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Updated: 3 weeks 4 days ago

1ST, MJC Support Local Business Through Return of Preak Weeks

Tue, 2025-04-15 09:36

Preak Weeks is slated to return in 2025 in a joint initiative between 1/ST and The Maryland Jockey Club. Preak Weeks will be staged in partnership with Heidi Klotzman of HeidnSeek Entertainment. Introduced in 2023, Preak Weeks provides a spotlight on Baltimore-based businesses in the lead up to the Preakness Stakes.

From Apr. 28 through May 16, one of 19 participating businesses will give away A Day at the Races to Preakness 150 with a four-pack of tickets. In addition, each participating business will receive a QR code and custom promotional code for Preakness 150 ticket sales and will receive 10% of all proceeds made through their individual promo code.

“We are thrilled to continue leveraging Preakness to support Baltimore's independent–and often small, BIPOC and women-owned–businesses,” said Audra Madison, Director of Marketing, The Maryland Jockey Club. “Participating business owners will also receive tickets to experience Preakness 150, deepening their connection to this historic event.”

The public is encouraged to patronize the establishments– ranging from restaurants and cafes to boutiques, services and community organizations–throughout the three-week promotion, both as a show of support to Baltimore-based businesses and for a chance to win or purchase their tickets through the QR codes. No purchase is necessary to win the tickets.

All participating businesses, and access to their websites for additional details, can be found online starting today at: https://www.preakness.com/preakweeks. The participating business of the day will be prominently featured on the Preak Weeks homepage. A full calendar of the promotion, noting which business will be highlighted and giving away tickets on which day, can also be found on the site.

The post 1ST, MJC Support Local Business Through Return of Preak Weeks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

TDN Derby Top 20: The Pros and Cons of Every Contender

Mon, 2025-04-14 18:26

The rankings below are in “likeliest winner” order, and are independent from the “Road to the Derby” points leaderboard that will determine starting berths for the GI Kentucky Derby.

1) JOURNALISM (c, Curlin–Mopotism, by Uncle Mo) O-Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5 LLC, LaPenta, Robert V., Magnier, Mrs. John, Smith, Derrick and Tabor, Michael B.; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. Sales history: $825,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GISW, 5-4-0-1, $638,880. Last start: WON Apr. 5 GI Santa Anita Derby.

Pros: This $825,000 FTSAUG colt by Curlin from trainer Michael McCarthy's stable is an adaptable, athletic stalker with a long, purposeful stride who was won four straight, including three stakes. The best sophomores in the west have been unable to beat him. Both starts at age three have produced triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures. Journalism has shown he can overcome trip adversity, and is highly attuned to in-race cues from his regular rider, Umberto Rispoli. This colt has no problem racing at the fence covered up by other horses, and has enough tactical speed to pick his own advantageous prowling position somewhere in the front third of the 20-horse Derby.

Cons: The presumptive Derby favorite hasn't had much experience in large fields, with four of his five lifetime starts coming against only four rivals. Although Journalism's most recent victory in the GI Santa Anita Derby was the most authoritative among this year's nine-furlong Derby preps, it also appeared to be the most taxing. He was trapped down inside entering the far turn and had to shoulder aside a rival, overcoming a significant momentum stop before running hard through the lane. Having only two starts at age three is a recent-history negative. From 2017 through 2024, horses with only two sophomore starts prior to the Derby have been a collective 0-for-49. (However, that two-at-three template worked well over the previous decade, producing eight Derby winners between 2007 and 2016.)

2) RODRIGUEZ (c, Authentic–Cayala, by Cherokee Run) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Kingswood Farm & David Egan (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $485,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW 5-2-2-1, $522,800. Last start: WON Apr. 5 GII Wood Memorial Stakes.

Pros: When this $485,000 KEESEP colt trained by Bob Baffert wired the GII Wood Memorial Stakes, his final time of 1:48.15 was the fastest nine-furlong clocking in any points-awarding Derby prep stakes since 2022. The free-running Rodriguez seems to be developing similarly to his 2020 champion sire, Authentic, who was 5-for-5 when he established command and led throughout, but just 1-for-3 in races where he either didn't make the lead or was tasked with stalking. Rodriguez's new jockey, Mike Smith, raved after the Wood about how relaxed this colt was after Baffert removed blinkers for that Apr. 5 stakes. Rodriguez handled legit pace pressure from the favorite and crossed the wire with his ears pricked, indicating a comfort level that will be a huge help if that mojo carries over into the Derby.

Cons: Authentic was a May 5 foal who took a while to mentally mature, and he benefitted greatly by the pandemic forcing the 2020 Derby to be delayed until September. Rodriguez, too, is a late (May 20) foal, meaning he won't actually turn three until three days after the second leg of the Triple Crown. Is he cognitively dialed in for an arduous race the like Derby at this stage of his development? Rodriguez wired a so-so field in the Wood on a day when horses either on the lead or dueling won 10 of 13 races, so it's legit to ask how much a speed-favoring surface factored into the end result. Historically, the Wood is a poor prognosticator for Derby success, with only two winners in the past 44 years (Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000 and Pleasant Colony in 1981) parlaying a win in New York into a blanket of roses at Churchill Downs.

3) TAPPAN STREET (c, Into Mischief–Virginia Key, by Distorted Humor) O-WinStar Farm LLC, CHC, Inc. and Cold Press Racing. B-Blue Heaven Farm (KY). T-Brad H. Cox. Sales history: $1,00,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GISW, 3-2-1-0, $643,400. Last race: WON Mar. 29 GI Florida Derby.

  Pros: Tappan Street, a $1m FTSAUG colt by Into Mischief, is the type of horse you'd bet in the Derby if you sense he's an up-and-coming star who has yet to peak. Through only three lifetime races, this smooth-traveling Brad Cox trainee has adeptly handled most challenges tossed his way. He won his debut in a seven-eighths sprint at Gulfstream (three next-out winners); ran second as the fave in the GIII Holy Bull Stakes behind next-out GI Blue Grass Stakes winner Burnham Square (Liam's Map), then won the Florida Derby under confident handling by Luis Saez. His career arc is similar to that of 15-1 upsetter Mage in the 2023 Derby in that they both prepped at Gulfstream with only three lifetime races and both posted 94 Beyers in the Florida Derby (Mage was second, beaten one length). Since its inception in 1952, the Florida Derby has been the most productive path to the Kentucky Derby winner's circle, with 25 of the last 73 Kentucky Derby winners prepping in the Florida Derby.

Cons: Since 1900, 29 horses have attempted to win the Derby off exactly three lifetime starts, and the only ones to do it were Regret in 1915, Big Brown in 2008, Justify in 2018 and Mage. Tappan Street is also against the grain of the same recently unproductive “two starts at age three” angle that Journalism (and Nos. 4, 5, 7 and 19 on this list) will try to overcome.

4) SOVEREIGNTY (c, Into Mischief–Crowned, by Bernardini) O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott; Lifetime Record: MGSW & GISP, 5-2-2-0, $572,800. Last start: 2nd Mar. 29 GI Florida Derby.

Pros: This Into Mischief-sired homebred for Godolphin has a pedigree that resonates with Classics-winning royalty, including Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, A.P. Indy, Empire Maker and Bernardini. Sovereignty can reliably be counted upon to fire with one sustained run from off the tailgate, and his last-to-first annihilation of the GII Street Sense Stakes in October stood out as one of the more visually impressive two-turn efforts by a 2-year-old last season. This colt overcame the outermost post nine over Gulfstream's short-stretch configuration to win the Mar. 1 GII Fountain of Youth Stakes, and he was gaining on Tappan Street when second from post 10 in the Florida Derby, a prep for which trainer Bill Mott probably did not have Sovereignty fully cranked.

Cons: Falling in love with a deep closer for the Derby can be hazardous to your bankroll. Speed-centric horses who raced either on the lead or just off it crossed the finish wire first in every Derby between 2014 and 2021 (although two were DQ'd). Yes, horses from off the pace have won the last three Derbies (Rich Strike in 2022 and Mage in 2023 rallied from well back while Mystik Dan won in 2024 with an inside stalk). But it's still difficult to get behind one-run tailgate types like Sovereignty knowing that the fates for well-meant closers in the Derby so often end up being pace- and trip-dependent.

Tappan Street (right) and Sovereignty came to decide the GI Curlin Florida Derby | Ryan Thompson

5) CITIZEN BULL (c, Into Mischief–No Joke, by Distorted Humor) O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Robert & Lawana Low (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $675,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 6-4-0-1, $1,451,000. Last start: 4th Apr. 5 GI Santa Anita Derby.

Pros: If you're a believer in the 2-year-old champ's overall body of work and the all-business, front-running force he displayed when wiring three graded two-turn stakes between October and February, you're going to be rewarded with an overlaid mutuel in the Kentucky Derby. Last-race recency bias will account for bettors jumping off Citizen Bull's bandwagon after his fade to fourth in the Santa Anita Derby. Trainer Bob Baffert has already publicly shouldered some blame for not getting another prep race into this $675,000 KEESEP son of Into Mischief during the winter/spring campaign, and this colt being “short” for his first race in two months is probably the most logical explanation for his poor performance. In the Santa Anita Derby, Citizen Bull broke running, conceded the lead, then was asked to duel with a 44-1 rabbit; he looked out of his element, never being able to establish any sort of in-race rhythm. Much like in stablemate Rodriguez's write-up above, letting this colt roll straight out of the gate appears to be the key to getting him primed for a rebound result.

Cons: The most obvious thing going against Citizen Bull is the possibility that the assessment above is completely wrong and that the punchless finish we saw at Santa Anita is exactly what we'll get in Louisville. That would make Citizen Bull the ninth straight champion juvenile male not to win the Derby. And that bit about sending him to the lead? Both Citizen Bull and Rodriguez share common ownership interests. Are we to expect Baffert will instruct one rider to back off from what could be a hot pace between the Derby's two main speed threats, or will it be a stablemate-versus-stablemate free-for-all once the gates open? Citizen Bull's biggest hurdle is history: Only two winners of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 40 years have ever won the Derby (Street Sense  2007, Nyquist 2016).

6) LUXOR CAFE (c, American Pharoah–Mary's Follies, by More Than Ready) O-Koichi Nishikawa; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt & Westerberg Ireland ULC (KY); T-Noriyuki Hori. Lifetime Record: SW-Japan, 6-4-1-0, $377,323. Last start: WON Mar. 29 Fukuryu Stakes.

Pros: This Kentucky-bred son of American Pharoah from Noriyuki Hori's stable passes the eye test based on his rhythm, response and ability to produce a startlingly quick turn of foot in the late stages of his races. Luxor Cafe has now won four straight (twice over a metric nine furlongs), and has twice beaten Admire Daytona (Jpn) (Drefong), who subsequently rebounded to win the G2 UAE Derby. This colt is a full brother to Japanese dirt champion Cafe Pharoah.

Cons: Although Derby handicappers in America have gotten wise to the talents of top-level Japanese horses in big races like the Derby and the Breeders' Cup, it is still difficult for most of us to get a true read on the quality of competition these horses have been facing.

7) EAST AVENUE (c, Medaglia d'Oro–Dance Music, by Ghostzapper) 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. Lifetime Record: GISW, 5-2-1-0, $654,395. Last start: 2nd Apr. 8 GI Blue Grass Stakes.

Pros: 'TDN Rising Star' East Avenue may have come up a nose short in the GI Blue Grass Stakes, yet in a case of the second-place horse making a more emphatic statement than the winner, he earned every point of his form-redeeming, 96-Beyer effort by sustaining improved speed under pace duress over a track that was not rewarding frontrunners. After setting torrid fractions while racing with blinkers on, this Godolphin homebred from Brendan Walsh's barn looked certain to be swallowed up by a wall of horses off the final turn. Instead, he stayed on better than expected to reclaim the lead late, only losing it in the last few strides to the onrushing Burnham Square. East Avenue had enough early lick to wire a six-furlong sprint on debut last August, then stretched that speed around two turns to win the GI Breeders' Futurity Stakes in start number two. He was the beaten fave in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile because of a botched break from the one hole, then mystified his connections in February with an explanation-defying 10th in the GII Risen Star Stakes. You have to be willing to take the tradeoff that this colt is on the upswing despite two ugly races in the middle of his past performance block, but a price around 20-1 in the Derby could make it worth the gamble.

Cons: As much as East Avenue ran well against the grain of a closer-favoring Keeneland strip in the Blue Grass, a speed bias very much aided his 5 1/4-length front-running blowout there last October, and the horses he beat in that short-stretch Breeders' Futurity went a collective 0-for-9 in their next starts. In addition, the Blue Grass this year came up light on paper and produced a final time (1:51.33) that equates to the second-slowest edition of that stakes since Keeneland switched back to dirt from synthetic in the fall of 2014. And the :13.44 final furlong during which East Avenue clawed back his lead was also below par, clocking nearly a half a second slower than any final eighth out of the nine Derby-qualifying stakes at the nine-furlong distance in 2024-25.

The blinkered East Avenue bounced back in the Blue Grass | Coady Media

8) BURNHAM SQUARE (g, Liam's Map–Linda, by Scat Daddy) O/B-Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes. Lifetime Record: GISW, 6-3-1-1, $977,755. Last start: WON Apr. 8 GI Blue Grass Stakes.

Pros: Two months ago, trainer Ian Wilkes described Burnham Square as “a plain ol' horse,” admitting that the connections of this Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred by Liam's Map weren't initially sure how talented a prospect he might turn out to be. Now, despite wins in the Holy Bull Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes, this off-the-pace gelding could very well still be flying beneath the radar of Derby bettors. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because low-profile contenders who consistently show up on race day and produce results without much public pressure are a valuable commodity. Burnham Square has already beaten No. 3 Tappan Street in their only meeting in February, and he was fourth, beaten only three lengths by No. 4-ranked Sovereignty when they met in March. Both those Gulfstream races were over short-stretch configurations with the finish line at the sixteenth pole, a layout that usually does not benefit closers like Burnham Square.

Cons: As stated in East Avenue's write-up above, there's no getting around the fact that the Blue Grass was a slowly run race after a hot first half mile, and that setup played to the advantage of Burnham Square biding his time from last. In the Holy Bull Stakes, this gelding got very agitated during the post parade and pre-race warm-ups; it's something to file away and recheck when the chaos of Derby day rolls around.

9) SANDMAN (c, Tapit–Distorted Music, by Distorted Humor) O-D. J. Stable LLC, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables; B-Lothenbach Stables Inc (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. Sales History: $1,200,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 8-3-1-2, $1,254,595. Last start: WON Mar. 29 GI Arkansas Derby.

Pros: As far back as Aug. 10, when Sandman broke his maiden sprinting seven furlongs at Saratoga in his second lifetime start, trainer Mark Casse told TDN that, “Since day one, he always showed that he was kind of head of the class,” adding that this $1.2 million OBSMAR son of Tapit developed an early knack for handling new assignments with ease. Since then, Casse has tested Sandman with six races at a mile or longer, and the gray has responded with nice progression by honing a reliable late run that looks well suited to 10 furlongs. Sandman's 99-Beyer score in the GI Arkansas Derby didn't appear to take too much out of him, and he's never been worse than third in a two-turn race.

Cons: Sandman's Arkansas Derby victory was aided by a colossal pace meltdown on the front end that saw two leaders peel off from the pack by 10 lengths down the backstretch, and he was able to uncoil late with no serious challengers threatening him late in the lane. Although we've seen him finish well both by coming up the fence and swooping around horses off the far turn, Sandman still has intermittent focus loss through the stretch, and jockey Jose Ortiz stated after that Mar. 29 Oaklawn win that he knows Sandman doesn't like to be whipped left-handed based on how Sandman veered out sharply when struck once from that side in the Arkansas Derby.

10) RIVER THAMES (c, Maclean's Music–Proportionality, by Discreet Cat) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-CHC, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC; B-CTR Stables, LLC (NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. Sales history: $200,000 Ylg '23 SARAUG. Lifetime record: 4-2-1-1, $261,900. Last start: 3rd Apr. 8 GI Blue Grass Stakes.

Pros: 'TDN Rising Star' River Thames has had four starts since debuting with a win sprinting at Gulfstream on Jan. 11, and his Beyer range has been very consistent at 94-92-95-94. This New York-bred ($200,000 SARAUG) by Maclean's Music from trainer Todd Pletcher's barn also scored in a one-turn-mile allowance, and his first try around two turns in the Fountain of Youth Stakes was a better-than-it-looked second, beaten only a neck, by Sovereignty.

Cons: River Thames had a trouble-free talking trip in last week's Blue Grass Stakes, but despite appearing primed to pounce at both the quarter and eighth poles, his run through the lane lacked spark. He ended up third in that slowly run stakes.

11) TIZTASTIC (c, Tiz the Law–Keesha, by Tapit) O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith; B-Capital Bloodstock (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. Sales history: $80,000 Ylg '23 KEEJAN;  $335,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 8-3-1-2, $1,549,800. Last start: WON Mar. 22 GII Louisiana Derby.

Pros: Tiztastic (80,000 KEEJAN, $335,000 KEESEP) won the GII Louisiana Derby (95 Beyer) by rallying from ninth, but he has previously been effective stalking closer to the pace. Big fields have not fazed this Tiz the Law colt from Steve Asmussen's stable: He's twice competed in 10-horse races, and once each in fields of 12 and 13. For a colt who has not yet technically turned three (Apr. 30 foaling date), it's quite an accomplishment for him to have already won million-dollar races on both turf and dirt (the grass win was the Juvenile Mile Stakes at Kentucky Downs last September).

Cons: When Tiztastic scored in the Louisiana Derby, he was passing only spent horses. That stakes hasn't historically been productive prep for Louisville: Only Black Gold in 1924 and Grindstone in 1996 have pulled off the elusive Louisiana/Kentucky Derby double.

12) FINAL GAMBIT (c, Not This Time–Pachinko, by Tapit) O/B-Juddmonte (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-2-1-1, $520,639. Last start: WON Mar. 22 GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks Stakes.

Pros: This Brad Cox-trained gray homebred for Juddmonte has been closing from far back on both turf and Tapeta, and what he lacks in polish and finesse is counterbalanced by the impression that he has the potential to be scary-good once his mental acuity catches up with his physical ability. In several of his races he's unleashed an unexpected extra kick inside the eighth pole that seems to come out of nowhere, and his 90-Beyer victory in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks Stakes saw him coasting clear late despite giving up nine paths of real estate off the final turn.

Cons: Final Gambit has either gawked around or shied from rivals he was passing in the stretch in each of his last three races. Jockey Luan Machado said after the Jeff Ruby win that sometimes, “when he's between horses, he doesn't try as hard as when he's in the clear.” That could be problematic in a 20-horse field like the Derby, which is also going to be Final Gambit's first career race on dirt.

Final Gambit is set to try conventional dirt for the first time in the Derby | Coady Media

Potentially rounding out the starting gate…

13) COAL BATTLE (Coal Front)

Pros: Coal Battle ($70,000 TTAYRL) is a versatile overachiever who has scored on the front end and from farther back while winning four stakes in succession earlier this campaign (Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs, Springboard Mile Stakes at Remington, plus the Smarty Jones Stakes and the GII Rebel Stakes, both at Oaklawn). He let loose with a decent middle move in the Arkansas Derby, but despite looking like the horse to beat on the far turn, his bid was only good enough for third. He has consistency on his side and figures to go off relatively ignored in the Derby betting, likely north of 35-1 odds.

Cons: Trainer Lonnie Briley said after Coal Battle's last race that he believed the colt got too hot and bothered prior to the Arkansas Derby, which was out of character and probably cost him some energy in the race. Was that behavior a one-race aberration or will Coal Battle act up even more when faced with a high-energy crowd of 150,000 at Churchill? Handicappers have to factor in the possibility that Coal Battle already peaked between November and February, a concern that could be reflected in his Beyer Speed Figure arc, which topped out at 91 in the Rebel.

14) MADAKET ROAD (Quality Road)

Pros: Madaket Road's only victory came back in Dec. 26 in a Santa Anita maiden race, but he earned Kentucky Derby qualifying points by finishing third, second and fourth, respectively, in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Rebel Stakes and Florida Derby. He stalked just off the pace in his first three starts but attempted to make the lead in his last two; with two other higher-ranked contenders from the Bob Baffert barn already earning spots in the Derby as likely pacemakers, it would be reasonable to expect this $650,000 FTSAUG colt to be tasked with sitting just behind the first flight. Baffert horses have crossed the finish line first in seven Derbies (one DQ'd) and he hasn't always won with his perceived “best” entrant, so the trainer angle has to be considered among Madaket Road's positive attributes.

Cons: Madaket Road's best speed-figure race, the 90-Beyer second in the Rebel Stakes, was accomplished with him opening up a daylight lead on the backstretch and an even wider between-calls margin into the stretch. Yet he still couldn't hang on when confronted by Coal Battle, a colt who regressed to third in his next start.

15) GRANDE (Curlin)

Pros: Grande, a $300,000 KEESEP colt from Todd Pletcher's stable, was wide on both turns of the Wood Memorial, yet he finished well enough to be second behind wire-to-wire winner Rodriguez. He was closing against the grain of a speed-favoring Aqueduct surface that afternoon after having previously won a one-turn-mile maiden and a nine-furlong allowance, both at Gulfstream, in his only other two lifetime starts.

Cons: He's very light on experience and will be up against the same only-three-lifetime-starts obstacle detailed in Tappan Street's write-up.

16) AMERICAN PROMISE (Justify)

Pros: This 750,000 KEESEP colt wired an Oaklawn maiden field on Dec. 29, but after finishing out of the money in two subsequent stakes at Oaklawn and Fair Grounds, he looked more in his element pressing outside of a favored speedster in the Mar. 15 Virginia Derby (95 Beyer). His trainer, Hall-of-Famer D. Wayne Lukas, has won four Kentucky Derbies. Nine lifetime starts, with eight of them at a mile or longer, suggests a decent foundation for American Promise attempting 10 furlongs.

Cons: The Virginia Derby was a one-turn, nine-furlong race, and after wresting command a half-mile from home, American Promise didn't have to deal with any late threats that might have given us a better sense of how he might fare when faced with multiple waves of closers. The two horses who finished second and third while 7 3/4 lengths behind him were fifth and ninth, respectively, in their next stakes starts in the Blue Grass and Wood Memorial.

17) CHUNK OF GOLD (Preservationist)

Pros: It's awfully difficult not to root for a Derby contender who only cost $2,500 at the FTKOCT auction. This gray Ethan West trainee has outrun his odds every time he's raced and is usually passing horses in the lane when it counts, with his two most recent races both second-place tries in the nine-furlong Risen Star Stakes and the 1 3/16-miles Louisiana Derby. He paired 92 Beyers in those two efforts.

Cons: This son of Preservationist only has a six-furlong maiden win over Tapeta at Turfway to his credit.

18) ADMIRE DAYTONA (JPN) (Drefong)

Pros: Admire Daytona (Jpn) stayed on under pressure in the UAE Derby. This Yukihiro Kato trainee was hounded on the lead by multiple challengers, briefly lost the lead in a three-way stretch battle, then prevailed in the final jump to win by a nose.

Cons: This ¥66-million JRHAJUL weanling, whose first five starts were in Tokyo, was all-out to win the UAE Derby, and you have to wonder if the exertion from that race, when coupled with him having to endure another halfway-around the globe shipping experience, is going to be too much to overcome in Kentucky.

19) FLYING MOHAWK (Karakontie {Jpn})

Pros: Flying Mohawk may be only 2-for-6, but trainer Whit Beckman thought highly enough of him to race him in a New York graded grass stakes while still a maiden last autumn, and he's never been beaten by more than five lengths. This colt ($25,000 KEENOV, $72,000 KEESEP) rallied late to gain second in the Jeff Ruby over Tapeta at Turfway despite some trouble at the break, and he has plenty of large-field experience, competing three times in fields of 12 and once in a 10-horse race.

Cons: He's never raced on dirt and his lifetime-best Beyer is 84, which is 20 points shy of what it usually takes to be a major player in the Derby.

20) PUBLISHER (American Pharoah)

Pros: This $600,000 FTSAUG colt by American Pharoah is a maiden who finished seventh, fourth, then second in Oaklawn's series of graded stakes preps. His 95-Beyer placing in the Arkansas Derby, in which he was equipped with blinkers for an improved effort, is his standout accomplishment.

Cons: Publisher brings an 0-for-7 record into the Derby. Steve Asmussen is 0-for-26 in the Derby, currently the longest losing streak for a trainer.

The post TDN Derby Top 20: The Pros and Cons of Every Contender appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Higher Purses, Additional Stakes Highlight 2025 Season at Colonial

Mon, 2025-04-14 16:49

An expanded schedule with higher overnight purses and additional stakes events will feature this summer at Colonial Downs during a 41-day stand from Wednesday, July 9 through Saturday, Sept. 13.

A total of 31 black-type races worth a total of $5.85 million are programmed for the meet, highlighted by the Colonial Festival of Racing Saturday, Aug. 9 and featuring the $1-million GI Arlington Million, the GII Beverly D. S. and the GII Secretariat Stakes. The meet's fourth and final graded event takes place on Saturday, Sept. 6 with the running of the $500,000 GIII Old Dominion Derby. Co-featured that afternoon is the $250,000 Listed Old Dominion Oaks, and both races take the spot on the calendar previously occupied by the Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks. The latter two events were moved to the dirt to serve as prep races for the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks, respectively.

Overnight races will offer $70,000 for open maiden special weight contests ($87,500 for Virginia-restricted races), while allowance races will feature purses up to $80,000 for open runners and $90,000 for their Virginia-restricted counterparts.

Eight races will be run under starter-allowance conditions on Thursday, Aug. 23 as lead-ups to this year's Claiming Crown. The top two finishers in each race receive automatic berths into the corresponding race on Claiming Crown Day, to be held Saturday, Nov. 15 at Churchill Downs.

The post Higher Purses, Additional Stakes Highlight 2025 Season at Colonial appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

‘A Market Mainstay:’ OBS Spring Sale Begins Tuesday

Mon, 2025-04-14 15:34

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, the bellwether auction of the juvenile sales season, begins its four-day run Tuesday and continues through Friday with bidding beginning each day at 10:30 a.m.

“We are hoping to capitalize on the momentum that we had at our March sale,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “There are an awful lot of good horses on the grounds. There is a lot of activity on the grounds right now. We are looking forward to a good sale.”

The 2024 renewal of the Spring sale set highwater marks for average and median, with 630 horses selling by the close of business on the auction's final day for a gross of $81,994,000, an average of $130,149 and median of $70,000. Both records improved on figures set just the year.

“We kind of keep our heads down and just try not to focus on records,” Wojciechowski said of the potential for new records in 2025. “But I do think the catalogue stacks up very well. I am always amazed at how the consignors outdo themselves every year with the quality of horses that they bring. We have a good representation of young sires, proven sires, so it's a very good catalogue.”

The juvenile sales season began last month with the OBS March sale, a longtime select sale which was making its 10th appearance on the calendar as an open sale. During its decade as an open sale, the March auction seemed at times to be eclipsed by its April counterpart, but this year's strong renewal produced seven million-dollar-plus juveniles, including an OBS record $3-million colt. The Spring sale, which had five seven-figure juveniles in 2022 and three in 2023, produced just one, a $1.9-million daughter of Tiz the Law, in 2024.

Rather than seeing the two sales as competitors, Wojciechowski sees them as complementary.

“The pendulum has swung a little bit back to March, but I don't think it's to the detriment of April,” he said. “This is the one sale that, if you are going to go to a 2-year-old sale, this is where everybody comes. I think April has really grown and evolved and matured into a market mainstay.”

As bidding opens at the April sale, consignors seem resigned to seeing a familiar polarity in the marketplace.

“More of the same,” consignor Tom McCrocklin said when asked for his expectations for the April market. “I might have guys lined up at my table wanting horses $200,000+, and I don't have one guy there asking if I have one for $40,000. They just aren't here. I didn't see them in March anyway. I don't know where they've gone, but they are not in numbers at the 2-year-old sales.”

Another concern for the middle market this coming week in Ocala is the volatility in the stock markets.

“Certainly you would rather not see all that stuff coming out,” Wojciechowski said of the uncertainty in the global economy. “I will tell you that there is a ton of international interest here looking at horses. And if you look back at March, the stock market wasn't at its peak and we had just had all of the decoupling stuff come out and there was certainly some not so nice things in the news during that sale. But people put their blinkers on and they bought horses.”

During last week's under-tack preview for the Spring sale, 27 juveniles shared the fastest furlong time of :9 4/5, while six posted the co-fastest quarter-mile time of :20 2/5.

“We got very fortunate with the weather last week,” Wojciechowski said. “Any bad weather seemed to hit us overnight. It didn't interrupt any of our days and conditions were fairly consistent. We had a pretty substantial wind on Monday and we caught a headwind yesterday starting about mid-morning and then gradually increasing during the day. It wasn't as brutal as what we experienced in March, but it certainly had an effect and I think the buyers recognize that.”

Hips one through 302 will be offered during Tuesday's first session of the auction, followed by hips 303 through 604 on Wednesday, hips 605 through 906 on Thursday and hips 907 through 1207 on Friday.

The post ‘A Market Mainstay:’ OBS Spring Sale Begins Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Pinatubo’s Al Jafara Roars Home at Keeneland to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Honors

Sat, 2025-04-12 17:14

Making the move from France to the States for new connections, Al Jafara (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}) rewarded their patience with a 'TDN Rising Star' effort against allowance foes at Keeneland.

Fourth against allowance company on unveiling at Chantilly for owner Mansour Aguel and trainer Hedi Ghabri, she returned nine days later at the venue to take on maidens going 1 1/8-miles. She relished the extra real estate and graduated from that condition by 1 1/4 lengths Sept. 16. Entered into Arqana's Arc sale set for last October, she changed hands to her current owners for €250,000 and was exported to the States. She moved to the barn of Chad Brown and resurfaced on the worktab at Payson in December.

The bettors liked what they saw from the European import and saw fit to make her the 5-2 favorite for her U.S. debut with first-time Lasix. Breaking well but content to play the caboose, Al Jafara watched the field roll along through :23.39, :48.37, and six furlongs in 1:13.76 but had to come as far as seven wide into the lane when the field closed ranks in the far bend. Producing an eye-catching move to surge to the front as she inhaled her competition with a sixteenth left to go, Al Jafara cleared off to win by 1 3/4 lengths over fellow European expat Bessie Abott (Ire) (Kuroshio {Aus}).

The 'Rising Star' is Pinatubo's second U.S. winner from five starters.

The victress is her dam's second winner from three to the races. She has a juvenile half-brother by Too Darn Hot (GB) as well as a yearling half-sister by Oasis Dream (GB). Said dam, Predawn (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), is a placed full-sister to several-time Bahrainian champion Shogun (Ire) and G1 Investec Oaks winner Qualify (Ire). That sister would go on to produce G3 Shadwell Jebel Ali Mile victor Swing Vote (GB) (Shamardal) as well as G3 Prix la Force winner Cualificar (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).

Further down, the elite black type in the female family only becomes more concentrated as relatives include the likes of multiple Group 1 winner Brian Boru (GB) (Sadler's Wells); multiple group winner and GI Breeders' Cup Turf-placed Sea Moon (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}); and GI Kentucky Oaks victress MGISW Flute (Seattle Slew).

 

There was a ton of trouble ahead of him but Flavien Prat aboard AL JAFARA (GB) ($7.02) avoided all of it. The Chad Brown trained filly went last-to-first in the 8th at @KeenelandRacing. @MadaketStables, Michael Dubb, and Richard Schermerhorn own the 3YO. pic.twitter.com/931BW5u0YP

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 12, 2025

8th-Keeneland, $89,963, Alw, 4-12, (NW1X), 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.23, gd, 1 3/4 lengths.
AL JAFARA (GB), f, 3, by Pinatubo (Ire)
                1st Dam: Predawn (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
                2nd Dam: Perihelion (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Medicosma, by The Minstrel
Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $66,026. O-Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn; B-V. I. Araci (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. *15,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT; €37,000 2yo '24 ARQBRU; €250,000 2yo '24 ARARC.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored FanDuel.

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Muhimma To Skip Kentucky Oaks

Sat, 2025-04-12 13:21

Shadwell Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Muhimma (Munnings) will not participate in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks on May 2, trainer Brad Cox told Carlos Morales of Agentes 305 on X during an interview from the Churchill Downs backstretch Saturday morning.

Perfect in her three racetrack appearances at two, the $700,000 Keeneland September purchase earned her 'Rising Star' over 6 1/2 furlongs at Churchill last Sept. 20 and followed up with a 5 1/2-length allowance victory going seven-eighths of a mile before closing the season with a front-running success in the GII Demoiselle Stakes. The gray filly made her sophomore debut in the GIII Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn Park Feb. 23, weakening in the late stages to be third to Quietside (Malibu Moon) as the odds-on favorite, and she filled the same spot behind the front-running La Cara (Street Sense) in Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes Apr. 7.

“Muhimma will pass, we'll kind of regroup,” Cox told Morales. “She ran well, but not as well as we were hoping.”

Having accumulated 50 points, Muhimma held 12th place on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Her defection allows GII Gulfstream Park Oaks runner-up Anna's Promise (Promises Fulfilled) into the field of 14.

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HISA Town Hall: Greater Focus on Shoulder Fractures, Among Other Data

Fri, 2025-04-11 19:55

Representatives from the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) and the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) hosted a Town Hall Friday to dig down into the information issued in their recent annual reports and fatality metrics.

One aim of the town hall, said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus, was to publicly “look under the hood” of the fatality numbers to better understand how they're compiled.

“How do we collect these metrics? What does the process look like? Why are we very confident that they are accurate?” said Lazarus.

As much as the town hall was a backward look over the numbers, it provided a glimpse into what federal regulators are doing to further improve equine and (by extension) human safety.

This includes a deeper dive into the causes behind shoulder fractures, otherwise known as proximal forelimb fractures–a fairly rare but nonetheless serious problem that, according to current data, appears most commonplace among horses when they start training or are returning to training after a layoff.

“In 2024, approximately 15% of our fatalities, racing and training combined, were attributable to proximal forelimb fractures,” said Jennifer Durenberger, HISA's director of equine safety and welfare.

“We have done a really nice job of building on the foundation of identifying which demographic is most susceptible to these that we can put that out there for industry awareness,” said Durenberger, who explained this information would be issued in the form of an advisory memo.

“My goal [is] to reduce these proximal forelimb fractures significantly in a very short time,” said Durenberger.

Racing and Training Fatalities:

As per the recently released 2024 equine fatality data, last year was first (since the Jockey Club started compiling its nationwide Equine Injury Database) that racing fatalities were below one race-day fatality for 1,000 starts, at a rate of 0.9 fatalities per 1,000 starts.

This figure was for HISA-regulated tracks. For tracks not regulated by HISA, the race-day equine fatality rate was almost double that number and showed a slight increase from 2023 figures.

For the first time, HISA issued an annual report on training fatalities. Similar in effect to race-day fatality numbers, a training fatality comprised horses who died or were euthanized within 72 hours of an injury (or other event) sustained during a timed workout.

Last year under HISA-regulated tracks, there were 181 of these training-related deaths, equating to 0.50 deaths per 1,000 official workouts. Lazarus stressed how, if regulators were accounting for all training activities, “the number would be much lower.”

Fatal injuries of a morning, however, aren't confined to high-speed workouts.

“I think there is a misunderstanding that horses only sustain fatal musculoskeletal injuries during timed and reported works, and that's not true,” said Durenberger.

In a preliminary lookback, Durenberger explained, about one-third of fatal musculoskeletal injuries during morning training were not associated with breezing. “They were galloping. They were two-minute licking,” said Durenberger.

“About [another] third of the time, we know they were either in the middle of, or just consequent to, a timed and reported work,” she added. “And there's another third where we're not sure or we don't have the right data. We'd like to get a bit more [information] about that for this year.”

Indeed, Anjali Salooja, HISA's director of operations and compliance, discussed the steps the federal regulator was taking to better understand the specific causes behind all fatalities, both morning and afternoon.

“For each training and racing fatality, we're also providing a subclass reflecting whether we believe the fatality was musculoskeletal or sudden death or other. We're hoping to share that data with the public as soon as this year,” said Salooja.

“We're also looking at providing fatality metrics by racing surface, condition of surface, claiming races, again with an eye to teasing out some patterns–being able to ascertain improvements year over year, and hopefully shining a light on exactly what is going on that's leading to certain types of injuries and fatalities,” Salooja added.

Scratches:

One key change under HISA's watch is more uniform pre-race veterinary scrutiny–scrutiny, of course, that can lead to the last-minute scratch of a horse.

Last year, the TDN found that scratched horses are notably more likely to face extended periods of time off than non-scratched horses. They typically take longer to get back on the work tab and to the races. A significant number simply never make it back.

At the same time, given the money and time often invested into an intended runner, scratches are a major headache for connections. It appears, however, that the scratch-rate pre-and-post implementation of HISA hasn't changed notably.

According to data presented at Friday's town hall, 12.7% of entries were scratched at HISA tracks for the first 30 months of HISA's implementation.

Over an equivalent period prior to implementation, 11.9% of horses were scratched.

The specific reasons underpinning these scratches are currently unknown. But regulators are digging down into this data, Lazarus explained. In other words, “what categories have the most scratches and what categories have the least,” she said.

ADMC Program:

HIWU's executive director Ben Mosier walked through some of the key statistics outlined in the agency's recent annual report. This included:

  • That there were 76,534 samples collected last year from 26,585 different horses.
  • That the Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) rate worked out to 0.48% of all tests processed. In short, an AAF is the finding of a prohibited substance.
  • That 14 individuals took advantage of the pro bono legal representation program on offer.
  • That nearly 85% of tips submitted through an anonymous tip-line warranted a follow-up.

“We have an extremely low rate of controlled medication positives or overages. I think that just goes to show that we're making a lot of progress and that the vast majority of horsemen are following the rules,” said Mosier.

The average case resolution times have increased slightly from 2023 to 2024 by about six days. Mosier said this was primarily down to an increased case load last year over the year prior.

In 2023 (when HIWU was operating for about seven months), there were 238 notices filed, compared to 394 notices filed last year (using the full calendar year).

Furthermore, the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium's (RMTC) long-awaited study into Metformin is likely in its closing stages, said Mosier.

“It has been reported to me by the RMTC that their scientific advisory committee is reviewing information. But [they] should be nearing the end of that study of relevant data,” said Mosier, “and announcing as well any recommendations on how we move forward with regulating Metformin.”

According to Lazarus, HISA will be holding another town hall Apr, 24 to discuss the agency's financial and budgeting processes.

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Oaklawn’s ‘King of Speed’ Skelly Returns to the Races in Style

Fri, 2025-04-11 17:59

9th-Oaklawn, $131,000, Alw (NW1$6MX)/Opt. Clm ($62,500), 4-11, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:09.27, ft, 5 1/4 lengths.
SKELLY (g, 6, Practical Joke–Adande, by Bwana Charlie) ran a hole in the wind–much to the delight of the local crowd–en route to a supremely confident seasonal bow here against outclassed optional claiming rivals.

Leaving the blocks like a rocket and immediately establishing control, Skelly rolled through splits of :21.96 and a half in :44.75 as he built up a sizeable margin entering the homestretch. In a position where the rest would need to produce a miracle to catch him on a 9 1/2-length advantage, the 1-5 favorite coasted home to score easily in a final time of 1:09.27. SW & GSP Run Classic (Runhappy) valiantly held on to second.

Off since finishing 10th in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint last November, the Steve Asmussen trainee has been first or second in 18 of his 20 lifetime starts. In 2024, he won or placed seven times from eight starts, and had five triple-digit Beyers to show for it including when he was runner-up in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga July 27. The gelding took his show to the international stage in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia Feb. 24 and ran second to Japan's multiple group winner Remake (Jpn) (Lani). At one point between his 2023 and 2024 campaigns, Skelly had built up a seven-race win streak, which was snapped in that aforementioned heartbreaker at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

A win was never in doubt for @OaklawnRacing's favorite sprinter #1 SKELLY ($2.40)! The six-year-old gelding by @CoolmoreAmerica's Practical Joke was piloted by @RSantana_Jr for trainer Steve Asmussen. pic.twitter.com/TsHbxbCR0s

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 11, 2025

 

Skelly is one of two surviving foals for Adande from six covers prior to 2022; three were stillborn and she missed in '22 when visiting City of Light. She has since had better luck with a juvenile filly by Silver State named Adande's Legacy to her credit as well as a yearling colt by Authentic. The dam is a half-sister to GSW & GISP Giant Game (Giant's Causeway) and MGSW & GISP Isotherm (Lohnro {Aus}). One of her half-sisters is the dam of MSW & GISP The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso). Sales history: $250,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $350,000 RNA 2yo '21 FTFMAR. Lifetime Record: MGSW & GISP, GSP-KSA, 20-11-7-0, $1,855,763. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Red Lane Thoroughbreds LLC; B-H. Allen Poindexter (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.

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He’s Back! Carl Spackler Wins Maker’s Mark Mile

Fri, 2025-04-11 17:36

He's not only back, he might be even better than he was last year. 'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (h, 5, Lope de Vega {Ire})–Zindaya, by More Than Ready), a back-to-back Grade I winner in 2024 before an uncharacteristic off-the-board finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, unleashed a scintillating turn of foot in his 5-year-old debut at Keeneland Friday, capturing the $650,000 GI Maker's Mark Mile Stakes by 4 1/4 widening lengths. There was no catching the 4-5 favorite as 3-1 second choice Integration (Quality Road), most recently second in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf, chased him home and last year's GI Belmont Derby winner Trikari (Oscar Performance) got up for third.

Make no mistake; Carl Spackler was very, very good last year. Winner of four black-type events in 2024, including a victory over this course in October when he captured the GI Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes and both the GI Fourstardave Handicap and GIII Kelso Stakes at Saratoga, Carl Spackler was an Eclipse Award finalist in the division that ultimately went to Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). However, his performance Friday unlocked a new level of flamboyance throughout the stretch.

“Turning for home, I thought maybe I moved too soon, but he was just that good,” said Flavien Prat, who was subbing for regular pilot Tyler Gaffalione. Prat picked up the mount while Gaffalione recovers from a broken ankle.

CarI Spackler, with his distinctive facial markings, settled into a restrained fourth on the outside behind the Maker's Mark early leader, last-out GIII Tampa Bay Stakes runner-up Northern Invader (Collected), who set a :23.67 and :48.06 pace. Done with biding his time after the backstretch journey, Carl Spackler unleashed an Arazi-like move when Prat gave him his cue on the final turn. The popular chestnut ranged up in full flight while several paths wide and snatched a head advantage while still two furlongs from home. Under little more than a hand ride, Carl Spackler quickly opened up a daylight lead in the stretch. Prat gave him a right-handed reminder down the lane, but victory was well in hand as the duo cruised under the wire much the best under a mild drive. They covered the eight furlongs over a good course in 1:36.56, slower than his Turf Mile last year (1:34.23), but that was over firm going and it's hard to beat the visual impression of Friday's performance.

“He went a little quicker than I was expecting, to be honest,” said Prat. “I was traveling well, and I thought the leader kind of had an easy lead. So I tipped him out just to make sure I could get myself going, and that's when he really jumped on the bridle.”

Among Carl Spackler's six lifetime graded wins were back-to-back GII Hall of Fame and GIII Saranac scores at the Spa in 2023. He looked on his way to being in the upper echelon of 3-year-old turf runners in the U.S. when he colicked that fall, necessitating surgery and eight months away from the races. He recorded four consecutive triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures last year, including a career-top 106 in the Fourstardave. Carl Spackler joins Wise Dan and Perfect Soul (Ire) as Turf Mile winners who came back the next spring to win the Maker's Mark Mile.

The Maker's Mark Mile win was one of eight graded wins overall at Keeneland for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, whose Bob Edwards was on hand to receive a Keeneland tray. In addition to Carl Spackler, e Five Racing's other graded winners in Lexington have included Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) and Good Magic (Curlin).

“It's really cool to be in that list [of Keeneland tray honorees],” said Edwards. Regarding Carl Spackler, “He's a homebred, which is spectacular for us, and obviously a family favorite.”

Pedigree Notes:

Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, a breeding arm of e Five Racing, bred Carl Spackler in Ireland, but has since returned his dam to the U.S. where she produced an Uncle Mo colt last year and a Justify colt for the operation Mar. 3. Among Zindaya's wins for e Five were the 2016 GII Goldikova Stakes. A half-sister to GISW Western Aristocrat (Mr. Greeley), Zindaya has also produced last October's G3 Darley Prix des Reservoirs runner-up, Sandtrap (Ire), a full-brother to Carl Spackler. e Five sold Sandtrap for 350,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Book 1 to A.C. Elliott. Carl Spackler was a 350,000gns RNA at that same sale.

Carl Spackler is one of 76 graded/group winners worldwide for Lope de Vega, a son of Shamardal who stands at Ballylinch Stud in County Kilkenny. Also the sire of 145 black-type winners, the wildly successful Lope de Vega finished 2024 second on the European sire list only to Dubawi (Ire) by earnings, but led in several metrics, including by Group 1/Grade I winners (six) and by black-type winners (35).

 

#6 CARL SPACKLER ($3.66) is back!! The five-year-old horse by Lope De Vega leaves his competition behind in the $650,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) at @KeenelandRacing. Flavien Prat was aboard for trainer Chad Brown.

A fitting win during Masters Week! pic.twitter.com/AHcrCWF37r

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 11, 2025

Friday, Keeneland
MAKER'S MARK MILE S.-GI, $552,013, Keeneland, 4-11, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:36.56, gd.
1–CARL SPACKLER (IRE), 123, h, 5, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
            1st Dam: Zindaya (GSW, $567,240),
                        by More Than Ready
            2nd Dam: Aristocratic Lady, by Kris S.
            3rd Dam: American Dynasty, by Quiet American
'TDN Rising Star'. (350,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-e Five
Racing Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Fifth Avenue Bloodstock (IRE);
T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $302,250. Lifetime Record:
12-8-1-0, $1,910,725. Werk Nick Rating: C+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Integration, 123, h, 5, Quality Road–Harmonize, by Scat
Daddy. ($700,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-West Point
Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing LLC; B-Larkin Armstrong
(KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. $126,750.
3–Trikari, 123, c, 4, Oscar Performance–Dynamic Holiday,
by Harlan's Holiday. ($9,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN; $27,500 Ylg '22
OBSOCT). O-Amerman Racing LLC; B-Michael A Slezak & Amy
Boll (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $63,375.
Margins: 4 1/4, 1HF, HD. Odds: 0.83, 3.10, 6.34.
Also Ran: Northern Invader, Grand Aspen, Funtastic Again, Silent Heart. Scratched: Santorini, Seminole Chief.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Hoppel Pair To The Fore During Friday’s Penultimate OBS Under-Tack Show

Fri, 2025-04-11 17:11

Speedier furlongs were harder to come by during Friday's sixth session of the under-tack show ahead of next week's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training with only a pair of juveniles breaking out of the pack to share the co-fastest time in :9 4/5. A pair of colts, both from the consignment of Hoppel LLC, had no issue however in putting up blazing fast times during their quarter-mile works Friday morning. Going about an hour apart, colts by Yaupon (hip 875) and Maclean's Music (hip 1017) ripped through a quarter-mile in :20 2/5, matching the fastest time of the under-tack show thus far.

“Both of the horses were fast at the farm,” said Jesse Hoppel. “They were fast in their preps and I expected them to be really fast in the breeze show. I know coming in that today would be our fastest day of breezers. It's been a long week waiting on them.”

Of the decision to work this colts over the quarter-mile versus the furlong, Hoppel said: “They're both very aggressive, scopey and they stand over some ground. These horses are going to have to run further in the races and I thought [the quarter] would give a better preview of what these horses are going to be like as race horses.”

The Yaupon colt, out of a Scat Daddy half-sister to MSW Saratoga Snacks (Tale of the Cat), Peruvian GSW Rajman (Thunder Gulch) and to the dam of MSW Split Time (Take Charge Indy), was one of the first runners out at 8 am. His $260,000 KEESEP tag last year made him part of Yaupon's stellar first-crop sales season.

“[The Yaupons] have hit the scene hard and fast,” Hoppel said of hip 875. “I brought this horse here because it's my home field and I felt like he was one of my best individuals this year. I knew early on, back home on the dirt tracks, that this horse was expectional. I've had very few horses of his level in my care. That tells me maybe the Yaupons are going to go on and do something. They've jumped through the yearling hoop and now the 2-year-old hoop. Let's see how they graduate on the race track.”

Going out shortly after 9 a.m., the Maclean's Music colt, who RNA'd for $235,000 at Keeneland September, is out of daughter of Canadian Champion Older Mare Embur's Song (Unbridled's Song) who has already produced two winners from as many runners including 'TDN Rising Star' Cut the Dust (Not This Time). The family also includes MGISW Exaggerator (Curlin).

The third worker of three Friday for the Hoppel consignment has a pedigree which needs little introduction. The colt, by Gun Runner (hip 994) out of the Henny Hughes mare Drumette, is a half to dual Eclipse winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) and to GSW Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice) and worked his eighth in :10 1/5 midway through the morning. Consigned by Hoppel here, he last RNA'd for $325,000 at Keeneland September last year.

“That horse did everything like he should,” Hoppel said. “He's a big, pretty colt that has a lot of the attributes of Gun Runner. I'm very happy with him.”

After selling all but one of his nine-horse consignment at OBS March, Hoppel looks to keep the momentum going into April.

“March felt like we were in a very healthy marketplace here at OBS,” he said. “Typically, that's a leading indicator for these 2-year-old sales if March is off and running. It was a good bellwether for us this year and I don't see any reason why it shouldn't carry on in April and the following sales.”

Keeping the fast quarter-mile times coming, a Hard Spun filly (hip 898) consigned by Ocala Stud and a colt from the first crop of Silver State (hip 935) consigned by Tom McCrocklin both went in :20 3/5 earlier in the morning.

A colt from the first crop of Silver State (hip 903) was one of just two break the 10-second barrier Friday morning. Consigned by Brittany Dallaire's Envision Equine, the colt is the second foal out of a winning Distorted Humor mare from the family of GI Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.

The under-tack show concludes with a final session Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. The Spring sale will be held next Tuesday through Friday and bidding begins each day at 10:30 a.m.

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Former Jockey Dana Zook on the Boundless Podcast

Fri, 2025-04-11 16:58

People get into horse racing in a lot of different ways; Dana Zook–who currently works as foreman for the Mike Maker stable–ended up in the sport after being literally plucked off a baseball field when he was 12 years old.

Zook is the guest on this week's edition of the Boundless Podcast, produced and hosted by Ferrin Peterson, a jockey and practicing veterinarian in Kentucky and Ohio.

“I found my way into racing off of a ballfield,” recalled Zook. “A gentleman came to me and asked me if I'd like to make a dollar getting on a horse. I said, `yeah, I'll do that.'” He told Zook he had three horses at a nearby track and needed someone to ride them. “He said, `hop in the car,' and I was a little tentative, but that dollar overrode that.” Zook earned the three dollars getting on each of the horses and successfully navigating his way around the track, but, he said with a laugh, it took him five times around the track to pull up the first horse.

He did well enough that the trainer offered him the chance to learn how to be a jockey. “I didn't know what a jockey was, but it paid $7 a week.”

Thus began a career that has lasted over 20 years and which saw him ride 2,336 winners. He went from groom and exercise rider to jockey to his current position with Maker.

Click here to watch the podcast on YouTube, or here to listen to it on Spotify.

 

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Stonestreet Lexington Last Chance for Kentucky Derby Points

Fri, 2025-04-11 16:31

The road to the 151st GI Kentucky Derby concludes with Saturday's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland. Qualifying points are awarded to the first five finishers on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale, but won't be enough to have an impact on the first Saturday in May.

With a field of nine entered and at least a pair of scratches anticipated, favoritism should come down to either 'TDN Rising Star' Bullard (Gun Runner) or Praetor (Into Mischief).

Scratched out of the GII Rebel S. due to a fever, the impressive last-to-first GIII Bob Hope S. winner and last-out GII San Vicente S. third-place finisher Bullard makes his first start beyond seven furlongs in the 1 1/16-mile Lexington. Bullard, a $675,000 KEESEP graduate, is campaigned in partnership by Talla Racing, St. Elias Stables, breeder Three Chimneys Farm and West Point Thoroughbreds. His conditioner Michael McCarthy also trains imposing Kentucky Derby favorite and GI Santa Anita Derby hero Journalism (Curlin).

“It's the first time around two turns, but it's a good spot,” West Point's Terry Finley said. “We didn't get sucked into one of the big preps. There was a thought to go to the Santa Anita Derby, but we took the route of least resistance here and we hope it sets him up for a very good year.”

Finley continued, “I like where it falls on the calendar and certainly sets horses up, if they were to run well, to come back in three weeks and run in the (GII) Pat Day Mile or the (GI) Preakness or any of those other spots.”

The Chad Brown-trained Praetor, a $725,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure graduating at second asking, narrowly defeating the Kentucky Derby-bound Sovereignty (Into Mischief) going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Sept. 27. He proved well worth the wait, airing in an optional claimer going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream off the bench Mar. 9. He makes his two-turn debut in the Lexington. Praetor is owned in partnership by William H. Lawrence, CHP Racing and Gainesway Stable.

Gosger (Nyquist), a half-brother to GISW Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah), also tries two turns for the first time. He graduated like a good thing going a mile at second asking for trainer Brendan Walsh at Gulfstream last time Feb. 15.

Touchy (Nyquist) and Rolando (Vekoma) finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Lafayette S. at Keeneland earlier this week on Monday.

Keeneland's Saturday program also prominently features a fantastic renewal of the GI Jenny Wiley S. The field of nine is headed by the rail-drawn, 5-2 morning-line favorite Excellent Truth (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), who was knocked down for €1,600,000 by Stamford Bloodstock/ Meridian Bloodstock on behalf of John Stewart's Resolute Racing at Arqana December. The G3 Prix de Psyche heroine and G1 Prix Rothschild runner-up makes her first start for Chad Brown, who has won six out of the last seven renewals of the Jenny Wiley.

She'll meet G2 Balanchine S. winner Choisya (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), GII TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational S. one-two Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) and Sacred Wish (Not This Time); and streaking GII Mrs. Revere S. winner Kehoe Beach (Omaha Beach).

All Eyes on Thorpedo Anna in Apple Blossom

Horse of the Year and 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) is the 2-5 program favorite for Saturday's GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn Park. Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine kicked off her 4-year-old campaign with a 3 1/2-length decision in the track-and-trip GII Azeri S. Mar. 8.

“We're 2-5 favorites, so it's her race for the taking,” trainer Ken McPeek said. “But we're not going to take anything for granted.”

Thorpedo Anna | Coady Media

She will face six rivals, led by Where's My Ring (Twirling Candy), who aired in a local optional claimer with a 103 Beyer Speed Figure last out Mar. 15.

Oaklawn's 12-race card also includes the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. 'TDN Rising Star' Booth (Mitole) is the clear-cut horse to beat following a pair of sharp, wire-to-wire victories for Steve Asmussen in Hot Springs, led by the GIII Whitmore S. Mar. 15. Booth's sire the mighty Mitole captured the Count Fleet for the Hall of Fame trainer six years ago.

“He's just matured into his own,” Asmussen said. “It's great to see Mitole reproduce something so similar to him.”

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Well-Traveled Clay Still Basking In World Cup Glory

Fri, 2025-04-11 15:19

Around this time last week, Case Clay, U.S. racing manager to the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's Wathnan Racing, was trackside at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, closely monitoring the operation's two Thoroughbred entries for the Dubai World Cup meeting–Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the main event and Flood Zone (Frosted) for the G2 UAE Derby.

Clay hot-footed it to the airport after the races to board a Sydney-bound A380 for the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and spent a few days there before heading back to the States. Contacted Friday while attending the penultimate under-tack preview for next week's OBS April Sale, Clay fought through any residual jet-lag to discuss plans for the immediate future for both runners.

A decided longshot against the likes of the prohibitively favored Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), Hit Show took flight in the stretch and was taking ground off the leaders, but even Clay was surprised at the end result.

“From our standpoint, from where we were standing, we were thinking, 'Oh good, he's going to get up for third,' and then from 100 meters out he hit a different gear and it's 'oh my goodness, we might win this,'” he said.

“Did I expect to win the race? No. He's a consistent horse and he ships well, so it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that he would hit the board,” he added.

Despite a sharp victory in the GIII Louisiana Handicap in January, Hit Show had not yet been invited to the World Cup and the decision was made to use the GI Santa Anita Handicap as something of an audition for the $12-million contest.

“Wathnan wants to buy horses and try to win races the Emir would be proud of and the Dubai World Cup was always the target,” Clay explained. “Until we shipped, he had not been invited, but we found out before the race that he was in. We decided to go to Santa Anita anyways. Sure, he was well behind Locked (Gun Runner), but he'd won a bunch of races since we bought him and thought he fit.”

Clay indicated that Hit Show would get some 'deserved' time off and that races like the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and the GI Breeders' Cup Classic would be in play later this year. The World Cup was a Breeders' Cup qualifier.

“It was neat to learn that a mile and a quarter suits him, so loosely I am thinking about the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but [trainer] Brad [Cox] has managed this horse so beautifully, so we'll talk to him and see what he thinks,” he said.

Clay called Flood Zone's distant seventh in the UAE Derby a 'flat' effort.

“It was uncharacteristic of him, you compare his first three races to that and he was just flat,” he said. “We'll map out a plan for him and give him an opportunity to show what he did in his first three races.”

Courtesy of his victory in the GIII Gotham Stakes, Flood Zone currently sits on 50 points, enough to be part of the field on the first Saturday in May, but Clay is skeptical the colt will take up the assignment.

“I don't think he'll go to the Derby,” he said. “It would be quite a tall task. Had he hit the board [in the UAE Derby], we probably would have strongly considered it. But I am doubtful that he'll go.”

With news emerging Friday that UAE Derby runner-up Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A. P.) would also be passing the Derby, Grande (Curlin), runner-up in the GII Wood Memorial Stakes for Repole Stable, has gained a spot in the field. If Flood Zone is officially declared out of the race, that would move Madaket Road (Quality Road) into the final spot.

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Quality Road’s Low Key in Love Makes a Successful Swap to the Lawn

Fri, 2025-04-11 14:53

3rd-Tampa Bay Downs, $32,000, Msw, 4-11, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:35.89, fm, 2 3/4 lengths.
LOW KEY IN LOVE (f, 3, Quality Road–Inlovewithlove, by Bernstein) started her career on the main track at Gulfstream Park Mar. 16 and ran a flat fourth behind 'TDN Rising Star' Shred the Gnar (Into Mischief). Swapped to the turf here and with the wagering action focused on her and Elite Heat (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), the 3-2 favorite had to overcome some contact at the break but recovered well to establish a tracking trip through the half as the 9-5 second choice set the tempo. Three wide and looming the danger as they swung off the final bend, Low Key in Love overtook Elite Heat and cleared off to score by 2 3/4 lengths. The second-place finisher was well clear of the rest.

The victress is a half-sister to Lovely Bernadette (Wilburn), MGSW, $570,312, who joined the venerable Japanese program at Shadai Farm when she changed hands for $750,000 at KEENOV in 2018. Her first foal was Grand Bernadette (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), a Listed winner at Hanshin, and her second was King Pin (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) who dropped the hammer at a Japanese yearling auction at ¥220,000,000 (about $1,812,352). She's since produced a winner in 2025 as well.

Another half-sister to Low Key in Love, Maisie (Stay Thirsty), has produced two multiple winners. Their dam has a juvenile filly by Twirling Candy and a 2025 colt by Quality Road to her credit. This is the immediate female family of GSW & GISP Penny's Reshoot and MGSW Sapphire N' Silk. Sales history: $300,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $370,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $22,700. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Bradley Thoroughbreds, Cambron Equine, LLC, Allen Northcutt, Gary Finder, Kurz Equine Investments, Kent & Sara Starr and Jeff Walsh; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.

 

#4 LOW KEY IN LOVE burst clear to win Race 3 at @TampaBayDownsFL to give jockey @JOCKEYSMARIN his 100th win of the meet!

The winner is a daughter of @LanesEndFarms Quality Road trained by Chad Brown. pic.twitter.com/KCPdjTbq9q

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 11, 2025

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Curlin Florida Derby Exacta Tappan Street, Sovereignty Breeze for Kentucky Derby

Fri, 2025-04-11 13:52

Tappan Street (Into Mischief) and Sovereignty (Into Mischief), one-two in the GI Curlin Florida Derby, breezed Friday morning at Payson Park while preparing for their scheduled starts in the GI Kentucky Derby.

WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc. and Cold Press Racing's Tappan Street, who defeated Sovereignty by 1 1/4 lengths Mar. 29, breezed a half-mile in company with 3-year-old stablemate Rapture (Uncle Mo).

“He went very well. I had him in :48 2/5, 1:01 3/5. It was a good move, executed very, very well. Obviously, inside of Rapture. It was maybe even better than expected,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I didn't do a tremendous amount with him. He was under a good hold throughout. Great move. Good horse, good move.”

Godolphin's Sovereignty, who captured the Mar. 1 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth prior to his runner-up finish in the Curlin Florida Derby, breezed a half-mile in :48.40 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

“He was into it. He's not a great work horse, but he went well,” Mott said. “Good sign that we're able to keep going.”

#ICYMI Work of the Day from #PaysonPark—Tappan Street (Outside) and Rapture worked 4 Furlongs in 48.40 on April 11th, 2025 for trainer @bradcoxracing. pic.twitter.com/Jmq9FfCcJs

— 1/ST TV (@Watch1ST) April 12, 2025

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NYRA Adds Apr. 23 Card to Aqueduct Spring Schedule

Fri, 2025-04-11 13:13

Live racing on Wednesday, Apr. 23 has been added to the spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced via press release Friday.

Following the cancellation of live racing on Sunday, Mar. 30, NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) and New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) requested and have received formal approval from the New York State Gaming Commission to conduct live racing on Apr. 23 at Aqueduct.

The Aqueduct spring meet, which features 13 stakes worth $2.8 million in total purses, continues through Sunday, Apr. 27.

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Dilger Applications For 2026 Irish National Stud Scholarship Now Open

Fri, 2025-04-11 12:23

The Gerry Dilger Equine Foundation has opened the application process for its 2026 Irish National Stud Scholarship.

Applicants must be currently working on a Kentucky horse farm with multiple years of experience, or currently enrolled as a 2025 KEMI spring intern, or must have completed the program last fall. Also, those who apply must be a resident of the U.S. A bachelor's degree in equine science is preferred, but not required. Applications are due by July 1.

Scholarships cover airfare and tuition to the Irish National Stud in Kildare, Ireland, along with room and board. Travel and a medical insurance policy is also offered while abord.

Click here for more information, or to apply.

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Breeders’ Cup Releases 2025 Dirt Dozen Schedule

Fri, 2025-04-11 11:56

Breeders' Cup Limited is once again rolling out its schedule for the 'Dirt Dozen,' an incentive-driven program offering participation bonuses to horsemen preparing runners for dirt races at the World Championships, the organizer said via a press release on Friday.

The 12-race slate–launched in 2022–features existing graded stakes races held from May through October at six racetracks across the United States.

“We are pleased to continue our valued Dirt Dozen program,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders' Cup Limited. “Offering $525,000 in awards toward entry fees for our Championship dirt races, the program provides significant advantages to many horsemen. We look forward to extending the incentives once again to connections preparing for dirt division races as we return to Del Mar.”

The Dirt Dozen program will continue to award bonus credits for first- through third-place finishers in applicable races. These credits can be applied by horsemen toward entry fees for one of the following six Breeders' Cup World Championships dirt races, including:

  • GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff;
  • GI Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint;
  • GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile;
  • GI NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies;
  • GI PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint;
  • GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

For Dirt Dozen races within the $2 million Breeders' Cup race divisions, the bonus tier is set at $30,000 for first, $15,000 for second, and $7,500 for third. While races within the $1 million Breeders' Cup divisions have a bonus tier of $15,000 for first, $7,500 for second, and $3,750 for third.

Contenders are eligible to accumulate multiple awards that may be applied toward eligible Championship dirt race entry fees.

Click here for the full 'Dirt Dozen' schedule.

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Uruguay Promoted To Part I Of The International Cataloguing Standards Book

Fri, 2025-04-11 10:43

The International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC)–part of the International Federation of Horseracing (IFHA)–has approved the promotion of Uruguay to Part I for the 2025 publication of the International Cataloguing Standards Book (ICS Book), the organization said in a release on Friday.

Ratified by the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA), the country's promotion from Part II of the ICS Book sees it join Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru.

A total of 24 races in Uruguay are currently included in the “Other Races” section of Part I (two Group 1 races, four Group 2 races and 18 Group 3 races), as well as 26 races in Part II that are recognized as international Listed races. These races will continue in this regard as per their current Group and Listed status.

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Laws Of Attraction, Racetrack Execs Join Latest Installment Of OwnerView Series

Fri, 2025-04-11 10:18

Guests Andrew Offerman of NYRA, Cathy Shircliff of Churchill Downs, Del Mar's David Jerkens and 1/ST Racing's Jodie Vella-Gregory, joined the latest installment of the OwnerView webinar series Apr. 8 to discuss how they ensure owners take center stage in their operations, according to a Friday press release from The Jockey Club of America who serves as one of the hosts.

The panel discussed a myriad of topics related to how to improve an owner's experience at the racetrack, and the group addressed the all-important issue of how to attract new connections to the game.

“I think that it's an area that falls into the void quite frankly, because I think that it's not determined whether that's a racetrack responsibility, a trainer responsibility, an industry responsibility,” Offerman said. “And I think that there are a lot of individuals out doing things to promote, whether it be certain micro-share groups or certain forms of ownership.”

Co-hosted by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Keeneland, and Stoll Keenon Ogden, the panel was sponsored by Muirfield Insurance and New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc.

A Q&A was sponsored by West Point Thoroughbreds, and attendees were able to ask questions through a link, which were answered at the conclusion of the session.

Click here to access the webinar's full library.

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