Wandering Eyes

Benedetta has taken out the Group 1 Goodwood at Morphettville. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) Benedetta (+500) has claimed her first-career Group 1 success, as Jason Warren & Jamie Kah combined to secure victory in the Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on Saturday afternoon. It’s been a long-overdue accomplishment for the daughter of Hellbent, with her ultra-consistency finally paying dividends after three bold displays in Group 1 company this preparation. She finished off third best in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) on April 27, closing within a half-length of Climbing Star (+2000) to suggest she would be a major player in turning the tables on Saturday. It proved to be the case in the capable hands of Jamie Kah, slotting into a lovely position mid-field with cover throughout the journey, as I Am Me (+450) and Arkansaw Kid (+3300) battled it out for the early lead. Johnny Rocker (+600) and Oscar’s Fortune (+550) slotted into perfect stalking positions behind the speed, while the eventual trifecta trio were ridden to make a sprint down the centre of the course. Benedetta and Stretan Angel (+3000) surged to fight it out in the concluding stages, but when asked for the ultimate effort by Kah, it was Benedetta managing to get the head down despite a gallant performance in defeat by Stretan Angel. 2024 The Goodwood Replay – Benedetta An emotional Jason Warren was delighted with the win, suggesting that they may press on for a Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) tilt later in the winter. “Relieved to be honest,” said Warren. “Just wanted to get the job done for the horse and she’s been so gallant in defeat in good races and just to get that group one under the belt is a big relief and we’ll head north now and head towards the Stradbroke. “We’ve got a big group of owners, I must say to Caitlin Jones and Teegan Voorham who have done all the work with these girls since they’ve been here, these horses of mine… the local trainers here have been so welcoming, it’s been a terrific few weeks for us.” Jamie Kah picked up her second Group 1 win in Adelaide in as many weeks, as every went according to plan as she added the Goodwood to her growing resume of Group 1 wins. “It was exactly where I wanted to be,” said Kah. “Everything just happened perfectly for us. She’s a horse with so much talent and she’s just had things not go her way and today it was lined out perfectly for her. “She just got to the front a touch soon and she just waited with the blinkers on for the first time she couldn’t see anything around her, she was good once she could feel the horse coming to her again. I did think it would be easier than what it was in the end but she just couldn’t see that horse, but it worked out in the end. “It’s so special. I wanted that one group one and after one you want another one, you want to keep getting more and more. I’ve got a few more to beat Ben’s record for the Goodwoods but I’ll be back next year.” Benedetta is now a +1400 chance with online bookmakers for the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 15. Horse racing news View the full article

En Francais has taken out the Group 3 Cummings Stakes at Morphettville. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) The Jake Stephens-trained En Francais (+1700) has shown a blistering turn-of-speed to claim victory in the Group 3 The Cummings Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on Saturday afternoon. The daughter of Puissance De Lune hadn’t found the winners enclosure in over a year before Saturday’s breathtaking victory, as the six-year-old mare was forced to swoop the entire field from near-last turning for home. The David Aldridge-trained Chicago Storm (+900) left them all chasing in the middle stages, with the son of Trust In A Gust catching his rivals napping on the corner as Carleen Hefel pushed the button early. Sirileo Miss (+900) couldn’t match motors sitting outside the leader, and it looked to be all over as Chicago Storm bolted six lengths clear at the top of the straight. Jimmy The Bear (+240) appeared to be the only challenger with 200m left to travel as Chicago Storm hit a brick wall, but it was En Francais with a withering run under Lachlan Neindorf to secure victory in The Cummings Stakes. 2024 The Cummings Stakes Replay – En Francais It was a career highlight as a trainer for Jake Stephens which he spoke about in his post-race assessment of his mare. “That was exciting,” said Stephens. “We didn’t know where we’d end up and she was a bit tardy away, last start she was very relaxed like that too, she’s the sort of horse we’ve put forward on speed and then today they ran along which obviously helped us out but to come from where she did, out of the picture we were sort of ‘what’s happening here’ we left it up to Lachie (Neindorf) and he’s pulled it off which is great. “We had her in three weeks early and then she had a hiccup, she had some mud fever and we just couldn’t get rid of it, we tried and tried and that way we ended up in the Queen Of The South first up without a jump out or a barrier trial, so huge run there to run fifth and just done track gallops, she’d only galloped with another horse once. “We were really happy with that and we knew today she was just firing. “Great horse, one of those things, bit of pressure, bloody happy we got the win. “When those horses you know they’re good but they not quite getting there, she doesn’t travel interstate, we’re like ‘oh god, come on’ sort of thing and then when they do this you’re sort of like ‘finally’.” Horse racing news View the full article

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking) relished the heavy track at Newcastle to break a 22-month hiatus from the winner’s stall in the Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2200m). Stable representative Ben Elam said he was delighted to see rain lashing Newcastle, knowing it would play to the strength of the six-year-old son of Shocking. “He’s a horse that, the more rain the better, so when we were sitting in the pub last night having a beer and talking about the races and the Newcastle trots got abandoned, we were pretty confident that we were going to get the track that we wanted,” Elam said. “We did a few things with him since his last start and kept him nice and fresh. “I told (jockey) Chad (Schofield) to wake him up in the barriers and see if he’d jump and he gave us something today to work with. “He was able to settle midfield rather than be right out the back where the race is over before it’s started.” Schofield gave Hezashocka the run of the race off the speed and with cover, although his good work almost came undone when a couple of the horses ahead of him began to weaken quickly before the home turn. Schofield was able to manoeuvre Hezashocka ($4) into the clear and set out after Rachel King aboard Sir Lucan ($21), who had skipped away to a good lead halfway up the straight. “I thought maybe Rachel King, she was off and gone, but when I got him into the clear he really quickened nicely with 54 (kilos) on his back,” Schofield said. “He’s a noted mudlark and it was a good win.” Hezashocka scored by three-quarters of a length with Double Cherry (Make Believe) ($26) best of the rest, almost six lengths away. Fellow Kiwi import Goldman (NZ) (Verdi) started a $2.60 favourite and led as expected, but he had no answer when challenged and finished almost seven lengths astern of the winner. Elam says Hezashocka will now head north for the Brisbane Winter Carnival where he holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) in a fortnight. Hezashocka began his career with Shaun and Emma Clotworthy and won the Gr.2 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie before OTI Racing bought into the horse. Originally purchased at Karaka for $18,000 out of the draft of Grangewilliam Stud, Hezashocka has now won four of his 30 starts with a further eight placings and A$1,248,203 in prizemoney. View the full article

Boognish has taken out the Group 3 Proud Miss Stakes. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) It was a grandstand finish in the Group 3 Proud Miss Stakes (1200m) as the Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea-trained Boognish (+1000) got the head down in a blanket finish at Morphettville on Saturday afternoon. She had it all to do from barrier 16, with local superstar jockey Jamie Kah electing to drag back towards the rear of the field, leaving the speed battle up front. Wonderful Tonight (+2000) and Tropicconi (+4000) burst clear to the top to set the Morphettville course alight, setting a hot tempo throughout the 1200m, allowing some of the key chances to come into play in the concluding stages. Laced Up Heels (+700) surged to the lead and looked to have them all covered before a wall of horses mounted a late challenge to the wire. Grey River (+600), Right To Party (+1000) and Atlantic Spirit (+6000) were spread across the track and all had claims as the winning post approached, but in the end it was Jamie Kah and Boognish getting the head down where it mattered most, while the former trio produced some terrific dividends for exotic players. It was all about the winner in the end as Boognish made a sustained run from the rear of the field to chalk up career her first black-type win at start 12. 2024 Proud Miss Stakes Replay – Boognish Co-trainer Will Clarken was on course to breakdown the victory and credited and expert steer by Jamie Kah before alluding to what might be next for Boognish. “She deserved to get her black type win,” said Clarken. “Obviously it’s come on a big day, we really stepped off her for a while after she didn’t find the line over 1500 (metres), applied a huge amount of pressure this week and really screwed her down for today and it paid off. “I gave Jamie no instructions today, didn’t know whether to chance her arm and try and get outside lead or let her balance up and I thought after a couple of hops she was going to go forward and then she got back in a beautiful rhythm, she’s just worth so much. “With the farm we can back off them without going to the paddock, if she does it’d only be for a short amount of time and then logical would be she’d come back for the Spring Stakes and plan something out for Melbourne.” Jamie Kah was elated with the victory and spoke to the mares’ exceptional turn-of-foot. “It was quite funny because the one thing Will said not to do is just don’t give her a squeeze because she’s flying,” said Kah. “I gave her a squeeze because she was taking a while to pick up and she just took off, and I was five, ten, twenty wide around the home corner and she wasn’t entitled to win that and she won super. “I’ve won on her here before, she ducked up on the inside, her turn of foot is massive and I think this trip really suits her, I know they stretched her out but I think keeping her fresh and keeping her at this trip, if she runs like that every time, I think they’re doing something right.” Horse racing news View the full article

Scarlet Oak is Queensland bound after a strong win at Newcastle Photo: Steve Hart Former New Zealander Scarlet Oak has rocketed to the second line of betting in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) following an easy victory at Newcastle. Having just her second start in Australia and third overall, the three-year-old filly made light work of her opponents in Saturday’s Signarama Erina/Gosford Handicap (1600m) to all but confirm a trip north. Partnered by champion apprentice Zac Lloyd, the Chris Waller-trained Scarlet Oak ($2.30 fav) zipped through along the inside and was eased down on the line to score by 2.5 lengths over Nana’s Wish ($5) with Piggyback ($15) third. “I’d say she has booked a trip up to Queensland,” said Damien Fitton, representing the Waller stable. “Leave it to Chris, but she is probably on an Oaks path, as we’ve thought all along. “She is a quality filly, so it was a great win today.” Bookmakers responded quickly to the performance, tightening Scarlet Oak from $15 into a $6 equal second favourite for the Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 8. By Kermadec, the same sire as multiple Group 1 winner Montefilia, Scarlet Oak was an impressive Matamata winner for Ken and Bev Kelso before prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir won the bidding war to secure the prized filly privately. Scarlet Oak made an immediate impression for Waller, finishing runner-up to stablemate Konasana in the Group 3 James H B Carr Stakes (1400m) at her local debut. Fitton said she presented as a fitter horse on Saturday and comfortably handled the heavy track conditions. “She got through it last start where she probably just got tired the last 50m because she was first-up in Australia and her stablemate beat her, but the form has been good since,” he said. “It’s good signs going forward with a bit of rain up in Queensland.” Scarlet Oak brought up an early double for Lloyd, who won the opening race at Newcastle aboard the James Cummings-trained Pisces. Lloyd said that while Scarlet Oak was only lightly framed, she gave him the feel of a well above-average horse. “She is a level above these at the moment,” Lloyd said. Scarlet Oak is likely to have her next start in the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on May 25 as a lead-up to the Queensland Oaks. Horse racing news View the full article

Positivity has taken out the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic at Morphettville. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) It was a one-act affair in the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday afternoon, with the Andrew Forsman-trained Positivity (+130) bolting clear to claim the $170,000 prize. She put the writing on the wall in her latest outing in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) on April 27 and appeared to want to stretch out over further after closing off impressively. It was a patient ride by Damian Lane, letting the speed go as it became a true best of staying ability over the 2500m, suiting the racing style of this progressive daughter of Almanzor. Two rank outsiders ensured a genuine tempo throughout, as Quadtratic (+8000) and You Oughta Know (+25000) fought to gain the early lead, with the leading pair tussling throughout the journey. It gave the Patrick Payne-trained Zambezi Khan (+650) the perfect run in transit, stalking the leading pair every step of the way. Billy Egan peeled Zambezi Khan out four-wide turning for home and looked to be travelling best, but Damian Lane was only starting to surge aboard Positivity, careering over the top to score by 1.7 lengths. 2024 SA Fillies Classic Replay – Positivity No stable representative for the Andrew Foresman barn was on course, but Damian Lane was glowing in his post-race assessment of his filly. “She just stepped a half-length slow which put plan A out the window and just had to ride her conservative and just got into the race at the right time,” Lane said. “You know riding one of Andrew’s horses they’re going to be really fit and I just put her into the race and she did the rest. “We wanted to be in the first four so it put us on the back foot, I rode her reverse but got the result and that’s what counts. “Very good effort to hold her form as long as she has this preparation, credit to Andrew and his team for keeping her up and well for that long.” Horse racing news View the full article

Bella Waters winning the Listed Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m) at Arawa Park on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Well-related Cambridge Stud mare Bella Waters was thrown in at the deep end for Saturday’s Listed Rotorua Cup (2200m), but she proved that she belonged at black-type level with a highly valuable win. Bred and raced by Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Bella Waters is by Sacred Falls out of the Irish-bred mare But Beautiful. That makes her a half-sister to Immediacy, a classy Melbourne three-year-old who won this season’s Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield. Bella Waters made her debut only seven months ago, finishing fourth over 1200m at Tauranga on October 18. The four-year-old has come a long way in a short time since then, scoring a maiden win at Ruakaka and a Rating 65 victory at New Plymouth before stepping up to the big time in her ninth career start in Saturday’s $100,000 staying feature. Jockey Masa Hashizume took up a midfield position in eighth as Roger That and Enright set a moderate pace out in front. The speed increased when Langkawi surged forward and took over around the 1000m mark, but Hashizume had Bella Waters travelling comfortably and began to creep closer coming down the side of the track. Bella Waters was full of running at the home turn but had a wall of horses in front of her. Hashizume spotted a narrow opening four off the rail around the 250m mark, and Bella Waters pinned her ears back and charged through. Bella Waters hit the lead with 100m remaining and kept going strongly to maintain a half-length advantage over the late-finishing Aljay and Elegant Lady. Bella Waters has now had nine starts for three wins, a placing and $89,770 in stakes. “This mare has just improved with every single run,” said Moira Murdoch, who trains in partnership with her daughter Kieran. “She’s so honest. “She had a bit of weight relief today with 53kg and just got a beautiful run in transit. When she came up behind all those other horses coming up to the straight, I was just hoping we’d get a run through them. Once she got through, she really stretched out and won well. “She’s definitely a very nice staying prospect, and she’s done a huge amount in just one preparation. I’ll talk to Brendan and Jo about what we do next, but I’d imagine she’ll go out to the paddock now and we’ll wait for next season.” Bella Waters joins Immediacy as the second stakes winner among four foals to race out of But Beautiful, all of which have been winners. Horse racing news View the full article

Karman Line (inside) gets the better of La Crique in Saturday’s Group 3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m) at Arawa Park. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Red-hot rider Masa Hashizume added further plaudits to an already outstanding season when he piloted Karman Line to a deserved victory in the Group 3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. Hashizume has already smashed his previous season’s best winning tally of 33 victories set in the 2021/2022 racing year with a current total of 53 wins at the close of play on Saturday, including seven stakes victories which includes the win by Karman Line as well as that of Bella Waters who had earlier taken out the Listed Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m). In a carbon copy of his Rotorua Cup ride, Hashizume allowed the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-prepared daughter of Myboycharlie to find her feet near the rear before sneaking runs near the rail approaching the home bend. As the field fanned across the track, Karman Line found clear air three off the rail and charged to the lead before holding out the heavily backed favourite La Crique ($2.10) by a head with Imprevu finishing strongly out wide to shade Mary Shan for third. Scott was pleased to see his charge get the win after being narrowly beaten in her previous start where she was run down late by Freeze Frame over the same distance at Te Rapa. “They are winning close in so we thought there was no point in going wide,” Scott said. “She had got away on us a little and just peaked on her run last time, but she has had a really good fortnight since. “La Crique has had every chance to pick her up and she has pinned her ears back and fought her off. “This mare has really hit a sweet spot as she has had other campaigns where she never held her condition, but she has really muscled up now and her best racing is still in front of her. “She is a really talented mare who has shown glimpses from time to time and its fantastic for a loyal bunch of owners who have shown great patience.” Horse racing news View the full article

Rocababy winning at New Plymouth on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) An emphatic front-running win at New Plymouth on Saturday hinted at a lucrative winter campaign over the next few months for Rocababy. Most of the highlights of the Hawera mare’s career have come on her favoured rain-affected footing, including a victory over subsequent Group 1 winner Romancing The Moon in the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui as a three-year-old. Rocababy faced only three opponents in Saturday’s The Rock (1400m), and jockey Lisa Allpress took the race by the scruff of the neck. She went straight to the lead as soon as the gates opened, then dictated terms in front before quickening and scooting away just before the home turn. Home-track mare Sumi chased bravely down the New Plymouth straight, but Rocababy showed no sign of slowing down and crossed the finish line a length and three-quarters in front. “She just jumped so easily, got to the front, stacked them and then off we went,” Allpress said. “I thought she went a really good race at Wanganui last start, but she was slow away and just got into the wrong position against a bigger field. She still ran on really well for second. She’s done it very easily today. “I think she could go up to a mile in this campaign. They tried last season, but she was still quite weak. She’s still not a very big mare, but I feel like she’s strengthened up and she can tick along on these wet tracks.” The four-year-old daughter of El Roca has now had 18 starts for five wins, four seconds and $144,795 in stakes for her Taranaki owner-breeder Graham Meredith. Rocababy is trained at Hawera by Anna Clement. “The 1400m was a question mark today, but she’s seen that out well,” Clement said. “Lisa is one of the top jockeys in the country, and she rode her a treat. We’re really happy. “I’d like to think we could run this mare in some nice races through the winter now, but we have no plans as yet. We’ll take it day by day. She’s really sound and everything like that, so we’ll have a look at the book tomorrow and pencil something in.” View the full article

Flyer winning previously at Sandown. (Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Craig Williams & Jason Warren have combined to claim the two-year-old feature at Morphettville on Saturday afternoon, as Flyer (+360) burst clear to claim victory in the Group 3 David Coles AM Stakes (1200m). The daughter of Exceedance showed a blistering turn-of-foot in the concluding stages after getting a terrific ride in transit by the star hoop, timing his run to perfection on the back of the leader. It was the Phillip Stokes-trained The Dabble Effect (+1100) attempting to make every post a winner, with Daniel Stackhouse launching across from barrier five, ticking over some solid sectionals to maintain her early margin. The drifting second-favourite Symphony Of Colour (+290) tried to kick up the inside to hold out The Dabble Effect, but it never eventuated, as she couldn’t muster the early toe settling for cover in behind the speed. Karavas (+250) was forced to make a mid-race move under Jake Toeroek, and it almost paid off as the Jolly-trained two-year-old hit the front with 200m left to travel. There was only one challenger left late, and as Flyer got the split, she shouldn’t sensational acceleration to score an impressive half-length victory. 2024 David Cole Am Stakes Replay – Flyer Jason Warren was on course at Morphettville to praise his filly, although it wasn’t as easy as he would’ve liked. “It wasn’t exactly painless,” said Warren. “It was held up getting to the corner there and we were very patiently waiting for a run. Tough effort late, she really surged to the horse that was well in front of her outside her and a tough effort to come back on the inside. “We’ve pretty much put her to the sword this prep and she’s kept soldiering on, we sort of put her in the deep end at her second start she’s in a Blue Diamond. “We got over here to try and get some crucial black type for her being a filly and she’s shown up today and won a good little race.” Craig Williams wasn’t as concerned throughout the run, suggesting she had come on well since her last start effort a fortnight ago. “I was happy in run,” said Williams. “Thanks to Jason and his team, the people looking after the horse while she’s over here, to get her here two weeks later, she’d come on and we could see it today in her performance. Now she’s a black type winning filly, it’s great for Rosemont. “She was good to fight the further we got into the race, fortunately for me I had the horse to be able to pick up and she was quite solid late.” Horse racing news View the full article

Fancify cruises to victory at Caulfield under Jaylah Kennedy. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli While the feature race focus has been on Adelaide over the past few weeks, South Australian trainer Michael Hickmott sent handy four-year-old mare Fancify to Caulfield where she scored a comfortable victory in the Rod Griffiths Handicap (1400m). The daughter of Niagara was perfectly ridden by in-form apprentice Jaylah Kennedy comfortably finding the lead and controlling the tempo throughout before kicking away from her rivals in the home straight. It was the ninth metropolitan winner this season for Kennedy, daughter of Wingatui-based trainers Terry and Debbie Kennedy. “I ran the race to suit my horse out in front. That’s the way she likes to do it and it makes things a lot easier,” Kennedy said. “She’s very tractable. When I asked her to come back underneath me, she did that instantly and it helped us have plenty of petrol in the tank late. “I just had to ride my race to suit my horse. I think if a runner had come up outside me at the top of the straight, I still would have won, maybe even by a bit further. She is still only lightly raced, and she had a fair look around in front.” Bred and raced by well-known New Zealand racing photographer Trish Dunell, Fancify has now won four of her nine career starts, with a further three runner-up finishes. The mare began her career in New Zealand where she was a trial winner for Levin trainer Ilone Kelly. Dunell remains a shareholder in Fancify’s sire Niagara, a Group 2 winning son of Encosta de Lago, who stands at Vicki Wilson’s Hau Ora Farm in Kahuranaki, south of Hastings. Out of Laced Up, a Keeninsky half-sister to Group 1 winners Jimmy Choux and Miss Wilson, Fancify is a sibling to three other winners including Unlaced, who was fourth in the Group 2 Lowland Stakes (2100m). New Zealand breeders tasted early success at Caulfield, with the Oaks Stud bred and raced He’s Beset landing the third victory of his career when narrowly prevailing in the Ian Miller Handicap (1400m) for trainer Nick Ryan. By Darci Brahma out of Group Two winner Obsession, He’s Beset is a full brother to Group 2 winner and multiple Group One placegetter Harlech. Horse racing news View the full article

Geriatrix winning at Arawa Park on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Wexford Stables’ Queensland contingent will receive some reinforcements in the coming weeks following Geriatrix’s win in the Van Dyk’s 3YO 1400 at Arawa Park on Saturday. The three-year-old son of Almanzor was on trial to join stablemates Molly Bloom and Tomodachi across the Tasman, and secured his plane ticket with a comfortable 1.75 length triumph. He was taken back early to settle third last for jockey Sam Spratt, who bided her time before asking her charge to improve four-wide from the 500m mark. Turning for home, Geriatrix only had Fashion Icon and Charmer before him and he comfortably ranged up alongside his rivals, kicking clear in the concluding stages to record his third career victory form nine starts. Andrew Scott, who trains the colt in partnership with Lance O’Sullivan, was trackside on Saturday to witness the result and was rapt with the outcome. “She (Spratt) judged it pretty well,” Scott said. “She took off and had to make a run early, exposed him but he sustained a really nice, long gallop there. “It was just good to see him quickening away because they didn’t go a real gallop and it’s hard to do that here early in the day with not a lot of speed on. It was a good win.” Spratt was pleased with the result and said she was comfortable throughout, with her charge proving too classy in the end. “He jumped pretty well but I thought I would pop him in there behind them, I was happy with where we were,” she said. “There wasn’t a huge amount of speed, that is why I didn’t want to get the rail runners away on me too much on the corner, which they can do here. But he cruised into it and kicked away really easy. “I thought if we was thereabouts on the corner, he would be pretty hard to run down, which he was, and then he kicked away in the last 200m.” Scott was pleased to see Geriatrix return to winning form, having finished fifth and seventh respectively in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Group 3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) in his last two outings. “He has shown real glimpses of ability from time-to-time,” he said. “We got a foot problem with him over Christmas- New Year and ducked away for about six weeks with him and reset. “He has had a good autumn, but he has lacked a lot of luck in the Wellington Guineas and then the Breeders’ a fortnight ago, he was getting off the track and not really seeing the race, but his sectionals have been amazing all season. There is a good bit of ability there.” Geriatrix will now head to Brisbane where Wexford have highlighted the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m) and Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) as two potential targets next month. “The team is confident we can take him to Australia,” Scott said. “He would probably need a bit of give over there to bring them back to him a touch so he can really compete, but he is a colt that has handled a long season well, he has got great powers of recovery, and he is a sound colt, so he should go over there and hopefully perform well.” Horse racing news View the full article

Trainer Phil Cole and veteran jockey Wayne Davis, who are both recovering from serious injury, celebrating success during a Darwin race meeting at Fannie Bay. Picture: Caroline Camilleri (Fotofinish Racepix) Every chance trainer Phil Cole and stable rider Wayne Davis will be watching the Darwin races on TV from home on Saturday. The pair are recovering from serious injuries sustained this past week. Cole was in the process of repairing an airbag in his truck when it exploded into his chest at full force, resulting in six broken ribs. A few years ago, Cole escaped serious injury after a horse transporter carrying 10 horses flipped 110km south of Marla near the NT-SA border. He also broke his pelvis in three places in a track work accident at Alice Springs. Last Saturday, Davis came to grief when he was thrown from a horse during track work. It was his third serious accident at Fannie Bay after being part of a three-horse fall during the 2021 Darwin Cup Carnival and when he was dislodged during track work in late 2022 when a plover struck his horse. “It was around 6am, I was about to put my horse through his paces when he started buck jumping,” Davis said. “The bucking became more severe, then he did a right hand turn on me. “All of a sudden, I was catapulted into the air before landing awkwardly on the flat of my back. “I thought I was in trouble and from the initial shock of the impact I thought I had broken my spine. “I had never experienced so much pain in 37 years of riding.” Davis remained motionless until an ambulance arrived to transport him to Royal Darwin Hospital. The 53-year-old suffered five fractured ribs and spinal damage to his T11 vertebrae. He avoided surgery, but he won’t be back riding for at least six months. After six days in hospital, Davis is now recuperating at home. “It’s going to be a long road back as far as my recovery is concerned,” he said. “There will be physio, as well as acqa-therapy as I strive to regain my fitness. “This is my worst career injury, but I am in a good head space because I consider myself to be very lucky. “It could have been a hell of lot worse when you’re dealing with the spine. “Although I’ll miss the Darwin Cup Carnival this year, the aim is to look after myself and eventually support the Cole stable any way I can.” Davis wasn’t sure if Cole would be at Fannie Bay on Saturday to attend to the 10 horses that will represent the stable on the five-event program. “I wish Phil a speedy recovery, I’ll try and visit him on Friday,” he said. “I’m sure his wife Rhonda and long-serving stable-hand Tanya Reichstein will do a good job at the races if Phil stays at home.” The Cole stable have decent chances on Saturday with Soul Spirit (Race 1), Awen (Race 2), Star Magnum (Race 3), Miami Vice (Race 4) and Exceedingly Magic (Race 5) bound to be competitive. Cole was unavailable for comment, while Davis joins fellow Top End jockeys Paul Shiers and Adam Nicholls on the sideline with long term injury. Davis had a stint in Geraldton from October-January before returning to the Top End. Horse racing news View the full article

Edited Press Release The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) requests participation from Thoroughbred trainers and owners in the research phase of the AAEP's initiative to assist with the implementation of wearable biometric sensors to improve early detection of musculoskeletal injuries. In November 2023, the AAEP Racing Committee released a Request for Proposal (RFP) soliciting proposals from applicants for a joint project involving the development and application of wearable biometric sensor technologies that would be employed on all Thoroughbreds for all races and recorded workouts in the U.S. From 12 submissions received in response, six companies have been invited to submit a full-scale proposal detailing their implementation plan for meeting the AAEP's requirements for the “proof of principle,” or validation phase, of the initiative. Each company moving forward in the process has been asked to recruit 100 two-year-old Thoroughbreds to wear their sensor from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025. Data will be collected on each horse during this period and analyzed to determine accuracy of the sensor. Due to the large number of two-year-olds in training and racing that will be required to successfully test six unique sensors, the AAEP encourages racing managers to consider participating in this effort as sensor manufacturers begin recruiting horses for the project. “We are very excited for the next phase as it brings the sport much closer to utilizing this emerging technology as another important tool in injury detection and prevention,” said Dr. Sara Langsam, AAEP Racing Committee chair. “This effort benefits the entire industry, and we hope trainers and owners will embrace the opportunity to participate.” For more information, contact Sally Baker, AAEP director of marketing and public relations, at sbaker@aaep.org. The post AAEP Project for Wearable Biometric Sensor Development Advances appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Sunrise at Old Hilltop, an event which offers fans a chance to take a behind-the-scenes walking tour of Pimlico Race Course, will once again be part of the Preakness week lineup in 2024, it was announced via presser Friday. Admission is free to the tours–which run on a first-come, first-served basis between 6:00 and 9:00 a.m. from Tuesday, May 14 through Friday, May 17–and patrons can sign up at the registration tent on the track apron. It will not be required to register ahead of time in order to take a tour. In addition to enjoying the sunrise, fans will watch horses work on the track before meeting them up close; meet and greet horsemen; and learn some Preakness history. Tours begin with a jockey demonstration and stops along the way include the jockeys' room, the Pimlico stakes barn, and a visit to the track blacksmith, concluding inside the grandstand for a discussion on aftercare with representatives from Beyond The Wire, the Thoroughbred Makeover Project, and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Parking for the Sunrise at Old Hilltop tours is in the Rogers Avenue lot at the intersection of Northern Parkway and Woodcrest Avenue. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as spots fill up quickly. The lot will be closed and locked promptly at 10:00 a.m. More information can be found on the Preakness website. The post Sunrise at Old Hilltop Highlights Preakness Week Festivities appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

It's not quite the Chicago Bulls of the Michael Jordan era, but a look at the recent history of the $175,000 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) might give a similar impression. Trainer Chad Brown has won five of the last six editions. View the full article

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features the return of a 'TDN Rising Star'. 14.15 Chantilly, Cond, €28,000, 3yo, 12fT DELIUS (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who earned TDN Rising Star status on debut at ParisLongchamp last month, reappears over the distance of the G1 Grand Prix de Paris for which he holds an engagement. Coolmore and Westerberg's 675,000gns Tattersalls December Foal Sale graduate, who is a full-brother to the Royal Ascot winner Juan Elcano (GB), is kept in conditions company for now by Jean-Claude Rouget and meets five rivals including the filly Paraiba (Fr) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani's Francis-Henri Graffard-trained granddaughter of Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}) who was an impressive debut scorer at Deauville in November. The post TDN Rising Star Delius Takes The Next Step At Chantilly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Nolan Ramsey, the longtime assistant to trainer Michael Maker before going out on his own in April, saddled his first winner as a trainer May 10 at Gulfstream Park. The 27-year-old Kentucky native notched his first victory with Marshamarshamarsha.View the full article

Top American owner/breeder Mike Repole came away from the Kentucky Derby with a revelation: "I think Japan has caught up to us on both turf and dirt."View the full article

Nolan Ramsey, the longtime assistant to Mike Maker who went out on his own in April, saddled his first winner as a trainer Friday at Gulfstream Park when the 3-year-old Marshamarshamarsha (Demarchelier {GB}) won a $16,000 claimer by 1 3/4 lengths. Owned by his grandfather Ken Ramsey, the filly picked up her second career win with the effort after coming three-wide into the lane. The trainer has assembled a 30-strong stable in Hallandale, and has plans to train a small string in the mid-Atlantic. “It's special. It's the first one. It's great to get off the duck. It's nice doing it for family too,” said Ramsey, who was doused with water by a stable employee in celebration. He started hotwalking for Maker when he was 14-years-old. “I wouldn't be here without him [Ken Ramsey]. My love for the horses and horseracing all came from him. I remember watching the races when I was 5 or 6. He taught me how to handicap and started bringing me around the horses. Without my grandparents I wouldn't be here. To get where I've been and being able to knock off the first one for the family, that's really special.” Ramsey added of his time with Maker, “I was very grateful to work for Mike. The thing about Mike is he has all the horses. He has the Grade Is; he's got the starter allowances; he's got the 'nickel' claimers. You learn a lot from those horses.” The post Nolan Ramsey Saddles First Winner Friday at Gulfstream Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Arkansas Racing Commission unanimously approved 65 dates for Oaklawn Park's 2024-2025 racing season Monday morning and three additional December dates as well as another holiday Monday highlight the schedule, Oaklawn Park officials announced via presser Friday. Set to start Dec. 6 and run until May 3, the season will again be conducted primarily Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It was tweaked from last season due to calendar changes and business trends including a dark day Apr. 20 in observance of Easter and Feb. 9 being dropped on account of the Super Bowl. Thursdays in March and April were also omitted and the Dec. 20-22 dates fall immediately before Christmas; Oaklawn had previously been dark on that race week. “Arkansas and Oaklawn lead the nation in a lot of things innovative,” Oaklawn president Louis Cella said. “Our fans respond to weekend racing. When you look at other tracks, their non-weekend days are very slow. We're hearing many tracks are going to follow suit. Unfortunately, I think that's just horse racing. But that doesn't mean you can't have big, great race weekends, as you saw in our season this year.” Oaklawn will also race Jan. 20 on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday; Feb. 17 on Presidents' Day; and will not have racing on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day as they fall on Tuesday and Wednesday, which normally are dark days. There had been cards exclusively for 2-year-olds on New Year's Eve for the last two years and the Smarty Jones S. had been contested New Year's Day for the last three. While nothing has been set in stone, Cella did mention in the presser that making the Smarty Jones a Kentucky Derby points race for 2-year-olds was on the table. “That's a possibility,” Cella said. “You flip them. You have a 2-year-old day, but you just stack up the stakes.” GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) finished fifth in the 2024 running of the Smart Jones S. before returning to win the GIII Southwest S. and run third in the GI Arkansas Derby en route to claiming his rose blanket. GI Kentucky Oaks victress Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) won the GII Fantasy S. on her way to the lilies in 2024. The post Oaklawn Park’s 2024-2025 Live Racing Schedule to Include Additional Dates appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Prominent owner Mike Repole dipped a toe into Japanese public sales for the first time Friday, paying ¥33 million ($211,794) for a 2-year-old filly by the outstanding Orfevre (Jpn) at the Chiba Thoroughbred Sale. Foaled on Valentine's Day in 2022, the bay was bred by Shadai Farm and is out of Unlimited Budget (Street Sense), making this something of a full-circle moment for the owner. “We've been studying the Japanese pedigrees for months now. We recently purchased two Deep Impact (Jpn) mares,” Repole explained. “This purchase was just another opportunity with more to come. I raced the mare Unlimited Budget. She was a multiple graded stakes horse.” Repole gave $475,000 for Unlimited Budget, a Florida-bred half-sister to GIII Schuylerville S. winner and GI Spinaway S. runner-up Jardin (Montbrook), at the 2012 OBS March Sale and she became a 'TDN Rising Star' with a 9 1/2-length debut romp at Aqueduct before adding that year's GII Demoiselle S. The bay carried her juvenile form into the first half of her 3-year-old season, winning the GIII Rachel Alexandra S. and GII Fair Grounds Oaks ahead of a third to her upset-minded stablemate Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior) and Beholder (Henny Hughes) in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Runner-up in the GIII Rampart S. in 2014, Unlimited Budget retired with earnings of better than $758,000 and was purchased by Shadai for $1.3 million at that year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Since her import, Unlimited Budget has produced three winners from five starters. “The Japanese approach to building their bloodstock over the last three decades has been really strategic and now you see it paying dividends all over the world,” Repole said. “I'm really excited to get into their sales in the coming months and hopefully find some nice prospects. For now, we will have to bring them back to the U.S., but it would be awesome to race in Japan one day.” Winner of the Japanese Triple Crown and the country's Horse of the Year in 2011, Orfevre is best remembered as a racehorse for the 2012 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, when he looked all but certain to give Japan a coveted first win in Europe's top weight-for-age contest before hanging in through the final stages and dropping a neck decision. He is the sire to date of 27 black-type winners, 21 at the group/graded level and of those, four at the highest level. Though one might expect his progeny to excel on the grass, the 16-year-old Orfevre has proved surprisingly–perhaps shockingly–successful with his dirt runners, including G1 Dubai World Cup hero Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) and Marche Lorraine (Jpn), longshot and landmark winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in 2021. His additional dirt winners at group level include Justin (Jpn), whose dam was by Gone West; Lagom (Jpn), a son of 2014 GIII Fantasy S. victress Sugar Shock (Candy Ride {Arg}); and Gilded Mirror (Jpn), produced by an imported daughter of Tiznow. The experience has been an eye-opener, Repole said. “I loved the transparency–the reserve is public, all of the veterinary information and scans are available online, so it was very comfortable for us to participate,” he said. “The reserve being public is brilliant. I'd like to think we could learn from this and help build more confidence in our own sales processes going forward.” The sale was led by a filly from the first crop of the expatriated undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Nadal (Blame), who fetched a top price of ¥121 million ($776,941). Slow Thursday night…but the Commissioner out here making some racing history….. Repole Stable is happy to announce we made our first purchase in Japan! We bought this filly by champion Orfevre out of my former multiple graded stakes winning mare Unlimited Budget for 33… pic.twitter.com/8qLTcLWwtf — Repole Stable (@RepoleStable) May 10, 2024 The post Repole Strikes For Orfevre Filly At Japanese 2YO Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Three additional December dates and another holiday Monday highlight Oaklawn's 2024-25 live racing schedule. The track will race 65 dates next season (Dec. 6-May 3), largely on a Friday-Sunday schedule.View the full article

With Chester's Derby and Oaks pointers failing to unearth a dazzling candidate this week, it is the turn of Lingfield on Saturday to potentially provide a clearer picture of how the Epsom Classics will shape up. The Listed Derby Trial, which has produced one Blue Riband hero in recent times in Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), sees Ballydoyle bring across their G3 Ballysax S. second and third The Euphrates (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ryan Moore keeping the faith in the latter. All the evidence so far in 2024 points to Aidan O'Brien's runners badly needing their first run back, so it is probably wise to cut last year's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud third Illinois quite a bit of slack and this is traditionally the week that the stable first finds that irresistible form that can run deep into the year. With his Saint-Cloud conqueror Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) set for Sunday's G3 Derby Trial at Leopardstown, we should know a lot more prior to York's Dante Festival which forms the climax of the run of middle-distance Classic trials. Away from Ballydoyle, the Lingfield prep also hands Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and Harry Herbert another chance to get excited as the Roger Varian-trained Defiance (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) bids to build on an eye-catching second in a renewal of Epsom's Blue Riband Trial possibly a shade deeper than is usually the case. Re-opposed by the fourth in that 10-furlong contest, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's TDN Rising Star Arabic Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Defiance has the feel of a colt coming good at the right time to give him a squeak in the Derby. “Right now I think he's a live contender,” Herbert said. “He's a beautifully-balanced horse who has shown he can act around Epsom and he's going to stay well, so he's ticking some good boxes but first of all we've got to see if he can win a race like this. We'll know afterwards whether we'll be throwing our cards into the Derby ring or going elsewhere.” Does The King Have Hidden Classic Treasure? It is 23 years since the Royal silks went close to winning an Epsom Classic and the pain of Flight Of Fancy (GB) (Sadler's Wells) finding one too good in the Oaks was in turn 24 years on from the success of Dunfermline (GB) for The Queen. Ralph Beckett, who has already uncovered an Oaks gem in midweek, saddles the current monarch's authoritative Nottingham maiden winner Treasure (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial that he tends to target with his better prospects. “Ralph is very happy with Treasure, who has the size and scope to be a decent filly,” The King and Queen's racing adviser John Warren said. “We are on a fact-finding mission and as she has been prepped specifically for this race, we will learn where we stand after this to plan her future.” The Gosdens are waiting on the weather for Anthony Oppenheimer's 12-length Wetherby novice winner Danielle (GB) (Cracksman {GB}), who made giant strides on soft ground there. “The plan is to go to Lingfield with Danielle at the moment and let's hope that goes well,” John Gosden said. “She won well last time, but obviously I hope the ground stays good. If it dries up then I would be concerned about running her on quick ground.” Remarquee Returns… Also at Lingfield is the seven-furlong G3 Chartwell Fillies' S., where last year's G3 Fred Darling S. winner and G1 Coronation S. and G1 Falmouth S. runner-up Remarquee (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is another for Ralph Beckett, while Chantilly's G3 Prix de Guiche sees the Wertheimers' G3 Prix la Force winner Atlast (Fr) (Farhh {GB}) pitched in against Jean-Etienne Dubois and Haras d'Etreham's Darlinghurst (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who beat the subsequent G3 Prix Greffulhe winner Wootton Verni (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault at Chantilly in March. Draw Made For ParisLongchamp Classics… Sunday's swathe of European stakes action is headlined by ParisLongchamp's Emirates-sponsored G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and both Classics have attracted double-figure fields. Of the 15 fillies set for the Pouliches, connections of the G3 Prix Imprudence winner Romantic Style (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) has been dealt a blow with a wide draw in 14, while fellow overseas raiders Vespertilio (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who was runner-up in the G1 Moyglare Stud S., and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf fourth Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) are in 11 and eight, respectively. Of the home team, the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac second Rose Bloom (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is in stall one, while the undefeated TDN Rising Star Louise Procter (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) also fared favourably next door in two. The €650,000 Poulains features a sextet of TDN Rising Stars headed by Ballydoyle's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. hero and likely favourite Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is set to be partnered by Ryan Moore and has drawn stall six. Stablemate Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), with Christophe Soumillon booked, will exit from gate 11 while France's octet includes the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere third and fellow TDN Rising Star Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). The Yann Barberot trainee will be loaded next door to Diego Velazquez in stall 10, with his G3 Prix de Fontainebleau conqueror Ramadan (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) perfectly placed in stall five. Ground conditions look set to dry out by Sunday, with track manager Charles De Cordon also revealing that the “open stretch” six metres out from the running rail will be utilised approximately 450 metres from the post. “Good-to-soft ground is forecast for Sunday, with a 50% chance of rain materialising on Sunday afternoon,” he said. “There will be no watering of the course between now and Sunday and the open stretch, redundant since the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Meeting, will again come into play.” The post Lingfield Trials Take Centre Stage On Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Royal Breeze Racing, a racing and breeding operation located in Harvard, Massachusetts, owns two Mass-breds, a yearling by Frosted and a weanling by Beau Liam. That may not seem like a lot but when you consider that only five horses were foaled in the state between 2021 and 2023, Royal Breeze has become a leader in an industry still trying to figure out how to stay afloat when there are no racetracks in the state. The last one left was Suffolk Downs, which has not raced since 2019. “We'd rather be big fish in a small pond than a little fish in a big pond,” said Royal Breeze's owner and farm manager Carol Casella. While there are no longer any racetracks in Massachusetts, there are plenty of incentives to breed in the state as the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association has put together a unique bonus system. A Massachusetts-bred is eligible for lucrative bonus payments. The program offers bonuses payments to Massachusetts-breds when they compete at any racetrack in North America. Here's how it works: *A supplemental incentive of $10,000 is be added to the purse of any unrestricted race in which a Mass-bred horse is entered at a licensed pari-mutuel race meeting authorized by the state racing commission. *This supplemental incentive will be distributed as follows: 60%, 20%, 10%, 5%, 3% and 2% to the first six finishers. *Additionally, breeders (25%), owners (10%), stallion owners (15%), and `developers' (the horse's first owner of record, 20%) earn awards based on the race's purse, on top of any money they might win in the race. That developer award protects people who go through the trouble of breeding a Mass-bred only to see it claimed away because of the incentives. Dr Blarney, even at age 11, is the pride of the Massachusetts breeding program. Still active, he has made $788,173 on the racetrack plus an additional $181,338 in Mass-bred bonuses. Out of her 30 horses, including mares, yearlings, and foals, Casella is lucky to have two Mass-breds. The yearling by Frosted was a twin and veterinarians advised her to terminate the pregnancy. “When we got the mare back from Kentucky they hadn't caught that it was a twin,” she said. “They were identical twins on top of one another. My vet wanted to terminate the pregnancy and I said absolutely not-not after I've spent a fortune sending the mare down to Kentucky to breed. Then I found a vet at Tufts and he was able to save one of them.” Like most who have been around New England racing for a long time, Casella can remember when the sport thrived in the area, when there was Suffolk Downs, Rockingham Park, Lincoln Downs, Narragansett, Green Mountain, Scarborough Downs and several fair tracks in Massachusetts. She knows that the glory days will never return to New England, but she wants to do her part to keep a flicker of a flame alive. That's why she has been courting New England-based owners who walked away after Suffolk closed but might want to get back into the game. Among the horses they have now on the farm are 2024 foals by Nashville, Beau Liam and Mind Control; yearlings by Frosted, Jimmy Creed, Catholic Boy, Daredevil and Tiz the Law; and two-year-olds by Keen Ice and Gift Box. “We are putting all of our efforts into the Mass program to see it develop and grow,” she said. “We are trying to get more Massachusetts people involved,” she said. “I want to raise them, race them and the bring them home when their careers are over and make sure they get a good home. This is my home state. It will be great to participate with a Mass-bred and we'd love to do more. What happened to all the people from Suffolk Downs? Where did they all go? Even the bettors? We need to get these people back involved in the sport. “There are a lot of people in Massachusetts who would like to be involved. That's why we're trying to reach out to people in Massachusetts. Some of the people don't know what's happening with the bonuses. It would be great to get them involved. We have to get the word out to people in Massachusetts and all over New England. We think there's a lot of people who would love to get involved again. We have some quality horses by good sires. We want to breed quality and enjoy it and want other people to enjoy it.” Her goal is to keep the partnerships small. “We try to do small partnerships so people are real owners,” she said. “We don't want it to be the type of situation you get with the microshares. We want two or three people in on a horse. That way they are real owners. They get their owner's license, they get all the owner's privileges.” There is talk that Massachusetts may soon enter into a program similar to what they have in Delaware and Virginia, where horses born in other states can be accredited Massachusetts breds as long as they spend a minimum of three months in the state. That could provide a huge boost to the Massachusetts program. If so, virtually all of Royal Breeze Racing's horses would be certified Mass. breds. Royal Breeze is one of the few remaining thoroughbred farms anywhere in New England. Casella would welcome some competition, knowing what that would mean–that there is some life after all to the Massachusetts breeding program. The post Royal Breeze Racing Remains Bullish on Massachusetts Breeding and Racing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article