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Last seen finishing the distant runner-up behind Tuz (Oxbow) in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Mar. 30, Don Frankie (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) turned in an ideal prep for an expected date in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint with an all-the-way victory in Wednesday's $353,808 Listed Cluster Cup at Morioka Raceourse on the National Association of Racing circuit. An agile individual for a horse that tipped the scales Wednesday at 607 kg (1335 pounds), Don Frankie was ridden for speed from gate seven by Kenichi Ikezoe and made the running while racing several paths off the inside rail over the deep surface. Tracked by Keiai Dorie (Jpn) (Espoir City {Jpn}) around the turn, Don Frankie remained wide into the lane and stayed on bravely to score by a half-length over the fast-finishing Kurojishi Joe (Jpn) (Furioso {Jpn}). Runner-up to the world-class Remake (Jpn) (Lani) in this event last year, Don Frankie set a course record in taking out the Listed Tokyo Hai at Ohi Oct. 4. Ninth in the G1 February Stakes over a 1600-meter trip that likely stretches him, Don Frankie led into the final furlong and a half of the Golden Shaheen before Tuz burst clear at the rail. The form of the race has been further flattered by the third-placed Nakatomi (Firing Line), who has since won the GI A. G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga. Remake, who won the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint before finishing fourth in the Golden Shaheen, defends his title in next month's G3 Korea Sprint at Seoul, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Weemissfrankie, winner of the 2011 GI Del Mar Debutante Stakes and GI Oak Leaf Stakes ahead of a third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, is responsible for five winners in addition to Don Frankie, who cost just over $625,000 as a foal in 2019. Weemissfrankie passed away from foaling complications after producing a filly by Mikki Isle (Jpn) in February 2022. That produce, Samantha Barows (Jpn), is unraced to date. Wednesay's Results: CLUSTER CUP (Jpn-G3)-Listed, ¥52,500,000, Morioka, 8-14, 3yo/up, 1200m, 1:10, hy. 1–DON FRANKIE (JPN), 126, h, 5, by Daiwa Major (Jpn) 1st Dam: Weemissfrankie (GISW-US, $559,920), by Sunriver 2nd Dam: Starinthemeadow, by Meadowlake 3rd Dam: Lite a Star, by Our Michael (¥68,000,000 Wlg '19 JRHAJUL). O-Makoto Hayano; B-Northern Farm; T-Takashi Saito; J-Kenichi Ikezoe; ¥30,000,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Jpn, G1SP- UAE, 17-8-4-0, $1,791,630. 2–Kurojishi Joe (Jpn), 119, h, 5, Furioso (Jpn)–Silence Love (Jpn), by Special Week (Jpn). O-Takao Kawauchi; B-Masuo Farm; ¥10,500,000. 3–Keiai Dorie (Jpn), 121, h, 7, Espoir City (Jpn)–Alvena, by Seeking the Gold. O-Keiai Stallion; B-Takae Farm; ¥6,000,000. Margins: HF, 2, 1. Odds: 0.80, 11.70, 60.40. The post Hulking Don Frankie Wins Cluster Cup In BC Sprint Prep 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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With nearly half of the 79 apartments sold and the first owners moving into their properties in early June, The Residences at The Adelphi Hotel will host a reception on Thursday, Aug. 22, the management said in a release Wednesday. Created by developers Michael Dubb and Larry Roth in the heart of Saratoga Springs, the event will include a ribbon cutting at 3:00 p.m. ET which will be followed by a set of tours and a cocktail reception from 3:30 p.m to 6 p.m. ET. The post The Residences At The Adelphi Hotel Host Opening Reception Aug. 22 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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Over the last four decades, Pierre Talvard has developed Haras du Cadran into one of France's foremost nurseries spread across 400 hectares in Normandy. Among those raised on that land in that time are the Group 1 winners Qemah (Ire), The Grey Gatsby (Fr), Pretty Gorgeous (Fr), Marianafoot (Fr) and this season's G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Puchkine (Fr). In recent months Talvard's son Emmanuel has returned from a tenure managing Haras de Beaufay to work alongside his father, with a focus on developing breeding partnerships with domestic and international breeders. Emmanuel Talvard says: “I've come home and it's an exciting stud farm with some great broodmares, so it's a good time. “We are looking forward to the August Sale. It's never easy to say we are confident but we are very pleased with our draft. There is no bad horse, that's the first thing, and the pedigrees are evolving year on year, as well as the sire power. “It is especially pleasing to be selling a colt by Oasis Dream (GB) from the family of Qemah (Ire). It was a dream for us when Qemah won [the G1 Coronation Stakes and G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes] at Royal Ascot and her dam Kartica (GB) is now in Japan and has already produced a Group 1 winner there [Ask Victor More]. “I used to work for my father more than ten years ago and after that I had years of experience at Haras de Beaufay. It was great to learn some new things there but now it is good to be back home to help my father in the family business as he works very hard.” Pierre Talvard | Scoop Dyga Draft highlights: Lot 235, a colt by Oasis Dream (GB) out of Niedziela (Ire) (Henrythenavigator) “He's strong and he looks like an early horse,” says Talvard of the colt out of a half-sister to Qemah. “And the mare has a nice colt by Blue Point for next year so the story is going on.” Lot 193, a filly by Blue Point (Ire) out of Lanana (Fr) (Sepoy {Aus}) This is the first foal of the the Listed Prix Dahlia winner and Talvard notes, “She's our star, I would say.” Lot 236, a colt by Wootton Bassett (GB) colt from Night Music (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) Bred on the same cross as the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Unquestionable (Fr), this colt is described as “a typical Wootton Bassett – dark brown, great mover, really athletic.” Lot 180, a colt by Zoustar (Aus) out of Koneko (Big Blue Kitten) One of six yearlings by Zoustar in the sale, his dam is a three-parts-sister to the 2,000 Guineas winner and young Tweenhills sire Kameko. Lot 258, a filly by Wootton Bassett (GB) out of Petite Noblesse (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) “This is one of the best movers that I have seen as a yearling,” says Talvard of the filly from the family of Lope De Vega (Ire). “During July we have had lots of agents coming to see the horses and everybody said what a mover she is. She's incredible. “For me the shows are a big part of the job and it helps to make the yearlings very professsional and get them used to people and cameras. It is great experience for them. It also means that more people get to see them at home. Once they get to Deauville it's a new place and much busier, but at the farm it's peaceful and it's great for people to see them at home through July and early August. Last word: “Our main target at Cadran is always to buy quality mares and we are always looking for new partners. We already have some young mares in association with some Irish breeders and we are looking to capitalise on the good opportunities on offer in France, including some good new sires like Ace Impact and at Sumbe.” The post The Arqana Lowdown: Haras du Cadran 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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Ralph Beckett trainee Stanhope Gardens (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}–Pure Art {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) shaped with a great deal of promise when third behind the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Ruling Court (Justify) at Sandown last month and became his freshman sire's first winner by dominating Wednesday's New 911 EBF Maiden Stakes at Beverley. Positioned second for most of this extended seven-furlong test, the 4-7 favourite seized control in the home straight and was beyond recall once hitting the front to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths from High Season (GB) (New Bay {GB}). 210,000gns buy Stanhope Gardens (Ghaiyyath) opens the account second of asking Stanhope Gardens is a garden square and street in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea@Beverley_Races | @Rossaryan15 | @RalphBeckett pic.twitter.com/OH84evWc80 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 14, 2024 The post Book 2 Graduate Stanhope Gardens Becomes First Winner for Ghaiyyath 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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New Zealand’s leading trainer Mark Walker is a strong advocate for jumps racing and hopes to see the sport continue and flourish. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing released a consultation document last week, proposing two options – the continuation of the jumps racing with a dedicated strategy and additional investment, or a managed wind-down and eventual closure of jumps racing. Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson, won 169 races in New Zealand last season after a record-breaking 203 wins the season prior. The Te Akau conditioner, who also operates a stable from Cranbourne in Victoria, enjoys preparing jumpers and sees the broader benefit jumps racing provides to the whole industry. “I’m a massive fan of retaining jumps racing,” Walker told RSN. “Obviously, I came from a show jumping and eventing background, and I enjoy having a few jumpers. “When I think of all of our apprentices over the years, and we’ve had some champion apprentices, they’ve all schooled horses, they’ve all jumped horses, and I think that makes them into better horsemen and horsewomen. “It’s good watching jumps racing, in my opinion. It’s just a different novelty, and a lot of people really enjoy watching it. And sometimes you can’t make money out of every race, but I think you’ve got to look at the bigger part of the industry, a lot of jumps jockeys, they help break in horses, they help track ride, so many different things. “Some of them work on the barriers in the summer, when the winter jumps racing finishes. And I think it provides a lot of other avenues that you’ve got to take into account as well.” Walker is confident New Zealand jumps racing will get a shot in the arm to continue. “I think initially they’ll throw it a bit of a lifeline, and then it’s up to all of our participants to get behind it, and try and get the field numbers up, and source other jumps riders, mainly, I’d suggest, from Europe. “Then it’s really up to us as participants, to get behind it and get it going again.” View the full article
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Classy mare La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos) has enjoyed some time in the Queensland sun after a well-targeted raid on the A$500,000 Magic Millions National Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June where she delivered a workmanlike performance to win the weight-for-age assignment. The Simon and Katrina Alexander-trained Group One winner will be aimed at some lucrative assignments in her homeland rather than remaining in Australia. “She spelled in Queensland and she’s currently in pre-training there at the moment. The time has come to move her a little closer down the country,” Katrina Alexander told Radio TAB. “We had a little bit of a dilemma as to whether we left her there or whether we brought her home. At this stage, we’ve made the decision that we will bring her home. She’ll move down to Sydney and we’ll get a flight out. “We looked back at our calendar here in New Zealand for October, November, December, and there’s some very handy racing for her here with good prize money now.” Alexander said the six-year-old daughter of Vadamos was most likely to return to Australia in autumn where she was likely to be seen at distances beyond a mile. “We now fully realise that when she comes to Australia, she needs to take these horses on at a distance a bit further than a mile, so 2000m to 2400m,” Alexander said. “If she is having a good season in New Zealand, a long-term goal would be a race like the Tancred Stakes (Gr.1, 2400m) in Sydney in the autumn.” View the full article
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Former New Zealand-trained galloper Desert Lightning(NZ) (Pride of Dubai) is nearing a return for new trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman. The five-year-old gelding finished second in an 800m jump out at Pakenham on Tuesday behind his high profile stablemate I wish I Win. A winner of five of his 18 starts including the Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m), Desert Lightning also won the lucrative Aotearoa Classic (1600m) last summer but was a disappointing ninth in the All-Star Mile (1600m) won by Pride Of Jenni. With his previous trainers retiring, connections were keen to chance their arm in Australia. “His previous trainers Peter and Dawn Williams retired in New Zealand at the end of the season and I’ve known them for a long time,” ,” Moody told Radio TAB. “I know the Greens (of Barneswood Farm), the ownership group that controlled Desert Lightning and they decided they’d like to give him a throw up the stumps in Australia. “He’s a Group One winner and his rating sits up there. So he’s probably got to be aimed at a race like the Toorak Handicap (Gr.1, 1600m) or the likes of that. “But you’ve got to be open-minded to coming back a peg or two if he’s not going to quite be up to those. He’s getting a little bit longer in the tooth now and we will just let his form dictate what path he might take through the spring. “He looks a very nice horse and he’s got a win over Legarto to his credit, so I don’t think he’s to be taken lightly wherever we head with him.” View the full article
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There would be few horses with more frequent flyer points than Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls), and the well-travelled gelding racked up a few more earlier this week when he hopped across the Tasman. The seven-year-old son of Sacred Falls has landed in Melbourne ahead of Saturday’s Gr.2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, and trainer Andrew Forsman said he has made himself at home at his Flemington base. “He has travelled over great,” Forsman said. “He flew over on Sunday, so he had a good gallop on Saturday morning before he left, and he will just have one tomorrow (Thursday) morning and Vlad Duric (jockey) will come in and gallop him at Flemington.” Forsman kicked off Aegon’s spring preparation last year in the same race, where he finished third behind Mr Brightside, and the Cambridge horseman said he will need to overcome another awkward barrier this weekend. “He has drawn the visitor’s barrier (11) again, we haven’t had much luck there,” he said. “He ran really well last year. He is probably coming up with a slightly shorter prep (this year), but he has a good couple of trials. “He will need the run a touch, some of them have had a bit of racing but I think in a fresh state he always tends to run well enough. From the awkward draw it is just a matter of him getting the right run.” Forsman is unsure what the remainder of spring has instore for Aegon, but he said it could turn into a hit-and-run mission in Melbourne, with plenty of opportunities back in New Zealand for the gelding. “It is pretty much just race-by-race with him,” Forsman said. “There are options for him in Melbourne and there is also the option of bringing him home for the Tarzino (Gr.1, 1400m) if we thought it was going to be the right race. That may be his only run in Melbourne, it all depends on how he goes.” Closer to home on Saturday, Forsman will line-up three debutants at Ruakaka, including Kitty Flash in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). Forsman won the race two years ago with Group One winner Lickety Split, and he believes Kitty Flash is capable of featuring in the finish, with the daughter of Ace High having won all three of her trials to date. “Kitty Flash has been thrown in the deep end a bit,” Forsman said. “It is an awkward barrier, eight of 10, so she is going to have her work cut out for her, but we thought if she got the right run, she has shown enough at the trials and in her trackwork, she is a top three chance.” Stablemates Richard And I and Retrostar will also make their debuts in the Croft Poles (1200m). “Richard And I is a nice horse by Ocean Park,” Forsman said. “He is maybe a touch immature but has shown good ability right the way through, so I expect him to run well. “Retrostar is in the same boat. While his trial form may not look like it, he has always looked nice enough and I think in time he will develop into a realty nice horse, it’s just a matter of getting him to the races and making a start.” Forsman’s stable heads into the weekend in good form, having scored a winning double at Cambridge’s Synthetic meeting on Wednesday courtesy of Magnastar and Ghadah. “The locally-trained horses are always hard to beat at Cambridge and I was very happy with the way our horses performed today,” Forsman said. “They have all gone well and to have a couple of winners was great.” View the full article
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After being denied victory in last year’s Richard Bright Memorial (1500m) in the final bounds, Monza (NZ) (Rios) was back to go one better and the Danica Guy-trained gelding did just that at Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday. Monza was among several synthetic specialists contesting the race, with each of his five previous victories coming on the surface in nine attempts. An uncharacteristic last-placed run in early July placed Monza over the odds in the $100,000 1400m race at Awapuni Synthetic last Friday, where he finished third to Branciforti, giving Guy plenty of confidence ahead of the feature event which remembers the life of Bright, who tragically passed away two years ago. Monza remained slightly underrated in the market closing at $11.20, while Foote stablemates Keegan and Ultimate Focus sat on top at $3.10 and $4.50 respectively. As anticipated, Monza flew the barriers and was allowed to slide into the lead under apprentice Maria Sanson, who decreased his lofty 61kg impost by three kilograms. The seven-year-old wasn’t left completely alone in the lead with Stunning Maire sitting in close quarters along the back stretch, but he took the field into the home straight and was never headed, holding off a game finish by Spanish Lad by a long head. Guy, who co-bred and part-owns Monza, was delighted to pick up the lion’s share of the $60,000 stake on offer after coming so close 12 months ago. “He pulled up super from the run the other day and I think that really brought him on,” she said. “This trip is definitely more up his street, so I was pretty confident coming in. He’s been running second on the turf at mile races and opens, so the form was there. “They got a man up with him in the gates (two starts back), and if you do that, he won’t jump and he went up in the air. He was fresh-up off a long spell, he’d been coming off an injury, so I just put a line through that. “It’s lovely for him to pick up a nice stake at this track because he deserves it. “We’ll look to get him down there for first day at Hawke’s Bay, there’s an open mile and he ran second in that last year, so I’d like to go one better in that too.” Sanson had previously been apprenticed to Guy and had a long-term association with the horse, having guided him to his maiden success in August 2021. “It was really good to get the win on him today, I ran second in this race last year. He’s a synthetic specialist so it was good to pick this up,” Sanson said. “I was travelling beautifully out in front, I was in two minds whether to take a sit just outside the leader or just keep rolling, and I’m glad I kept rolling to the front. “He’s just such a pro out here on the synthetic, I think that’s his sixth win here and it’s a shame we don’t have more open handicaps on the poly because now he’s just weighted out of them. “He’s not even trained here in Cambridge, but he just seems to get the results. “I was apprenticed to Danica for twelve months so I’ve been around this horse for a long time, it was actually my first win here on the poly over 970 when he broke his maiden.” Monza is a son of Rios, who Guy stands at her Matamata property, and also produced her Group One winner Gaultier. Monza was the fourth and final foal out of Fast ‘N’ Famous mare Rongonui and is a half-brother to Listed winner Sah Fai. He has now earned over $157,000 in stakes with six wins and eight minor placings from 31 starts. View the full article
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Ebony Turner has developed a profile as an up-and-coming trainer in the deep south and her talents are now being recognised by outside owners. The Riverton horsewoman scored plenty of success last season with her own horses, primarily led by Drakaina, who won two of her five starts for Turner, including the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m), and was also runner-up in the Listed Dunedin Guineas. Drakaina was subsequently sold to Bob Peters in Perth, but Turner’s talents haven’t gone unnoticed and in the last couple of months she has been entrusted with outside horses for the first time. One of those horses is Monte Civetta, who was sent south from Byerley Park trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, and Turner scored immediate success with the mare last month when taking out a 1400m maiden in her southern debut at Oamaru. “She is my first outside horse, so that was pretty cool to get a win straight off the bat,” Turner said. “Kelvin Tyler (trainer) has a lot of horses for Terry Lines (part-owner) and Kelvin put in a good word for me and Terry thought he would take a chance and sent me one, and now he has sent me another one, which is pretty exciting. “I knew Terry when I worked for Kelvin, so it is cool that he is my first owner, the first of many hopefully. The support from Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, through Terry, has been great as well.” Monte Civetta will return to Oamaru on Friday where she will attempt to make it back-to-back wins in the Oamaru Scaffoling (1600m). “I was really proud of her (win), she dug deep,” Turner said. “She has grown another leg since that win, so I am hoping for a good, tough effort on Friday. “I was gutted to see that it is the last race of the day, so the track is going to be all chopped up. We have got Yogesh (Atchamah, apprentice jockey) on and he is a lovely, patient rider. “We will basically do what we did last time and let her find her feet, settle her and hopefully she can come over the top of them again.” Turner will also head to Oamaru with two other contenders, De Russian Rocket in the Barry Rooney Memorial (1400m) and The Advisor in the Drummond & Etheridge (1400m). “De Russian Rocket is going out on the end of his prep, so it is pretty much just give him this run and see how he comes through it,” Turner said. “I can’t complain about his work, it has been really good. “Terry Moseley is on him, they have teamed up before. We will hopefully ride him a bit quieter this time. I got him ridden handy last time, which didn’t work out, so we live and learn. “The Advisor has had a long time between runs, so it is pretty much a starting point again for her. She is working the best she has, but she is out of her grade against some pretty nice horses. I would just like to see her hit the line strong.” View the full article
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Monza holds out the late challenge of Spanish Lad to win the Richard Bright Memorial (1500m). Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) After being denied victory in last year’s Richard Bright Memorial (1500m) in the final bounds, Monza was back to go one better and the Danica Guy-trained gelding did just that at Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday. Monza was among several synthetic specialists contesting the race, with each of his five previous victories coming on the surface in nine attempts. An uncharacteristic last-placed run in early July placed Monza over the odds in the $100,000 1400m race at Awapuni Synthetic last Friday, where he finished third to Branciforti, giving Guy plenty of confidence ahead of the feature event which remembers the life of Bright, who tragically passed away two years ago. Monza remained slightly underrated in the market closing at $11.20 with horse racing bookmakers, while Foote stablemates Keegan and Ultimate Focus sat on top at $3.10 and $4.50 respectively. As anticipated, Monza flew the barriers and was allowed to slide into the lead under apprentice Maria Sanson, who decreased his lofty 61kg impost by three kilograms. The seven-year-old wasn’t left completely alone in the lead with Stunning Maire sitting in close quarters along the back stretch, but he took the field into the home straight and was never headed, holding off a game finish by Spanish Lad by a long head. Guy, who co-bred and part-owns Monza, was delighted to pick up the lion’s share of the $60,000 stake on offer after coming so close 12 months ago. “He pulled up super from the run the other day and I think that really brought him on,” she said. “This trip is definitely more up his street, so I was pretty confident coming in. He’s been running second on the turf at mile races and opens, so the form was there. “They got a man up with him in the gates (two starts back), and if you do that, he won’t jump and he went up in the air. He was fresh-up off a long spell, he’d been coming off an injury, so I just put a line through that. “It’s lovely for him to pick up a nice stake at this track because he deserves it. “We’ll look to get him down there for first day at Hawke’s Bay, there’s an open mile and he ran second in that last year, so I’d like to go one better in that too.” Sanson had previously been apprenticed to Guy and had a long-term association with the horse, having guided him to his maiden success in August 2021. “It was really good to get the win on him today, I ran second in this race last year. He’s a synthetic specialist so it was good to pick this up,” Sanson said. “I was travelling beautifully out in front, I was in two minds whether to take a sit just outside the leader or just keep rolling, and I’m glad I kept rolling to the front. “He’s just such a pro out here on the synthetic, I think that’s his sixth win here and it’s a shame we don’t have more open handicaps on the poly because now he’s just weighted out of them. “He’s not even trained here in Cambridge, but he just seems to get the results. “I was apprenticed to Danica for twelve months so I’ve been around this horse for a long time, it was actually my first win here on the poly over 970 when he broke his maiden.” Horse racing news View the full article
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Aegon will contest Saturday’s Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli There would be few horses with more frequent flyer points than Aegon, and the well-travelled gelding racked up a few more earlier this week when he hopped across the Tasman. The seven-year-old son of Sacred Falls has landed in Melbourne ahead of Saturday’s Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, and trainer Andrew Forsman said he has made himself at home at his Flemington base. “He has travelled over great,” Forsman said. “He flew over on Sunday, so he had a good gallop on Saturday morning before he left, and he will just have one tomorrow (Thursday) morning and Vlad Duric (jockey) will come in and gallop him at Flemington.” Forsman kicked off Aegon’s spring preparation last year in the same race, where he finished third behind Mr Brightside, and the Cambridge horseman said he will need to overcome another awkward barrier this weekend. “He has drawn the visitor’s barrier (11) again, we haven’t had much luck there,” he said. “He ran really well last year. He is probably coming up with a slightly shorter prep (this year), but he has a good couple of trials. “He will need the run a touch, some of them have had a bit of racing but I think in a fresh state he always tends to run well enough. From the awkward draw it is just a matter of him getting the right run.” Forsman is unsure what the remainder of spring has instore for Aegon, but he said it could turn into a hit-and-run mission in Melbourne, with plenty of opportunities back in New Zealand for the gelding. “It is pretty much just race-by-race with him,” Forsman said. “There are options for him in Melbourne and there is also the option of bringing him home for the Tarzino (Group 1, 1400m) if we thought it was going to be the right race. That may be his only run in Melbourne, it all depends on how he goes.” Horse racing news View the full article
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What Newcastle Races Where Newcastle Racecourse – 100 Darling St, Broadmeadow NSW 2292 When Thursday, August 15, 2024 First Race 12:30pm AEST Visit Dabble Provincial racing returns to Newcastle on Thursday afternoon, with a competitive eight-part program scheduled to get underway at 12:30pm local time. The rail is out +5m for the entire circuit, and with some light showers forecast in the lead-up, punters can expect the current Soft 7 rating to hold for race-day. Check out our Newcastle betting tips and quaddie numbers for August 15 down below. Best Bet at Newcastle: Fire Star Fire Star has undergone a gelding operation since heading to the paddock in February, and that’s seemingly switched on the lightly raced four-year-old. The son of Deep Field has won two trials in preparation for his return, including a soft two-length victory at Randwick on August 5. He gains the services of Tommy Berry in this 900m Class 1 contest, and provided he can get across to lead from the wide draw (9), Fire Star should be closing in on his second career win. Best Bet Race 2 – #2 Fire Star (9) 4yo Gelding | T: Peter Snowden | J: Tommy Berry (60.5kg) Bet with Bet365 Next Best at Newcastle: Zouripper Zouripper caught the eye when breaking his maiden at Canterbury on July 24, powering through the wire to score by a half-length over 1200m. The John Thompson-trained gelding won despite enduring a checkered passage throughout the contest, with Chad Schofield able to manoeuvre the four-year-old into the clear with 200m left. Provided he can sit closer to the speed this time from stall three, Zouripper should prove far too classy for this lot over 1400m. Best Bet Race 5 – #1 Zouripper (3) 4yo Gelding | T: John Thompson | J: Chad Schofield (61kg) Bet with PlayUp Best Value at Newcastle: Madam Instrife It could be argued Madam Instrife should have won on debut at Canterbury on June 19. The daughter of Russian Revolution was held up for a run early in the home straight, only managing to get to the outside in the final furlong. She showed plenty of tenacity to get within a half-length of Summer Loving, and with the runner-up already franking the form, Madam Instrife should only need even luck this time to figure in the finish. Best Bet Race 6 – #10 Madam Instrife (7) 4yo Mare | T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | J: Tommy Berry (57kg) Bet with Neds Newcastle Thursday quaddie tips Newcastle quadrella selections Thursday, August 15, 2024 1-5 3-6-7-8-10 1-2-5-6-7-9 1-2-5-6-7 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing news View the full article
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Monte Civetta winning at Oamaru last month. Photo: Tayler Strong Ebony Turner has developed a profile as an up-and-coming trainer in the deep south and her talents are now being recognised by outside owners. The Riverton horsewoman scored plenty of success last season with her own horses, primarily led by Drakaina, who won two of her five starts for Turner, including the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m), and was also runner-up in the Listed Dunedin Guineas. Drakaina was subsequently sold to Bob Peters in Perth, but Turner’s talents haven’t gone unnoticed, and in the last couple of months she has been entrusted with outside horses for the first time. One of those horses is Monte Civetta, who was sent south from Byerley Park trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, and Turner scored immediate success with the mare last month when taking out a 1400m maiden in her southern debut at Oamaru. “She is my first outside horse, so that was pretty cool to get a win straight off the bat,” Turner said. “Kelvin Tyler (trainer) has a lot of horses for Terry Lines (part-owner) and Kelvin put in a good word for me and Terry thought he would take a chance and sent me one, and now he has sent me another one, which is pretty exciting. “I knew Terry when I worked for Kelvin, so it is cool that he is my first owner, the first of many hopefully. The support from Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, through Terry, has been great as well.” Monte Civetta will return to Oamaru on Friday where she will attempt to make it back-to-back wins in the Oamaru Scaffoling (1600m). “I was really proud of her (win), she dug deep,” Turner said. “She has grown another leg since that win, so I am hoping for a good, tough effort on Friday. “I was gutted to see that it is the last race of the day, so the track is going to be all chopped up. We have got Yogesh (Atchamah, apprentice jockey) on and he is a lovely, patient rider. “We will basically do what we did last time and let her find her feet, settle her and hopefully she can come over the top of them again.” Turner will also head to Oamaru with two other contenders, De Russian Rocket and The Advisor. “De Russian Rocket is going out on the end of his prep, so it is pretty much just give him this run and see how he comes through it,” Turner said. “I can’t complain about his work, it has been really good. “Terry Moseley is on him, they have teamed up before. We will hopefully ride him a bit quieter this time. I got him ridden handy last time, which didn’t work out, so we live and learn. “The Advisor has had a long time between runs, so it is pretty much a starting point again for her. She is working the best she has, but she is out of her grade against some pretty nice horses. I would just like to see her hit the line strong.” Horse racing news View the full article
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Tanner will lineup at New Plymouth on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) What you see is what you get with consistent mare Tanner and trainer Kylie Hoskin sees no reason to expect anything else from her charge at Saturday’s Taranaki meeting. The daughter of Telperion has been in grand touch this preparation and will bid to add to her record when she makes her open-class debut. “The one thing you can guarantee with her is that she’ll give 100 percent and she’s quite a tractable horse in the running,” Hoskin said. “She’ll listen to the jockey and sit wherever she’s told so no matter where she’s drawn, I don’t have to worry too much.” Tanner, whose stablemate Quality Time has a Group One target on his spring program, is raced by breeder Gerry Harvey and has posted three runner-up finishes and a last-start victory at Hawera from her five outings this preparation. “She is so genuine, really determined and she tries so hard every time. Her form this time has been super, and she’s been unlucky not to get a couple more,” Hoskin said. Tanner will be partnered on Saturday by champion apprentice Lily Sutherland, who was aboard the mare two starts back when they finished second at Hawke’s Bay where they were held up early in the run home. The lightly tried five-year-old is fashioning a smart record with three wins and five placings from 13 appearances, and Hoskin is keen to press on after Saturday. “If all goes well, we’re looking at an open handicap at Wanganui on Guineas’ Day in two weeks’ time,” Hoskin said. “She likes the mud so while the rain is around, we’ll try to keep finding races for her. “She likes going left-handed and loves a trip away. Taking horses like her down the line is a breeze, you know you’re going to get there and she’ll eat and drink and try their best on the day.” Tanner will be accompanied south from her Byerley Park base by Opera Belle and Chase ‘N’ Gold. A maiden winner in Victoria, Opera Belle will make her debut from the stable following a lead-up trial at Te Rapa. “She raced in Australia and just struggled with the better surfaces over there,” Hoskin said. “She was originally purchased by Go Racing and was later retired before some owners bought her at auction and sent her to me to have a go on the wet tracks.” By Reliable Man, Opera Belle is a daughter of Kiri, who won on eight occasions including twice at Listed level. “She trialled up alright, so we’ll see how she goes on Saturday,” Hoskin said. A two-time winner from numerous opportunities, Chase ‘N’ Gold has batted in his last two appearances and needs to lift at the weekend. “He’s running out of chances, he’s a nice horse but doesn’t seem to have much luck and he doesn’t make his own luck either,” Hoskin said. Meanwhile, the German-bred Quality Time stretched his legs at the Avondale trials this week in his first appearance since a break after he won an open distance event at Ruakaka in early June. “I was really happy with his trial on a track that wasn’t suitable,” Hoskin said. “He hit the line nicely and has come through it well. He’ll go to Ruakaka in two weeks’ time and hopefully head to the Livamol (Group 1, 2040m), that’s his end game.” Horse racing news View the full article
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Warmonger ridden by Blake Shinn winning the Group 1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm. Photo: Darren Winningham Michael Kent Jnr has disclosed that the connections of Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) winner Warmonger turned down a substantial offer from Hong Kong owners to purchase the gelding. “There was one particularly good one, but it was a clear no,” Kent Jnr, who trains the gelding in partnership with Mick Price, told Racing.com. “There’s a lot of owners in this horse, I’ve got a lot of friends in the horse. We went to Adelaide, got beat, Adelaide (again), we were disappointed and then everyone was there for the Queensland Derby and that feeling, it’s priceless. “I think everyone realises that, and now we’re chasing the cups dream in the spring. He’s not for sale!” The now four-year-old is set to begin his spring campaign in next month’s Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, before moving on to the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on October 5 and then the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) two weeks later. “It’s a nice, progressive path,” Kent Jnr said. “It gives him time between runs; a mile, 2000 metres, and a mile-and-a-half. “From there on, we’ll just have a look at the horse, how he pulls up after the Caulfield Cup, before making any further plans regarding a Melbourne Cup.” Horse racing news View the full article
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Mr Brightside ridden by Craig Williams winning the 2023 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Mr Brightside impressed connections during a gallop at The Valley on Tuesday morning, as he prepares for an exciting first-up clash with Pride Of Jenni in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31. The Lindsay Park team opted to gallop the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) runner-up at The Valley instead of trialling on a country track later in the week, as originally planned. “He had a nice gallop there with a workmate and we’re really happy with his work,” Ben Hayes, who trains alongside his brothers Will and JD, told Racing.com. “It was very kind of Moonee Valley to let us have it. He was on a beautiful surface, and he joined in and went to the line nice and strong. “He’s definitely going to take some nice improvement out of it, and he’s right on track for the Memsie. “It was just a change of plan. We were originally going to trial this Friday, but we decided we wouldn’t go to Kilmore, so we thought a gallop in between and then trial next week at Flemington, and that will have him spot on for the big race on the 31st.” Horse racing news View the full article
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What you see is what you get with consistent mare Tanner (NZ) (Telperion) and trainer Kylie Hoskin sees no reason to expect anything else from her charge at Saturday’s Taranaki meeting. The daughter of Telperion has been in grand touch this preparation and will bid to add to her record when she makes her open class debut in the New Plymouth Building Supplies Handicap (1400m). “The one thing you can guarantee with her is that she’ll give 100 percent and she’s quite a tractable horse in the running,” Hoskin said. “She’ll listen to the jockey and sit wherever she’s told so no matter where she’s drawn, I don’t have to worry too much.” Tanner, whose stablemate Quality Time has a Group One target on his spring program, is raced by breeder Gerry Harvey and has posted three runner-up finishes and a last-start victory at Hawera from her five outings this preparation. “She is so genuine, really determined and she tries so hard every time. Her form this time has been super, and she’s been unlucky not to get a couple more,” Hoskin said. Tanner will be partnered on Saturday by champion apprentice Lily Sutherland, who was aboard the mare two starts back when they finished second at Hawke’s Bay where they were held up early in the run home. The lightly tried five-year-old is fashioning a smart record with three wins and five placings from 13 appearances and Hoskin is keen to press on after Saturday. “If all goes well, we’re looking at an open handicap at Wanganui on Guineas’ Day in two weeks’ time,” Hoskin said. “She likes the mud so while the rain is around, we’ll try to keep finding races for her. “She likes going left-handed and loves a trip away. Taking horses like her down the line is a breeze, you know you’re going to get there and she’ll eat and drink and try their best on the day.” Tanner will be accompanied south from her Byerley Park base by Opera Belle, who runs in the James Hardie Handicap (1400m) and Steel & Tube Handicap (2000m) contender Chase ‘N’ Gold. A maiden winner in Victoria, Opera Belle will make her debut from the stable following a lead-up trial at Te Rapa. “She raced in Australia and just struggled with the better surfaces over there,” Hoskin said. “She was originally purchased by Go Racing and was later retired before some owners bought her at auction and sent her to me to have a go on the wet tracks.” By Reliable Man, Opera Belle is a daughter of Kiri, who won on eight occasions including twice at Listed level. “She trialled up alright, so we’ll see how she goes on Saturday,” Hoskin said. A two-time winner from numerous opportunities, Chase ‘N’ Gold has batted in his last two appearances and needs to lift at the weekend. “He’s running out of chances, he’s a nice horse but doesn’t seem to have much luck and he doesn’t make his own luck either,” Hoskin said. Meanwhile, the German-bred Quality Time stretched his legs at the Avondale trials this week in his first appearance since a break after he won an open distance event at Ruakaka in early June. “I was really happy with his trial on a track that wasn’t suitable,” Hoskin said. “He hit the line nicely and has come through it well. He’ll go to Ruakaka in two weeks’ time and hopefully head to the Livamol (Gr.1, 2040m), that’s his end game.” View the full article
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Blue Diamond Stakes winner Hayasugi. (Photo by Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) Clinton McDonald is optimistic that Group 1 victor Hayasugi can bounce back from her disappointing Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) performance, following a promising trial at Cranbourne that left jockey Jamie Kah impressed. “Jamie was really pleased with her. (She) jumped away cleanly, which is crucial after her last race in the Slipper when she knuckled at the start,” McDonald told Racing.com. “Jamie gave a glowing report, so she’s returned in excellent form.” Looking ahead, McDonald has set his sights on a comeback at the elite level, outlining plans for Hayasugi’s spring campaign. “She’ll trial again in two weeks’ time, then it’s on to the Moir Stakes,” he confirmed. Hayasugi is listed as a +1200 winning hope with horse racing bookmakers for the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m). Horse racing news View the full article
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Trainer Gary Clarke (left) and jockey Jarrod Todd after winning the 2024 ROANT Gold Cup at Fannie Bay. (Picture: Caroline Camilleri – Darwin Photography Professionals) Darwin trainer Gary Clarke and jockey Jarrod Todd continue to rule the roost in the Top End racing premierships. With 68 wins for the 2034/24 season, Clarke made it 12 successive premierships. Todd (60), Clarke’s No.1 stable rider, claimed the jockeys’ premiership for the fifth straight year. After eight meetings, Clarke (13) and Todd (11) also topped the charts during the recent Darwin Cup Carnival. Clarke was the leading trainer during the carnival for the 11th time, including the last seven in succession. Todd has been the carnival’s top jockey on eight occasions, leading the way for the past five years. Clarke and Todd won three Darwin Cup Carnival features together: the NT Derby (2050m) with Masatora, the Metric Mile (1600m) with Wolfburn, and the Dabble Cup (1300m) with Shakkatak. The pair also combined for second place in the Darwin Cup (2050m) and Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) with Wolfburn, while Clarke had runners-up in the Palmerston Sprint (1200m) with Lumber Punk and the Metric Mile (1600m) with Pink Panther. “You can’t question the talents and success of Gary and Jarrod,” fellow Darwin jockey Sonja Logan said. “Clarkie’s strike rate was really good again last season, he’s proven year after year that it’s always up there. “It’s the same thing with Toddy as well winning the premiership up here. “Gary has a lot more horses compared to other trainers. “Good luck to them, but it’s hard to keep up with them.” Apprentice Emma Lines (33), last season’s third-ranked rider after debuting in December 2022, was second at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. The 17-year-old also punched home nine winners during the Darwin Cup Carnival. “Emma put up a bit of a fight halfway through the year, she definitely had a great season, it’s good to see,” Logan said. “I’ve seen her go from someone that was very quiet and reserved to someone who has come out of her shell. “Emma is a tough girl and is riding with a lot of confidence, which helps.” Phil Cole (33), Lines’ boss, once again finished second in the trainers’ premiership. “Phil keeps snapping away at Clarkie’s heels,” Logan added. “They’re the two biggest stables in Darwin, their numbers out-trump every other trainer up here and they’re getting results too, which is good.” Meanwhile, Terry Gillett (25) and Paul Denton (24) were the leading trainer and jockey, respectively, in the Alice Springs racing premierships. Gillett, who last won the title three years ago, edged out Paul Gardner (23), while Denton won his third title from last year’s champion, Logan (19.5). Denton, 60, who celebrated 40 years in the NT as a rider in 2023, booted home his 500th Alice Springs winner in June. “Razor (Gillett) was pretty consistent, he’s strike rate picked up towards the end of the season,” Logan said. “He just picked up a few more wins over Paul, who also had a terrific season. “Dash (Denton) got me this year, it was really good to have a bit of a battle and fight it out to the end.” Top NT trainers in 2023/24 season Gary Clarke – 71 Phil Cole – 34 Terry Gillett – 25 Paul Gardner – 24 Kerry Petrick – 23.5 Top NT jockeys in 2023/24 season Jarrod Todd – 63 Emma Lines (a) – 47 Sonja Logan – 38.5 Jade Hampson (a) – 32 Stan Tsaikos – 28 Horse racing news View the full article
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There are four horse racing meetings set for Australia on Wednesday, August 14. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Randwick-Kensington & Sandown. Wednesday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – August 14, 2024 Randwick-Kensington Racing Tips Sandown 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 14, 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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Three 'TDN Rising Star' debutants last weekend followed up in graded stakes to confirm their place among the leading juveniles of the summer. Two were by established big guns Uncle Mo and Curlin. But GIII Sorrento Stakes winner Nooni is by a $5,000 Florida rookie who had already that day celebrated his first black-type winner, by nearly five lengths, in his backyard at Gulfstream. That's some day at the office for Win Win Win, and confirms the contrasts emerging from the early skirmishes in the freshman table. Obviously the cavalries representing expensive Bluegrass rivals should gain momentum round a second turn through the rest of the year. For the time being, however, some big punches are being landed well above weight. Last week we saluted class leader Complexity for producing leading juveniles on both sides of the ocean, at $12,500. And we've also drawn attention to two very cheap stallions (albeit with contrasting ammunition) in Thousand Words and Caracaro, who deservedly exploited a short field to decorate their excellent starts with second and third in the Sorrento. Runner-up Vodka With a Twist had already won a stakes, despite having changed hands for just $2,500 at Fasig-Tipton's Fall sale as a yearling. At the same auction, remember, another Thousand Words filly barely brought more at $3,500, but as The Queens M G recently won the GII Adirondack Stakes. Third on Saturday was perhaps a little disappointing, meanwhile, for the $775,000 filly that had put Caracaro on the map at OBS April. But the Crestwood sire has meanwhile moved onto five winners from seven starters, and here bumped into the star of a still more remarkable auction coup for Win Win Win. The son of Hat Trick (Jpn) had buttonholed prospectors with his very first yearling into the ring last year, a $150,000 colt at the July Sale. Another son then brought $250,000 at Keeneland September, but Win Win Win reached wild new heights when Nooni blitzed a quarter in :20 1/5 at OBS March, prompting no less a judge than Donato Lanni to top the sale at $1.8 million for Zedan Racing. Before giving due attention to Win Win Win himself, we need to acknowledge this amazing illustration of the skills sustaining Ocala Stud's highwire breed-to-breeze program in support of its stallion roster. Nooni | Benoit The O'Farrell family enters competition with some of the sharpest horsemen in the business–who can sieve the yearling sales for athletes adapted to a highly specific shop window just a few months down the line–from the day they decide their matings. Then it's just about trusting the process, all the way from foaling straw to under-tack show. Of course, it doesn't always work out. A Union Rags filly failed to meet her reserve at $65,000 at OBS in 2017 and then, as Unanimity, showed only a glimmer of potential in a light career. But she then entered production, having been dignified with a Kentucky covering as a member of a family that had flourished remarkably since the purchase of her mother, Lady Discreet (Boundary), for $45,000 in 2004. Lady Discreet had been a frustrating, 15-race maiden, but her dam Pretty Discreet (Private Account) had lately produced Pretty Wild (Wild Again) to finish second in two juvenile Grade Is. But the page would soon catch fire. Pretty Discreet went on to produce two Grade I winners in Discreetly Mine (Mineshaft) and Discreet Cat (Forestry), as well as the dam of another in Awesome Maria (Maria's Mon). Daughters of Lady Discreet, moreover, have been contributing nicely. Courtesan (Street Sense) won a couple of stakes, for instance, while The Shady Lady (Quality Road) has produced two very talented performers from her first four foals. First came Devious Dame (Girvin), whose career was cut short after romping in the Astoria; and then followed Hades (Awesome Slew), who won the GII Holy Bull Stakes earlier this year. Now Unanimity is doing her bit, too. For after a gelded son of The Big Beast (won on debut but since slipped into claimers), Nooni is only her second starter. It would be nice to credit some of Lady Discreet's impact to a double dose of the great Damascus, sadly only a tenuous influence nowadays. For her sire Boundary was out of a Damascus mare, while her dam was one of the many distinguished females by his son Private Account. Regardless of that, it's a family eligible to assist Win Win Win in the repatriation of the Sunday Silence line. But he can also draw on some fairly solid maternal genes of his own. He's out of a Smarty Jones half-sister (derailed after winning her maiden) to GIII Noble Damsel Stakes winner Unbridled Humor (Distorted Humor), while their stakes-winning mother by Unbridled participates in a decent cluster of black type under third dam Icy Warning (Caveat). Racing for his breeders at Live Oak, Win Win Win sampled various disciplines–a stakes winner on turf, for instance, after being tempted into stretching out for the Classics–before his dramatic success in the GI Forego Stakes. It was runner-up Complexity who reminded us of that strange affair last week, and now this breakout for Win Win Win can only heighten its resonance. Because if Nooni is doing no less than her price anticipated, her sire's other stakes scorer on Saturday–previously winner of a state-bred maiden by 7 1/2 lengths–was a $12,000 OBS Winter Mixed Sale graduate. These remain very early days, of course. On the other hand, young stallions today only get a brief window of opportunity. We must give particular credit, then, to those who hit the bull's-eye when the arrows in their quiver are so few and/or cheap. Showcasing Strong Genes, However They Mix But, yes, the other two juveniles mentioned at the outset are both by sires doing just what they are paid to do: produce elite talent, at elite fees. At $300,000, as such, Showcase is looking a pretty alert purchase by Roy McAvoy out of the Machmer Hall consignment for Book 1 last September. He certainly has a Book 1 page; a stallion's page, potentially, being out of a sister to Volatile. And these days you're already quite a long way towards becoming a stallion if you put together a debut romp and a decisive success in the GII Saratoga Special Stakes. Showcase | Sarah Andrew Showcase's dam Buy Sell Hold (Violence) was also precocious, adding the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes to a blazing debut at the Keeneland Spring Meet, but did not progress at Saratoga and subsequently only salvaged some bonus black type when pouncing for third in the GIII Miss Preakness Stakes. But she's already produced Bourbon Bash (City of Light) to bank over $1/2 million over the past couple of years, while her dam (by Unbridled's Song) is one of three stakes winners out of dual Grade I winner Lady Tak (Mutakddim). Buy Sell Hold was sold on her retirement from the racetrack for $205,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale, to Machmer Hall, registered breeder of Bourbon Bash. But Showcase was bred by WinStar, who evidently determined to get into this branch of the Dangerous Dame dynasty. (Buy Sell Hold's fifth dam entwines the pedigrees of numerous outstanding runners either side of the Atlantic, from Sakhee to Capote.) Showcase is raising the stakes nicely for owners Harrell Ventures. Affordable sons of Uncle Mo have always been in commercial demand since he went so quickly beyond the reach of most, doubling his fee to $150,000 after Nyquist won the GI Kentucky Derby for his debut crop. One of those sons, indeed, notoriously covered 293 mares as a rookie last year. And this fellow, as noted, has a page that would be easy to market. Mind you, Uncle Mo (who had the Saratoga Special exacta) is an interesting case for the theory that especially potent stallions barely require complementary genetic excellence in their mares. That's not a position that appeals to those of us who admire the cultivation of families, and believe in depth across a pedigree. Nonetheless some people believe that rising fees and averages essentially represent the rising cost of recognition, rather than increasing caliber in a sire's stock. Uncle Mo's debut crop, conceived at $35,000, indicated a sensational potency. Nobody could sensibly expect him to maintain such historic ratios every year, yet the first crop he sired at $150,000 actually posted some pretty ordinary percentages. The one after that did excel, only for the next to ebb somewhat behind a couple of headline acts. One way or another, when you level it all out, their lifetime ratios for now make Uncle Mo a pretty similar achiever to, say, Ghostzapper. Of course, those who do believe in mare quality will expect Uncle Mo to keep consolidating. But for Ghostzapper to have ultimately become a really consistent sire–despite enduring profoundly unhelpful fluctuations in fee, on one occasion slashed from $125,000 to $30,000–perhaps confirms that often these horses will do what they will do, regardless of how we're pricing their semen. Getaway Speed Identifies a Real Outlier As for the other “son of a gun,” Getaway Car in the GIII Best Pal Stakes, it must be auspicious that a son of Curlin can be coasting clear of sprinters like that during his first summer on the track. If two of his 2018 foals, Elite Power and Cody's Wish, have shown what Curlin's stock can achieve round one turn, they hardly altered perceptions of his precocity. (Each was unraced at two and then took four attempts to break his maiden, Elite Power doing so in the June of his 4-year-old campaign.) Even Curlin's champion juvenile Good Magic only broke his maiden at the Breeders' Cup. Getaway Car | Benoit So we can probably assume that Getaway Car is drawing considerably on the dash of his dam Surrender Now (Morning Line), who won the Landaluce Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on her second start–and in apt fashion, for that race, by eight lengths. That qualified her as hot favourite for the Sorrento, but she bombed out there, disappeared for the rest of the year, and ultimately returned to piece together only the odd stakes placing in turf sprints. Curlin is of course by one of Mr. Prospector's diversifying influences in Smart Strike, who could certainly deal out a little time and distance. But Surrender Now brings in a different dose through her granddam, who was by Mr. P. out of GIII Busher Stakes winner Mackie (Summer Squall), herself a half-sister to Sea Hero. Bred by Blue Heaven Farm & Curlin Syndicate, Getaway Car was pinhooked by FMQ Stables as a $300,000 Keeneland November weanling and elevated her value to $700,000 back in the same ring last September, sold through Gainesway to one of Bob Baffert's “alphabet soup” syndicates. Much as with Showcase, then, these owners already have grounds to hope that the stallion endgame is nearly within reach. The big question will be whether Getaway Car can also call upon his inner Curlin, and stretch out his outlier early brilliance. That would be reassuring, given that Surrender Now's half-brother Red Flag started nearly as well as she did, winning the GIII Bob Hope Stakes by seven lengths. But that was way back in 2020, and it was only a few days ago at Del Mar that he made his first visit to the winner's circle since–as a 6-year-old gelding. And he was promptly claimed for $40,000. Just goes to show, with these Thoroughbreds we can never get ahead of ourselves. The post Breeding Digest: A Win Win Scenario 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 took trainer Phil Bauer and his owner Richard Rigney a little while to figure the racing game out. From the time Bauer went to work for Rigney in 2013 through 2021, the stable had never had more than 17 wins in a year or earnings in excess of $1,724,016. But the last three years have seen the stable flourish into a win machine and one that can compete at the highest levels of the sport. From 2022 to present, Bauer has had 70 winners from 316 starters for a win rate of 22.2%. They've won graded stakes with Played Hard (Into Mischief), Xigera (Byquist) and Buchu (Justify). They're also not afraid to go into seven-figure territory when it comes to the sales. “It really started about five years ago when Richard signed on and joined forces with John Moynihan in the yearling selection process for us,” said Bauer, who was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week on the Thoroughbred Daily News Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. “When we started in 2013, Richard and myself, we were trying to do everything ourselves. There's no doubt about it, it takes particular athletes to compete at the top level. Overall, our barn was just lacking talent. And so once John came aboard, it was just like a flip of a light switch. And you could tell as the horses came in and the years were progressing, you just felt like it was this giant wave heading towards the shore. And we felt it coming and we were excited.” This year at Saratoga, Bauer has won his first stakes race at the Spa, with Galway winner Halina's Forte (Mitole) and also picked up a “TDN Rising Star” with the 3-year-old filly Two Sharp (Twirling Candy), the winner of an Aug. 2 maiden race. “Two Sharp is a fun, fun story,” Bauer said. “We were shopping the September sale and the day she was going to go through the ring, we had a homebred sired Indiana filly that was running in a stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis. So we left and Richard was going to buy her online while driving up there. We lost service. He panicked and called and got on the phone with one of the bidders. We had a budget and he just kept bidding back and bidding back and he blew past the budget. You saw the purchase price ($925,000) of her. It was close to a million. At that time, it was one of the highest-priced yearlings we had ever bought. He almost drove off the road as he kept going. But we loved her.” Bauer said the mission has yet to be accomplished because Rigney wants to use his mares to create a band of broodmares. “The last piece of the puzzle for us is the breeding,” Bauer said. “Richard keeps all his mares with Denali. The success that we've had at the track is now showing up in the broodmare band. We've got some foals on the ground this year out of some really, really nice race mares. We're impatiently waiting to bring them to market. I think that'll be the final piece of the puzzle for the Rigney Racing as a whole.” In our breeding spotlight section, we took a look at the WinStar stallion Two Phil's (Hard Spun). Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, WinStar, XBTV.com, the KTOB and Stonestreet Farm, the team of Zoe Cadman, Randy Moss and Bill Finley took a look back at the major races of the weekend, including some 2-year-old races that came up with very small fields. They looked at the decision to pass this week's GI Alabama S. with Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) and what impact that will have on both the Alabama and the GI Travers S. Click for the video or audio of the podcast. The post Phil Bauer Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article