-old races, but she was probably a bit immature, and I probably should have been a bit more patient with her. “She trialled up really well at Cambridge two weeks ago and she will have 52 kilos on her back after Jess Allen’s claim, and she will be hard to beat. “San Simeon has come from Tim and Margaret Carter. He has had a bit of jumping and swimming just to try and keep him off the track and hopefully the jumping can spark a bit of a return to form for him.” Isdale will round out the week at Tauranga on Sunday where he will line-up Storms Ahead (NZ) (Astern) in the 2100m maiden. “He went down to Otaki first-up for me and Jonathan Riddell said he didn’t give him the best of rides, but the horse kept coming and the horse would be hard to beat next start,” Isdale said. “He ran second the other day at Pukekohe with Wiremu (Pinn) on and it was quite a pleasing run.” View the full article

A trip to Ashburton on Thursday will be an important step towards next month’s Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) for exciting three-year-old Riviera Rebel (NZ) (Pure Champion). The son of Pure Champion has hardly put a foot wrong this season, winning two and placing in five of his nine starts, including a placing in the Listed Southland Guineas (1600m). He has run in the money in his last four outings and trainer Graham Eade is hoping he can continue his purple patch of form in the Green Fencing (1600m) at Ashburton on Thursday. Eade is looking forward to seeing how his charge handles the long trek north from his Riverton base, and said Thursday’s outcome will be a deciding factor in whether they press on for the Winter Cup. “He is just getting better with age,” Eade said. “It is his first time away and if everything goes well, he should be thereabouts. “I could have put him in the three-year-old race, but I opted to go for this race because it will probably be a bit stronger, and I wanted to see where he was at. “We are still humming and hawing (about the Winter Cup), but I just don’t want to be too hard on him in his three-year-old prep. “If he comes through this and we think he is capable, we will probably have a crack.” He will be joined in the float trip north from Riverton by stablemate Ataahua Pipedream (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) who will contest the Gallagher Insurance (1200m). The Rip Van Winkle gelding was victorious two starts back at Ascot Park before finishing ninth at Oamaru last month. “He is quite capable,” Eade said. “On his day he has got a good turn of foot and is hard to beat. He just makes up his own mind, if he feels like it, he can run a bit. “We don’t know what happened last start, whether it was the track. He is a funny horse, he likes Invercargill and Riverton, but he picks his tracks.” Eade has won five races to date this season and more than $150,000 in prizemoney, and he is excited about his stable’s prospects next term. “We only train a few and it has been quite a good season,” he said. “I have got The Tui Toiler, he has recently come to the barn as Stephen Blair-Edie has finished up training and he has handed him off to us. We will just take him one step at a time.” View the full article

The participation of White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) in Saturday's Coral-Eclipse at Sandown hinges on how the Group 1 scorer comes through a crucial gallop on Wednesday, according to George Murphy, assistant trainer to his father John. White Birch got the better of Aidan O'Brien's Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on his most recent start but missed the rematch in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot. He will face another Ballydoyle big gun in this year's Derby winner City Of Troy (Justify) if declared for Saturday, but Murphy explained that there are some hoops to jump through at home first. Murphy said, “The plan is to go to Sandown and he will have a breeze tomorrow [Wednesday] and he will have his blood done in the morning again, with a decision made after midday. Hopefully we will be able to go and we're really looking forward to it.” White Birch will have to concede 10lb to City Of Troy as well as the other three-year-olds in the mix, which include Clive Cox's Ghostwriter, Roger Teal's French 2,000 Guineas runner-up Dancing Gemini and Brian Meehan's Royal Ascot scorer Jayarebe. The post Crucial Gallop Awaits White Birch Before Murphy Camp Commit To Coral-Eclipse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article