Wandering Eyes

Sandal's Song, an intended starter in the June 19 Norfolk Stakes (G2), has become the latest pre-Royal Ascot purchase by Wathnan Racing.View the full article

Carl Spackler impressed in his gallop under Jamie Spencer, with the 5-year-old set to make his debut for Australian handler Ciaron Maher in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1).View the full article

Bishops Bay appears primed to land his fourth consecutive victory when he visits the Jersey Shore in the $150,000 Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park.View the full article

Jack Keller, the longtime clerk of scales at Finger Lakes, will be inducted into the track's Hall of Fame June 13.View the full article

Longtime Finger Lakes Clerk of Scales Jack Keller will be inducted into the track's Hall of Fame this Friday, the gaming establishment said in a press release on Wednesday. When Keller arrived at Finger Lakes outside of Farmington, New York in 1967, he figured he would spend a year working as a valet and then move on to another track for his next adventure in the world of racing. One year, however, became 59. “As it turned out, I never left,” said Keller, who is in his 39th season as the track's Clerk of Scales. Keller grew up in Ohio and fell in love with racing when he was going to the track with his father. He then landed a job on the backstretch in 1950, becoming a hotwalker at Ascot Park near Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He also rode at Ohio fairs but was too heavy to make weight at parimutuel tracks so transitioned to becoming an outrider and then assistant starter across Ohio, working at Ascot Park, Thistledown, Randall Park and Cranwood Racecourse. His racing career includes stops at 17 different racetracks, including a winter in the 1960s as an exercise rider at Hialeah Park for the famous Darby Dan Farm. Keller came to Finger Lakes in 1967 and worked as a valet for twenty years, when he transitioned to the race office. He has been Clerk of Scales for 39 years. The Jockey's Room was named in his honor last year. “Jack has been an institution here at Finger Lakes,” said President and General Manager of Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack Chris Riegle. “His dedication and knowledge of the sport have allowed him to excel at every one of the many positions he has held here throughout the years.” Keller's induction into the Hall of Fame will take place at Friday's annual HBPA meeting and awards banquet. The post Clerk Of Scales Jack Keller To Be Inducted Into Finger Lakes Hall Of Fame appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Godolphin's Racing and Nominations assistant at Jonabell Farm for Darley America joins Ferrin Peterson on this week's Boundless Podcast to discuss the many ways there are to get into Thoroughbred racing. The episode is the first episodei n the Boundless students series, designed to inspire young people to get involved in racing and to learn how to break into the industry. Morgan explains that her role is to handle all administrative tasks for the racing side of Godolphin, as well as vaccination and vetwork and HISA paperwork. She also supervises the aftercare of their herd, under the program they call Godolphin Lifetime, where all geldings are found a lifetime home or transitioned into a second career. Morgan explained that she was not from a racing family, but grew up riding and transferred to the University of Kentucky after two years at a community college near her Maryland home. But she found some barriers to entry, often finding it hard to beat out others with family connections for jobs. She worked as a waitress, and did one season at a breeding farm, and was driving a friend to her job at Mill Ridge when she passed the gates at Jonabell on Bowman Mill Road. She looked up the contact information, sent in a resume at Jonabell, and landed a job at their yearling division in Paris, Kentucky. She switched to mares and foals at the main farm, and gradually transitioned to this job. She offers young people advice on how to ask for, and get help, finding a job in the industry. “You have to get yourself out there and push as hard as you can, especially if you don't have a family in the industry,” she said. The podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or is available on YouTube by clicking here. The post Godolphin Racing and Nominations Assistant Katelyn Morgan on Boundless appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Chad Brown seeks a fifth win in the Eatontown Stakes (G3T) at Monmouth Park June 14 with a pair of runners, Maggie Go and Whiskey Decision, that make their barn and year debuts.View the full article

A filly by Frosted (hip 279)–the first horse on the track Wednesday morning–turned in the co-fastest :9 4/5 furlong time so far at the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale and that mark was equaled later in the session by fillies by Honest Mischief (hip 180); Midshipman (hip 327); and Higher Power (hip 340). Through two of five sessions of the June under-tack show, seven juveniles have now hit the :9 4/5 mark. The gray filly by Frosted is out of graded winner Dixie Serenade (Uptowncharlybrown) and is a half-sister to stakes winner Dixieland Belle (More Than Ready). She is consigned by Robbie Harris's Harris Training Center. “A :9 4/5 surprises everybody, but we knew she was a fast filly,” said Harris. “We actually had her in [OBS] April [sale], but we never even got a chance to prep her or breeze her. She came up with a little thing with her foot, so we just gave her time and she rewarded us for it. An old man told me once, you take care of the horse and he will take care of you. And I'm a firm believer in that.” Harris, along with longtime farm manager Carlos Garcia, purchased the Pennsylvania-bred filly for $30,000 at last year's OBS October sale. “I just loved her,” Harris said of the filly's appeal last fall. “She is a real pretty filly with good balance. I own her with my farm manager, Carlos, who has been with me a long, long time. I am excited for him.” Harris sent out four horses to work over the synthetic surface at OBS Wednesday and the consignor said conditions seemed fairly consistent throughout the session. “I thought it was pretty solid all the way through,” Harris said. “We went all the way through from :9 4/5, :10 flat, :10 1/5, :10 2/5. And that's kind of how those horses came into it. No shockers. The last page kind of hurts some guys when it gets hot at the end. But I think it was pretty fair all morning.” Casey Seaman's Crystal Eclipse Stable sent out a New York-bred filly by Honest Mischief to share the furlong bullet Wednesday. Bred by Sequel Stallions NY and Scott Miller, the dark bay filly is out of Blue Hen Madness (Any Given Saturday). McKathan Bros. Sales sent a filly by Midshipman out for her :9 4/5 work shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday. The bay juvenile is out of multiple stakes-placed Freedom Come (Lit de Justice) and is a half-sister to graded winner Harlem Rocker (Macho Uno). Purchased by Heather Maytham for $7,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale, the filly RNA'd for $40,000 following a :10 flat work at the OBS March sale. The next horse on the track, a filly by Higher Power, set the bullet mark for Angel Hernandez's Hernandez Stables. The New York-bred bay is out of the unraced Gold Anklet (Lemon Drop Kid) and is a half-sister to stakes-placed Little Daddy (Scat Daddy) and to the dam of graded winner and Grade I-placed Mo Plex (Complexity). She was purchased as a weanling for $10,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Mixed sale in 2023. A day after sending out bullet workers at a furlong and a quarter-mile, Blue Sapphire Stables had another quarter-mile bullet when a filly by Caravaggio (hip 252) covered the distance in :20 4/5. The gray is out of Curl the Pearl (Curlin), a half-sister to graded winners Chitu (Henny Hughes) and Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro). Purchased for $6,500 at Keeneland last September, she RNA'd for $9,000 the following month at OBS. Also sharing the :20 4/5 quarter-mile bullet Wednesday was a filly by Cloud Computing (hip 229) consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock. Bred by Green Lantern Stables, the dark bay is out of stakes winner Clever Beauty (Indian Charlie) and RNA'd for $18,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton July sale. The under-tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning each day at 7:30 a.m. The June sale will be held next Tuesday and Wednesday. Bidding begins both days at 10 a.m. The post Fillies Dominate at OBS Wednesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The star of her division last fall, 2-year-old champion filly Immersive is finally set to make her 3-year-old debut June 14 at Churchill Downs in the $175,000 Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes.View the full article

The International Conference for the Health, Safety, and Welfare of Jockeys will take place Dec. 11-12 in Hong Kong. View the full article

Natural Rise toyed with the opposition in the June 11 Tokyo Derby at Oi Racecourse before winning with ease and moving within one win of sweeping Japan's Dirt Triple Crown.View the full article

The International Conference for the Health, Safety and Welfare of Jockeys (ICHSWJ) will take place in Hong Kong on Dec. 11-12. The conference, which is being organised by the Jockeys Health and Wellbeing Committee (JHWC) of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), and is proudly supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), will take place between the International Jockeys' Championship (IJC) and the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR). “Jockey health, safety and welfare are all non-negotiable aspects of our sport,” said JHWC chair Darragh O'Loughlin. “This year's conference will take a deep dive into a wide range of topics that play a crucial role in improving the lives of jockeys, while also facilitating meaningful networking opportunities between attendees from around the world.” The 2025 conference, themed Performance Medicine in Racing – Developing and Protecting the Jockey, will take an applied, evidence-based approach featuring impactful presentations followed by dynamic panel discussions with leading experts in the field. For more information, please visit the ICHSWJ website. The post International Jockeys’ Conference Scheduled For December appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Roger Devlin has been appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as the Chair of HBLB for four years from 1 July 2025. Devlin is currently Chair of Persimmon, the FTSE housebuilder, as well as a Director of the Sutton Trust, the leading social mobility charity. He also co-owned and co-bred multiple Group 1scorer Pyledriver. He commented, “I am honoured to be invited to chair the Levy Board at a time of considerable challenge, but also opportunity, for racing. My focus will be consistent with the Levy's key objectives – to promote investment and employment in racing; to enhance racehorse welfare wherever possible; to improve the reputation of the sport and thereby generate increased interest. I look forward to working with my fellow Board members and the wider team, as well as racing and betting organisations, in pursuit of these goals. “I am very mindful of building on Paul Darling's considerable legacy to the Levy Board and would also like to thank Anne Lambert for her good work as Interim Chair.” The post Roger Devlin Appointed As HBLB Chair appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It's been a magical year so far for jockey Junior Alvarado, who rode Sovereignty (Into Mischief) to victories in the GI Kentucky Derby and the GI Belmont S. They were the first wins in the Triple Crown series for the 39-year-old native of Venezuela, but they surely won't be the last. Alvarado now rides regularly for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, whose stable is loaded with talent. But Alvarado almost missed the Derby assignment. He fractured his shoulder blade in a Mar. 23 spill at Gulfstream. He would definitely miss the GI Florida Derby and doctors warned him he might not be ready to ride in the Derby. Alvarado would hear nothing of that and worked overtime to be ready for the first leg of the Triple Crown. What was it like to think you might have the best 3-year-old in the country but wouldn't be able to ride him in the Derby? That was one of many questions our team asked Alvarado on this week's Thoroughbred Daily News Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. Alvarado was the Gainesway Guest of the Week. “I remember laying in the bed right there with my agent next to me,” Alvarado said. “I kept telling my agent, 'I think I may have a fracture. I can handle pain. I've been through a lot of injuries and I knew that this one was worse than normal. Then the doctor told us I had a fractured scapula. I asked if I could come back in a week a they said, no, no, no. You have a completely fractured scapula. You will have to probably be out between six to eight weeks. So like right there, just, I remember looking at my agent and I'm like shaking my hand. I thought 'why does this have to happen to me?' Like why these things keep happening to me? Like, God, why? Like, why?” He went to see a doctor who had treated him before in Saratoga for a second opinion and got a much different diagnosis. This doctor said that if he followed his instructions he would be back well before the Derby. It worked as Alvarado returned on Apr. 16, just 23 days after the accident. The combination of Bill Mott and Alvarado has worked out nicely for both individuals. “When I moved to New York, I had Mike Sellitto as my agent,” Alvarado said. “He's a very good, close friend to Bill Mott. That's how we started it. I will say probably six, seven, eight years ago now, I used to ride all those nice horses in the morning. Then, the mount in the afternoon would go to guys like Mike Smith or Joel Rosario. I remember my agent telling me, just keep working, keep working. You're going to have your time and when you have your time, then you'll take. By working a lot of his horses in the morning, I came to understand what Bill really likes to do with his horses, with the babies, how he develops the horses. Every trainer has a different mentality and different way to approach their training method. I just fit pretty well with what Bill was doing and I like the way he does it. I started getting more chances and more opportunities from him. I was able to perform well in the afternoon and that's how more opportunities kept coming my way.” Alvarado has won 421 races for Mott, 65 graded stakes and $51.5 million in purse money. Sovereignty isn't the first good horse Alvarado has ridden for Mott. No one will ever forget the story of Cody's Wish (Curlin) and Cody Dorman. Alvarado said he was never more nervous than when he was aboard Cody's Wish. “That was very special, he said. “It was completely different than riding Sovereignty. With Sovereignty I was always calm. Riding Cody's Wish, I felt lot of pressure every single time I was riding him. I didn't want to be the one who made a mistake and be the villain of the beautiful story of that was happening. That was always in my mind, like I cannot make mistakes, I can't do anything wrong, can't overdo it. I can't do anything to get that horse beat because all the eyes are on me and I'm going to look like the bad guy if he got beat. But every time we won I felt so much happiness.” In our “Fastest Horse of the Week,” segment, which is sponsored by WinStar, we went over the many reasons there are breed to the WinStar stallion Cogburn. The fastest horse of the week was Ways and Means (Practical Joke), who got a 111 Beyer for winning the GII Bed o'Roses S. The 111 was the highest Beyer number assigned to any horse this year. Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the KTOB, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, 1/ST Racing and 1/ST TV, the team of Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and Bill Finley went over not just the Belmont but all the Grade I stakes action over the weekend at Saratoga. The question was asked, “Would Sovereignty have swept the Triple Crown if he had run in the Preakness?” The consensus was yes. The post Junior Alvarado Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast, Presented by Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

United States trainer Wesley Ward will not saddle any runners at Royal Ascot for the first time since 2012 after pulling plans at the last minute to send over a juvenile team headed by the unbeaten Outfielder.View the full article

The catalogue for the Goffs London Sale, held in association with Fitzwilliam Sports and Privat 3 Money on June 16, has grown to 27 lots after late additions, which include Ali Shuffle, Bone Marra and Green Storm. Lily Agnes Stakes winner Ali Shuffle is one of 18 lots set to be sold with engagements at Royal Ascot which begins the day after the sale on Tuesday, June 17. Trained by Karl Burke and unbeaten in three starts, the daughter of A'Ali is set for the G2 Queen Mary Stakes. Joining her are Wolverhampton debut winner Bone Marra. He is pointing to either the G2 Coventry Stakes or the Listed Windsor Castle stakes and is by Starman. Charlie Johnston sends Green Storm, by Circus Maximus, to the sale off a seventh-place finish in last Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby. He was Group 1-placed as a juvenile. Other lots added to the sale in recent days are the Curragh maiden winner Bonus Time (Too Darn Hot) who is pointing for the G3 Jersey Stakes, and Mo Chroi (Galiway), who won a 10-furlong Fairyhouse maiden. Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said, “We're thrilled with the catalogue for this year's London Sale. It features a superb selection of horses, from Group 1 performer Ghostwriter to high-class French and German prospects and a host of Royal Ascot contenders, as well as two exciting stallion shares. With major owners from around the world set to attend, we're preparing for fireworks in the ring on Monday.” The post Ali Shuffle, Bone Marra And Green Storm Added To Goffs London Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 06/09/2025 Licensee: Victor Barboza, trainer Penalty: None. Case dismissed. Explainer: Barboza had faced a medication violation for the use or attempted use of a Class C controlled medication on Gayles Evening during the race period, an event dated 3/2/25. According to the final ruling of the internal adjudication panel, regulatory veterinarian Dr. Teichner had allegedly witnessed Barboza's assistant administer an oral substance to Gayle's Evening prior to the race on March 2. Teichner allegedly observed this while she was “outside of the barn, in her vehicle, looking into the barn,” the final ruling states. But the panel dismissed the case because “no physical evidence, investigator testimony, or photographic proof was presented to support this allegation.” Date: 06/06/2025 Licensee: Mike Miceli, trainer Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points; Treated as 1 violation with Pistol Liz Ablazen under 09/08/23 HISA Guidance. Admission. Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Dexamethasone—a controlled substance (Class C)—in a sample taken from Wildcat Annie, who won at Aqueduct on 2/15/25; and from Piston Liz Ablazen, who finished second at Aqueduct on 2/21/25. Date: 06/06/2025 Licensee: Mike Miceli, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on June 7, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horses' Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points; Treated as 1 violation with Montauk Mystique under 09/08/23 HISA Guidance. Admission. Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Dexamethasone—a controlled substance (Class C)—in samples taken from Montauk Mystique, who finished second at Aqueduct on 3/28/25, and from Mighty Atlas who won at Aqueduct on 3/21/25. Date: 06/05/2025 Licensee: Roshan Samsundar, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on June 6, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Caffeine—a controlled substance (Class B)—in a sample taken from Carbon, who won at Aqueduct on 3/14/25. Date: 06/05/2025 Licensee: Carl Cunningham, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a controlled substance (Class C)—in a sample taken from Prince Pierre on 4/22/25. Date: 06/04/2025 Licensee: Eric Reed, trainer Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on June 5, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $2,500; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Gabapentin—a controlled substance (Class B)—in a sample taken from She's a Saint, who won at Mahoning Valley on 4/8/25. Pending ADMC Violations 06/09/2025, Arthur Agostini, trainer: Pending violation for the use or attempted use of a Class C controlled medication on That's My Cat during the race period, an event dated 12/27/24. 06/06/2025, Tanner Tracy, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a controlled substance (Class C)—in a sample taken from Rockets Sister on 5/8/24. 06/05/2025, Dr. Jason Scott, veterinarian: Pending violation for the possession of Pitcher Plant Extract (Adenosine Phosphate)—a banned substances—for an event dated 2/13/25. 06/05/2025, Vance Childers, trainer: Pending out-of-competition medication violation for the presence of Testosterone—a banned substance—in a sample taken from Childersattack on 10/16/24. Violations of Crop Rule Penn National Wesley Ho – violation date June 7; $250 fine, one-day suspension The post National Regulatory Rulings, June 5-11, 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Editor's note, by Dan Ross: Despite the New York Racing Association's efforts in recent years to limit Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) participation in the Win, Late Pick Five, and Pick Six pools, the influence these teams exert in terms of last-cycle betting impacts appears to be growing in several other key pools, according to research conducted by economics professors Marshall Gramm and Nick McKinney, both of Rhodes College in Tennessee. Indeed, they found that since 2022, the percentage share from CAW players of monies wagered last-minute into the Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta and Early Pick 5 pools (among others), has grown significantly. Why is this a problem for trainers, owners and other industry stakeholders? With worsening CAW encroachment within these betting pools has come growing attrition from racing's average punters, turned away from the sport by the competitive imbalance. And with the nation's purses fueled primarily by wagering monies, this is placing the economic future of the sport into the hands of fewer and fewer deep-pocketed and influential gamblers. The Gramm-McKinney report appears below. Measuring CAW Participation and Growth Through NYRA Pool Restrictions By Marshall Gramm and Nick McKinney Large betting syndicates employing Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) have become a powerful force in the horse racing industry, contributing significant handle but also disrupting betting pools with large, last-second wagers. These last-cycle bets cause sharp odds fluctuations that frustrate traditional horseplayers and undermine confidence in the game's integrity. Despite growing concern, little public data exists on the scale or growth of CAW activity. Using data from the past four Aqueduct Winter meets, we have estimated the size of CAW participation and how it has grown. Our findings suggest CAW teams now account for a much larger share of wagering than just a few years ago. Armed with sophisticated wagering models, CAW teams place thousands of individual bets in the final seconds before post time. They use real-time odds to fine-tune their positions while keeping their activity hidden from the broader betting public. Their ability to flood the pools with targeted bets at scale, combined with rebates that often return half the takeout, gives them a significant edge over conventional horseplayers. A recreational bettor might play dime superfectas at Saratoga using the box or key functions, spreading across dozens or even hundreds of combinations into a 24% takeout with limited efficiency. CAW teams, on the other hand, submit massive volumes of single-combination, optimally crafted superfecta bets executed with precision and boosted by substantial rebates. Last-cycle wagering provides a measure of CAW activity, as anecdotal evidence and industry experience suggest that a significant portion of their money enters the pools in the final moments before post-time. We can gain insight into where and how CAW teams participate by examining the share of total handle wagered during this period, particularly by comparing pools where their access is restricted to those where they are free to participate. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) restricted CAW access to its Win pool to combat sharp odds fluctuations. Additionally, it barred the teams from participating in the Late Pick Five and Pick Six, thereby offering a more level playing field for traditional horseplayers. These restrictions offer a rare opportunity to estimate both the size and growth of CAW wagering activity. NYRA's Pick Five pools are particularly valuable for this type of analysis because they impose different restrictions within the same race card. NYRA racetracks typically offer at least two Pick Fives per card: an Early Pick Five (races 1-5) and a Late Pick Five (last five races). All Pick Fives have a 50-cent minimum and a 15% takeout. Importantly, CAW teams are excluded from the Late Pick Five but may participate freely in the Early Pick Five. Despite often featuring higher-quality races, the Late Pick Five consistently draws lower handle, likely reflecting CAW exclusion. The table below shows the average share of each pool wagered during the final betting cycle, just before the race begins and the pools close. Over the past four Aqueduct winter meets, the share of last cycle handle in the Early Pick Five rose sharply, from 8.4% in 2022 to 32.0% in 2024 before falling slightly to 28.8% in 2025. The Late Pick Five, by contrast, showed only modest growth over the same period, increasing from 2.2% in 2022 to 9.4% in 2025. The gap between the two pools, those with and without CAW access, serves as an estimate of the share of wagering driven by CAW teams. This gap grew from 6.2 percentage points in 2022 to a peak of 23.0 points in 2024, highlighting the rapid expansion of their participation. While the roughly 20 percentage point difference in recent years supports the view that CAW teams make up around 20% of the Early Pick Five pool (a figure consistent with industry estimates), the pace of growth is more striking than the level itself. Estimating CAW participation in other pools is less precise, as their betting activity likely varies by pool depending on model strength and the perceived inefficiency of each market. In general, CAW betting volume increases with wager complexity, with heavier involvement in exotics, such as trifectas and superfectas, than in straight bets, like win or place. Still, last-cycle activity offers a useful proxy. In 2022, 11.0% of Win pool handle was wagered in the final cycle, compared to 17.5% for Exactas and 20.9% for Trifectas. By 2025, those figures had grown to 16.8%, 44.3%, and 47.6%, respectively. The gaps between Win and Exacta or Trifecta pools more than tripled, from 6.5 and 10.9 percentage points in 2022 to 27.5 and 30.8 in 2025. In the most recent meet, more than half of the Superfecta handle was bet in the final cycle. While less definitive than the Pick Five comparisons, these figures suggest that CAW teams now account for at least 30-35% of the Trifecta and Superfecta, up from around 10% just three years ago. This analysis does not intend to single out NYRA. On the contrary, other racetracks should adopt the same CAW restrictions that NYRA has applied to the Win pool. Significant late odds shifts undermine bettors' confidence in the integrity of the pools and alienate new players accustomed to fixed-odds sports wagering. While exotic pools at other tracks also exhibit significant last-cycle movement, none have experienced as sharp an increase as those at NYRA. It's important to remember that last-cycle wagering is only a proxy for estimating CAW involvement. The true scale of CAW participation remains opaque, known only to their ADWs and the racetracks. Not all last cycle money comes from CAW teams, just as some CAW wagers likely enter the pools earlier. The use of advanced data modeling is a natural progression in the evolution of horse betting, and CAW teams are not inherently problematic in their pursuit of an edge. In a less-than-zero-sum game, once-profitable strategies inevitably become obsolete as better methods and sharper competition increase. The concern lies not with their sophistication but with the speed and concentration of their wagering activity. The flooding of pools in the final seconds destabilizes prices and undermines the parimutuel system. Pierre Oller's invention was brilliant in its simplicity: the house takes a fixed cut, and winning bettors are paid from the pool rather than from the operator's pocket. Unlike fixed-odds sports betting, a winning horseplayer can continue to wager freely, often increasing handle over time. But the parimutuel system was never designed to accommodate large volumes of money flooding the pools in the final seconds. In the pre-simulcast era, such strategies were logistically impossible when all bets were placed at the window. Technology has dramatically expanded the capabilities of bettors, but it also demands new safeguards. Restrictions on batch wagering should be extended to all visible pools, including Win, Place, Show, Exacta, and Double, to limit last-second price distortion. Just as critically, the rebate gap between CAW teams and ordinary bettors must be narrowed. Ideally, this would be achieved through across-the-board takeout reductions, improving fairness and sustainability across the entire wagering ecosystem. Unfortunately, NYRA's last-cycle betting volume shows that the problem isn't stabilizing; it's worsening. The post Gramm-McKinney Study Shows Late CAW Activity in NY Pools is Growing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The late Prince Aga Khan IV is the most successful owner in the history of the G1 Prix de Diane Longines with seven wins, and two fillies will carry the family's famous silks in Sunday's affair. Representing his daughter Princess Zahra Aga Khan is Mandanaba (Ghaiyyath), while Cankoura (Persian King) will race in the Aga Khan Studs' colours. Both fillies are trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, with Mandanaba coming off a third in the G1 Prix d'Essai des Pouliches. Mandanaba carries further distinction as the final foal out of Princess Zahra's champion and three-time Group 1 winner Mandesha (Desert Style). The Diane will be her fourth lifetime start. “We hesitated for a long time between the Saint-Alary and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches,” said Aga Khan racing manager Nemone Routh. “The Poule, being a Classic and a Group 1, was ultimately the preferred choice. Her performance there was very good. She has speed, but her pedigree suggests she can stay 2000 metres. “Mandanaba is a very generous filly. She likes to race up near the pace, which is an advantage at Chantilly when the ground is good. Mandanaba also has a lovely backstory. Her dam, Mandesha, was a champion for Princess Zahra, but did not produce particularly well at stud. She has now retired and is enjoying life with Zarkava and her companions. Mandanaba is her final foal, and the best she's ever produced. That's quite rare.” Listed winner Cankoura won the Prix Finland at ParisLongchamp on May 22 after running fourth in the Listed Prix des Lilas earlier in the month. Added Routh, “In the Prix des Lilas, she was really unlucky. Mickael Barzalona didn't ask too much of her. We had expected a more striking performance [in the Finlande], but she needed the run, as she hadn't done much work between the Lilas and the Finlande. Also, the ground was a little too soft for her. “She's honest, willing, and we're hoping for good ground. We believe she still has more to offer. Both Mandanaba and Cankoura have speed and can race prominently, which is a plus at Chantilly in good conditions. Cankoura will be partnered by Clement Lecoeuvre.” Reflecting on the Aga Khan's success in the Diane she added, “The Diane was a race very dear to the Prince. For many years, one of the stable's key aims each season has been to field runners with genuine chances in this Classic. This year, both family silks will be represented, which is particularly special. The Aga Khan Studs are above all breeders, and having fillies capable of excelling in this race is central to the identity of our colours. These fillies will then return to the stud, where we hope they will go on to produce more top-class horses.” Royal Ascot Bid For Zarigana G1 Prix d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Zarigana (Siyouni) will skip the Diane and step forward for the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot next week. A winner of three of her four starts, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained filly will miss a rematch with Shes Perfect (Sioux Nation), who is on target for the Diane. “The trainer was very keen to run Zarigana in Ascot. We obviously did consider the Prix de Diane because I think she relaxed a lot more last time and she seems to be gaining maturity in her races, so it did become more of an option to consider the Diane for her. “But I think Francis has trained her more to race over a mile in this first part of the season, that doesn't mean that we wouldn't stretch her out later in the year. I think he felt it was always part of the programme that he had set aside for her that she would go to Royal Ascot after the Pouliches, especially as we had other fillies for the Diane. “Zarigana is due to have her last piece of work tomorrow [Thursday] morning. She worked last week and is in good form, so provided all goes well tomorrow, I imagine it's all systems go for Royal Ascot.” The post History On The Line As Mandanaba And Cankoura Prep For Diane; Zarigana Headed For Coronation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK — It's that time of year again, when Newmarket welcomes the international visitors ahead of Royal Ascot, and there are few with a more international profile than Carl Spackler. The son of Lope De Vega was bred in Ireland and has visited Newmarket before when offered at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, but the treble Grade I winner has thus far spent his entire racing career in the United States with Chad Brown. From one of America's leading trainers he now passes to the care of one of Australia's and, following his purchase by Yulong Investments, the stallion is now with Ciaron Maher as he takes aim at the Queen Anne Stakes before heading down under. The chestnut with the striking blaze was hard to miss on the July Course just after 6am on Wednesday as he worked under Jamie Spencer. New Zealander James McDonald will be in the saddle at Ascot. Maher's head of bloodstock, Will Bourne, said, “We came here wanting to have a hit out and this was Carl Spackler's second gallop since arriving in Newmarket. He came over here in good condition from Chad Brown, weighing about 525kg. After the feedback from Jamie Spencer from his first gallop, we came here today and achieved exactly what we wanted to. Jamie said when he gave him a squeeze late, he really exploded, and Jamie was really impressed by how much he has switched on since the first gallop.” Bourne added, “A stiff mile at Ascot is a big ask coming from America, although his times out there really stack up and, thanks to his temperament, he is the perfect horse to travel. He is an absolute dude, like a kid's pony.” The Cox Plate, won last year by Yulong's Via Sistina, is the longer-term aim for the five-year-old, who may yet run at Glorious Goodwood after Royal Ascot. Carl Spackler may be on his way to becoming an assimilated Aussie but one who can claim birthright is Asfoora, who has retuned to the UK to defend her crown in the King Charles III Stakes, also on the Tuesday of the royal meeting. Now six, the daughter of Flying Artie has been accompanied by her regular rider Chenelle Ellis and trainer Henry Dwyer, who has been unable to give Asfoora a prep run in Europe, as he did ahead of last year's meeting. He said, “We couldn't get a flight, it's as simple as that. In an ideal world, we would have been over here earlier. We were thinking of going to France and having a prep in the Group 3 sprint two weeks ago, but we couldn't get here in time. As it turns out, we had to do the work at home, travel, and give her a really quiet time here before hopefully going there all guns blazing next Tuesday.” Asfoora and Chenelle Ellis | Emma Berry Dwyer added, “Oisin [Murphy] galloped her on Monday on the July Course. She had a lead horse and they went an easy furlong from the five to the four before running a really sharp 600 metres in around 33 seconds. She was steaming through the line with the blinkers on and pulled up like she hadn't had a gallop, so I think her fitness is good. She seems in a good place and Oisin is very confident, probably more than me, but I hope he is right.” Dwyer, based in Ballarat, described his victory at Royal Ascot last year as “completely bonkers”. He added, “I didn't care if she won or lost as long as she didn't embarrass herself or us. We were stood in the grandstand and, when she came past us and was clearly going to win, that was the last I saw of the race as I had 30 people jumping on top of me, cheering. I still don't think it has sunk in.” Ascot won't be the last time Asfoora is seen on British turf, as Dwyer outlined plans to run the mare at Goodwood and York, in the King George Stakes and Nunthorpe Stakes, as she did in 2024. “Then we would like to go to Ireland and France, but it depends on her,” he said. “If she is in good order, we will be doing that.” Completing a star-studded morning on Newmarket's July Course, which returns to official action a week on Friday, was the appearance of top Japanese sprinter Satono Reve. A son of Lord Kanaloa, the six-year-old won the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in his home country at the end of March before chasing home Hong Kong star Ka Ying Rising to be second in the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin a month later. Satono Reve and Ryan Moore on the July Course | Emma Berry Trainer Noriyuki Hori is making his Royal Ascot debut but he has previously spent time in Newmarket, notably while working for Sir Michael Stoute in the days when his team included the Japan Cup winners Singspiel and Pilsudski. He will be familiar with Beech Hurst Stables, where Satono Reve is based, as the yard now used by James Horton previously housed Stoute's horses. Hori called on another Stoute ally Ryan Moore to take the reins while Satono Reve put in a visually impressive piece of work on the turf on Wednesday morning. Hori said, “After arriving from Hong Kong, Satono Reve had some time to recover before steadily building up his training. Today, we completed his final gallop before the race. “Although it's a different environment from what he's used to, he's been coming along well thanks to the warm support of James Horton, his team and everyone involved.” With Moore likely to be aboard Storm Boy for Aidan O'Brien in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on the final day of the meeting, Satono Reve will be reunited with Joao Moreira as he bids to become the first Japanese winner at Royal Ascot. The post ‘Absolute Dude’ Carl Spackler Swaps America For Australia Via Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

2nd-SA, 60K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, 4:33 p.m. Baoma Corp went to $900,000 to acquire HIMIKA (Curlin) just two months ago at OBS April after the filly worked in a co-fastest :9.4. Bred by Klaravich Stables, she is the first foal out of stakes-placed Motivated Seller (Into Mischief), who set a new track record at Saratoga in 2021 going 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.48. Himika signaled her readiness with a near-bullet four-furlong work June 7 in :46 4/5 (2/74). TJCIS PPS 2nd-CD, 120K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 5:29 p.m. First-crop stallion Charlatan will be represented Thursday by Southeastern, also an OBS grad from the March sale when he brought $660,000. Stakes-winning first dam Miss Interpret, who sold with Southeastern in utero for $400,000 at KEENOV in 2022, is a half-sister to the dam of GISP 'TDN Rising Star' River Thames (Maclean's Music). This is the family of MGISW Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper) and MGISW Dads Cap (Discreet Cat). TJCIS PPS The post Thursday Insights: Baffert Unveils $900k Curlin Filly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In recent months, the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) has adjudicated several cases under the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program related to adenosine, a vasodilator, and Hemo 15, a foreign product that lacks FDA approval, according to an advisory from HIWU, which says that neither substance has any valid veterinary use in the racehorse. “Both substances are categorized as an S0 Non-Approved Banned Substance and therefore are prohibited from Use in a Covered Horse or Possession by a Covered Person at all times,” reads the advisory. “Hemo 15 and any compounded product mimicking Hemo 15, as well as any products containing adenosine, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), or adenosine triphosphate (ATP) should be disposed of immediately.” The advisory goes on to remind horsemen that “the Presence, Use, Administration, Possession, or Trafficking of any Banned Substance is subject to a period of Ineligibility of up to two years, a fine of up to $25,000, the disqualification of race results (as applicable), and public disclosure.” Horsemen or veterinarians with questions are advised to reach out to sciencesupport@hiwu.org. The post HIWU Issues Horsemen’s Advisory Regarding Adenosine and Hemo 15 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Saratoga season admission passes for the special July 4th Racing Festival and the 2025 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course are now available for purchase at more than 175 Stewart's Shops throughout the greater Capital (NY) Region. Saratoga season passes provide fans with general admission access to 44 days of thoroughbred racing this summer for the equivalent of approximately two dollars per day. Season passes are available for $90 at Stewart's Shops through Sunday, July 13, or for $95 online at NYRA.com/Saratoga. Passes include admission to the traditional 40-day summer meet, July 10 to Sept. 1, in addition to the July 4th Racing Festival, July 3 to 6, which has been relocated to Saratoga while construction continues on a new Belmont Park. Saratoga season passes provide access to the apron and the Rivers Casino Backyard, which includes hundreds of free picnic tables available on a first-come, first-served basis. The post Saratoga Season Passes on Sale at Stewart’s appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sprinkled among the 42 entries for the Aug. 17 G1 Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois are a trio from Japan for the first time. Sunday's G1 Yasuda Kinen hero Jantar Mantar (Palace Malice) anchors that trio, with fellow Group 1 winner Ascoli Piceno (Daiwa Major) signed on, as well as longshot Go To First (Rulership). Hailing from the stable of the sponsor is G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Zarigana (Siyouni), Zabiari (Wootton Bassett), and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains fifth Ridari (Churchill). The late Aga Khan IV won the Deauville showpiece in 1973 with Kalamoun. Across the English Channel, Godolphin and Juddmonte have five entries apiece, including G1 2000 Guineas one-two Ruling Court (Justify), for Godolphin, and Field Of Gold (Kingman) flying the flag for Juddmonte, respectively. Ireland is also in on the action, with Aidan O'Brien sending Poulains hero Henri Matisse (Wootton Bassett), G1 Prix du Jockey Club victor Camille Pissarro (Wootton Bassett) and G1 Prix Morny winner Whistlejacket (No Nay Never). In 2024, Sumbe stallion Charyn won the Marois, one of a trio of Group 1s for the son of Dark Angel last year before he retired to Haras de Montfort et Preaux. The post Prix Jacques Le Marois Entries Include Japanese Trio For The First Time appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Group One goals could be on the agenda for Hong Lok Golf next season after the exciting galloper continued his rapid rise with a successful Happy Valley debut on Wednesday night. Sent off the $2.8 favourite for the Class Two Cheung Sha Handicap (1,650m), Hong Lok Golf settled sixth and worked into the race when Harry Bentley made his move on the turn. As the $3.5 second favourite Soleil Fighter shot to the lead early in the straight, Steps Ahead launched a determined challenge to hit the front...View the full article