Thoroughbred Daily News

Trendsetter (Modernist), winner of the GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Apr. 11, has been supplemented (Hip 32) to the Keeneland April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale to be held the evening of Friday, Apr. 24 following the races on closing day of the Spring Meet, the sales company said via a press release on Friday.

Colebrook Racing, agent for Midway Racing, is consigning Trendsetter, a 3-year-old gelding by Modernist.

At 2, Trendsetter began his career with two wins on the dirt and ran fifth in Keeneland's 5 1/2-furlong Indian Summer Stakes on the turf.

Third against 3-year-olds in the Rushaway Stakes at 1 1/16 miles over the all-weather at Turfway Park, the Virginia certified bay returned to the dirt for the Stonestreet Lexington at the same distance.

Trendsetter swept past the dueling leaders at the eighth pole and drew off to a decisive 2 1/4-length victory earning. He earned an 85 Beyer speed figure for the performance.

“He's always been a very talented horse, but with every race he's improved and progressed and done things better,” said Davant Latham, who races Trendsetter in the name of Midway Racing. “He's getting braver, bolder and so much more professional with time. This horse does not have a bottom. I think he wants to go farther than a mile and a sixteenth, and he can run on all surfaces.”

Trainer Ben Colebrook agreed.

“We finally got a two-turn dirt race for him, and I think he's going to continue to improve,” the trainer said. “There are plenty of races for him. I think he'd be perfect for Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Oklahoma Derby races. He's a horse that could make a lot of money. He's very sound, and he seems to really be coming into his own.”

“The Keeneland April Sale at the end of the race meet is a great live venue to sell,” Latham said. “A 3-year-old horse going into the summer program with 3-year-old restricted stakes: This is the horse that everybody wants. We're proud of the way he's developed in our program. We're a little sentimental because it's fun to see them develop and know that you helped that happen, but it's very rewarding to see them figure it all out and progress as he has.”

“I think the big horses especially need to sell at auction where people can touch, feel and see them,” Colebrook said.

“Trendsetter is exactly the kind of horse the April Sale was designed for,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “It's a timely marketplace where a horse can move straight from a performance like his in the Stonestreet Lexington into a live auction environment, putting him in front of the sport's top domestic and international buyers looking to strengthen their stables for the summer and beyond. That immediacy is what makes this sale so dynamic.”

Click here to access the online catalogue.

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When it comes to horses suffering severe injuries, there are those that fall into a gray area. They may be seriously hurt and unable to resume their racing careers, but that doesn't mean they can't be saved.

However, that usually means expensive surgeries, long rehabilitation periods and no guarantees that they will ever be able to have second careers.

What should an owner do? Euthanize the horse or go the extra mile and do what it takes to save them? It's a difficult decision, and one that many owners have faced. Often, and primarily because of the expenses involved, the decision is made to put the horse down.

But now, there is another option. A new initiative, HISA Equine Recovery Foundation (HERF), has begun its mission, which is to provide critical assistance for Thoroughbred racehorses that have sustained career-ending but treatable injuries. HERF accepts injured horses into its program from owners who otherwise might have chosen to euthanize them. They are sent to the Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, where the surgeons perform the operations for free. All other costs of the care and rehab of the horses are paid for by HERF. Rood & Riddle is one of the many equine hospitals and surgeons that will be included in the HERF network. The Network will also include transportation companies, rehabilitation farms and aftercare facilities. It will be an inclusive network and everyone that would like to participate is encouraged to reach out.

While HISA kick-started the charity, it is not funding it. HERF relies on private donations. HERF has received several six-figure donations from individuals and organizations to get it going. HISA employees also contributed out of their own pockets, raising $30,000. Not a single HISA employee declined to make a donation. HERF will also be relying heavily on in-kind donations from people who can provide products and services that HERF needs (vanning, stabling, etc.)

HERF will act as a program not unlike the one started by 1/ST Racing in 2021 in which the racing company works with surgeons and veterinarians to make the assessment as to whether an injured horse is a good candidate for surgery and a successful outcome. If the horse passes the test, and the owner is unable to make a financial contribution, the costs will be covered. NYRA also has a program to assist horses in need.

“What we want to accomplish is to be able to say that if a horse does not have a catastrophic breakdown that truly requires it to be euthanized immediately because it just would be inhumane not to, there are options,” said Mandy Minger, the Executive Director of HERF. “That horse can be transported back to its stall, given pain medicine, and receive radiographs with a surgical consultation so that the owner and trainer can make the best decision possible for that horse. And if they decide not to proceed with the surgery, but the horse is a good candidate for surgery, the connections have the ability to sign the horse over to the foundation. We will cover all expenses for transporting the horse to the surgical hospital, all costs associated from there on with the surgery, with the rehab, and ultimately through entering an aftercare program. If the horse has to live in a sanctuary its whole life, we will find a way to find that horse a very soft landing spot.”

HERF Board Member and former nurse Griffin Johnson with Dr. Ali Broyles after surgery at Rood &Riddle. Johnson has created a social media campaign to bring awareness to HERF's cause | courtesy HERF

According to HERF Chairman of the Board Joe DeFrancis, the foundation is filling a need, protecting vulnerable horses.

“The goal of HERF is to fulfill what I would describe as a hole or a gap in the existing equine welfare infrastructure,” DeFrancis said. “There are horses that suffer career-ending injuries that are not necessarily fatal for medical reasons, but either for financial or logistical reasons, are being euthanized. Whereas if timely and proper medical treatment were to be applied, the horse could survive and could possibly go on to another career outside of horse racing. Maybe not in some cases, but at the very least survive and not have to lose its life. That is what HERF is designed to do. The basic purpose of HERF is to provide funds that will address this problem.”

This is not for the top-shelf horses in the sport, ones that can go on to be sires or broodmares, where it makes economic sense to bear the costs of saving horses who can be bred and generate income. It is meant to be a safety net so no horse is left behind.

“We want people to give these horses to us and we want owners to feel like it's a no-judgment zone,” Minger said. “I think the vets are excited for this type of program to be here as a safety net for the horses.”
HERF has officially been in business for less than two weeks and has yet to focus on promoting the project. But the word is out and horses are arriving in quick order. DeFrancis estimated that the foundation will, at the outset, take in an average of one horse per week, and expects that number to grow substantially with time. They are seeing horses with condylar fractures, sesamoid injuries, slab fractures, and in one case, a cardiac issue.

“This program, specifically, is fairly new, and it is my understanding that it is geared towards certain racetracks,” said Dr. Ali Broyles, who has performed surgeries on two HERF horses at Rood & Riddle. “Finances are a consideration for people when they have horses with injuries. The nice thing about this program is that there are some horses with injuries that maybe we can repair that will make them, not necessarily a good candidate for a racehorse, but definitely a better candidate for a second career. There's a fair number of horses who will benefit from it and can go on and contribute to the horse industry in a different way. So it's exciting to be a part of this project.”

In the best-case scenarios, the horses will be able to go on to a second career. But, for some, that will not be an option.

HERF board member Katherine DeFrancis gets some love at Bonita Farm in Maryland, which will serve as a rehab farm for the organization | courtesy HERF

“Will they be pasture pets or riding horses? It will be a combination of both,” Minger said. “It will depend on whatever their individual recovery allows them to do. Right now, we believe that with the three horses we've taken in with condylar fractures, it looks very good for them going on to some type of a riding career.”

Minger added that HERF will also look to have some of its graduates go on to careers as therapy horses.

The industry has made impressive strides when it comes to aftercare and the number of horses who are sent to slaughter has dropped significantly. That's due, in large part, to the good work being done by the dozens of aftercare organizations that have sprung up over the last 20 years or so. But the problem many face is how to fund their operations.

That will be an issue for HERF, as well, and maybe even more so than what other groups face because what HERF is doing is expensive. DeFrancis said HERF will need “upwards of a million dollars” annually to accomplish its mission.

HERF has launched its pilot program in the Mid-Atlantic, Arkansas, Illinois, and Ohio regions, with the goal of operating at all 41 HISA thoroughbred tracks within the next 12 months.

“There's no doubt in this day and age, we have to go the extra mile and literally look behind every tree and under every rock to do everything we possibly can to promote and enhance equine health, safety, and welfare,” DeFrancis said. “What HERF will do is provide a vehicle for what I'll call the kings of our sport, or even the common person that can spare 10 bucks, to provide funding that will allow us to provide medical care for those horses that suffer a career-ending injury and have no further future as a racehorse.”

DeFrancis has long been an advocate for the horse and has been at the forefront of the aftercare and retirement causes. He believes that HERF is all about the sport evolving and doing everything possible to save an injured horse. He says that has to be the new way forward.

“We are looking to fill a gap in the existing industry infrastructure to provide for equine health, safety, and welfare,” he said. “This is something that was falling between the cracks and it shouldn't have. That's the bottom line. We're now in the 21st century and if we want to have a future as a sport and as a business, we have to do things differently. That's the most important thing. The old ways of doing business in the 20th century, while they were justified by basic economics, are now no longer acceptable due to today's societal norms.”

For more information on HERF, visit www.equinerecovery.org.

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After open letters to the industry Thursday from 1/ST President Aidan Butler and The Jockey Club backed the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, Breeders' Cup Limited also voiced support.

Breeders' Cup Limited supports the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that would permanently prohibit the slaughter of American horses for human consumption and end their export for that purpose abroad. This measure represents a critical step toward ensuring all horses, regardless of their stage of life, are treated with decency and care.

Breeders' Cup Limited has long prioritized equine safety and welfare through industry-leading safety protocols, veterinary oversight, and collaboration with regulators. We join 1/ST Racing, The Jockey Club, and more than 225 co-sponsors of the SAFE Act in urging Congress to enact this important legislation, reaffirming a national commitment to the humane treatment of horses.

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Donna Herrick, a beloved and enduring presence in the Southern California racing community and a pillar of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, passed away peacefully Wednesday at the age of 97, surrounded by family.

Alongside her late husband Bill, Donna was deeply devoted to Thoroughbred racing for more than four decades. Together, they were not only passionate owners but also among Del Mar's most loyal patrons, maintaining a fifth-floor suite for more than 30 years and becoming fixtures of the seaside track each summer.

Their impact on the sport extended well beyond their presence. As owners, the Herricks campaigned several accomplished runners, including Grade II winners Magnum (Arg) and Nuclear Debate; and several Grade III winners including Robyn Dancer who was twice third in the Breeders' Cup; Classy Women; Lasersport; and Short Route. Magnum also delivered a memorable performance when finishing a thrilling second in the GI Santa Anita Handicap behind Lava Man.

Medici Code captured the 2007 running of the GII Del Mar Derby. Years later, that legacy came full circle as their daughter, Susie Galland, racing in partnership with Little Red Feather, returned to the Del Mar winner's circle when The Padre (Ire) captured the 2025 Del Mar Derby in an emotional continuation of a family tradition deeply rooted in the track they loved.

Donna's influence on racing lives on through her family. Her son Joe is a trainer, continuing the hands-on horsemanship that defined the Herricks' approach to the sport. Her daughter Susie remains actively involved as an owner, while Joan and George Scott also carry forward their own family's racing interests. Together, they represent a new generation guided by the same passion, integrity, and love for the game that Donna and Bill embodied.

More than her success on the track, Donna will be remembered for her warmth, generosity, and the deep relationships she built within the racing community. To many, Del Mar was simply a summer destination, but to Donna, it was home.

She is reunited with her beloved husband Bill, with whom she shared a lifetime of memories in racing and beyond.

Donna is survived by her children Kathy (Terry) Lathrum; Joan (George) Scott; Bill (Rose) Herrick; Leann (Jim) Van Langen; Susie (Britt) Galland; and Joe (Erin) Herrick, as well as 20 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

Their legacy endures not only in the record books, but in the family and community they helped shape.

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After closing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and never reopening, local interests in Burns, Oregon are attempting to get Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing going again at the Harney County Fairgrounds in that rural, high-desert town, with the hope of regaining a three-date spot on the state's 2027 summer circuit.

“The community is highly motivated to reinstate racing,” Oregon Racing Commission executive director Connie Winn said during the board's monthly meeting on Thursday.

Ideally, Burns, a county-seat town of 2,700 that is known as the “gateway to the Steens Mountains,” would revert to its traditional late July meet, which it last conducted in 2019.

The fairgrounds there has continued to host an annual five-day fair and rodeo around Labor Day.

Given the erosion of racing throughout the Pacific Northwest and the total collapse of the neighboring Northern California fairs circuit, Oregon has defied the odds by tenaciously retaining a foothold on mixed-meet racing with a four-stop seasonal circuit.

For 2026, Oregon will have race meets at:

• Union (Eastern Oregon Livestock Show): June 12-14.
• Grants Pass Downs: June 20, 21, 27, 28 and July 3-5.
• Prineville (Crooked River Roundup): July 15-18.
• Tillamook County Fair: Aug. 5-8.
• Grants Pass: Sept. 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 and Oct. 4, 5, 11, 12.

Winn reported at the Apr. 16 meeting that she and other commission staffers recently toured the fairgrounds to see what would be needed to get the facility in shape to host racing.

“The list is long. These are the highlights,” Winn said.

“Improving the track surface and overall condition. They have a very clay-rich track. And no work has been done on it in six years. They would probably need a lot of sand and other work on it to get it into shape,” Winn said.

“They completely demolished their paddock and jockeys' room. So both of those would have to be rebuilt. And they need a starting gate. So they have some really big purchases,” Winn said.

“On a plus, where the paddock and jockeys' room used to be, they've built a gigantic pole barn that can be multi-purpose for many different things. A portion of that is open on three sides. It could even be used as a really nice covered paddock, so it may not be as bad as it sounds,” Winn said.

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Following 1/ST President Aidan Butler's open letter to the industry Thursday outlining 1/ST's support for the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, The Jockey Club expressed additional support of the SAFE Act and the future of horse racing, pledging to advance landmark legislation and see it become law. 

The Jockey Club stands with 1/ST President Aidan Butler and his colleagues at 1/ST for their support of the SAFE Act and their recent, highly effective work to gain attention for this critical issue for the future of horse racing. We pledge to work with 1/ST and others in the industry to advance this landmark legislation and finally see it become law.

To date there are more than 225 co-sponsors of the SAFE Act. Thank you to lead supporters Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). The Jockey Club renews our call for House leadership to pass this bipartisan legislation for the benefits of the American economy and a strong American sports tradition. We encourage all members of the Thoroughbred community to express their support for the SAFE Act, especially now as interest in the sport is at its greatest during the Triple Crown season.

The Jockey Club has partnered with the Final Stretch Alliance to End Horse Slaughter and other racing industry groups by directly making our case for the SAFE Act to House and Senate leadership.

We have joined animal welfare groups in support of their Hill efforts, including, since 2016, being a member of the Humane World for Animals' (formerly HSUS) National Horse Racing Advisory Council, which with others in animal welfare has lobbied Congress to both ban slaughter in the U.S. and make it a crime to transport America's horses out of the country for slaughter. In addition, we work closely on this issue with the Center for Humane Economy and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The SAFE Act is one necessary aspect of the safety and welfare of our sport's central figure–the Thoroughbred. The Jockey Club is a longstanding and principal supporter of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and similar efforts, such as the Thoroughbred Incentive Program, to care for and give Thoroughbreds a career after their racing and breeding roles are over. We continue to encourage all in the Thoroughbred industry to make the safety and wellbeing of the Thoroughbred our top priority.

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by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm

OCALA, FL – With vibrant trade throughout the day, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale concluded its third session Thursday with figures still well ahead of its 2025 renewal and on track for a record-setting gross, average and median ahead of the auction's final session Friday. A filly by Bolt d'Oro became the auction's fourth million-dollar juvenile when purchased by Bill Childs's CSLR for $1.3 million. The session-topper was consigned by Raul Reyes's Kings Equine.

Through three of four sessions, 478 horses have grossed $77,715,000 for an average of $162,584 and a median of $75,000. The average is up 13.7% from the corresponding 2025 figure and the median is up 15.4%.

Both average and median are ahead of the auction's record figures for each metric. The 2025 Spring sale concluded with its third straight record average of $139,343, while the auction's record median of $70,000 was set in 2024. With one day of selling still to come, the Spring sale is just $14,414,000 short of its record gross of $92,129,000 set in 2022.

Through three sessions a year ago, 482 horses had sold through the ring for a gross of $68,940,000, an average of $143,029 and a median $65,000.

From 916 catalogued juveniles, 593 have gone through the ring with 115 failing to meet their reserves for a buy-back rate of 19.4%. That figure was 18.4% at the same point a year ago.

“It's been tough,” bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle admitted of the market in Ocala this week. “The high-end horses are extremely high. There is really not a lot of middle. So if you see one you want to buy–especially the colts–it's the same story it always is. You have to spend.”

The final session of the OBS Spring sale gets underway Friday morning at 10:30 a.m.

Eight years ago, Spendthrift Farm went to $675,000 to purchase GSW Gas Station Sushi at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. She subsequently visited several of the farm's top young stallions for her early covers and struck gold Thursday when her 2-year-old Bolt d'Oro filly (hip 840) reached $1.3 million on a final bid from CSLR's Bill Childs at OBS April.

“Her speed [made her stand out],” said Ned Toffey of the Spendthrift-bred. “She's obviously a lovely filly. I think Into Mischief mares are really popular right now. But most of all, bottom line is just how she breezed. She breezed so well. She was so efficient; it looked effortless, but very fast. And her gallop out was very strong. So she did everything the right way.”

Hip 840 | OBS/VidHorse

Consigned by Kings Equine, the bay filly impressed during her under-tack preview last week, working a furlong in :9 4/5. Toffey's expectations were exceeded with the price as he acknowledged how strongly she'd come into this week's sale.

“[The price was] probably a little stronger [than we had in mind],” Toffey said. “We thought she was a nice filly, but I think, over the last month and then since she's been here, she's done nothing but get better and better. And that's the way the sale goes a lot. [It depends on] how they come into the sale. She very much came in here the right way.”

Trainer Danny Gargan was thrilled to have such a promising juvenile join his string later this year at Saratoga, saying that Childs had waited for the right moment Thursday to pick up the filly they thought was the best in the sale.

“This is the only horse we've bought so far,' Gargan said. “We passed on several trying to wait for her. I thought her breeze was tremendous. She's a very, very good-looking individual. Her hind leg, her gaskin. We thought she was the best filly in the sale. And we just had to wait. We're lucky enough we were able to buy her.”

OBS March grad Gas Station Sushi won the GIII Beaumont Stakes at Keeneland and also placed in the GII Eight Belles Stakes, banking over $187,000 on the track before joining the Spendthrift broodmare band. From four foals to race, she has two winners.

“She's got a pretty good pedigree,” Gargan said. “We were expecting her [price] to be a little bit more actually. But we're lucky, we were the last ones bidding. So I'm really excited that she'll be coming to me at Saratoga.” @SGrimmTDN

Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable added a daughter of Liam's Map (hip 915) to its roster when Monique Delk bid $925,000 to acquire the filly for the operation late in Thursday's session of the OBS Spring sale. The gray filly, who worked a quarter-mile in a bullet :20 2/5 during last week's under-tack preview, was consigned by Tom McCrocklin. McCrocklin had purchased her for $120,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.

Hip 915 | OBS/VidHorse

Viola's wife, Teresa, campaigned Liam's Map, winner of the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, along with West Point Thoroughbreds.

“We are big fans of Liam's Map for obvious reasons,” Delk said. “We always look at his babies and like to support the sire.”

The filly is out of Honor Hop (Honor Code) and from the family of multiple Grade I winner Palacio de Amor.

“This filly was big with a beautiful body,” Delk continued. “She looks more like a colt to me. She has a lot of substance to her. And she breezed lights out. There wasn't much not to like.”

Of the market at OBS this week, Delk added, “We've been outrun a few times on some big purchases. We try to stay disciplined. We have a lot of horses, so it's not like we are in need. But if there is something that we love, we are usually in the mix.”

Delk said a trainer for the filly was still undecided.

The result continued a string of strong results for McCrocklin this week. The horseman sold a filly by Omaha Beach, purchased for $400,000 at Fasig October, for $900,000 Tuesday. Thursday he sold a filly by Ghostzapper, acquired for $100,000 at Keeneland last September, for $750,000, and a filly by Oscar Performance, purchased for $125,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, for $675,000. @JessMartiniTDN

A bay daughter (hip 754) of third-crop sire McKinzie became Susan Chu's Baoma Corp “one filly of the year” after bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket at $900,000.

Out of E Built This City, the Wavertree Stable-consignee blitzed her furlong in a sales co-fastest time of :9 3/5.

Hip 754 | OBS/VidHorse

“This horse is for a wonderful, wonderful lady, Susan Chu,” Lanni said. “They're [Susan and her husband Charles] wonderful people. We all need a lot of luck to have really good horses, and she seems to have a lot of luck. She creates her own luck too.”

Lanni has signed plenty of OBS tickets for Baoma Corp, picking up another $900,000 filly last year by Curlin who became GSW and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Himika (Curlin). Two years back, another filly came home to the Chus for $850,000 and became GISW Tenma (Nyquist).

Out of a winning City Zip mare, this filly was purchased by Red Wings (the partnership of Paul Reddam and Ciaran Dunne) for $155,000 as a Keeneland September grad and is a half to stakes-placed Fulminate (Get Stormy).

“We try to buy [Susan] one filly every year and I was saying, 'that's the one',” said Lanni. “I'm happy we got her. She breezed really, really well. Everybody saw what she went in and she came back excellent. She vetted, physically she looked good, mentally she looked good. She just jumped over every hoop, and there are some big hoops they have to jump. It's a premium when they do what they do, and you have to pay for that. But I'm happy we got her. I love her. I wasn't sure if we were gonna get her or not, but you never know what's going to happen. It's a crazy sale. Just when you think it's not going to get crazier, it gets crazier, which is a good thing.”

Lanni indicated that the progeny of McKinzie, such as MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Chancer McPatrick, continue to perform well through their 2-year-old season and beyond.

“McKinzies seem to have speed,” Lanni said. “They seem precocious and then they seem to come back as 3-year-olds and they want to go two turns. I think he's getting things done at the farm. He went up, had a really good start, but he's coming on. He's continuing his success. It's good to see. I feel good about buying McKinzies.” @SGrimmTDN

A colt by Speaker's Corner (hip 704) will be joining the barn of trainer Mark Casse after bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle signed the ticket on the youngster at $875,000 Thursday at OBS. Carlisle, who was sitting next to Casse during the bidding, was acting on behalf of an undisclosed client.

“[Casse] loved the colt,” Carlisle said. “And I liked him, too. I just followed his lead.”

Hip 704 | OBS/VidHorse

The bay, from the first crop of GI Carter Handicap winner Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), worked a furlong in :9 4/5 during last week's under-tack preview. He is out of graded-placed Danessa Deluxe (Summer Bird) and was bred by Tommy Wente, Jr. and Scott Stephens and consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock.

“He's a beautiful horse,” Carlisle said. “He's a grown man. He's a big, robust horse. We are thinking big. Hopefully, dirt, two turns that would be great. You know how it goes, you hope for the best.”

Godolphin homebred Speaker's Corner, who stands at Darley for $10,000, had another standout result Thursday when a colt by the sire consigned by Julie Davies (hip 770) sold for $500,000 to Flanagan Racing. @JessMartiniTDN

Tommy Wente added to his ever-expanding list of astute transactions with a pair of impressive scores within minutes of each other at OBS Thursday. Through Omar Ramirez's consignment, he sold a colt by Not This Time (hip 679) for $450,000 to D.J. Stable. Wente had purchased the colt for just $4,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale. Wente and Ramirez returned a few hips later to sell a colt by Speaker's Corner (hip 704) for $875,000 to Lauren Carlisle, agent. Wente co-bred the colt with Scott Stephens and had purchased his dam, Danessa Deluxe (Summer Bird), for $7,000 at the 2023 Keeneland January sale.

“I had four really good yearlings last year and he was one of them,” Wente said of hip 704. “Two of them went to Bob Baffert and one of them went to Michael McCarthy for some money. And then this colt here, the Speaker's Corner, was the best of the four. But I just couldn't get him to the sale. He had some growing issues. He was a big horse. We were down to the last sale and I had to scratch him out.”

Tommy Wente and Omar Ramirez flank Ramirez's sister, Claribel | Courtesy Tommy Wente

Wente re-routed the colt to the 2-year-old sales and, on Ramirez's recommendation, picked up a new partner in Robby Norman, co-owner of GI Santa Anita Derby winner So Happy (Runhappy).

“He just needed the time,” Wente explained. “He is a big horse, but he's a very athletic horse who went really fast. He went in :9 4/5 with a gallop-out in :32 1/5. Freaky athletic for a big horse like that.”

Timing was also key to Wente's other success Thursday.

“The Not This Time was kind of a crazy deal,” Wente said. “I was at Fasig-Tipton one day and I saw this black thing come in and I knew it was a big stud fee. He was sitting at $3,000 and they were asking for $4,000. So I hit it one time. The next thing I know, they dropped the hammer. So I took the ticket and I gave it to Omar. I said, 'Omar, here you go. Here is your half, and I don't want any bills.' Omar smiled and grabbed the ticket.”

Wente added, “He had knee problems. He had some vetting problems. But again, a horse that needed some time, needed some clean up. He cleaned up really well and the horse just took off. He never looked back. He grew and he's beautiful.”

Reflecting on the two results, Wente said, “Today was just a really good day.” @JessMartiniTDN

The momentum for progeny by Omaha Beach carried through into Thursday morning when the seventh horse through the ring, a daughter (hip 623) of the Spendthrift Farm-based stallion, hammered down for $825,000 to Sabby Racing.

Purchased as a Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale grad and consigned Thursday by Jesse Hoppel, the filly, who worked a quarter-mile in :20 3/5,  was a nice return on the $130,000 investment Hoppel made six months ago.

“I keep expectations low, they're easier to exceed that way,” Hoppel admitted. “But I love her. I hope she goes to a good home and lives up to the expectation. [Her breeze] was phenomenal. She just skipped. She's really reliable. Great mind on her. Anything you ask of her, she does it.”

Hip 623 | OBS/VidHorse

Omaha Beach has seen plenty of success with his daughters at OBS April thus far with the highest-priced filly during Tuesday's opening session at $900,000 to Spendthrift Farm and Alex & JoAnn Lieblong picking up another filly for $650,000 Wednesday.

This filly was the first purchase of the sale for Sabby Racing, who was active last year, picking up two juveniles for $250,000 and a third in partnership with Eclipse Thoroughbreds for $560,000.

“I bought her for Sabby Racing, Hal and Allison Mintz. It's hard for me to feel good or bad about prices that are $825,000,” bloodstock agent Seth Morris said with a laugh. “All I could do is go through the sale and try to find the top quality horses. We certainly use the data from the workouts and the gallop outs, the physicals and the pedigree. Hal's always liked Omaha Beach and we've never been able to find him something. This is the one that kind of checked the boxes for me. I think, if you do right by her, she's really going to be a spectacular filly.”

Morris indicated that this filly's work, where she matched the second-fastest quarter-mile of the sale, was part of what set her apart from the rest of the field.

“Her work speaks for itself,” Morris said. “I mean, she went in :20 3/5 with a good gallop out. If you just watch the rider's hands, he's just sitting chilly, which is what I want. I don't want a horse that's all out and falling all over the place. If you're looking at the actual times, you really have to differentiate between :20 2/5 and :20 3/5, because so many of the horses, with this track and the level of consignors, get them to all kind of bunch up time-wise. So you have to separate them in some way and she separated herself. Visually, she checked all the boxes and on the shank, I loved her. I thought she improved every day.”

This was the first big splash purchase for Sabby Racing who Morris said was prepared to step up and fight for the one they wanted.

“I'm obviously ecstatic that Sabby is willing to spend that kind of money to get top quality horses,” Morris said. “We participated in the sale earlier [last year] at the $95,000 and $100,000 level for what we thought were really nice horses that just had limitations on pedigree because they were Florida-breds. But this one we knew we'd have to go to bat for a little bit, especially knowing some of the people that were bidding against us. So we're really happy to acquire the filly and we'll see what she can do.” @SGrimmTDN

Kirk Wycoff admitted he had thoughts of racing a New York-bred colt by Mind Control (hip 805) this summer at Saratoga, but the colt proved too popular to keep when selling for $700,000 to the bid of Justin Casse Thursday at OBS. The dark bay was purchased for $55,000 at Keeneland last September and entered to the ring in Ocala with a spiffy :9 3/5 work for the Grassroots Training and Sales consignment of Jody Mihalic and David McKathan.

“My wife actually brought the farm staff to Keeneland that day and picked him out as a show horse because he was so pretty,” Wycoff said. “Dave McKathan okayed it and she went inside and bought him. So all credit to Debra.”

Hip 805 | OBS/VidHorse

The colt is from the first crop of Mind Control (Stay Thirsty), a three-time Grade I winner who stands at Rockridge Stud/Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Venture for $6,000.

“We like New York-sired horses,” Wycoff said. “We are breeding with Leinster in New York at Mountain View Farm and we like to race them.”

The colt is out of the unraced First Valentine (Flatter) and from the family of Grade I winner Mor Spirit.

“He had prepped here in :9 4/5, so it wasn't a surprise,” Wycoff said of the colt's bullet work. “The surprise was that he galloped out in :20 flat. He's a real racehorse.”

Of Mind Control's first foals, Wycoff said, “I have looked at a lot of them. We bid on a few. We'd like to get a couple more. I think they are nicely shaped horses.”

As for his expectations Thursday, Wycoff said, “We had kind of decided we'd race him in the range that we usually race, which is $200,000-$300,000. After that it was up to the buyers. But we would have been very happy to put a saddle on him at Saratoga.” @JessMartiniTDN

The post $1.3-Million Bolt d’Oro Filly Tops Lively Day of Trade at OBS appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

This wasn't easy. Since Hawthorne last ran a Thoroughbred race, checks have bounced to harness horsemen, the Illinois Racing Board pulled the plug on last year's Standardbred meet, the owners have declared bankruptcy, and there still has been no concrete news on when or how a casino might be built at the track. Way back in 2019, legislation was approved that allowed Illinois racetracks to operate casinos. Hawthorne's casino project has remained in limbo ever since.

Hawthorne filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Feb. 27, a move that actually helped pave the way to having a 2026 Thoroughbred meet. It allowed Hawthorne to distance itself from some of its creditors and allowed the track to secure temporary funding of around $16 million from JDI Loans.

Racing will resume Sunday, three weeks later than the meet was supposed to begin, and the total number of racing dates has been cut from 63 to 57. If the opening-day card is any indication, filling races might be a serious problem. Hawthorne was able to schedule just seven races on a card that attracted just 42 horses. According to Chris Block, the president of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, there are between 400 and 410 horses on the grounds. He also said that the daily average purses will drop from about $130,000 to $110,000.

Block, who has expressed numerous times his fears that Hawthorne will not be able to continue to operate, is at least pleased to see that racing is set to return to the Chicago area.

“To get racing going again will definitely help our horsemen, who have been waiting for quite some time with so much uncertainty,” Block said. “At least we have something to look forward to here, getting the meet started.”

Will the meet continue through the scheduled closing day, Nov. 1?

“I have guarded optimism,” Block said.

He is wary. Block believes that the best chance Hawthorne has is for the Carey family, which has operated the track for more than 117 years, to step aside and sell the track to a company or an individual who has the financing and the wherewithal to fast-track the casino project.

“I think you need to find a buyer for Hawthorne Park to keep it as a racetrack and a racino, or it's going to be closed,” Block said. “There's an avenue where an entity comes in, doesn't want the Carey family involved, and buys it outright and takes it forward as a track, and builds a casino and makes it a racino operation. I go to bed every night and I wake up and go 24 hours a day hoping and praying that there's going to be an entity that comes in here and buys Hawthorne, keeps it as a racetrack, builds a racino, and helps rebuild Northern Illinois racing over the next few years. ”

That's one scenario. Another is that the Careys take on a partner that can finally get the project going and a casino open within a reasonable period of time.

Appearing before the Illinois Racing Board in January, Hawthorne Assistant General Manager John Walsh expressed optimism that a deal would soon be reached.

“We're working with a new partner, someone nearby, someone interested in Illinois and Illinois racing, who really wants all of this to succeed and move quickly,” Walsh said.

But Hawthorne ownership and management have not issued an update regarding their pursuit of a casino partner in months.

Still another scenario that Block envisions is perhaps the most dire one. He believes the track could be sold to a company interested only in its value as land and, therefore, will not pursue a future that includes horse racing.

“There's the possibility that it just gets sold outright for its ground and only for the ground,” Block said. “And, therefore, the track would close and be demolished. And that would mean the end of Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing in Northern Illinois. That would be the scenario that would be the end for us.”

Block doesn't try to hide his frustration.

“I've sugarcoated a lot of stuff over the last seven years, kept my mouth shut and just tried to march forward to give the Careys the room to be able to do what they can do,” he said. “But we should never have been in this position. We should not. And we are. Hawthorne is still a very good location for a racino. It's just whether or not somebody's willing to come in and take the risk seven years after the gaming bill was approved and the license was granted, with there now being more competition for the gaming dollar than ever. That's the question. This is basically just a dead industry, and we're just trying to hope that within the next 60 days there's a savior that comes in and saves us all. That's the bottom line.”

The first race of the 2026 Hawthorne meet, one that consists of just four horses, kicks off Sunday at 2:40 p.m. Central time. Will it mark the beginning of the end or the start of a new and better era for Hawthorne, the last remaining racetrack in the Chicago area? It shouldn't take long to find out.

The post Hawthorne Set to Re-Open But Horsemen Still Skeptical About Its Future appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Later in Thursday's session, Hip 840, a daughter of Bolt d'Oro, brought $1.3 million from Bill Childs. Consigned by Kings Equine, the filly is out of GSW Gas Station Sushi (Into Mischief).

Bred by Spendthrift Farm, the Feb. 22 foal breezed in :9 4/5 during last week's under tack show.

Spendthrift purchased Gas Station Sushi for $675,000 at Fasig-Tipton November in 2018. The mare, a half-sister to GSP Miss Costa Rica (Hit It a Bomb), is the dam of Starlit Daydream, who in turn produced SW Sandy Bottom (Omaha Beach).

The post Daughter of Bolt d’Oro Brings $1.3 Million at the OBS Spring Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 143 offerings for its April Digital Sale, which includes a pair of broodmares closely related to Derby and Oaks contenders. Bidding is now open through Tuesday, Apr. 21, when the online event begins to close at 2 p.m. ET., the auction company said in a press release on Thursday.

“With more than 140 catalogued, up more than a third from last year's catalogue, the April Digital Sale catalogue shows the continued strength and popularity of our digital platform,” Fasig-Tipton Director of Digital Sales Leif Aaron said.

“Offerings include more than 65 horses of racing age, as well as stakes quality broodmare prospects, broodmares–including mares with foals at foot–more than 25 two-year-olds in training, and yearlings,” he added. “We're particularly excited to offer a pair of broodmares closely related to current Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders.”

The hip with the Derby connection during the sale is Desert Illusion (Sky Mesa) (hip 5). Owned and consigned by Leo and Sarah Dooley of Norevale Farm, the 13-year-old mare is a full-sister to the dam of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard,' and GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner Further Ado (Gun Runner).

According to Sarah Dooley, the timing for the online auction could not have been better.

“Fasig-Tipton leaves no stone unturned and you can bounce ideas off of them as you navigate the world of digital sales,” Dooley said. “Once the catalogue goes live, you really see how much effort they put into the highlights. Leo did a video with Jesse [Ullery] and they are just really open when it comes to what we wanted to do.”

The Dooleys purchased Desert Illusion for $37,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale while her third foal by Maclean's Music was in utero. Out of that trio, current 3-year-old Marsood ran third behind Six Speed (Not This Time) on debut at Meydan back in early December.

Desert Illusion's colt by Girvin (hip 5) | courtesy of Fasig-Tipton

Desert Illusion is being offered with her colt by Girvin, who was foaled at the farm Feb. 14. Dooley said that their mare is confirmed in foal to Locked (by Gun Runner).

“We have tried to use Girvin as much as possible and are eagerly awaiting his first-crop of Kentucky breds to hit the track this year,” said Dooley. “The foal has a huge walk, is really well-made and he's got a great engine. We chose to send Desert Illusion to Locked and take advantage of a similar Gun Runner cross that makes that potential produce very closely related to Further Ado.”

The attention that one of the leading Derby hopefuls has generated with that massive update was a welcome surprise to the owners of Norevale, but Sarah Dooley said that this is a deep family as well.

“This is the kind of mare you want with a deep page,” she said. “Her second dam is champion Beautiful Pleasure (Maudlin), and if you go look up and down it then you just say 'holy cow' that's got some depth. We are expecting a lot of traffic over the weekend, so if you give Leo a call he can set you up with a farm visit to see them both.”

Featured offerings include:

• Citizen Judy (American Freedom) (hip 15): Four-year-old half-sister to recent GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes winner and GI Longines Kentucky Oaks hopeful Percy's Bar (Upstart) is offered carrying her first foal by Girvin. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent;
• X Y Prime (hip 2): Four-year-old son of Vekoma is a two-time winner this year, which includes clearing an allowance race at Gulfstream Park Mar. 28. Consigned as a horse of racing age by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent;
• Heavenly Melody (hip 9): Promising 3-year-old daughter by Charlatan was second last out in a maiden special weight at the Fair Grounds Mar. 21. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Heartwood Farm, agent;
• 65-plus horses of racing age;
• 25-plus 2-year-olds in-training;
• Stakes quality broodmare prospects;
• Yearlings.

Click here to create an account or register to bid for the April Digital Sale.

The post A Pair Of Broodmares Closely Related To Derby, Oaks Contenders On Offer At FT April Digital appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Gary and Mary West's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Prom Queen (Quality Road) continued her preparation for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks with a five-furlong move in 1:01.40 Thursday morning at Churchill Downs, according to a press release from the track on Thursday morning.

Prom Queen, a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', breezed at 9:15 a.m. ET with Edvin Vargas in the irons. She completed an opening quarter-mile in :25.80 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“It was a solid move from her,” trainer Brad Cox said. “She did things very easily on her own and traveled well over the surface.”

The homebred is out of the Tapit mare Miss Bling Bling. Prom Queen scored a convincing 2 3/4-length victory in the Mar. 28 Gulfstream Park Oaks.

Friday's work tab at Churchill Downs is expected to include GI Kentucky Derby contenders Commandment (Into Mischief), Fulleffort (Liam's Map) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Further Ado (Gun Runner).

Also scheduled to work is Stark Contrast (Caravaggio), who appears more likely to run in the GI American Turf Stakes instead of the Derby.

Saturday's work tab is scheduled to include GII Wood Memorial winner Albus (Yaupon) and runner-up Right to Party (Constitution).

The Kentucky Derby Morning Works Show will return Friday with 14 consecutive days of live coverage. Airing daily from 6:45-7:45 a.m. (all times Eastern), the one-hour program will be streamed live on the Kentucky Derby Facebook Page, YouTube and X accounts.

At Keeneland, GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes winner Percy's Bar worked a half-mile in :47 over a fast track. The time was the fastest for 30 works at the distance on Thursday morning.

“It was a good work and she did it well within herself,” trainer Ben Colebrook said. “I am not worried about her bouncing off the layoff. We thought the best route [to get to the Kentucky Oaks] was to get the one prep and move on from there.”

The post ‘Rising Star’ Prom Queen Puts In Drill For Oaks At Churchill Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

In an industry that does not always speak with one voice, there should be one clear point of agreement: we are judged by how we care for our horses. Without a firm commitment to equine welfare, our sport cannot sustain its future. We owe them safety, dignity, and lifelong care.

Everyone involved in racing shares responsibility for these horses, not only during their careers, but long after. The era of “business as usual” is over. This is a business, but it is also a responsibility that requires integrity and a clear commitment to doing right by these animals.

This is a pivotal moment for our industry. It calls for action, not silence. Inaction will be noticed and judged. The decisions we make now will define both our future and our credibility.

For this reason, 1/ST supports the passage of H.R.1661/S.755, the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act. This legislation would permanently prohibit domestic horse slaughter and the export of horses for human consumption. While slaughter facilities no longer operate in the United States, the pipeline continues through export. In 2025, more than 25,000 U.S. horses were shipped to foreign slaughter plants, a sharp increase from the previous year. The SAFE Act would close this loophole and establish permanent federal protection.

Many of us work to identify and help horses at risk, particularly those we recognize. But the reality is that most horses in this pipeline no longer have an identity that connects them back to our sport. The question is not how many we can save, but how many we never see. Public expectations around animal welfare have shifted and will continue to do so. Industries that fail to respond face consequences. Racing should not assume it will be treated differently or given more time. This is not only an ethical obligation, but also essential to the sport's long-term viability.

We commend the work of the Wild Beauty Foundation, the Lost Horses campaign and countless others for bringing attention to this issue and driving meaningful change.

There are moments when industries are asked to show what they stand for. This is one of them. 1/ST asks organizations across racing and the broader equine community to take a clear position by contacting Members of Congress and publicly supporting the SAFE Act.

At 1/ST, we are not waiting for perfect alignment, we are acting now. We encourage others to do the same and help set a clear standard for the humane treatment of horses, both during their careers and beyond.

Only when we account for our horses beyond racing can we truly claim to protect them.

Sincerely,
Aidan Butler, President, 1/ST

The post Open Letter to the Industry: 1/ST Support for the SAFE Act appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

It's no secret that The Jockey Club has come under fire recently, particularly from owner Mike Repole. There have been calls for it to step up and be a better leader, to take a larger role in solving the aftercare issues, and to spend its resources more wisely and on programs that would better help the sport. Owner Aron Wellman wrote in a TDN op-ed that The Jockey Club refuses “to accept responsibility for its own failures.”

The Jockey Club Chairman Everett Dobson joined this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland to address some of the criticism and to talk about other issues, like the SAFE Act, the on-again, off-again efforts to impose a cap on how many mares a stallion can be bred to, and a venture that will bring the Derby experience to thousands of possible new fans who are tuning into YouTube and TikTok. Dobson was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

Dobson said that he and Repole have more in common when it comes to concerns about the sport than people might think.

“I'm willing to meet with him at any time and I have repeatedly communicated that to him,” Dobson said. “I would say 95% of the things we're talking about, we absolutely agree on. There's very little disagreement between my own opinions and the opinions of my fellow stewards at The Jockey Club and what Mike believes. We believe we need to grow the sport. We believe we need to better market the sport. We believe we have challenges around the foal crop and aftercare issues. All of those things are on the table when we have conversations with Mike, and there's very little we disagree on.”

However, Dobson said that dealing with Repole is not always easy.

“I have no ill will toward Mike at all,” he said. “I wish we could have a better line of communication. It's a little challenging. Right now the disconnect is that he's threatened to sue us. And so it's hard when anyone threatens to sue your institution. You don't have an option but to involve lawyers.

“Now there are a few things–his opinions about the Breeders' Cup and the state of racing in California. We take exception to some of those things. That's what's really a little bit confusing, that he's been so adversarial to the institutions of The Jockey Club, the Breeders' Cup and some others.”

The Jockey Club is believed to have about $48 million stowed away in a war chest. That money, some critics have said, should be used to help solve problems like aftercare, the demise of FanDuel TV, and the purses levels in California. Dobson said that The Jockey Club's financial assets are already being spent on good causes. He named the Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation, the Jockey Safety Net Foundation, and non-profits like America's Best Racing as examples.

“So where am I coming out on the importance of and the reason we have that money? It's very important,” he said. “We need it. We desperately need it. So, to suggest otherwise to me is irresponsible. It's just not logical. I'm not saying it's irresponsible. It's not logical that we should do something else with that money. We're doing things that are helping bring people into the sport, and that's really what it amounts to.”

The Jockey Club has long been pushing for a mare cap. The subject came up again when Dobson, while addressing the National HBPA Conference, said The Jockey Club is re-examining whether or not it should attempt to impose a mare cap. Just this week the Kentucky Legislature overrode the governor's veto on a bill that included language that would effectively ban The Jockey Club from limiting stallion books in the state.

Dobson didn't sound like someone who was ready to give up that fight.

“The numbers don't lie,” he said. “They're simple. It's whether or not we have had a negative impact on the breed. That'll show up in fertility rates, it'll show up in performance, it'll show up in the general health of the horse. That's really where I want to focus the science and the interest of this organization.”

Dobson also spoke about the series of some 90 shorts that will be appearing on YouTube and TikTok that The Jockey Club has commissioned. Called the Unbridled Series, the writers and producers connect the audience with people involved in the Kentucky Derby and explain what is so special about the race. The first one, featuring Bob Baffert, is already out.

The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was GI Apple Blossom Handicap winner Claret Beret (Not This Time), who earned a 105 Beyer in her big win at Oaklawn Park. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, which stands the sire Life Is Good.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, 1/ST TV, and West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss, Bill Finley, and Zoe Cadman delved into the game of musical chairs the jockeys played before the GI Kentucky Derby, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. landing on GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade (Into Mischief). They gave a thumbs down to the idea of the Arkansas Derby being rescheduled to fall three weeks before the Derby and took a look at what should be a terrific renewal of the GII Oaklawn Handicap.

For the audio (only) version of the podcast, click here. To view the video version, click here.

The post Everett Dobson Joins the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

by Jessica Martini and Stefanie Grimm

A filly from the first crop of Jackie's Warrior became the second highest-priced juvenile to ever sell at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale when she brought a final bid of $2.3 million and the four-day auction reached its halfway point Wednesday with double-digit gains over its 2025 renewal.

Through two sessions, 314 horses have sold for a gross of $50,655,000. The average of $161,322 is up 13.0% from the same point in last year's Spring sale and is up 15.8% from last year's record-setting cumulative average of $139,343. The two-session median of $80,000 is up 33.3% from the halfway point of last year's sale.

At the halfway point of the 2025 sale–and following a second session that included six seven-figure juveniles–325 horses had grossed $46,393,500 for an average of $142,749 and a median of $60,000.

From 610 catalogued juveniles, 408 horses were offered. With 94 failing to meet their reserves, the buy-back rate is 23.0%. It was 20.0% at the same point a year ago.

“I think the market's been fair and just the same kind of trends that we've been seeing the last few years,” said de Meric Sales' Tristan de Meric. “I think when you have the goods and when they check all the boxes, the results are spectacular. And if they missed the mark, even by a little bit, it's difficult. But luckily, we have a couple that have made up for a few of the others. There's plenty of opportunities out there at all levels in this market, but the high end is very strong.”

Through two sessions, the Spring sale has produced three seven-figure juveniles, all by first-crop sires. Leading the way was the daughter of Jackie's Warrior consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds who sold to Fitriani Hay. She was joined by a colt by Epicenter who topped Tuesday's session on a bid of $1.95 million, and a colt by Cyberknife who sold Wednesday for $1.2 million to West Point Thoroughbreds and Mike Talla.

Through two sessions, 16 horses have sold for $500,000 or over. That figure was 19 at the same point a year ago.

The OBS Spring sale continues through Friday with sessions beginning daily at 10:30 a.m.

The OBS April Sale has a new record highest-priced filly as a daughter of first-crop sire Jackie's Warrior (hip 570) exploded from $140,000 Keeneland September Yearling grad to $2.3-million 2-year-old for successful bidder Mrs. Fitriani Hay and consignor Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds.

With the fall of the hammer, she also become the second highest-priced horse ever sold at the OBS April Sale.

Hip 570 | OBS/VidHorse

Hay often pairs up with prominent American trainer Wesley Ward and the partnership has combined on both sides of the Atlantic, campaigning the likes of GISW Nakatomi (Firing Line) who most recently ran sixth in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 28.

Ward, known for his juvenile success, has already been pegged as the trainer for this record-setting filly who blitzed her furlong in a sales-quickest time of :9 3/5. She'll now have the chance to do something that her sire, with all his success, never could… win at Keeneland.

“This one will go to Wesley Ward and she'll stay in America,” said bloodstock agent Alex Cole who spoke on behalf of Hay after the ticket was signed as D. Farrington. “She'll go to Keeneland. Wesley recommended her. Fitriani has a lot of horses in the U.K. and a lot of horses at Keeneland.”

Cole indicated that Hay's newest addition was nearly perfect conformationally, saying, “We wouldn't spend that sort of money if there was any flaw.”

Spendthrift Farm-based champion sprinter Jackie's Warrior has his first runners this year and awaits his first starter. In addition to this record-setter, he has had four other six-figure 2-year-olds sell during the first two sessions of this year's OBS April Sale. All three of his top-priced juveniles thus far has been fillies.

This filly is out of another classy sprinter in Brazen Persuasion (Indian Charlie) who captured the GIII Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga in 2013. She's seen just as much success in her broodmare career, producing six winners from as many runners led by stakes-placed Ruggs (Gun Runner).

Congratulations all around after Hip 570 went through the ring | OBS/VidHorse

The Hartley/DeRenzo consignment, which is based in Ocala, is certainly no stranger to success in its hometown sale at OBS. Some of their more recent graduates include Breeders' Cup winner Shisospicy (Mitole) who RNA'd in 2024 after also working in :9 3/5.

“We were pretty confident that she would do well,” said Dean DeRenzo, whose OBS history stretches back decades. “It means a lot [to sell a new record-setting filly]. This is our home, and we sold the first million-dollar [2-year-old] that was ever sold here at OBS. And now I guess she's the highest-priced filly ever sold. So it feels good. We're a part of OBS. We're shareholders here, so it feels good to be here at home.” @SGrimmTDN

A colt from the first crop of multiple Grade I winner Cyberknife (hip 576) became the third to bring seven figures at the OBS Spring sale when bringing a final bid of $1.2 million from West Point Thoroughbred's Terry Finley. Finley, who purchased the colt in partnership with Mike Talla, did his bidding out back next to John Sadler, who will train the chestnut colt.

“I really loved him,” Sadler said. “He's a nice big, stretchy colt. He looks like all of two turns. Hopefully you will see him in the big races this fall.”

Hip 576 | OBS/VidHorse

The colt was consigned by de Meric Sales on behalf of his breeder, Machmer Hall. Out of Broadway Show (Unbridled's Song), he had originally been catalogued in Book 1 of the Keeneland September sale last fall.

“Of all of our yearlings, he was the number one ranked physical,” said Machmer Hall's Carrie Brogden. “We were a little light in Book 1 because, really, our bread and butter at Machmer Hall is Books 2, 3, 4. [Keeneland's] Cormac [Breathnach] called me and said they needed more horses in Book 1 and they felt this horse, physically, could stand up. He is a May baby and surrounded by Gun Runners and Into Mischiefs and Not This Times, it's not easy for a horse. And he's not out of a Grade I-winning mare. It was just not the right time in Book 1. We had a great yearling sale, we just decided, he's a big, easy-moving colt with a great mind, let's send him to the 2-year-old sales.”

Brogden continued, “He was always a superior physical, but we were a little aggressive in our book placement in September. So we just scratched him in September and I sent him down to Tristan [de Meric] in October.”

Hip 576 became the first seven-figure sale for Cyberknife, winner of the 2022 GI Arkansas Derby and GI Haskell Stakes. The stallion stands at Spendthrift for $15,000.

“This horse is definitely special, he could be any kind,” Tristan de Meric said of the juvenile. “I am a fan of Cyberknife. I do think he has a bright future.”

Drawing on three generations of the stallion's family, Sadler said, “I have a long history with Candy Ride, which goes to Gun Runner and obviously Cyberknife is a son of Gun Runner. Gun Runner is probably the best horse here. So this horse definitely is a good horse and he will have a good shot to be a good stallion.” @JessMartiniTDN

When an Omaha Beach filly (hip 437) hammered down for $650,000 to Alex and JoAnn Lieblong in the opening hours of Wednesday's second OBS April session, consignor Robbie Harris knew she'd sold to good hands. His Harris Training Center operation has a long-established history with the couple dating back to at least 2013 when then-unassuming Maryland-bred The Big Beast (Yes It's True) joined his training string after the Lieblongs purchased him for $150,000 at the 2013 OBS April Sale.

That colt's subsequent win in the GI Ketel One King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga the following year was a catalyst that propelled the Lieblongs, and Harris himself, to further success including the likes of another top-level winner Wicked Whisper who was the first 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' for her then-young sire Liam's Map.

“I've loved that filly from day one and I've had some good fillies over the years,” Harris said after congratulating the Lieblongs. “This is a good client of mine and I told [them] that she was a good one, so I hope it pans out.”

Hip 437 | OBS/VidHorse

Purchased late last year by HTC/Voric Stables for just $120,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale, the chestnut filly worked her furlong in :10. She's out of an unplaced Distorted Humor half-sister to German MG1SW Campanologist (Kingmambo) and from the family of three-time Canadian champion mare Glorious Song and her son, MG1SW Singspiel (Ire) (In the Wings {GB}).

Harris and the HTC/Voric Stables partnership have seen plenty of previous success as well, teaming up just last year to sell a Nyquist colt for $1.05 million while 2024 saw them sell Built (Hard Spun), a colt who placed several times last year at Fair Grounds on the Road the Kentucky Derby.

Impressive on the track, Harris said this filly out-performed every expectation set for her.

“She worked stupid [good] on the racetrack,” Harris said of his filly's breeze. “Her gallop out was crazy. But it's funny, the good ones always seem to rise above the rest. [The price was] unbelievable. [HTC/Voric Stables] paid $120,000 for her so we thought, maybe $240,000, double their money. [This result] was very good.” @SGrimmTDN

Ocala Stud stallion Roadster, who enjoyed a strong showing at the OBS March sale, continued to attract interest in the sales ring with a colt (hip 596) from the Grade I winner's first crop selling for $625,000 to Shunsuke Kubota Wednesday in Ocala. Consigned by Ocala Stud, the juvenile worked a quarter-mile last week in :20 3/5. He is out of Italian group winner Candy Store (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Both sire and dam competed in the colors of Peter Fluor and KC Weiner's Speedway Stables, which also bred hip 596.

Hip 596 | OBS/VidHorse

“He's always, from the very beginning, been very balanced, mid-sized, not big,” Speedway advisor Marette Farrell said of the colt. “Roadster actually is a very tall horse, but this horse has the Roadster color, but very much takes after his dam who is by Lope de Vega, who is a really good broodmare sire. And she's done super well because we have basically sent her to all the Speedway stallions. She went to Collected, Roadster and now she has a first meeting with Corniche.”

Candy Store is the dam of stakes winner and multiple graded-placed Vive Veuve (Collected) and stakes-placed Peanutbutterbombe (Collected).

Roadster stands at Ocala Stud for $7,500. At the OBS March sale, he was represented by three six-figure juveniles, led by a $425,000 colt and a $275,000 filly.

“We are thrilled with the horses he has put on the ground,” Farrell said of Roadster's first foals. “They are really good movers with great minds. I think he has a huge chance to make it.”

Speedway has between 10 and 12 broodmares and is committed to offering all its foals at auction.

“They sell everything,” Farrell said. “Peter feels that's the honorable thing to do. And that's no surprise. That's the way Peter and KC operate. So we really did want to keep this colt. But I am also very proud to be part of an operation that thinks like that. And also proud to see those mares coming out with good horses.”

For Farrell, who purchased Roadster on behalf of Speedway Stables for $525,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale and watched the gray go on to win the 2019 GI Santa Anita Derby, it is extra special to see his offspring well received in the ring.

“I think I am going to shed a tear, I am so proud,” she said. @JessMartiniTDN

Paul Neatherlin partnered with consignor Jesse Longoria for a pinhooking score with a colt by Collected (hip 407) before returning later in the day to record an even bigger score with Brad Walker in their Five Point Thoroughbreds consignment with a colt by Essential Quality (hip 499) Wednesday in Ocala.

Hip 499 was purchased by Neatherlin for $35,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale and, following a :9 4/5 work last week, sold for $550,000 to Breeze Easy LLC Wednesday.

“He was kind of late in the Fasig sale,” Neatherlin recalled of the purchase last fall. “I told Mark Taylor I bought him and he said, 'I think you bought a great horse.' And I said, 'I think I got a good buy.'”

Of the colt's progression over the winter, Neatherlin said, “He actually didn't change that much. He just grew and he got a little better and a little better every day. He's been good from day one.”

Hip 499 | OBS/VidHorse

Neatherlin has been operating under the Five Point banner for going on two decades.

“Five Point Thoroughbreds is my little company,” he explained. “I've been in the business for 15 or 20 years. I bought a few Quarter Horses for people. I've bought a lot of Thoroughbreds for people. We always felt like five points were the key to a great racehorse. A horse has to have class, so when you take class, you have: conformation, lineage, athletics, speed and stamina. So that's our slogan.”

Of Wednesday's result, Neatherlin said, “You can't be more excited about a horse. We feel really good about the horse. We feel like he's going to do good things. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.”

Longoria partnered with Neatherlin to acquire a colt by Collected for $60,000 at Keeneland last September, and returned to the sales ring at OBS Wednesday, the juvenile proved another pinhooking score for the partnership when selling for $320,000 to Leland Ackerley Racing.

“I just couldn't help myself,” Longoria said of the purchase. “I saw his body and the way he moved and I had to have him.”

Out of You Flatter Me (Flatter), the bay colt worked a furlong during last week's under-tack show in :9 4/5.

“He's been wonderful,” Longoria said of the colt. “One of them that you just tack them up and go.”

Of expectations heading into the ring Wednesday, Longoria said, “I knew we were going to do well and we would make a good profit on him. But the most important thing to me is that he goes to a good trainer. It's always good to sell a good horse. I want to sell–not just fast horses–but horses that go on and do something. We get criticized for a lot of horses who don't make it. And a lot of them don't. It's always a blessing to be able to pick one that you really like and get them to the right people who will give them a fair shot. That means a lot.”

Longoria and Neatherlin enjoyed an impressive score at the Spring sale three years ago, selling a colt by Frosted for $900,000. The youngster had been acquired by the partners for $50,000 the previous September. He went on to become 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' Maymun.

With an increasingly competitive yearling market, Longoria admitted finding such bargains was becoming increasingly difficult.

“Like always, the top horses are rising up to the top and the rest are just going through,” he said. “And it makes it very difficult for a lot of the guys who have a lot of time and money in the horses. It's getting harder and harder.

“[The yearling market] is very competitive and it takes a lot of work and to be able to to buy those horses we like, we have to pay three or four times more than we used to have to pay. If it wasn't for my guys who back me up, I wouldn't be able to do it. I've been very fortunate to have good backers and guys behind me. And good results at the end. It makes people buy a lot easier from you when you are always honest and straight up.” @JessMartiniTDN

The post $2.3-Million Jackie’s Warrior Filly on Top as Double-Digit Gains Continue at OBS appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Edited Press Release

Reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief) got his first feel of the Oaklawn racing surface Wednesday morning, galloping a mile in advance of his 2026 debut in Saturday's $1.2-million GII Oaklawn Handicap.

Escorted to the track by his Hall of Fame trainer, Bill Mott, Sovereignty visited the indoor paddock and galloped after the first surface renovation break.

“Easy day,” Mott said. “He was ready to do something. He was happy that he was able to do something.”

The Oaklawn Handicap will mark the 4-year-old debut of Sovereignty, who won five of six starts last year for Mott and breeder/owner Godolphin, including two legs of the Triple Crown. Sovereignty was also North America's champion 3-year-old male of 2025.

Sovereignty hasn't started since a 10-length romp in the GI Travers Stakes at 1 1/4 miles Aug. 23 at Saratoga. Sovereignty, who has never faced older horses, vanned to Oaklawn after previously being based in South Florida. He arrived Tuesday morning.

“It's a long trip, but it was a good trip,” Mott said. “Sovereignty unloaded good and looked fine and ate up well and seems like he's got good energy.”

The post Sovereignty Gets First Gallop at Oaklawn Wednesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Godolphin homebred and Darley stallion Frosted (Tapit–Fast Cookie, by Deputy Minister) was euthanized Wednesday, Apr. 15 after an acute episode of laminitis, according to a release from the stallion station. The fastest-ever GI Metropolitan Handicap winner was 14. He will be buried at his long-time home, Jonabell Farm near Lexington.

“Our team is deeply saddened by Frosted's passing, but it was our only option given the dire circumstances,” said Godolphin's Dan Pride. “Frosted was an exceptional and exciting racehorse and accomplished sire. In addition, he was also a huge fan favorite for thousands of visitors over the years here at Jonabell.”

Trained for Godolphin by Kiaran McLaughlin, Frosted's 123 Beyer Speed Figure in the 2016 Met Mile remains the highest recorded at a mile. He set a new stakes record of 1:32.73 in the race, running away with the victory by 14 1/4 lengths. Frosted also captured the GI Whitney Stakes, the GI Wood Memorial Stakes, the GII Pennsylvania Derby, and the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2. He placed in the GI Belmont Stakes, the GI Travers Stakes, and four other graded events, retiring with a record of 19-6-6-2 and earnings of $3,972,800 prior to the 2017 breeding season.

With his seventh crop of 2-year-olds to the races this year, Frosted has 14 career graded winners and 36 black-type winners. Among his top runners are Canadian champion 3-year-old colt Frosted Over, MGSW & MGISP Post Time–a new stallion at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland this season, and Japanese MGSW Jasper Krone.

The post Darley Sire Frosted Succumbs to Laminitis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Not long after a flashy $2.3 million final bid for a Jackie's Warrior filly, a juvenile colt by Freshman Sire Cyberknife out of Broadway Show (Unbridled's Song) drew a $1.2 million bid from a partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, Mike Talla and LEB. Trainer John Sadler served as agent.

“I really loved him,” said Sadler. “He's a nice big, stretchy colt. He looks like all of two turns. He will go to California. Hopefully you will see him in the big races this fall.”

Consigned by de Meric Sales, Hip 576 breezed in :9 4/5 during last week's under tack show.

“I have a long history of Candy Ride, which goes to Gun Runner and obviously he is a son of Gun Runner. Gun Runner is probably the best horse here. So this horse definitely is a good horse and he will have a good shot to be a good horse.”

The post Cyberknife Colt Yields $1.2 Million on Day 2 at OBS Spring Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Well into Wednesday's second session of the OBS Spring Sale, a juvenile filly by Freshman sire Jackie's Warrior realized a $2.3 million final bid from Dermot Farrington, who was bidding on behalf of Mrs. Fitriani Hay. Offered as Hip 570, the filly, who breezed in :9 3/5 last week, is out of Grade III winner Brazen Persuasion (Indian Charlie).

Consigned by Harley / DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, the $140,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase was bred by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding.

The post Jackie’s Warrior Filly Brings $2.3 Million at OBS Spring Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Resolved ADMC Violations

Dates: 04/13/2026
Licensee: A. Ferris Allen III, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on April 14, 2026; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Misty Boss, who finished second at Laurel Park on 1/23/25.

Dates: 04/10/2026
Licensee: Leslielyn Hardesty, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. The following are treated as one violation.

Explainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol-a class C controlled substance-in samples taken from That's My Cat, who won at Tampa Bay on 3/1/26; and from Stormey Monday, who won at Tampa Bay on 3/8/26.

Dates: 04/10/2026
Licensee: Alberto Ruvalcaba, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Naval Harbor, who won at Los Alamitos on 2/22/26.

Dates: 04/10/2026
Licensee: Robert S. Sweazey, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Zimba Warrior, who finished fifth at Mahoning Valley on 2/16/26.

Dates: 04/08/2026
Licensee: Peter Miller, trainer
Penalty: A written Reprimand (per 9/26/23 HISA Guidance).

Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole (Gastrogard)-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Itzel on 3/4/26.

Pending ADMC Violations
04/15/2026,        Ivan Vazquez, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine-a class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Semper Parabellum on 3/22/26.

04/15/2026,        Murray Rojas, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine-a class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Smart Philly on 3/16/26.

04/14/2026,        Jon Zimmerman, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dantrolene-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Strawberry Zinger, who won at Turf Paradise on 3/12/26.

04/14/2026,        Robert T. Paterno, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Tramadol-a class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Commander's Coin, who finished second at Tampa Bay on 2/1/26.

04/13/2026,        Timothy M. Gleason, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Fire Breather, who won at Sunland Park on 2/23/26.

04/10/2026,        Ruben Gomez, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Stormy Gal on 3/2/26.

Crop Violations

Aqueduct

Trevor W. Simpson – reporting date April 9; $500 fine, two-day suspension

Keeneland

Luan S. Machado – reporting date April 11; $750 fine, three-day suspension

Irving Moncada – reporting date April 9; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Parx Racing

Jorge A. Vargas – reporting date April 10; $315 fine, no other info available

John C. Aguilar – reporting date April 9; $500 fine, two-day suspension

Turf Paradise

Isaias Enriquez – reporting date April 9; $750 fine, three-day suspension

The post Weekly National Rulings for the April 9 -15 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Predictably, last week's Grade I stakes for fillies and mares generated the week's highest Beyer Speed Figures.

6 – KAPOOR, KEE, 4/8/26, Allowance, about 7 furlongs (Video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 94
(f, 4, by Uncle Mo–Kareena, by Medaglia d'Oro)
O/B-Godolphin. T-Bill Mott. J-Junior Alvarado.
Mott is exercising his trademark patience with the Godolphin filly, shepherding her through her conditions (maiden, allowance, allowance, allowance) and a resulting four-race win streak by a combined margin of 20 3/4 lengths. But now we'll almost certainly see Kapoor show up next in stakes company, where she'll no doubt be well-supported.

5 – IN OUR TIME, KEE, 4/12/26, GII Giant's Causeway Stakes,
5 1/2 furlongs (turf) (Video)
Beyer Speed Figure – 95
(m, 5, by Not This Time–Laura's Pleasure, by Cactus Ridge)
O-Resolute Racing and Miller Racing. B-Brian Kahn (Ky).
T-Saffie Joseph Jr. J-Flavien Prat.
Flavien Prat helped In Our Time get that long-awaited graded stakes victory with a ride that would make Pat Day nod in approval. In Our Time sprinted to the early lead, then Prat patiently sat along the rail allowing Shining Star and Saratoga Special to run past her before kicking clear again for a decisive win. The daughter of superstallion Not This Time was already Grade I placed, but this winning Grade II black type was a value enhancement.

3 (tie) – SEGESTA, KEE, 4/11/26, GI Jenny Wiley Stakes, 1 mile (turf) (Video)
Beyer Speed Figure- 95
(m, 5, by Ghostzapper–Antonoe, by First Defence)
O/B-Juddmonte. T-Chad Brown. J-Flavien Prat.
For most of the final furlong, it looked as if Segesta had a second straight major triumph in the bag. Even a few strides from the wire, the Juddmonte mare appeared a certain winner. In the end, she and Expensive Queen both got Grade I credit thanks to a dead-heat–and it is almost as hard to separate them in post-race analysis. However, Segesta ran in the 2-path around both turns while Expensive Queen raced along the rail with a stretch trip that the head-on replays shows wasn't as tight as the pan shot indicated.

3 (tie) – EXPENSIVE QUEEN (IRE), 4/11/26, GI Jenny Wiley Stakes, 1 mile (turf) (Video)
Beyer Speed Figure-95
(m, 5, by Lope de Vega (Ire)–Witches Brew (Ire), by Duke of Marmalade {Ire})
O-Farfellow Farms. B-Fermoir Ltd (Ire). T-Brendan Walsh. J-Luis Saez.
A courageous and dramatic late surge by Expensive Queen drew her even with Segesta at the wire and continued an upwardly mobile career arc for the British import, purchased last year by Kip and Suzanne Knelman's Farfellow Farms in Paris Ky.  She is now 4-for-5 in the U.S., her only loss coming in Santa Anita's GI Gamely Stakes last May with a possible excuse: she needed 7+ months after that race to recover from foot problems.

2 – NITROGEN, 4/11/26, GI Apple Blossom Handicap, 1 1/16 miles (Video)
Beyer Speed Figure  – 97 (2nd)
(f, 4, by Medaglia d'Oro–Tiffany Case, by Uncle Mo)
O/B-D J Stable. T-Mark Casse. J-Jose Ortiz.
When Nitrogen was beaten in the GII Azeri Stakes last month on a sloppy track, her Beyer Speed Figure of 91 was a clear indication she didn't run her usual race. That was not the case in the Apple Blossom Handicap. Nitrogen rebounded with one of her signature efforts and it simply wasn't good enough to haul in frontrunning Claret Beret. Last year's 3-year-old filly champ should lose little in defeat–playing at this level of the sport, even champions are subject to be victimized by massive performances.

1 – CLARET BERET, 4/11/26, GI Apple Blossom Handicap, 1 1/16 miles (Video)
Beyer Speed Figure- 105
(m, 5, by Not This Time–Bessie M, by Medalist)
O-Miller Racing. B-Mitch Haynes (Ky). T-Saffie Joseph Jr. J-Micah Husbands.
When champion Nitrogen tipped out at the quarter pole to follow Claret Beret into the stretch, the race was on–and in a flash, it was over. Claret Beret had tipped her hand with a strong five-length win in the GIII Royal Delta at Gulfstream, and took her game to an even higher level at Oaklawn, storming away to win by 4 1/2 lengths to earn an expenses-paid spot in the Breeders' Cup Distaff. Claret Beret was claimed in October 2024 for $62,500, and after four starts her connections re-sold her last March while at Oaklawn to owner Myron Miller. Under Joseph's care, she has recorded Beyers of 96, 97, 98 and now 105.

The post Six Speedy Fillies For the Week of April 6-12 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.