Wandering Eyes

Back at seven furlongs, the Into Mischief colt became a grade 1 winner after winning a key allowance race on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard. View the full article

In a stretch run reminiscent of the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1), Sovereignty charged past Journalism to win the Belmont Stakes (G1), with Baeza rounding out the trifecta June 7 at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Cash Call delivered on the hype June 7, outfinishing stablemate Howin to the wire to give trainer Bob Baffert a 1-2 finish in the $100,000 Summertime Oaks (G3) at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Louisiana stallion and grade 1 winner No Parole sired his first winner June 7 when the filly High Class Trip broke her maiden in a state-bred maiden special weight contest at Evangeline Downs.View the full article

The public's attention was on Sovereignty after he ran down Journalism to capture the June 7 Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. But Aron Wellman—president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, one of Journalism's owners—had eyes on his horse.View the full article

On Jan. 9, 2025, a Thoroughbred mare named Kayseri was euthanized in Puerto Rico. She had no joint space left in her fetlocks. Her body was broken down from overuse, her mind likely exhausted from pain and confinement. Her death is not only a tragedy–it is the subject of three formal complaints now filed against the Puerto Rico Racing Commission, the track veterinarians, and her final owner. Kayseri was not a forgotten horse. She was bred by the University of Kentucky. She raced under Hall of Famer Mark Casse. She competed at Gulfstream Park. But in 2021, after a decline in performance, she was sold off privately and shipped via cargo container to Puerto Rico–where she was raced over 50 times in three years, with minimal oversight, on a dangerous surface, while her condition clearly deteriorated. I personally flagged Kayseri in July 2024 and submitted an official intervention request to the Puerto Rico Racing Commission. I provided race history, declining speed figures, and an offer to retire her to a safe home. My formal complaints cite: Regulatory failure by the Puerto Rico Racing Commission for allowing Kayseri to be repeatedly raced after being placed on the vets' list multiple times (for lameness, medication violations, and appetite loss), and for failing to respond to a written intervention request made six months before her death. Veterinary misconduct by Equine Practitioners & Associates and Veterinary Clinic de Confederación for the continued administration of joint injections and pain-masking treatments rather than recommending rest or retirement, in direct violation of veterinary ethics and welfare standards. Owner negligence by Establo Anajalin PR, for knowingly exploiting a declining, unsound mare until she collapsed under the weight of their indifference. These complaints are not symbolic. They are a plea for justice–not just for Kayseri, but for the 1,000+ horses euthanized at Camarero between 2021 and 2024. The data speaks volumes: 2021: 268 horses euthanized, 32.3% within 7 days of last race 2022: 257 euthanized, 34.8% within 7 days 2023: 270+ euthanized, 41.4% within 7 days 2024: 254 euthanized, 36% within 7 days Many of these horses were Kentucky bred. Many were only three or four years old. This is not “retirement” racing. This is a disposal system in disguise. Now, with the Ocala Breeders' Sales (OBS) approaching, the American Thoroughbred industry–breeders, consignors, trainers–must take responsibility for where these horses are ending up. If we continue to sell to bad-faith buyers who ship to Puerto Rico, we are enabling cruelty. Puerto Rico is U.S. soil. These are U.S.-bred horses. And the suffering happening at Hipódromo Camarero is happening on our watch. I urge the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) to expand its jurisdiction to include Puerto Rico, or for Puerto Rico's regulators to voluntarily adopt and enforce HISA's welfare standards. Until such protections are in place, U.S. sales companies and racetracks should blacklist any buyer known to ship horses to Puerto Rico, where there is currently no reliable oversight or enforceable safeguards. If Puerto Rico refuses to accept external accountability, the industry must act by cutting off its supply of horses. And the public and press must continue to shine a light on these regulatory failures until meaningful reform is no longer optional, but inevitable. Kayseri ran in 60-plus races. She tried every time. She did not deserve to be discarded, ignored, and raced to death in silence. Her death must mean something. The letters have been filed. The facts are documented. Now it is time for accountability. Chrissy Laughlin is an advocate and owner of a retired racehorse. The post Letter to the Editor: Suffering in Puerto Rico is Happening on Our Watch appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Jake Ballis didn't know quite what to expect when he sent Crimson Advocate (Nyquist) to the 2023 Royal Ascot meet, where she won the GII Queen Mary Stakes. He says now it was one of the most exciting days of his life, and he has vowed to get back there every day since. Ballis, who heads the Black Type Racing partnership, couldn't find a runner in 2024 that he thought could win at one of the most competitive meets in the world. But he never stopped looking. “It was probably the greatest racing experience I've ever had,” Ballis said. “It's an unbelievable experience. We wanted to find another horse and do it again. I'm not doing it just to say we had a participant. It needed to be one that we thought had a chance over there. Running against 25 other horses is not an easy task. We have partners that have wanted to run there, especially after we won. We were just trying to find the right one to take us back there.” This time around, he found his horse. Black Type has purchased Azizam, (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) a first-out winner at Hamilton Park in Scotland in his debut. “Why did we buy him? It was the way the horse finished,” Ballis said. “The jock flashed him the stick and he just took off. You can see that he was rank early and he was getting no cover. Once they started going up the hill, the jockey asked him and he had a really nice turn of foot. That was the main thing that caught our eyes. The sire, Havana Grey, has been very, very good. Go back a few years and I wouldn't be looking to buy a turf sprinting colt. But after we won at Ascot in 2023, I wanted to go back. Last year, we looked and couldn't get anything done. Now this horse came around and we're going to take a shot.” Azizam will remain in the barn of Karl Burke for his next start before he is sent to the U.S., where he will join George Weaver's stable. Weaver also trained Crimson Advocate. “We've been looking for something to buy to go over there,” Ballis said. “Whether we bought it in the States or over there, that didn't matter. I have a friend named Adam Potts, who works for BBA Ireland. So we will bounce horses off of one another and I look to get his opinions on European horses. If he sees something, he'll send it to me. He was the first one who brought this horse to my attention. I wasn't watching European racing that day. I watched the replay, and I sent the replay over to my wife who helps buy our horses and then to George Weaver. We all agreed it was worth taking a shot.” He said he's not going back just to be able to say that he had a horse run at Royal Ascot. “It costs too much money to buy these horses and with the expenses and the shipping just to go over there to have a party,” he said. “We're happy that we are going to be there, but we don't want to do anything just to say we participated. We're going to try to pick the right spot for him over there, a spot where he can win.” Ballis said that Azizam will most likely start in the June 18 Windsor Castle Stakes. Once back in the U.S., Azizam will be pointed to the Kentucky Downs meets, where he could land in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint. The stable was planning on using John Velazquez, but with Outfielder no longer making the trip to Royal Ascot, Velazquez has decided to stay home. Ballis said it is likely that Luis Saez will pick up the mount. “We're going to keep trying this because it's an incredible place to visit and it was one of the best experiences we ever had,” Ballis said. “Even if we hadn't won with Crimson Advocate we would be trying to get back. That's how special that place is.” The post Black Type Thoroughbreds Wants Another Shot at Royal Ascot Glory appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

David Marnane knows a thing or two about taking aim and plundering big-race riches at Royal Ascot but the trainer admitted that success with his juvenile Gavoo could potentially beat all given the Coventry Stakes outsider is bidding to provide his owner-breeders with an emotional fillip next week. A recent winner at Listowel, Gavoo was bred in County Roscommon by Seamus and Bernadette Gormley. Sadly, Bernadette passed away earlier this year and Marnane has commended the A Touch Of Leather Syndicate, which is made up by family and friends of the breeders, for resisting the temptation to sell their Royal Ascot contender in favour of living in the moment with the rapidly-progressive colt. “We're taking a bit of a step here but Gavoo will run in the Coventry Stakes,” Marnane said on running plans for the colt. “He built on a lovely debut run at the Curragh to win nicely at Listowel and, while I know Royal Ascot will represent a big step up in class for him, he's not just an early two-year-old and I think he's a very nice horse going forward who should acquit himself well next Tuesday.” He added, “I'm not really running him on what we have seen from him already – we think there's an awful lot more under the bonnet. He has always worked like a really, really good horse. He has size and scope and he also has the temperament for Royal Ascot. We're under no illusions. A Coventry is a Coventry and he'll be taking on the best in Europe but he's done nothing wrong and deserves to take his chance.” Gavoo can be backed at odds of 33-1 for the Coventry Stakes but this doesn't quite illustrate how far the owner-breeders have come with the horse. The dam, Daddy's Gal, beat just two horses in all five of her starts on a racecourse before connections decided to go another route with the daughter of Scat Daddy. After seeking out the advice of David and his brother Ed, a plan was hatched to visit the then Ballyhane-based stallion Elzaam with Daddy's Gal. Lo and behold, up popped a Coventry Stakes contender. There is no law to this game at times. Marnane explained, “He's owned and bred by lovely people, the Gormley family, based in Roscommon over in the West of Ireland. They've a lovely horse on their hands and it's a great advert for what can be achieved in this game. Gavoo's dam Daddy's Girl beat a total of two horses during the entirety of her career. The Gormley family are great friends of ours and, when they asked what they should put the mare in foal to, my brother Ed suggested Elzaam because the mare is by Scat Daddy – and they can be a bit hot – but Elzaam was inexpensive and gets solid racehorses. He was a gorgeous foal. He came to us to be broken before Christmas and he just hasn't put a foot wrong since.” He added, “Never in our wildest dreams did we think we'd end up at Royal Ascot with the progeny. Now, the mare does have a decent back pedigree, so it wasn't like they were feeling around in the dark here and I'm just so glad for them because there's a huge amount of poignancy given Seamus Gormley's wife Bernadette [co-breeder] passed away earlier this year. They have been offered a few quid for the horse but they syndicated him out and there are a good few family and friends involved so they are rolling the dice. I commend them for it because it's great to see people being involved in ownership for the pure enjoyment of it all. The horse may well be sold in time but they are enjoying the ride for now and please God he can reward them with a big run next week.” Gavoo will be joined in transit by stablemate Tokenomics, who is looking increasingly unlikely to get a run in the Royal Hunt Cup, a race the trainer won back in 2018 with Settle For Bay. Connections do, however, have a Plan B in the shape of the Buckingham Palace Stakes on Thursday, with Marnane quietly confident of a bold showing in whatever race the four-year-old son of The Grey Gatsby rocks up in. “He's being aimed at the Royal Hunt Cup but it's going to be a bit of a sweat I'd say. Now, if it was a normal year, he'd have got in but the handicapper dropped him 2lbs so it's looking doubtful. We have a Plan B, which is the Buckingham Palace Stakes on the Thursday. We were actually second in that race with Jamesie a few years back so it would be nice to go and win it.” Marnane added, “Niall Molloy took a gamble on this horse. We brought him to the Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale at Tattersalls last year but he wasn't vetting clean so he sold for 70,000gns. He just didn't x-ray wonderfully but, listen, we were delighted to have him back and fair play to Niall for stepping up to the plate. He's been a fantastic supporter of the yard for a good number of years and this is a new foray into sole ownership for him and I hope it works out for him now at Royal Ascot. We think he'll run a big race.” The post Homebred Gavoo Bids To Provide Gormley Family With Emotional Fillip At Royal Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

This year's rescheduled Queensland Derby (G1) proved worth the wait for training partners John O'Shea and Tom Charlton, as did the emergence of Super Seth's Maison Louis, who at AU$21 led home a quinella for his stable in the Eagle Farm classic.View the full article

Takeaways from the 157th Belmont Stakes (G1) and other major races that were part of the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival (through June 7) at Saratoga Race Course. View the full article

It may not match Alydar vs. Affirmed in terms of racing's greatest all-time rivalries. But what happened June 7th in the 157th Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga finally brought a large dose of excitement back to the final leg of the Triple Crown. View the full article

As Royal Ascot draws closer, Wathnan Racing increased their chances with the purchases of Night Raider and Flora Of Bermuda.View the full article

Jantar Mantar rebounded from a bitter disappointment in Hong Kong and a long layoff to win the Yasuda Kinen (G1) June 8, earning a "Win and You're In" berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T).View the full article

Five-time group 1-winning trainer Robbie Laing has died at the age of 66, passing in his sleep overnight June 7. Laing was at Flemington saddling up what was to be his final runner El Soleado just hours earlier.View the full article

A year ago, it was a Belmont Stakes (G1) week like no other for NYRA president and CEO Dave O'Rourke and his team. This year, it was also a rather unique Belmont Stakes experience for NYRA at the Spa, though for a different reason.View the full article

In a field of four Kentucky Derby (G1) runners making their returns, East Avenue would not be denied his return to the winner's circle in the $387,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs June 8.View the full article

A known commodity on the turf, Saturday Flirt proved to be a Sunday darling when debuting on dirt to win her first stakes race in the $175,000 Soaring Softly Stakes June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Sovereignty rocketed to the No. 1 spot on the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll released June 10, following his dominating win in the June 7 Belmont Stakes (G1). View the full article

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victories of Sapphire Beach and Hey Nay Nay. No Nay Never Sires Pair Of Juvenile Debut Winners Sapphire Beach, flying the flag for Three Diamonds Farm, won a five-furlong sprint over a sloppy Churchill main track on May 30 (video). Trained by George “Rusty” Arnold, the Charlie Brooks-bred re-rallied to finish second after being cut off by the winner, and the placings were reversed in the stewards' room. First an $85,000 RNA at the Keeneland September Sale, the No Nay Never filly sold for $57,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale to DKW Racing later that autumn. A half-sister to multiple group-placed Wall Of Fire (Canford Cliffs) and to the dam of South African graded winner Parisian Walkway (Ideal World), Sapphire Beach is the last known produce out of her dam, Bright Sapphire (Galileo). Her second dam, the Bluebird mare Jewel In The Sand, won the G2 Cherry Hinton Stakes. Just two days later, fellow No Nay Never juvenile Hey Nay Nay triumphed over five furlongs on the Santa Anita turf course for trainer John Sadler (video). Owned by Hronis Racing and Iapetus Racing, the colt was bred by Lynch Bages, Camas Park and Summerhill Bloodstock in Ireland. Martin Anthony bought the dark bay for $300,000 out of the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. A half-brother to G2 Dubai City Of Gold hero Global Storm (Night Of Thunder) and the stakes-placed Where I Wanna Be (Camelot), Hey Nay Nay has half-sisters by Churchill and Pinatubo foaled in 2024 and 2025, respectively, yet to race. His dam, Travel (Street Cry), is a half-sister to the star-crossed GII Fantasy Stakes and GIII Honeybee Stakes heroine Eight Belles (Unbridled's Song), who ran second in the GI Kentucky Derby before breaking down past the wire. Coolmore's No Nay Never sired his 62nd and 63rd U.S. winners from 108 runners (58%) with the victories of Sapphire Beach and Hey Nay Nay. Of his 10 stakes winners there, GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate is his best, while he also has GII Mrs Revere Stakes and GIII Matchmaker Stakes scorer Nay Lady Nay and GIII Palm Beach Stakes hero Vitalogy to his credit. The bay commands €125,000 this year. Asbury Park Pleases The Masses Upstate Peter Brant and St Elias Stable's Asbury Park (Frankel) graduated by 3 1/2 lengths at second asking at Saratoga on Friday (video). The victory was stylish enough to earn a coveted 'TDN Rising Star' badge for the Chad Brown trainee, who had run fifth on debut over this course 10 months ago. Bred by St Elias Stables, the bay is a son of the Listed Prix Coronation victress Limonar (Street Cry), and he sold for 250,000gns as a Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling to Brant's White Birch Farm in 2023. Great things are expected of the now-3-year-old colt, as he is a half-brother to stakes winner and G2 Gimcrack Stakes second Mokarris (More Than Ready), multiple graded/group winner and G1 Gold Cup/G1 Melbourne Cup third Spanish Mission (Noble Mission), and the stakes winner and graded-placed Dude N Colorado (Uncle Mo). Limonar is a half-sister to GI Shoemaker Mile Stakes hero Talco (Pivotal). Her Kingman juvenile colt is unnamed, she has a yearling colt by Cracksman, and her latest offspring is a Blue Point colt foal. Juddmonte's Frankel sired the G1 Betfred Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk on the same day Asbury Park returned to the winner's circle. In the U.S., the son of Galileo has 36 winners from 68 runners (53%) and 13 stakes winners. His quartet of American Grade I winners are McKulick, Measured Time, Inspiral and Lake Victoria. His 2025 fee is £350,000. ASBURY PARK makes a statement in Race 8, breaking his maiden and giving Flavien Prat his fourth win today and Chad Brown his third. pic.twitter.com/7veSg1EpIC — Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 6, 2025 'Miami' Storms to Victory at the Spa Mark Dobbin's Storm Miami won for the second time in her career in her first start beyond a mile at Saratoga on Friday (video). Trained by Brendan Walsh, the 4-year-old Blue Point filly was bred by JC Bloodstock & Goodwill Bloodstock. Offered by Kilminfoyle House Stud at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, the bay caught the eye of Brian Grassick and R Fitzpatrick, who bought her for €300,000. She won her debut at Naas under Colin Keane for Ger Lyons in July of 2023, and was second in the Listed Marwell Stakes there later that month. Switched to the Walsh barn after five Irish starts, the filly managed a third in Presque Isle's Lady Erie Stakes over the all-weather in August of 2024. Frankie Dettori was in the irons on Friday. Out of the stakes-placed Cosmic Love (Sea The Stars), Storm Miami is followed by the juvenile colt Ya Karim (Ghaiyyath)–a 200,000gns 2024 Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling purchase by Harry Charlton–and a yearling half-brother by Palace Pier. This is the family of G1 1000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters (Kingmambo). Darley's Blue Point has sired eight winners (53%) in the U.S. from 15 runners anchored by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf scorer and Tally-Ho Stud stallion Big Evs, as well as GIII Goldikova Stakes heroine Raqiya. Blue Point's 2025 fee is €100,000. Cracksman Filly Comes Good At Saratoga Team D's More For Sure (Cracksman) captured a maiden at Saratoga for trainer Tony Dutrow on June 5 (video). Part of the Phillistown House breeding programme, the 3-year-old filly was making her sixth start. A €42,000 weanling buy when snapped up at the Goffs November Foal Sale by Woodlane Stables and Peter Nolan, the May foal blossomed into a €160,000 Goffs Orby yearling when acquired by her current connections. The third foal and third winner for her dam, the winning Iffraaj mare Cascella, More For Sure has a 2-year-old half-brother by Australia. Granddam Lily's Angel (Dark Angel) won the G3 Chartwell Fillies' Stakes and was runner-up in the G1 Matron Stakes. Available for £12,500 at Dalham Hall Stud under the Darley banner, Cracksman has sired two winners from three runners (66%) in the States. On an international scale, his best is the undefeated G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero and Haras de Beaumont stallion Ace Impact. Repeat Winners Kodiac's Pipsy collected another graded victory in Thursday's GII Intercontinental Stakes at Saratoga during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival (video). She races for Woodford Thoroughbreds and trainer Will Walden. PIPSY wires the field to win the Grade 2 Intercontinental Stakes with @jose93_ortiz up for trainer Will Walden. pic.twitter.com/7Lxb0i4mY3 — Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 5, 2025 At Churchill, Out Too Late (Expert Eye) added another check to her win column for Pura Vida Investments and trainer Michael Maker that same day (video). The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival continued at Saratoga on Friday, with Dynamic Pricing (Night Of Thunder), bearing the Klaravich Stable colours, prevailing in the GI Just A Game Stakes for trainer Chad Brown (video). ASBURY PARK makes a statement in Race 8, breaking his maiden and giving Flavien Prat his fourth win today and Chad Brown his third. pic.twitter.com/7veSg1EpIC — Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 6, 2025 Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Bruce Treitman's Sunset Glory (Cotai Glory) won for the fourth time in eight starts at Santa Anita on Friday for trainer Michael McCarthy (video). The post Making Waves: No Nay Never On The Double appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Trainer Wesley Ward has sent some very good horses to Royal Ascot over the years and has won 12 races there. Win No. 13 looked to be well within his reach as he was planning on sending Outfielder (Speightstown) to the GII Norfolk S. on June 19. The horse was so impressive when winning his debut that some believed he could be the best horse Ward ever sent to Ascot. But a Tuesday morning workout at Keeneland yielded a minor injury that will keep the two-year-old home. “We breezed him and there was a little bit of a shin issue,” Ward said. “It is very disappointing. With any horse, let alone one with this quality, you don't want to have any issues going into the race. This is just a minor problem and we're still hoping to have a great year with him. I'm still very excited about his future.” Ward remains hopeful that Outfielder can make the GI Prix Morny in Deauville, France on Aug. 24. The Kentucky-based conditioner has won that race three times, with No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) , Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) and Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac ({GB}). With Outfielder sidelined, Ward will not have a starter at this year's Royal Ascot meet. Racing at Churchill Downs, Outfielder won his debut by 6 1/4 lengths and covered the five furlongs on the turf in :55.93 seconds. “He moves like a cat,” Ward said after the race. “Usually, big horses like him are kind of lumbery and they don't have the agility that this guy does.” The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ Outfielder To Miss Royal Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Ag Bullet surged past male rivals in the stretch to register a clear win the $500,000 Jaipur Stakes (G1T) June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.View the full article

Longtime Minnesota owner and breeder Pete Mattson had a big night at Canterbury Park June 7, sweeping both stakes races with Thealligatorhunter and Retired Kathy.View the full article

As winning trainer Miguel Clement politely answered questions about Deterministic's front-end victory in the Manhattan Stakes (G1T) as dusk approached at Saratoga, he kept two eyes on the video board replaying his first grade 1 victory.View the full article

Coolmore announced June 9 that Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Lake Victoria will not run at Royal Ascot next week, and will be rested in preparation for a late summer/autumn campaign.View the full article

Epsom's new general manager has said that "everything is on the table" in his mission to improve the Derby festival after a notable drop in crowd numbers at the track's flagship meeting.View the full article