Wandering Eyes

Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH)'s 22nd annual 'Night of the Stars' Fundraiser takes place Saturday, June 21, at the Fasig-Tipton sales complex in Lexington. Some 500 attendees are expected for the event, which will include dinner and drinks, a silent auction and a live auction in the same style as a Thoroughbred auction where the highest bidders will earn a sponsorship of CKRH participants and equine partners. Bidding is now open for the silent and live auctions and may be accessed by clicking here. Some of the auction items available include: Halters from a group of popular Thoroughbreds, including American Pharoah, Gun Runner, Justify, Medaglia d'Oro, Rachel Alexandra, Serena's Song and Tapit; Meet and greet with the beloved Racing Hall of Famer Zenyatta, the winner of 19 consecutive races who earned $7.3 million, at Lane's End Farm; Painting of Horse of the Year Thoroughbred Cody's Wish by Lisa Palombo with proceeds beyond the reserve to be shared by CKRH and Angels Without Wings for the Cody's Wish Monument to be installed at the Kentucky Horse Park; A wide selection of Kentucky bourbon, including a set of eight bottles of Blanton's Original Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey with stoppers that show each stride of a racehorse in action. Tropical attire is suggested for attendees of 'Night of the Stars', which will feature island-inspired decor and appetizers, signature cocktails, live music, pony meet-and-greets and inspiring riding demonstrations. The post CKRH To Hold ‘Night of the Stars’ Fundraiser June 21 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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

Following the first loss of her career, trainer Brad Cox is uncertain where Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Good Cheer will start next. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK – In the words of John Gosden, a “humdinger” of a Queen Anne Stakes awaits those in attendance for the opening day of Royal Ascot, with Lead Artist appearing primed to spearhead a two-pronged attack from Clarehaven Stables after the son of Dubawi enjoyed a getting-to-know-you exercise with Colin Keane at the July Course on Wednesday morning. With the trainer no longer having to ruminate on jockey arrangements for the Juddmonte bluebloods in his care, the attentions of the press pack swiftly switched to challenges outside of Gosden's control, specifically those which will be posed by the likes of Roger Teal, Richard Hannon and Charlie Appleby when the traditional Royal Ascot curtain-raiser gets underway at 2.30pm on Tuesday. Lead Artist might have landed the first meaningful blow in the battle to be crowned leading older miler, with his victory in last month's G1 Lockinge Stakes, but Gosden is taking nothing for granted as the son of Dubawi prepares for the opportunity to confirm his Newbury superiority over the likes of Dancing Gemini, Rosallion and Notable Speech in the Queen Anne. “It's a wonderful race,” said Gosden. “From the line-up in the Lockinge, you've got the first four again, all turning up. Will they finish in the same order? That's the exciting thing – they're all fabulous horses. “Rosallion and Notable Speech, both of them, they're going to come on, aren't they? I think it's as good a Queen Anne as I've seen for a long time. We said that about the Lockinge but, now that they've got a race under their belt, it's quite a humdinger to start the meeting with.” The ante-post betting for that “humdinger” is headed at a general 5/2 by Rosallion, last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner who was having his first start for 11 months at Newbury. Lead Artist, on the other hand, had the benefit of a previous run this season, albeit a disappointing one when he finished last of eight runners in the G2 Mile won by Dancing Gemini. According to Gosden, it was the combination of a lack of fitness and the rain-softened ground which derailed that Sandown effort, but the demands of Tuesday's contest are expected to hold no fears for the 9/2 fancy. “I think it will suit him [running over a stiff mile], rather than a slick mile,” said the trainer who, along with son Thady, will also saddle last month's G1 Prix d'Ispahan runner-up Sardinian Warrior as the stable seeks a second Queen Anne win after that of Palace Pier in 2021. “He got stuck in the ground [at Sandown]. It was good to soft and he doesn't like that, but he likes what we're going to get at Ascot, all being well. He was in need of the race as well [at Sandown]. He came there nicely and then it looked to me like he struggled on that ground. He turned it around [at Newbury], but it wasn't a surprise. Did I think he'd go and win? Not necessarily. I thought he'd run a huge race, though, which he did. “We were pleased with him there. He's had a nice blow and that should set him up nicely for Tuesday. I think the idea was to come here so that Colin can have a feel of the horse and he knows him when he goes to Ascot. You don't want to be seeing them for the first time in the paddock,” Gosden added of Wednesday's exercise, before sharing his thoughts on Keane's recent appointment as Juddmonte's retained jockey. “It's an exciting opportunity for him. He's a very talented jockey, a talented horseman, and he's an extremely nice fellow. The travelling is demanding on a jockey, but I'm sure he'll fit in very well once he gets to know all of the horses. I think, if you're on Ryanair, you might be seeing him. He'll be over riding work and things, like he's done today. “He's a very classy jockey, obviously, or he wouldn't be a six-time champion in Ireland. The riding over there is tough – nobody gives a quarter to anyone.” In another star-studded contest on day one of Royal Ascot, Keane will continue his association with Field Of Gold for Juddmonte and the Gosdens, having recently partnered the son of Kingman to victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas on the jockey's home patch. The G1 St James's Palace Stakes is Field Of Gold's target on Tuesday as he tries to avenge his Newmarket defeat at the hands of Ruling Court. When you also throw into the mix a third Classic winner in Henri Matisse, successful in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, then it has all the makings of a race to savour. “It's exciting, isn't it?” said Gosden. “It's what Ascot is all about. It looks like there will be a fabulous line-up of horses in a lot of the races, starting with the Queen Anne. “There was no need for him [Field Of Gold] to come over here today. He obviously just ran in the Irish Guineas not that long ago. For these horses it's been a month – and one of them [Torito] a year – between races. He's fine and pointing towards the St James's Palace.” Devil's Advocate, ridden by Tyler Heard, and Sweet William, with his devoted Rab Havlin aboard, made up the quartet of gallopers from Clarehaven in a separate exercise to that of Lead Artist and Listed Wolferton Stakes contender Torito. Devil's Advocate is being targeted at the G3 Queen's Vase, according to Gosden, who also spoke fondly of Sweet William as he prepares to join stable-mate Trawlerman in the G1 Gold Cup. “That was a great run [when third in the Yorkshire Cup], because a mile and six [furlongs] is on the sharp side for him,” the trainer said of Sweet William. “He enjoys the climb at Ascot and he's solid at two and a quarter [miles]. Two and a half [miles] takes you a little bit into no man's land, but we're very pleased with his preparation. He's worked well there and he's a wonderful character. He does everything in his own time, but I think the work here will just sharpen him up. “Trawlerman won the Henry II, so he's pointing that way as well. They're different types of horses. One bowls along and the other tends to come with a strong late run. To that extent, they sort of suit each rather well because they're not both trying to do the same job.” The post Lockinge Winner Lead Artist Primed for ‘Humdinger’ of a Queen Anne appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Velazquez won a total of six stakes including three designated grade 1 and one grade 3 for a total of nine wins for the week. The panel of racing experts voted the Hall of Famer Jockey of the Week for June 2-8.View the full article

After months of speculation, James Cummings, one of Australia's best trainers, confirmed June 11 that he will join the Hong Kong training ranks next year. View the full article

Thursday, Leopardstown, Ireland, post time: 18:20, BARBERSTOWN CASTLE STAKES (BALLYCORUS STAKES)-G3, €60,000, 3yo/up, 7f 47y Field: Mutasarref (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Norwalk Havoc (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), Royal Zabeel (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Valiant Force (Malibu Moon), Bluedrum (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Easy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Mataariki (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}), Cowardofthecounty (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), Comanche Brave (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), East Hampton (GB) (Cracksman {GB}), One Smack Mac (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Zodiac Bear (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), Copacabana Sands (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}). TDN Verdict: Donnacha O'Brien representative Comanche Brave benefits from the assistance of Ryan Moore here and is back in action after posting a commendable fifth in last month's G1 Irish 2000 Guineas. Last term's G3 Prix Francois Boutin victor Cowardofthecounty will seek to provide Joseph O'Brien a second triumph in this contest while last year's winner and 2023 fourth Mutasarref is back to defend his title for the Ger Lyons stable. Amo Racing's Valiant Force, successful in 2023's G2 Norfolk Stakes and runner-up in that year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, has failed to hit those heights in his second stint with the Adrian Murray yard, but has enjoyed two wide-margin Dundalk wins this year and should not be discounted. [Sean Cronin]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: Moore Picks Comanche Brave For Thursday’s Ballycorus appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

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 half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Dreamloper. 15.50 Newbury, £40,000, Nov, 3yo, f, 8fT In-form trainer Ed Walker is represented here by DREAMASAR (IRE) (Masar {Ire}), a half-sister to the stable's G1 Prix d'Ispahan and G1 Prix du Moulin heroine Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). She is the lone debutante in an eight-strong field and her opponents include Cheveley Park Stud's Listed Michael Seely Memorial fourth Consecrated (GB) (Frankel {GB}), herself a half-sister to G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes runner-up Sacred (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). 16.40 Leopardstown, €25,000, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7f 47T Fishdance's DANCING SAXON (IRE) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), is a Joseph O'Brien-trained half-sister to recent G2 Sandown Mile victor Dancing Gemini (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who also ran second in last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and last month's G1 Lockinge Stakes. The May-foaled homebred bay encounters 17 rivals in this debut. The post Half-Sister To Dual Group 1 Winner Dreamloper Set For Newbury Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

NEWMARKET, UK — Colin Keane, Juddmonte's newly retained jockey, has wasted no time in familiarising himself with one of his leading mounts for Royal Ascot and was in Newmarket on Wednesday morning to ride Lead Artist for the first time ahead of Tuesday's Queen Anne Stakes. The four-year-old son of Dubawi, last seen winning the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, stretched out on the July Course in company with Wathnan Racing's Torito (Kingman) and Kieran O'Neill. The latter is an intended runner in the Wolferton Stakes. “He was very good in the Lockinge,” Keane said after debriefing trainers John and Thady Gosden on the morning's exercise. “He feels like a very straightforward horse, a good mover who feels fit and well. I'm looking forward to next week.” There will be no easing-in period for Keane at this high point in the season, with Juddmonte's team for Royal Ascot set to include the Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Field Of Gold (Kingman), who could take on fellow Juddmonte runners Jonquil (Lope De Vega) and Windlord (Dubawi) in a tantalising line-up for the St James's Palace Stakes which could see a rematch with Ruling Court (Justify). Group 1 winners Kalpana (Study Of Man) and Babouche (Kodiac) are also entered for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes and Commonwealth Cup respectively. Keane has the mental boost of having already won a Classic on the Gosden-trained Field Of Gold. “A stiff mile will suit him well,” he said. “He's growing up in his races and feels very relaxed. I couldn't have been more happy with what he did.” The six-time champion jockey in Ireland, Keane describes hearing the news that he was to be offered the job as a “pinch yourself moment”. He added, “When the call came, I had to double-check that it was Barry [Mahon] on the other end of the phone! When you get those opportunities, you have to take them. “I'll be over and back from Ireland and maybe having the odd day in France. I'll be kept busy, that's for sure. “I'm going to have to get around the place and get to know people, get to know the horses and get used to them.” Keane has long been attached to Ger Lyons's Glenburnie Stables, which has provided him with Classic victories aboard Siskin (for Juddmonte) and Even So, as well as a Breeders' Cup triumph last season with Magnum Force. “If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be on the stage we've got to,” he says of Lyons, a vocal champion of Keane's talents. “I was with him from when I was an apprentice, I went straight there from my father's. Look, he has backed me 100 per cent. He's never hidden that and I'm very fortunate. I wouldn't be where I am without him.” Pride of place in the family album, however, may well go to the winner's photo from last year's Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the royal meeting, after Keane had stormed to success on Crystal Black (Teofilo), trained by his father, Gerry. “That was a massive day, absolutely massive,” he recalls. “We'd bought him for not much money from the Horses-in-Training Sale for a great bunch of people. It was fairytale stuff for everyone involved.” For Keane, the fairytale has evolved into one of the most prized jobs in racing, following such names as Pat Eddery and Richard Hughes as Juddmonte's number one jockey. He first wrested the Irish title from the former nine-time champion Pat Smullen in 2017 and, since 2020, it has been Keane's alone. Whether he can ever match the 13 championships accrued by Mick Kinane remains to be seen, and the modest Keane laughs off the idea that he has been dubbed 'Baby Kinane'. “I think Pat and Ger [Lyons] came up with it – ah sure, it's not a bad nickname to have. But we try to keep it relaxed as possible and get the job done.” Words to live by, especially when it comes to the pressure cooker that is Royal Ascot. The post Colin Keane Describes His ‘Pinch Yourself Moment’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It was another memorable year on the breeze-up circuit for Willie Browne. The 79-year-old broke his own long-standing record at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up by selling an Acclamation colt to Godolphin for 1.4 million gns. Roll on to Arqana and the Mocklershill maestro was at it again when selling a Siyouni colt to Coolmore for €1 million. Such results were welcome, according to Browne, who joked with Brian Sheerin on this month's edition of the TDN Conversations Podcast that 'it will be the first time in a few years where I have to give the tax man a few quid!' A man who has been breezing horses from the very beginning, Browne proves a fascinating guest as he recounts how he first got into breezing, the huge change he has overseen in that industry and how this year's exploits provided him with a huge lift personally. Browne also touched on his love for training, the clock at the breeze-ups and what personality traits have helped sustain him in business. Rightly regarded as the breeze-up king, Browne makes for a fascinating guest. TDN Conversations are sponsored by Saracen Horse Feeds, the British-based feed company which has this week been acknowledged with a King's Award for Enterprise. Listen to the latest episode here: https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/202506-Willie-Browne-Mixdown_v1.mp3 The post TDN Conversations With ‘Breeze-Up King’ Willie Browne appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

James Cummings is set to depart Australian racing to take up a position as trainer in Hong Kong. The appointment was announced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at a press conference at Sha Tin on Wednesday morning, with Cummings the guest of honour in attendance. Cummings has trained 52 Group 1 winners in his career and managed the careers of Anamoe, Bivouac and Broadsiding in his tenure as Godolphin's private trainer in Australia. The news of Cummings' departure for Hong Kong came not long after Godolphin had announced that they were changing to a public training model for the upcoming season, where Cummings had been slated to become one of a number of trainers on the roster. Cummings will be eligible to have runners at Sha Tin and Happy Valley as of September 2026 and joins the Hong Kong training ranks at a time of regeneration. “This wasn't a decision I made lightly. With the upcoming conclusion of my exclusive role at Godolphin, I have carefully considered the right path forward,” Cummings said. “While continuing to train in Australia was my intention, the opportunity in Hong Kong presented a unique and respected environment to challenge myself and grow further as a trainer. This is a progression to the next stage of my career in a new jurisdiction.” He added, “I want to acknowledge the dedication of my staff over the years. I've been privileged to lead a talented and committed team whose contribution has been integral to the success of the stable. “In deciding not to train next season, I also wanted to be fair to my staff by giving them the opportunity to commit to a long-term role with another stable. “To the owners who had already been forthcoming in their support, I want to express my sincerest appreciation. I felt it would be unfair to continue, only to step away and leave the team and yearlings without guidance during a pivotal stage in their development. “I also want to take this opportunity to thank Godolphin for entrusting me with the responsibility and leadership of their team over the past eight years.” The post James Cummings To Swap Australia For Training In Hong Kong appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Snitzel has been humanely euthanised at Arrowfield Stud, his home for nearly two decades and the base for one of the most exceptional stallion careers in Australian thoroughbred breeding history. Known for his soundness and vitality throughout most of his life, Snitzel began to show signs of age-related decline in 2024. Despite comprehensive veterinary support and the daily dedication of Arrowfield's experienced stallion team, his condition deteriorated rapidly over the past week. With no treatment options remaining, the decision was made to allow him a peaceful and dignified farewell. Arrowfield acknowledges the profound impact of his passing, not only as the loss of a great horse, but as the end of a significant chapter in the stud's history. Snitzel was more than a commercial success; he was a reliable and stoic presence who shaped the daily rhythm of life at the farm and anchored many careers. The farm also recognises the many people and partnerships that made Snitzel's career possible. These include breeder Francois Naude; trainer Gerald Ryan, who managed his racing career; the ownership partners who supported his stud career from the beginning; and the many breeders, buyers, trainers and jockeys who contributed to the success of his progeny across Australia and internationally. Snitzel, a son of Redoute's Choice and grandson of Danehill, was a Group 1-winning sprinter on the track and became an era-defining sire at stud. From the time he joined the Arrowfield roster in 2006, his trajectory was marked by consistent excellence and broad influence. He would go on to sire 160 stakeswinners, including multiple Group 1 champions and leave an indelible mark on the national breeding landscape. Snitzel's influence extends well beyond Arrowfield. His dominance of Australian sire rankings, his versatility across sprinters and stayers, and his ability to upgrade his mares made him one of the most valuable and reliable stallions of the modern era. His sons and daughters have carried his qualities forward and are already proving themselves in the breeding shed, ensuring that his legacy will continue. Like his sire Redoute's Choice and grandsire Danehill, Snitzel became a cornerstone not only of Arrowfield's breeding program, but of the broader Australian thoroughbred industry. His contribution to the sport, measured in champions, premierships, and the people he brought together, will not be forgotten. Yesterday at Seymour, a two-year-old colt trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr became Snitzel's 20th individual juvenile winner for the season, helping to secure his fifth Australian 2YO Sires' Premiership. The colt's name, Job Done, could not have been more fitting. Job done, indeed! The post Arrowfield Stud Mourns The Loss Of Champion Sire Snitzel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness news Desk After a long and generally healthy life, Timely Imp has died peacefully in Canterbury. He was 37, a milestone generally acknowledged by experts as being the equine equivalent of being 100. Foaled in 1987, the much-loved former racehorse spent his retirement at Adele Wolt’s property in the Otahuna Valley near Christchurch. “I am thankful for his team of supporters who were amazed at his spirit and determination to live well, and enabled him to enjoy life,” says Wolt. During his racing days he had wins at Ashburton and Roxburgh for trainer John Cox in 1992, and he also had eight placings from 40 starts between 1990-94. As well as being a former racehorse “Impy” also had stints at a riding school and was even a carriage horse for a wedding company. Wolt had him for about 12 years. “He came to me as a paddock mate for one of my other horses. A friend of mine had him before that.” Though his health was generally good he did have some issues in his senior years. “He had Cushing’s Disease and was on joint products to support his arthritis.” “Then there was his eyesight,” she laughs, “and his teeth.” Vet Alisa Smith treated Impy for the last decade. He was the oldest horse she ever worked on. “He was grey in the face that gave his age away, but he still had some topline (muscle tone) to him and he was in pretty good shape,” said Smith. “You might think at 37 he wouldn’t have much attitude but he certainly did. His age didn’t affect his ability to get around and boss everyone around as well.” “I am most especially thankful for Alisa who attended him so wisely for all the years he was with me,” says Wolt. “He was never alone, there were four other horses here.” “He was always stabled and rugged at night, he’d get his ears rubbed , his neck scratched and a kiss goodnight.” View the full article

Team Telfer go to the top of the premiership, Aussies confirmed for AYDC, and the up-coming weanling sales all feature in this week’s News Briefs. Telfers edge ahead in trainers’ premiership After their huge run of late Steve and Amanda Telfer and the Stonewall Stud team have a one win margin at the top of the Trainers’ premiership. They are on 72 wins this year having eclipsed one-time runaway leader Michael House. His latest win came with La Bamba , driven by son Wilson House, at Addington on Sunday. Wilson has 56 wins for the year to be second equal on the overall premiership with Stonewall Stud’s in-form stable driver Tim Williams. Seven-time champion driver Blair Orange is well clear on 87. In the junior driver ranks Wilson House (56) is well clear of Harrison Orange (39) and Carter Dalgety and Crystal Hackett on 38. Line up finalized for AYDC The line-up’s been confirmed for July’s Australasian Young Drivers Championships in Queensland. The Kiwi quartet of Sam Thornley, Wilson House, Carter Dalgety and Harrison Orange will battle it out over 10 races at Albion Park and Redcliffe from Tuesday July 15 to Saturday, July 19. Thornley is the defending champion, having won in New South Wales last year. The 2025 field includes six Australians, James Herbertson (Victoria), Chloe Butler (Queensland), Emily Suvaljko (Western Australia), Jett Turnbull (New South Wales), Brodie Davis (Tasmania) and Bernadette Page (South Australia). Latest Metro heats this Friday Alexandra Park will host the latest round of the ever popular Metro Series heats on Friday night. Worth $17,000, the heats will be held for both the pacers and trotters with the first four home automatically qualifying for the $35,000 final at the Park on Friday, June 27. There will be another round of heats and finals in July as well. May’s finals were won by Illicit Love and Twista. To see the field for the Pacers heat click here To see the field for the Trotters heat click here To see the field for 2nd Trotters heat click here RR wins again in Aussie Classy mare Rakero Rebel has impressed with her latest win across the Tasman. Bred by Dancingonmoonlight in North Canterbury, the mare was a one-race winner in this country (at Rangiora on New Year’s day 2022) before going to Australia in late 2022. Since then she has strung together some good wins, the latest being in a Free For All at Melton in Victoria on Saturday night. Trained by Jess Tubbs, she also won the Queen of the Pacific at Melton last October and the Geelong Cup in March. She has won 16 from 55 and $431,610 in stakes. World record in USA A new world record was set in the $200,000 Battle of Lake Erie in Ohio last weekend. Ken Hanover, a Captaintreacherous five-year-old bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, won in 1:48.6 – a new best time for older pacing stallions on a half mile track. It was driver Brett Miller’s fourth win in the race but 11 years since his last victory with Clear Vision (2014). Also in the field was former Kiwi pacer Helium who made a three wide move before fading. Six finalists in Industry Excellence Awards Harness Racing will be represented by six finalists at the 2025 Entain Industry Excellence Awards in Auckland later this month. They are Samantha Ottley and Crystal Hackett (National Racing Woman), Zachary Butcher (Equine Licence Holder Excellence), Nathan Purdon (Leadership Excellence), David Branch (Administration and Innovation Excellence) and Shannon Armour (Care and Welfare Excellence). The awards are open to anyone under 40 and the winner of each category – and the supreme Entain Excellence Award winner – will be announced at an awards night at Tote On Ascot at Ellerslie Racecourse on Sunday, June 29. Category winners will receive $10,000 with finalists in each category receiving $2,000. The overall supreme winner receives an extra $5,000 and a $5,000 educational package. Flights and accommodation are supplied for each of the category finalists. June’s NZB Weanling sale approaching fast The 2025 National Weanling Sale is a fortnight away. The sale will be held at Karaka in Auckland on Thursday 26. Included in the sale will be 19 Next Gen eligible horses. The sires (and the lot numbers for their weanlings) are : Dancinginginthedark M (Lot 1065) E L Titan (Lot 1040, 1088) King of the North – (Lots 1012, 1036, 1071) Pebble Beach – (Lots 1003, 1035, 1038) Perfect Sting – (Lots 1004, 1016, 1020, 1028 and 1032) Ride High – (1060) Face Time Bourbon (Lot 1085) Ecurie D – (Lots 1083, 1084 and 1087) One yearling (Lot 1082) will also be eligible as his sire Captain Crunch was Next Gen eligible at this year’s National Yearling Sales in February. To see the NZB Standardbred weanling catalogue click here To find out more about Next Gen click here View the full article

James Cummings has labelled his dramatic career shift “a sliding doors moment” after being unveiled as Hong Kong’s newest trainer at Sha Tin on Wednesday morning. In a coup for the Jockey Club, Cummings – who will finish up as Godolphin’s private trainer in Australia next month – will join the roster for the 2026-27 Hong Kong season. “Hong Kong is something of a Holy Grail for a young horse trainer in Australia to imagine receiving an invitation [to train in],” said Cummings. “It’s a sliding...View the full article

Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) has escalated its recent threat of pulling out of racing at Fair Grounds in New Orleans. “Given the legislature's ease with which it approved legislation that is directly adverse and harmful to the economic interests of Fair Grounds, the opposition by elected officials to engage in meaningful solutions in collaboration with the Fair Grounds, and the forthcoming adjournment of the legislative session, CDI is left with no choice but to request an appearance before the LSRC to begin the next steps for voluntarily surrendering the racing license held by the Fair Grounds,” stated a June 9 letter signed by CDI's chief executive, Bill Carstanjen, that was sent to the Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC) and CC'd to high-ranking state politicians. Carstanjen wrote that, “It is my understanding that soon after the Louisiana Legislature adjourns on June 12, 2025, an emergency meeting of the LSRC will be conducted. This correspondence is CDI's formal request to appear at the meeting to discuss the timeline and next steps concerning the license” that CDI holds for Fair Grounds. The letter, which TDN obtained from a CDI spokesperson, was delivered almost a month after a May 13 commission meeting at which a CDI attorney informed commissioners that the Kentucky-based gaming corporation might pull out of Fair Grounds over a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling in March that upheld a lower court's ruling from 2021 deeming historical horse racing (HHR) to be unconstitutional. CDI in recent seasons has ceased racing at such high-profile tracks as Arlington and Calder over alleged profitability issues related to gaming. Benard Chatters, the president of the Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (LAHBPA), told TDN in a Tuesday phone interview that his organization intends to take an active role in making sure the November-through-March season at Fair Grounds goes off as scheduled. “Hopefully cooler heads prevail. That's my thinking on the matter,” Chatters said. “We'll sit down and look at the situation and see how we can work together to make everybody a winner,” Chatters said. “The Fair Grounds is very important to Louisiana, to New Orleans, and to the country. And we're going to do everything we can–as the horsemen's representative, I promise you–to make sure the Fair Grounds is in business and doing what it's done for the last century. I'm committed to that.” Chatters continued: “I can't speak to Churchill's position. Are they angry [at] a downturn in business? You know, I'd be in a heck of a fix when business went bad for me for a little while if I just up and quit. That doesn't quite sound like the horse racing business to me. From a horseman's perspective, we always do what's right for horse racing in Louisiana, and we always work diligently with and for the Fair Grounds, all the time. So I get kind of baffled how this thing escalates all of a sudden into 'Are we closing down?' But, like I said, cooler heads will prevail. “I believe,” Chatters added. “I hope.” According to a June 10 story published by the Louisiana news site NOLA.com, the LSRC's executive director, Stephen Landry, said Tuesday that he's seen the CDI letter, but that a date hasn't yet been set for the next meeting, which he expects will be within 30 days. Carstanjen's letter stated that, “For the last few months, CDI has attempted to engage in good faith discussions with elected officials and various other industry stakeholders to find a path toward long term economic viability for the Fair Grounds after the recent decision of the Louisiana Supreme Court that resulted in the elimination of HHR and nearly half of the Fair Grounds' off-track betting (OTB) revenues. To date, our efforts to engage elected officials have not led to meaningful discussions and, confoundingly, CDI's efforts have been met with a combination of reluctance, indifference, apathy, and even opposition.” The paddock at Fair Grounds | Horsephotos Two bills recently passed by the House and Senate but not yet signed into law by the governor are problematic for CDI. House Bill 540 would allow truck stop operators to increase the number of poker machines they can operate from 50 to 60, while bars and restaurants would be able to go from operating three to four machines. According to reporting by Anthony McAuley and Tyler Bridges of NOLA.com, “HB540 aims to offset the loss of revenue to the horse racing industry from the shutdown of Churchill Downs' HHR machines. For the first time, the new law sets aside a share of video poker revenue from sources other than track operators. That money will go directly to the horse racing industry in the form of higher purses.” House Bill 547 would authorize fixed-odds wagering on horse races in Louisiana, establishing a purse supplement fund that would direct 55% of its money to Thoroughbreds, 24% to Quarter Horses, 14% to the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association, and 7% to the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association for breeder awards. Carstanjen didn't view either of those bills as being beneficial for CDI. “To make matters worse, the passing of HB 540 and 547 further negatively impacts the Fair Grounds' ability to remain competitive,” Carstanjen wrote. “House Bill 540 will lead to significant cannibalization of revenue from our OTB network in and around greater New Orleans, a network in which the Fair Grounds has heavily invested since 2005–the only racetrack operator in the state to do so,” Carstanjen wrote. “House Bill 547 will shift wagering handle from current brick and mortar racetracks, OTBs, and advanced deposit wagering platforms, all of which provide revenues to track operators and local horsemen groups, to out-of-state bookmaking operators,” Carstanjen wrote. Senate President Cameron Henry told NOLA.com that CDI's attempts to gain what he termed as separate forms of “subsidies” from the legislature didn't fly with lawmakers, and he indicated he was not afraid to call CDI's bluff about closure. “They came at the end of the session and wanted a subsidy from the state and we said we couldn't do it because they're a profitable business,” Henry told NOLA.com. “If they choose to close the track we'll work through that, if they choose to sell it we'll work through that as well.” Carstanjen's letter indicated that a high-stakes game of political “chicken” could be on the horizon. “This is not the path CDI wishes to proceed down, but the inaction from elected officials to offer any sort of compromise has made this the only possible outcome…” Carstanjen wrote. “The inaction of the legislature and others in a position to save this racetrack have forced us into the current situation.” The post CDI Tells Louisiana Commission it Wants to Surrender Fair Grounds License appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The National Thoroughbred League is getting involved in the resurgence of trading cards as it recently unveiled its first set made by Leaf, which will be released this fall.View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of June 2-June 8View the full article

Coolmeen Farms shelled out €190,000 for lot 133, a son of No Risk At All, who topped the first day of the Goffs Arkle Sale on Tuesday. Consigned by Sluggara Farms, the 3-year-old gelding is out of a full-sister to stakes winner Bonne Gargotte (Poliglote) and a half-sister to Trait De Genie (Diamond Prospect). Trainer Ellmarie Holden bought the half-brother to Flat listed winner Syrita (Siyouni) with her father Paul under the Coolmeen banner. They previously pinhooked two-mile chaser Jonbon and sold him to JP McManus for £570,000 at the Goffs Yorton Sale. “Everyone here seemed to be mad about him, and we were in love with him too,” she said. “He walked beautifully – he tuned out and was so laid back – and he has a lovely pedigree too. He's just a smasher. Please God now he'll do the job for us. “Derek O'Connor will break him in, and then we'll get him going around September time and take it from there. Hopefully we'll get him to win a maiden point-to-point and bring him back to market. We did it with Jonbon but the pressure is back on.” Overall, 15 lots made €100,000 on the first day of the store sale. The clearance rate was 84% for 188 lots sold from 223 offered. The aggregate was €10,306,500 (+12%), while the average was €54,822 (+9%) and the median was €50,000 (+12%). The post No Risk At All Gelding Leads The Way At Goffs Arkle Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan has picked out dozens of Grade I winners over the years. He has also bred Grade I winners, most notably Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) and his half-sister Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union), and he's even raced a few, including 2008 GI Spinaway Stakes victress Mani Bhavan (Storm Boot) and 2019 GI United Nations Stakes winner (Tiz Wonderful) But this year's GI Gamely Stakes marked a particularly special victory for Ryan when 'TDN Rising Star' Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), a horse that he bred and races, scored her first win at the elite level. “It doesn't get any better,” said Ryan, who watched the Santa Anita race from back home in Kentucky. “It's the pinnacle, when you've had patience and are lucky enough to make some good decisions along the way. It was a very thrilling win and very exciting because of her being a homebred and still having the mare and the siblings.” One of Be Your Best's siblings is poised to further bolster his family's credentials. 'TDN Rising Star' Postmodern (Too Darn Hot)–whom Ryan sold for 270,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1 last year–is pointing toward the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17. Under the moniker St. Croix Bloodstock, Ryan runs a commercial breeding operation with around 35 broodmares. Some are owned in partnership, including the mare he co-owned with his late friend Gerry Dilger that produced a Kentucky Derby winner. He boards the majority of his mares at Indian Creek Farm in Paris, Kentucky, though he also keeps a few at Ballylinch Stud in his native Ireland. Most of his stock goes to auction, but Ryan is not shy about retaining a filly for his own racing program. Such was the case for Be Your Best, who was foaled and raised at Ballylinch. By the time the filly was a yearling, her sire Muhaarar had fallen out of commercial favor and was moved from Shadwell's Nunnery Stud to France. Kamakura at Indian Creek Farm | Katie Petrunyak “She wouldn't have brought $25,000 at a sale,” Ryan predicted. “She was a nice yearling but we knew we would be overlooked at the sales and understandably so. If it had been a colt, I probably would not have kept him. But she had enough quality about her that I said, 'Let's bring her back to America and see what we can do.'” After earning the 'Rising Star' nod in her Saratoga debut and collecting a stakes win in the P.G. Johnson Stakes under the tutelage of trainer Horacio de Paz, Be Your Best has raced almost exclusively in graded company over her four years on the racetrack. She was transferred to Saffie Joseph last fall and has since made four trips to the winner's circle, including a gutsy score in the GII Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes. Ryan said that one of the keys to the now-millionaire's recent success has been figuring out her affinity for firm turf. In between her wins in the Pegasus and the Gamely, Be Your Best put in a disappointing last-place effort in the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes during a particularly soggy Keeneland meet. “We finally understand now that she doesn't want anything but fast, firm ground and since Saffie has had her, she's won four of six races, all graded stakes,” said Ryan. “She has been a remarkable filly. She's very sound, very low maintenance and she's been very consistent.” From here, Ryan reported that Be Your Best will likely make an appearance in the GI Diana Stakes at Saratoga on July 12, although the Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial and E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine are also under consideration. “If it's not firm ground, she won't run,” he said. “She'll have two more races hopefully before the Breeders' Cup. We think she'll like that firm turf [at Del Mar]. When we give her the time between races, on the right surface, she always runs well.” While awaiting Be Your Best's next start, Ryan has plenty more to look forward to from other members of his star homebred's family. Just four days before Be Your Best's Gamely score, her half-brother Postmodern stamped his ticket to Royal Ascot after an eye-catching five-length debut win at Yarmouth on May 22 for owner Wathnan Racing and trainer Hamad Al Jehani. “He has a blend of terrific speed, but he should be able to get a mile to a mile and an eighth and possibly a mile a quarter like Be Your Best,” said Ryan. “Too Darn Hot is one of the most exciting young stallions in Europe. I'm a huge fan of Dubawi (Ire) and he's one of Dubawi's best sons. Postmodern has gotten a lot of media attention. The manner of his win was super impressive and we're really looking forward to seeing him run in the Coventry, but he better be good because Aidan O'Brien has got a couple of nice Wootton Bassetts that are going to be there as well.” With both Be Your Best and Postmodern showing sky's-the-limit potential for the latter half of the year, their dam Kamakura (Medaglia d'Oro) is well positioned to cement her status as a top-class broodmare for Ryan. Ryan purchased Kamakura from Godolphin for 150,000gns at the 2016 Tattersalls July Sale. The 3-year-old was unraced, but came with a pedigree that was too good for Ryan to pass up. “This was one the greatest pedigrees of Mr. [William] Farish, with Up the Flagpole (Hoist the Flag) and Flagbird (Nureyev),” Ryan described. “Those kinds of pedigrees are hard to access and when you have the opportunity, I prefer really good bloodlines over a mare that was a good race mare but doesn't have much pedigree.” Already, Kamakura has had three winners from four to race, starting with her first foal Komachi (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) who sold for 625,000gns as a yearling back in 2019. Ryan is hoping for more fireworks from the family this fall when the latest Kamakura yearling hits the sales ring. The mare's Baaeed (GB) filly was foaled and raised at Indian Creek, but recently sent to Ireland where she will point toward the Tattersalls October Sale. Kamakura and her Cody's Wish foal | Katie Petrunyak “She is very impressive,” Ryan noted. “She's a big, strong, powerful filly with a lot of Medaglia d'Oro in her. She's much bigger than Be Your Best.” With Be Your Best's growing reputation in the U.S., Kamakura is here to stay for the time being. This year she produced a Cody's Wish colt and has since checked in foal to Nyquist. “The family goes both ways,” explained Ryan. “There is a lot of dirt and grass in this pedigree, so it seems very versatile from that perspective. We don't have a half-sister right now except for the yearling filly that is going to sell at Tattersalls, so if she were carrying a Nyquist filly we would lean pretty heavily towards keeping her and racing her ourselves. The mare is only 12 years of age, so hopefully we'll have a few more years to get another filly out of her.” Ryan said he has around 20 horses in his racing program. He is excited about several 2-year-old homebreds set to debut in the coming months, especially a half-sister to stakes winner Saddle Up Jessie (More Than Ready) named Give Your Best (Ire) (Too Darn Hot), as well as a filly he owns with his friend Jeff Drown called Sweet Little Lila (Ire) (Palace Pier {GB}) who is the first foal out of the partners' Grade I-placed mare Sassy Little Lila (Artie Schiller). For Ryan, watching a mare like Kamakura make an impact on both sides of the Atlantic is the validation of a long-term vision. And he is confident that there is still more to come. “She's on her way to becoming a blue hen like her great-grandmother Up the Flagpole,” he said. “It's a lot of fun. Believe me, we're enjoying the ride.” The post With Star Broodmare Kamakura, Mike Ryan Bringing Out the Best appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

5. ASBURY PARK (GB), 6/6, SAR, Race 8, 1 1-16th (turf) Beyer Speed Figure- 85 (c, 4, by Frankel {GB}–Limonar {Ire} by Street Cry {Ire}) O-Peter Brant and St Elias Stable. B-St Elias Stable (GB). T-Chad Brown. J-Flavien Prat. Not surprisingly, Saratoga produced all five of these maiden graduates – three on Friday. Asbury Park got his race in just before heavy rain and powered away as much the best despite a slow pace, wide trip and an 9 1/2-month layoff due to shin issues. Brant bought the colt as a yearling for $318,526 from Vinny Viola in October 2023 at Tattersalls, with Viola opting to keep an ownership share. Brown emptied the barn at Saratoga, going 5-for-28 with Grade I and Grade II victories. 4. RAGTIME, 6/6, SAR, Race 2, 7 furlongs Beyer Speed Figure- 86 (f, 3, by Union Rags–Burmilla, by Storm Cat) O/B-Godolphin (Ky). T-Bill Mott. J-Junior Alvarado. Mott may be all-world, but he has never prioritized success with first-time starters: heading into Saratoga last weekend he had lost with 43 in a row. Then he unleashed winning debuters Friday and Saturday at 9-1 and 8-1 odds, respectively, and both make our top five. Ragtime rolled to the front in midstretch and drew off sharply by 3 3/4 lengths. Her now-22-year-old dam Burmilla had her own Saratoga highlight: in 2007 she earned a 107 Beyer in taking the Grade II Honorable Miss. 3. HIT THE POST, 6/6, SAR, Race 14, 7 furlongs Beyer Speed Figure- 87 (g, 3, by Kantharos–Memento d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro) O/B- Old Tavern Farm (NY). T-Melanie Giddings. J-Chris Elliott. In his fourth career start and first as a 3-year-old after 7 1/2 months sidelined, Hit the Post dashed to the front and splashed home a decisive 6 3/4 lengths ahead of New York-breds. Saddled by Giddings of Maple Leaf Mel fame, he became the first Saratoga winner for apprentice Elliott and the second for owners/breeders Walt and Melanie Borisenck, who in 2016 founded Old Tavern Farm in Saratoga Springs. 2. MAINSTREAM, 6/7, SAR, Race 2, 7 furlongs (2nd) Beyer Speed Figure- 92 (c, 3, by Speightstown–Lesley May, by Tapit) O-Jeffrey Drown, Don Rachel and Stonestreet Stables. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. T-Brad Cox. J-Luis Saez. Of those who have raced, Mainstream was perhaps America's fastest maiden before Saturday – and still is. At 3-5 odds, he battled head-to-head with Junior Alvarado and Stars and Strides for the final 3/16th as they leaned/rubbed/bumped repeatedly. A stewards' inquiry resulted in no change and Mainstream is 0-for-3 despite back-to-back 92 Beyers on sloppy tracks. Trip note: he stumbled at the break Saturday, and despite an impressively quick recovery may have been unlucky since the final margin was only a head. 1. STARS AND STRIDES, 6/7, SAR, Race 2, 7 furlongs Beyer Speed Figure- 92 (c, 3, by American Pharoah–Holiday Blues, by Ghostzapper) O-Pin Oak Stud. B-Four Pillars Holdings (Ky). T-Bill Mott. J-Junior Alvarado. This $475,000 yearling buy was Mott's second winning first-timer in two days, showing talent and determination to outfinish Mainstream. Aside from his 'Pharoah' genes, his half-brother Panther Island was a stakes sprinter on turf and he already shows a bullet work on grass at Payson, so the green is a nice future option. The post The Five Fastest Maidens, Presented By Taylor Made, For The Week Of June 2-9 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In the early minutes of the first session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale Tuesday, a colt by Yaupon (hip 104) turned in what would be the day's fastest furlong time of :9 4/5 and that mark was matched later in the day by a filly by Leinster (hip 81) and a colt by Engage (hip 152). It was the second :9 4/5 work at OBS for the colt from the first crop of Yaupon, who put in a similar work ahead of the company's March sale. “It wasn't a big surprise that he went as fast as he did, because he'd already went :9 4/5 in March,” said consignor Julie Davies. “He had a P1 [chip] after the breeze in March, so we had to stop and take that out. We had plenty of interest in him in March, but people didn't want to fool with that. So obviously there was the question mark of what fitness he lost in the time that he was off, as he hasn't done much between then and now, but we had no reason to think that he wouldn't do as well as he did then. He showed up and he did it again.” When the colt was purchased for $85,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, the name on the ticket was 'Happy Birthday, Chili.' “My boyfriend, Chalino, picked him out as a yearling,” Davies said. “He and Tami Bobo were together up in the back ring and they picked him out. Everybody calls him Chili, and it was his birthday, so Tami signed the ticket Happy Birthday Chili.” The colt is out of After the Party (Into Mischief) and from the family of Grade I winner Callback. “He has always been fast and he's always been very happy to train,” Davies said of the juvenile. “He enjoys training. He's a happy horse with a great mind.” A filly from the first crop of multiple graded winner Leinster, who is already sire of the Royal Ascot-bound Lennilu, equaled the furlong bullet for consignor Octavio Mejia. The bay is out of Wildcat Gaze (Wildcat Heir), a half-sister to stakes winners Saratoga Treasure (Treasure Beach {GB}) and April Gaze (High Cotton). Purchased for $13,000 at the OBS Winter sale last year, she RNA'd for $27,000 at the OBS October sale. Rounding out the trio of bullet workers was a colt by another first-crop sire in multiple graded winner Engage. Consigned by Blue Sapphire Stables, the juvenile hit the bullet mark Tuesday despite changing leads several times down the lane. “Three weeks ago, he kicked the stall at the farm and the leg went through it and he got a serious cut,” said Blue Sapphire's Jesus Avila. “It still bothers him a little bit, so that could be why he was switching leads there.” Avila continued, “He prepped :10 flat last week. So he could have gone :9 3/5, I think.” The bay colt is out of Bazinga B (Lion Hearted) and is a half-brother to stakes winner Bazinga C (Exaggerator). He was purchased for $3,500 at last year's OBS October sale. Blue Sapphire Stables also sent out the fastest quarter-mile worker of Tuesday's session when I'm Here For Grace (Combatant) (hip 45) covered the distance in :20 4/5. “She was fast, but she is kind of small,” Avila said. “I think she's 15.2, but she can run. She is a late April foal, so I think she is still going to grow.” The filly is out of stakes-placed True Religion (Yes It's True), a half-sister to graded winner Sharp Sensation (Sharp Humor), and she is a half to stakes-placed Monster Man (Unbridled's Song). She was purchased for $5,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. “I want to buy the best ones for little money,” Avila said with a laugh when asked about his yearling purchases. “I buy inexpensive horses–under $10,000. So I look at the new sires and the [lighter] pedigree page.” Tuesday was the first of five sessions of the under-tack show and Davies said she thought conditions had remained consistent throughout the day. “It didn't get too hot, it rained a little, so I did feel like it stayed pretty consistent today,” she said. The under-tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning each day at 7:30 a.m. The June sale will be held next Tuesday and Wednesday. Bidding commences at 10 a.m. for each session. The post Trio of First-Crop Juveniles Share Furlong Bullet at OBS Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

First and foremost, let's salute Journalism (Curlin) and his connections for confirming that only feebleness in horsemen, not horses, menaces the Triple Crown schedule. In last weekend replicating his Churchill challenge to crop leader Sovereignty (Into Mischief), moreover actually moving up his numbers, the only horse to contest all three legs demonstrated precisely the prowess that breeders have long sought from this series. That deserves to be remembered once Journalism goes to stud. Obviously, the GI Belmont Stakes is not asking quite so exacting a question just now. By the same token, we cannot give full weight to what would otherwise represent a new horizon for the sire of the horse who denied Journalism a Triple Crown. Into Mischief's evolution as a Classic influence, having started as a purveyor of precocity round a single turn, has corresponded to the upgrading of his mares with uncommon neatness. For him to sire a Classic winner over 12 furlongs, however, would still feel almost as startling as when Scat Daddy did so in 2018. As it turns out, Justify has duly confirmed himself to have advertised genetic wares of great significance that day. Sadly his prospects of in turn slaking our thirst for a British Triple Crown winner were thwarted by Ruling Court's withdrawal at Epsom on Saturday. Nonetheless the horse who exploited his absence, Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}), was still able to enhance the legacy of Scat Daddy-this time as a broodmare sire. Lambourn's dam Gossamer Wings (Scat Daddy) was a very sharp juvenile, beaten a nostril in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes. If her contemporaries matured past her, that scarcely disqualified her as a familiar kind of foil for that latent dourness that Coolmore managed so successfully in Galileo (Ire) and meanwhile in sons such as Australia. Many breeders can attest that matings intended to balance extremes mostly cancel out distinction of any kind, so there's nothing merely formulaic to the way Galileo conjured the best of both worlds from sprinting mares. True, you might argue that Sovereignty represents a broadly similar equation, in reverse: a mare laden with the Triple Crown endurance of Seattle Slew (sire of her third dam, while her own sire Bernardini is a grandson) sent for extra pep to Into Mischief. But remember that when Justify stretched for the Belmont, he could draw even on his sire for help: Scat Daddy's granddam was by the last horse to win that 8f-14f British Triple Crown. Nijinsky also recurs in the bottom half of the pedigree, Justify's third dam being by his son Baldski. One of his lesser sons, maybe, but one who certainly channelled aristocratic blood: his dam, inbred 2×3 to Nasrullah, also produced Capote and Exceller. Now these names lurk in a pretty deep seam. For some of us, however, one of the keys to pedigree breadth is seeding by sires that themselves represent good family. Because if you can't even be sure what color your foal's coat will be, then you want to be entwining as many strands of quality as possible. As grandsire and damsire of Gossamer Wings, for instance, neither Johannesburg nor Rubiano are necessarily limited by their individual stud records when it comes to an eligibility, in the right circumstances, to spark something special. (As Rubiano perhaps did already, for instance, as damsire of War Front.) Johannesburg is a conduit for the Narrate line, his dam being half-sister to Tale of the Cat and Minardi. And Rubiano's dam Ruby Slippers, who incidentally introduces another dose of her sire Nijinsky, additionally produced Tapit's dam Tap Your Heels (Unbridled). (Tapit, of course, is by another stallion representing the Narrate family in Pulpit.) Lambourn's third dam, meanwhile, was by Hero's Honor. Hardly one of Northern Dancer's more influential sons-but look at the other taps out of the same pipe: his siblings include Sea Hero and Wild Applause, herself dam of Yell, Eastern Echo and Roar. Again, then, his individual profile doesn't necessarily put a ceiling on the right of Hero's Honor to filter something special into the mix. Ultimately, indeed, the same holds true of Australia himself: if his overall performance cannot be considered electrifying, exceptional genetic embers remain available to be stoked up behind him (Ouija Board (GB)/Urban Sea/Park Appeal (Ire) etc). Few would bother with this kind of exercise when it comes to Crowned (Bernardini), the late dam of Sovereignty. Besides being by an outstanding broodmare sire, her grandsire and damsire are huge brands: A.P. Indy and Empire Maker. But let's not forget that both are out of mares, Weekend Surprise and Toussaud, that do not owe their celebrity exclusively to the sons who happen to put their names in this pedigree. In fact, it's much the same even with Into Mischief. When he went to stud, a dam by Tricky Creek looked a pretty tricky proposition-but then of course Leslie's Lady additionally produced Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy). Into Mischief's Sovereignty winning the Belmont Stakes | Tod Marks Now Sovereignty is plainly entitled to draw on much else besides, his first three dams all having been seven-figure yearlings. Crowned was the second foal of GI Spinster winner Mushka (Empire Maker), herself first foal of turf stakes winner Sluice (Empire Maker); and the latter, in turn, was second foal of Lakeway (Seattle Slew), winner of four Grade Is. Beyond this sequence of early foals, this family has admittedly produced plenty of expensive disappointments. It certainly hasn't lacked opportunity. We can seldom account for why one particular angle should have clicked, when so many others subsequently don't. But that's the point, really: the richer the seeding of those neglected third and fourth generations, the less it will matter which flavor ultimately percolates through. Mischief Nearing New Heights With another sophomore son Patch Adams winning the GI Woody Stephens Stakes on the same card, Into Mischief is already hurtling towards his seventh successive championship. That would match the streak put together between 1963 and 1969 by Bold Ruler, who added an eighth title in 1973. Even that modern record-we must leave Lexington's achievements the previous century as a case apart-scarcely feels safe from a 20-year-old of such freakish libido and fertility. Despite his intimidating fee, Into Mischief's last published book in 2024 actually moved back up to 193 after an outstanding 82 percent of 174 mares the previous year delivered live foals. His sheer volume makes it very hard to lay a glove on the Spendthrift phenomenon, now breathing down the neck of Tapit at the head of the all-time North American sires' table. Despite Tapit's four extra crops, the pair are virtually in step, Into Mischief having now just edged ahead by starters (1,458 over 1,453), winners (1,069 over 1,065) and stakes winners (175 over 168). Tapit's ratios in the elite indices remain clear, however, last weekend reaching another landmark with his 200th graded stakes performer, ahead of Into Mischief on 161. But that gap has steadily closed with the upgrading of his mares, and Into Mischief will shortly seize Tapit's crown. His lifetime earnings have now reached $216,254,446, with the venerable gray clinging on at $217,020,128. Well Dressed Family Cutting a Dash Like so many stallions, even Into Mischief finds himself indebted to Distorted Humor mares. In fact, Patch Adams brings them up to a startling one-in-five among his 25 elite winners. Back in 2021 the WinStar team had particular encouragement to send the dam of Patch Adams, Well Humored (Distorted Humor), over to Spendthrift. For just about then they were buzzing over the sensational emergence of Life Is Good, a yearling purchase with China Horse Club on the same cross. CHC are duly also partners in Patch Adams, the first foal out of Well Humored to reach the track. This family had quite a weekend. The day before the Woody Stephens, Well Humored's half-brother Parchment Party (Constitution) romped over twice the distance in the GIII Belmont Gold Cup-a freakish test, albeit transferred off the turf, for American Thoroughbreds. Well Humored herself won a stakes in a light career, while her brother Muqtaser managed a couple of graded stakes podiums. But the most accomplished foal out of their dam Life Well Lived (Tiznow) remains GI Maker's 46 Mile winner American Patriot. The latter joined Darley Japan on retirement, his third dam being sister to the mother of dual Japanese Horse of the Year Symboli Kris S. But the core of the dynasty spreads beneath Life Well Lived's dam, Well Dressed (Notebook), a stakes-winning sprinter whose $150,000 purchase at the 2001 Keeneland November Sale has proved outstanding value. The Awesome Again filly she was carrying that day has since become granddam of the top-class Cyberknife (Gun Runner). But Well Dressed in the meantime discovered a particular affinity to Distorted Humor and/or Tiznow, both of course resident at WinStar. Most obviously Well Armed (Tiznow) banked over $5 million; while the five Tiznow siblings inspired by his G1 Dubai World Cup success included not just Life Well Lived but also the dam of GI La Troienne Stakes winner Played Hard (Into Mischief). Well Dressed's three foals by Distorted Humor, meanwhile, all contributed to the page: graded stakes winner/producer Witty; GI Travers-placed Helsinki; and the unraced O'Toole, whose daughter by Tiznow produced multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Money (Goldencents). That formula (by a son of Into Mischief, first two dams by Tiznow and Distorted Humor) represents an especially strong echo of Patch Adams (by Into Mischief, first two dams by Distorted Humor and Tiznow). No patching up required by a family as Well Dressed as this one. The post Breeding Digest: Epsom Reminds Us Who’s the Daddy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

William Haggas has suffered a major blow to his Royal Ascot plans after Economics was ruled out of the meeting after pulling a muscle.View the full article

A. P. Kid, a ridgling 3-year-old son of Honor A. P., was making just his third career start in the $300,000 Pennine Ridge, which he won by 6 1/4 lengths for Donegal Racing.View the full article