Wandering Eyes

Delphillius pictured following her last start victory at Riccarton’s synthetic track. Photo: Race Images South Local trainer Lance Robinson holds a strong hand heading into Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Thursday, and he is hopeful he can snare a couple of winners cheques on the nine-race card. Delphillius was a last start winner on the track and Robinson is hopeful the daughter of Rageese can put in a repeat performance in the Book A Suite Mid-Winter Xmas Races 22 June Rating 65 (1200m). “She really enjoys the synthetic,” Robinson said. “She has drawn wide (16) but has got a lot of speed, so she will roll forward and hopefully she can drop in somewhere. She steps up a little bit in grade, but she won well in her last start, so we are hoping.” Stablemates Soul Destroyer and Pearl Opulence both take last start runner-up performances into their respective races, and Robinson believes they can go one better on Wednesday. “Soul Destroyer ran really well the other day in a three-year-old race, we were really pleased with that run. He is back to maiden company, and he should run really well,” Robinson said. “Pearl Opulence is one of those mares that hasn’t had a lot of luck in quite a few of her runs. She will be running home strong. She doesn’t mind it (polytrack), she has always raced pretty well on it. She has a good draw (2) and should run well.” Robinson is also upbeat about the chances of Boot It Scooter in the Betavet Rating 65 (1600m), In Awe and Anneliese in the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 65 (1600m), and Fire Away in the Speight’s Summit Ultra On Tap Maiden (1200m). “Boot It Scooter hasn’t had a lot of luck lately but has got a better draw (6) this week,” Robinson said. “Fire Away is having her first run for us and she is a nice filly by Shalaa. She won a trial and she has got a nice draw (7), hopefully she will run well. In Awe is back to 65 rating with a claim, so I expect him to run really well, his work has been really good.” Meanwhile, Robinson went to the Ashburton trials on Tuesday with four horses and was delighted to pick up three wins. Juveniles Alleato and Zoo Beer won their respective 800m heats, while Elusive Impact took out his 1000m heat. “We had four nice horses who all ran well,” Robinson said. “We had two nice two-year-olds who were having their first trials and they went really well and won their heats. We will just get them home and see how they are in the next week or so and then make a plan for them. “We had a nice Impending maidener (Elusive Impact) who trialled up really well and won his heat as well. “Waihora Mist was fresh-up in an Open 1200m heat. She ran well, I am really pleased with her. She is just getting ready for winter racing. She has come up really well this year, so I expect her to do a good job.” Horse racing news View the full article

Massive Sovereign will contest the Group 1 Champions & Chater Cup. Massive Sovereign is one of Hong Kong’s brightest talents and the Irish-bred is aiming to become the sixth galloper to win the HK$26 million Hong Kong Derby (2000m) and HK$13 million Group 1 Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) in the same season. Since Hong Kong racing turned professional in 1971/72, only five horses have completed the Hong Kong Derby-Champions & Chater Cup double: Co Tack (1983), River Verdon (1991), Makarpura Star (1995), Vengeance Of Rain (2005) and Viva Pataca (2006). Massive Sovereign won his first two races in Hong Kong after arriving from Ireland. The four-year-old scooped the Hong Kong Derby two starts ago before floundering in eighth position on yielding ground in the HK$28 million Group 1 QEII Cup (2000m) last month. The Dennis Yip-trained runner steps up to 2400m for the first time on Sunday week (26 May) at Sha Tin in the season’s 12th and final Group 1 race. Zac Purton is in the plate again bidding for his third Champions & Chater Cup triumph after the heroics of Exultant (2019 & 2020). “He (Massive Sovereign) had one start previously overseas on a wet track and he was beaten by nine lengths – it was the only time he didn’t run first or second in his career before last start. We like to think that it was the wet track which contributed to that performance. “He also came out of a Derby that was run in record time (1m 59.85s). It was a good test and he put everything into that race, so he may have just had the edge taken off him as well. He went from racing against his own age to facing international Group 1 winners, so that’s a big step, too. It could have been any one of those factors and we won’t know until we get him back on a dry track and assess him again,” Purton said. Raced as Broadhurst pre-import, Massive Sovereign was previously trained by Aidan O’Brien. He was a two-time winner in Ireland, scoring at Dundalk and Leopardstown. “He’s never raced over the distance before but he’s a lovely relaxed horse. He’s going to help himself and give himself every chance to run the distance, but it is a question mark until we put him in that position,” Purton said. Five G Patch, La City Blanche, Moments In Time, Russian Emperor, Senor Toba, Straight Arron and Unbelievable also hold entries, while Rebel’s Romance is due to arrive on Saturday (18 May) in Hong Kong as the sole overseas representative. Purton will head to Japan next month to ride Voyage Bubble in the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) at Tokyo on 2 June for trainer Ricky Yiu. Romantic Warrior will also contest the race for trainer Danny Shum, with both horses scheduled to fly – along with Romantic Charm – on 21 May. “I think he (Voyage Bubble) is the right style of horse. He’s got speed to put himself in the right spot and they generally roll along a little bit. It’s a testing mile, which he can handle, and he loves to get into a rhythm,” Purton said. “There are a few things there that suit him and he’s had more time to get over that run in Dubai. Any horse that goes to Dubai and comes back for Champions Day – it comes up a little bit fast for them. “He ran well here that day but to me it looks like he’s started to blossom a bit more in the mornings – hopefully that means he’ll be at his best and at his best he has some hope.” Voyage Bubble placed third last start in the HK$22 million Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) behind Beauty Eternal after finishing 13th in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1800m). The Deep Field gelding is entered to trial on Thursday (16 May) over 1000m on the turf at Sha Tin. Leading the jockeys’ championship on 100 wins, Purton is seeking a seventh riding title in Hong Kong and takes seven mounts at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (15 May). The Australian’s book is headlined by Copartner Prance, who goes for a fourth consecutive win in the Class 3 Seine Handicap (1200m) for trainer Francis Lui. “He’s still learning what it’s about. He’s not the easiest horse to ride in the mornings, I don’t get the pleasure of riding him in the morning because he’s too difficult – I’m just the race day jockey and he even tests me out there,” Purton said. Purton has partnered the 76-rater on three occasions for three wins. “He’s been doing a lot of things right. He has good speed and he puts himself in the right spot,” Purton said. “It’s the first time in the three times that I’ve ridden him that he’s relaxed mid-race. The first time he over raced really badly, the second time he was still strong and last time he relaxed.” Wednesday’s (15 May) nine-race fixture at Happy Valley commences at 6.40pm HKT with the Class 5 Dordogne Handicap (1200m). Horse racing news View the full article

The final day of the Adelaide Racing Carnival took centre stage at Morphettville last Saturday, while the Sunshine Coast held a strong support program as part of the Queensland Racing Carnival. In this week’s edition of The Follow Files, we have found three runners that are worth adding to your blackbook after strong performances early in their winter campaigns. Sunshine Coast Track rating: Heavy 10 Rail position: True entire circuit Race 1: Benchmark 85 Handicap (1200m) | Time: 1:12.36 Horse to follow: Pereille (1st) Pereille kicked off his winter campaign with a demolition job in the opening race at the Sunshine Coast as the James Cummings-trained gelding recorded an impressive four-length victory over 1200m. James McDonald allowed the son of Fastnet Rock to settle midfield before balancing up and rounding up his rivals by the 200m mark. This gelding’s turn of foot was devastating in the final 300m, and he showed that he was much better than Benchmark 85 grade. When to bet: After improving his record on wet tracks (8:3-4-1) and keeping his 100% place record on those tracks with his most recent win, it is expected that Godolphin will wait for another wet track in Queensland for his next start. A rise in grade and distance is on the cards for Pereille, and he appears to have returned in fine style this time in. Race 5: Listed ATC Trophy (1200m) | Time: 1:12.53 Horse to follow: Freedom Rally (3rd) Although Freedom Rally has a third-place finish next to his record, it doesn’t tell the story of how good his performance was when you consider that he was first-up and was racing on a Heavy track for the first time. Vlad Duric saved ground along the inside where the ground was inferior for most of the day, but the Tony Gollan-trained galloper finished off nicely to nab a placing. With strong second-up form (3:2-0-0), it is expected that he will step up in trip to 1300m or 1400m next start and appreciate a firmer track. When to bet: With nominations in both the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap, Freedom Rally will need to have one more run before competing in those races. The Group 3 BRC Sprint on May 25 looks to be the ideal race for Gollan and his team to target. Morphettville Track rating: Good 4 Rail position: +4m entire circuit Race 6: Group 3 Proud Miss Stakes (1200m) | Time: 1:11.40 Horse to follow: Right To Party (2nd) Anthony & Sam Freedman sent Right To Party to Morphettville to compete at Group 3 level for the first time, and the three-year-old filly produced a barnstorming finish from the back of the field to finish second behind Boognish. After settling near last, the daughter of Zoustar had to weave a passage between runners towards the inside and recorded the fastest 400m (23.02s) and 200m (11.86s) sections of the meeting. When to bet: It is unclear where the Freedman’s will enter Right To Party next; however, it is clear that she is up to Group 3 level against her own sex, and if she is entered in a similar race next start, we will be following her. Top horse racing sites for blackbook features Horse racing tips View the full article

What Gosford Races Where The Entertainment Grounds – 4 Racecourse Rd, West Gosford NSW 2250 When Thursday, May 16, 2024 First Race 11:40am AEST Visit Dabble The Gosford Race Club gets set to host a very competitive nine-race card this Thursday from 11:40am local time. With little to no rain on the forecast leading in, punters should anticipate an upgrade from the current Heavy 8 rating to a Soft 6. The rail sits in the true position for the entire circuit, so it should be a fair day’s racing for all participants. Best Bet at Gosford: Presides Presides returns after a 145-day spell and appears set to strike first-up. He was sent to the paddock after a moderate performance at Cranbourne on December 22, with the James Cummings barn electing to send the son of Lonhro for a gelding operation. His two trails since have caught the eye, and with Zac Lloyd happy to stick aboard after taking the reins in both runs to date, Presides should be right in this. Best Bet Race 1 – #1 Presides (1) 3yo Gelding | T: James Cummings | J: Zac Lloyd (59kg) Bet with Bet365 Next Best at Gosford: Earth Dance Earth Dance struggled in a slowly run affair last start at Canterbury on April 17 and should get favourable conditions while dropping into Class 1 company. He is third-up since arriving from Ireland, with the four-year-old’s best form — including his sole victory at Navan on September 2 — coming over a staying journey. A strong tempo and the sting out of the ground should suit, so watch for Joshua Parr to wind up Earth Dance down the centre of the course. Next Best Race 6 – #2 Earth Dance (7) 4yo Gelding | T: Peter & Paul Snowden | J: Joshua Parr (59kg) Bet with Neds Best Value at Gosford: True Amor The John O’Shea-trained True Amor debuts on the back of two strong barrier trials. His latest piece of work at Rosehill on May 2 particularly caught the eye, with the son of I Am Invincible asked to make inroads from the rear to score by two lengths. The two-year-old is starting to understand what it’s all about, and with class hoop Tommy Berry set to take the reins, True Amor looks progressive enough to get the job done at the first time of asking. Best Value Race 2 – #5 True Amor (9) 2yo Colt | T: John O’Shea | J: Tommy Berry (57kg) Bet with Unibet Thursday quaddie picks for Gosford races Gosford quadrella selections Thursday, May 16, 2024 2-6-11-12 1-2-4-6-8-12 1-2-4-8 1-2-4-8-10 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips
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The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival officially kicks off this weekend at Doomben Racecourse with the Group 1 Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 (1200m). I Wish I Win is firm favourite in 2024 Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 betting this weekend in Brisbane. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos. While the field size is small at nine runners, it’s packed with class. Leading the charge is the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained I Wish I Win. The five-year-old gelding is the clear favourite in Doomben 10,000 betting after claiming the 2023 TJ Smith Stakes and boasting consistent performances throughout last spring. He’ll be ridden by champion jockey James McDonald from the coveted barrier one position. The biggest threats to I Wish I Win come in the form of Joe Pride‘s Private Eye and Chris Waller‘s Espiona. Private Eye, a dual The Everest place-getter, brings a strong record and will be ridden by Blake Shinn. Espiona, meanwhile, is aiming to become the first mare to win the race since English in 2018 and will need to overcome the widest barrier (nine). Trainer Pride also saddles up the 2022 winner, Mazu. After a confidence-boosting victory in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes last time out, Mazu will be looking to add a second Doomben 10,000 title to his record. Several other runners have a shot at an upset, including the classy mares Bella Nipotina and Chain Of Lightning (the reigning TJ Smith Stakes winner). The Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 field also includes talented filly Stefi Magnetica out to be the third three-year-old in as many years to beat home the older sprinters in the event. With a mix of proven champions, up-and-coming stars, and a small field creating an unpredictable atmosphere, the 2024 Doomben 10,000 promises to be a thrilling race. 2024 Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 Field No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating 1 1x231x32x3 I WISH I WIN (NZ) Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman James McDonald 1 58.5kg 118 2 5x132x2603 PRIVATE EYE Joseph Pride Blake Shinn 6 58.5kg 114 3 3x9054x501 MAZU Joseph Pride Tyler Schiller 8 58.5kg 111 4 x111120x25 BODY BOB Pat Murphy Danny Beasley 7 58.5kg 80 5 3315×45424 BELLA NIPOTINA Ciaron Maher Craig Williams 3 56.5kg 114 6 4x370x0116 CHAIN OF LIGHTNING Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman Ms Jamie Kah 5 56.5kg 114 7 21714×3367 ESPIONA Chris Waller Nash Rawiller 9 56.5kg 113 8 224x0x3312 WEE NESSY Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Adam Hyeronimus 2 56.5kg 103 9 331x12342x STEFI MAGNETICA Bjorn Baker Tim Clark 4 55kg 98 Table Credit: Racing Australia. This page and the written content within it were partially generated using AI or automated technology and edited and verified by our editorial team. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. The post Brisbane’s Winter Racing Heats Up with the 2024 Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000 appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article

Trainer Bob Baffert will try for his ninth Preakness Stakes (G1) win with 8-5 morning-line favorite Muth and 6-1 co-third choice Imagination. Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan is second choice at 5-2 for Saturday's race at Pimlico Race Course.View the full article

Trainer Bob Baffert will try for his ninth Preakness Stakes (G1) win with 8-5 morning-line favorite Muth and 6-1 co-third choice Imagination. Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan is second choice at 5-2 for Saturday's race at Pimlico Race Course.View the full article

In the few days after Mystik Dan (Goldencents) pulled an 18-1 upset in the GI Kentucky Derby, there was the real possibility that none of the 20 horses that competed in the first leg of the Triple Crown would press on to Saturday's GI Preakness S. By Sunday afternoon, any such concerns had abated–the Derby winner had been confirmed by trainer Ken McPeek and Derby fourth Catching Freedom (Constitution) was also given the green light by Brad Cox, joining a field that had already included two each from Hall of Famers Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas, between them responsible for no fewer than 14 Preakness winners. When the dust had settled, an interesting field of nine was drawn for Preakness 149 Monday afternoon, and it was one of the six non-Derby starters who was–not surprisingly–made the early favorite over Mystik Dan. 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic) was given the 8-5 nod on Brian Nadeau's morning line, and he enters the Preakness perfect in a pair of victories this season at three, including a latest two-length defeat of the Lukas-conditioned Just Steel (Justify) in the Mar. 30 GI Arkansas Derby, where Mystik Dan was a further 4 1/4 lengths adrift in third. Baffert looks for a record-extending ninth Preakness and second straight, after National Treasure (Quality Road) took them all the way 12 months ago. “Muth was a pretty easy morning-line favorite to come up with for a few different reasons,” Nadeau said. “First, he comfortably beat Mystik Dan in the Arkansas Derby. Second, with all the success Bob Baffert has had in the Preakness and the name recognition he brings as well, it all adds up to Muth being a pretty solid favorite. And lastly, Mystik Dan was 18-1 in the Derby, and when a longshot wins, sometimes the betting public is a bit slow to come around or believe.” Muth will break from the four hole on the weekend, while Baffert's other entry, GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up Imagination (Into Mischief), will be the first Preakness ride for Frankie Dettori from the outside barrier in nine. “I think it's fine. Nine horses. That's manageable,” Baffert said of the draw. “It's a very competitive field. I'd like to have drawn a little closer with Imagination. Whatever, he can work a trip. “[Muth] is a nice horse. At the end of the day, Mystik Dan is going to get a lot of support. Just being there with two nice horses, to me, with a competitive field, it's going to be a good race,” Baffert added. McPeek allowed Mystik Dan to make the Preakness decision for him, and after declaring that the colt had a good week following his Derby score, put him on a van to Old Hilltop. Brian Hernandez, Jr. delivered an A-plus steer at Churchill and will look to do so from gate five Saturday afternoon. At 5-2, Mystik Dan is the first Derby winner to not be favored on the morning line since 2012. Catching Freedom, the joint-third choice at 6-1 with Imagination, covered himself in glory in the Derby, making a sustained run from worse than midfield and surging home up the fence to finish just two lengths off the trio on the wire. He should get another nice inside trip in a more compact field on Saturday from the three hole. “We value the Triple Crown, and the opportunity to run in Triple Crown races is really important to us,” Albaugh Family Stable Racing Manager Jason Loutsch told the Pimlico media office. “The horse came back well out of the Derby, and we felt it was an opportunity to take a shot in one of the most prestigious races.” At age 77, Wayne Lukas sent out Oxbow to upset the 2013 Preakness and the 88-year-old will tighten the girth around Just Steel, who weakened out after attending a sharp early pace in the Derby. He also saddles Seize the Grey (Arrogate, gate six), who cut back to one turn to cause a near $21 surprise the GII Pat Day Mile on the Derby undercard. The pair drew seven and six, respectively, Monday evening. 'TDN Rising Star' Tuscan Gold (Medaglia d'Oro) will attempt to give trainer Chad Brown a third Preakness winner and second for his sire, whose daughter Rachel Alexandra famously beat the boys here in 2009. He landed gate eight and is the mount of Tyler Gaffalione. The Preakness field is rounded out by the hulking GIII Withers S. hero Uncle Heavy (Social Inclusion, post two), to be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr.; and GI Toyoya Blue Grass S. fifth Mugatu (Blofeld, post one), who failed to draw in from the also-eligible list for the Derby, but gets his crack at Classic glory from the rail, with Joe Bravo to ride. Saturday, Pimlico Race Course PREAKNESS S.-GI, $2,000,000, 3yo, 1 3/16m PP HORSE (SIRE), JOCKEY, TRAINER, ML 1 Mugatu (Blofeld), Bravo, Engler, 20-1 2 Uncle Heavy (Social Inclusion), Ortiz, Jr., Reid, 20-1 3 Catching Freedom (Constitution), Prat, Cox, 6-1 4 Muth (Good Magic), Hernandez, Baffert, 8-5 5 Mystik Dan (Goldencents), Hernandez, Jr, McPeek, 5-2 6 Seize the Grey (Arrogate), Torres, Lukas, 15-1 7 Just Steel (Justify), Rosario, Lukas, 15-1 8 Tuscan Gold (Medaglia d'Oro), Gaffalione, Brown, 8-1 9 Imagination (Into Mischief), Dettori, Baffert, 6-1 The post Muth Favored To Give Baffert A Ninth Win In the Preakness appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Horse racing on Tuesday, May 14, will feature four meetings in Australia. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the top bets and the quaddie numbers for Hawkesbury. Tuesday’s Racing Tips – May 14, 2024 Hawkebsury Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on May 14, 2024 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you prepared to lose today? Full terms. 2 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 3 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble Have a Dabble with friends! Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Recommended! Bet365 Signup Code GETON 4 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. 5 Next Gen Racing Betting PickleBet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. 6 Bet With A Boom BoomBet Daily Racing Promotions – Login to view! Join Boombet Review 18+ Gamble responsibly. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place. Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article

Explore a multitude of captivating racing promotions offered by horse racing bookmakers on Tuesday, May 14. Immerse yourself in the thrill with generous bonus back offers, elevating your betting experience. Delve into these promotions from top-tier online bookmakers to maximise your betting opportunities. The top Australian racing promotions for May 14, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Daily Trifecta Boosts Boost your winnings on Trifectas by 10% with new Daily Trifecta Boosts. Thoroughbreds only. T&Cs apply. Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing exclusive thoroughbred bonus promotions for May 14, 2024. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and exclusive promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. More horse racing promotions View the full article

Unbeaten G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas victor Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has progressed well since that effort, and is on course for a try at the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot, trainer Charlie Appleby reported on the official Godolphin X feed on Monday. The contest is scheduled to go Tuesday, June 18 and has notably been reported as a target for the Aidan O'Brien-trained Group 1-winner Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). “[Notable Speech] pulled up well, he's had an easy canter, he's done all the right vitals and hopefully it's all systems go and we'll work back from the St James's Palace,” Appleby said in the update. The homebred for Godolphin came into the 2000 Guineas unconquered from three career jumps on the Kempton Park all-weather, but transitioned to the turf in fine fashion to garner a career first for jockey William Buick as well. “I've had a few close calls, but never managed to win [a 2000 Guineas] before and what's extra special is the way he did it,” Buick said. “I maybe went a little bit overboard on the day, but I enjoyed it, the feelings just took over a little bit!” He added, “[Notable Speech] has got a great mind, which you need in a good horse. He's a great horse to deal with, he seems to understand everything that is required of him. He's a bit of a rarity in that sense.” The post Notable Speech On Course for St James’s Palace appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan made his first trip to the Pimlico Race Course main track May 13—a sealed and muddy surface—as he prepares for a start in the $2 million Preakness Stakes (G1) May 18.View the full article

Freshman stallion Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) notched his first winner Monday when Fortuna Mia won nicely at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Off at 5-1, the 2-year-old filly stalked the pacesetter, pounced off the turn, won going away and survived an objection to win at first asking for owner/trainer Rey Hernandez. Vekoma, who stands at Spendthrift Farm for $15,000, finished his career on a three-race win streak, taking the Sir Shackleton S. at Gulfstream and the GI Runhappy Carter H. at Belmont before retiring after a win in the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. with a record of 8-6-0-1 and earnings of $1,245,525. This post will be updated. The post Vekoma Gets First Winner With Fortuna Mia At Horseshoe Indy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

FanDuel TV racing personality Christina Blacker will host a webinar for Light Up Racing (LUR) members Tuesday, May 14, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. During the 1 1/2-hour session, entitled 'This Derby, what horse racing questions did you struggle to answer?' a panel of industry experts including Blacker, Dr. Jeff Berk, Dr. Jeff Blea and Dr. Scott Hay, will address and help participants navigate questions most frequently asked by outsiders surrounding this year's Kentucky Derby. To sign up for Light Up Racing, click here. Existing members may join by clicking here. Hi everyone We're hosting a Light Up Racing Webinar on Tuesday, May 14, at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET. It's a 1.5-hour session where we'll tackle some challenging horse racing topics and share insights to help you have conversations with confidence. Our panel, hosted by Christina… pic.twitter.com/o7C5kIgfGU — LightUpRacing (@LightUpRacing) May 12, 2024 The post Light Up Racing Webinar Set For Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

National Hunt hero and seven-time Grade 1-winner Native Upmanship (Ire) (Be My Native) passed away at Coolmore Stud on Monday at 31, the farm announced via presser. A back-to-back victor of the G1 Melling Chase, the first of which coming in 2002, he visited the winner's enclosure on 16 occasions with 13 coming at the Graded level. Other career highlights included an eased down 30 length victory in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in April 2000, and two renewals of the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in non-consecutive years. Native Upmanship had retired from racing in 2006 and lived out his days in the fields of Coolmore Stud. “Native Upmanship was an unbelievably tough horse that loved his racing. He gave me some of my most memorable days on a racecourse and we were extremely fortunate to have had him,” said trainer Arthur Moore. “I want to pay tribute to the staff at Coolmore who cared for him exceptionally throughout his retirement.” His longtime caretaker Trish Kearney said, “Native Upmanship will be greatly missed by all of us who looked after him here. He lived out his days receiving the greatest of care from all of the team. We have very fond memories of him, especially considering we cared for him throughout his long retirement and also during his summer holidays in his racing career. It's a sad day but Native Upmanship will always have a special place in our hearts.” The post Seven-Time Grade 1 Winner Native Upmanship Dies at 31 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Having arrived on a van from Louisville on Sunday, GI Kentucky Derby hero Mystik Dan (Goldencents) took to a sloppy and sealed main track at Pimlico Race Course for the first time Monday morning. If the bay looked at home in the wet conditions, it should come as no surprise. Prior to his narrow success in the Derby, his career highlight came in the Feb. 3 GIII Southwest S., when he relished a muddy strip to crush by eight lengths. “He's such a smart horse. He takes everything in,” said retired jockey Robby Albarado, whose two Preakness victories include the 2020 renewal aboard the Ken McPeek-trained Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). “Obviously, he loved that racetrack. If you saw the Southwest, it was a similar racetrack as this. I'm really not opposed to rain this weekend. Rain is in the forecast. He did really well [Monday]. He went over the racetrack smooth and looked around. He's ready for another round.” Albarado did some reminiscing on the Pimlico backside Monday. “It's been great, especially coming to Pimlico,” Albarado said. “I stopped by Stall 24 there, where Swiss Skydiver was. It was nice, it was like deja vu. Me coming here on Monday, like I did with her in 2020. It's just that I'm not riding in the race, but I'm still part of the team.” Albarado, who was approaching the end of a very successful career four years ago, has only fond memories of that first Saturday in October in the COVID-reshuffled Triple Crown in 2020. The Preakness served as the final leg. “I wanted to win one more major race for myself. I called up Kenny McPeek and said, 'Man, I want to win one more major race before I retire,'” Albarado recollected. He said, 'Me, too!' About a month and a half later, he calls me up and said, 'Hey, you might ride Swiss Skydiver in the Preakness.' He called me up five minutes later and said, 'Pack your stuff up. You're going to Baltimore.' I was helping him out at Keeneland. I guess I was there at the right time.” Kentucky Derby winner Mystic Dan Monday morning at ⁦@PimlicoRC⁩ as he prepares for the ⁦@PreaknessStakes⁩. ⁦@theTDN⁩ pic.twitter.com/MQY3IaOxYX — Mike Kane (@MKane49) May 13, 2024 The post Mystik Dan Gets First Feel Of Pimlico Main Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Three-time Group 1-placed Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and multiple Group winner Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will make Australian debuts for seven-time Melbourne Cup-winning owner Lloyd Williams in Brisbane with a long-term goal of targeting the 164th G1 Melbourne Cup. The former, runner-up to the globetrotting multiple Group and Grade I winner Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Irish Derby, was last seen in September winning the G3 Paddy Power Kilternan S. He will now be trained by Kris Lees and was in the nominations for Saturday's Listed Andrew Ramsden S. at Flemington Racecourse in Victoria. Williams admitted it was unlikely for Adelaide River to run there, however, as a shorter contest was also on the radar. “I think that rather than go to the Ramsden [2800 metres], I think he'll probably go straight to Queensland for a 2200-metre or 2400-metre race and we'll get some sun on his back as well,” Williams said in a quote to racing.com. “[Adelaide River and Changingoftheguard] are both very good horses and I think they'll probably go [stay in work] right through to the spring as if they were in Europe, they'd be going to [Royal] Ascot before coming out.” Changingoftheguard has not run since finishing third last June at Royal Ascot in the G2 Hardwicke S. He'd visited the winner's enclosure last in 2022 when taking the G2 King Edward VII S. by a nose at that venue. The ultimate goal for both is a tilt at the G1 Melbourne Cup in November, along with the Williams-owned Group-winning Post Impressionist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who now resides in the yard of new trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman. “I don't think there is any doubt that they'll run two miles,” Williams told racing.com. “It's too early to tell, but I'd be surprised if they don't. They are nice horses and we've got the next six months to think about it [trying for an eighth win].” The post Adelaide River, Changingoftheguard to Campaign in Australia for Lloyd Williams appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Over Patrick Husbands' his 30-plus years in the saddle, he has has crafted an enviable riding resume, one that showcases countless high-profile triumphs in some of Thoroughbred racing's top events.View the full article

The highly successful "Ship & Win" and the relatively new, but solidly backed, Maiden Dirt Bonus once again will enhance the racing product of the shore oval as the track prepares to kick off its 85th summer stand.View the full article

Blue Heaven Farm's homebred son of Into Mischief has three consecutive wins since Dec. 15. He will be making his graded stakes debut in the May 17 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3).View the full article

So what happens when you keep pursuing the dream, keep persevering, only to find that it's taken you right to the cliff's edge? At some point you quit, right? Not if you're Ramon “R.J.” Rangel, you don't. He was still working with yearlings at Dixiana when he leased his first 10 acres. His wife at the time had quit her own job at Dixiana to care for their little farm and he would come back in the afternoons to put in a second shift on the heavier work. Gradually they worked up from two mares to seven and eventually scraped together enough to buy 30 acres of their own. And, for a time, they were actually doing okay. The odd pinhook proved tough, but they sold a few babies profitably and had some good boarding patrons like Elisabeth Jerkens. Then came the 2008-2009 slump. Clients dropped away and the bank wanted to force a sale. “So we put the farm on the market,” Rangel recalls. “A few people came to look, but nobody was buying at that time. So we started selling off the equipment, a little at a time, every time just to buy ourselves another month. But eventually we ran out of things to sell and the bank took over the farm.” The marriage did not survive that stress. Rangel admits that he ended up “practically homeless,” staying with a brother like he was a kid starting out again. (He's now 58). But he found some work showing horses for Mill Ridge, where his horsemanship was noticed and valued. After all, he had been born to the game. His father had always worked at the track, notably for Jack Van Berg in California. In 1978, the whole family moved up from Mexico and Rangel would go to the barn at Del Mar to help during weekends and vacations. “But things were tough in those days,” he recalls. “My grandpa used to have a farm, back in the day, had a lot of money, land, cattle. But his sons all liked to drink, and ended up with nothing. We always had money problems, always had a hard time paying the rent. With two sisters and five brothers, I decided–because I was the oldest–to quit school and work at the track. I was 15, too young to be allowed, so I snuck in there. I jumped the fence and would sleep in the tack-room. My mom didn't like it, she cried. But I said, 'You have to understand, I'm tired of always hearing that we don't have enough money.' So I started contributing to the welfare of my family, trying to help out, let the younger kids go to school.” Rangel started out walking hots for Lester Holt. With time he started grooming, for Van Berg and also for Richard Cross, developing such an affinity with horses that he was soon galloping them, too. Then came the revelation of Kentucky, and the bloodstock industry, where he was certain he had found his true vocation. Now, after years of patient toil, it looked as though he had been wrong. “When you fall in love with these animals, you start with one, then you take another and another,” he says with a shrug. “And it just ended up to be too many.” Even after losing the farm to the bank, however, the flame remained undimmed. And when one of Mill Ridge's principal clients was unlucky to breed a filly that was born contracted, in 2017, everyone was more than happy for Rangel to take her off their hands. He figured that if he was patient enough, he might be able to breed from her. After all, she was by Quality Road out of a stakes winner. So he put her on a friend's farm and would go to feed her before and after work. This filly, Vigui's Heart, was how Rangel renewed his love of Thoroughbreds after he had hit rock bottom: no home of his own, divorced, almost back to square one. Most of us would take the hint and start over in a less precarious walk of life. Wasn't he ever tempted to do that? “No,” he says adamantly. “You got to stay with it to the end. I loved that I could go and see this filly every day. It's not even hard to get up earlier in the morning, when you can take care of a lovely mare like that. I always loved working with the babies and the idea of her foaling, that gave you all the energy you could need. Yes, it was hard. Hard to pay all her bills, the feed and blacksmith and dentist and vet. But she was such a nice, friendly mare, who'd never push other horses around, never do anything wrong.” By this time Rangel had been hired by Spendthrift manager Ned Toffey, who had witnessed his work during his own time at Dixiana, to work with the yearlings. So when Vigui's Heart turned three, Rangel asked his employers if they might agree to a Malibu Moon foal share. “Obviously, I had no money, but with a nice Quality Road mare, we could just take a chance and see,” he says. “Malibu Moon was a little old, but he was such a solid stallion. And of course she was a young mare, so I figured that could work.” One February night, Vigui's Heart delivered a fine big colt. “And she was a real good mama,” Rangel recalls affectionately. “The only thing that she did wrong is that in the summertime she would want to dump the water tank all the time. You'd have just cleaned it and filled it, and then over it goes. When I get the hose and call her, she'll come from far away to stand there and get all wet. And her weanling, he would love it too, especially with the hose in between his ears. You don't see that a lot. Most of the babies, they just run away. He was just like his mom, very nice to work around, I never had a hard time with him at all.” And he made what felt like a terrific sum, $75,000, at the Keeneland November Sale. His purchasers brought the colt back to the same ring the following September, but had to settle for only a marginal pinhook at $100,000. And Rangel was initially disappointed to learn that he was now being exported to Europe. He didn't view him as a turf horse and it would be harder to keep tabs on the colt over there. But then he saw Valiant Force sent into a listed race for his debut in Ireland, running a very encouraging second and duly pitched into group company next time. That did not work out so well, however, and Rangel did not feel too enthused to see him starting at 150-1 for the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot. “I was disappointed they were running him,” he admits. “It's so tough there, man, I just hoped that he would come out of it good. At least he had already finished second in a stakes, so I said to myself, 'Wait, he's already done what any breeder would hope, for the first baby to give the mare a bit of black type.' But I wasn't expecting anything, I was mucking a few stalls and just went to watch the race on my phone in the tack-room. “There they go. I lost him for a little bit. When the announcer says, 'Valiant Force in front,' I'm like, woah. So I started pushing and screaming and my heart's coming out of my mouth. It was a great moment. I didn't really realize how big of a deal it was until people started calling, congratulating me.” Among those to do so, through Mill Ridge, were the Amerman family who had gifted Vigui's Heart. “Hopefully they still have some of the family,” Rangel says gratefully. “But it was a wonderful thing for me. In fact, I'm now looking to buy a house. I'm going to have a roof over my head at last.” That's because he sold Vigui's Heart (in foal to Vekoma) at Fasig-Tipton last November for $525,000; and she was followed into the ring by her second foal, a Mitole filly, who realized $300,000. (Unsurprisingly, they sold through Mill Ridge.) Ten minutes that transformed his life, completing a 180-degree turnaround in what had become an increasingly demoralizing love affair with horses. “Oh, it was exciting,” he says. “I had a bunch of my friends there, and everybody was rooting for me. They were so happy for me because they know where I come from, knew how things have been. And also because I'm buying them a few drinks! My mom's house needed a little makeover, and I can now fix it for her, and she's really happy. So things have changed for me. I feel a lot more comfortable.” Incorrigibly, Rangel admits that ideally he would have bought another little farm. But he acknowledged that doing so would probably just be a way of squandering his great reprieve. With the help of Price Bell at Mill Ridge, he instead settled for a young Speightstown mare named Undefinable at Keeneland, later the same week, for $40,000. Her dam was a multiple graded stakes winner out of a half-sister to Editor's Note and Hold That Tiger. “I want to keep two or three mares,” he says. “My goal was to buy a farm, but it's just too much money. So I'll keep my horses with my friend, just pay by the head and take care of them in the morning and in the afternoon, keep doing the same thing I've been doing.” And destiny may yet be reserving Rangel some further reward, because he has certainly disclosed a Midas touch since turning round his fortunes. Trusting them as they do, the owners of Mill Ridge had additionally approached Rangel to find a good home for an Empire Maker mare homebred by Dr. John Chandler. She had proved a disappointing producer, her latest foal by Noble Mission (GB) raising only $3,500 as a yearling. Rangel had a friend working at the Horse Park who placed her with a neighbor. The Noble Mission colt turned out to be Nobals, who won the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint the day after Valiant Force was beaten by only half a length in the equivalent race for juveniles. “I know people contacted the neighbor to try to buy the mare,” Rangel says. “She's not interested in selling. But I think when you make these decisions with horses, whether you sell them or give them away, you just hope that the next person does well, and never regret any of it. “Maybe Valiant Force can come back and win the Breeders' Cup Sprint. You never know, his dam could become worth a lot more. But that's good. She did something great for me, hopefully she will do something good for the new owners as well.” Certainly Rangel has been grateful for the good will of friends and colleagues, above all at Spendthrift, where the late B. Wayne Hughes would surely have enjoyed such a remarkable example of the smaller breeder thriving. Rangel is next sending Undefinable to Authentic. “They always say it takes money to make money,” he says. “And now I can afford to breed to a good stallion, to this well-respected son of Into Mischief.” But actually Rangel has proved the aphorism all wrong. It didn't take money for him. Just sweat, tears and exceptional belief. “It's true,” he acknowledges. “I did it the hard way. We were all raised that way. Just do the best that you can all the time. Mom used to say, 'The only thing that I can give you is school–and you guys don't want to go!' But my dad said, 'Well, as long as you're a good worker, you're always going to have food on your table.'” And, albeit not such a good role model in certain other ways, his father has been proved right there. Several of Rangel's siblings have made good in the industry. Paco is also at Spendthrift, as assistant broodmare manager, while Cesar and their sister Betty work at Siena Farm. “Okay, I went through bankruptcy,” Rangel reflects. “But you've always got to keep your head up, keep working, keep saving. And when you have enough… then you buy a horse! I cannot just work with horses, I have to be part of them. And anybody can do that on a small scale. Like I said, I don't want to own a bunch of horses. Just two or three mares will fill the need, will make me happy. It's a great feeling to be in the outdoors with your horses.” And a new cycle of his epic adventure has now begun, with Undefinable now having delivered her Flameaway foal, apparently “a lovely filly.” “Of course all this has been exciting,” Rangel concludes. “That mare really took care of me. Things happen in this game, great stories happen. I never thought that I was going to be one of them. I've always tried to play my cards right. Just keep my mouth shut, work hard, do the best that I can every day. There's an energy you can feel with people. Sometimes you can talk to somebody and they don't give a good vibe. But I think that good things happen to good people. You never know that it's going to be you. But if you walk through life trying to do things well, if you respect people, help them if you can, sooner or later, something good will happen to you.” The post How a Rangel Earned His Wings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It was just five years ago when Guillaume Vitse left his longtime job at Haras de Colleville where he had helped build the farm from a start-up to a well established French stallion station to forge his own path. “At one stage, you just feel like it's time to go out on your own and buy your own place,” says Vitse, sitting by one of his pastures at his Normandie Breeding in Hotot-en-Auge, France, where a dozen yearlings are grazing behind him. “My wife and I were pretty motivated to do something because we had been working for years for somebody else's place. And at one stage, if you don't make a move forward, you will never make it. I was 45 by then, and it was time. If I didn't do it at 45, I would have never done it.” That was in August, 2018, and by November, 2023, Vitse was in the Breeders' Cup winners circle, receiving a trophy from Three Chimneys Farm as the breeder of Unquestionable, winner of the 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Remarkably, Unquestionable was his second Breeders' Cup starter in that five-year period. But if the road to success was quick, it wasn't without its potholes. And certainly not without hard work. “When we started, it was just me and Camille, my wife,” he recalled. “I had two clients, and no money.” The Vitses leased land to get started, and there was no horses on the farm until March, 2019. “It was very difficult at the beginning, and we had plenty of doubt,” he said. “We didn't know if we had made the right decision or not. But we kept on carrying on and some mares arrived and then some other mares, and then some other clients. It was difficult, but we never wanted to give up.” Vitse spent some of his formative years in America, working at Lane's End Farm for two years on the mares side of the business. That foundation and exposure to what quality looks like is proving valuable to him now. Unquestionable | Racingfotos “Before we started, we had two mares in association with trainers Phillippe Decouz and Yann Barberot,” he said. “And we had two horses born that year that we kept, and they turned out to be very good horses-black-type performers. One of them, Go Athletico (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) went on to win Group 3 races at two and five, and ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland in 2020, so that was amazing. And the other, Axdavali (Fr), went on to be Group 3-placed at two.” But Haras d'Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure advised him that if he was going to go buy mares, he needed to spend some money to make sure they were quality mares. Vitse made plans to go to the 2019 Tattersalls December Mare sale. “So, I call the bank and I said, `can you forward me some money, so that we can buy a good mare at the sale?' recalled Vitse. The bank agreed. While his efforts on Monday were thwarted by the prices, on the Tuesday, just 10 lots in, he came away with Strawberry Lace (GB), a Sea the Stars (Ire) mare in foal to Night of Thunder (Ire), for 52,000 guineas. “The foal turned out to be a good filly, and we said we wanted to go to the best, and the best in France that year was Wootton Bassett,” said Vitse. He called de Chambure, who stood him, and asked if he would do a foal share. He looked at the mare's sale price and hesitated. Vitse said he'd pay the fee, but the bank wasn't ready to extend him more money. He asked de Chambure to just come look at the foal before he decided, and that was all it took. “He came along and said, `okay, done deal. Good filly. We'll do it for sure,'” Vitse recalled. “I was happy with that, because it was less pressure than trying to pay for it, and he turned out to be that kind of colt you don't ever breed. You don't even see them. He just went through everything with no problems. Nothing ever happened to him. Easy colt. And that was Unquestionable.” Unquestionable was purchased by Mandore International for M.V. Magnier and Al Shaqab Racing at the Deauville Arqana August Sale for €340,000. He broke his maiden in his second start at 2, was fourth in the G1 Keenelad Phoenix S. As he was in the saddling are at Longchamp for the G1 Quatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere S., Vitse approached trainer Aidan O'Brien. “He is such a nice man to talk to, and I said, `I'm sorry to disturb you, but, I'm Unquestionable's breeder, and, I just wonder, do I need to buy my plane ticket to Santa Anita?,'” recalled Vitse. O'Brien's answer? “Yes.” Vitse said to his wife Camille, “Make sure you take some days off because we're heading to Santa Anita.” Unquestionable was second that day in France, but after the vet scratch of River Tiber, he found himself the Breeders' Cup favorite. Watching the race, Vitse recalls, “I was screaming. I was crazy. It's like if I were riding the horse. I don't know how to describe that feeling. It's the best. The best you can get.” The whole week was a dream, he said. “At the Breeders' Cup, we were treated so well. We went to the breakfast, had passes for the winners' enclosures and the paddock, for ourselves and our friends. And the fact that Three Chimneys makes a trophy for the breeders? We breed the horse and we usually stay in the background. We really, really appreciate them for that. It was so nice to get that reward. It was amazing…Amazing.” And while the Breeders' Cup has always taken place in America, it has also always been a major focus of Europeans. “The Breeders' Cup, to my point of view, it's a dream,” said Vitse. “And when I was a kid, we used to go watch it all the time at the races at Argentan and at Clairefontaine back in 1987, '88, '89. I remember those days like they were yesterday. And now we have a runner. And a winner. Who would believe that?” Three Chimneys' Three Cheers to the Breeder is a series of articles profiling first-time Breeders' Cup-winning breeders. The post Three Chimneys’ Three Cheers to the Breeder: Normandie Breeding appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

TIPPERARY, Ireland — Aidan O'Brien walks into the semi-covered ride, shakes hands with each member of the assembled press pack and apologises for the rain. Within his private fiefdom of Ballydoyle there is plenty that he can control, particularly via the earpieces on each of his 50 riders currently warming up in front of him, but the weather isn't one of them. The rain fell on his parade at Newmarket just over a week ago when the longed-for procession of City Of Troy (Justify) in the 2,000 Guineas failed to materialise. The media throng is here primarily to talk about the Betfred Derby but in the case of this particular horse it is hard to look forward without first looking back. “Sometimes things don't work and really I would always say that it's my responsibility to make sure it works and when it doesn't work, well, we've done our homework but maybe we didn't do it all properly. That's the way I would look at the Guineas,” he says. The trainer is sticking with Plan A, which was and still is Guineas first, followed by Epsom, then “wherever”. “It will make it very interesting the next day,” O'Brien adds with no little understatement and says that the Derby trip will be no problem for the colt who was the unbeaten champion two-year-old. “But we all know horseracing and we all know life – no one knows what's going to happen in the next half hour. Listen, the Guineas just wasn't meant to be.” He had still felt the need to apologise several times at Newmarket after the race, and there was no denying the sense of excitement with which many folk had arrived at the Rowley Mile on the first Saturday of May. “I felt everyone was there to see City Of Troy,” O'Brien says. “And obviously I probably expected too much of him and didn't have him prepared properly. It's our job to prepare him properly to go to the races for Ryan [Moore] to sit on, and we let him down. It was probably a bit of a letdown for everybody, because we were all expecting and it just went against us.” Asked how he copes with the disappointment of a bad day when he gets home, the famously teetotal O'Brien quips, “Bottle of whisky, always,” before adding, “When I come back I usually have two or three hours of work to do here and I'd be setting up the morning and setting up the work and that would normally take me up to night time, and then I go to bed and start off a new day and I would never think about yesterday. It's gone.” His nine wins already make O'Brien the most successful trainer in the history of the Derby, surpassing his Ballydoyle predecessor Vincent O'Brien, who had been responsible for the construction of a gallop to emulate the turn, camber and downhill test of Tattenham Corner. This is still utilised on a regular basis. “In Dr O'Brien's time everything was about winning the Derby,” he says. “The whole Thoroughbred generation every year is measured in the Derby and that's just the harsh reality of it. It's very hard to get a horse good enough to run in it and good enough to win it, and some horses don't go on from it because it's the ultimate test and some horses find it very difficult. But there has to be a barometer, and that is the barometer.” O'Brien continues, “Every horse that works canters around Tattenham Corner every day. It's repetition, and what we have seen over the years is that if a horse hasn't handled it today they're not going to handle it tomorrow, but you see very quickly the ones who have the balance and can handle it.” Through the driving rain and strong winds which make this May morning feel more like February, the trainer marches to and from the woodchip gallop with its speedometer and floodlights. An easy canter for most of the horses first, followed by a stronger second turn along the gradually inclining four furlongs. Clad in black waterproofs, he says of mornings on the gallops, perhaps in slightly fairer conditions than this, and presumably without a pack of journalists in tow, “It's like heaven.” O'Brien trains 13 of the 40 horses who remain in contention for the Derby, with the whittling-down process set to take place as the dust settles on the formal trials. The leading candidates to accompany City Of Troy to Epsom appear to be last week's Dee S. winner Capulet (Justify), Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), and Sunday's Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial winner Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). “Usually what happens is we get within two weeks of it and the lads see what we have and talk about what they would like to run. Really, the most important race every year is the Derby. They will then decide whether we're going to let City Of Troy go on his own or let something else go with him,” he says. “Every horse that has been running in a trial is for that purpose. This year we purposely haven't been too hard on them in their trials because other years we might have won loads of trials and then run badly in the Derby. This year we decided to use the trials as trials and even if they haven't won they will hopefully progress. “We were very happy with Los Angeles yesterday. He's a big relaxed horse. We always thought he would step up big time when he went to a mile and a half and we were very happy with the way that he won, so he's definitely a possible.” O'Brien continues, “Capulet could go. There's been a lot of interest in him from Hong Kong and all these places so it's possible too. He was always a horse that was going to step up going to a mile and a quarter and we always thought he was going to step up even further if he went further. Ryan rode him positively. “Diego Velazquez is in both [the Derby and Prix du Jockey Club]. The reason for going to France [for the Poulains] was the lads were thinking of going to the French Derby and that's right-handed. We could have gone to the Dante with him but we felt he wouldn't have the experience if we decided to go to France so that was the reason.” Diego Velazquez's fellow Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who finished eighth, is likely to be seen next in the St James's Palace S., while Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who ran a close fifth in the 1,000 Guineas, heads to the Betfred Oaks with Rubies Are Red (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). “We were very happy with her in the Guineas,” the trainer says of Ylang Ylang. “We thought going to the Guineas that she was an Oaks filly given the way she had been working and that is how she ran. Ryan was very happy with her. He let her find her feet and he felt she came home very well.” In the lot prior to City Of Troy and his friends was the four-year-old Auguste Rodin, who is as enigmatic as he is talented. This time last year there was similar head-scratching going on after his lacklustre seasonal debut in the Guineas before he beat King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to win the Derby. His next run will follow recent disappointment in Dubai. O'Brien says of the five-time Group 1 winner, “He's super. At the moment it is between the Coronation [Cup] and the Tattersalls [Gold Cup] and obviously he can only run in one, and himself and Luxembourg are on the same programme. One will go to the Coronation and the other will go to the Curragh. But we're very happy with him. We've adjusted him as well and we think that run in Dubai will be gone.” Newmarket, too, is in the rearview mirror now for the horse aiming to emulate Auguste Rodin's bounce-back in the Derby. O'Brien adds, “There was an owner who used to say to me after a run, 'Are we still in the hope department?' And with City Of Troy we're still in the hope department.” The post O’Brien: ‘The Most Important Race Every Year is the Derby’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Cajun land has been a breeding ground for so many great jockeys, including Kentucky Derby (G1) winners Eric Guerin, Eddie Delahoussaye, Kent Desormeaux, and Calvin Borel.View the full article