Thoroughbred Daily News

Two days after the stewards at Belterra Park imposed a $1,000 fine on the track's clerk of scales for failing to check the weight of an apprentice jockey prior to a May 2 race, an additional penalty carrying the same fine has been levied upon the rider, Summer Pauly.

For TDN's original reporting on the May 7 ruling against clerk of scales Jose Sanchez, Jr., click here.

That story explained how Pauly was facing unusual time constraints to make it to Belterra to ride a race scheduled for 2:05 p.m. after she had competed in a race 112 miles away at Churchill Downs that went off at 11:33 a.m. on the undercard of the GI Kentucky Derby.

The May 9 ruling against Pauly was nearly verbatim to the one issued to Sanchez, and it offered the same opportunity for the fine to be cut in half if Pauly doesn't appeal the penalty.

“On May 2, 2026, during the post parade of race #2, the Board of Stewards radioed Outriders to bring #1 Bobby's Gift back to the paddock to re-check Apprentice Jockey Summer Pauly's weight, due to Steward's concerns it was incorrect,” the ruling stated.

“The scale showed Ms. Pauly was six pounds under the required weight listed in the program, due to Clerk of Scales Jose Sanchez, Jr., and Summer Pauly failing to check at time of weighing out. The weight was corrected and #1 Bobby's Gift returned to the racetrack,” the ruling stated.

Bobby's Gift, a 7-year-old son of Into Mischief, was the 3-2 favorite in the one mile and 70 yards route for $5,000 claimers. He led until deep stretch and was caught by two closers, finishing third.

According to the ruling, Pauly met with the Belterra stewards May 8 after waiving her right to a formal hearing.

“After consideration of all evidence the Belterra Park Board of Stewards hereby fine Apprentice Jockey Summer Pauly $1,000 for failure to weigh out in a timely manner,” the ruling stated. “Any further violations of this nature will lead to increased penalties and potential action regarding the conditions of the license.”

The post Update: Belterra Stewards Also Fine Jockey Involved in Pre-Race Weigh-Out Omission appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Undefeated Taj Mahal (Nyquist) has been all the rage in the lead up to the GI Preakness Stakes, and his move Saturday morning will have done nothing to cool those feelings as the Brittany Russell trainee posted his fourth consecutive bullet move.

Sent out to work five furlongs with exercise rider Alex Beitia aboard, he went in company with stakes winner Regalo (Maximus Mischief) early in the morning at 6:15am. Taj Mahal cruised through splits of :12 1/5, :24 1/5, :36 2/5, and :48 flat while leading his workmate throughout. Pulling away with little urging in the lane, he hit the wire in 1:00.20 (1/9) before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 according to Laurel clockers.

“I feel great. We got it out of the way,” Russell said. “He went well and it looks like he's cooled out well. He's really happy, so that's kind of all you can ask.”

“[He was] steady, in hand, happy [and] galloped out good. We're keeping it really simple. Alex knows this horse. He's breezed him pretty much every time,” Russell continued. “[Jockey] Sheldon [Russell] breezed him before he broke his maiden to get to know him and everything, but Alex sits on him every day, so it makes sense. He knows him best.”

Taj Mahal's usual rider was aboard Regalo for the workout, and will have the mount once again in the Preakness. Sheldon Russell was equally impressed with the work given who the workmate was, saying, “It looked good from where I was sitting. [Regalo is] coming off a bit of a layoff, but [he] is a good work horse.”

For as well as things went for Taj Mahal, they went not-so-well for The Hell We Did (Authentic) when his final planned breeze was interrupted by an uncontrolled horse. Trainer Todd Fincher is reportedly debating giving his charge another chance Sunday morning after his Saturday plans were scuffled.

With exercise rider Christian Olmo in the irons, The Hell We Did had begun his work after the first renovation break when he was pulled up on the backstretch due to a riderless horse. They turned back and were able to go again, completing the five-furlong move in 1:01.40 (2/9).

“I don't think the horse was loose, I just think the rider was off and holding on,” said Fincher, who arrived in Maryland Friday evening. “Sometimes it's not meant to be. Things happen for a reason. It's not anything he did wrong. It's just circumstance.”

The half-brother to G1 Saudi Cup winner Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) seemed unbothered afterwards, and returned to Barn 17 no worse for wear.

Trainer Danny Gargan was not shy when asked about Talkin (Good Magic) Saturday morning, saying he's never had a horse physically going into a Triple Crown race as well as his latest star by sire Good Magic. The colt went out Saturday morning at Keeneland and posted a bullet half-mile breeze in a sparkling :47.80 (1/77) with exercise rider Priscilla Schaefer in the irons.

“He's doing the best he's ever done,” Gargan said by phone from Lexington. “He worked really well, went in 47-and-4, galloped out nice. He's acting good, eating good, looks good. We have him as good as we can get him right now. We just have to get lucky and hope he's good enough to win the race.”

The current plan is for Talkin to walk Sunday, have light training Monday, and ship out for Laurel Park on Tuesday. Gargan has yet to name a rider, but is reportedly waiting to see his options. The trainer will join his charges in Maryland on Tuesday as well.

“I'm not saying he's as good as Dornoch, by no means,” he said. “But Dornoch always had issues, with the foot, with this, with that. Talkin has no hiccups…I do love how my horse is doing.”

Great White | Coady Media

Seemingly no worse for wear after he flipped behind the starting gate at the GI Kentucky Derby, and was a late scratch, Great White (Volatile) turned in a 'nice and easy' final tuneup at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington Saturday morning.

With trainer John Ennis aboard for the half-mile work, the big grey clocked a comfortable :52.20 ahead of a possible start in the GI Preakness Stakes. Ennis said he didn't bother asking the clockers about a time, but from what he saw and felt, his mount got exactly what he needed from the breeze.

“It was just nice and easy, nice and slow. I rode him myself,” said Ennis, who co-owns the gelding with Three Chimneys. “Everything felt perfect. I was pleased. If he feels fresh and energy-wise he's full of himself, he'll go [to the Preakness]. We'll just see how his energy level is the next two days, and we'll probably wait to make the decision Monday morning before entries close.”

The conditioner reported that the current plan was to jog Sunday, and if everything worked out, train Tuesday before shipping out to Maryland the same day. From there, Great White would have a walk day Wednesday at Laurel Park.

GI Champagne Stakes winner Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) posted a final prep for the Preakness Saturday morning at Belmont Park, and will ship to Laurel Sunday morning to prepare for the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

Despite working a half-mile in :48.06 (4/51), trainer Chad Summers reports the time was nothing special for the grey, saying “Forty-eight is very slow for him. He worked [six furlongs in] 1:10 last week, so :48 is just a drop in the bucket for him.”

“He's been sitting on 'go' for a little while, so we just wanted to kind of slow him down a little bit this morning. [Exercise rider] Emily Ellingwood gets on him every day, does a great job with him, and she was aboard for the work this morning.”

“We took him out right before the track closed. When it was quiet, nobody else was on the track, about 10:15 this morning. He went :48, galloped out in a minute and change, 1:13, 1:26, galloped out a mile in 1:41. I think we've done all the work we can to get him fit, to get him happy, feeling good, and we'll find out if we're right next Saturday.”

Paco Lopez will have the ride in the Preakness.

Crupper (Candy Ride {Arg}), an automatic entry into the Preakness thanks to his victory in the Bathhouse Row Stakes at Oaklawn Apr. 18, is looking to leave for Maryland Tuesday after training while Ocelli (Connect) will likely ship from Churchill on Sunday after training in the morning. Corona de Oro (Bolt d'Oro) will ship for Laurel Tuesday, according to Dallas Stewart, barring any unexpected entries into the Preakness on Monday that knock him out of the race. Chip Honcho (Gun Runner) will also leave Monday per Steve Asmussen.

The post Preakness Works: Taj Mahal Sparkles, The Hell We Did Hits Snag appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Undefeated Taj Mahal (Nyquist) has been all the rage in the lead up to the GI Preakness Stakes, and his move Saturday morning will have done nothing to cool those feelings as the Brittany Russell trainee posted his fourth consecutive bullet move.

Sent out to work five furlongs with exercise rider Alex Beitia aboard, he went in company with stakes winner Regalo (Maximus Mischief) early in the morning at 6:15am. Taj Mahal cruised through splits of :12 1/5, :24 1/5, :36 2/5, and :48 flat while leading his workmate throughout. Pulling away with little urging in the lane, he hit the wire in 1:00.20 (1/9) before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 according to Laurel clockers.

“I feel great. We got it out of the way,” Russell said. “He went well and it looks like he's cooled out well. He's really happy, so that's kind of all you can ask.”

“[He was] steady, in hand, happy [and] galloped out good. We're keeping it really simple. Alex knows this horse. He's breezed him pretty much every time,” Russell continued. “[Jockey] Sheldon [Russell] breezed him before he broke his maiden to get to know him and everything, but Alex sits on him every day, so it makes sense. He knows him best.”

Taj Mahal's usual rider was aboard Regalo for the workout, and will have the mount once again in the Preakness. Sheldon Russell was equally impressed with the work given who the workmate was, saying, “It looked good from where I was sitting. [Regalo is] coming off a bit of a layoff, but [he] is a good work horse.”

For as well as things went for Taj Mahal, they went not-so-well for The Hell We Did (Authentic) when his final planned breeze was interrupted by an uncontrolled horse. Trainer Todd Fincher is reportedly debating giving his charge another chance Sunday morning after his Saturday plans were scuffled.

With exercise rider Christian Olmo in the irons, The Hell We Did had begun his work after the first renovation break when he was pulled up on the backstretch due to a riderless horse. They turned back and were able to go again, completing the five-furlong move in 1:01.40 (2/9).

“I don't think the horse was loose, I just think the rider was off and holding on,” said Fincher, who arrived in Maryland Friday evening. “Sometimes it's not meant to be. Things happen for a reason. It's not anything he did wrong. It's just circumstance.”

The half-brother to G1 Saudi Cup winner Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) seemed unbothered afterwards, and returned to Barn 17 no worse for wear.

Trainer Danny Gargan was not shy when asked about Talkin (Good Magic) Saturday morning, saying he's never had a horse physically going into a Triple Crown race as well as his latest star by sire Good Magic. The colt went out Saturday morning at Keeneland and posted a bullet half-mile breeze in a sparkling :47.80 (1/77) with exercise rider Priscilla Schaefer in the irons.

“He's doing the best he's ever done,” Gargan said by phone from Lexington. “He worked really well, went in 47-and-4, galloped out nice. He's acting good, eating good, looks good. We have him as good as we can get him right now. We just have to get lucky and hope he's good enough to win the race.”

The current plan is for Talkin to walk Sunday, have light training Monday, and ship out for Laurel Park on Tuesday. Gargan has yet to name a rider, but is reportedly waiting to see his options. The trainer will join his charges in Maryland on Tuesday as well.

“I'm not saying he's as good as Dornoch, by no means,” he said. “But Dornoch always had issues, with the foot, with this, with that. Talkin has no hiccups…I do love how my horse is doing.”

Great White | Coady Media

Seemingly no worse for wear after he flipped behind the starting gate at the GI Kentucky Derby, and was a late scratch, Great White (Volatile) turned in a 'nice and easy' final tuneup at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington Saturday morning.

With trainer John Ennis aboard for the half-mile work, the big grey clocked a comfortable :52.20 ahead of a possible start in the GI Preakness Stakes. Ennis said he didn't bother asking the clockers about a time, but from what he saw and felt, his mount got exactly what he needed from the breeze.

“It was just nice and easy, nice and slow. I rode him myself,” said Ennis, who co-owns the gelding with Three Chimneys. “Everything felt perfect. I was pleased. If he feels fresh and energy-wise he's full of himself, he'll go [to the Preakness]. We'll just see how his energy level is the next two days, and we'll probably wait to make the decision Monday morning before entries close.”

The conditioner reported that the current plan was to jog Sunday, and if everything worked out, train Tuesday before shipping out to Maryland the same day. From there, Great White would have a walk day Wednesday at Laurel Park.

GI Champagne Stakes winner Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) posted a final prep for the Preakness Saturday morning at Belmont Park, and will ship to Laurel Sunday morning to prepare for the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

Despite working a half-mile in :48.06 (4/51), trainer Chad Summers reports the time was nothing special for the grey, saying “Forty-eight is very slow for him. He worked [six furlongs in] 1:10 last week, so :48 is just a drop in the bucket for him.”

“He's been sitting on 'go' for a little while, so we just wanted to kind of slow him down a little bit this morning. [Exercise rider] Emily Ellingwood gets on him every day, does a great job with him, and she was aboard for the work this morning.”

“We took him out right before the track closed. When it was quiet, nobody else was on the track, about 10:15 this morning. He went :48, galloped out in a minute and change, 1:13, 1:26, galloped out a mile in 1:41. I think we've done all the work we can to get him fit, to get him happy, feeling good, and we'll find out if we're right next Saturday.”

Paco Lopez will have the ride in the Preakness.

Crupper (Candy Ride {Arg}), an automatic entry into the Preakness thanks to his victory in the Bathhouse Row Stakes at Oaklawn Apr. 18, is looking to leave for Maryland Tuesday after training while Ocelli (Connect) will likely ship from Churchill on Sunday after training in the morning. Corona de Oro (Bolt d'Oro) will ship for Laurel Tuesday, according to Dallas Stewart, barring any unexpected entries into the Preakness on Monday that knock him out of the race. Chip Honcho (Gun Runner) will also leave Monday per Steve Asmussen.

The post Preakness Works: Taj Mahal Sparkles, The Hell We Did Hits Snag appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Back in the States and resurfacing on the worktab for the first time since his G1 Dubai World Cup heroics, Winchell Thoroughbreds's Magnitude (Not This Time) breezed at Churchill Downs Saturday morning.

Out to work an easy half-mile, the Steve Asmussen trainee was clocked in :51.20, the 86th fastest move of 96 at the distance. It was his first published workout in North America since returning from Meydan. Also working four furlongs, among others from the barn, was MSW Braken Poppa (Aurelius Maximus), who is undefeated in 2026 from four starts at Fair Grounds. MSW & MGSP Benedetta (City of Light) went out for a three-furlong work in :37.60 (13/18).

Another noteworthy barn to send horses out for half-mile breezes was Brad Cox. His morning workers included GISW Eclatant (Into Mischief) (:48.60, [37/96]) and Juddmonte's stakes-placed 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Touch of Fire (Constitution) (:48.20, [28/96]).

Trainer Bob Baffert had breezers Saturday morning, led by Breeders' Cup champion Nysos (Nyquist), who cruised five furlongs in 1:00.20 (2/25), as well as Kristofferson (Nyquist) clocking a half-mile in :47.60 (10/96).

Among others returning to the worktab was recent GIII Bewitch victress Speed Shopper (Quality Road) for trainer Will Walden, who also went four furlongs timed in :49 flat (56/96).

The post Dubai World Cup Hero Magnitude Headlines Churchill’s Saturday Worktab appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Back in the States and resurfacing on the worktab for the first time since his G1 Dubai World Cup heroics, Winchell Thoroughbreds's Magnitude (Not This Time) breezed at Churchill Downs Saturday morning.

Out to work an easy half-mile, the Steve Asmussen trainee was clocked in :51.20, the 86th fastest move of 96 at the distance. It was his first published workout in North America since returning from Meydan. Also working four furlongs, among others from the barn, was MSW Braken Poppa (Aurelius Maximus), who is undefeated in 2026 from four starts at Fair Grounds. MSW & MGSP Benedetta (City of Light) went out for a three-furlong work in :37.60 (13/18).

Another noteworthy barn to send horses out for half-mile breezes was Brad Cox. His morning workers included GISW Eclatant (Into Mischief) (:48.60, [37/96]) and Juddmonte's stakes-placed 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Touch of Fire (Constitution) (:48.20, [28/96]).

Trainer Bob Baffert had breezers Saturday morning, led by Breeders' Cup champion Nysos (Nyquist), who cruised five furlongs in 1:00.20 (2/25), as well as Kristofferson (Nyquist) clocking a half-mile in :47.60 (10/96).

Among others returning to the worktab was recent GIII Bewitch victress Speed Shopper (Quality Road) for trainer Will Walden, who also went four furlongs timed in :49 flat (56/96).

The post Dubai World Cup Hero Magnitude Headlines Churchill’s Saturday Worktab appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

William Joseph (“Doc”) Solomon, beloved veterinarian, farm owner and mentor to many, has passed at the age of 84.

As founder and owner of Pin Oak Lane Farm, a full-service farm and equine veterinary clinic in York County, Pennsylvania, “Doc” Solomon was responsible for helping to raise a Kentucky Derby winner, Lil. E. Tee, the supposed supporting act who took a curtain call in the 1992 running of the race after favorite Arazi flubbed his lines.

Alongside the many talented horses that “Doc” Solomon helped nurture, he inspired many young veterinarians and other young horsemen and women whose careers intersected with Pin Oak Lane Farm, according to an online obituary.

“I am who I am today in part because of Dr. Solomon,” wrote Dr. Modesty Burleson, in an online profile for the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School, where “Doc” Solomon had also pursued his veterinary training many years prior.

“I loved helping him with the breeding work and became fascinated with everything related to breeding horses,” Burleson added. “He helped me choose Penn Vet–all the veterinarians I knew went to the School–where I then found a new community of mentors.”

“Doc” was born on January 20, 1942, the youngest of four siblings, and grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, baseball and basketball his twin passions.

It was when the family moved in 1956 to Gettysburg, to a farm with a stone home that formerly served as a Civil War hospital, that “Doc” Solomon developed his deep love of the horse, helping to care for the Arabians raised at the farm.

Alongside his responsibilities at Pin Oak Lane Farm, “Doc” Solomon served on multiple state, national and international veterinary and agricultural commissions.

“Among other things, he helped draft the first zoning ordinance to protect farmland in his area and travelled to Russia as part of an agricultural delegation,” the obituary reads.

“It was impossible to go to a restaurant without someone approaching him to introduce themselves as someone who had worked for him on the farm as a teenager–Doc was always ready to give a leg up to a young person who wanted to work and had an interest in horses or farm life.

“Doc knew how to do just about everything, and he generously shared his knowledge through his leadership and through his signature 'tips,'” the obituary reads.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 22, 2026 at 11am (viewing 10am) at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (in the old church at the bottom of the hill) 315 N. Constitution Ave, New Freedom, PA 17349.

The post Beloved William Joseph “Doc” Solomon Passes Aged 84 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

William Joseph (“Doc”) Solomon, beloved veterinarian, farm owner and mentor to many, has passed at the age of 84.

As founder and owner of Pin Oak Lane Farm, a full-service farm and equine veterinary clinic in York County, Pennsylvania, “Doc” Solomon was responsible for helping to raise a Kentucky Derby winner, Lil. E. Tee, the supposed supporting act who took a curtain call in the 1992 running of the race after favorite Arazi flubbed his lines.

Alongside the many talented horses that “Doc” Solomon helped nurture, he inspired many young veterinarians and other young horsemen and women whose careers intersected with Pin Oak Lane Farm, according to an online obituary.

“I am who I am today in part because of Dr. Solomon,” wrote Dr. Modesty Burleson, in an online profile for the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School, where “Doc” Solomon had also pursued his veterinary training many years prior.

“I loved helping him with the breeding work and became fascinated with everything related to breeding horses,” Burleson added. “He helped me choose Penn Vet–all the veterinarians I knew went to the School–where I then found a new community of mentors.”

“Doc” was born on January 20, 1942, the youngest of four siblings, and grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, baseball and basketball his twin passions.

It was when the family moved in 1956 to Gettysburg, to a farm with a stone home that formerly served as a Civil War hospital, that “Doc” Solomon developed his deep love of the horse, helping to care for the Arabians raised at the farm.

Alongside his responsibilities at Pin Oak Lane Farm, “Doc” Solomon served on multiple state, national and international veterinary and agricultural commissions.

“Among other things, he helped draft the first zoning ordinance to protect farmland in his area and travelled to Russia as part of an agricultural delegation,” the obituary reads.

“It was impossible to go to a restaurant without someone approaching him to introduce themselves as someone who had worked for him on the farm as a teenager–Doc was always ready to give a leg up to a young person who wanted to work and had an interest in horses or farm life.

“Doc knew how to do just about everything, and he generously shared his knowledge through his leadership and through his signature 'tips,'” the obituary reads.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 22, 2026 at 11am (viewing 10am) at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (in the old church at the bottom of the hill) 315 N. Constitution Ave, New Freedom, PA 17349.

The post Beloved William Joseph “Doc” Solomon Passes Aged 84 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A group of GI Belmont Stakes contenders are beginning to assemble at Saratoga Race Course. Leading the contingent is GI Arkansas Derby-winner and recent GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Renegade (Into Mischief), who arrived upstate for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher on Wednesday.

The colt returned to training on Thursday, and again on Friday morning for some light exercise in his first on-track appearances since finishing a neck second to Golden Tempo (Curlin) in the “Run for the Roses” at Churchill Downs last Saturday.

Renegade is in Saratoga to prepare for an intended start in the Belmont Stakes on June 6.

“He got back to the track yesterday and seems to be in good form,” Pletcher said. “He seemed to bounce out of it [the Derby] well and shipped nicely. He's probably enjoying the cooler weather. He'll have a couple breezes between now and the Belmont, and I haven't really firmed up anything. We'll monitor him this week and see how he does.”

Pletcher said he was proud of Renegade's Derby effort after the trouble he endured at the outset.

“He was super game, and it was just unfortunate he got bounced around a bit,” Pletcher said. “He still finished great.”

Renegade would likely face a rematch with the Cherie DeVaux-trained Golden Tempo in the Belmont, and potentially Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Chief Wallabee (Constitution), who is also in Saratoga for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

“We always love the Belmont, and we're excited for him, and just hoping everything goes smoothly,” said Pletcher, who has won the Belmont four times.

Kentucky Derby runner-up RENEGADE has arrived at Saratoga ahead of the Belmont Stakes! pic.twitter.com/bo1IqAoksV

— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) May 6, 2026

The post Renegade Settles In At The Spa To Train Up For The Belmont Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A new Equine Health Advisory on the risk of fatal injury in Covered Horses previously placed on the Veterinarians' List as Unsound was revealed by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) on Friday.

The advisory, which is based on data drawn from the HISA Veterinarians' List, provides practical guidance, including on the use of wearable biometric sensors during training programs to provide additional insight into horses' condition and performance.

“Decisions to place a horse on the Veterinarians' List as Unsound are made with the utmost care and expertise by Regulatory Veterinarians, and it is crucial that they are supported in their work with as much data as possible, along with strong collaboration with trainers and attending veterinarians,” said Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, HISA Director of Policy and Industry Initiatives.

When horses are scratched, they may be placed on the Veterinarians' List or Stewards' List. In 2025, 3,297 unique horses were placed on the Veterinarians' List as Unsound by Regulatory Veterinarians at Covered Racetracks. As of March 31, 2026, 1,904 of those horses (nearly 60%) have not made a subsequent start.

Crucially, through the end of Q1 2026, approximately 20% of racing- and training-related fatalities involving Covered Horses at Covered Racetracks have occurred in horses who were either still on the Veterinarians' List as Unsound at the time of death, had been scratched by Regulatory Veterinarians prior to a recent race or removed from the Veterinarians' List as Unsound within the six months preceding the fatal injury.

This is the fourth Equine Health Advisory that HISA has issued, following advisories on proximal forelimb fractures, exercise-associated sudden death and proximal hindlimb fractures. Sharing these insights from the HISA Portal supports better-informed care, promotion of best practices and reduction of the risk of equine injuries and fatalities.

Supplemental to the advisory, in December 2025, HISA announced a comprehensive review aimed at updating the Veterinarians' List and Stewards' List categories across U.S. Thoroughbred racing, with changes targeted for 2026. Through this initiative, HISA aims to modernize and harmonize these oversight tools, providing additional insights into national safety metrics.

Click here to access the full advisory.

The post HISA Issues Equine Health Advisory On The Veterinarians’ List appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A new Equine Health Advisory on the risk of fatal injury in Covered Horses previously placed on the Veterinarians' List as Unsound was revealed by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) on Friday.

The advisory, which is based on data drawn from the HISA Veterinarians' List, provides practical guidance, including on the use of wearable biometric sensors during training programs to provide additional insight into horses' condition and performance.

“Decisions to place a horse on the Veterinarians' List as Unsound are made with the utmost care and expertise by Regulatory Veterinarians, and it is crucial that they are supported in their work with as much data as possible, along with strong collaboration with trainers and attending veterinarians,” said Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, HISA Director of Policy and Industry Initiatives.

When horses are scratched, they may be placed on the Veterinarians' List or Stewards' List. In 2025, 3,297 unique horses were placed on the Veterinarians' List as Unsound by Regulatory Veterinarians at Covered Racetracks. As of March 31, 2026, 1,904 of those horses (nearly 60%) have not made a subsequent start.

Crucially, through the end of Q1 2026, approximately 20% of racing- and training-related fatalities involving Covered Horses at Covered Racetracks have occurred in horses who were either still on the Veterinarians' List as Unsound at the time of death, had been scratched by Regulatory Veterinarians prior to a recent race or removed from the Veterinarians' List as Unsound within the six months preceding the fatal injury.

This is the fourth Equine Health Advisory that HISA has issued, following advisories on proximal forelimb fractures, exercise-associated sudden death and proximal hindlimb fractures. Sharing these insights from the HISA Portal supports better-informed care, promotion of best practices and reduction of the risk of equine injuries and fatalities.

Supplemental to the advisory, in December 2025, HISA announced a comprehensive review aimed at updating the Veterinarians' List and Stewards' List categories across U.S. Thoroughbred racing, with changes targeted for 2026. Through this initiative, HISA aims to modernize and harmonize these oversight tools, providing additional insights into national safety metrics.

Click here to access the full advisory.

The post HISA Issues Equine Health Advisory On The Veterinarians’ List appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

In theory, we're in the lull between Kentucky Derby and Preakness excitement, but the Belmont Big A meeting will host a chance for a spot in New York's marquee event in June as colts assemble Saturday for the GIII Peter Pan Stakes.

Chad Brown is no stranger to jumping a talented maiden winner straight into the graded ranks, and that's what he's doing with Growth Equity (Nyquist) for owner Klaravich Stables. The colt kicked off his career last July in Saratoga with a runner-up effort against a field which yielded MSP Stradale (Yaupon), SP Day One Starter (Upsart), and MSP Honey's to Blame (Blame). From there the distance increased and so did his Beyer numbers, with his Feb. 7 seasonal bow producing an 83 for another second-place finish trying seven panels and his graduation last out Mar. 20 at a mile earning him a field-best 89. He's been working steadily since then over the training track at Belmont Park, and the morning line has him tabbed early as the 6-5 favorite with Flavien Prat in the irons for the first time.

His chief competition comes from Trendsetter (Modernist) along the rail, an easy winner of the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 11. So impressive was he that his connections ran him through the Keeneland April sale at the end of the meet, and while he did not reach his reserve, the bidding did stall at $725,000. With no immediate changes on his horizon, and with an 85 Beyer under his belt from that last race, Trendsetter posted a lights-out breeze May 1 at Keeneland, rolling through four furlongs in :47.80 (3/100). There's going to be a pace in front of him in the Peter Pan and he's likely to get an ideal set-up. He's 3-1 on the morning line.

The third of the likely betting favorites is runaway Withers Stakes winner Talk to Me Jimmy (Modernist), who inspired a lot of Derby talk after that victory Feb. 6. He was hard to handle and faded to eighth in the GII Wood Memorial Stakes Apr. 4, and ended up far outside the bubble as a result. Still, he regained the services of Manny Franco for this jump, who was the frequent rider aboard Growth Equity. The pace will not be kind to him though, and the Modernist colt will need to be at his best to pull a repeat of his February effort.

On paper, this is going to be a tough race to win for any of these fillies and mares, but Irish Maxima (Maximus Mischief) rides a winstreak into this contest for trainer John Servis as well as bringing the highest Beyer in the field to the party.

The mare is a need-the-lead type who has run her competition off their feet in 10 of her 17 lifetime starts, so it's hard to argue with a successful formula. She's more than got the experience to keep going despite this being only her second time going a mile–the first was as a juvenile in the GI Frizette Stakes behind champion Just F Y I (Justify).

We can forgive her for that try.

Still, her last two races have been back-to-back masterclasses against optional claiming company, Mar. 21 at this venue and last out Apr. 14 at Parx, and when she's bold, it's impossible to reel her back in. She's a four-time black type winner, including in the GIII Distaff Stakes over this track last year, and produced her lifetime best 101 Beyer figure against stakes company in 2024. Her increasing figures with each subsequent start in 2026 say she's on the upswing once again here and is 5-1 on the morning line.

Eunomia and Alpine Princess in the Doubledogdare | Coady Media

To her far inside is Eunomia (Tiz the Law) for Saffie Joseph Jr.–a frequent flier with strong efforts under her belt this year. Second by a neck last out Apr. 17 in Keeneland's GII Doubledogdare Stakes, both she and winner Alpine Princess (Classic Empire) earned a 97 Beyer for their respective efforts. She won her division of the Sandy Bottom Stakes at Colonial Downs Mar. 14 over G3 UAE Oaks victress Queen Azteca (Sharp Azteca) after starting her season Feb. 14 in the GIII Royal Delta Stakes. That race produced quite the running line since, as GI Apple Blossom winner Clare Beret (Not This Time), GI La Troienne heroine Shred the Gnar (Into Mischief), and the aforementioned Alpine Princess all made an appearance in that spot. She's the 6-5 morning line choice in this spot.

In between the experience is the unbeaten two-time winner Inefficiency (Constitution) for the familiar combo of Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown. She's done nothing wrong from the front end at track and trip in both occasions–winning at first-asking Feb. 20 by six lengths and again Mar. 20 against local optional claimers. Her trainer isn't in the habit of putting his horses into spots they're not ready for, but she will have to contend with seasoned speed to her outside in Irish Maxima. While she was late to the races, there is more than enough reason to believe she could improve once again.

His competition have two and three years on him in age, but lone 4-year-old One Nine Hundred (Dialed In) has the speed-of-the-speed to his advantage in his bid to claim a first graded victory in the GIII John A. Nerud Stakes. He produced the field-best 104 Beyer when taking optional claiming competition gate-to-wire two back Jan. 9 at track and trip, and was third beaten barely three-quarters of a length for it all last out Feb. 28 in the GIII Tom Fool Stakes. He's 7-5 on the morning line.

To his inside is Full Moon Madness (Into Mischief), the runner up in said Tom Fool by a nose. He's a frequent face at this level for trainer Michelle Nevin and his increasing figures say he's rounding back into form at the right time. On the rail, Radio Red (This Big Beast) brings a two-race winstreak over this track after clearing $50,000 claiming company and coming right back to win the Haynesfield Stakes Mar. 29. He's got the stalking tactics to take advantage of a pace meltdown and get first jump on the closers.

Classy European purchases making North American debuts at Santa Anita Park tends to be a successful angle more often than not, and it looks to be no different here for Bella Lyra (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the GIII Senorita Stakes.

Her juvenile season overseas began last May in the barn of Richard Hughes, who unveiled the daughter of Oasis Dream at Haydock against a field which ultimately yielded Fitzella (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}). That filly came back later in the summer to win the G3 Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot (where Bella Lyra finished third) and was eventually tried against Group 1 company that included the likes of Coolmore's G1 1000 Guineas titan True Love (Ire) (No Nay Never). In fact, several fillies who beat Bella Lyra also tried their luck in that European Classic. There is no Fitzella, nor a True Love, in the Senorita field for her to worry about this time.

After breaking her maiden in an allowance race at Windsor, Bella Lyra squeezed in a Listed placing at Newmarket before that Ascot tilt, and her final start for Hughes came in the Spring Cup Stakes Feb. 28 at Lingfield. She ran second by a length over a synthetic track. She missed her reserve in the 2025 Tattersalls December sale when bidding stalled at 270,000gns and privately changed hands afterward to the partnership of Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners and Jay Matharu. Now in the barn of Mark Glatt, there are a lot of new experiences here for her to overcome, but she's faced some salty company in Europe. She's going to be tough to beat.

Having faced salty competition of her own, Light Won Up (City of Light) will draw a lot of eyes as well. The Doug O'Neill runner went east to Keeneland for the GIII Limestone Stakes, and ran a hard-fought fourth behind a trio that included Breeders' Cup champion Cy Fair (Not This Time). She earned an 83 Beyer for that effort while the winner posted a 91, which is far and away faster than anyone else in this contest. Mo'Em Down (Caracaro), who will be eyeballing Bella Lyra in the gate, flourished over this hillside turf course in her most recent effort, but like many in this field, she'll need to show more to win. The blinkers come off and she's 5-2 for this jump.

The post Coast-to-Coast Graded Preview: Belmont Spot on the Line in Peter Pan, Big Field for Senorita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

On a busy Friday morning at Churchill Downs, 138 horses recorded a published workout with GI Preakness Stakes possible Silent Tactic (Tacitus) headlining a group which also included the G1 Dubai World Cup hero Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}).

The former, scratched from the Kentucky Derby due to an ongoing battle with a foot bruise, breezed four furlongs in :48.80 (48/111) for trainer Mark Casse.

“He worked at 5:29 [a.m.], and I saw the video at 5:30,” Casse said by phone from his main base in Ocala, Fla. “I thought he worked very well. I was happy. Had good energy galloping out. That's what I wanted to see. Now let's just see how he is. That's the first time we put pressure on that foot since it started bothering him. Right now, I'd say there's a decent shot he's going to go to the Preakness.

“I saw what I needed to see today, but I don't want to 100 percent commit,” he added. “I want to see what tomorrow brings and how he reacts to this work. I went ahead and gave him some company for that reason. He worked with a pretty nice older horse called Aristotle, a multiple allowance winner.”

Another Preakness probable Corona de Oro (Bolt d'Oro) posted a five-furlong work in :59.80 for Dallas Stewart.

Also out Friday morning was the aforementioned Brad Cox-trained Hit Show, who also worked a half-mile over the main track in :48.40.

The post Churchill Worktab: Preakness Possibles Silent Tactic, Corona de Oro on Track During Busy Friday Morning appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

There is no truth to the rumor that T O Elvis (Volatile) stepped onto the Churchill Downs main track last Saturday to the Theme from 2001 Space Odyssey, the instrumental to which the horse's namesake took to the stage for wildly popular concerts in the 1970s.

But when Elvis–T O, that is–'left the building' following a defeat of no fewer than seven last-out graded winners in a renewal of the GI Churchill Downs Stakes that was widely heralded as one of the best races of the year, there will have been no 'suspicious minds' about the 4-year-old colt.

“We were just hoping he'd hit the board and then he took off right around the eighth pole. It was impressive,” said Jeff Prunzik, who bred T O Elvis in partnership with his wife Melissa.

The Prunziks own and operate Stone Bridge Farm east of downtown Lexington in an area between Interstates 64 to the north and 75 to the southwest. Stone Bridge was a division of the Courtney Family's Crestfield Farm and in its 80-some years of existence, has been graced by better than 50 black-type winners, including Fit To Fight, Meadowlake and his champion daughter Meadow Star–who remains in pedigrees to this day as the great-granddam of the late Arrogate–and champion Action This Day.

In the form of Stopshoppingdebbie (Curlin), Stone Bridge looks to have found its next superstar producer. Bred and raced by the Northwest Farms of the late Jerre Paxton and trained by Tom Wenzel, the daughter of two-time stakes winner Taste the Passion (Wild Again) was a sensation in the Pacific Northwest, winning her first nine starts, eight in stakes company.

A half-sister to multiple stakes winners Shampoo (Gulch) and closely related to MSW Smarty Deb (Smart Strike), Stopshoppingdebbie fetched $410,000 from Town & Country Farms and Pollock Farms in foal to Medaglia d'Oro at Keeneland November. But that mating, along with subsequent visits to American Pharoah and Pioneerof the Nile effectively yielded no fruit and the Prunziks acquired Stopshoppingdebbie privately in foal to Uncle Mo in 2019.

“We bought the farm in 2017 and we slowly built the business by boarding and then we eventually got into the ownership of some mares,” explained the 56-year-old Prunzik, who is in the commercial real estate business and owns the downtown Pittsburgh eatery Olive Or Twist. “Ever since we bought Stopshoppingdebbie, everything out of her has run.”

“She was fairly correct and obviously she was by Curlin,” Prunzik continued. “I thought her race record and physical and pedigree made her attractive.”

But the 16-year-old mare has proven that she is no one-hit wonder. Her current 5-year-old, Generous Tipper (Street Sense), was third in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at two and won the Discovery Stakes at three in 2024 for Walking L Thoroughbreds and Ken McPeek before changing hands in a private purchase by Wathnan Racing.

The Prunziks elected to send Stopshoppingdebbie to Three Chimneys' Volatile for her 2021 covering.

Stopshoppingdebbie | Courtesy Stone Bridge Farm

“Our prior farm manager was a big fan of Volatile and thought it would be a nice mix to try to inject some speed into her,” Prunzik said. “And that's how it developed.”

A breed-to-sell operation with 29 mares they own outright or as part of a syndicate, Stone Bridge would have otherwise been preparing to offer the Volatile colt at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale, but things never got that far, as representatives of owner Tomoya Ozasa swooped in earlier in the year.

“I think they came in through Vinery, Derek MacKenzie,” Prunzik recollected. “They were clients of his and Derek comes out every year and looks at our yearlings and our babies. They put an offer in after they visited the farm and we sold the colt.”

Stone Bridge is still well positioned to take full advantage of the booming pedigree update from last weekend. The operation retains Stopshoppingdebbie's unraced 3-year-old half-sister Under Arrest (Tiz the Law) and they bought out their syndicate on the mare's current 2-year-old filly My Pal Al (Golden Pal), who hammered for $300,000 at Keeneland September last year.

“And we have a nice Maxfield [colt] on the ground and she is back in foal to McKinzie,” Prunzik said of Stopshoppingdebbie.

Having returned to Japan earlier this week, T O Elvis could be destined for a return trip to the U.S. later this fall, this time in Prunzik's Bluegrass backyard at Keeneland.

“Oh, that would be really exciting for us, the farm and all our guys and girls on the farm,” said Prunzik when asked about a possible GI Breeders' Cup Sprint appearance. “To have it here in Lexington, yeah, that would really be exciting.”

Elvis really is everywhere. And Jeff Prunzik is loving every minute of it.

The post Breeder Prunzik Still On Cloud Nine After T O Elvis Romp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

There is no truth to the rumor that T O Elvis (Volatile) stepped onto the Churchill Downs main track last Saturday to the Theme from 2001 Space Odyssey, the instrumental to which the horse's namesake took to the stage for wildly popular concerts in the 1970s.

But when Elvis–T O, that is–'left the building' following a defeat of no fewer than seven last-out graded winners in a renewal of the GI Churchill Downs Stakes that was widely heralded as one of the best races of the year, there will have been no 'suspicious minds' about the 4-year-old colt.

“We were just hoping he'd hit the board and then he took off right around the eighth pole. It was impressive,” said Jeff Prunzik, who bred T O Elvis in partnership with his wife Melissa.

The Prunziks own and operate Stone Bridge Farm east of downtown Lexington in an area between Interstates 64 to the north and 75 to the southwest. Stone Bridge was a division of the Courtney Family's Crestfield Farm and in its 80-some years of existence, has been graced by better than 50 black-type winners, including Fit To Fight, Meadowlake and his champion daughter Meadow Star–who remains in pedigrees to this day as the great-granddam of the late Arrogate–and champion Action This Day.

In the form of Stopshoppingdebbie (Curlin), Stone Bridge looks to have found its next superstar producer. Bred and raced by the Northwest Farms of the late Jerre Paxton and trained by Tom Wenzel, the daughter of two-time stakes winner Taste the Passion (Wild Again) was a sensation in the Pacific Northwest, winning her first nine starts, eight in stakes company.

A half-sister to multiple stakes winners Shampoo (Gulch) and closely related to MSW Smarty Deb (Smart Strike), Stopshoppingdebbie fetched $410,000 from Town & Country Farms and Pollock Farms in foal to Medaglia d'Oro at Keeneland November. But that mating, along with subsequent visits to American Pharoah and Pioneerof the Nile effectively yielded no fruit and the Prunziks acquired Stopshoppingdebbie privately in foal to Uncle Mo in 2019.

“We bought the farm in 2017 and we slowly built the business by boarding and then we eventually got into the ownership of some mares,” explained the 56-year-old Prunzik, who is in the commercial real estate business and owns the downtown Pittsburgh eatery Olive Or Twist. “Ever since we bought Stopshoppingdebbie, everything out of her has run.”

“She was fairly correct and obviously she was by Curlin,” Prunzik continued. “I thought her race record and physical and pedigree made her attractive.”

But the 16-year-old mare has proven that she is no one-hit wonder. Her current 5-year-old, Generous Tipper (Street Sense), was third in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at two and won the Discovery Stakes at three in 2024 for Walking L Thoroughbreds and Ken McPeek before changing hands in a private purchase by Wathnan Racing.

The Prunziks elected to send Stopshoppingdebbie to Three Chimneys' Volatile for her 2021 covering.

Stopshoppingdebbie | Courtesy Stone Bridge Farm

“Our prior farm manager was a big fan of Volatile and thought it would be a nice mix to try to inject some speed into her,” Prunzik said. “And that's how it developed.”

A breed-to-sell operation with 29 mares they own outright or as part of a syndicate, Stone Bridge would have otherwise been preparing to offer the Volatile colt at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale, but things never got that far, as representatives of owner Tomoya Ozasa swooped in earlier in the year.

“I think they came in through Vinery, Derek MacKenzie,” Prunzik recollected. “They were clients of his and Derek comes out every year and looks at our yearlings and our babies. They put an offer in after they visited the farm and we sold the colt.”

Stone Bridge is still well positioned to take full advantage of the booming pedigree update from last weekend. The operation retains Stopshoppingdebbie's unraced 3-year-old half-sister Under Arrest (Tiz the Law) and they bought out their syndicate on the mare's current 2-year-old filly My Pal Al (Golden Pal), who hammered for $300,000 at Keeneland September last year.

“And we have a nice Maxfield [colt] on the ground and she is back in foal to McKinzie,” Prunzik said of Stopshoppingdebbie.

Having returned to Japan earlier this week, T O Elvis could be destined for a return trip to the U.S. later this fall, this time in Prunzik's Bluegrass backyard at Keeneland.

“Oh, that would be really exciting for us, the farm and all our guys and girls on the farm,” said Prunzik when asked about a possible GI Breeders' Cup Sprint appearance. “To have it here in Lexington, yeah, that would really be exciting.”

Elvis really is everywhere. And Jeff Prunzik is loving every minute of it.

The post Breeder Prunzik Still On Cloud Nine After T O Elvis Romp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

When Monmouth Park opens its doors for the 2026 season on Saturday, the issues it faces will already be obvious. Only eight races were carded with 63 horses entered. With only 500 to 600 horses on the grounds, the Elkwood section of the backstretch has temporarily been closed. The Long Branch Stakes did not fill, but the racing office salvaged the race and it will be run Sunday with a field of six.

Those are just some of the issues facing the picturesque Jersey Shore track as it prepares to kick off a 50-day meet, and they are serious enough to raise questions about Monmouth's future. But Dennis Drazin, who heads the management team that runs the track, is adamant that the track that has been around since 1946 will survive.

“I'm not going to let Monmouth Park close on my watch,” Drazin said. “Whatever I have to do to make ends meet, I'm going to do to support live racing and breeding in the state of New Jersey.”

The obvious quick fix would be for Monmouth to get a casino, something that it has been pressing for for decades, but has always been stymied by political forces that back the Atlantic City casinos. But there is hope this time. Bills have been introduced that would allow Monmouth and the Meadowlands to open casinos, but they must be passed by a 60-40 “super majority” in both branches of the legislature. If that happens, the casino question would then appear on the 2026 ballot. In 2016, the voters were asked to approve casinos outside of Atlantic City, an initiative that went down to a staggering defeat, losing by 54.48% points.

Drazin believes that the idea of a casino at Monmouth remains a possibility, but he isn't necessarily expecting it to happen overnight.

“Right now, all our eggs are in the casino basket, but the casino play is running out of time for this year,” he said. “It doesn't mean it can't happen, but we're dedicated to continuing over the next two years at the latest while continuing to try to make the casino play. Our first preference is this year, but with the budget coming up and June 30 probably being the end of legislators coming in for the year, that just gives us between now and June 30 to try and get it on the ballot for November. We're continuing to press the issue, but right now we're running out of time. Absent the casino, I'm going to continue to do the best I can to put on the best show that we can given the limited resources.”

If the casino effort fails, Drazin said he may turn to Historical Horse Racing Machines.

“If you were to say we give up completely on a casino, which I'm not prepared to do, then you turn around and you look at things like historical racing, which would also require a constitutional referendum,” he said. “Maybe there's not as much opposition to historical racing as it relates to casino expansion. But I think if you make that play now and go on the ballot for that, you probably would be foreclosing the opportunity to get the casino down the road because they would say we already took care of you.”

The purses at Monmouth are subsidized to the tune of an annual $20 million investment by the state, half of which goes to the Meadowlands. That money allows Monmouth to have purses that are comparable to tracks that it competes against, like Parx, Laurel and Delaware Park. But Governor Mikie Sherrill, who was elected in 2025, has cut the subsidy to $5 million in her budget for fiscal year 2027. Because of this uncertainty, a new bill was introduced in March 2026. It would allow Monmouth Park to drastically reduce its racing dates–to as few as 25 days–if the state fails to provide at least $10 million in purse money.

It's still one more battle Drazin is facing.

“Governor [Phil] Murphy [Sherrill's predecessor] was very, very good to us over the years,” Drazin said. “In his proposed budget, he took the 20 down to 10 and it always got put back up to the 20. But when the state needs revenue, you can't cut some people and not others without raising eyebrows and having people say, 'This isn't fair.' So this is a process we've been going through even in the prior administration and the legislators who support racing and the governors have always ultimately given us the $20 million. So I wouldn't say I'm panicked yet.”

Drazin said Monmouth's horse population will be down from last year, but will eventually reach about 1,000 horses. They are facing competition from what is a much healthier racing circuit in Parx, and it will only get worse with Delaware Park now open and with Colonial Downs set to reopen June 25. There is no part of the country that has such a glut of racetracks, and Monmouth is the only track in the region that does not receive revenue from casinos.

“[New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association Executive Director] Mike Musto has been very vocal about the whole Mid-Atlantic region and what needs to change in terms of not competing against each other,” Drazin said. “This is something we've been struggling with for as long as I've been around. Just by way of example, the conflict between the Haskell and the Jim Dandy is probably the biggest standout. Instead of one race with 10 to 12 horses, you have two races with six to eight. That doesn't make sense to me. I think we need to cooperate.”

Monmouth Park is a survivor, but little has gone its way in recent years. It made headlines for the wrong reasons at the end of last year's meet when it ran out of money and couldn't immediately pay horsemen.

The track's survival may hinge on getting a casino, but that is far from a guarantee. Absent that, what can Drazin and his team do? His answer is this: find a way.

“I'm trying to save an industry,” Drazin said. “I'm trying to do the right thing. It would be easy for me to walk away from it all in terms of my own time and how much effort I put into all this, but that's not part of my DNA. I took on the responsibility years ago to help the horsemen and I spend probably more time than I should on the track instead of concentrating on my law practice. But I think it's very important that horse racing in New Jersey and breeding in New Jersey survives. It is something that has always been part of my life. As long as I am here, it's not going to go away.”

The post Ready to Open for Another Season, Monmouth Has Problems, but Drazin Vows to Fight On appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

When the new Belmont Park opens on Sept. 18, NYRA will kick off an expanded fall meet that will run through Dec. 6 and include 72 stakes races worth $17.7 million in total purses, the racing association announced Thursday.

Among the highlights will be the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, which has been moved back to the downstate track after being run in Saratoga from 2021 through 2025. With a purse of $1 million, it will be the feature race on the first day of racing at the new facility. The Jockey Club Gold Cup provides a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic. To help unveil the new Belmont Park to a national audience, FOX will present live coverage of the Jockey Club Gold Cup on its broadcast network.

“The new Belmont Park will provide the stage to showcase the best racing in North America,” Andrew Offerman, NYRA SVP, Racing & Operations, said in a statement. “With that in mind, we have arrived at a stakes schedule that reflects the importance of the fall racing season, emphasizes major weekends throughout the meet, and establishes a strong foundation in advance of the 2027 Breeders' Cup World Championships. We look forward to Sept. 18, and the next chapter in NYRA's history.”

There was one notable to change to the stakes schedule as the Woodward was not included. Once one of the most prestigious races in the country, it has struggled to find a place on a calendar that is loaded with stakes races in the late summer and early fall on the dirt for males and had been dropped to Grade II status. Twenty winners of the race were eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“As a result of the shift of the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Belmont Park, the Woodward has been temporarily furloughed for 2026 and will return to the NYRA Stakes Schedule in 2027 on a date to be determined,” said NYRA Vice President Communications Patrick McKenna.

One important and historic NYRA race has returned. The GII Brooklyn Stakes, which was not held in 2025. is back on the schedule, slated to be run on Dec. 5. When last run in 2024, it was held on July 5.

NYRA has organized the first half of the fall meet around two consecutive “blockbuster” Saturdays to include 10 graded stakes with six Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” chances on the line. On Sept. 26, the $500,000 GI Joe Hirsch Classic will headline a program that will also feature the $500,000 GII Flower Bowl, a “Win and You're In” to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, the $250,000 GII Vosburgh, a “Win and You're In to the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, and the $250,000 GII Gallant Bloom.

Four Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races will be run on Oct. 3 as part of a lucrative program designed to showcase emerging stars from the juvenile division. Headlined by the $500,000 GI Champagne Stakes, a prep for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the Oct. 3 card will also feature the $500,000 GI Frizette Stakes, the $250,000 GII Pilgrim, the $250,000 GII Miss Grillo Stakes, the $200,000 GII Futurity and the GIII Matron.

The GII Man o'War Stakes, previously contested during the Belmont spring meet, has been shifted to Nov. 28.

The final Saturday of the extended meet will be held on Dec. 5 and will include the Brooklyn, the $250,000 GII Cigar Mile Stakes, the $250,000 GII Remsen Stakes, the $250,000 GII Demoiselle Stakes and $250,000 GIII Elite Power Stakes.

To view the entire Belmont Fall Meet stakes schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/stakes-schedule/.

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The stewards at Belterra Park have imposed a $1,000 fine on that track's clerk of scales, Jose Sanchez, Jr., for failing to check the weight of apprentice jockey Summer Pauly before she rode the 3-2 favorite in the second race May 2.

A ruling issued Thursday, described what happened:

“During the post parade of race #2, the Board of Stewards radioed Outriders to bring #1 Bobby's Gift back to the Paddock to re-check jockey Summer Pauly's weight, due to Steward's concerns it was incorrect. The scale showed Ms. Pauly was six pounds under the required weight listed in the program, due to Clerk of Scales Jose Sanchez Jr. failing to check the jockey at time of weighing out. The weight was corrected and #1 Bobby's Gift returned to the racetrack.”

Bobby's Gift, a 7-year-old son of Into Mischief, was the 3-2 favorite in the one-mile-and-70 yards route for $5,000 claimers. He led until deep stretch and was caught by two closers, finishing third.

The ruling stated that Sanchez had waived his right to a formal hearing before meeting with the stewards, and that his fine would be cut in half to $500 if he did not appeal.

“Any further violations of this nature will lead to increased penalties and potential action regarding the conditions of the license,” the ruling stated.

Sanchez could not be reached for comment prior to deadline for this story.

Although the ruling did not elaborate on the circumstances, Pauly, a five-pound apprentice, was facing unusual time constraints in trying to get to Belterra to ride four mounts last Saturday because she was pulling double duty at two tracks.

Pauly rode in the second race on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. That race had an 11:33 a.m. off time.

After finishing 11th and last on a 70-1 shot at Churchill, Pauly then had to make the 112-mile trek from Louisville to Cincinnati, a drive that normally takes about an hour and 45 minutes, but was likely exacerbated by Derby day traffic.

Post time for the second race at Belterra was scheduled for 2:05 p.m., but after the delay for Pauly needing to be called back to the scale to be properly weighed, the off time was 2:12 p.m.

Pauly then won Belterra's third race aboard the 7-10 favorite.

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Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 94 entries for its May Digital Sale, which opened for bidding Thursday. Amongst the full catalogue, which may be viewed online here, is the five-strong consignment of Tessa Walden's Evergreen Equine, including an exciting 2-year-old maiden special weight winner from Keeneland in Blessed Flyer (Dialed In) (hip 1).

“It's hard to get them to races this early and he did it very effortlessly,” Walden said. “There were some bullet works in there and some other flashy moves but the best move he made was when he won. I think he's the full package. He's a good-sized horse, around 16 hands. He's super strong. Looks like he's still got some growing to do even on top of that.”

What impressed Walden the most from Blessed Flyer's Apr. 16 debut was not so much that he won, but how he did it.

“It was a much larger field than some of the other 2-year-old races we saw, which were maybe five or six-horse fields. This was a 10-horse field,” said Walden. “And then on top of that, we got to see a horse that showed diversity in his first start. So many of the 2-year-olds that are impressive at this time are year are horses that leave the gate and never look back. But what this horse did was he left the gate and found himself mid-pack. He took dirt, and he didn't like it but he pinned his ears and instead of basically wussing out, he ran up between horses and then targeted the leader and ran that horse down and beat him on the wire. And then he continued to gallop out. It was this huge, mature move that is so much greater.”

“The last thing I want to see in a 2-year-old race, when you're looking towards the future, is a horse that runs to the wire on the lead and then stops. They've got to have continuance. It's the most important ingredient for a horse that's going to develop into being something good, and this horse has it. He's by Dialed In, who is a good, proven, blue-collar stallion. There's a lot to be excited about with this horse.”

Now in its second full year of operation, Evergreen Equine brings in a diverse slate of horses from across the country which Walden specifically points through the Fasig-Tipton Digital Platform.

“Anything that's a racehorse is going to sell well, especially if it has conditions,” Walden said. “I have four horses from California this time. They're all horses that are actively racing. One of them, Sterling Sea (Union Rags) (hip 16), just broke his maiden May 1 for $50,000 [at Santa Anita].  And he'll be a great purchase now being starter eligible. Then I have a couple that'll be fresh for turf season that are more turf-oriented. [Turf horses] are a hot commodity right now [ahead of the racing season] with Colonial Downs, New York and Laurel Park, and then Ellis Park and Kentucky Downs too.”

Walden acknowledged the ease of which Fasig-Tipton allows consignors the opportunity to market a horse from its stall over two thousand miles away all while saving prospective buyers money.

Tessa Walden | Sara Gordon

“In reality, someone isn't going to try to arrange a situation where they can claim a horse out there unless they're local to California and specifically looking for that horse,” Walden said. “[Fasig-Tipton] has created a really good, easy way to move horses who may stay [where they are]. I would say probably 50% of the horses I've sold that reside in California have stayed there.”

The Digital Platform afforded Walden an opportunity to sell horses on a flexible schedule as she kicked off on her own after nearly 10 years working under the tutelage of trainer Brad Cox.

“[Brad and I] talked a lot about bloodstock throughout my last six months of working for him,” Walden said. “And Carrie Brogden [of Machmer Hall] was the main person who told me, 'You need to do these digital sales. This is going to be amazing for you as a mom with your schedule.' She's the one that really pushed me and I'm so glad she did because it's really opened up a whole new realm of things that I can do. And the more you do it, the more momentum you get.”

“I'm so passionate about bringing [2-year-olds] along. What are their strong points? What are their good qualities? I think Fasig's provided a great platform for 2-year-olds especially that people maybe didn't want to push into the 2-year-old sales and they want to do something a little more laid back. This platform has grown and grown and I'm really blessed that I get to do what I do because it's been amazing.”

In addition to Evergreen Equine, the Fasig-Tipton May Digital Sale features offerings such as:

• 40+ horses of racing age
• Broodmares in foal to Drain the Clock, Early Voting, Mage, Munnings, as well as first season sires Barnes, First Mission, and Il Miracolo.
• Mares with foals at foot
• 2-year-olds in training
• Yearlings

“We're coming off a great April sale and an exciting weekend which saw Digital grads win two stakes on the Derby undercard,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales. “Despite the short turnaround from the April sale, which ended less than two weeks ago, we have a significant catalogue of horses of racing age, breeding stock, two-year-olds in training, and yearlings on offer.”

To create an account or register to bid for the May Digital Sale, prospective buyers should click here.

The post Fasig-Tipton Digital Platform An ‘Evergreen’ Opportunity For Walden appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

At this point in time, there is no reasonable argument to be made that the Preakness should remain two weeks after the Kentucky Derby. Four winners in just the last seven years (2019-2026) have bypassed the second leg of the Triple Crown. These include Golden Tempo (2026), Sovereignty (2025), Rich Strike (2022), and Country House (2019).

How stupid do you want to get? Would you like the American Triple Crown to be a practical non-entity as with the English Triple Crown, where you are extremely lucky to have a participant in the St. Leger that also ran in the Epsom Derby?  The English Triple Crown is not a “thing” anymore.

Ignoring Kentucky Derby winners, year after year as of late, few horses that ran in the Kentucky Derby run in the Preakness. For those that participated in the Kentucky Derby and did not win, there is even less incentive for them to run in the Preakness, since they have no chance at the Triple Crown. And this year, we have near perfection: as of May 7, save for the possibility of Ocelli, not a single horse that ran in the Kentucky Derby appears to be running in the Preakness.

I could go through the history of the Triple Crown to show that there have been differences. Sir Barton ran in a mile and 3/8 (not 1/2) Belmont, and the Preakness was only 1 1/8 miles (not 1 3/8) and only four days after the Kentucky Derby. When Gallant Fox won the Triple Crown, the Preakness was 8 days before the Preakness. Heck, in 1890, a 5-year-old won the Preakness which was run as a handicap at Morris Park in the state of New York at 1 1/2 miles (the distance of the modern Belmont). If that wasn't enough, two races later on that 1890 Preakness day the Belmont Stakes was run at the same track at 1 1/4 miles.

Changes are not all relics of the past. While the Belmont has been a Saratoga ('24,'25,'26), it has been run a 1 1/4 miles and not the traditional 1 ½ miles.  By the way, when Belmont was under construction in the 1960's, for five years, 1963-1968, the Belmont was run at 1 1/2 miles at Aqueduct. So I don't want to hear anything about the need to preserve “tradition.”

“Traditionally,” the better horses ran in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness–they obviously do not anymore. You would have to be thick beyond belief to not take this new development into consideration when scheduling the Preakness. How stupid can horseracing get? The fans of the sport are sick and tired of not being listened to. The Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont are not like other races. They should be placed one month apart, so that horses are encouraged to run in all three races, and the rest of horse racing should set their calendars around that fact.

There is a reason the old saying “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result” is said over and over again. Here's to insanity, a deaf ear, and a much less interesting Preakness.

Rinaldo Del Gallo, III

The author is a horseracing fan and historian

The post Letter to the Editor: Rinaldo Del Gallo, III appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Turf Paradise had to cram them in on the day of the GI Kentucky Derby Day. Every seat in the track was sold out and, including those who bought general admission tickets, the estimated crowd was 7,500. While most tracks draw big crowds for the Derby simulcast and live racing, this was something new for Turf Paradise.

The facility had grown into such disrepair that no one had wanted to come. Things were so bad that, according to new

GM Tom Ludt, most people living in the Phoenix area did not even realize that Turf Paradise was still open.

“This sport was going to die here,” Ludt said.

Now, they had a sellout on Derby Day.

Not everyone was ready to give up on a track that had been open since 1956.

California horse owner and real estate developer Gary Hartunian's Skyfall 7 LLC entered into an agreement with track owner Jerry Simms, signing a two-year lease with an option for an extension. The deal was made in September, but due to required approvals from the Arizona Racing Commission, the new owner, who put Ludt in charge, wasn't able to fully take control of operations until mid-December.

Once given the green light, Ludt made fixing up the plant and reviving on-track attendance his main priorities. A lot of people live in or around Phoenix. The Greater Phoenix metropolitan area (Maricopa and Pinal counties) has a population exceeding

5 million. He just had to find a way to get them to discover or rediscover Turf Paradise.

“It's the reason I agreed to come out here,” said the veteran track executive, who has served as the chairman of the Breeders' Cup, and the president of Santa Anita, said. “As a horse racing fan all my life, if we don't start creating new fans, this industry's going to die. Phoenix is the perfect climate this time of year and have the perfect dates. If you don't get people to the track to fall in love with horse racing, you're going to lose your fans. We had to make a concentrated effort to get people here. We have to make coming to the track fun again. I've gotten into more arguments with people about this. Tracks that are abandoning the on-track experiences are killing the industry.

“You and I are going to continue to bet, but our kids aren't if they've never been to the track. You don't fall in love with it watching it on your phone. I mean, you just can't. People say, 'Well, but the sport's going in the wrong direction.' It's going the wrong direction because we've given up on it. Look at NASCAR, look at soccer, look at some of the sports that were dying. They had to find a way to have a resurgence and motivate people to come to the events and, a lot of times, at new facilities.”

It took a lot of work to bring back a facility that had been neglected for years. Things were so bad that what had been a director's room was boarded up and used for storage space. Several glass windows were covered with plywood and some areas of the grandstand were so dilapidated that they were closed off.

Ludt said it all started with cleaning the place up.

“The first thing we did was we cleaned it up,” he said. “We created a beautiful infield that had gone to hell. We created a nice general admission area. We created a good simulcasting area, and then we opened up a VIP room. And so we created three atmospheres for the different levels of play. We really emphasized cleaning our facility. We've got an incredible corporation that we've hired to do our cleaning. I'm very proud to hear customers say they see our cleaning crew everywhere, working all the time. You have to do that. You have to give people an environment that they're comfortable to be at. And we did that. Now we can bring people here and show them a facility we are proud of.”

It was also important to show the fans a good time. One particularly popular promotion involved a raffle. It costs $5 to get into Turf Paradise but the entire pool was raffled off toward the latter part of the card, with one patron taking home the entire gate.

Since Ludt's team officially took over in mid-December the people have started to come back. Between December 15 and May 2, the final day of the meet, on-track attendance rose by 70%. On-track handle was up 20 percent. Total all sources handle was up just one percent during that time, but Ludt noted that on-track bets produce far greater revenue for tracks than bets that come from ADWs or simulcast locations.

The struggle for Turf Paradise is to put together a decent betting product when it has small purses and does not receive any revenue from gaming.

“Obviously, in competing against other tracks, it is a big challenge because of purses,” Ludt said. “But the reality of the matter is, and I've said this about California because we're in the same boat, the Indian casinos are in a compact. You're not getting a casino. So quit talking about it and focus on how you can get people to the track. I mean, at the end of the day, horse racing lived very well for many, many years before anyone ever heard of a racino.”

Having less than five months to turn Turf Paradise around, Ludt didn't accomplish everything he had hoped to. He knows that increasing total handle and improving the quality of the racing is a must. But he believes the best is yet to come.

“We haven't even scratched the surface of letting people know about this place,” he said. “People still don't know about it. You've got to be wise where you spend your money to educate people, but the place has been here for 70 years. So we're really going to amp up our marketing and advertising and promotions to get people here for the next meet.

“They have created an environment at Del Mar and at Keeneland. Can we do what they do? No. But we can create the best environment possible for Turf Paradise. This industry needs to start focusing on what works versus complaining about what doesn't work. And is it easy? No. My dad used to say it all the time, 'Tom, if it were easy, everyone would do it.' This is a great challenge. We've got to focus on making people come and have fun and enjoy it.”

The post Focusing on Bringing People Back to the Track, Turf Paradise Appears Headed for a Brighter Future appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.