Wandering Eyes

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. Tuesday's Observations features a Juddmonte homebred trained by Andre Fabre. 3.30 Saint-Cloud, Mdn, 2yo, c/g, 7fT BATTLE DRUM (GB) (War Front) is the latest progeny out of Empire Maker's four-times Grade I winner Emollient, responsible for this colt's G2 Airlie Stud Stakes-placed full-sister Peace Charter and three other Stakes performers by Frankel including past TDN Rising Star Raclette who captured the G2 Prix de Malleret. Juddmonte's homebred is under the care of Andre Fabre, who also saddles Ecurie Ama.zingteam's Yep (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a €220,000 Arqana May Breeze Up graduate whose dam is Danehill Dancer's G2 Balanchine runner-up Mia Tesoro. The post War Front’s Son of Emollient Debuts at Saint-Cloud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Melbourne Racing Club announced on Monday that Tom Reilly has been removed as CEO. “Sometimes it just doesn't work out,” MRC chairman John Kanga said in a press statement. “Tom was only CEO for three months and when things don't go as well as they should, it is best to pivot and move on. “Everyone can be assured that we have put a management structure in place to ensure a smooth transition. I will spend substantial time at the Club as chairman, as I did before Tom Reilly was appointed.” He added, “I am pleased to announce that we have appointed Tanya Fullarton as chief operating officer to work with me. Tanya has an excellent reputation and deep experience and relationships across the racing industry.” The post Tom Reilly Removed as CEO of Melbourne Racing Club appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

New Jersey-bred GSW Joey P (Close Up) was euthanized at Old Friends Monday after succumbing to complications from a respiratory illness at the age of 23, the farm announced via release. A frequent face in the black-type ranks his entire career, Joey P won the GIII Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes at Monmouth Park as a 3-year-old and was even given a shot at the GI Haskell Invitational Handicap. While it was not to be, the gelding visited the winner's enclosure 18 times in his career and retired in 2011 as a 9-year-old with a 48-18-10-1 record. His earnings tallied just over $1.08-million. He was sent to Old Friends in 2018 courtesy of Second Call Thoroughbred Adoption and Placement, who supported him monthly throughout his retirement. “Joey P was a wonderful example of the star-power of 'regional' racehorses,” said John Nicholson, president and CEO of Old Friends. “Joey P built his racing resume as the hero of New Jersey's Monmouth Park. His specialty at the track was running fast and he excelled at it, earning a following of devoted fans who adored him.” “Joey P's specialty at Old Friends was making friends who all fell in love with him. He is going to be missed, especially by his paddock-mate, Tuneintobow. We are so grateful to Lori Lane of Second Call Thoroughbred Adoption and Placement for giving us the honor of caring for Joey P in his retirement.” The post Multiple Stakes Winner Joey P Euthanized at Old Friends appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A 10% share in Royal Ascot contender Brosay has been added to the Tattersalls Online June Pop-Up Sale, which takes place between the hours of 10am and 12pm on Thursday, June 12. Consigned by Racing Club, the three-year-old son of Tasleet is currently in training with Lambourn trainer Paul Attwater and the syndicate are targeting the Palace of Holyrood Stakes on the Friday of Royal Ascot for his next appearance. Last seen filling the runner-up spot in a five-furlong handicap at Sandown in April, he will be offered with a BHA rating of 88. The share entitles the purchaser to exclusive ownership benefits, with full details of the Syndicate Share Agreement and deed of sale available on the Tattersalls Online website. The post Share In Royal Ascot Hopeful Added to Tattersalls Online Pop-Up Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Lake Victoria has been ruled out of the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Undefeated in five juvenile starts last season, including Group One wins in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, the Cheveley Park and at the Breeders' Cup, Aidan O'Brien's filly was beaten into sixth place in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on her return to action but bounced back to her best in the Irish equivalent. The daughter of Frankel was expected to be a major part of the Ballydoyle handler's Ascot team next week, but owners Coolmore said in a post on X on Monday, “Lake Victoria will not run at Royal Ascot. She will have an easy few weeks and will return for a late summer/autumn campaign.” The post also confirmed plans for Minnie Hauk and Whirl after the pair finished first and second in the Betfred Oaks at Epsom on Friday. It read, “Epsom Oaks winner Minnie Hauk will target the Irish Oaks, while Whirl, who finished runner-up in the Epsom Oaks, will head for the Group One Pretty Polly Stakes.” The post Irish 1,000 Guineas Winner Lake Victoria Ruled Out of Royal Ascot appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A TDN column published Sunday referenced the racing oddity of the two most recent North American champion 2-year-old colts both losing separate races within two hours of each other on June 7 at Saratoga Race Course. 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), the 2023 juvenile male Eclipse Award champ, ran second as the 3-4 favorite in the GI Metropolitan Handicap. 'Rising Star' Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), the 2024 divisional champ, was fourth at 9-2 odds in the GI Woody Stephens Stakes. T.D. Thornton asked, “Has this ever happened on the same card? TDN would welcome input from someone with access to a more robust database (or a better memory) than me.” It took less than 24 hours before a reader provided a detailed answer. Brianne Sharp, the data analytics manager for Godolphin, wrote in a Monday email to TDN that, “My (well, Godolphin's) database goes back to 1992, and since then, the only time other than this past Saturday that two previous Eclipse champion 2-year-old males have run on the same card was Nov. 6, 1993, at Santa Anita when Gilded Time and Fly So Free ran third and ninth, respectively, in the [GI] Breeders' Cup Sprint.” Sharp further noted that, “Prior to 1992, we only have top three finishers in black type races, but that limited dataset shows three prior times that two 2-year-old champs ran on the same card, all were in the same race.” Those other instances (again, only based on data that shows top-three finishers) were: Oct. 6, 1979, Affirmed (first) over Spectacular Bid (second) in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup. Sept. 16, 1978, Seattle Slew (first) over Affirmed (second) in the GI Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap. Sept. 15, 1973, Secretariat (first) over Riva Ridge (second) in the Marlboro Cup. The post Juvenile Champ Trivia: Ask and Ye Shall Receive… appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Miles Henry Easterby, invariably known as Peter, who has died at the age of 95, was not only one of the best and most successful dual-purpose trainers Britain has ever known, but also one of the most popular and most respected. Peter Easterby and his younger brother Mick had good teachers because they grew up under the wings of their father William, a farmer and amateur rider, and uncle Walter, a trainer. From them they absorbed an almost bottomless reserve of horsemanship and a very strong work ethic. Life was tough and William farmed in various parts of Yorkshire before settling his family at Great Habton, near Malton. There Peter, who had spent a short period away working for Frank Hartigan but whose induction into racing had mainly come from the family, began training in 1950, still aged only 20. Walter Easterby was a very good trainer who enjoyed success with the small string which he handled but, even so, he cannot have foreseen the thousands of winners which would be churned out by his two nephews (Mick began training at Sheriff Hutton in 1961) and his grandson Tim, Peter's son who, in a seamless transition, took over the license at Habton Grange when his father retired in 1994, aged 65. Thereafter Peter remained an integral component of the stable and a regular at the Yorkshire racecourses. The horse who really put Peter on the map was Goldhill (Le Dieu D'Or). One of the best two-year-olds in the north in 1963 when he won five consecutive five-furlong races including the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, Goldhill achieved little as a three-year-old before bouncing back to better than his previous best as a four-year-old in 1965, making all the running for a four-length win in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot before losing out in a three-way photo-finish in the July Cup. He subsequently retired to Eastthorpe Hall Stud in Yorkshire before moving to Burston Stud in Staffordshire, eventually proving himself as versatile as his trainer with his winning offspring headed by the precocious sprinters Lush Park, Fretta and Dutch Gold as well as the dual Champion Hurdle winner Comedy Of Errors. That 1965 season had begun well for the stable when the six-year-old gelding Old Tom (Relic) won the first feature race, the Lincoln Handicap (run for the first time at Doncaster after the closure of Lincoln racecourse), ridden by Scobie Breasley. Peter won this great race again eight years later when the 50/1 shot Bronze Hill, a son of Goldhill, won under Mark Birch, the multiple 'Cock of the North' who spent almost his entire career riding for the stable after having served the first three years of his apprenticeship with Geoffrey Brooke in Newmarket. Peter's dual-purpose status was emphasised in 1967, a year in which his biggest win came in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham when the six-year-old entire Saucy Kit (Hard Sauce) beat 22 rivals to win the Champion Hurdle, ridden by Roy Edwards who, after both horse and jockey had retired, stood the stallion at Blakeley Stud in Shropshire. Peter Easterby enjoyed a particularly golden era during the late 1970s and early '80s when the stable's stars included two dual Champion Hurdle winners (Night Nurse and Sea Pigeon) and two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners (Alverton and Little Owl). During this period Peter was champion National Hunt trainer for three consecutive seasons, beginning with the 1978/'79 campaign. Night Nurse and Sea Pigeon (who moved to Great Habton after starting out on the Flat with Jeremy Tree and then beginning his jumping career with Gordon Richards) remain two of the legends of the sport. Other high-class hurdlers in the stable at the time included the 16-time winner Sula Bula (whom Peter had bought as a yearling at Doncaster for 2,200 guineas) as well as Within The Law and Major Thompson, who finished first and second in the Schweppes Gold Trophy at Newbury in 1979. Peter bought Night Nurse (Falcon) as a yearling at Tattersalls in 1972 for 1,300 guineas and then guided the horse to three wins on the Flat and, most famously, triumphs in exactly half of his 64 starts over jumps, comprising 19 wins over hurdles and 13 over fences. He came close to securing the holy grail of National Hunt racing, failing only narrowly to augment his two Champion Hurdle triumphs with a victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which he finished second to his stablemate Little Owl (Cantab) in 1981. That was a second Gold Cup in three years for the stable, following the win of Alverton (Midsummer Night) in 1979. Alverton, previously a multiple winner on the Flat, had won the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham 12 months before his Gold Cup triumph but heartbreakingly suffered a fatal fall at Becher's Brook when favourite for the Grand National three weeks after his finest hour. Sea Pigeon (Sea-Bird) did not follow Night Nurse over fences, having fallen in the Colonial Cup steeplechase in the USA fairly early in his National Hunt career, but he augmented his hurdles victories (which included two Champion Hurdles, two Fighting Fifth Hurdles, two Scottish Champion Hurdles and one Welsh Champion Hurdle) with some magnificent performances on the Flat. He twice won the Chester Cup (both times ridden by Mark Birch), took the Ebor Handicap at York (carrying 10 stone, ridden by his usual jumps jockey Jonjo O'Neill and giving 40lb to the runner-up) and thrice landed the Vaux Gold Tankard at Redcar, carrying 10 stone each time and ridden twice by Birch and once by O'Neill. All told, he won 21 times over jumps and 16 times on the Flat. Lest it seem that the stable was concentrating solely on older stayers, the Ebor Meeting at which Sea Pigeon won the eponymous handicap also featured victory in the G2 Gimcrack Stakes for the Mark Birch-ridden two-year-old sprinter Sonnen Gold (Home Guard) who had been bought for 1,700 guineas as a foal. This was Sonnen Gold's eighth start and seventh win of a season in which he went on to run once more, finishing second to subsequent 2,000 Guineas winner Known Fact in the G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. At the end of the year, Sonnen Gold was allotted 9 stone 4lb on the Free Handicap, 3lb below the top-rated Monteverdi, the Vincent O'Brien-trained Dewhurst winner. He was given 10 stone 5lb on the Northern Free Handicap, 12lb higher than the second-top weight, his stablemate Silly Prices (Silly Season), a three-time juvenile winner whom Peter had bought for 2,000 guineas as a yearling. By the time that Peter Easterby stepped back to hand over the licence at Habton Grange to his son Tim (who had ridden plenty of winners for his father as an amateur, both Flat and National Hunt, including on horses such as Sea Pigeon and Sula Bula) he had achieved the unique feat of being the only British trainer to have sent out over 1,000 winners both on the Flat and over jumps. Since then, the stable has continued to flourish as Tim, truly a chip off the old block, has prepared a huge volume of winners including several at Group 1 level. Most notably, Bollin Eric (Shaamit), bred and raced by Sir Neil and Lady Westbrook for whom Peter had trained for decades, won the St Leger in 2002. Almost similarly satisfying for a proudly Yorkshire family will have been the triumph of Winter Power (Bungle Inthejungle) in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York's Ebor Meeting in 2021. Softly spoken and blessed with a nature dominated by innate kindness, Peter Easterby was a legend of the training ranks; a loving and loved husband, father and grandfather; a mentor to many; and a friend to all. He will be sorely missed and never forgotten, and we offer our sincere condolences to his family. The post Legendary Trainer Peter Easterby Dies at 95 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

These days, it seems that as soon as the runners have crossed the line in the Derby the crabbing begins about everything that's wrong with the winner, the race and the meeting itself. It's a funny old game when the people who follow the sport, and in some cases whose livelihoods depend on it, seek constantly to undermine the very thing that brings such enjoyment. Obviously there are concerns regarding falling attendances at the Derby, and at race meetings generally in different parts of the world. An ominous weather forecast certainly played its part this year, and it is clear that Epsom needs to review its pricing structure, particularly to allow children in for free, as is the case at Royal Ascot. Thirty years on, would a move back to the traditional Wednesday slot work to avoid clashes with other major sporting fixtures on the day? Maybe. But for many people that would then mean booking an extra day off work to attend. The suggestion last week by the Daily Mail's racing correspondent Dominic King of having Epsom as the sole meeting in the UK on Derby day is certainly worth exploring so that the focus of the racing world, in Britain at least, is on what happens on those historic Downs. But this kind of decision would require a diktat from the BHA, overruling the factional interests of other racecourse groups, and we all know how well that is working out at the moment. The only regret felt in this quarter on leaving Epsom on Saturday evening was that we now have to wait another year for the most enthralling contest of them all. At least we have Ascot to cheer us up next week. So, in the spirit preferred by this column of glass half full – or, even better, glass completely full – we will continue to ponder not how to save the Derby, for the vocal and actual support of so many owners and breeders shows that it doesn't need saving, but how to make the great race even more special. For starters, it would be good to see the restoration and return to use of Epsom's Prince's Stand, which dates back to 1879 and now stands lonely and unloved, though still beautiful. Having until quite recently been used for owners and trainers, it would be the perfect place to house a Derby museum or hall of fame. It is also worth remembering, in these days of smartphones, that if – God forbid – you decided to go shopping instead of being at Epsom, you can instantly check the result with the help of Google or even watch the race online, a fact which has to be considered when one is comparing current attendances with those of yesteryear. Back in the time of, say, the marvellous Signorinetta, who, in 1908, became one of a select band of fillies to have won the Oaks and the Derby, if you weren't at Epsom, your next best option was to wait outside the window of Fore's art gallery in Piccadilly. There, presumably with some delay, the result would be posted on canvas by the sporting artist John Beer, whose job it was around that time to depict the finishing order for the Derby in paint. Good things come to those who wait. Witnessing History in the Making While we can look back with fondness on those great partnerships of Vincent O'Brien and Lester Piggott, Sir Henry Cecil and Steve Cauthen, Sir Michael Stoute and Walter Swinburn, it is important to appreciate what is happening right now in front of us. Being a fan of racing and attending its big Classic days is to play our own small part in its history, even just as bystanders. By sheer numbers alone Aidan O'Brien, at age 55, has already secured his own chapter in the book of racing greats, and it is one very much still being written. Direct comparisons with his predecessor at Ballydoyle cannot be made because Vincent O'Brien was not working with anywhere near the same number of horses at his disposal, but Aidan's stable size is comparable to a number of other leading trainers in Britain and Ireland who end up with neither the same number of potential Classic horses, nor therefore a similar level of Classic success. And, yes, he is fortunate in so many ways, not least in his constant supply of suitably bred animals to be honed on Ballydoyle's specially designed replica of Tottenham Corner. “Everything in Ballydoyle is about Epsom,” he said on Saturday in the post-Derby press conference–a sentence which should be a shot in the arm to what is perhaps this week an Epsom management which feels under attack. “The whole breed is assessed by the Derby and the Oaks. It's left and it's right and it's up and it's down, and it really tests them.” With no disrespect to the superb jockeys who have gone before him at Ballydoyle, Ryan Moore's tenure as O'Brien's number one has brought about an even greater dominance for the stable. There is something so superior about Moore's riding at the moment which makes you believe that if he is in a position to challenge, as he was on Persica for his old ally Richard Hannon in the second race on Derby day, then he will simply galvanise his mount to win, just as he had done with Jan Brueghel and Minnie Hauk the day before. In the Derby, Delacroix's lacklustre performance meant that there was not to be a clean sweep of the Group 1s for Moore, but that did open the door for Wayne Lordan to enjoy a deserved victory following a confident and well-judged ride on Lambourn, who was not for stopping. It is fascinating to watch the replay over and over again: Lambourn sent on and bowling along apparently unbothered on the lead, as several others behind him fought for their heads and dropped away tamely, their races run in the first furlong or two. Pride Of Arras's race may even have been over before he left the parade ring, where he several times reared and struck out at his groom while being saddled. This was only his third time at a racecourse but it was unpromising behaviour which underlined just how big a role temperament plays on Derby day, not to mention stamina. Year after year, we hear what the Derby means to the weighing-room fraternity. Memorably, when Moore won the Oaks for the first time on Snow Fairy in 2010, he said on being congratulated, “Yeah, but it's not the Derby.” By the next day he was a Derby-winning jockey, thanks to Workforce. On Saturday, Wayne Lordan had his own taste of that special arena, and he too outlined how much winning that particular race is a badge of honour any jockey yearns to wear, saying, “When you are growing up the Epsom Derby is always the one.” The Kevins Knew Broadcaster Kevin Blake has been rightly congratulated for pinpointing the first three home in the Derby on ITV Racing, and TDN doffs its hat to another Kevin–the bloodstock agent Kevin Ross–who, watching the runners in the parade ring alongside his father-in-law Arthur Moore, noted that Lambourn (Australia) and Lazy Griff (Protectionist) were among less than a handful of horses who would truly stay. Here's hoping that he had the forecast. We didn't. Remarkably, the first two home in this year's race, Lambourn and Lazy Griff, both emanate from the same family of the British-bred mare L'Amour Toujours, a daughter of Lester Piggott's first Derby winner Never Say Die. The mare was exported to the USA as a foal in 1958 and, in the case of Lambourn, the line remained in America through five generations until his dam Gossamer Wings (Scat Daddy) was brought to Ireland to be trained by O'Brien after being bought as a yearling at Keeneland. Lazy Griff's female line has an extra generation between him and L'Amour Toujours and it took a little detour through Denmark when his granddam Miss Skycat (Tale Of The Cat) ended up there as a breeding prospect. Lazy Griff's dam Linarda (Rock Of Gibraltar) carries a DEN suffix but she raced in Switzerland, France, Italy and Germany and now resides in the latter at Gestut Westerberg. Gossamer Wings's sole win came over five furlongs, but seven years ago she was beaten a short-head by Signora Cabello when second in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes. Lambourn is her second foal and she has two more colts to follow, both by Frankel to whom she is once again in foal. It is of course easy to say in hindsight, but, returning to the theme of temperament and stamina, the rock-solid Australia does appear to have been the perfect mate for her. And it is indeed fitting that the sire who was bred by Lord Derby, who went on to win the race to which his breeder's ancestor gave his name, following the Epsom success of Australia's parents Galileo and Ouija Board, now has a Derby winner of his own. Australia stood at his lowest fee of €10,000 this season just now drawing to a close. “He is exceptionally underrated,” said MV Magnier at Epsom on Saturday. “He's covered a lot of mares this year, and well done to all the breeders who have bred to him this year. They are in a good spot now.” It is entirely possible that Lord Derby's brother Peter Stanley, seen out early on the track on Saturday morning walking the famous course with Gai Waterhouse, may have suggested to the first lady of Australian racing to place an omen bet on Lambourn. Either way, Waterhouse appeared to be enjoying her march around the Downs as she continues her world tour of major racing events. On Top Again It has long been true that a horse making a lot of money in a sale ring doesn't necessarily equate to success on the track, but this season has so far been a good one for sale-toppers. First, Ruling Court (Justify), who led the Arqana Breeze-up Sale at €2.3 million, won the 2,000 Guineas, and that was followed on Friday by the victory of Minnie Hauk (Frankel) in the Oaks. She went through the Goffs Orby Sale of 2023 in the Camas Park Stud draft and ended up with top billing at €1.85 million. The last time Aidan O'Brien swept all three Group 1 races at Epsom was in 2012, when Tattersalls October topper Was (at 1.2 million gns) won the Oaks, Camelot (the joint-second-most expensive colt at the same yearling sale) won the Derby and St Nicholas Abbey landed the Coronation Cup. The post Seven Days: Unapologetically All About Epsom appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rennstall Gestut Hachtsee's Zuckerhut (Almanzor) was too good for his rivals in a strong renewal of Monday's G2 Sparkasse KolnBonn 190th Union-Rennen at Cologne and the G3 Bavarian Classic fourth punched his ticket to July's G1 Deutsches Derby at Hamburg with a one-length triumph in Germany's premier trial for the main event. The 5-2 favourite, who had previously snagged his Apr. 6 debut at Mulheim, employed patient tactics and was positioned off the pace in sixth for most of this 11-furlong contest. Rowed along to reduce arrears at the top of the straight, he quickened smartly to launch his challenge approaching the quarter-mile marker and was ridden out inside the final 300 metres to defeat Hochkonig (Polish Vulcano) in decisive fashion for a first black-type success of any kind. “I have liked him since the very first time I saw him and his final piece of work was really good,” commented rider Andrasch Starke. “I was able to keep him under wraps and that worked out well, especially as there was a good pace. We are now ready for [the G1 Deutsches Derby at] Hamburg.” Trainer Peter Schiergen, who was winning this event for the sixth time, one shy of George Arnull's record seven editions, added, “He had an excellent trip throughout and 2,400 metres will be even better for him. He will have improved again for this race and now the Derby can come.” Sparkasse KölnBonn – 190. Union-Rennen (GR2) over 2200m at Cologne 3yo – Group Race – 70.000€ ZUCKERHUT by ALMANZOR HOCHKÖNIG by POLISH VULCANO ABANDO by ADLERFLUG ZUCKERHUT is bred by Gestüt Hachtsee, owned by Rennstall Gestüt Hachtsee, trained by Peter Schiergen and… pic.twitter.com/3yzqm1FPZF — Deutscher Galopp (@DeutscherGalopp) June 9, 2025 Pedigree Notes Zuckerhut, who becomes the 14th pattern-race winner for his sire, is the first of three foals produced by Group 2-winning G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) runner-up Zamrud (Samum), herself a full-sister to Listed Dusseldorf Derby-Trial runner-up Zirconic Star. Descendants of Zuckerhut's G1 Prix du Cadran-winning third dam Mercalle (Kaldoun) include G1 Japan Cup second Fabulous La Fouine (Fabulous Dancer). The April-foaled homebred bay is a half-brother to the unraced 2-year-old colt Zarif (Zarak) and a yearling colt by Tai Chi named Zinnsoldat. Monday, Cologne, Germany SPARKASSE KOLNBONN – 190TH UNION-RENNEN-G2, €70,000, Cologne, 6-9, 3yo, 11fT, 2:17.28, sf. 1–ZUCKERHUT (GER), 128, c, 3, by Almanzor (Fr) 1st Dam: Zamrud (Ger) (GSW & G1SP-Ger, $174,876), by Samum (Ger) 2nd Dam: Zambuka (Fr), by Zieten 3rd Dam: Mercalle (Fr), by Kaldoun (Fr) 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Rennstall Gestut Hachtsee; B-Gestut Hachtsee; T-Peter Schiergen; J-Andrasch Starke. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, €49,000. Werk Nick Rating: First SW from this cross. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Hochkonig (Ger), 128, c, 3, Polish Vulcano (Ger)–Halinara (Ger), by Kallisto (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Stall Cloverleaf; B-Stall MarcRuehl.com (GER); T-Yasmin Almenrader. €15,500. 3–Abando (Ger), 128, c, 3, Adlerflug (Ger)–Amalie (Ger), by Areion (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (62,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-Gestut Ittlingen; B-Gestut Gorlsdorf; T-Waldemar Hickst. €8,000. Margins: 1, 3 3/4, NK. Odds: 2.50, 3.30, 19.20. Also Ran: Sedano (Fr), Amico (Ger), Enzian (Ger), Rekabet (Ger). The post Almanzor’s Zuckerhut Triumphs in Cologne’s G2 Union-Rennen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The nine-day Los Angeles County Fair meeting at Los Alamitos kicks off Friday and will run through Sunday, July 6 with three stakes worth a combined $400,000 serving as the highlights, the track announced via press release Monday afternoon. Racing is set to be conducted Friday-Sunday (June 20-22; June 27-29; and July 4-6) all three weeks with post time scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The richest of the stakes races, the $200,000 GII Great Lady M. Stakes, will run Saturday, July 5 as the last of the black-type on offer. The Bertrando Stakes, restricted to California-sired or bred runners, will go Saturday, June 21 while the Los Alamitos Derby for 3-year-olds is the marquee event Saturday, June 28. Entries for opening day of the meet will be taken Tuesday, June 17. There will also be a handicapping contest Saturday, June 28 and the Los Alamitos Racing Association will offer a cash prize and a pair of berths to the 2026 National Thoroughbred Racing Association Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas. Cost to enter is $500. Of that amount, $100 will be placed in the contest prize pool with the remaining $400 going towards a live money wagering card. Tournament races will include the entire card at Los Alamitos with permitted wagers including win, place, show, exactas, trifectas, and daily doubles. For more information, please visit this page. Grandstand admission can be purchased on site or online here. General parking is free, but paid preferred parking will also be available. The post LA County Fair Meeting Begins Friday at Los Alamitos appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In the horse world, value is too often measured in miles ridden, ribbons won, or jumps cleared. Success is frequently defined by performance, competition, or potential. But there's an entire population of horses–older, injured, sensitive, or simply different–who remind us that value has nothing to do with being under saddle. These are the horses who work in-hand. They don't need to be ridden to be remarkable. They don't perform in the arena, but they show up in ways that are often quieter, more profound, and more enduring. And yet, too often, they are treated as second-class citizens–dismissed as “pasture pets,” or seen as burdens instead of beings with purpose. Let's be clear: horses that can no longer be ridden–or perhaps never were–are not broken, useless, or lesser in any way. In fact, they may be among the most emotionally intelligent, communicative, and impactful animals in the herd. Freed from the physical demands of carrying a rider, they often shine in ground-based partnerships. They offer connection, responsiveness, and presence that sometimes surpass that of their saddle-bound peers. These horses excel at relational work. They are therapy partners, educators, and confidence-builders. They teach children how to lead with softness and elders how to stand tall. They model boundaries, trust, and forgiveness without ever needing to be mounted In equine-assisted programs, they help humans navigate grief, fear, and trauma–not by carrying them, but by walking beside them. We often talk about listening to horses. In-hand work demands it. With no bridle to control and no saddle to stabilize, we're asked to meet the horse at eye level, both physically and metaphorically. We learn to cue with breath, intention, and the lightest suggestion of energy. We become better horse people–and better humans–because of it. At sanctuaries and aftercare programs like This Old Horse, these animals thrive. They transition from overlooked to irreplaceable. Some are former athletes whose bodies could no longer meet the rigors of competition. Others were never trained for riding but possess a kind of wisdom that cannot be taught. All are teachers in their own right. And the people who love them? The ones who don't ride, but brush manes, walk quietly alongside them, share space, and listen with reverence? They're just as real, just as passionate, just as connected as any equestrian in a saddle. There's a stubborn myth in the horse world–that if someone doesn't ride, they're not a “real” horse person. That myth is outdated, and it's time to put it to rest. You don't need to ride to matter in a horse's life. And a horse doesn't need to carry you to be meaningful in yours. If we believe horses are healers, then we must believe in every kind of healing they offer–ridden or not. The industry, and our culture, must do a better job of honoring the whole horse–not just the rideable ones. Let's build space, funding, and programming not as pity projects, but as partnerships of purpose. Let's stop measuring value in saddle time and start honoring all the ways horses show up for us–and all the people who show up for them, no matter how. No labels. No hierarchy. Just connection, compassion, and belonging. After all, the most meaningful journeys often don't require a saddle. –Nancy Turner, Founder of This Old Horse The post Letter to the Editor: Reclaiming the Value of the Unrideable Horses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Last week, I witnessed firsthand the career-saving and even life-saving potential of the StrideSAFE sensor technology–and I feel a responsibility to share what happened. A stakes-level horse in our barn was flagged by StrideSAFE after showing a dramatic rise in injury risk in the right front leg over its two most recent races. A barn exam by our veterinarian showed no obvious lameness or inflammation. But based on the compelling StrideSAFE data, we took the next step and scheduled advanced imaging. The PET scan results–confirmed by two separate equine hospitals–showed changes beginning in the right front sesamoid bone that indicated a serious injury was imminent. This horse is now resting for 90 days and is expected to make a full return to training pending a clean recheck. Without StrideSAFE, we wouldn't have caught it. As both a trainer and president of the Kentucky HBPA, representing more than 6,000 owners and trainers, I believe this moment is a turning point. This wasn't theory or promise–this was proof. StrideSAFE did exactly what it was designed to do. It helped us protect a valuable athlete and likely prevented a catastrophic outcome. StrideSAFE data is available to all trainers racing horses in Kentucky simply by emailing them to get connected with your confidential reports. They can explain the process and are always available to answer any question you or your veterinarian might have and even provide more detailed information following a concerning report or pattern. Contact them at g.pachman@stridesafeusa.com. Change isn't always easy in horse racing, but when a tool works this well to keep our horses safe, we owe it to them to pay attention. Sincerely, Dale Romans The post Letter to the Editor: Dale Romans on StrideSAFE Sensor Technology appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Their first real introduction was at the 1997 Keeneland September Sale. Naoya was working with Dr. Dave Fishback at Hagyard and Marie was scouting yearlings for her fledgling Hong Kong-based bloodstock agency. Things got off to a rather awkward start when Marie approached the Hagyard team to hand off her vet's list and Naoya asked to take a look at the hip numbers. Not knowing Naoya worked for the veterinary practice, Marie guessed he was a rival buyer fishing for intel. “I was not very nice to him,” Marie admitted with a laugh. Marie later learned that she and Naoya had actually crossed paths years earlier at the 1994 International Thoroughbred Breeders' Federation meeting in Ireland. Marie was part of the French delegation and Naoya was there with his father, who was head of the Japanese delegation. Naoya had introduced himself, but noticing Marie's ring on her right hand, he mistakenly assumed it was the French custom for married women to wear their wedding rings there. Once those early misunderstandings and mishaps were behind them, Marie and Naoya quickly hit it off. They crossed paths at industry events around the world. When a rain shower popped up at a Tattersalls sale, Naoya ran into an empty stall only to find Marie already waiting out the weather in the very same box. The pair went to a café and chatted for hours, discovering their shared vision of a 'borderless' Thoroughbred industry. Nearly three decades later, Marie Yoshida-Debeusscher and Dr. Naoya Yoshida are partners in life and in business. As the owners of Winchester Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, they bring a distinctly global perspective to every aspect of their business. Their vision, shaped by international roots and decades of experience across continents, is paying off on the racetrack with horses like Grade I winners Locked (Gun Runner) and Scottish Lassie (McKinzie), plus recent GIII Pimlico Special Stakes victor Awesome Aaron (Practical Joke). The 1994 ITBF meeting. Marie is in center of second row. Naoya is directly behind her. Other attendees include King Ranch Farm's Helen Alexander, Hill 'n' Dale Canada's Glenn Sikura, Lanwades Stud's Kirsten Rausing and Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges | photo courtesy Naoya Yoshida Naoya is a fourth-generation horseman. His family's involvement dates back to 1898, when his great-grandfather worked to improve the quality of military horses in Japan. Later they moved to Sapporo, now the capital of Hokkaido, and focused on breeding Thoroughbreds at the family's Yoshida Stud Farm. After earning his veterinary degree, Naoya sought experience outside Japan. At first opportunities were limited, but then he met Dr. Michael Osborne at Godolphin's Kildangan Stud. “At the time, not many farms in the world had an interest in accepting trainees from Japan,” Naoya explained. “I applied to the Irish National Stud program but I was rejected. Dr. Osborne kindly offered me a training position at Kildangan. I didn't know anything about breeding in Ireland, but I really wanted to get out of Japan and learn more. We were so far behind from Western countries with everything about breeding horses.” After working under Dr. Osborne for three years, Naoya set his sights on the United States. His father had once spent some time in California at Rex Ellsworth's farm when Swaps was in training there. Encouraged by those stories and upon the advice of Osborne, Naoya decided that working with Dr. Fishback would allow him to meet a wide range of people and get a better sense of the American industry. While abroad, Naoya was still active with his family's breeding operation in Japan. In 1995, his father sent homebred Fujiyama Kenzan (Jpn) (Lucky Cast {Jpn} to the G2 Hong Kong International Cup. The colt made history as the first Japanese runner to win an international graded race. At that time, Japan was not considered a Part 1 racing jurisdiction and most stakes races there did not count toward international blacktype status. Fujiyama Kenzan's breakthrough in Honk Kong inspired Naoya to explore how their breeding program could benefit from international racing. A few months after meeting Marie, he traveled to Hong Kong to share the idea and, as he says, to “steal her heart.” Born and raised in France, Marie came from a Thoroughbred family herself. She began her career working for the French Thoroughbred Breeders' Association and then became the General Secretary of the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders' Associations. In 1996, she moved to Hong Kong to launch her own bloodstock agency. Awesome Aaron at two months old | courtesy Winchester Farm The couple married in 1999 and, fittingly, spent their honeymoon at the Keeneland July Sale shopping for their clients based around the globe. After Naoya's father passed away in 2001, Naoya and Marie considered establishing a farm of their own somewhere. “I was in favor of Australia, because I could see the shift of the shuttle stallions there,” recalled Marie. “You could see the potential, especially being so close to Asia. My husband of course loved Ireland. But we decided on Kentucky, with it having the best foundation and the best bloodlines for the speed that you need for Japanese racing or for anywhere really. It was the right place to be.” In 2002, the Yoshidas purchased a 150-acre farm on Winchester Road in Paris, Kentucky. Although Winchester Farm has grown and evolved over the years since, they have stuck to their original plan of maintaining a hands-on, boutique operation. Today, the Yoshidas maintain a broodmare band of about 10 of their own mares while also offering a wide array of services to their clients including breeding and boarding management, sales representation and mating consultations. The Yoshidas place a particular emphasis on physical when buying mares. “You can study the catalog as much as you like, but nothing will change the way you inspect the horse physically,” said Marie. They also believe that success does not necessarily come at a premium. Naoya calls it “finding gemstones.” In 2012, the Yoshidas bought the granddam of Awesome Aaron at the Keeneland November Sale for $70,000. Loure (A.P. Indy) was a winning Darley homebred out of a Group 3 winner in France. “Who wouldn't buy a mare by A.P. Indy in 2012?” said Marie. “I mean, come on! But she was in foal to Discreet Cat, so maybe there was less commercial appeal. We were very lucky to buy her.” Loure's leading earner Randonnee (Blame) was a multiple stakes winner in Japan and that first foal by Discreet Cat, Do the Dance, became the dam of Awesome Aaron. The Yoshidas sold Do the Dance as a yearling, but they were able to buy her back privately after her stakes-winning career. Awesome Aaron sold for $130,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Sale. Now in his fourth year of racing, the son of Practical Joke has earned 15 placings from 34 starts. A winner at 3, he dropped to the claiming ranks for a time before rising to his best form under the tutelage of Norm Casse. “Awesome Aaron is six years old and we are very proud of that,” said Marie. “We want to breed strong, sound horses. We are not in this for the short term. We always want to breed for long term. Horses should be able to race until they are six or seven. In Hong Kong they race until they are eight or nine years old. That's why Awesome Aaron does not surprise us.” The Yoshidas may have always known the toughness was there, but they certainly had to have been impressed when Awesome Aaron scored his first graded stakes victory in the Pimlico Special. “Breeders are like parents,” said Marie. “We do our best for them as babies and yearlings. It's very personal. It's a 365-days-a-year job. When we sell them, it's sometimes hard. We have to let them grow, but we keep an eye on all our babies.” The Yoshidas had a close eye on another Winchester Farm-bred star this weekend when they traveled to Saratoga to watch Scottish Lassie, the winner of last year's GI Frizette Stakes, run a game third in the GI Acorn Stakes. The filly's dam Bodebabe (Bodemeister) was another gemstone that they uncovered from the claiming ranks of Gulfstream. The Yoshidas place just as much emphasis on selecting the right stallions as they do on choosing their mares. They were high on Scottish Lassie's sire McKinzie from the start. “McKinzie was one of those rare horses who was amazing not only at two, but at three, four and five,” Marie explained. “Soundness is very important to us. You need to put chance to your side when you breed. Reduce the unknown as much as possible even if it means not always following the latest fashion.” Naoya recalled another instance where their willingness to look past trends paid off. “When Into Mischief first joined Spendthrift, Mr. B. Wayne Hughes came to our farm to give us a presentation and introduce us to Into Mischief,” he recounted. “He asked us to send our best mare to him. We basically never send our best mares to new stallions, but Mr. Hughes really explained to us how much of a chance Into Mischief had.” After visiting Into Mischief at Spendthrift themselves, the Yoshidas were believers too. They bred five mares to him in his first year. Later, when the supersire's son Practical Joke retired to stud, they supported him in his early years as well. Awesome Aaron was bred on a $30,000 cover in Practical Joke's first year at stud. This year, the Ashford sire stands for $100,000. The Yoshidas' eye for spotting emerging talent has also served them in advising clients. They helped guide Italy-based breeder Rosa Colasanti in the mating that produced not only dual Grade I winner Locked (Gun Runner), but also his dam Luna Rosa (Malibu Moon). Both were foaled and raised at Winchester Farm. At this year's Keeneland September Sale, the farm will be offering Locked's three-quarters brother by Early Voting, along with a homebred half-brother to Scottish Lassie by Corniche. Naoya with 1996 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Storm Song | Sarah Andrew They will also be represented by a unique offering in a Medaglia d'Oro colt out of Golden Sister (Aus) (Capitalist {Aus}), a half-sister to three-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Medaglia d'Oro). Back in 2021, Marie had inspected Golden Sister as a yearling at the Magic Millions Sale in Australia. Though she didn't secure the filly at the time, her admiration left an impression. When Golden Sister's connections decided to send the mare to the U.S. to visit Medaglia d'Oro, they reached out to Winchester Farm to handle the mating and foaling. The list of Keeneland-bound yearlings foaled and raised at Winchester Farm is a testament to how the Yoshidas' global outlook– and their belief in the power of shared vision–continue to open doors. “It's important for us to smooth the relationship and the culture between people and be the middle person between different countries or different ways of breeding or racing,” said Naoya. “Then you can build bridges and it benefits everybody.” This past weekend in Japan, the Yoshidas celebrated another important win when Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice) captured the Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' G1 Yasuda Kinen. When Jantar Mantar's dam Indian Mantuana (Wilburn) sold to Shadai Farm in 2020, Teruya Yoshida asked the Winchester team to handle her mating plans and Naoya chose Palace Malice. After the mare returned to Japan, the resulting foal was Jantar Mantar. “There are so many people in the Thoroughbred industry,” said Naoya.”It's nice to share the excitement with them. We've had tragedy before, sickness and losing foals, but we always say good weather comes after bad weather. I'm quite lucky to be here in Kentucky. It has given us so many opportunities to work with people in the United States, Europe and Japan.” “Our reputation is everything,” Marie added. “Our reputation, sense of duty and just doing the right thing as breeders. To future breeders: you always have the chance to find a gem. You don't need to spend $2 or $3 million. You just need to keep working hard.” In an increasingly global industry, the Yoshidas have carved out a space where cross-continental connections and quiet consistency pays off. At Winchester Farm, the next gem could come from any corner of the world. The post Keeneland Breeder Spotlight: Winchester Farm Uncovering Gems From All Corners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Jockey Club has awarded five academic scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year. Lauren Maas was selected to receive The Jockey Club Scholarship ($7,500 per semester), which is awarded to a student on an academic path toward employment in the equine industry. Maas earned her Master of Science in Animal Biology from UC-Davis with the thesis, “Arrhythmogenesis and Sudden Cardiac Death in Thoroughbred Racehorses.” She is attending veterinary school at the Royal Veterinary College in London and plans to return to the United States upon graduation to find employment as a racetrack veterinarian. The Jockey Club Advancement of Women in Racing Scholarship ($10,000 per semester) is being awarded to Sophia Vega, who expects to graduate from the University of Kentucky in the spring of 2026 with a degree in Animal Science/Pre-Vet with an equine emphasis. Her goal is to become an equine veterinarian specializing in equine orthopedic and soft tissue surgery. She works as a nursing technician at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and is an Ed Brown Society Scholar and scholarship recipient. She recently served as Keeneland's Department of Equine Safety and Compliance's first intern under Dr. Stuart Brown and Kassie Creed. Giovanni Ricardo will receive The Jockey Club Vision Scholarship ($10,000 per semester), which is awarded to an undergraduate student who is from a minority racial or ethnic group. Ricardo is studying Finance and Marketing at the University of Kentucky and expects to graduate in May 2026. Giovanni is a current Ed Brown Society Scholar and a Keeneland Ambassador, and his goal is to modernize marketing strategies within the sport of Thoroughbred racing and to work with organizations dedicated to the long-term growth of the industry. The Jockey Club Benevolence Scholarship ($7,500 per semester) provides needs-based assistance with preference to backstretch and horse farm employees and their family members and was awarded to Xochilt Solorio. Solorio is studying Civil Engineering with a primary focus on transportation at Northeastern University. Her parents work at Belmont Park; her father is a day walker and groom, and her mother is a hot walker. Nathan Klein is the recipient of The Jockey Club Jack Goodman Scholarship ($3,000 per semester), which is open to students enrolled in the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program. Klein plans to graduate from RTIP in May 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences. He is a race caller at TSG Global Wagering Solutions LLC and is also a member of the University of Arizona equestrian team. His goal is to become a racetrack announcer. The post The Jockey Club Awards Academic Scholarships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

A pair of fillies pulled up during races at Saratoga last Friday were sent to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for diagnosis of injuries and are both now resting, according to updates issued by the New York Racing Association Monday. Mystifying (Curlin), who was pulled up in the stretch run by jockey Jose Ortiz after sustaining an injury to her left front during Friday's seventh race, was immediately attended to by on-track veterinarians, who stabilized the injury and transported the 4-year-old filly to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for further evaluation. Further examination revealed an injury to the left front tendon. Mystifying has been returned to trainer Shug McGaughey's barn at Belmont Park to recuperate and is resting comfortably, according to NYRA. Princess Mischief (Honest Mischief) was pulled up in the stretch run of Friday's first race by jockey Manny Franco after sustaining an injury to her left front. The horse was immediately attended to by on-track veterinarians and transported to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital for further evaluation. Per trainer Chris Englehart, further examination revealed an injury to her left scapula. She will remain at Rood and Riddle for the time being, but is improving daily and walking comfortably. The post NYRA Issues Updates on Mystifying, Princess Mischief appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

“The first big firework that's gone off since I got here,” acknowledges Jacob West. “And I will say this: I think it'll put the other farms on notice. I think people are going to say, `woah, they're back. Not exactly a new shooter, obviously–but reloaded.'” The new stallion seasons and bloodstock manager at Claiborne Farm is at pains to stress that the recruitment of Mindframe (Constitution) only builds on the work of his universally esteemed predecessor Bernie Sams. After all, the last stallion brought here by Sams, who's still sharing his experience round the office a couple of days a week, was Prince of Monaco–perhaps the most eagerly subscribed of the latest Kentucky intake. But just as fourth-generation president Walker Hancock took over from his father Seth, already a decade ago now, so the time was ripe last October for an equivalent transfer between generations. As such, the stallion that West did then help to land, Bright Future, could not be more aptly named. “It's like Mr. Hancock laid the foundation and Bernie built a mansion on it,” West says. “It's my job not to let it crumble. The way I see it, I can only add on to the house. But bringing in Mindframe, I do think a lot of eyebrows have been raised. Talking to some of the biggest breeders, the sentiment has been, 'Damn, you guys, that's serious.' So yeah, couldn't be more excited. If you're looking at it as a draft, like the NBA or NFL, in my opinion he was one of one.” As West cheerfully concedes, that opinion may be somewhat prejudiced, the GI Churchill Downs Stakes winner having been purchased as a yearling by two of his own clients. “I'm incredibly biased because I was part of the selection team for Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola,” West says. “But he's absolutely beautiful, uber-talented, out of a Street Sense mare, and with an incredible amount of upside going forward. We had to fight for him, trust me. It isn't easy buying off two billionaires. And, quite frankly, while it wasn't hard to sell the horse's credentials to Walker and Will [Bishop, CFO], the real push was to say, 'Okay, this is a big swing–and we need to do it.' “So it's a tip of the cap to them, because they were like, 'Listen, the reason you're here is to get things like this done.' Of course that was the same with Bernie. But this, for Walker's regime, is like: deploy the troops, go execute, get going. And actually this horse fits the mold of what's been successful here in the past, horses that Mr. Hancock and Bernie oversaw, the likes of Blame and even going back to Unbridled.” And that, of course, is the challenge of this whole transition: how to maintain continuity without complacency, to adapt dynamically to a changing environment. Not yet 40 himself–though doubtless somewhat aged by recent parenthood!–West has long been pals with the farm's young executives, initially around the sales circuit and then on the golf course. His recruitment was first floated a year or two back and, as it took more concrete form, it was agreed that West could continue his agency work. But whatever hats he may wear, the yellow of Claiborne will now sit uppermost. West admits to an undiminished wonder. “It's amazing, every day, driving in that front gate,” he says. “As a kid who was an outsider, who didn't grow up in this industry, you look over those fields and think of the history and tradition, it just blows your mind. They've been doing it longer than anybody, and I'd even venture that some of the ways they still do it today are same as 100 years ago. And remember, it's all through the horse business. They don't have a secondary line of income to fund everything. “This position I'm in, only three people in the world have ever held: Seth Hancock, Bernie Sams, and now myself. The pressure that comes with that isn't something you take lightly. Walker told me that, just as his dad was paired together with Bernie, it would be the same for us. As I jokingly told him, that means we can only screw up. Because what they've done is truly unbelievable. But I feel like the three of us–Walker, Will, me–are the 'younger' generation, and that it's the same for the guys around the farm, that this is the new regime.” So how do they go about making their mark, about consolidating without being afraid of change? “Outsiders might think that Walker wouldn't be willing to step out on the ledge and take risks,” says West. “Because there's a lot of pressure that goes with what he has inherited here. But nothing could be further from the truth. Okay, so I'm probably way more risk tolerant. But it's not like he's in any way meek. He'd just be on the lower side, and then Will's probably in the middle. That makes a perfect blend.” Arguably the very act of hiring someone like this–a complete “outcross” to the Bluegrass establishment–is itself a statement of intent. West wasn't born to the game, but nor, as a result, does he feel inhibited either by privilege or its accompanying burdens. “I grew up in Western Kentucky,” West explains. “And Paducah and Lexington might as well be on opposite sides of the world. But I always loved the racing on TV, and when I came to the University of Kentucky, I cheated my whole way through. My name's on the diploma, but should have one of my best friends in parentheses underneath. Because I was constantly off to Churchill, Ellis, Keeneland, while he did my assignments for me.” West graduated just in time for the 2008 crash, but got a job as a bank teller. “The most miserable weeks of my life,” he says. “The financial world was in the dumps, and I distinctly remember this older lady standing at the counter, literally crying. She was like, 'I don't have any more money. My savings in the stock market, they're zero.' And I'm sitting there thinking, 'God, I need to get away from this.'” Fortunately, the baseball coach he was assisting at a local high school noticed his misery, knew what really made him tick, and introduced him to a contact at Taylor Made. Little caring that bloodstock was in parallel freefall, West made his shedrow debut at the 2009 January Sale. “The coldest sale on record, and the worst,” he recalls happily. “And as soon as I walked into the barn, that first morning, it was, 'Oh yeah, this is what I'm going to do with my life.' I'll never forget walking through the back ring holding a bucket and towel, and seeing Mark and Frank Taylor standing there. Mark said, 'You love this, don't you?' I said, 'I'm in heaven.' And Frank said, 'Well, if you love it now, just wait till it turns around.'” They took him on, despite a hiring freeze, and put him to work with the barren mares. “I got so lucky,” West marvels. “Because the Taylor brothers are incredible teachers. The number of guys that came through their farm, now doing other things, it's unparalleled. And I think they saw a young, unmolded mind, a blank slate. My number-one mentor was Mark Taylor. I followed him around like a puppy dog, just a sponge trying to absorb as much as I could.” However fast a learner, it required unusual self-belief–not to say impudence–to imagine that wealthy people might now let him spend their money. One day West suggested that he might approach Robert and Lawana Low to buy some horses. “Mark replied, 'Absolutely not! You do that, I'll fire you!'” he recalls. “At the end of the day, I've always had a certain confidence in myself. My mom, a single mother raising my brother and me, always instilled in us that we were big, strong boys that needed to be leaders. And, like I said, I'm a risk-taker. But you know what? Mr. and Mrs. Low allowed me to make mistakes, and learn. Mike Repole, the same. For whatever reason, they entrusted me.” West had been similarly bold approaching Repole, when Taylor Made was selling Stopchargingmaria (Tale of the Cat) and others. “Mike had never sold a horse and I was a young kid, ambitious and aggressive,” West recalls. “So I picked up the phone and started calling this billionaire. Mike made it black-and-white: 'You appraise my horses, and if you get the price for them, you'll be my man.' And that's what I did.” This kind of hustle is hardly old school; hardly, indeed, the Claiborne way. But that's really the point. Claiborne doesn't need help doing what it has always done so well. But if hoping to broaden its reach, maybe it can experiment a little. “Yes, [Taylor Made and Claiborne] are two opposite ends of the spectrum,” West agrees. “And that's not a knock on how anybody does it. At Claiborne, again from conception, it's all for the race. When I look around and see the stock they have here, I'm thinking, 'Oh my God, they could sell this for fortunes.' But you run that up the flagpole, they look at you like you have eight heads!” Claiborne duly remains one of few farms to have resisted headlong expansion of books. “There's many ways to skin the cat,” West says. “I'm not saying we're right and they're wrong, and I guarantee they're not saying that we're wrong and they're right. Prince of Monaco is breeding 175 mares, the most a Claiborne stallion has ever bred. He could have bred 300, if we wanted, but we hope that people will come back because they know it's a limited book.” Nonetheless, West's arrival is intended to signal a receptive mindset. He even contrived to put Repole and Seth Hancock together for lunch at the Country Club. “You know Mike, there's no pillow fights with him,” West says. “It was full-on haymakers, and I was cringing. But it turned out 95% they agreed on. The other 5% was just old school versus new. Mr. Hancock said, 'Mike, I've been around this business a long time and that does not work.' 'Well, I can make it work.' And a year later, Mike says, 'Damn, he was right.' You could not find two more different human beings on the face of the earth. But they ended up hugging each other, brought together by their love of the industry and desire to see things done right.” For West, like Repole, the question is whether an outsider can usefully broaden perspectives for those who absorbed traditional lore with mother's milk. “Well, maybe that's part of it,” West replies. “But I would also tell you, I've been a lucky so-and-so my whole life!” Whether by luck or judgement, the man who also helped to unearth Forte (Violence) and Nest (Curlin), got his first big break with Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon)–who just happened to have been raised at Claiborne. “He was my flagship,” he says. “And this is where he grew up. So here I am, back where it all started. Listen, I can't say it enough, what an incredible honor this is for a guy like me. It's the most iconic brand in the Thoroughbred industry. I see those tours coming through twice a day and the reverence people have for this place, it's unlike anything else.” So how on earth do you go about change, experiment, daring? “Confidence,” he replies with a grin. “It takes a hard-headed person like myself to not be scared to make a mistake, to fail. And that's the number one thing.” The post Jacob West a Fresh Direction for Claiborne appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale begins Tuesday morning and continues through Saturday with sessions beginning each day at 7:30 a.m. Hips one through 172 are scheduled to work Tuesday; followed by hips 173 through 343 on Wednesday; hips 344 through 386, as well as supplemental entries 387 through 430 and 451-534 on Thursday; hips 535 through 705 on Friday; and hips 706 through 833 and supplemental entries 834-873, as well as horses of racing age (hips 901 through 903) on Saturday. The June sale will be held next Tuesday and Wednesday, with bidding starting at 10 a.m. for each session. The post OBS June Under-Tack Show Begins Tuesday 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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Hong Lok Golf will put his winning streak on the line when he faces a tricky test on Happy Valley debut this Wednesday night. Victorious in five of six career starts – all at Sha Tin – including the past three on the bounce, Hong Lok Golf will step into unfamiliar territory for the Class Two Cheung Sha Handicap (1,650m). Fresh from a successful Sha Tin Sunday thanks to the victory of Perfectday, trainer Chris So Wai-yin is confident his stable star will take to the city circuit despite having...View the full article

Harness Racing New Zealand has released a provisional 2YO winter schedule, starting at Auckland and Addington this Friday. The schedule is for two-year-old pacers and trotters in both islands. “The idea is to provide owners and trainers with a clear runway to plan campaigns through the colder months and into spring,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden. The schedule outlines over 30 race dates at Auckland, Cambridge, Addington, Gore, Wyndham, and Oamaru, with indicative stakes ranging from $8,000 to $30,000. “It is indicative only at this stage and will be refined further over the coming weeks,” says Peden, “but it still gives everyone a good sense of what 2YO will racing will look like until the end of August.” Details will be updated on the website as they are confirmed. For more information contact matthew.peden@hrnz.co.nz To see more on the schedule click here View the full article

The Independent Review into the Young Guns Trot Final is underway, with interviews starting today. The deadline for written submissions is tomorrow afternoon. They should be sent to : review@hrnz.co.nz The review is looking into the circumstances of the 2YO Young Guns Final Mobile Trot at Alexandra Park on May 10,2025. A final report is expected this month. To see the terms and reference for the Review click here View the full article

By Mike Love Aspirational Dream provided Tony Barron with his 400th training win in his own right yesterday when winning the Neumann & Sparks Families 40 Years Plus “Silk Road” Mobile Trot at Addington. The Royal Aspirations four-year-old was on the back up from Friday night where she ran sixth to Royal Del. Yesterday was a different story with driver John Morrison going straight to the top from barrier rise. From there she trotted the 1980m in commanding style, never out of second gear, winning by three lengths from runner up Bodacious. “I think being in front might have perked her up a bit, I didn’t have to pull any gear either so that was good,” said driver John Morrison. “She’s good over the short course. It’s good for Tony and the owners, they’ve been very patient with her.” It was the mare’s third career win from 25 starts and was perhaps one of her more convincing efforts. “She’s jogged it,” said trainer Tony Barron. “She’s always been good. She ran third in the Oaks last year (behind Keayang Zahara). We’ve just had a few tying up issues. Just things haven’t gone right.” The win was part of the Silk Road series which carries a $25,000 final on June 22. “It’s a good stake for the final. Hopefully that win gets us in.” In addition to Barron’s 400th win, he also trained 90 winners in partnership with brother Ken Barron from 2017 – 2018, and trained 38 winners with father Ron Barron between 1990 – 1995 for a combined total of 528 winners. He was also the co-breeder and co-owner of millionaire trotter Queen Elida and co-bred superstar three-year-old Marketplace. He trains a small team from his West Melton base, predominantly two-year-olds in their schooling phase. “I have a full two-year old sister to Life’s A Beach. She’s trialling on Tuesday. Just her first run. She’s a nice filly but will need a few runs.” Meanwhile John Morrison made it a double in the sulky with Lotties Moment who he trained and drove to win the “Sundees Son” Simply The Best Silk Road Mobile Trot. It was the four-year-old Majestic Son mare’s second win from nine starts and was the shortest priced favourite of the day at $2.00FF. Other highlights on the programme included a stable quinella in Race 1 for Ashburton trainers Brent and Tim White with See No Evil (Jonny Cox) and Snooowgood (Kim Butt), while Jonny Cox also drove Bonnie Bagrie to victory in Race 4 for trainer Sam Payne, giving Cox a driving double. View the full article

The clock is ticking for June’s New Zealand Sires’ Stakes payments. “Breeders and owners looking to maximise the value of their bloodstock have until July 1 to stake their claim in New Zealand’s premier age-group racing,” says Sires’ Stakes Executive Martin Pierson. Foal nominations and yearling sustaining payments are now due for Series 43 and 44, along with key entries for the Nevele R Fillies Series, Caduceus Club Fillies Series, and 3YO sustaining payments. “Whether you’re prepping for the NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales or retaining to race, there’s over $2.5 million in stakes on the table. Now’s the time to lock in your horse’s eligibility,” says Pierson. Sires’ Stakes remittances for foal nominations, yearling and 3YO sustaining payments will be sent out this week. To see more click here For more information contact martin@nzsiresstakes.co.nz HRNZ Building, 114 Wrights Road, Addington, Christchurch 8024 PO Box 9289, Tower Junction, Christchurch 8149 Mobile: 027 4711 081 Website: www.nzsiresstakes.co.nz View the full article

Sarah O’Malley is no stranger to a comeback, and she completed another successful return to riding at Trentham on Saturday, guiding the Roger Allen-trained Subtle Tease to victory in the Happy Hire 1600. A multiple Group Three-winning hoop, O’Malley stepped away from the sport in mid-August to have her second child, a son who was born in February. Just three months later, she was back in the saddle and riding at New Plymouth late last month. The 25-year-old picked up a couple of placings over the past 10 days, and in pursuit of her first winner in 11 months, she gave Subtle Tease a perfect front-running steer in the Rating 65 contest. The son of Nadeem was fresh-up since October and started at a quote of $48, but in the testing conditions, he proved too tough to get past, holding off Zanzibar by a short head. O’Malley was rapt to get a win on the board, having worked hard over the past couple of months to reach race-fitness. “I got told to go forward and she would only give as much as I gave, so it worked out how we thought and hoped it would,” she said. “I had my son in February, so he’s just four months old now, and I’ve been pretty busy with the two kids. I’ve been trying to get fit since having him and it is hard to get race fit unless you’re out there riding. “But I’ve got the love for it and it would be hard to give it up.” With the support of friends, family and local trainers, including her husband Sam (O’Malley), she was able to get back in the saddle as soon as possible. “I’ve been lucky enough to have a friend come and babysit for me sometimes in the mornings, so I’ve been able to go and ride work for Bill (Thurlow) and Sam, and also for Kevin (Myers),” she said. “My mum and sister have been looking after the kids while I’m at the jump-outs and races, I couldn’t do it without them as well.” Despite also sustaining a couple of serious injuries in her career, O’Malley has 175 winners to her name including a Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m), and she’s hoping to build up her connections heading into the new season. “I’m hoping the winners will keep coming, and hopefully I can get some of those connections back,” she said. View the full article

The Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) is back in its traditional timeslot this year and trainer Dom Sutton has the feature handicap in mind to launch Group One winner Feroce’s (NZ) (Super Seth) spring campaign. Feroce’s Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) triumph at the beginning of March gave Sutton his first elite-level victory early in his training career and the three-year-old gelding was then sent for a spell after his midfield finish later that month against older horses in the Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m). While the Golden Eagle (1500m), which is restricted to four-year-olds and run in Sydney at the start of November looms as Feroce’s major spring target, Sutton also has Group One features in Melbourne also in his plans with the well-performed galloper. “That (Golden Eagle) is his target, being a four-year-old, but there’s a lot of nice, 1400-metre and mile Group One races along the way that we’ve got circled,” Sutton said. “The Eagle is a big carrot but there’s some very nice races along the way that we’re also targeting. “He’s going to probably kick off in a Rupert Clarke. “That’s the 20th (of) September and then likely into a Toorak Handicap (Gr.1, 1600m) and then freshen again for the Golden Eagle.” For the past two seasons, the Rupert Clarke has been staged after the Melbourne Cup Carnival in November, but the 1400-metre race has been switched back to its traditional September timeslot for the upcoming season. Feroce is currently back doing some pre-training and Sutton said he was able to give the son of Super Seth a good spell after his successful autumn. “He’s down at the beach doing some pre-training. He’s doing a month down there and then he’ll come into the stable towards the end of this month,” Sutton said. “He’s done very well. “That’s the first time he’s had an extended, lengthy spell since we’ve had him. “The plan was always to give him a really good spell after autumn, seeing as he only got a couple of weeks between spring and autumn. “He seems to have come back well. He’s always been a nice, big, mature horse. “I just had him in the stable for a few days before he went down to the beach (for pre-training) and I was happy with him.” View the full article