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What Doomben Races Where Doomben Racecourse – 75 Hampden St, Ascot QLD 4007 When Saturday, August 17, 2024 First Race 12:18pm AEST Visit Dabble Brisbane Racing Club will host a very competitive nine-race program at Doomben this Saturday afternoon, with racing set to kick off at 12:18pm AEST. Due to heavy rainfall in the Brisbane area, it is expected that the surface will remain in the Heavy range for the day after being rated as a Heavy 10 at the time of acceptances. The rail will move back into its true position for the entire circuit. Best Bet at Doomben: Thesecondatportsea Thesecondatportsea will back up after racing at the Sunshine Coast seven days ago, when the Jack Bruce-trained mare ran home strongly to finish fourth over 1600m. This daughter of Churchill took inside runs, and even though she was in the worst part of the track, she still recorded the best final 600m section of the race. Taylor Marshall will be legged aboard with a light weight (52.5kg), and if Thesecondatportsea can replicate her finish from last start, she can breakthrough for a win here. Best Bet Race 8 – #14 Thesecondatportsea (6) 5yo Mare | T: Jack Bruce | J: Taylor Marshall (52.5kg) +340 with PlayUp Next Best at Doomben: Hardware Lane Following two solid runner-up finishes at the Sunshine Coast and this track in his last two, Hardware Lane will rise to 1100m and strike a favourable Heavy track on Saturday. The John Smerdon-trained galloper finished second behind Vodka Martini on a Good track and looked as though he needed a softer track to produce his best effort. A strong tempo is expected to be set by several on-speed runners, which will allow Noel Callow to settle Hardward Lane midfield off the fence and be saved up for a big finish. Next Best Race 9 – #3 Hardware Lane (9) 6yo Gelding | T: John Smerdon | J: Noel Callow (56.5kg) +450 with Neds Best Value at Doomben: Sherriff Cody Sherriff Cody caught the eye when running fourth behind Ashim at Coffs Harbour over 2000m on August 2, where the Owen Glue-trained gelding worked home nicely from midfield. The son of Spirit Of Boom smashed through the line over 2000m, indicating that the extra 200m here will suit. This guy has a strong record on Heavy tracks (8:4-1-0), and when you combine that with the light weight, thanks to Cody Collis’ 3kg claim, Sherriff Cody can give a good showing at double figure odds with online bookmakers. Best Value Race 3 – #7 Sherriff Cody (14) 6yo Gelding | T: Owen Glue | J: Cody Collis (a3) (56.5kg) +1600 with Picklebet Saturday quaddie tips for Doomben races Doomben quadrella selections Saturday, August 17, 2024 1-4-13-14 2-4-10 6-13-14 3-4-5-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article
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Ben Allen returns to the mounting yard aboard Pinstriped after winning the 2023 Feehan Stakes. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Cranbourne-based trainer Enver Jusufovic is optimistic that Pinstriped can improve on last year’s performance in the PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) this Saturday. The six-year-old gelding finished second in the race 12 months ago behind weight-for-age star Mr Brightside and has completed three jump-outs in preparation for his return to the track. “It’s a Group 2, I know it’s a long spring, but you certainly have them fit enough to be very hard to beat,” Jusufovic told Racing.com. “I weighed him the other day, he’s 597 kilograms, which is great for him. “He’s a six-year-old now and he’s matured and really filled out. It’s been almost a faultless prep, with a foot abscess, that’s about it, other than that, he’s coping really well and he’s nice and forward for a first-up tilt. “He’ll improve on what he does, but he ran second in this race last year, and I’m of the opinion he’s a lot stronger this time in.” Horse racing news View the full article
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Spring contender Francesco Guardi. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Chris Waller is eager to see the return of Francesco Guardi and Hinged as the two line up in an open handicap over 1400 metres at Rosehill this weekend, aiming to make their mark early in the campaign. Francesco Guardi, who has been off the track for ten months and has failed to recapture his best since his impressive victory in the 2022 Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m), is on a mission to recapture his best form. Now a seven-year-old, he recently finished third behind Saturday’s rival Tom Kitten in a trial and is nominated for both the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m). Hinged is also returning for another campaign after connections decided against retiring her to the broodmare barn, hoping she can secure another Group 1 victory. “We thought about it, but no, we’re happy to push on at this stage,” explained Waller. “She has run in the top four in Group 1 races about eight times. She’s a bit older now, but she’s not far off them.” Horse racing news View the full article
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Lindsay Park Caulfield Guineas dreaming with Ndola
Wandering Eyes posted a topic in BOAY Racing News
Ndola ridden by Luke Currie winning at Sandown. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Trained by Lindsay Park, Ndola, a promising Justify colt, appears destined for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) following his convincing victory at Sandown-Lakeside. After an impressive debut win at Pakenham Synthetic in June, he placed second in a 1200-metre handicap at Caulfield last month. In his latest outing, Ndola dominated the field in the Sandown-Lakeside Benchmark 64 (1200m), triumphing by 2.3 lengths over Pieris, with Bossy Benita finishing third. Ben Hayes, speaking on behalf of the training team, including brothers JD and Will, expressed his satisfaction with Ndola’s performance. “I was very impressed. I thought Luke (Currie, jockey) did a good thing, just letting him get balanced and get into a rhythm, then he was wide around the bend and his final 100 metres was very impressive as he was running right away from them,” Ben Hayes told Racing.com post-race. “He’s a horse we believe will be much better out to 1400 metres and a mile and we think he is very, very good.” “There are plenty of three-year-old options and in two and a half weeks we’ll look at the Exford Plate which would be a good step up to 1400 metres, but he would now be our number one seed for the Caulfield Guineas, so exciting times ahead.” Following the win, Ndola is a +1700 winning hope with horse racing bookmakers for the Caulfield Guineas. Horse racing news View the full article -
All roads lead to Katherine on Saturday with 64 horses accepting for the eight-race meeting where $184,000 in prizemoney will be up for grabs. The feature race is the $30,000 Katherine Cup (1700m) at the Jim Jackson Racecourse with seven of the eight runners backing up from Darwin Cup Day on August 5. Phil Cole’s Saccharo (fourth), Chris Nash’s Son Of Bielski (fifth) and Gary Clarke’s Playoffs (sixth) finished behind Peter Robl’s Hadouken in the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m). Chris Pollard’s Hamlet Von Snitzel (first), Clarke’s Pink Panther (second), Kerry Petrick’s Venting (fourth) and Neil Dyer’s Ziggi Rocks (fifth) contested an open 1600m handicap. Yannick Valenti’s Mexi Cola from WA, who has had three starts in Alice Springs for two thirds, completes the field and will start as the rank outsider. “It’s record acceptors for the annual Katherine meeting, the previous best was 63 back in 2018,” Thoroughbred Racing NT chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole said. “There’s never been a better Katherine Cup field, but in general it’s a super meeting. “It’s normally a six-race meeting, but you’ve got good support from Darwin trainers and Alice Springs trainers heading home. “Neil Dyer will be there once again on his way back to Victoria. “There’s an average of eight runners a race, there’s only one race with two dividends – all the rest are three. “We’re delighted with the fields and there’s 11 jockeys, it should be a great day.” Katherine Turf Club president Paul Mullins and his hard-working committee are ecstatic that their big day will accommodate eight races. Last year, 43 horses featured on the seven-event program. “It’s awesome to see and it’s something that we will embrace immensely, it’s definitely a good problem to have,” Mullins said. “There’s a lot of highly-rated horses with quality coming down. “Trainers have been able to give their horses a 12-day rest after the Darwin Cup. “Kununurra and Broome are kicking in the next fortnight, so they’re passing through and there’s money available. “It’s good to see that they’re looking after the Territory first.” Two years ago, the KTC re-surfaced the sand track, and it was deemed too loose and soft, but it certainly received the stamp of approval last year. However, the KTC has dealt with another issue in the build-up to Cup Day. Damage was caused to sections of the running rail, with Council doing burn-offs inside the track. “We managed to get some new running rail up from Melbourne, and we’ve repaired that,” Mullins said. “The boys have done well; they’ve pulled together again as they do. “Greatest bunch of volunteers in the world, I reckon. “The track is fine – we’ve rotovated and rolled it and prepped it last weekend. “Heavily watered and put to sleep, we’ll wake it up again and start watering it again Thursday and Friday. “She should be a very good track to run on – TRNT stewards seemed happy with it last week when they gave it a tour. “She’s not a pretty sandy beach-looking track anymore; it’s gone back to its off-milkshake colour.” Horse racing news View the full article
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Race 6 RACECOURSE HOTEL 149TH GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLE CHASE 5600m DONARDO (P Matthews) – Ms. L de Lautour reported to Stewards, she was satisfied with the post-race condition of DONARDO, and it is her intention to continue with the gelding’s current preparation. L de Lautour further advised she may look to nominate DONARDO at the Woodville meeting on the 8 September. The post Canterbury Jockey Club @ Riccarton Park, Saturday 10 August 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article
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Cambridge trainer Hollie Wynyard will attempt to turn the clock back 10 years on Saturday to maintain her perfect record at New Zealand’s most northern circuit. Her hopes will rest with Full Force, who has enjoyed a trouble-free preparation ahead of his return to racing at Ruakaka in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). “It’s a nice race for him and I’ve only ever had one runner at Ruakaka before and that was Vespa and he won,” Wynyard said. She formerly operated in partnership with Johno Benner, who decided to take an indefinite break from training at the end of last season. Full Force will be her first runner in her own right and the son of Cosmic Force measured up favourably against the best of his age group last season. He won once from six appearances and collected three minor placings, including a third in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m). “He had a good spell after his two-year-old season and he’s grown a lot and developed,” Wynyard said. “He’s a lot more mature now so I’m looking forward to his three-year-old season. “We’ll just take it one step at a time and there’s plenty of races for him, we’ll kick off on Saturday and then see where we go.” Full Force emphasised his readiness to return when he placed last week in a 900m heat at Te Rapa in the hands of Ryan Elliot, who will be aboard again. “He trialled brilliantly and didn’t have the blinkers on, he’ll have them back on for race day and probably needs them,” Wynyard said. “He just cruised around and had a good blow out. He recovered really well and he’s improved with the trial. “I expect him to go pretty well, he’s fresh-up but he is forward enough.” Previously based at Otaki, Wynyard moved north to Cambridge to establish her solo career. “I’m training out of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young’s old barn behind the pool,” she said. “It’s a good set-up with 20 boxes and they’re pretty much full, I’ve got really good owners, nice horses and great staff so I couldn’t ask for any more.” Among the proven members of the stable back in work are multiple winners Pride Of Aspen and Colorado Silver while two-year-old Toretto is shaping promisingly ahead of his debut. “Pride Of Aspen had a good spell and we’re bringing her up quietly,” Wynyard said. “Colorado Silver had a long break and she’s a talented horse, she’s always been a bit weak and needed time. “Toretto trialled at Te Rapa and hopefully he’ll run at Wanganui, I really like him.” By Ardrossan, the youngster is a brother to last season’s Listed Phelan Ready Stakes (1200m) winner Beau Dazzler, who crossed the Tasman to finish midfield in the Karaka Millions 2YO. View the full article
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The successful training partnership of Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray have kicked off the new season with an early milestone, earning their 100th domestic win as a combination at the Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday. In his own right, Ritchie has been training for more than three decades with 538 domestic winners to his credit including eight at Group One level. Since joining Murray in partnership in 2020, the pair have accumulated six further stakes winners, including a sweep of last season’s Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) and Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) with Mahrajaan. With five competitive chances throughout the card on Wednesday, Ritchie and Murray hoped to pick up the century at their home meeting and wasted no time in doing so picking up the opener, the Cambridge Equine Hospital 1550, with Mood Changer. Ritchie had allowed the four-year-old plenty of time to find her feet on raceday and that patience paid off, winning fresh-up with some authority on the line after two unplaced runs through December and January. “I loved the way she hit the line hard late and got her head nice and low. She’s been working on the poly at home, so it was always going to suit her,” Ritchie said. “She’s a stunning style of a filly, she’s just taken a bit of time to work out what’s going on. She’s been a bit keen in her races and when we trialled her last time we rode her cold, and even before the corner she was trucking up beautifully. “We rode her that way today, letting her get into her rhythm and she’s finished off very well. “She’s more of a summer horse, but we might try our arm at Hastings for a bit more prize money.” A daughter of War Decree, Mood Changer was an inexpensive purchase for Ritchie and persevering through early issues with the mare has proved worthwhile. “I paid $500 for her at Kevin Hickman’s dispersal sale and I knew she had a cyst on her stifle, but that’s the most successful operation we’ve found in the past so I spent more money getting the surgery than buying the horse,” he said. “I wasn’t going to put clients into a horse that was a risk, so I just decided to keep her myself. “I really liked her, and I trained her dam Footsie, she had a lot of ability but she wasn’t sound unfortunately.” After reaching the milestone, Ritchie was pleased for Murray and was swift in recognising Nassak Diamond’s dominant victory in the iconic Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool last December as a highlight for the expat-Irishman. “Mood Changer was Colm’s 100th winner and ours in partnership, we’ve been going for about four years so it’s great,” he said. “He’s a good horseman, he’s got to his 100 pretty quick and he’s obviously going to make a very good trainer in his own right in time. “We were pretty confident with Rick Williams that Nassak Diamond could win the Jericho Cup last year, to the degree that we flew Colm over for the weekend as I’d been there with the horse all week. “That was a big thrill because he’s got a hurdle rider background up in Ireland, and of course the Jericho Cup is a hurdle rider’s race worth $300,000. “It was really cool for us to be on course and enjoy that, it was something special. “As far as I was concerned, the Auckland Cup was a big kick for me because I was brought up around the streets around Ellerslie. “My grandfather trained there and it was the race I got a massive buzz out of. “We’ve had some nice horses and it’s been good, so long may it continue. “We look like we’ve got a good season coming with Pearl Of Alsace, Nereus and Mahrajaan as well as some trialling three-year-old’s and poly winners that we hope to advance onto the grass this season.” Ritchie also made mention of the benefits the Cambridge Synthetic track has offered their talented contingent heading into the spring period, including acting as an early springboard for Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2400m) winner Nereus last season. “We’ve got some nice spring horses coming through, and in our opinion, the polytrack is a massive advantage at this time of the year,” he said. “Rather than trialling on heavy tracks, we would much rather have a trial, exhibition gallop or even a race at the horses’ first start so they can get on that even surface. “We’ve taken advantage of that, and it’s not because we think they’re just poly horses. We think they are progressive horses and it’s easier for us to walk over the road from home and they can be back in their paddock quickly afterwards to recover. “We can bounce to the major meetings on turf from there, for example Nereus won on the poly at his second start and he’s gone on to win an Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr.2, 2100m), so there’s definitely a right place for it, particularly at this time of the year when our heavy tracks are inconsistent.” View the full article
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There are four horse racing meetings set for Australia on Thursday, August 15. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Newcastle. Thursday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – August 15, 2024 Newcastle Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on August 15, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you prepared to lose today? Full terms. 2 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 3 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble Have a Dabble with friends! Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Recommended! Bet365 Signup Code GETON 4 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. 5 Next Gen Racing Betting PickleBet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. 6 Bet With A Boom BoomBet Daily Racing Promotions – Login to view! Join Boombet Review 18+ Gamble responsibly. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place. Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article
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Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Thursday, August 15. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximise your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for August 15, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Newcastle R1-3 | Run 2nd or 3rd get your stake back in bonus bets Run 2nd or 3rd in Races 1-3 at Newcastle and receive a bonus back up to $25. PlayUp T&Cs apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Daily Trifecta Boosts Boost your winnings on Trifectas by 10%. Thoroughbreds only T&C’s apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo Top 4 Betting! Bet & win up to 4th place Picklebet Terms and Conditions Apply Login to PickleBet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% of winnings in cash Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds only. PlayUp T&Cs Apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Any Australian Racing 3+ Leg Multi | If 1 Leg Fails Bonus Back Up To $50 Place a 3+ leg Fixed Win/Place Multi across Australian Thoroughbred, Harness or Greyhound racing this week and if 1 leg of your multi fails, get up to $50 back in Bonus Cash. Available once daily. Neds T&Cs apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing exclusive thoroughbred bonus promotions for August 15, 2024. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and exclusive promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article
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While Woodbine fans will be treated to the coronation of a new racing star in the King's Plate Stakes, the graded races Aug. 17 will feature some familiar, winning names as War Bomber and Patches O'Houlihan are back to defend their titles.View the full article
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Race 7 TE AKAU – NZ’S CHAMPION STABLE MILE 1600m REVUELTO (R Elliot) – Trainer Mr. T Pike reported to Stewards, he was satisfied with the post-race condition of the gelding and it is his intention to carry on with REVEULTO’S current preparation and may look to nominate at the Waikato TR meeting on 28 August. The post Waikato Thoroughbred Racing @ Te Rapa, Saturday 10 August 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article
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Into Mischief’s Bernard Shaw Heads To Dundalk
Wandering Eyes posted a topic in The Rest of the World
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a pricy son of Into Mischief. 3.25 Dundalk, Mdn, €18,000, 2yo, 8f (AWT) BERNARD SHAW (Into Mischief) bids to build on his highly encouraging debut fourth under John Velazquez in The Curragh's Barronstown Stud Maiden in June in this race won in the last two years by Ballydoyle's classy pair Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Capulet (Justify). The $1.8-million Keeneland September graduate, who is a son of the GII Canadian Stakes winner Princess Haya (Street Cry {Ire}), could yet develop into one of Aidan O'Brien's leading 2-year-old colts. 13.58 Deauville, Debutantes, €160,000, 2yo, f, 7fT BOGOTA (IRE) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is one of the more intriguing types in the line-up for this valuable Arqana Series Des Pouliches, being out of a full-sister to War Front's G1 Dewhurst Stakes-winning sire Air Force Blue. Owned by Infinity Nine Horses and Ecurie des Monceaux, the Christophe Ferland trainee encounters Bobby Flay's Champagne Dancer (Fr) (Persian King {Ire}), a half-sister to three stakes performers including last year's Listed Prix Coronation winner Quickstep (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). 14.33 Deauville, Debutantes, €160,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT MARANOA CHARLIE (FR) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) takes part in this Arqana Series Des Poulains and is a key member, being out of a half-sister to the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). The €220,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate races for Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter and is saddled by Christopher Head as he faces 10 for his big pot. The post Into Mischief’s Bernard Shaw Heads To Dundalk appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Tuesday, trainer Ian Wilkes spent 12 hours driving from Kentucky to Saratoga Race Course. By the end of the day Saturday, he is hoping that the time he spent behind the wheel was worth it. Only his 3-year-old filly Just Basking (Arrogate) will be able to let him know if the journey was justified. Just Basking is one of eight 3-year-old fillies entered to run in the $600,000 GI Alabama Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga. “If you can't believe in your horse, you shouldn't be here,” Wilkes said Wednesday morning after Just Basking had her bath at the private barn of trainer Jim Bond, where Wilkes's filly is bunking this week. “I wouldn't come.” Wilkes, the 59-year-old from Muswellbrook, Australia, believes. Just Basking, who will be ridden by Chris Landeros, will be making her graded stakes debut in the Alabama. She is coming off a dominant 4 3/4-length win in the Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows on July 6 for owners Andrew Schwarz and Wendy Schwarz Gilder. That is what convinced Wilkes to get Just Basking a van reservation. He also said it would have made no difference to him if Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) had shown up in the Alabama rather than running vs. the boys in the $1.25-million, Grade I Traves next weekend. “I would have been here,” Wilkes said. “I don't think I can beat Thorpedo Anna, but if she would have created a small (Alabama) field, I know I can get a strong mile and a quarter. A Grade I placing would help her value.” Just Basking broke her maiden at the odd distance of 1 1/4 miles Apr. 27 at Churchill, winning by 7 1/4 lengths. That was her third career start. What followed was a disappointing fifth place finish at 1 1/8 miles as the favorite, also at Churchill. “She got a little confused in that race (first start vs winners),” Wilkes said. “They went slow and she had to figure it out. What I liked in that race was that she really took off in the last 50 yards.” She then put it all together at Prairie Meadows. That got Wilkes to return to Saratoga, a place where he has spent the whole summer for years. He can't remember the last time he wasn't here for the entire season. And that dates back to before he went out on his own in 2006 after spending the prior 13 years as an assistant to future Hall of Famer Carl Nafzger. Saratoga has been a place for key moments in his career. He got his first graded stakes win (GII Amsterdam with Court Folly in 2006) and first Grade I win (Capt. Candyman Can in 2009). He said he stayed in Kentucky this summer because it got too expensive to ship his stable to Saratoga for the 40-day meet. “Saratoga is unique,” Wilkes said. “You miss it. It's a great place, great for racing. People love Saratoga. Owners love to come to Saratoga. There are two places owners love to win: Saratoga and Keeneland.” Win or lose on Saturday, Wilkes will stick around for another week. He is planning on running Positano Sunset (Goldencents) in the $500,000 GI Ballerina on Travers Day. 'Skippy' Set to Defend His Title in Charles Town Classic Skippylongstocking | SV Photography Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), fresh off his fifth-place finish in the GI Whitney Stakes, is hitting the road. The 5-year-old horse, trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr. and owned by Daniel Alonso, will defend his title in the $1-million, GII Charles Town Classic Aug. 23 in West Virginia. “This looks like a good spot for him,” Joseph said outside his barn on the Saratoga backstretch. “He has bounced out of (the Whitney) really well; that's why we're going. And we know he likes that track.” He will have a work this weekend and van to West Virginia on Wednesday, Joseph said. Skippylongstocking won the 1 1/8-mile Charles Town Classic last year by five lengths with a front-running score. The unique configuration of the track means the race will have three turns. “Some horses can't handle that track,” Joseph said. “We know he can handle it.” Skippylongstocking will be making his 26th career start in the Charles Town Classic. He has eight wins, two seconds and five third-place finishes. This year, he has two wins in five starts. The two victories came in the GIII Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs Mar. 9 and the GII Oaklawn Handicap at Oaklawn Park Apr. 20. Before the Whitney, he was third in the GI Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs June 29. Joseph has driven to West Virginia for the race in the past, but isn't sure if he will be making the trip this time. He has two horses–Honor D Lady (Honor Code) and Soul of an Angel (Atreides)–being pointed to the GI Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga on the same day. The Charles Town Classic had a post time of 10:25 p.m. last year. Joseph said he has not decided if he will head to West Viginia or one of his assistants will do the saddling duties for the Charles Town Classic. Repole Keeping The Faith As Fierceness Nears His Date With The Travers Mike Repole | Sarah Andrew It has been well documented that Fierceness (City of Light), one of the top 3-year-old colts in training, can't put two solid efforts together back-to-back. Or, hasn't. Mike Repole, his confident owner with a rat-a-tat-tat delivery with an accent straight out of Queens, knows what Fierceness is going to do when he enters the starting gate for the $1.25-million, Grade I Travers Stakes Aug 24. “I'm looking for him to run fourth in the Travers and then win the (GI Breeders' Cup) Classic by seven,” Repole said. “What have I got to lose? We can't figure the horse out. His four wins, he has won with brilliance and amazing times. The three losses? We scratch our heads.” Fierceness is coming off a good day at Saratoga July 27 when he won the GII Jim Dandy Stakes by a length over Sierra Leone (Gun Runner). That was his first start since the GI Kentucky Derby when he laid an egg, finishing 15th as the favorite. Before that, he dominated the GI Florida Derby, winning by a record 13 1/4 lengths; the race before he fizzled to third in the GIII Holy Bull. Good race. Not so good race. A pattern. Repole and his Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher aren't really buying into that. When Fierceness is on top of his game, he is at the top of the list for best 3-year-olds in the country. He has won both of his career starts at Saratoga; he broke his maiden at the Spa by 11 1/4 lengths in his career debut last summer. Right now, Repole is crossing his fingers that his Kentucky homebred is beyond the good-race-bad-race modus operandi. “Eventually, he has to put two of them together, right?” Repole said. “There is a lot on the line in the Travers. This is a big boy race.” The post Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Wilkes Hopes Trip Was Worth it as Just Basking Takes Aim at Alabama appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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Awesome Czech (Mendelssohn) became the fourth new stakes winner in the last 31 days for her Ashford-based stallion, pulling away to take Wednesday's Suzie O'Cain Stakes with a fair bit of authority. Settled in fourth and detached from the leading trio that was led by commonly owned stablemate Red Burgundy (Noble Mission {GB}), Awesome Czech was patiently handled down the back before being asked for some acceleration leaving the three-furlong pole. Steered out three wide at the top of the lane by Manny Franco, Awesome Check easily gathered up her 'mate' with a bit more than a sixteenth of a mile to travel and scooted clear. Brocknardini (Palace Malice) closed off well from the back of the field for second ahead of Munny Grab (Munnings) in third. The pacesetter weakened to fifth. “I had a good set up in front of me,” the winning jockey commented. “They went fast and I was comfortable with where I was. As soon as I asked her to go, she was there so it was just a matter of time. She has a great turn of foot turning for home. She always tries for me. I have won three times on her now. I love her.” A maiden winner at third asking when making her first turf start downstate last September, Awesome Czech closed her five-race campaign with a near-miss second against open rivals in the Nov. 17 Tepin Stakes at the Big A. Fifth off something of a hopeless trip in the June 22 Wild Applause Stakes, the bay most recently cleared her first state-bred allowance condition July 21, besting older rivals by a half-length. Hailing from the deeper female family of the late and influential Bernardini, Awesome Czech has a 2-year-old half-sister named Rare Society (Central Banker) and a foal half-brother by Honest Mischief. Marvelous Martina was covered by Mendelssohn for her 2025 foal. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. SUZIE O'CAIN S., $125,000, Saratoga, 8-14, (S), 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.94, fm. 1–AWESOME CZECH, 120, f, 3, by Mendelssohn 1st Dam: Marvelous Martina, by Awesome Again 2nd Dam: Marvelous Margaret, by Put It Back 3rd Dam: Port Isabel, by Time to Explode 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Barry K Schwartz; B-Stonewall Farm (NY); T-Horacio De Paz; J-Manuel Franco. $68,750. Lifetime Record: 8-3-2-0, $223,530. 2–Brocknardini, 120, f, 3, Palace Malice–Broad Stripes, by Bernardini. ($20,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $35,000 2yo '23 EASMAY). O-Thomas & Daryn A Brockley; B-Thirty Year Farm (NY); T-George Weaver. $25,000. 3–Munny Grab, 118, f, 3, Munnings–Another World, by Maria's Mon. ($75,000 Ylg '22 SARAUG). O-Magic Cap Stables & Hayden Racing; B-EKQ Stables Corp (NY); T-Horacio De Paz. $15,000. Margins: 2 3/4, HD, 3 1/4. Odds: 3.85, 3.35, 4.70. Also Ran: Summer Whirl, Red Burgundy, Boxed Wine, Downtown Channel, Bossy Jeans. Scratched: Alette d'Oro, Landed. AWESOME CZECH, 3YO daughter of @coolmoreamerica stallion Mendelssohn, surges for the win in the Suzie O'Cain Stakes under @jockeyfranco for @depazracing! pic.twitter.com/btVjv1rPdw — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 14, 2024 The post Awesome Czech Keeps Mendelssohn On A Roll in Susie O’Cain appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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Waterville Lake Stables' ANNASCAUL (f, 2, American Pharoah–Epping Forest, by Exchange Rate) took play to be off as the 7-4 favorite while making her career debut against her fellow New York-breds Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga, and she duly treated them to a four-length beating from the front beneath Frankie Dettori. The beautifully bred chestnut, whose dam was perfect in only two starts against New York-breds and won four times in open company, bounced alertly and was soon at the head of affairs, clicking off an opening quarter-mile in :22.04. Taking pressure to her outside from a lugging-out Mischief Lady (Honest Mischief) on the turn, Annascaul was given a dig by Dettori three-sixteenths of a mile from home and was under only vigorous hand urging to score by about four lengths in the time of 1:03.13 for the 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O/B-Waterville Lake Stables (NY); T-Christophe Clement. ANNASCAUL, the 2YO daughter of @coolmoreamerica stallion American Pharoah, breaks her maiden impressively in the sixth race with @FrankieDettori up for trainer @clementstable. pic.twitter.com/7ZDP3LbK78 — NYRA () (@TheNYRA) August 14, 2024 The post American Pharoah Filly Annascaul Flies at First Asking at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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Remington Park track announcer and publicist Dale Day previews the track's upcoming meet including the opening night card featuring the Governor's Cup.View the full article
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Remington Park track announcer and publicist Dale Day previews the track's upcoming meet including the opening night card featuring the Governor's Cup.View the full article
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Edited Press Release Len Green is well known in racing circles for D.J. Stable's success at the New York Racing Association tracks, but on Wednesday he was publicly recognized for his longstanding commitment to the backstretch community when he received the Marylou Whitney Award from the New York Race Track Chaplaincy at the organization's 17th annual fund-raising brunch at the Saratoga National Golf Club in Saratoga Springs, NY. On hand to assist with the award presentation was Marylou's Whitney's granddaughter, Margaret Schlachter. “My late wife Lois and I have always had a great appreciation for all the people who work so hard and take such good care of the horses,” Green said. “I am really humbled and thrilled to be honored by an organization like the New York Race Track Chaplaincy, which provides such important programs and services to so many on a daily basis.” Green is the Founder and Chairman of the New Jersey CPA firm, The Green Group, specializing in tax, accounting and consulting especially in the Thoroughbred industry. D.J. Stable, which is now managed by their son, Jon, has won over 2,500 races with 40 graded stakes winners and Eclipse Award-winning champions Jaywalk and Wonder Wheel. As is the custom, Green was presented with a framed racing scene created by equine artist Tom Chapman from the New York Race Track Chaplaincy. In addition, Len was named a founding partner of the Chaplaincy's graduate support program in recognition of his generous support. The brunch attracted a capacity crowd of supporters from all segments of the racing industry and set a new record for fundraising. Previous honorees have included Tracy and Todd Pletcher, Andy Serling, Irad Ortiz, Jr., Anne Campbell, Edgar Prado, Michael Dubb, Fay and David Donk, Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson, Letty and Kiaran McLaughlin, Lisa and Kenny Troutt, Debbie and Terry Finley and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. The post Len Green Honored with Marylou Whitney Award for Commitment to the Backstretch Community appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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He has been out of action since his powerful display in the G2 Dante Stakes in May, but Isa Salman Al Khalifa's Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) has never been too far from the news given his obvious potential and so it is with more than a small sense of anticipation that the purists await his comeback in Thursday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville. Some of racing's kingpins have won this 10-furlong staging post in recent years, namely Almanzor (Fr), Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) and Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) and it is certain to suit William Haggas's latest stable star. Favouring a more stealthy approach to the top and avoiding the temptation of the Derby, Eclipse and Juddmonte International may pay off handsomely in time and Haggas is keen to see the six-length winner of York's premier Derby trial back at the races. “He's still relatively inexperienced. As promising as he might look, he's still only run three races in his life, so we thought the Juddmonte might be quite a hard ask for a horse first time out for a while,” he explained. “He's a pretty nice horse, I haven't been looking very hard to see how good he is because that's not the way we like to do it, but he does everything very easily, he's pretty fit and I'm very much looking forward to getting him back on track–I can't wait really. What concerns me personally is how tight the ground might be for him. He's a great big horse and it's going to be quick ground, but he's got to run so we'll need to get on with it. He's a beautiful-looking horse and everything he has done so far has pleased us. He had a gallop at the racecourse at Newmarket about 10 days ago and he looked really good, so I'm really happy with him.” Economics's compatriot Jayarebe (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) also sidestepped the Eclipse and is appearing after a lay-off having last raced in Royal Ascot's G3 Hampton Court Stakes. King's Gambit (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), who was runner-up to Jayarebe in that 10-furlong contest, boosted the form when bustling up Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G2 York Stakes last month and trainer Brian Meehan is thinking Breeders' Cup ultimately for Iraj Parvizi's promising colt. “He's great, really happy with him. He seems like he's improved, he's in tremendous form,” he said. “I considered the Eclipse, which was a couple of weeks later and it was only the [soft] ground that put us off running there. He's taken a nice, gradual increase in class as he's progressed and this was kind of a very obvious next step for him, staying in his own age group. The plan has always been to take him to the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar. Depending on what happens on Thursday, where to take him in between is a bit of a dilemma, but saying that I'd be happy to not run him again until the Breeders' Cup.” “He's got a good travelling speed,” he added. “The track at Del Mar is maybe not the ideal track for him, but he has got a good racing pace and he's just really straightforward and a good galloper and I think an extra two furlongs on that particular day would be ideal as well.” Also from Britain is Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Listed Heron Stakes winner Almaqam (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who steps up in trip having been sixth in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes, while the Wertheimers' G2 Prix Eugene Adam winner Bright Picture (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) is worthy of respect despite the strength of the overseas challenge. Louise Procter Returns… Deauville's G3 Prix de Lieurey sees White Birch Farm's still-exciting TDN Rising Star Louise Procter (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) stage her comeback having been given plenty of time to get over her disappointing effort in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp in May. Unbeaten and the 2-1 favourite entering that mile Classic, she again faces a typically strong British challenge including the Listed Prix de Bagatelle winner Bright Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and the Listed Coral Distaff scorer Spiritual (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The post Study Of Economics Begins At Deauville On Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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It almost feels like he's on the other end of some celestial phoneline, listening in and smiling. Because somehow Marty Wygod seems to have arranged things so that family and friends, since mourning his loss in April, could be consoled by an afterglow of the same vitality that had sustained his 84 years. First a colt gifted to his daughter Emily Bushnell and longtime racing adviser Ric Waldman took them to the GI Kentucky Derby; and now another graduate of his program has assisted its transition with a $2.4 million payday in the Fasig-Tipton Sale at Saratoga. But of course there's still that grievous void. “I miss our talks,” Waldman admits. “My phone doesn't ring nearly as much anymore. We would talk multiple times a day. At his memorial service, I said that we'd talk 20, 30 minutes at a time. And Pam interjected, 'You mean hours at a time!' I guess those calls did go on….” And why not, when they had so much to talk about? Which is why TDN is grateful to borrow something of the surplus available in Waldman, whose long experience is aptly measured by the fact that he remains synonymous with the great-great-grandsire of the two colts—both by Into Mischief—who have this summer helped to absorb the strains of bereavement. We'll return to Storm Cat, naturally, but a recent coffee in Lexington clearly required us first to consider the client and friend who had bequeathed such compelling reasons to keep looking forward. It was almost unbearably poignant, of course, that Wygod could not last the month between the GII Wood Memorial and the Derby. By the same token, however, even the raw hour of grief could be leavened by an immediate sense that Wygod's legacy was not going to abide merely in memories. The very celebration of his life could borrow some of its defining motifs: togetherness, affection, anticipation. Ric Waldman and Emily Bushnell at Aqueduct Wygod had watched Resilience win the Wood from his hospital bed, and afterwards everyone got onto a speakerphone at Aqueduct. Unabashed by an audience that included Waldman's girlfriend Frankie Trull, Wygod announced: “Ric, now's your best shot to get her to marry you.” “It was never just horses, never just business,” Waldman says with a smile. “He was always concerned about things you're going through. He was so family-oriented, and had such a great marriage, he just wanted everybody else to have the same benefit.” There was a fleeting moment in the Derby when Wygod's parting gesture threatened to become a true fairytale. But then real life intervened, and Resilience faded into sixth. “He did give us a thrill making his move at the top of the stretch,” Waldman recalls. “It would have been quite a tearjerker for everybody. But it was anyway. Selfishly speaking, Marty had allowed me the most exciting moment I've had in the business: to have Frankie with me for the whole ride, and bring my children to town and celebrate that week with them. The walkover! My kids loved it, they had no idea.” Resilience dropped right away in the GI Belmont S. but emerged with bone bruising and is being given all due time to resume his progress with maturity. “He's a really beautiful horse,” Waldman says. “I can't wait to see when he fully develops as a 4-year-old.” So a sequel may yet be written to an association stretching right back to when Waldman started in the business. His father Marvin, who had a liquor business based in Louisville, was partner in a small farm with Lee Eaton. This was back in the 1960s, long before Eaton revolutionized sales consignment, but exposed the young Waldman to an unmistakable vocation and he went to cut his teeth with Fasig-Tipton in New York. In those days Wygod was still claiming horses with “Lefty” Nickerson, and Waldman's first dealings with him were little more than clerical. Waldman (center) with Frankie Trull, Oliver and Emily Bushnell and Max Wygod at the Derby | courtesy of Ric Waldman It wasn't until the turn of the century that they began a closer working relationship. That was when Wygod implored Waldman to accept a young mare into Storm Cat's book, which he was managing for William T. Young of Overbrook Farm. Sweet Life (Kris S.) was a minor stakes winner on turf, and had managed a Grade I second, but in an era of limited books that did not sound quite sufficient. “I was trying to be as tactful as I could,” Waldman recalls. “Though I have learned more tact as I've gotten older! 'Marty,' I said, 'I really don't think she's up to it.' Anyway, he convinced me. And, of course, he was absolutely dead on.” The mare gave Storm Cat two Breeders' Cup winners, Sweet Catomine and Life is Sweet. And, as mutual respect grew into friendship, Waldman gained a privileged insight into a man who ran his racing program with the same flair as his business life. “Marty had a brilliant mind,” he says. “And great instincts. Most of his professional history was in the medical field, but he could have chosen anything. Because it wasn't the business itself that would focus his energies, so much as the people, the management team, the specialists he would hire and develop along the way. He always felt that if he had a nucleus of top people, he could make a company successful. It was a great mental exercise, talking horses with Marty. He was always thinking, always a step ahead. And he made me better for doing that.” Resilience was an especially precious gift in that his dam Meadowsweet (Smart Strike) is the only daughter, following a monotonous production of colts, of Tranquility Lake (Rahy)–who had earned $1.6 million before giving Wygod two further Grade I winners by Storm Cat. But neither After Market and Courageous Cat had yet emerged when Sheikh Mohammed famously gave $9.7 million for their brother Jalil as a yearling. What has made Resilience so fulfilling for Waldman are the personal elements. Not everyone, for instance, would be aware that Tranquility Lake was named for a feature on Marty's property in Rancho Santa Fe, California, with meadowsweet flowering along its fringes. Above all, this horse represents the combination of a Wygod family with the Storm Cat line: the result, in other words, of groundwork by Waldman on both sides of his pedigree, 20 years ago and more. Waldman reminds us how Storm Cat struggled for momentum, having largely disappeared from view for two years after just missing in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. “The bloom was off the lily long before he covered his first mare,” Waldman says. “By then people were instead looking at his offset knees, his short neck.” Storm Cat | Horsephotos Having just started consulting for Young, Waldman immediately felt that the fee ($30,000) had been set too high. “You really can't afford to err that way, because that first book is the meaningful one,” he says. “And the only way to rectify that is to overcompensate the next year. So that's how great of a stallion he was, that he overcame all this. After a small first book, his fee wasn't dropped enough for his second. His first yearlings didn't sell particularly well. But when he was breeding his fourth book of mares, his first runners were coming through and showing some life. And, very intelligently, Mr. Young said, 'Well, let's find everybody who paid the full stud fee the first year, and offer them a free season to change their matings plans now it looks like he's going to be okay.'” Before long the challenge was reversed: how to refuse people who want to give you a ton of money to use your stallion? Waldman reckons that Storm Cat never covered more than 118 mares. So while some stallions were already going a good deal higher, it just about remained true that to reach an elite sire you needed an elite mare. That locked in the quality, and also left a surplus to filter down the pyramid. Which will hardly happen when a totally unproven stallion today can approach 300 mares, correct? “Well, I can defend both sides,” Waldman replies. “And I'm not trying to cop out! If there weren't such a thing as restraint of trade, I'd be in favor of limiting books and being a better custodian of the breed. But I don't fault anybody. If I had any of these giants breeding in the 200s, I'd be doing the same. It's just a fact of life, you can't tell somebody how many mares he can or can't breed. And in the end the market takes care of itself.” As it was, Storm Cat founded a dynasty that this year claimed both the Kentucky Derby and the Epsom original through parallel branches. “When I see him in a pedigree, as sire of the second dam or something, I do get a sense of pride–even though I have virtually nothing to do with it,” Waldman says. “Obviously he was owned by Mr. Young, but I felt so close to him, and so responsible for everything we did with him, that I do feel a kind of proprietorship.” But the real credit, for what has happened since, he distributes among those breeders who cultivated and diversified the sire-line. “I love observing successful breeders,” Waldman says. “Because fortunately they can put into practice different theories. The reasons Storm Cat reached such a high point are a) his sons were doing well at stud, and b) they were doing well in Europe. If he were just an American sire, he would never have been a $500,000 stud.” Marty Wygod and trainer Richard Mandella | Benoit But even the epic prowess of Storm Cat might easily have slipped through less accomplished hands. As a yearling, heading into the old July Sale at Keeneland, he came up with a positive test during an EVA outbreak. “So they said he had to be relegated to the tail-end of the sale,” recalls Waldman. “In Mr. Young's view, they were treating him like a leper. So he said, 'The hell with it, I'll just race him.' And the rest is history.” As so often in life, we are left to wonder about the path not taken. As horse people, we have to believe that we can make a difference; that fulfillment of potential is not inevitable. What if Young had washed his hands of the horse, and he ended up in some backwater? “He did have some physical ailments,” Waldman acknowledges. “Maybe he wouldn't have shown enough to warrant breeding, might have been castrated. But he had those big, powerful quarters on him. Knowing Mr. Young's habits, and how he hated to sell what he thought was a good horse, I have a hunch he was going to come back from that sale.” As it was, Young and Waldman were exhilarated by how it all played out. “For a native Lexingtonian, with such a born history here, Mr. Young got into farm ownership and breeding relatively late in life,” Waldman recalls. “But when he did, he really had the enthusiasm and the hunger. And he had vision. Really he was a frustrated architect. He'd have his say on every structure, the symmetry of every fence-line, tree, barn. “He loved to come into our Tuesday staff meetings and shake things up. And then after he'd got everybody agitated, he'd walk out saying, 'Okay, I'll leave you boys to figure it out.' He had a really good general manager, Bob Warren: he was like Radar O'Reilly to his Henry Burns.” And, really, it has been the same all the way through: Waldman has worked for a series of characters who diverged widely except in terms of caliber. There was E.P. Taylor's deeply intellectual son Charles, who hired him at Windfields. Even before his recruitment, Waldman was so ahead of the curve with Deputy Minister that he and Fred Seitz threw their little broodmare band at him in Maryland. Then he persuaded Taylor to expand his stake in the horse, to prevent him being moved. It was only grudgingly, however, that Taylor ever allowed more than 56 mares into his book. “The year Charles died, may he rest in peace, we bred 99 mares to Deputy Minister!” confesses Waldman. “That's how you get caught up in this whole contagion: the mentality is that if you're not keeping pace with everyone else, you're falling behind. “Charles was very cerebral. We had great discussions, exchanging ideas. But there was one part of him that was very similar to his dad. He was extremely competitive. He was really upset if he didn't win. But he was always fair and understanding with employees, and really believed in the traditions of the farm.” And then there was Brereton C. Jones, who brought Waldman from Fasig-Tipton as business manager. Brereton Jones | Keeneland “I've never met a more dynamic, enthusiastic person,” Waldman says. “He was a big, big personality. Such zeal. Oh, gosh, he was wonderful to work for. I left him to start my consulting business: I hated to leave, but he was going to be Governor of Kentucky. And I have a different personality. I knew I could never run Airdrie like he did. Fortunately, he understood that, and we retained a really good friendship for the rest of his life.” And while some of these figures have left the stage, Waldman still has a stimulating range of clients–and, after all these years, palpably remains as enthused as ever by the mysteries of the Thoroughbred. “Nobody can own the game,” he says. “So many Derby winners are rags-to-riches stories. That's what keeps everybody believing. The inexactness is what makes this open and fair to everybody.” By the same token, nobody should get carried away when things do work out. “As much as I'd love to take credit for Storm Cat, that's hogwash,” Waldman says firmly. “Regardless of how good or bad the management, you can't keep a top stallion from being a top stallion. As much as man intervenes, and tries to keep that stallion from being a top stallion, you can't do it. You might make it more difficult. But eventually the stallion is going to win out that argument. “His crop had Tasso, Danzig Connection, Groovy. All top racehorses, all busts as stallions. Storm Cat was precocious, that's critically important to me. Which means much more than just running fast as a 2-year-old. It's mentality. He was headstrong, tough. Of course, it was just two generations back to the great Northern Dancer, and his dam was extremely fast. Secretariats didn't generally come out fast like she was. It's easy to see why he could be a success. Now, what makes him that level? I don't think anybody can put their finger on that.” But that's what keeps him looking forward, with each new weekend of sport to digest. “I've always looked forward to Monday mornings,” Waldman says. “And anytime you're at a job, and you're looking forward to Monday morning, you're doing something right.” The post Waldman Savors The Abiding Legacies Of Horses And Horsemen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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Del Mar's first post Aug. 16 will shift from 4 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT and remain at that time Fridays for the balance of the meet, which concludes Sept. 8.View the full article