Thoroughbred Daily News

A colt born Jan. 6 at Castleton Lyons near Lexington is the first reported foal for Taiba (Gun Runner–Needmore Flattery, by Flatter). Bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate, the chestnut colt is out of Wecallherqueenmary (Exaggerator), whose unraced dam is a full-sister to late champion Speightstown. Castleton Lyons purchased the mare for $200,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November sale.

“He's a good foal, a lot of quality,” said Castleton Lyons's Pat Hayes. “He looks athletic and more like Taiba than the mare. Very good shoulder and hip, powerful forearm and a lot of bone. We're very happy with him.”

Taiba won the GI Pennsylvania Derby, GI Santa Anita Derby, and GI Malibu Stakes during his 3-year-old campaign in 2022, as well as finished third to Flightline in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. He was a $1.7-million Fasig-Tipton 2-year-old purchase by Zedan Racing Stables and bred 200 mares in his first book. Taiba will stand the 2025 season for $30,000 at Spendthrift Farm.

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The Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horse Breeders Association's (PHBA)annual Stallion Season Auction will commence Monday, Jan. 13 and continue through Sunday, Jan. 19. Details can be found at www.Thoroughlybred.com.

“We are proud that our annual auction attracts so many stud farms every year,” said Brian Sanfratello, Executive Secretary of the PHBA. “The diversity of stallions gives breeders the

opportunity to obtain stallion seasons both in Pennsylvania and other regional states, as well as some of the top young sires.”

Proceeds of the sale benefit the PHBA, the retirement programs Turning for Home and New Start, as well as the PHBA PAC. Stallions included in this season's sale: Capo Kane (Street Sense), Cloud Computing (Maclean's Music), Eastwood (Speightstown), Imposing (Gun Runner), Pat On the Back (Congrats), Uptowncharlybrown (Limehouse), Winchill (Tapit) and Zozos (Munnings). Other Stallions available include young

Kentucky sires Arcangelo (Arrogate), Charge It (Tapit), Game Winner (Candy Ride [ARG]), Knicks Go (Paynter), Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), Seize the Grey (Arrogate), and Tapit Trice (Tapit).

To view the full list of stallions and types of seasons available, visit https://pabred.com/2025-stallion-auction.

Additional stallions may be added until the auction opens on Jan. 13. For more information or questions, contact Brian Sanfratello at brians@pabred.com or 610 444 1050 or Wendi Graham at wgraham@pabred.com.

Bidders must register with Thoroughlybred.com and all bids will be subject to the rules and conditions of the auction.

Over the last 10 years, the PHBA Breeding Fund distributed an average of $28 million each year in awards, “owner bonuses”, and restricted race purses, including $11.4 million in breeder and stallion awards, $5.5 million in “owner bonuses” at Parx Racing, Penn National Race Course and Presque Isle Downs (owner bonus of up to 40% of the purse earned on overnight races).

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The online portion of Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA)'s annual Stallion Season Auction has begun and will run through Friday, Jan. 10. Additionally, an online silent auction of non-season items, including halters worn by Rachel Alexandra, Munnings, Practical Joke, Sierra Leone, and Seize the Grey; artwork; unique experiences; horse vanning; and more will be offered. A list of the seasons available can be found here, while a list of silent auction items is available here.

Presented by Mt. Brilliant Family Foundation, the auction–TCA's largest annual fundraiser–features nearly 200 seasons. The accompanying “Live Auction and Celebration,” which will be held Sunday, Jan. 12 at Harper Hall in Lexington, Ky., will honor Brandon and Diannah Perry with the Allaire du Pont Leadership Award and Beyond the Wire with the Ellen and Herb Moelis Industry Service Award. More details are available here.

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Cathy Sheppard, the widow of Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, was found dead Monday in a hotel room in Dania Beach, Florida. Her passing was confirmed by the Broward County (Fla) Sherriff's Offices (BSO).

She was 69.

The Sheppards were married in 1990 and Jonathan Sheppard passed away on Aug. 29, 2023.

According to a spokesperson for the BSO, “deputies in Dania Beach responded to an unresponsive person at a hotel in the 100 block of Southwest 18th Avenue. Upon arrival they located a deceased adult female. BSO's Homicide and Crime Scene units responded to investigate. The Broward County Medical Examiner's Office will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death.”

The address released by the BSO is the address of the Dania Beach Hotel.

Until a full investigation is concluded, several questions remain unanswered. Maria Montgomery Riggs, Cathy Sheppard's sister, said that Cathy lived in Fort Lauderdale. She said the authorities have not told her what the cause of death was.

“This doesn't make any sense to me,” Riggs said. “What was she doing in a hotel in Dania Beach?”

According to a post on Cathy Sheppard's Facebook page from 2011, she rode her first race at Delaware Park when she was 16. Her father, she wrote, was a trainer and she was raised on a horse farm in Delaware. In 1985, she switched to steeplechase racing.

Her life and career changed when she met Sheppard and was hired to gallop Storm Cat, who was a Grade I winner at two in 1985.

“He was very tough to stay on in the beginning of his two year old year,” she wrote. “I was fairly athletic and just talked to him all the time. I became very friendly with (owner) Mr. (William T.) Young and after Storm Cat was retired, I followed him to Lexington to study bloodstock.”

She wrote that she talked Young out of selling Storm Cat.

“When I married Jonathan in 1990, I started looking into animal rights,” she wrote. “I do not enjoy racing like I used to. I'm seeing too much cruelty these days. I dearly love all animals, and most people.”

According to Equibase records, Sheppard last rode in 1992.

She is survived by Joseph Herman, a son from a previous marriage.

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Christopher L. Merz, with more than a decade in horse racing operations, compliance, business strategy, and oversight, has been named the executive director of the Maryland Racing Commission, according to a release from the Maryland Department of Labor.

“The horse racing industry is rapidly transforming across the United States and we look forward to Christopher Merz guiding Maryland racing through this next era,” said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. “He is a talented leader who has returned to Maryland with a wealth of experience in new sports entertainment paradigms, business operations, and safety–all essential to the future success of horse racing in Maryland.”

Merz has served as senior director of racing operations at Canterbury Park in Minnesota, director of racing and racing secretary at Santa Anita, and racing secretary at the Maryland Jockey Club. His most recent work as a consultant “focused both on providing guidance for executing efficient business operation practices in horse racing and implementing practices that promote Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and jurisdictional compliance,” said the release.

“I am profoundly grateful to Governor Moore, Secretary Wu, and the Maryland Racing Commission for entrusting me with this pivotal role as we embark on a transformative era in horse racing,” said Merz. “Together with our industry stakeholders and horsemen, passionate bettors, and devoted fans, we will propel the sport into an innovative and sustainable future while also honoring Maryland's rich racing heritage.”

A graduate of the University of Arizona, Merz continues to be a part of HISA's Emergency Medical Response Training and Certification Committee and the Racing Operations Committee. He has also served on the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Merz's appointment as executive director follows the retirement of Mike Hopkins after 40 years of service.

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7th-Gulfstream, $75,000, Msw, 1-8, 3yo, f, 5 1/2f (AWT), 1:03.62, ft, 5 3/4 lengths.
CLOE (f, 3, Tiz the Law–Nuhood, by Smart Strike), given a 4-1 chance in this debut, broke running and was soon headed by the rail-running Armande (Candy Ride {Arg}) through an opening quarter in :22.86. Head and head with that rival approaching the home turn, Cloe inched clear straightening for home and exploded late to win by an easy 5 3/4-length margin over firster My Anticipation (Maclean's Music). Favored Mischief in Motion (Into Mischief) never got into the mix of things and finished last of seven. Unraced Nuhood is a daughter of dual Grade I winner Habibti (Tabasco Cat), also responsible for MGSW Eldaafer (A.P. Indy) in addition to Muhaawara (Unbridled's Song), dam of GIII Gotham winner Shagaf (Bernardini). The mare was most recently bred to Atta Boy Roy. Sales history: $80,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL; $145,000 RNA 2yo '24 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $45,000.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Lugamo Racing Stable LLC; B-Crosshaven Bloodstock (KY); T-Victor Barboza, Jr.

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With severe winter weather continuing to plague parts of the country and more on the way, Oaklawn Park has canceled racing for the entire upcoming weekend. Live racing was originally scheduled for Friday to Sunday, Jan. 10-12, but will now resume Friday, Jan. 17.

The Hot Springs track has not yet announced a rescheduling of the races that were to be held this weekend. One black-type race–the $150,000 Pippin Stakes for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, going 1 1/16 miles–was slated for Saturday, Jan. 11.

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Colonial Downs has opened up ticketing and experience packages for the Mar. 15 Virginia Derby, the new qualifier race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The winning horse will secure a spot in the field for the 151st GI Kentucky Derby, to be held May 3.

In additional to a limited number of general admission tickets, additional seating and options have been created, including special trackside seats and boxes, the Trackside Dining Pavilion and Lounge, the Homestretch Derby Party Tent, and an elevated experience in the Colonial Downs Jockey Club. All ticketed guests will receive a special commemorative keepsake. Tickets are now on sale at ColonialDowns.com.

“We are pulling out all the stops to make this historic Virginia Derby an unforgettable experience for Virginia race fans,” said Frank Hopf, Senior Director of Racing Operations at Colonial Downs. “Whether you're looking for a premium experience in the Jockey Club, a great time in the Trackside party tent, or a general admission ticket to experience the thrill of racing along the rail, we have ticket options to make this a great day at the races. Just like our horses, these tickets are going to go fast so get yours today!”

Colonial Downs will hold a special March meet from Mar. 13-15. The special three-day spring race event is part of a 44-day race season that will continue with live racing July 9.

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In racing circles, trainer Jose D'Angelo might not yet be a “household name,” but that's not going to last much longer. In this country for about five years, the native of Venezuela is coming off a stellar 2024 in which he won 140 races, including his first Grade I with Howard Wolowitz (Munnings) in the Aristocrat Franklin-Simpson Stakes.

And it looks like 2025 might be even better. He has a stable full of potential stars that includes 'TDN Rising Star' Guns Loaded (Gun Runner), the winner of last Saturday's Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park which kicked off the Florida series at the track.

How has D'Angelo come so far and so fast and what does he expect from Guns Loaded once the competition becomes stiffer? Those were among the questions we asked when he appeared on this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

“I am literally living the dream here,” D'Angelo said. “I came from Venezuela with so many goals and so many dreams. Like most horsemen, my main goal is to win the [Kentucky] Derby. But in order to do that you have to go step by step, win races and let people know you know how to win big races. Very few people will win the Derby, but you have to make your name, build up your reputation and make sure people trust you. I feel like we are doing that.”

His assistant is his father, Francisco D'Angelo, who was also a leading trainer in Venezuela. Jose D'Angelo says they make a great team.

“I learned everything from my father,” he said. “He was champion in Venezuela. He won lot of Grade 1's over there and was leading trainer there many times. I feel like the team that we have is strong team because he let me go out on my own with my horses. He stays here in Florida, so that I can go to Saratoga, to Keeneland. I know my horses back home in Florida are getting great care with him.”

As far as Guns Loaded goes, he didn't exactly beat a strong field in the Mucho Macho Man, but the colt is exceptionally well bred and should do better as the races get longer. How excited does he have D'Angelo?

“He is a special horse,” D'Angelo said. “When I decided which 2-year-olds to take to Saratoga I brought just him and one other horse.  So that tells you how different he was compared to my other 2-year-olds. When I worked him for the first time, I knew he had talent, but not the speed that he showed. So that's why I ran him at seven furlongs the first time out because he's by Gun Runner out of a Bernardini mare. So everything says that he should go long. When we worked him, he never showed this speed that he has. It turns out he's very fast.”

He continued: “So now talking about the Mucho Macho Man, I know the fractions were not fast and I know the horse won by only a neck, but after the race finished, [jockey] Luis [Saez] came to me and he said, 'Hey Jose, those other horses were never going to pass us. I had so much horses.'”

In our weekly breeding spotlight section the hosts looked at the WinStar stallion and Randy Moss favorite Two Phil's.

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 talked about the sizzling win by the Bob Baffert-trained Barnes (Into Mischief) in the GII San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita, as well as the impressive performance earlier on the same card by his stablemate Rodriguez (Authentic), who earned 'TDN Rising Star' badge. Also, the program covered the first 2025 edition of the TDN Derby Top 12, which is authored by T.D. Thornton.

Last but not least, the sad story was related of War Envoy (War Front), a winner at Royal Ascot, being in poor physical condition and having to be rescued by the authorities from a Franklin County, Kentucky farm led to the panelists imploring the industry for what seemed like the 500th time that it must do better by its horses.

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

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Jockey Terry “T.D.” Houghton on Wednesday was suspended 30 days by the stewards at Mahoning Valley Race Course for failing “to use his utmost exertion to obtain a winning performance by standing up and appear[ing] to have stopped riding before the wire.”

The alleged lapse of judgment occurred in the second race Jan. 6, when Houghton had cleared the field by 1 1/2 lengths inside the eighth pole aboard the 5-2 third choice, Grace in Excess (Connect), in a $5,000 NW2L claimer over 1 mile 70 yards.

The Equibase chart for the race stated that the 4-year-old filly “made the lead before six furlongs, dropped inside, shook clear under right-handed urging inside the furlong marker, [then] the rider appeared to [misjudge] the wire by a few strides and was nailed at the wire.”

Houghton's mount was nipped by Elko (City of Light), the 2-1 favorite.

The infraction was the second such a “failure to give best effort” penalty meted out by the Mahoning stewards to a jockey with more than three decades of riding experience within the last 11 days.

A Dec. 26 ride by 28-year veteran Luis Antonio Gonzalez resulted in a 15-day suspension after Gonzalez geared down the 7-5 favorite Rapida (Country House) in the final sixteenth despite the onrushing presence of the 2-1 second favorite Lo Bug (Mor Spirit), who bested Rapida at the wire by a head.

Houghton's penalty was double the one given to Gonzalez, but it carried the same stipulation that if the jockey does not appeal the suspension, it will be reduced by half the number of dates and will run from Jan. 16-30. It was not clear at deadline for this story if Houghton planned to appeal.

Houghton, who has been a licensed jockey since 1987 with 6,269 lifetime wins, was seventh in both earnings and victories at the recently concluded 2024 fall/winter meet at Mahoning.

The post Yet Another Veteran Mahoning Jock Suspended For Easing Up At Wire And Losing Win By A Head appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) raised over $230,000 during their month of December 2024 Holiday Giving Campaign, which directly supports thousands of horses cared for by 83 accredited organizations across North America, the nonprofit said in a release on Wednesday.

The drive highlighted a different match sponsor each day, offering single day sponsorships ranging from $500 to $15,000.

The list of 2024 match sponsors included: Mike Rogers, StarLadies Racing, Denali Stud, Donato Lanni, Madaket Stables, Frank & Dino's Restaurant, Simon Bray, Dr. Stuart Brown & Jen Roytz, Jack Damico, Donna Brothers, Black Dog Racing Stables, Jeffrey Bloom, Dr. Pug & Susie Hart, St. Elias Stables, Machmer Hall Farm, Three Diamonds Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, Dan & Denny Piazza, Dan & Shelly Sullivan, Matt & Amy Webber, Dr. Dionne Benson, David Anderson, Kurtis Coady & Megan Devine, Nikki Walker, Hronis Racing, Frank & Kim Taylor, Chad Brown, Ivona Janieszewski, Rick Schosberg, ThoroStride, and Jill & Bob Baffert.

“Each donation during our Holiday Giving Campaign represents a commitment to the well-being of off-the-track Thoroughbreds,” said Emily Dresen, TAA director of funding & events. “The outpouring of support was inspiring and we are deeply thankful to our donors for their generosity and for standing with us in our mission.”

Click here to see the completed advent calendar of match sponsors and the full list of contributors who elected to be recognized.

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When graded-stakes winner Pretty Birdie (Bird Song) went through the sales ring at Keeneland in November as part of the dispersal of the estate of the late John Hendrickson, she sold for $1.1 million to Stonestreet, but after the mare was observed cribbing at her new home, the sale was nullified and breeders will get a second chance to bid on the 5-year-old at next week's Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. Again consigned through Antony Beck's Gainesway, she will go through the ring as hip 453 during Monday's first session of the three-day auction.

“She was over at Stonestreet for about a week and I got a call from John Moynihan,” Gainesway's Brian Graves explained. “We had never seen her crib before. It's pretty minor, but it does exist. And so, dealing with an estate for the Whitneys and John Hendrickson, they couldn't really come to a resolution about how to fix it from a price perspective. I think the estate just felt more comfortable letting the natural market in January dictate the outcome.”

Pretty Birdie, who will sell without reserve, won the 2021 GIII Schuylerville Stakes and was second in the following year's GII Eight Belles Stakes. She is in foal to Candy Ride (Arg).

“I would think that every significant breeding operation in the U.S. will take a very serious look at Pretty Birdie,” Graves said. “And I would think that she would appeal to Japanese buyers. She is the full package. She was brilliantly fast at two when she won the prestigious Schuylerville. She has exceptional looks and balance to her. She is a the perfect prototype of a mare. She is drop-dead gorgeous.”

Pretty Birdie | Keeneland

Pretty Birdie's dam Bird Sense (Street Sense) is a half-sister to graded-placed Bird Maker (Empire Maker). Her fourth dam, Dear Birdie, produced champion and GI Kentucky Oaks winner Bird Town, as well as GI Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone.

“She represents four generations of Whitney blood, tracing back to Birdstone and Bird Town,” Graves said. “She is the crown jewel of the Whitney breeding program. And she is really a serious collector's item.”

Of the mare's cribbing, Graves said, “Horses in new settings, meeting new friends, can be a little anxious. Maybe she figured that out in that time period. When we turned her out with her buddies here, she went in the middle of the field and ate grass. But watching her very closely, if the pack goes up in the corner, she will chew on the fence a bit and every now and then, she will kind of crib on it a bit. It's nothing major, but for all the parties involved, this was the best resolution. The Whitneys are high-class people and at the end of the day, they just want the buyer to be 100% happy. There is no argument, this is the best resolution to a problem that popped up. We will announce her as a cribber.”

Gainesway will offer three horses on behalf of Hendrickson's estate at the January sale. In addition to Pretty Birdie, the consignment will also include a short yearling filly by Vekoma (hip 288), as well as Pow Wow Wow (Indian Charlie) (hip 1203). The 15-year-old mare was not bred last year, but her now 3-year-old Captain Cook (Practical Joke) was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following a 9 1/4-length maiden score at Aqueduct Dec. 28. He had sold for $410,000 the month before at the Keeneland Horses of Racing Age Sale.

“Captain Cook was impressive breaking his maiden last week,” Graves said. “That mare is now middle aged, but she has something serious on the horizon for herself.”

Captain Cook | Coglianese

Hendrickson died suddenly in August, five years after the passing of his wife, philanthropist and longtime breeder Marylou Whitney.

“John did an amazing job picking up where Marylou left off,” Graves said. “She was such a class person, very dear to the Becks. She introduced Antony to his wife. The Becks bought the farm from the Whitneys and we basically boarded and raised her horses from that day forward. And when she was gone, John did a lot of things in her honor to continue the things she started, with backstretch workers and hospitals for employees at the track there in Saratoga. It's just a big loss in general. And it's sad to see these horses go.”

The Keeneland January sale will be held next Monday through Wednesday, with sessions beginning each day at 10 a.m.

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Wildfires propelled by unusually strong Santa Ana winds swept across Los Angeles Tuesday and into the night, breaking out near several densely populated neighborhoods including Altadena, Pasadena and portions of the San Gabriel Mountains that serve as a backdrop to Santa Anita Park.

According to Cal Fire, that particular fire–coined the Eaton Fire–had spread to more than 2,200 acres by 7:20 a.m. PT on Wednesday.

Los Angeles woke Wednesday morning to apocalyptic images. Thousands have fled their homes. Large swaths have lost power. At least two people have reportedly died thus far. Winds that have gusted up to 100 mph continue to sweep across the region.

On Wednesday morning, the track itself was immediately unaffected by the fires. But severe smoke in the area meant that training was curtailed. The winds have also caused some damage to the backstretch property.

Santa Ana wind damage to barn area | Leonard Powell

Track management told the horsemen and women Wednesday that, if anyone chose to, it would pay for the cost of evacuating horses from the backstretch, and that it was offering food and beverages to those impacted in the racing community.

Santa Anita's backstretch community comprises many who live in or near the neighborhoods threatened by the fires, including those where mandatory evacuation notices have been issued.

“The air is extremely smokey and we've got ashes coming down,” said trainer Leonard Powell, from Santa Anita on Wednesday morning. “The wind has done some damage. It took the roof off my barn.”

Powell lives in Sierra Madre, one of the neighborhoods threatened by the fire and which underwent mandatory evacuations. Powell said that while his family evacuated, he stayed behind Tuesday night.

Trainer Jay Nehf was also evacuated from his home in Sierra Madre late Tuesday night.

“The horses are out of risk. There's no talk of evacuating them, but it's dramatic,” Nehf added. “We got [to the barn] last night about 11 p.m. last night. We're on the side of the mountain, so you really couldn't see anything but once we got down here, we looked back and it was like `wow.'”

“We're okay. We spent the night in a tack room and we have no news. Our house is right in the middle of where the fire was. As far as the track goes, the horses are safe. The winds have died way down right now, and there haven't been any gusts since 4-5 this morning, but it kind of feels like it might be picking up now,” said Nehf.

Trainer Bob Baffert lives in the fire impacted community of La Canada. In a text to the TDN Wednesday morning, Baffert wrote: “Track and horses fine. We evacuated from my house but hopefully winds don't change direction or else we are in trouble.”

John Sadler lives in the community of Monrovia in the foothills north of Santa Anita. “If I say I'm okay now, who knows in three or four hours what way the winds shift,” he said, highlighting the gusty winds that remained uncommonly strong Wednesday, creating nightmarish conditions for firefighters to try to contain the wildfires.

Sadler's 95-year-old stepmother was evacuated from her residential home in Northern Pasadena late Tuesday, he said, and was doing “okay.”

The potent Santa Ana winds have arrived at a particularly combustible nexus in Los Angeles, thanks to two prior years of unseasonally wet winters have created acres of dry fuels coupled with this winter's low humidity. As such, the speed with which the wildfires first erupted and then swept across huge portions of Los Angeles caught the region and emergency services on the back foot.

Some stretched-thin firefighting crews have reportedly struggled to find adequate water supplies, with hydrants in the coastal community of Pacific Palisades coming up dry. In that community alone, some 13,000 structures were reportedly at risk.

“I kind of went to bed last night like a horse trainer-the fire was at the Pacific Palisades side,” said Sadler, highlighting a community that proved ground zero for the wildfires Tuesday. “But in the middle of the night you woke up, you could smell the smoke.”

Monrovia-based veterinarian Ryan Carpenter said that he pre-empted a forced evacuation in his community.

“Family's out and they're safe, which is most important,” said Carpenter. “If the winds cooperate here in the next 24-hours, the firefighters can get a handle on it, we'll be okay. I'm just surprised at how quickly it moved east.”

The story will be updated…

Statement from Santa Anita pic.twitter.com/OvYutQmVR6

— Santa Anita Park (@santaanitapark) January 8, 2025

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The Thoroughbred Daily News's Publisher and CEO Sue Finley and Columnist Chris McGrath both won 2024 Eclipse Media Awards from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB), according to a release from the NTRA on Wednesday.

The 2024 Media Eclipse Award winners across six categories are as follows:

• Multimedia – Sue Finley, Thoroughbred Daily News, “After Saving Two Horses from a Kill Pen, Stewart Aims to do More to End Slaughter,” July 15, 2024.

Sue Finley produced a multimedia piece entitled “Saving Two Horses from a Kill Pen, Stewart Aims to do More to End Slaughter,” an interview combining video and text with quickly emerging owner/breeder John Stewart. The entry, posted last July, explored the issue of saving horses from kill pens and furthering industry efforts to prevent horse slaughter. The video portion of the piece was edited by Anthony and Alia LaRocca at BridleVision.

Last spring, Finley, Publisher and CEO of Thoroughbred Daily News, noticed a social media feed posted by Stewart about his purchase of racehorses My Lil' Dude (First Dude) and Drive For Fun (Distorted Humor) from a kill pen in Louisiana, and was going to bring them to Resolute Farm to live out their lives. Stewart believed that these horses could serve as a catalyst for the industry to start talking about the slaughter problem, including placing the main responsibility on the breeder and the original owner of the horse.

“This is an issue I have been passionate about for a long time,” said Finley, who served for 12 years on the board of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. “The slaughter issue is one that troubles me deeply. I thought this story could help the industry to have a much-needed conversation about slaughter.”

Sue Finley | TDN Photo

Finley reports that more than 20,000 American horses every year are still transported for slaughter, “an unknowable number of them Thoroughbred racehorses, who are slaughtered for human consumption in foreign countries.”

She called Stewart after seeing his post, and while the horses weren't at the farm yet, she was welcome to come out and interview him when they arrived. She interviewed Stewart during the Fasig-Tipton July sale, and while there they learned that he had not only saved these two, but that he had also rescued a Saddlebred and a mini who had also been saved from a kill pen. All the rescues were together in a beautiful barn with a staff dedicated to nursing them back to health. “It was very inspiring,” she added.

“I would like to thank our talented producers, Anthony and Alia LaRocca at BridleVision, for their beautiful work on this piece, and Katie Petrunyak, who served as a second camera on the story. But really, this award belongs to John Stewart for not only rescuing these two horses, but for provoking a conversation in the industry about the need to solve the very real problem that we have with slaughter.”

The winning entry can be accessed here.

Honorable mention in the Multimedia category went to Petrunyak, for “Jeramie Fennell Finds Redemption on Horseback,” which was published on October 18, 2024, in Thoroughbred Daily News.

• Writing–Feature/Commentary – Chris McGrath, Thoroughbred Daily News, “Lunching with Legends at Lil's,” Mar. 26, 2024.

Chris McGrath, from Oxford, England, has developed a great passion for American racing and for its remarkable personalities. Last year, he brought it home with “Lunching With Legends at Lil's,” a lunchtime gathering with venerable racing stalwarts Ercel Ellis Jr., Arthur Hancock III and veterinarian Dr. Robert Copelan. The article, which appeared last March in Thoroughbred Daily News, is the first Eclipse Award for McGrath.

Chris McGrath | Sue Finley

Having made several trips to the U.S. over the years, McGrath visited Hancock at Stone Farm, and got into a conversation about weekly luncheons at Lil's Coffee House in Paris, Kentucky with Ellis, a pioneering racing radio broadcaster and the renown Copelan, a leader and innovator in the veterinary community for more than 65 years. Hancock and McGrath came to the luncheon one afternoon. Total ages among the three racing men at the time of publication of the luncheon was 189, with Copelan the leader at 97.

While letting the trio at the table do the talking, McGrath pulls the reader into a solid gold history of racing tales going back more than 100 years, with the trio swapping stories on connections to Man o' War, Nasrullah, Citation, Forli (Arg), and Sunday Silence, to name a few racing icons. Among them was young Copelan telling the time one late afternoon at Darby Dan Farm when he rode a pony inside a paddock and spooked two yearlings to jump the fence, and the horses winding up in Big Darby Creek; and then having to fish them both out with the use of flashlights.

Or Ellis relaying a tale on Man o' War's early days when a clocker sought his groom one morning at Saratoga.
“What's the name of that big red colt?”
“Man o' War.”
“Who's he by?”
“By himself, mostly.”

Hancock and Copelan went back and forth on memorable moments and passionate outbursts about Arthur's father, Arthur “Bull” Hancock, Jr., the scion of Claiborne Farm.

The luncheon adjourned after about one hour of revelry.

“I'm enormously grateful to Sue Finley, Gary King and the rest of the guys at TDN for providing such a great platform to share these wonderful experiences,” said McGrath. “I have been on their team since 2018 and, while my desk remains closer to Newmarket, my heart has meanwhile been won by the horses of America and the people who raise and race them.”

Born in Cambridge, McGrath wrote for prominent English mainstream daily newspapers, including The Times, The Independent, Sporting Life, and the Racing Post. He is most proud of a social history of the Thoroughbred, Mr. Darley's Arabian, shortlisted for William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 2016.

The winning entry can be viewed here.

• Live Television Programming – NBC Sports, “The 150th Kentucky Derby,” Lindsay Schanzer, Senior Producer, May 4, 2024.

NBC Sports has won its fifth consecutive Live Racing Programming Eclipse Award for its coverage of the GI Kentucky Derby.

The broadcast was produced by Schanzer and Billy Matthews, and directed by Kaare Numme and Tim Nelson. Amy Zimmerman was senior associate producer, Jeff Burriesci was associate director, Jack Felling was coordinating feature producer, and Ron Vacarro, VP of Editorial. Sam Flood is Executive Producer and President, NBC Sports Production.

The commentators were:  Host Mike Tirico; analysts Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss; handicappers Eddie Olczyk and Matt Bernier; host/reporter Ahmed Fareed; reporters Britney Eurton, Donna Brothers, Kenny Rice, and Nick Luck; race caller Larry Collmus; features host Rebecca Lowe; insights analyst Steve Kornacki; fashion and lifestyle correspondents Dylan Dreyer and Zanna Roberts Rassi, and Tim Layden, who wrote and narrated an essay on his perspective of the 150th “Run for the Roses.”

• Feature Television Programming – NBC Sports, “The Impossible Dream” – Rachel Goodman, Producer, May 4, 2024.

NBC Sports has won the Television – Features category for “The Impossible Dream,” a profile on the improbable and courageous life of Larry Demeritte, trainer of West Saratoga (Exaggerator), who he saddled in the 2024 Kentucky Derby. The feature, which aired on NBC on May 4, 2024, was produced by Rachel Goodman.

In addition to Goodman, the Coordinating Producer of “The Impossible Dream” was Jack Felling; Editor, Kevin Carcich; Cinema Photographer, Taylor Morrison; and Field Producer, Max Rahamin. Sam Flood was Executive Producer and Lindsay Schanzer, Senior Producer.

The winning entry can be viewed here.

• Writing–News/Enterprise – Sean Clancy, The Saratoga Special, “Two for the Show,” Aug. 28, 2024.

Sean Clancy earned this third Eclipse Award, and his second consecutive honor, for writing with “Two for the Show” a stirring recap of the GI DraftKings Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course last August, punctuated by the dramatic finish of Fierceness (City of Light) holding off the fast-closing filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) at the wire.

The article appeared in The Saratoga Special, as did his 2023 News/Enterprise Eclipse award winner, “The Worst Test,” on the tragic accident of Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in the GI Test Stakes. Clancy won his first Eclipse Award in 2009 in News/Commentary writing in The BloodHorse for “Life's Work,” about his recollections of the late Hall of Fame Trainer Sidney Watters Jr.

The winning entry can be viewed here.

• Photography – Scott Serio, “Night Rider–Skippylongstocking wins the Charles Town Classic,” Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, Oct. 2024.

For Scott Serio, Founder and Chief Photographer of Eclipse Sportswire, winning his second Eclipse Award for Photography for “Night Rider–Skippylongstocking Wins The Charles Town Classic,” was as harrowing as it was rewarding.

While preparing to place his remote cameras on the inside rail near the finish line in the late afternoon for the Aug. 23 GII Charles Town Classic at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town, Serio bumped into the cushion on the rail and unleashed a swarm of bees, which stung him five times in the left arm.

“I'm on the ground in pain and the National Anthem starts, with two of my friends standing over me,” he said.

Rushed in an ambulance to a local hospital, Serio received an injection in his right arm. Undaunted, he felt well enough to take an Uber ride back to the track. With his left arm immobile, Serio operated his remote camera to capture Daniel Alonso's 5-year-old Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) just after crossing the wire to win the Charles Town Classic.

The winning photo can be viewed here.

Media Eclipse Award winners will be presented their trophies at the 54th Annual Eclipse Awards Ceremony and Dinner at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida on Thursday, Jan. 23.

The post 2024 Media Eclipse Award Winners Include TDN’s Sue Finley and Chris McGrath appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) is collaborating with 1/ST Racing to offer a set of “Golden Ticket” pathways between key races at Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and Ellerslie Racecourse in New Zealand, the Kiwi governing body said via a press release Wednesday.

The series will begin with 1/ST's Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25, then move to Auckland Thoroughbred Racing's Champions Day at Ellerslie Racecourse Mar. 8 and conclude with California Crown Day at Santa Anita Park Sept. 27.

The collaboration will offer the winning horses direct entry into marquee races including:

From the Pegasus World Cup (Jan. 25) to Champions Day (Mar. 8):

• GII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner gains entry to the NZ$600,000 G1 World Pool New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m).
• GI Pegasus World Cup Turf winner earns entry to the NZ$1,000,000 G1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m).

From Champions Day (Mar. 8) to California Crown (Sept. 27):

• NZ$500,000 Rich Hill Stud Champion Middle Distance Series winner gains entry into the GI California Crown John Henry Turf Championship Stakes.
• NZ$500,000 Sport Nation Champion Sprint Series winner earns entry to the GII California Crown Eddie D Turf Sprint Stakes.

The NZTR and 1/ST will cover travel and freight costs for Golden Ticket-winning horses traveling internationally to compete in the respective countries.

“This partnership marks an exciting milestone in showcasing New Zealand racing on the world stage,” said Chief Operating Officer of NZTR, Darin Balcombe. “The Golden Ticket concept creates a unique pathway for international competition, enriching the experience for racing participants and fans alike.”

“This partnership with NZTR exemplifies our commitment to elevating Thoroughbred racing globally,” said Aidan Butler, president of 1/ST. “By linking these iconic racedays and supporting international competition, we're looking to drive innovation, collaboration and global excitement in the sport.”

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Amplify Horse Racing, which promotes education and career opportunities in the Thoroughbred industry for youth and young adults, is accepting applications for the spring 2025 intake of its mentorship program through Tuesday, Jan. 28, the nonprofit said in a release early Wednesday morning.

The program offers an introductory step for young people interested in learning more about the Thoroughbred industry by pairing them with experienced professionals who provide valuable career guidance. The spring session will run from Mar. 1 through May 31.

The suggested age range for mentee candidates is 15-25, with no restrictions based on academic achievement. The program is also accepting potential mentors who can demonstrate substantial and relevant experience in the Thoroughbred horse industry or an applied field, and can meet the program's minimum training requirements, background check and time commitment. All applicants must be residents of the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada.

Mentees accepted into the program will also be eligible for travel grants through Amplify, enabling them to attend industry educational opportunities. These include a weekend of behind-the-scenes tours in Kentucky hosted by Amplify in November and the organization's annual end-of-year student networking event.

“As a former mentee, I cannot overstate the profound impact Amplify has had on my journey,” said mentorship program graduate Eric Resendiz. “For newcomers, the Thoroughbred industry can sometimes feel intimidating, but through Amplify's mentorship program, I was able to establish a sense of familiarity with the industry thanks to my mentor. Completing the program gave me the confidence to navigate and network within the Thoroughbred industry, which has led to much of my success. Amplify's emphasis on engaging a younger demographic is exactly what the Thoroughbred industry needs to continue evolving as both an industry and a sport. Personally, I am very excited to take the next step in my career by traveling to Ireland this month to attend the Irish National Stud Breeding Course.”

Click here to learn more.

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Through an international exchange program, Cody Watkins, a steward of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), will serve as The Jockey Club-appointed steward at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) racetracks beginning in early January 2025, according to a Wednesday press release from The Jockey Club of America.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. and abroad,” said Stuart S. Janney III, chairman of The Jockey Club. “Racing is an international sport, and sharing ideas and information through programs such as this can only make the sport better. Cody was chosen from a deep pool of international and domestic candidates, and we couldn't be more pleased to have him join us here in the United States of America.”

Watkins has been a steward in Britain for five years, including at some of its most prestigious race meets.

“NYRA is a great opportunity for me as I am experienced in stewarding high-pressured and fast-paced racing, such as the Epsom Oaks, the Epsom Derby, and Glorious Goodwood, among other big race meetings we stage here in the United Kingdom,” Watkins said. “I also follow racing in America closely, and it will be an honor to expand my skillset and bring my experience to the U.S. as The Jockey Club's appointee among helping to officiate some of America's finest races.”

Before working for the BHA, Watkins obtained a Level 1 from the British Racing School in Work Based Racehorse Care and Riding and in Introduction to the Horseracing Industry.

The post Exchange Brings BHA’s Watkins To NYRA As Jockey Club Steward appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A son of multiple leading sire Gun Runner and the G1 Golden Slipper heroine Estijaab (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) consigned by Emirates Park went for AU$500,000 (US$310,135) as Lot 369 to PR Thoroughbreds on the second day of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in Australia.

“He has a great walk, a great attitude, and has that rich chestnut color,” Mark Player told The Thoroughbred Report AusNZ. Player represented PR Thoroughbreds alongside Rob Roulston. “We saw him several times and he just did everything beautifully and kept on improving. We just thought wouldn't it be lovely if we could afford a Gun Runner colt and we are very happy to now have one.”

“At an auction we are always looking for good value, we all know how Snitzel works with fast mares and we thought that a fast American sire over a Slipper-winning Snitzel mare should have a very good chance of having success,” Player said.

Gun Runner, who calls Three Chimneys home, has covered a selection of mares on Southern Hemisphere time in recent years.

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A colt born at Ramiro Salazar's Phoenix Farm and Racing near Georgetown, Kentucky is the first reported foal for Horse of the Year and Darley stallion Cody's Wish (Curlin–Dance Card, by Tapit). Bred by Frederick & May Construction, the colt made his way into the world Monday, Jan. 6. He is out of three-time graded winner Hotshot Anna (Trappe Shot), a seven-time black-type winner who earned just over $975,000. Frederick & May Construction purchased the mare for $400,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November sale.

Cody's Wish, winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in both 2022 and 2023, also captured the GI Met Mile, GI Forego Stakes, and GI Churchill Downs Stakes among his 11 career victories. He was named both Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male in 2023. Cody's Wish is slated to stand the 2025 season for $65,000 at Darley near Lexington.

The post First Foal for Cody’s Wish is a Colt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

In support of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, the Continuing Stallion Auction kicks off Friday, Jan. 10 before concluding Jan. 15.

The online auction offers seasons to 30 Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses, all CHRHF inductees or have Hall of Fame horses in their pedigrees. Among the stallions represented, Ami's Flatter, Bond Street, Connect, Medallist, Mystic Guide, Reload, Shirl's Speight and Tapiture.

For the complete roster of stallions, click here.

The post Connect, Mystic Guide Among Sires Represented in CHRHF Stallion Auction appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.