Thoroughbred Daily News

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm

Lexington, Ky – The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale concluded its three-day run Wednesday in Lexington with figures largely in line with its four-day 2024 edition. Through three days, 685 head grossed $33,444,900 for an average of $48,825 and a median of $22,000. The average increased 6% and the median rose 47% from last year's four-day sale when 831 horses grossed $38,330,300 for an average of $46,126 and a median of $15,000. The buy-back rate was 26.34% this year compared to 22.84% a year ago.

“I think it was a good sale,” said Keeneland's Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “I think we have to look at it in the context of the different format. So if you look at the through-the-ring numbers from last year's four days to this year's three days, we had a much higher median. It was just $22,000 from $15,000, but significant, showing the lower end of the market had some substance to it. The RNA rate was a tick up. The average was up a tick. We offered about 14% fewer horses and we are down 14% on gross. So really things were in step with last year.”

Post-sale transactions saw 38 horses sell for an additional gross of $1,681,000, bringing the total auction gross to $35,125,900 for an average of $48,584. In 2024, 33 post-sale transactions sold for $2,289,000 for a total gross of $40,619,300 and an average of $47,013.

That steadiness of the market is a positive for the industry, according to Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy.

“What is encouraging is that there is nothing overheating or depressed,” Lacy said “It's very steady and consistent. The sellers, for the most part, have been very happy with the way the market has been. It's fair. It's very fair. And you can't ask for more than that. Consistency is the key. Increases are great, but consistency is very important.”

Hip 1301, Lil Drummer Girl | Keeneland

Lil Drummer Girl (Street Sense), a 3-year-old unraced broodmare or racing prospect (hip 1301), brought the top price of Wednesday's session when selling for $200,000 to Iapetus Racing. Consigned by Denali Stud on behalf of River Bend Farm, the filly is out of Beat the Drums (Smart Strike) and is a half-sister to graded winner Dynamic One (Union Rags).

“[The market] was solid for the catalogue that was here,” said Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Sales Agency. “Quality maiden mares are very difficult to buy. We had a lot of clients that were shopping for those. There was a mare that just brought $200,000 and we followed her up. We thought maybe she was going to bring half of that. Then we thought maybe she was going to be 75% of that. And then she ended up bringing $200,000.”

Taylor continued, “As far as the mares are, you see the shrinking foal crop. And one of the reasons you're seeing the shrinking foal crop is the carrying costs and the upkeep of these mares that are under $75,000, it's not making sense [financially] for a lot of people. So there's this flight to quality. And even in our own customer base, we're having customers that used to buy those kind of mares. Now, instead of buying a mare for $100,000, they'd rather partner with some people and buy a leg of a mare for $100,000 and buy a $400,000 mare. I think the carrying costs are really what's keeping the market a little depressed at those lower levels.”

Hip 951 in the ring | Keeneland

Short yearlings by Tiz the Law topped the third session of the January sale, with a colt by the Coolmore stallion (hip 912)  consigned by Hunter Valley Farm bringing a final bid of $160,000 from Najd Stud and a filly by the GI Belmont Stakes winner (hip 951) consigned by Mulholland Springs selling for $110,000 to Dixiana Farm.

Najd Stud, the breeding and racing operation of Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz, purchased 17 head at the three-day sale for a gross of $696,000 and an average of $40,941. The Saudi operation, fourth leading buyer at the auction, led a deep bench of international buyers who worked through snow, ice and frigid temperatures to participate in the sale.

“There were a lot of international buyers,” Lacy said. “More so from Europe than we've seen or expected, and great participation from the Middle East, and Australia. There was activity from Japan. There was great, broad-based support, which is great. The weather didn't stop anybody. It obviously adds a little extra challenge, but it didn't stop anyone from being here. I want to thank our crew and consignors and agents who went out there and worked the sale because it was a little challenging leading up to it just to get the place ready. We are just really proud of the crew that got the grounds ready and the consignors and agents that got here.”

Through three days, 360 short yearlings sold at this year's January sale for an average of $44,055 and a median of $25,000. A colt by Tapit was the auction's top-priced yearling when selling for $400,000.

During the 2024 January sale, 382 short yearlings sold through the ring for an average of $38,866 and a median of $12,000. An additional 22 were post-sale transactions, bringing the average to $37,774. Three yearlings sold for $400,000.

There were 48 six-figure yearlings in this year's sale, compared to 42 in 2024.

Keeneland's Cormac Breathnach and Tony Lacy Wednesday | Keeneland

“I think the single biggest positive was the yearling market was really tough to buy in,” Breathnach said. “There are a lot of reasons to feel good about the yearling market for next year based on what we saw here. That plays into the international participation because we hear from people from other countries who are interested in diversifying into pinhooking and different opportunities in the U.S. because the market has been solid and the racing product and purses are good. It all feels like it has positive momentum. And there are always ways to find value in the market. It's a very large market here and they like that.”

Both consignors and buyers continued to remark on familiar themes in the January market.

“It's the same trend as usual,” said Gabriel Duignan of Paramount Sales. “The ones they are on are selling good, but the bottom end is sticky. It's a January sale and it's probably what I expected. It's not easy to buy and it's not easy to sell. If you follow one up that you really like, there is a lot of competition. If you are trying to sell one that isn't hitting, it's tough going and you better be realistic. I think that's where we are.”

Asked for his impression of the market at Keeneland this week, bloodstock agent David Ingordo said, “We weren't shopping that hard, but we always look. I thought anything that was perceived to be quality brought a good price, so I don't think it's a lack of interest. Short yearlings were tough to buy. There was a lot of interest in those. The mares, it wasn't the deepest catalogue we've ever had in January, so what was good brought prime plus and broodmare prospects that you could breed to what you wanted, or if she was in foal to a nice horse, it brought good money. I just think this was a good sale to move some horses along.”

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Eoin Harty's world is chock full right now. For starters, his home is situated in the midst of one of the worst wildfires in California history, but somehow it has survived the nightmarish ordeal.

Then, there is his role as the president of the California Thoroughbred Trainers, a position he has held since 2019. What that means is he is at the forefront of trying to turn around the declining fortunes of racing in the state, which he admits is no easy task.

The good news is that he has two serious candidates for the GI Kentucky Derby in GII Kentucky Club Stakes winner First Resort (Uncle Mo) and GII Remsen Stakes winner Poster (Munnings). The former was given top billing in T.D. Thornton's first edition of his Derby Top Ten rankings.

Harty was this week's guest on the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

Concerning the wildfires, Harty knows that he has been very fortunate. Several homes in his neighborhood have been destroyed, while his has so far been left unscathed.

“I was one of the lucky ones,” he said. “My house survived. A lot of my neighbors didn't. It's been a very traumatic time. I don't want to feel selfish. It's been hard on me and my family. When you think about the people, the thousands of families that have been just completely upended, I know they have it so much worse.”

Looters have also been a problem in neighborhoods ravaged by the fires. Taking matters into his own hands, Harty has stood outside his house brandishing a baseball bat.

“I was there every night and patrolling the neighborhood with my little baseball bat,” he said.

Like so many others, he is concerned about the future of racing in California. Unlike most tracks, Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos do not receive any revenue from slot machines or other casino games. That has meant that their purses have fallen way behind those in Kentucky, New York and Arkansas. The situation has made it difficult to keep California-based owners from seeking greener pastures, and it's very hard to attract new owners to the sport.

“Well, I think I'd be a fool and a liar if I said I wasn't very, very concerned about the future of California racing,” he said. “I think everybody involved in racing globally should be concerned about what's going to happen in California. I'm not sure what the outcome is going to be. Obviously, we need to increase purse money in order to attract more horses. Because of the purses they offer in Kentucky and in New York, in California we're seeing a drain on an already draining gene pool. I hope there are people a lot smarter than me working on these issues here in California. But it's something that needs to be addressed and it needs to be addressed very, very promptly.”

As for Harty's two legitimate Derby candidates, both are owned by the mighty Godolphin stable. Poster and First Resort have been based in Kentucky, where winter weather has made training difficult and it has been tough for the conditioner to map a schedule for the pair.

Plans for Poster could include a start in the Listed Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Feb. 1, which offers 20-10-6-4-2 Derby qualifying points to the top five finishers.

Still, it is early and Harty has plenty of time to get them ready for early May. For now, he reports that First Resort is his best prospect.

“Poster, he's a really, really beautiful, big, strong colt,” Harty said. “He's got the ability to go with that. But he never struck me as talented as First Resort. But in every race, he's improved and he's impressed me. He's going to have distance limitations. He's a bit busier in the mind than First Resort, but it doesn't seem to affect him. He's very manageable that way.”

In our weekly breeding spotlight section, we zero in on one of the latest editions to WinStar stallion roster in Cogburn, who is entering his first year at stud.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by 1/ST Racing, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, and XBTV.com, the team of Zoe Cadman, Bill Finley and Randy Moss discussed the alarming trainer trend where so many are getting out of the business.

Also up for discussion was the story out of Florida concerning the potential decouple of racing and gaming at Gulfstream Park. Moss gave an in-depth analysis that explained the situation. He said he did not think it would spell the end of racing at the South Florida track.

Finally, are you ready to bet the Derby this soon? The team went over the Las Vegas winterbook odds and agreed that recent maiden winner Rodriguez (Authentic), who was named a 'TDN Rising Star' for his effort, might be the play at 25-1.

To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here.

The post Eoin Harty Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will hold their annual 'Off to the Races' online benefit auction featuring VIP racing experience packages beginning Thursday Jan. 23 at 10 a.m. ET and closing Friday, Jan. 31 at 10 p.m. ET, the aftercare organization said in a Wednesday press release.

With the proceeds going directly to accredited aftercare, the online event provides a chance for the public to bid on 19 VIP racing experience packages. The auction items grant access to major race days at tracks across North America in 2025 and 2026. Each package features an exclusive itinerary of horse racing-related activities.

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of our 2025 VIP Auction, where fans can bid on exclusive experiences at some of the most iconic racetracks in North America,” said TAA's Director of Funding & Events Emily Dresen. “Not only does this provide a unique opportunity to celebrate the sport of horse racing, but every dollar raised goes directly to supporting the aftercare of retired Thoroughbred racehorses.”

Click here to view the auction packages.

The post TAA’s ‘Off To The Races’ Online Benefit Auction Opens Jan. 23 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Legendary figures from the sport of horse racing are to be featured in a new podcast hosted by Ferrin Peterson. 'The Boundless Podcast' will feature interviews with Hall of Fame jockeys Steve Cauthen, Chris McCarron, Pat Day, and Sandy Hawley.

Available on all recognized platforms, including Apple Podcast, Spotify, and YouTube, the series will kick off Jan. 16 with an hour-long interview with Cauthen, whose outstanding career in the saddle included a historic Triple Crown success on Affirmed in 1978, when he was just 18 years old, before he became the only jockey to win both the GI Kentucky Derby and G1 Epsom Derby.

It will be the first of 12 episodes to air in a series filmed and produced in Kentucky by Peterson and videographer Jacob Ames.

Patti Cooksey, who became the second female jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby, and the remarkable septuagenarian Perry Ouzts are scheduled for later in the series.

“I've always wanted to be able to educate and inspire,” said Peterson. “Since becoming a jockey I have wanted to build a platform as an athlete. I see that more in other sports but not a lot among U.S. jockeys.

“The people I have talked to have inspiring stories,” she said. “They were able to go deep into their struggles and how they overcame them.”

Peterson continues to ride on the Kentucky circuit while also working as an ER veterinarian across the state's small animal clinics.

“Boundless is a podcast that explores the stories of individuals who have accomplished the seemingly impossible by breaking molds and redefining success through unique challenges, pivotal moments, and unbreakable determination,” the Kentucky-based jockey said.

The post Jockey Ferrin Peterson To Launch ‘The Boundless Podcast’ Jan. 16 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
Date: 01/10/2025
Licensee: John Thomas Toscano, 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. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Runninsonofagun, who finished second in the Fall Highweight Stakes at Aqueduct on 11/29/24.

Pending ADMC Violations
01/15/2025, Michael Simone, trainer: Explainer: Medication violation for the use or attempted use of a Class C controlled medication on Viking Queen during the race period.

01/15/2025, Howard Rubin, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Methocarbamol–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Midnight Metal on 11/24/24.

01/14/2025, Eric Ramaekers, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Hurts so Good, who finished fourth at Zia Park on 12/9/24.

01/13/2025, Kenneth Miller, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Triamcinolone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from Overstatement, who finished second at Keeneland on 10/4/24.

Violations of Crop Rule
Mahoning Valley
Luis Perez–violation date Jan 9; One-day suspension, $250 fine.

Penn National
Carlos Lopez–violation date Jan 9; Two-day suspension, $500 fine.

Turf Paradise
Matias Bravo–violation date Jan 9; One-day suspension, $250 fine.

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

He is 22 months into a two-year contract to train privately in Saudi Arabia for Prince Faisal bin Khalid Al Saud, a move that rejuvenated his career, but Jimmy Jerkens said he is ready to come home.

Jerkens told the TDN that when his contract expires in March he will return to U.S. and resume his career at the NYRA tracks.

It's not that Jerkens hasn't done well in Saudi Arabia. He's had 21 winners during his time there. And it's not that he doesn't have any quality horses.

“We've been doing good here,” he said. “We're winning at about the same clip as last year, winning at about 16%. That's good for here. They have big fields and you end up running in a lot of spots where you don't really fit into the race. We're a little down when it comes to the money won, but we've kept up the winning percentage.”

Music Critic (hip 379) | Fasig-Tipton

He also has a potential star in Music Critic (Maclean's Music), a $650,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Timonium sale. He was an easy debut winner Jan. 9 in a 1400-meter race in Riyadh.

But Jerkens admits that he's home sick. He said his situation is particularly difficult because his wife Shirley has not been able to join him on a permanent basis.

“I miss back home,” Jerkens said. “It just wasn't working out for me the last couple of years in the U.S. I'm glad I did this. But my contract is up in March. I'll probably go home then and end up staying. I thought Shirley would be with me and it didn't work out for her. She said she couldn't stay because she didn't have a job here and she said that she didn't have anything to do. She got bored. So she would go home. At one point, it looked like she had a job here but it didn't pan out.”

Jerkens never would have left for Saudi Arabia if he were having more success in the U.S. Once among the top trainers in New York, he won just four races in 2022 and 10 in 2021. He's going to have to find a way to build a bigger, more successful stable this time around.

“I don't know what I'm going to do when I get there, but I'll figure it out,” he said.

Saudi owners have been much more active at U.S. sales of late as they try to improve the overall quality of their stock. Jerkens said that his owner still prefers to buy at European sales, but reached out last year to pick up a couple of horses stateside.

That has certainly been true at the Midlantic sale, where Jerkens picked up Music Critic. Middle Eastern interests have been focused on the sale as a source of two-year-olds in recent years.

In 2024, a dozen horses were purchased by U.A.E. interests at the Midlantic sale. Eleven went to Saudi Arabia, including Music Critic. Others went to Bahrain, Libya and Qatar.

“It's unbelievable how many horses they are buying in the U.S.,” he said. “That's really getting big here. We just had a couple run last week. One was Caramel Road. Bob Bafffert had him back home. And there are some Peter Blum horses running over here.”

As far as Music Critic goes, he's been a tough horse to figure out. Jerkens said he was slow to get going, and he wasn't sure why.

Jimmy Jerkens | Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia

“We had a lot of problems with him when he first got here,” he said. “We thought his knees were just immature. He was in Taif, where they race in the summer and we couldn't really do much with him there. But once he got back to Riyadh he really started to come around. We didn't do anything with him. No surgeries, no procedures, not anything. He just came around on his own. He started holding up during training and we went step-by-step. All of a sudden he just got there in a rush. He stayed sound and had plenty of work going into his first start. Especially first time out going 1400 meters, because the tracks are slow here you, really have to be ready.

Jerkens said he would like to run Music Critic in the GII UAE Derby, but likely won't get in because the colt will not have run enough times to qualify under the rating system in Dubai.

Before he hit the prolonged slump, Jerkens compiled an impressive resume. He won 78 blacktype stakes and trained horses like Quality Road (Elusive Quality), Artie Schiller (El Prado {Ire}), Wicked Strong (Hard Spun), Corinthian (Pulpit) and many others. Can he do it again and build the type of stable that will be competitive on the New York circuit against the Todd Pletchers and Chad Browns of the world? He's ready to give it a try.

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Irad Ortiz Jr. has been handed a three-day stewards' suspension in the aftermath of his disqualification for interference in the Jan. 11 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Ortiz will sit Jan. 19, 22, 23, as per his agent, Steve Rushing. Dave Grening of Daily Racing Form was first to report this news via a posting on the X social media platform.

Ortiz has led North America in victories in each of the last eight years and was voted the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in 2018-20 and 2022-23. He is a finalist for the 2024 award, which will be announced on the evening that his suspension concludes next Thursday.

Ortiz rode the 1-2 favorite, Owen Almighty (Speightstown), in that Tampa stakes last Saturday. His mount came in on the 7-2 third choice, Rookie Card (Adios Charlie), causing that rival to check hard under jockey Junior Alvarado while near the inner rail at the three-eighths pole.

The Equibase chart stated that Owen Almighty “bumped and forced Rookie Card to take up sharply.” As Rookie Card dropped out of contention, the head-on replay showed Ortiz looking back over his left shoulder to see what happened.

Ortiz and Owen Almighty went on to cross the finish wire first by a length. Rookie Card finished fifth, beaten 23 lengths. He was elevated to fourth when the stewards DQ'd Owen Almighty and placed him fifth.

Rookie Card was reported to be “fine” by Alvarado after the incident.

The three Tampa officials who issued the suspension are state steward Reese Howard and association stewards Joelyn Rigione and Brook Hawkins.

#5 NAUGHTY RASCAL ($8.20) was elevated to first in the $150,000 Pasco Stakes at @TampaBayDownsFL after the disqualification of Owen Almighty.

This is the third stakes victory for the three-year-old Rogueish colt. @EdwinGonzalz1 was aboard for trainer Gerald Bennett. pic.twitter.com/90gH75wQnu

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 11, 2025

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Fasig-Tipton has released the first group of supplemental entries for its Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale–adding 27 head to the auction–which will take place on Monday, Feb. 3, beginning at 10 a.m. ET in Lexington, Kentucky, the company said via a press release on Wednesday.

These latest entries, catalogued as hip 349-375, include:

• Greavette (Astern {Aus}) (Hip 356): 4-year-old MSW is consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Grovendale Sales, agent.
• R Harper Rose (Khozan) (Hip 364): Four-year-old who won the GIII Forward Gal Stakes last year. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Gainesway, agent.
• Connie Swingle (Grazen) (Hip 367): Multiple stakes winner in California and a full-sister to GSW S Y Sky & SW Grazen Sky. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
• Accommodate Eva (Munnings) (Hip 374): SW at 2 & 3 from the family of GISW Bell's the One (Majesticperfection). Consigned as a racing/ broodmare prospect by Four Star Sales, agent.

Also included in the supplement are short yearlings by Corniche, Hard Spun, Practical Joke, Street Sense, Violence, and War of Will.

These entries may now be viewed online and will also be available in Equineline catalogue app.

The post First Group Of Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Supplemental Entries Online appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) made two new additions to their board at their December meeting as Robert Hartman and Chris Knehr were elected, according to a Wednesday press release from the nonprofit.

Hartman is the chair of the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program (RTIP). After holding marketing and management positions with NYRA, Santa Anita Park, and Golden Gate, he joined the RTIP program as chair in 2021. In this role, Hartman oversees the direction of the RTIP program, as well as the hosting of the annual Global Symposium on Racing.

“Over the past two years, we have included the RRP and Thoroughbred Makeover into our RTIP curriculum, emphasizing the importance of aftercare,” said Hartman. “I have been impressed by the servant leadership of Kirsten [Green, RRP executive director], and look forward to contributing to the organization.”

With a background in the hunters and jumpers, Knehr has served in a variety of roles at breeding farms and consignments before joining Lane's End Farm's stallion season sales team in 2021. As an aftercare proponent with an appreciation for the Thoroughbred sport horse, he has supported his wife Erin's participation in the Thoroughbred Makeover in 2018 and 2024.

“Thoroughbreds are bred to be amazing athletes, and the RRP is a leader in highlighting the ability of these horses to go on to a second career in a variety of disciplines,” said Knehr.

Several RRP board members have completed their terms of service at the end of last year, including Treasurer Amanda DaBruzzo and directors Anita Motion and Judy Hartman. Existing board member Sarah Williams was elected to take over DaBruzzo's spot.

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by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland January of All Ages Sale produced its third $700,000 mare when Love to Shop (Violence), consigned by Claiborne Farm, brought that co-sale topping bid from Pin Oak Stud Tuesday. During the second session of the three-day auction, 242 horses sold for $10,854,300. The average was $44,852 and the median was $20,000. With 89 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 26.89%. Through two sessions, 442 head have grossed $28,941,300, for an average of $65,478 and a median of $35,000. The two-day buy-back rate stands at 29.39%.

After two days of the four-day January sale a year ago, 430 head had grossed $31,596,700 for an average of $73,481 and a median of $30,500. The cumulative average for the 2024 auction was $46,126 and the median was $15,000.

A pair of supplemental offerings sold for $700,000 during Monday's first session of the January sale and that figure was matched three-quarters of the way through Tuesday's second session with an internet bid from Jim and Dana Bernhard's Pin Oak Stud.

“That was huge,” Claiborne Farm's Jacob West said after watching Love to Shop (Violence) (hip 733) sell. “She was a filly that was bought as a yearling for Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola and we always knew she was going to end up at a public auction to dissolve the partnership.”

Purchased for $200,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale, Love to Shop won the 2023 Toronto Cup Stakes and was second in that year's GII Bessarabian Stakes. In 2024, the bay mare was second in the GIII Ontario Fashion Stakes and GIII Bessarabian Stakes while racing for Repole and Viola and trainer Kevin Attard.

“She shipped down to run in a stakes at Turfway Park and she came up with a foot abscess and we had to scratch her,” West said. “We sent her over to Margaux Farms and those guys did an incredible job with her. They've had her for the last 30 days, just keeping her ticking over in light training. She shipped in to us and looked incredible. Virginia at the barn was showing her the whole time and if she had one of those step-o-meters, she would have walked about 30 miles the last couple of days showing her. She never turned a hair. She deserved that price. She was such a quality filly and there are updates in the family. She is by a sire that people like and she has a race record. It all just equaled $700,000.”

Out of Tiffany Case (Uncle Mo) and bred by D. J. Stable, the 5-year-old racing or broodmare prospect is a half-sister to Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), who was third in last year's GI Natalma Stakes and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and returned last week to win the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

With a slimmed down catalogue, the January sale is down to three sessions this year from four days in 2024, blurring the line between a typical Book 1 and Book 2 set-up.

“At Claiborne, we ended up just selling on one day,” West said. “So it wasn't spread out in “Book 1” or “Book 2,” so we just had her in there and we had [the whole consignment] all on one day. She was quality. It didn't matter if there were 1,000 horses in the sale, she was going to stand out. But I think all the scratches helped her stand out even more. At the end of the day, a lot of people try to hold on to their quality horses, that's the market we are in. They get rewarded when they sell yearlings out of them. She just happened to be one of the prize jewels of the sale.”

Jenny O'Callaghan | Keeneland

Peter and Jenny O'Callaghan of Woods Edge Farm purchased the second highest-priced mare, as well as the co-highest price short yearling of Tuesday's session. The O'Callaghans went to $310,000 to acquire Abrogate (Outwork) (hip 513). The stakes-winning 7-year-old mare sold in foal to Good Magic and was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for STH LLC. The couple also purchased a filly by Golden Pal (hip 641) for $300,000 from the Clarkland Farm consignment.

“Everybody is here despite the cold temperatures and nobody misses a good horse,” said Jenny O'Callaghan. “And the key is to buy the ones you really like and stick to your guns. It's always tricky buying because the good ones really stand out.”

Bloodstock agent Kim Valerio matched that $300,000 bid when purchasing a filly by Justify (hip 578) as agent for the Green family's D. J. Stable. Bred and consigned by Stoneriggs Farm, the short yearling is out of GIII Ontario Colleen Stakes winner Chart (Lea). Purchased for $120,000 as a 2-year-old at the OBS April sale and raced by D. J. Stable, Chart earned over $114,000 on the racetrack and was purchased by Stoneriggs Farm for $210,000 at  the 2021 Keeneland November sale. Now in a full-circle moment, the mare's daughter will return to D. J. Stable to race.

Kim Valerio | Keeneland

“She was very athletic, a great mover with a great attitude,” said Valerio. “From the first day I saw her until this morning, she was still walking like a champ, so I liked that, it's important. We're going to run her. [D. J. Stable] raced the mother, so that helped us spend a little bit more money on her. She's very athletic, square across the ground with a great attitude. That's important to me.”

Valerio noted that D. J. Stable has had success buying out of the January sale. The operation went to $335,000 to purchase Moonlit Garden (Malibu Moon) in 2020 and that mare has since produced a 175,000gns Tattersalls Breeze-Up sale grad and a $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling.

“I like this sale–it's a value sale, so I like to load up here,” Valerio said. “I've bought some great horses out of this sale, so I'm never going to miss it.”

The Keeneland January sale concludes with a final session beginning Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Joining the fold as the co-highest priced yearling of the session at $300,000, a filly (hip 641) from the first crop of Coolmore's dual Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal went the way of Peter and Jenny O'Callaghan's Rock Bloodstock. Bred and consigned by Clarkland Farm, she is a daughter of the stakes-placed Scat Daddy mare Fairyland. The mare herself was a $375,000 KEESEP grad to M.V. Magnier who raced for the partnership of Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor and trainer Wesley Ward before selling to Clarkland Farm for $700,000 at KEENOV in 2019.

Hip 641, a $300,000 Golden Pal filly | Keeneland

Clarkland's Marty Buckner acknowledged that breeding a pair of classy Wesley Ward-trained runners together was part of the appeal of the Golden Pal/Fairyland cross.

“Golden Pal was a wonderful racehorse with excellent conformation and Fairyland was also trained by Wesley [Ward]. We thought maybe we'll have a market there.”

The $300,000 price, the highest for a Golden Pal yearling through the end of the first two sessions, exceeded Buckner's expectations.

“[The price] is wonderful, we're ecstatic. I didn't expect anything like that at all. We're thrilled and very lucky. Very fortunate that it happened as it makes up for a lot of ones that don't work out so it was really great.”

While off the board in her only try facing Group company in the G3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot as a juvenile, Fairyland broke her maiden on debut at Keeneland in maiden special weight company and earned her black-type when second in the Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga where she was just a half-length back of the winner in her first start following her trip to Ascot. Since retiring to her breeding career, Fairyland has produced four foals with all four being six-figure yearlings paced by $825,000 KEESEP grad Westeros (Into Mischief).

Of hip 641, Jenny O'Callaghan said: “She showed very well these last few days in very difficult conditions. She's out of a very talented race filly and Clarkland does a great job. He's [Golden Pal] a very exciting sire. The goal is to bring her back here next September hoping that people will like her as much then as they did today. She was a high price but it's a very competitive market. That was more than we expected to pay for her but sometimes the good ones are worth digging deep for.”

In a show of confidence for the cross, Buckner noted that Fairyland is booked back to Golden Pal who bred 293 mares in his debut season for Coolmore in 2023 and stands for $25,000. –@SGrimmTDN

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The Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI) subsidiary that operates the advance-deposit wagering (ADW) platform TwinSpires sued the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) in federal court Jan. 12, alleging that the state's requirement that ADW providers be linked to a licensed racetrack and live race meeting is “unlawful.”

The state's track-partnership requirement currently can't be fulfilled by any ADW because there hasn't been any Thoroughbred racing in Michigan since 2018, and Standardbred races last ran in February 2024.

TwinSpires (and other ADWs) had previously partnered with the harness operation at Northville Downs, which is planning to, but has not yet received, approval for the required 30 days of racing to be eligible for ADW and simulcasting in 2025.

On Dec. 23, 2024, the MGCB notified all licensed third-party facilitators to cease all ADW account wagering services for Michigan residents effective Jan. 1, 2025.

This ban was to be in effect “until all licensing issues are resolved,” according to a Jan. 9 MGCB statement.

According to the MGCB, while Xpressbet, NYRA Bets, and TVG Network complied with the order, TwinSpires did not.

“Despite this directive, on Dec. 31, 2024, TwinSpires informed the Board that it would continue to offer account wagering for Michigan accounts, in violation of state law,” the MGCB stated.

“TwinSpires' continued violation of legal regulations prompted the MGCB to intervene and enforce compliance with the established laws governing simulcast racing by issuing [a] summary suspension order,” the MGCB stated. “A virtual hearing before an Administrative Law Judge has been requested [to] determine whether this summary suspension should continue, or if other fines and penalties should be imposed.”

TwinSpires sees the situation differently.

“It is no different than if Michigan required any online retailer to partner with an in-state brick-and-mortar store before it could accept orders from individuals in Michigan,” the lawsuit stated.

Among the arguments articulated by Churchill Downs Technology Initiatives Company in its civil complaint on behalf of TwinSpires in United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan (Southern Division) are that the state-track licensing requirement is allegedly “preempted by the Interstate Horseracing Act (IHA) of 1978” and purportedly also violates the Interstate Commerce Clause.

“The IHA contains no provision requiring the consent of the state in which an individual placing the wager happens to reside,” the lawsuit stated. “This makes sense given the historic understanding that wagering is regulated in the location it is accepted, not where the individual placing the bet resides.”

The lawsuit continued: “MGCB's actions have subjected TwinSpires to irreparable injury and placed it in a perilous position. If TwinSpires is forced to cease its interstate ADW offering in Michigan, which federal law clearly permits, then it stands to wrongfully lose millions of dollars in revenue for which TwinSpires would never be able to recover damages, because the state is immune from money damages.”

The lawsuit stated that, “Michigan has made clear it can and likely will pursue 'administrative, civil, and criminal penalties' pursuant to the state's Licensing Requirements if TwinSpires continues to offer ADW to Michigan consumers under the IHA. That includes potential criminal prosecution or a fine of up to $10,000 for engaging in interstate commerce expressly authorized under federal law…

“These extraordinary threats to TwinSpires's business, coming for the first time since it began offering its platform to Michigan residents over a decade ago, gives TwinSpires no choice but to ask this Court to protect its legal rights now,” the lawsuit stated.

The MGCB could not be reached for comment on the lawsuit in time for deadline for this story. The agency will have its chance to file a legal response to the complaint.

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Members of The Race for Education (RFE) elected Kevin O'Keeffe as Board Chairman and Bill Casner as Vice-Chairman at the organization's recent board meeting. The board also includes original members Gay Bredin and David Ingordo, as well as new board member Pete Aiello, one of the RFE's first scholarship recipients and the current announcer at Gulfstream.

“It is an honor to serve as Chair of The Race for Education, which has awarded over $7.5 million in scholarships and educational programs since its inception in 2000,” said O'Keeffe, a Thoroughbred owner, breeder, and attorney based in Baltimore, as well as a RFE board member since 2012. “Recipients have pursued careers across the racing industry, including roles as trainers, veterinarians, bloodstock agents, and racetrack managers. Supporting students as they achieve their dreams while shaping the future of the horse racing industry is truly special. The board is committed to reinvigorating fundraising efforts and expanding scholarship opportunities for the next generation.”

In 2017, the RFE board and staff decided to wind down operations, with scholarships subsequently managed by the KEEP Foundation and an expectation to distribute remaining funds until depletion. However, the organization has since been revitalized by donors, including a 2024 bequest of $500,000 from the estate of Robert Reeves.

RFE Co-Founder and former President Elisabeth Jensen will lead new fundraising efforts, while Communications Coordinator Brittany Bell will oversee the scholarship application and award process.

In 2025, The Race for Education will award $85,000 in scholarships and grants, including two new opportunities: the Bob Reeves Memorial Scholarship, open to an Ohio student pursuing studies in equine, animal science, or agriculture, or whose families work in the equine industry, and the Dual-Credit Scholarship for high school students enrolled in dual-credit equine programs. Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year will be available soon.

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Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) worked four furlongs in :50.60 (40/53) for trainer Chad Brown at Payson Park Jan. 12, his second workout of the year. He is being aimed at the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 22, according to a report in Daily Racing Form.

“He's coming along,” Brown told DRF. “We're trying to get him to the Saudi race. He'll pick it up a little more next week. He's had two works now, he's ready to do something a little more serious next week.”

An Eclipse Award finalist in the 3-year-old male division, Sierra Leone's sophomore season also included wins in the GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and GII Risen Star Stakes; a painful second in the GI Kentucky Derby; and third-place finishes in the GI Belmont Stakes and GI Draftkings Travers Stakes.

The $2.3-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling is campaigned in partnership by Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook T. Smith.

'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie), meanwhile, exited his sixth-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, his first career defeat, with “a tiny flake in his ankle,” per DRF. The Flanagan Racing colorbearer began his career with three straight victories, including the GI Hopeful Stakes and GI Champagne Stakes.

“We decided to take it out after the Breeders' Cup and gamble we could still make the Triple Crown,” Brown told DRF. “Although it wasn't bad, it looked new out of the Breeders' Cup. I didn't want to have to deal with it in the summer time in case it did bother him so we took it out.”

Brown added that Chancer McPatrick could return to the worktab by the end of the month and potentially target the GIII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 8.

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Oaklawn Park, like much of the country impacted by recent winter weather, will add Thursday, Jan. 30 to the current racing calendar in an effort to recoup lost days of live racing. In a release from the track, officials at Oaklawn said the added day was in collaboration with the HBPA and additional days may be added later in the meet.

Racing at Oaklawn was cancelled for most of Dec. 28 and for the entire weekend of Jan. 10-12  due to weather.

Live racing in Hot Springs is slated to continue Friday, Jan. 17.

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Edited Press Release

Famed equestrian and longtime Thoroughbred trainer Rodney Jenkins was honored by the Maryland racing community Tuesday in a memorial service at Laurel Park.

Jenkins, a beloved horseman, died Dec. 5 at age 80.

“He taught me a lot on how to ride,” said jockey Richard Monterrey. “Monterrey, you're riding too low, too high. Monterrey, put your hands down, relax, let the horse stride. He was very aware of everything that was happening. I called him Mr. Jenkins at first, and then I changed it to Papa Jenkins. I had a daughter that went to the barn a couple of times, and she fell in love with this loving man and started calling him Papa Jenkins.”

Born in Middleburg, Va., Jenkins retired from the American show ring as the sport's winningest rider and was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 1999.

Known as the “Red Rider” for the shocks of red hair that showed from beneath his helmet, Jenkins competed on 10 winning Nations Cups teams between 1973 and 1987 and earned two silver medals in the 1987 Pan American Games as a member of the U.S. Equestrian Team.

Jenkins notched over 70 grand prix victories, 30 aboard the legendary Idle Dice. He was named the American Grandprix Association's Rider of the Year and received the AHSA Horseman of the Year award in 1987.

“I was a youngster growing up in the horse show world when he was in his heyday,” reminisced Cricket Goodall, Executive Director of the Maryland Horse Breeders' Association and Maryland Million, Ltd. “He was a rockstar to us. A lot of little girls were in love with Rodney Jenkins. We owe him a gratitude. Thoroughbred horses were king when he was showing them. Rodney showed how adaptable they were and how much you could do with a Thoroughbred.”

Jenkins began training Thoroughbreds in 1991, gradually transitioning from steeplechasers to flat horses.

“Rodney always said that he wanted to stop showing at the pinnacle of his career,” said longtime assistant Eveline Kjelstrup. “He didn't want to be one of those older show jumpers that hang on. When he said the jumps started looking a little big to him, we switched to steeplechase horses.”

Jenkins captured the 2002 Laurel summer meet title, was named outstanding trainer by the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association in 2003, and finished in the top 100 nationally in wins three times.

“He loved being at the racetrack,” Kjelstrup said, “When we got to Pimlico, he really enjoyed how welcoming everybody was. He loved hanging out with Dickie Small. They were both sitting on the ponies at the wire and watching the horses go around.”

Jenkins conditioned some of Maryland's most popular performers. Phlash Phelps won back-to-back editions of the Maryland Million Turf. Millionaire Cordmaker scored 14 of 39 starts, including the Grade 3 General George Stakes in 2022. Both Phlash Phelps and Cordmaker were owned by Mrs. Ellen Charles's Hillwood Stables, one of Jenkins's longtime clients.

“Rodney was my first trainer,” said Charles. “We had a wonderful journey together and such great success. Over the years, because of Rodney, he built a wonderful stable for me.”

Jenkins was particularly proud of Cordmaker. “He's a good, good horse, and he tries hard,” he told Daily Racing Form after Cordmaker won the Robert T. Manfuso Stakes in 2021. “He has these mannerisms where he gets very good when something competes with him. I usually wait until three or four weeks out before I ask him for any speed. I jog him, I gallop out, and knock-on wood, he's never taken a lame step.”

Running Tide, Bandbox, Golden Years, and Shimmering Aspen were among the stakes winners trained by Jenkins, who recorded 941 wins from 4,654 starts with lifetime purse earnings of $24,846,222. His best season came in 2007, winning 74 races for earnings of $1,815,029.

Jenkins suffered from deteriorating health and quietly retired earlier this year. His final winner was Lilly Lightning, who prevailed in a claiming race at Laurel on April 19.

“I thought he was a great ambassador for the sport,” longtime friend and fellow trainer Curtis Beale Payne told Daily Racing Form last month. “Kind-hearted. I go back to the show-horse days with him. He had always owned racehorses throughout the years, even when he was showing. He'd leave the Upperville Horse Show and go over to Charles Town to watch a horse run at the end of a long day. One of Rodney's big things is feel things, anticipate, communicate with your horse, don't boss it.”

Phoebe Hayes, Director of Horsemen's Relations for The Maryland Jockey Club, remembered Jenkins as a consummate horseman. “I saw him get on horses with floppy legs and doing all kinds of crazy things. No whip, no spurs; he'd have that horse tucked up within half an hour. He worked on balance and smoothness with the horses.”

Jenkins didn't mind giving his horses long breaks when they needed them. “That's the way I train,” he said. “If a horse gives you a lot of effort, you give him something back.”

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Tickets to the 54th Annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards–presented by John Deere, Keeneland, The Jockey Club and the NTRA–are sold out, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) announced Tuesday.

The event will be held on Thursday, Jan. 23 at The Breakers Palm Beach and will be hosted by Britney Eurton and Lindsay Czarniak, with Caton Bredar serving as the announcer throughout the awards ceremony.

The Eclipse Awards will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV and Racetrack Television Network (RTN), and streamed world-wide on multiple outlets, including NTRA.com, americasbestracing.net, bloodhorse.com, DRF.com, equibase.com, Thoroughbreddailynews.com, and NTRA's YouTube channel.

FanDuel TV will broadcast the Keeneland Red Carpet Show beginning at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET. The broadcast of the awards show will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET and will culminate with the announcement of the 2024 Horse of the Year.

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The condition book for Colonial Downs' three-day spring meeting which runs from Thursday, Mar. 13 through Saturday, Mar. 15 is available (click here). The meet is highlighted by the $500,000 Virginia Derby and $250,000 Virginia Oaks on Mar. 15, which for the first time are points races on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” and “Road to the Kentucky Oaks,” respectively.

The Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks have been moved to the dirt track and repositioned to March to serve as prep races for the Derby and Oaks.

The Virginia Derby will be run at 1-1/8 miles and the Virginia Oaks will be contested at 1-1/16 miles. Each race offers 50 points to its winner while the next four finishers will receive 25, 15, 10 and 5 points on a sliding scale toward the appropriate race.

Additional Virginia-restricted races include a pair of overnight handicaps–the $150,000 Stellar Wind, a six-furlong dash for older fillies and mares and the $150,000 Boston, a seven-furlong race for older horses-headlining the Friday, Mar. 14 card.

Maiden Special Weight races will go for $75,000 for open runners and $93,750 for Virginia-restricted horses. A first-level allowance race carries an $80,000 purse and the complimentary Virginia-restricted event is worth $100,000.

Nominations for the Virginia Derby, Virginia Oaks and the two overnight handicaps close Wednesday, Feb. 26. Entries for the Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks will be taken at Colonial Downs on Saturday, Mar. 8.

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The Kentucky Horse Council, a charity that works to support Kentucky's equine community through education, leadership and equine rescue and welfare initiatives, has elected new directors and officers to the Board of Directors, including Jen Roytz, co-owner of Brownstead Farm and co-founder of Topline Communications who was elected to serve as President. Additionally, Annie Cornett, owner of Momentum Creative Group, was elected to serve as Vice President. Both are serving their first term.

Amy Parker, Manager of Technical Services and Equine Nutritionist at McCauley Bros. Inc., was re-elected as Treasurer and Stephanie Keeley, co-Owner of Double S Horsemanship and Second Wind Farm, and Assistant Professor of Equine at Asbury University, was re-elected as Secretary.

Also elected to the KHC Board of Directors:

• Shannon Blandford, co-owner of Wanderlust Acres LLC
• Megan Carr, MidSouth Eventing and Dressage Association licensed dressage judge, Kentucky Three-day Event Vet Box Chief Steward, volunteer
• Elias Delbridge, Director of Animal Control for the Boyle County Fiscal Court and farrier
• Liz Douglas, owner of MEND.HORSE Equine Therapy
• Christopher Klein, North American legal counsel, compliance officer and board secretary for a biomedical and medical device manufacturing company and is a co-owner of an equine business focused on sporthorse development and lease programs
• Erin Woodall, managing partner at Grit Equine and co-owner of 1681 Equestrian
• Sally Lockhart, owner/manager of Ballyrankin Stud

For the complete list of the Kentucky Horse Council Board of Directors, visit kentuckyhorse.org.

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Undefeated 3-year-old colt Barnes has been tabbed as the 10-1 individual betting favorite in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager as it begins a three-day run on Friday, Jan. 17 at noon before closing Sunday at 6p.m.

Owned by Zedan Racing and trained by Bob Baffert, the GII San Vicente winner leads the 39 individual betting interests in Pool 3, with the pari-mutuel field of “All Other 3-Year-Olds” tabbed as the 5-2 overall favorite.

The pool, which features $2 Win and Exacta wagering, is available at racetracks and simulcast outlets nationwide, including www.TwinSpires.com

Additionally, there will be six Future Wager pools for Kentucky Derby 151. Future Wager Pool 4 is set for Feb. 14-16, Pool 5 is scheduled for Mar. 14-16 and Pool 6 will take place Apr. 3-5. Pool 5 will also include the Longines GI Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.

More information, Brisnet.com past performances and real-time odds on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager will be available before the pool opens Friday at www.KentuckyDerby.com.

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Leading all trainers in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Steve Asmussen and Brad Cox-who finished 2024 with 96 victories apiece–sent out a combined 1,038 starters throughout the nine meets at Kentucky's five thoroughbred racetracks.

Approximately 24% of Asmussen's North America-leading 407 overall victories came in Kentucky, while about 41% of Cox's 243 seasonal wins came in his home state. Asmussen, who started 670 horses in the state last year, won meet titles at Churchill (spring and fall), Ellis Park (tied with Brendan Walsh) and Kentucky Downs (tied with Walsh and Joe Sharp). Cox, who had 368 starters on the year, won Churchill's September and Keeneland's fall title.

Eligible individuals participated in Kentucky's year-round circuit of Turfway Park (two meets), Keeneland (two meets) Churchill Downs (three meets), Ellis Park and Kentucky Downs.

Leading Kentucky jockey at 142 victories went to Luan Machado, who rides year-round in the state. He edged the 139 wins accrued by Tyler Gaffalione, who rides at Keeneland, Churchill and Kentucky Downs but is based at Saratoga in the summer and Gulfstream Park in the winter. Machado earned Turfway Park's 2024 winter title with 62 wins.

The overall leading Kentucky owner was Godolphin LLC, whose 45 total victories more than doubled Juddmonte's 22 wins. Godolphin won owner's titles based on wins at Keeneland's spring meet (a tie with Juddmonte), Ellis Park, Keeneland fall and Churchill Downs' fall meet.

According to Equibase, Cox led all trainers in 2024 Kentucky earnings, $12,305,246 to Asmussen's $11,263,025. Gafflione's $19,174,560 in Kentucky purses led all jockeys, with Luis Saez second at $16,115,242. Godolphin's instate runners accrued $7,197,863 last year, with Juddmonte second at $3,439,964.

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