Thoroughbred Daily News

The Jockey Club of Canada plans to offer a new Outstanding Western Canadian Backstretch Worker Award which will be presented for the first time at the upcoming 51st annual Sovereign Awards ceremony, the organization said in a release on Friday.

The new award will go along with the Outstanding Groom Award, which has been given in the past to a stablehand working in Ontario. The Backstretch Worker Award is open to those who hold a valid Thoroughbred license in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and/or Manitoba.

Click here to submit nominations for all awards.

The post Backstretch Worker Commendation Added To Canadian Sovereign Awards appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Ain't she a beaut, Clark?

A fantastic field of nine, led by 3-1 morning-line favorite and G1 Dubai World Cup hero Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), will line up for the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs on Black Friday.

The Wathnan Racing colorbearer defeated last year's re-opposing Clark winner Rattle N Roll (Connect) by a length in the GIII Hagyard Fayette S. at Keeneland last out Oct. 25.

“We were really proud of Hit Show's effort in the Fayette,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He hasn't missed a beat since winning the Dubai World Cup. We're looking forward to another top effort in the Clark.”

Cox will also saddle 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' and Godolphin homebred First Mission (Street Sense), who fell just a nose short in the 2023 Clark. The MGSW was a disappointing fourth in the GI Goodwood S. at Santa Anita last time Sept. 27.

“The Clark is First Mission's final start before he retires to stud duty,” Cox said. “We expect him to bounce back on Friday.”

The field for the Clark also includes talented sophomores: GI Preakness S. runner-up and last-out Fayette third Gosger (Nyquist); runaway GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star S. winner and GI Pennsylvania Derby runner-up Magnitude (Not This Time); and GIII West Virginia Derby winner Chunk of Gold (Preservationist).

After bringing $3.7 million from Dixiana Farm at Keeneland November, GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. heroine Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) is the horse to beat in the GII Mrs. Revere S. on the undercard. Friday's graded stakes action also includes the GII Hollywood Turf Cup S. at Del Mar.

The GIII Falls City S., featuring GI Breeders' Cup Distaff third-place finisher Regaled (Mohaymen), anchors the 12-race Thanksgiving Day program at Churchill Downs.

The post Field of Nine Ready to Put on a ‘Show’ in Loaded Clark appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Kentucky's Turfway Park will honor legendary jockey Perry Ouzts Saturday, Dec. 6, with a dedication ceremony officially renaming the facility's jockey quarters the Perry Wayne Ouzts Jockeys' Quarters.

Ouzts, 71, has won 7,531 races in his career, ranking fifth all-time among North American jockeys behind Russell Baze (12,842), Laffit Pincay Jr. (9,530), Bill Shoemaker (8,833) and Pat Day (8,803). He also ranks seventh in the world in career victories and has ridden in a record 53,689 races. Ouzts is the all-time leading rider at Turfway Park and has won thousands of races in the Northern Kentucky/Ohio region.

All racing fans are welcome to attend the dedication, which will take place in the paddock prior to the first race that evening with members of the Ouzts family, fellow jockeys and representatives from Turfway Park in attendance.

The post Turfway Park To Honor All-Time Leading Rider Perry Ouzts 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.

Among this week's rulings, trainer Angel Sanchez-Pinero has been handed a two-year suspension and $10,000 fine after his trainee Gone Boy tested positive for the bronchodilator Albuterol (Salbutamol) after winning at Aqueduct on April 19. Albuterol is a banned substance.

The ruling came from an arbitrator on the case. Sanchez-Pinero's suspension began November 25. There's currently no detailed written description of the ruling available on HIWU's website.

This is the fourth ruling handed to Sanchez-Pinero since the launch of HISA's anti-doping and medication control program.

In January of last year, he was issued a $500 fine for a glycopyrrolate positive (which is a class C controlled substance). In August of last year, he was handed another $500 fine for putting Vick's VapoRub (which contains camphor, a class C controlled substance) in a horse's nostrils prior to a race.

In July of this year, Sanchez-Pinero was issued a 30-day suspension for a post-race phenylbutazone positive. The trainer has a further eight separate medication violation cases pending.

According to Equibase, Sanchez-Pinero has been training on and off since 2003. He has 37 wins to his name and over $1.1 million in earnings.

Resolved ADMC Violations

Dates: 11/25/2025
Licensee: Keri Brion, trainer
Penalty: A written Reprimand (per 9/26/23 HISA Guidance). Admission.
Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Omeprazole (Gastrogard)-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Like a Dream on 10/25/25.

Dates: 11/25/2025
Licensee: Jose R. Gonzalez Jr., trainer
Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 26, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Final decision of internal adjudication panel.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Cannabidiol (CBD)-a class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Charlee Mae, who won at Prairie Meadows on 7/26/25.

Dates: 11/25/2025
Licensee: Angel Sanchez-Pinero, trainer
Penalty: 2-year period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 25, 2025; 60-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Horse, beginning on April 19, 2025; 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 $10,000. Final decision of arbitral body.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of bronchodilator Albuterol (Salbutamol)-a banned substance-in a sample taken from Gone Boy, who won at Aqueduct on 4/19/25.

Dates: 11/24/2025
Licensee: Fenneka Tracey Bentley, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 25, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Tiger Paw, who finished seventh at Laurel Park on 10/12/25.

Dates: 11/20/2025
Licensee: Robert Cline, 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 class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Pittsburgh, who won at Thistledown on 10/8/25.

Pending ADMC Violations
11/24/2025, Anthony Margotta, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine-a class B controlled substance-in a sample taken from Stop Being Greedy on 10/24/25.

11/20/2025, Michael Catalano, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-a class C controlled substance-in a sample taken from Mr Sandman on 10/24/25.

The post National Rulings: Nov. 20-26; Trainer Sanchez-Pinero Banned Two Years appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Citing a series of alleged rule violations related to “cruelty, mistreatment, neglect or abuse” of Thoroughbreds, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has served Rudy Rodriguez with a “notice of violation and show cause” that could result in a potential provisional suspension and perhaps more serious penalties for the 53-year-old former jockey who has consistently ranked near the top of the New York trainer standings for the past 15 years.

The HISA notice, which was served upon Rodriguez Nov. 21, 2025, and made public on Nov. 26, stated that “since Nov. 22, 2024, you have been the Responsible Person for at least 15 Covered Horses that have been placed on the Veterinarians' List. Based on entries to the HISA Portal, none of these horses have had a lameness evaluation or diagnostic work performed since being placed on the Veterinarians' List.

“Moreover, you have been the Responsible Person of at least four Covered Horses that have suffered catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries since Dec. 13, 2024,” the notice stated in a footnote.

“Taken together, the Authority has reasonable grounds to believe that your actions or inactions present an imminent danger to the health, safety, or welfare of Covered Horses and Riders arising from specific violations of the Authority's Racetrack safety or accreditation rules,” the notice stated.

The HISA charges represent only one side of this story. Phone and text messages left for Rodriguez on Wednesday seeking comment did not yield a reply from the trainer prior to publication of this article.

“So they've listed 16 horses, and only one of which he has, I mean, they were claimed away or they're on the training farm, retired,” said Clark Brewster, Rodriguez's attorney. “They were claimed, and many have started multiple times since then. But with other trainers. If you're not the attending vet on a horse because it was claimed by somebody else, you don't have access to the portal. So they want portal information, but we don't have access to it because the horses were claimed away.”

Rodriguez, according to the notice, had three business days after being charged by HISA to respond in writing to the allegations, including “the presentation of mitigating or opposing facts and evidence” and to request a provisional hearing. It was not known at the deadline for this story if Rodriguez had submitted that documentation.

The Authority also wanted Rodriguez to “establish that the Covered Horses identified in the statement of factual basis have received, or are receiving, the necessary veterinary care.” (The names and last known conditions of those horses are published below).

“I think the consensus on the backside, he's an excellent caregiver and they're raising questions about if a horse was on the vet's list, well, that's controlled by the regulatory vet,” Brewster said. “The regulatory vet makes that decision and the horse is not entitled to run back until the regulatory vet approves him to run back.”

Rodriguez is alleged to have violated HISA Rule 2215(a), which states:

“No Covered Person acting alone or in concert with another person shall compromise the welfare of a Covered Horse for competitive or commercial reasons or subject or permit any Covered Horse under their control, custody or supervision to be subjected to or incur the following: (1) any form of cruelty, mistreatment, neglect, or abuse; (2) abandonment, injury, maiming, or killing (except for euthanasia for humane reasons and in a manner consistent with the current version of the American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals); (3) administration of any noxious substance; or (4) deprivation of necessary care, sustenance, shelter, or veterinary care.”

“You can look at Rudy's care and his work ethic and his love of horses and his diligence and caring for them and his interface with not only the regulatory vets, but the attending vets,” Brewster said. “And they're not going to permeate a single issue. I mean, he's top notch, and we all know trainers that are like that, and he's one of them.”

The notice of violation explained that, “One of the reasons behind HISA's Veterinarians' List rules is to provide a safety net for horses flagged by regulatory veterinarians in the course of their duties who require further veterinary evaluation. Such evaluation is meant to be provided by the trainer's attending veterinarian as outlined in [rules] 2242(b) and (d). As demonstrated [in the notice of violation], such evaluations were not always performed.”

Rodriguez could be facing additional penalization as his case plays out.

Beyond the potential provisional suspension, the Nov. 21 notice of violation stated that, “If it is agreed or determined that one or more Rule 2215(a) violations have occurred, HISA may, in addition to the provisional suspension, seek to impose one or more of the sanctions outlined in Rule 8200 as deemed appropriate by HISA in keeping with the seriousness of the violation and the facts of the case, and that is consistent with the safety, welfare, and integrity of Covered Horses, Covered Persons, and Covered Horseraces.”

The notice of violation listed 16 specific horses trained by Rodriguez that were part of the alleged pattern of rule violations. They are:

1) Judge Rules: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound from Nov. 22, 2024, through Dec. 30, 2024, and again from Jan. 17, 2025, through Mar. 17, 2025. There were no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Judge Rules during the periods of time the horse was on the Veterinarians' List. As of the date of this Notice, Judge Rules has not competed in a race since Apr. 27, 2025.”

2) Jemography: “Was the subject of a void claim on Mar. 24, 2024, and, as a result, was placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound. Jemography failed a Veterinarians' List workout for unsoundness on Apr. 29, 2024, and again on Aug. 2, 2024. On Dec. 13, 2024, roughly four months after the last failed workout, Jemography died during or following the eighth race at Aqueduct. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Jemography for 2024.”

3) Secret Rules: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound on Dec. 14, 2024. Secret Rules failed a Veterinarians' List workout for unsoundness on Jan. 11, 2025. The Regulatory Veterinarian required diagnostic imaging following the failed workout. Eight days after failing the workout, Secret Rules died during or following a workout at Belmont Racetrack. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Secret Rules since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Dec. 14, 2024.”

4) Mama's Dream: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as injured on Dec. 27, 2024. Mama's Dream has not competed in a race since May 27, 2024. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Mama's Dream since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Dec. 27, 2024.”

5) Jerry's Out: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound on Jan. 17, 2025. On July 12, 2025, Jerry's House was the subject of a void claim and, as a result, was placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound. Jerry's House failed a Veterinarians' List workout (unsound) on Sept. 4, 2025, and last raced on July 12, 2025. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Jerry's Out since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Jan. 17, 2025, until the horse was transferred out of the care of Mr. Rodriguez on or about July 12, 2025.”

6) King Freud: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound on Feb. 22, 2025. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for King Freud from the time the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Feb. 22, 2025 until at least the time the horse was transferred to another trainer's care on July 26, 2025.”

7) Letter Perfect: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on Feb. 8, 2025, with a requirement for a neurological examination. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Letter Perfect since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Feb. 8, 2025. Additionally, the neurological examination requirement remains unmet.”

8) Frankie Hiccups: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound following the ninth race at Aqueduct on Feb. 28, 2025, where Frankie Hiccups has remained since that time. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Frankie Hiccups since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Feb. 28, 2025.”

9) McDiesel: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound on May 25, 2025, where McDiesel remained until Oct. 27, 2025. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for McDiesel since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on May 25, 2025.”

10) Spooky Lady: “Suffered an injury during a workout on June 1, 2025, and was subsequently placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound. Six days later, Spooky Lady was found dead in her stall.”

11) Shesalittle Edgy: “Was the subject of a void claim on June 27, 2025, and, as a result, was placed on the Veterinarians' List as unsound (second time in a year). On Aug. 20, 2025, Shesalittle Edgy failed a Veterinarians' List workout as unsound and the Regulatory Veterinarian required radiograph diagnostics as a condition of Shesalittle Edgy being removed from the Veterinarians' List. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Shesalittle Edgy since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on June 27, 2025.”

12) Rudy Up: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on June 29, 2025, as unsound. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Rudy Up since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on June 29, 2025.”

13) Political Spin: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on July 16, 2025, as physically distressed. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Political Spin since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on July 16, 2025.”

14) Mr. Mendelssohn: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on July 24, 2025, as unsound. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Mr. Mendelssohn since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on July 24, 2025.”

15) Funny Joke: “Placed on the Veterinarians' List on Aug. 3, 2025, as unsound. There are no diagnostic or lameness evaluations recorded in the HISA Portal for Funny Joke since the horse was placed on the Veterinarians' List on Aug. 3, 2025.”

16) Heavyweight Champs: “Died during or immediately following the seventh race at Aqueduct on Nov. 14, 2025. Heavyweight Champs suffered a catastrophic injury during the running of the race and in his fall brought down the #3 horse, Tarpaulin, seriously injuring Tarpaulin's jockey, Dylan Davis.”

As it related to Heavyweight Champs specifically, Brewster added, “At Belmont particularly, they [have] a team that watches the horses very specifically warm up, and there [were] no issues at all with the horse. It was something that happened and Ricardo said, one minute I'm sailing to victory. And the next minute he stumbled and went down. I [don't know] if it was the track or whether it was, maybe something happened [with] the loose shoe, he grabbed himself. We don't know. But there's nothing about the care treatment, vet attendance, diligence.”

When reached, HISA offered no comment as the case is a pending matter.

The post HISA Seeks to Suspend Top New York Trainer Rodriguez Related to Alleged Violations of ‘Cruelty’ Rule appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Woodbine Cares Horsepower Fund, a new grant program designed to support charities and not-for-profit organizations that champion horse welfare and strengthen the bond between horses and people, has been launched by Woodbine Entertainment.

Through the Horsepower Fund, local registered charities and not-for-profits across Ontario can apply for micro-grants of up to $5,000. These grants are intended to fuel initiatives that help people connect with horses through education, hands-on care, or innovative programs that highlight the role horses play in the racing community.

Applicants to the Horsepower Fund must be: a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or a registered not-for-profit; be located within the local communities surrounding Woodbine Racetrack or Woodbine Mohawk Park; demonstrate a clear focus on equine welfare; provide evidence of strong fiscal management and governance practices; and have submitted final reports from previous years if a prior recipient.

Eligible charities can apply online here: https://form.jotform.com/251273988732266.

The post Woodbine Launches Horsepower Fund to Support Horse Welfare, Community Programs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Spendthrift Farms' Further Ado (Gun Runner), who will make his next start in Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs, ran sensationally in his last start, winning a Keeneland maiden by 20 lengths, earning a 98 Beyer figure. The Beyer number is tied for the second fastest race by a 2-year-old in 2025 and earned the colt 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' status.

But he's also somewhat of a mystery. Why did he run so poorly in his first two races and can he once again turn in a sizzling effort in what will be his stakes debut? The Kentucky Jockey Club should provide a lot of answers.

“We liked him a good bit, especially first time out,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I thought he was a horse that could win first time based on how he trained at Keeneland, Churchill and even Saratoga leading up to that debut. He's always been a really good training horse.  We did lose a little bit of confidence along the way when we didn't get the performances we were expecting in the first two runs.”

Further Ado debuted July 26 at Saratoga and finished fifth in a six-furlong maiden. He returned Aug. 30 at Saratoga in a seven-furlong maiden and ran a distant third.

The most obvious difference between his first and second races and his third was the distance. Cox stretched him out to a 1 1/16 miles and got one of the best performances by any 2-year-old this year.

“I think he just didn't handle the distance in those first two starts,” Cox said. “Getting him out around two turns seemed to make the difference. We liked him a good bit in all three starts. He was able to put it all together going long that day at Keeneland. No, I never thought he'd win by 20 lengths. Watching the race that day at Keeneland, I thought, 'Wow he's really moving well and they were going quick enough up front.' It didn't seem like anyone was closing in on him going into the far turn. It looked like he had the horse in front of him measured and he just kept extending the margin. It was a very impressive win, to say the least.”

Still, Cox knows that Saturday's stakes will be a challenge. As usual, the Kentucky Jockey Club has attracted some talented juveniles.

“He will need to step up and improve,” he said. “As long as he can get away well, get into the race and get into his rhythm, I think he will run well. He's been training at Churchill ever since that win at Keeneland and he trained this morning [on Nov. 23] and it was very impressive. Breaking well, getting involved early and getting into that rhythm are the things he'll need to do to be successful Saturday.”

Should Further Ado win the Kentucky Jockey Club, he will no doubt be considered, at the very least, a Top 10 prospect for next year's GI Kentucky Derby. Cox said he will wait until after Saturday before starting to put together a schedule for him for his 3-year-old campaign. Further Ado will winter at Payson Park in Florida, but that doesn't mean he will be taking the Gulfstream route to the Derby. Spendthrift will be in Florida with the horse now considered the Derby favorite, Ted Noffey (Into Mischief). Cox is rather sure that Spendthrift will want to keep the two apart, which means Further Ado might do his racing in the preps at Fair Grounds.

“The Florida preps will at least be on our list, but you have to remember that they'll have another very nice colt down there in Ted Noffey,” Cox said. “That's going to play a role in what we do, and it should. We'll see how we do on Saturday and then start thinking more about our plans.”

The main competition may come from the Saffie Joseph-trained Dr. Kapur (McKinzie), who will be stretching out after an impressive win in a seven-furlong maiden at Keeneland. Bob Baffert will be represented by the $1.15-million Keeneland September purchase Cherokee Nation (Not This Time), who is still a maiden. Steve Asmussen, who has won this race three times, will send out GIII Iroquois S. winner Spice Runner (Gun Runner).

Saturday's card at Churchill will also feature the GII Golden Rod S. for 2-year-old fillies. The heavy favorite will be Baffert's Explora (Blame), who is coming off a second-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Cox will try to post the upset with Rags to Riches S. winner Life of Joy (Gun Runner).

“We really like her,” Cox said. “She broke her maiden in Indiana and it was a really big step up going from that race to the stakes at Churchill. That race [the Rags to Riches] came up with somewhat of a short field and she got a really good trip. There are a few more fillies in this race and it's a deeper group . She has to step up again. She's another one that had a really good breeze this morning [Nov. 24] over this track. She is training well and is training forward since that last run. We've seen positive things from her since that last run.”

The post Further Ado is Good, But How Good? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

5. PUBLISHER, CD-2nd, 11/20, 6 1/2f (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-84 (2nd)
(c, 3, American Pharoah–Indian Pride, by Proud Citizen)
O-Gus King and the Estate of Brereton Jones. B-Brereton Jones (Ky). T-Steve Asmussen. J-Irad Ortiz Jr.
This spring he was perhaps America's best-known maiden, finishing second in the GI Arkansas Derby to earn a spot in the GI Kentucky Derby starting gate. Nearly seven months later, he's still a maiden. Last week he was an odds-on runner-up in his return to maiden company, and now has been second, third or fourth in eight of his 11 starts–four of them in stakes races.

4. CLAIRITA, CD-8th, 11/21, 1 1/16m (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-85
(f, 3, Gun Runner–Here Music, by Dehere)
O-Rigney Racing. B-Lee and Cheryl Mauberret (Ky). T-Phil Bauer. J-Gabriel Saez.
A decent enough third in her debut on dirt, she was entered for the turf–but perhaps Mother Nature did her a favor. On a very sloppy track she clearly handled well, she was head-and-head with two rivals at the 1/4 pole before splashing her final quarter in :24.65 and opening up by 12 lengths at the wire.

3. CRISIS MANAGER, CD-2nd, 11/20, 6 1/2f (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-88
(g, 3, Liam's Map–Wilburnmoney, by Wilburn)
O-Highlander Training Center. B-The Elkstone Group (Md). T-Tom Amoss. J-Jose Ortiz.
Highlander Training Center northeast of Dallas is known for its prowess in preparing young horses for others, but also has won 22 races in its own colors this year. Highlander owner Larry Hirsch signed the $190k yearling ticket for this 3-year-old, who has improved since his return from a seven-month break and took these wire-to-wire in the mud.

2. THOUGHT CONTROL, GP-6th, 11/21, 5 1/2f
Beyer Speed Figure-91
(c, 3, Gun Runner–In It for the Gold, by Speightstown)
O-e5 Racing Thoroughbreds. B-Fifth Avenue Bloodstock (Ky). T-Saffie Joseph Jr. J-Micah Husbands.
Coming off the bench, both Thought Control and runner-up Viking Sun showed substantial–and improbable–improvement over their debuts. And they didn't look that visually impressive over Gulfstream's Tapeta. But the clock told a different tale: the 1:03.51 final time was nearly a full second faster than a 5 1/2-furlong race also on Tapeta a half-hour earlier for older fillies and mares who consistently run Beyers in the mid-70s.

1. MAXIMUM BOURBON, CD-7th, 11/23, 6f (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-94
(g, 3, Maximum Security–Unbridled Reward, by Warrior's Reward)
O-Bourbon Lane Stable and Seidman Stables. B-Nicholas Lotz and Mr. and Mrs. Troy Reed (Ky). T-Brendan Walsh. J-Tyler Gaffalione.
The 3-year-old finally made an appearance in late November after 18 published breezes, and made it count with a front-running 7 1/2-length romp. The $90k yearling buy earned $37,868 from the purse and was claimed for $50k, so while the original partnership didn't recoup its investment, at least it got a thrill. You can look for him at Fair Grounds; Joe Sharp trains him now.

The post Five Fastest Maidens, Presented by Taylor Made: Nov. 17-23 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

GISW and nationally ranked fourth-crop sire Collected (City Zip) will highlight Rancho San Miguel's 2025 Open House & Stallion Show to be held Saturday, December 6. The free event will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with all regional Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers and enthusiasts invited to attend.

Collected recently arrived at the San Luis Obispo County farm from Airdrie Stud in Kentucky, which is partnering with Rancho San Miguel and prominent California breeder/owner Marsha Naify to stand the 12-year-old son of City Zip for a $7,500 fee in 2026.

From his first four crops to race, the 2017 GI Pacific Classic Stakes winner has sired 20 stakes winners, including seven graded stakes winners, with cumulative progeny earnings of more than $18 million. He enters the California stallion ranks with 2025 progeny earnings of $6.4 million to date.

Also making his Rancho San Miguel debut is GISW and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Eight Rings (Empire Maker), whose first foals will be 2-year-olds in 2026.

Promising young stallions Bolden, Brickyard Ride and The Street Fighter and veteran sires Cyclotron, Editorial, Mo Forza, Niagara Falls, Northern Causeway, Sir Prancealot (Ire) and Uptown Rythem also will be paraded.

Participants will be treated to a catered lunch, as well as opportunities for giveaways, door prizes and stallion season raffles. The farm also will offer several horses of mixed age for inspection and sale, including broodmares, weanlings and yearlings.

“This year, we are especially proud and excited to open our doors to members of the California breeding and racing community,” said Rancho San Miguel owner Tom Clark. “We plan on having some old-fashioned holiday fun while showcasing our diverse group of stallions and sharing our enthusiasm for the future of our state's industry at this crucial point in time.”

Reservations for the event are being accepted at (805) 467-3847 and teri.ransanmig@gmail.com.

The post Collected Highlights Upcoming Rancho San Miguel Open House And Stallion Show appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

News last week about the loss of this year's GIII Bob Hope Stakes after receiving just three entrants–all from the Bob Baffert stable–wasn't exactly a shock. But is it a canary in the coal mine concerning the health of California's horse inventory?

Not on its own. It is, however, one among a flock of important indicators.

Growing attention has been spent on the implications from the consolidation of top bloodstock between fewer and fewer stables, with many observing how a greater distribution of horses among more stables would help the trainers, the sport's ledgers, and in many ways the horses themselves.

Expanding upon this idea, economists would agree how one major indicator of a healthy racing marketplace is a good cross-section of trainers–spanning the large, medium and small barns–all thriving in a way that makes the entire product competitive and appealing to the bettor.

As we approach the last month of 2025, enough time has passed since the closure of Pleasanton this March–and with it a racing circuit in the North of the state–to gauge the health of a key section of California's racing product, which is those trainers from the North. How important are they to California?

“A horse in the North, and horsemen in the North, [are] as valuable as any horse or horseman in the South, regardless of the price tag,” said president of The Stronach Group's 1/ST business, Aidan Butler, at a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) meeting a year ago, arguing how a system that didn't involve direct competition would be in the best long-term interests of the state's racing.

Using a California Thoroughbred Trainers' (CTT) evaluation of the fate of these former Northern-based stables since the closure of Pleasanton, as well as earnings and starts statistics available on Equibase, however, three main trends materialize indicating these stables have really struggled to find their footing under this system.

A significant number of barns have currently left the state (12 in total). Another notable number of trainers have called it quits altogether (22).

For the barns that have maintained a footprint in the state, the overall impression has been one of shrinkage–an average 50% decline in both earnings and starts, with only a few weeks left in the year to make up the deficit.

Concurrently, this one-time infusion of horses south has proven a plus for the bottom half of the state. Last month, there were 269 more horses in SoCal than the corresponding month last year. Field sizes have understandably ticked up, including at the current Del Mar meet. But it's the state's SoCal barns which appear to have primarily benefited from this consolidation.

Racing at Del Mar | Horsephotos

The TDN asked California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT) to analyze the impact of the new California single circuit on trainers who were formerly based in Northern California.

According to the CTT's analysis, there were 61 Northern California horsemen and women who were stabled at Pleasanton at some point during their final meet up until the facility closed to stabling in March. Of these:

• 13 trainers immediately retired or disbanded their stable entirely.
• Of the 27 trainers who relocated their entire string to Southern California, nearly all of them downsized. Four of these trainers subsequently closed down.
• During Emerald Downs' 2025 meet, three trainers split their stables between Santa Anita and the Washington track (and some of these horses returned to Southern California when the meet ended in September).
• 17 former NorCal trainers sent their entire string to Emerald Downs. When that meet ended, 11 of these 17 trainers moved their horses to Turf Paradise, while one trainer took their string to San Luis Rey in California. Five of these 17 trainers subsequently disbanded their strings entirely.
• There was one trainer who initially left 10 horses at Santa Anita and sent 40 horses to Texas. In June, however, that trainer took the 10 Santa Anita horses to Lone Star Park.

When asked about the short and long-term implications from these numbers, CTT executive director Alan Balch said it is “especially difficult” to forecast the future.

Santa Anita recently announced increased purses in selected categories to $70,000 for MSW and 1X Allowance for the upcoming Classic Meet, 50% of which are for Cal-breds. The Cal-bred maiden bonus will be increased from $10,000 to $12,500.

“Santa Anita has just announced purse increases, which is positive. On the other hand, purses remain much higher elsewhere,” said Balch. “Perhaps the biggest and most critical unknown is this coming year's California population of two-year-olds, given the declining national foal crop, and particularly California's.”

Aidan Molinaro is the son of former Northern California-based trainer Kent Molinaro. He wore several hats at last year's Golden State Racing meet at Pleasanton, including paddock host, handicapper and marketing officer.

This past summer, Molinaro worked on the Wyoming racing circuit as a clocker and morning-line maker. He has a Master's degree in communications from St. Mary's College of California.

Given his long roots in the north of the state, Molinaro was curious how the loss of a Northern racing circuit had impacted those horsemen and women he had grown up around.

Using statistics available on Equibase, Molinaro sat down and compared the fates of 41 trainers based at Pleasanton last winter.

Using earnings and starts data for these 41 stables, Molinaro found what he describes as a landscape of “massive earning declines, premature retirement, stable closures, and a restructuring of nearly every Northern California operation.”

Mirroring Molinaro's approach, the TDN examined all the former NorCal stables that have kept a presence in California (as per the CTT's analysis), 27 trainers in total.

This comprises all trainers that relocated their entire barns to Southern California; those trainers that split their stables between SoCal and Emerald Downs; and the one trainer who took his string to Emerald Downs but returned to SoCal when the Washington track closed for the year.

Using Equibase, the TDN found the following trends (with the caveat there's still more than a month left of racing in Southern California):

• The average earnings of these 27 stables have dropped just over 50% this year over last. Last year, the average stable earning among these trainers was $558k. This year it's around $261k.
• The average number of starts these stables have made has also dropped around 50% this year over last–from an average 165 starts in 2024 to 81 so far this year.
• Taking into account potential earnings during the last few weeks of the year, 12 of these 27 trainers are on track to see both their annual starts and annual earnings drop over 50% comparing 2025 to 2024 figures.

In terms of earnings, trainer Andy Mathis has arguably done the best of the larger barns, earning so far this year $874,896, a slight uptick over his total of $843,998 last year.

SoCal-based trainer Bob Baffert | Horsephotos

Though the number of statewide race days this year is expected to be 155 as compared to 298 last year (a 48% decline), California's daytime Thoroughbred handle is down only 3% through October, which included one day of the Breeders' Cup (as per a report at the most recent California Horse Racing Board meeting).

Using a comparative cross-section of trainers, however, the rewards of this consolidated system appear to have largely benefited those primarily Southern-based trainers.

The TDN used Equibase to look at the top 20 trainers from Del Mar's 2024 summer meet (not including Eric Kruljac in this analysis, as he retired early in 2025, nor Todd Fincher, as he's primarily based elsewhere).

Among these top 20 SoCal stables, there was just an 8% decrease in individual stable earnings–from an average of $4.09 million last year, to an average $3.77 million this year (with weeks left to run).

We also see an average decrease in the number of starts among these 20 trainers of just 11% (from 319 last year to 282 this year).

Looking at overall horse inventory numbers, it strongly appears that some of the horses formerly under the auspices of Northern-based trainers have been recirculated among their Southern-based compatriots.

Referring to figures provided via a monthly analysis from Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), Balch said that horse numbers in California have understandably declined this year over last, given the loss of a racing calendar in the North.

When looking at horse population totals on a month-by-month basis this year over last, the declines have shown ebbs and flows rather than proving uniform, Balch said, pointing to fluctuations from “younger horses arriving” and “trainers replacing older stock.”

The smallest decline was a fall of 13% in January (comparing 2024 to 2025). Pleasanton didn't close its doors to Thoroughbreds until the end of March this year. August constituted the largest population drop of 24%.

In the last available monthly totals, there were 2544 horses in Southern California in October, said Balch. This constitutes a drop of 17% in California as a whole from the corresponding month in 2024, when there were 2275 horses in Southern California and 778 in the North.

Asked what he'd like to see come from his analysis, Molinaro said in the short term at least, fair racing dates should be granted next year to Ferndale and Fresno, to capture the horses from the Oregon fair circuit and from Emerald Downs respectively.

“The California racing industry can return to statewide racing by integrating these two race meets, which have historically been very successful,” Molinaro wrote in an email.

“I believe they will continue to be, if given the opportunity to race by the state of California's industry leaders and most important stakeholders,” he added. “Hopefully these raw numbers and facts will serve as a stark call to action.”

The post By The Numbers: NorCal Barns Hit Hard From Consolidation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Sarah Sharp Farish, the wife of Lane's End Farm owner Will Farish, passed away Monday, November 24, 2025 at home in Boca Grande, Florida. She was 83 years old.

“Raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Sarah was the daughter of Mary and Bayard Sharp. In 1961, she married  the love of her life, Will Farish, owner of Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky and former U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James. She is survived by her husband, her son Bill Farish (Kelley), daughters Mary Farish Johnston (Dennis) and Laura Farish Chadwick (John).  Beloved daughter Hillary Farish Stratton preceded her mother in death. Sarah is also survived by 17 grandchildren and their spouses: Hunter Farish Johnston (Emily), Sarah Sharp Malloy (William), Maggie Miller Johnston, Ande Farish Day (Lincoln), Sammy Farish Rosenstein (Ross), Lulu Farish Pohanka (Jason), William S. Farish, III, Daisy Miller Farish, Robert Wood Farish, Coco Sharp Farish, Stormy Stokes Farish, Lilly Chadwick Poulson (Hundley) , Isabella Sharp Chadwick, Stanford Clark Stratton, Bayard Farish Stratton, Wilson Sharp Stratton and Jack Miller Stratton. Sarah was also blessed with nine great-grandchildren.

Sarah brought her quiet elegance to every setting, from her family home at Kentucky's Lane's End Farm to the sparkling Court of St. James in London, England to her family's beloved Gasparilla Inn on Florida's Gulf Coast. Her life with Will Farish over their 63 years of marriage was marked by many adventures, from the weekends of quail hunting at the Lazy F Ranch to the thrills of Thoroughbred horse racing to serving their country in the diplomatic corps. In every facet of her life, she embodied strength, dignity and charm.

Sarah was deeply devoted to her family and to the many causes that she held dear. She grew up spending time in Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island, where her father owned the historic Gasparilla Inn. She shared her father's love of the Inn and the Island community. For the past 22 years, she dedicated herself to preserving and enhancing that wonderful island and Inn property. She was a strong supporter of the Boca Grande Health Clinic, the Island School and the Boca Grande Preschool as well as many other organizations and island businesses.

When Sarah took to something, she went all in.  Among her many passions were golf (she was a multi-time club champion at the Idle Hour Country Club and the Gulfstream Golf Club), bird shooting, pottery, photography, gardening and flower arranging.  She also cherished the companionship of many dogs over the years, including Max, Rosie, Charlie, Cotton, Slipper and Katie.

Sarah Sharp Farish leaves an enduring legacy for her children and grandchildren, all of whom revere the extraordinary life that she lived.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Gasparilla Inn Employee Care Fund for the Relief Effort in Jamaica, PO Box 1088 Boca Grande, FL  33921. A special thank you for the extraordinary efforts of Dr. Bret Kueber and the health clinic staff, and to the home care team of Debbie, Logan, Nettie, Nicolette, Francine and Livette.”

The post Sarah Sharp Farish, Wife Of Will Farish, Dies At 83 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Despite a successful career in which he won 1,871 races, jockey Trevor McCarthy announced his retirement in April. He admitted that he was “miserable” and that the many problems that come with being a jockey, especially one who is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, had caused him serious mental health problems. In November, it was announced that McCarthy had taken on a new job as HISA's Jockey Wellness Consultant.

To talk about his battles, his new job, his current state of mind and why he walked away from the sport when he did, McCarthy joined the team on this week's edition of the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

McCarthy said that he had been searching for answers as to what he should do and how he could conquer his demons. He believes divine intervention led him to retire.

“I had some serious red flags for a while,” he said. “For me, it was just a perfect storm so far as the last few years, considering what I was dealing with mentally and physically with my body. I'm not a very religious guy, but I was raised Catholic and I was in a hotel room at Colonial and I prayed to God to show me some really strong signs whether I should continue riding or not.”

He said that a number of individuals, including a racetrack chaplain and friends, contacted him and said they were worried about him. McCarthy had not publicly revealed his problems and, to the outside world, seemed to be content with his life and career. McCarthy saw these interactions as a sign that God was speaking to him through the people who were showing concern for him and told him he needed help and that maybe he would be much happier if he stopped riding.

He had this to say about his decision: “Once I decided to retire I never felt so calm. I never felt so right about a decision in my entire life.”

He admitted that his height was an issue, that making weight was much more difficult for him than it was for shorter jockeys.

“There were so many things that added up,” McCarthy said. “Maybe if I was five-foot tall, it might have been a little bit easier. There were also the injuries that I had and the wear and tear on my body and the lack of nutrition that I was giving it. Being 5-9 and having to get down 115 pounds, weight was always a struggle.”

McCarthy, whose wife, Katie Davis, is a jockey, is now working for both HISA and a real estate firm. Some seven months after he hung up his tack he said that he has found the peace of mind that he had been missing for so long.

He is enthusiastic about his job with HISA and hopes that by doing that and telling his own story he can help other jockeys who may be struggling with mental health issues.

“What we have been working on is building resources for jockeys that improves wellness for them,” McCarthy said. “We have teamed up with Onrise (an organization that provides mental health care and support to teams, clubs, leagues and players' associations at the elite youth, college and professional levels). Through Onrise, we have developed  therapy and psychiatric programs. We have also tied in with a nutritionist, which we did just a few weeks ago. Starting on Jan. 1, we're going to have a career counselor, as well, for jockeys.”

The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was Full Screen (Big Screen), who earned a 100 Beyer figure when winning an allowance race at Aqueduct for trainer Brad Cox. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, which stands the stallion Life is Good.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the KTOB, PHBA, 1/ST TV and West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss, Bill Finley and Zoe Cadman discussed the surprising announcement that James Carville, an institution within the Democratic Party, had endorsed Dale Romans's run for the U.S. Senate and the stories of the sport's two hottest jockeys, Flavien Prat and Paco Lopez. In the final segment, Moss, Cadman and Finley handicapped the major races to be run this weekend at Churchill Downs and at Del Mar, which will host the GI Hollywood Derby.

Click to watch the podcast or here to listen.

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

Parx will begin installing a new turf course in March with the goal of racing on it by late summer 2026.

There has been no grass racing at Parx since September 2024.

In August of that season the course was closed after a catastrophic equine injury during a stakes resulted in a euthanization, triggering a safety review by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA).

The track was cleared to reopen by HISA within several weeks, with Parx agreeing to put new protocols and maintenance procedures in place.

But another grass-race injury and euthanization on the GI Pennsylvania Derby undercard Sept. 21, 2024, resulted in a second shutdown, and the course was closed for the rest of the '24 season.

As TDN's Bill Finley reported at that time, “video showed that there were numerous holes in the turf course and that the grass itself looked like something you might see in a vacant lot.”

Attempts to get the course usable for '25 didn't work out, and the Parx turf has not hosted a race for the last 14 months.

Joe Wilson, the chief operating officer at Parx, said during Tuesday's Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission (PHRC) meeting that “the goal is to be back on that turf when we come back from our break in the middle of summer.”

Parx has yet to publish its '26 calendar, but a similar seasonal break in '25 spanned July 25-Aug. 17.

“We're taking [the existing course] away and putting a new one in. This sod will come from Tuckahoe [Turf Farms in Hammonton, New Jersey], which is one of the leading suppliers of sod to both racetracks and sports fields in general.”

Wilson was asked by a commissioner about the feasibility of installing a Tapeta track at Parx.

“It gets talked about,” Wilson said. “Unfortunately, you're looking, at my racetrack, to put a Tapeta track in, you're looking at pretty close to probably $10 million, which, as we know, is a significant investment. Certainly, we'll continue to look at that, but that cost has to come down.”

Wilson's comments came before the PHRC voted unanimously Nov. 25 to grant Thoroughbred racing dates for '26 that mirror the same number of dates the commission awarded in '25.

There will be 150 dates at Parx, 105 at Penn National, and 76 at Presque Isle Downs.

“We continue to race 150 days a year at pretty much the same purse levels, which is really tough to do these days,” said Wilson.

Scott Lishia, the director and racing and sportsbook for Penn National, said that rather than starting racing in early January and having breaks in late January, early April and early October like this year, Penn National in '26 won't start racing until late February, with two-date weeks until mid-March, after which three-date weeks will largely be the norm through Labor Day.

“Then we're going to take a five- or six-week break off, come back in October with those three days a week again, finishing up the day before Thanksgiving,” Lishia said.

The post Parx To Install New Turf Course; PA Keeps ’26 Racing Dates Level appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

There has been much discussion in the press recently about the ongoing negotiations on the 2026 racing calendar in New York. In truth, we are closer than reports would suggest on reaching an agreement. Currently, there are four days for the Winter meet, four days for the Saratoga meet, and two days at the Spring meet that are in dispute.

We are advocating strongly to retain these dates because we believe that a robust year-round racing calendar is vital to the long-term health of New York's Thoroughbred industry.

Year-round racing sustains the breeding industry, it supports thousands of jobs at the tracks, the breeding farms, and all the ancillary businesses that depend on our industry to survive. It is essential to our year-round horsemen and women – owners and trainers and backstretch workers alike – who have built their lives in New York State, buying homes, raising families, and becoming valued members of their communities.

Racing dates at the NYRA tracks already have been cut by 15% in the last seven years and, as history will show us, once you lose those dates, you do not get them back. But has cutting dates really been a successful strategy? It's just not working. We are still seeing a decline in field size, because we have not done a good job of attracting new owners and trainers to race in New York. Our horses head to Oaklawn and Kentucky, where purses are higher and the cost of doing business is lower. Offering ever fewer racing days is not going to reverse that trend.

NYTHA has several proposals on the table that we hope will be given due consideration.

One is a Developer Program modeled on the initiative currently enjoying success in Maryland. This program would reward a horse's “Developer” – the owner that makes the investment to breed or buy the horse and then bring it to the races – with a bonus for starting the horse's career in New York and keeping it here. We have ideas for decreasing the cost of doing business in New York. We have suggested finding ways to make our product more attractive to horse players on days when revenue is down, with lowered takeout or other incentives.

Maybe these proposals will work, maybe they will not. But you can't keep doing what you have been doing – cutting dates – and expect different results.

We are in a transition year in New York. We have not raised purses in five years, because the horsemen and the racetrack agreed that revenue would be challenged during the Belmont redevelopment, and we wanted to be able to sustain our program and our purses during the construction of the new Belmont Park. We are optimistic that the new Belmont will revitalize New York racing, and we have been assured that having a winter meet on the synthetic track will bring new trainers to New York and we will see the results in increased revenue. We need to give these historic changes the best opportunity to work, not by further contraction, but by finding ways to grow our business and support our year-round horsemen and women.

Tina Bond is the President of the NYTHA.

The post Letter To The Editor: New York Racing Needs A Robust Year-Round Calendar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Amplify Horse Racing, the national organization connecting youth to the Thoroughbred industry, closed out its 2025 season  of outreach with a busy week in November.

Amplify began the week by welcoming over 75 students and 4-H leaders from 11 different states participating in the Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup to a Thoroughbred Industry Discovery Day at Keeneland. Students heard from industry professionals about racehorse training and equine safety, explored the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, and joined a lunchtime career activity that connected them directly with mentors and employers in the industry.

Amplify then presented its signature Mentorship Program at the National Farmers Union Women's Conference, highlighting the importance of mentorship in connecting young people with agricultural education and industry careers. And it hosted five mentees from across the country for an immersive day of learning in Kentucky, made possible through the support of Glen Hill Farm. Their day included touring the Keeneland sales grounds and learning how to evaluate horses alongside industry professionals, visiting Godolphin's Jonabell Farm, and touring the Keeneland Library before concluding with Amplify's annual end-of-year student networking event.

Amplify conducted a field trip to Godolphin's Gainsborough Farm for 40 students from the Walden School in Louisville, and capped off the week by exhibiting at the Fayette County Public Schools Career Expo at Tates Creek High School.

“Our goal has always been to meet youth where they are, in their schools, communities, and online, and show them that there's a place for them in this industry,” said Annise Montplaisir, Amplify's Executive Director and Co-Founder. “This type of transformative programming doesn't happen without the collaboration and generosity of industry partners and donors. The financial support we receive directly fuels our ability to reach youth who might otherwise never discover this incredible industry. As we look toward 2026, we invite everyone who believes in the future of horse racing to join us in this mission.”

In 2026, Amplify plans to build on the success of this year's programs with the debut of a new high school curriculum. Aligned with the National Agricultural Literacy Outcomes (NALOs), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Standards, the curriculum will provide teachers with ready-to-use lessons and hands-on activities that bring the world of Thoroughbred racing to the classroom.

To make a tax-deductible contribution in support of Amplify's mission, visit amplifyhorseracing.org/donate.

The post Busy November Completes Impactful Year for Amplify appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Multiple Grade I winner Patch Adams is now available for inspection at WinStar Farm, the farm announced Tuesday. The son of perennial leading sire Into Mischief developed into one of the nation's premier sprinters this year in his sophomore season, scoring consecutive Grade I victories at Saratoga, winning both the Woody Stephens S. and the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. for trainer Brad Cox.

“Patch Adams arrived at the stallion barn on Saturday and is settling in nicely,” said Liam O'Rourke, director of bloodstock services for WinStar. “We had the opportunity to show him to his shareholders on Monday morning. It was encouraging to receive a ton of positive feedback from a highly accomplished group of horsemen. We look forward to showing him to more breeders in the coming weeks.”

All told, Patch Adams won four of seven lifetime starts, going three-for-three at seven furlongs, and earning $772,585. A third-generation WinStar homebred, Patch Adams hails from one of the top families cultivated at WinStar. His dam is stakes winner Well Humored, and he is from the family of Grade I winners Well Armed, Cyberknife, Played Hard, and American Patriot.

To schedule an inspection, contact Liam O'Rourke, Olivia Desch, or Ben Hanley at 859-873-1717, or visit www.WinStarFarm.com.

The post Patch Adams Now Available for Inspection at WinStar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

More than 17 years after Thoroughbred racing shut down in Kansas, the sport will be revived in the Sunflower state in October 2026. It was all made possible when the Kansas legislature and Governor Laura Kelly passed a statute that will allow for 1,000 Historical Horse Racing machines in the state.

Three-percent of the gross revenue from the machines will be devoted to racing. It is estimated that the state's race horse development fund, which will allocate money to purses, will receive about $15 million from the machines. The state's breeding fund will pull in $3 million. The racing will be conducted at Eureka Downs, which is in Eureka, Kansas, and has not held Thoroughbred racing since 2008. That was the same year that the Woodlands Racetrack, which was in Kansas City, Kansas, shut down.

Initially, there will be 44 annual days of racing in the state.

“We are ecstatic about this development, but this has been hard,” said Peach Madl, the executive director of the Kansas Thoroughbred Association. “We have been fighting to have racing again for so many years. We know we will have to find more owners and breeders and lay the foundation so that they will raise Kansas foals again. We only have a short time to start.”

According to The Jockey Club, only four mares were bred in the state in 2023.

The machines will not be at Eureka Downs but at a gaming facility named Gilley's in Park City, Kansas. Gilley's is on the site of the old Wichita Greyhound Park and was purchased by Phil Ruffin and his family. Ruffin is well-known for his extensive business ventures in the state, including pioneering self-serve gas stations and developing hotels and gaming facilities.

“How did we get approval for the HHR machines? It has to be the persistence of the Ruffin family and that we were aiming to get HRR machines this time,” Madl said. “The HHR machines made it where Kansas, which is a total ag state, could have horse racing again. It's ridiculous that we've gone this long without horse racing. This is a state with a lot of horse people and farmers. This took persistence and a lot of money to get the HHR machines approved.”

Madl said there is the potential for more dates to be added in the future.

“Since the track is being renovated now, Eureka Downs didn't want to ask for any more dates than that for now,” she said.

While, on the surface, it might seem that a track in a state where so few horses have been bred in recent years, Eureka Downs might struggle to fill fields. Madl predicted that Eureka will not have a major problem putting together racing cards.

“We are fortunate to be smack in the middle of a circuit that most of the trainers run at,” she said. “That's Remington, Prairie Meadows and the tracks in Nebraska. We plan not to interfere with their races. There will be a pocket for us. We can be that place that fits in with what is currently going on.”

Madl said that when it comes to racing, Kansas has a lot going for it.

“We have nothing but open pasture ground here,” she said. “We have the room, we have the agriculture needs. We think there is room for racing to grow in the Midwest.”

Though there is not a rich history of racing in Kansas, the state's Thoroughbred industry does have a claim to fame. Kansas-bred Lawrin won the 1938 Kentucky Derby and was the first ever Derby winner for Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Arcaro and Hall of Fame trainer Ben Jones.

The post Racing To Return To Kansas In 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Four stakes written for juveniles–two each for males and females–will be featured during the upcoming six-day winter meeting at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, California.

Live racing will take place Friday through Sunday on consecutive weekends between Dec. 5 and 7 and Dec. 12 and 14. The first of the added-money events is the $200,000 GII Starlet Stakes for 2-year-old fillies and a mile and a sixteenth to be run Saturday, Dec. 6. Its male counterpart, the $200,000 GII Los Alamitos Futurity will be contested on Saturday, Dec. 13 also at 8 1/2 furlongs.

A pair of Cal-bred restricted races are also planned–the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes for the fillies runs Sunday, Dec. 7, while the closing-day feature is the $100,000 King Glorious Stakes on Dec. 14. Each race is run over a mile.

The wagering menu includes a pair of $1 Pick 4's on races 2-5 and the final four races along with a $2 Pick Six as well as the Players' Pick 5–a 50-cent minimum bet with a reduced takeout rate of 14% rate–on the first five races.

The Pick Six will have the standard 70-30 split with 70% of the pool going to those tickets with six winners with the remaining 30% going to tickets with five of six winners.

There will also be a handicapping contest Saturday, Dec. 13 and the Los Alamitos Racing Association will offer a cash prize and a pair of berths in the 2026 National Thoroughbred Racing Association Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas. Cost to enter is $500. Of that amount, $100 will be placed in the contest prize pool with the remaining $400 going towards a live money wagering card.

The post Juvenile Stakes Highlight Los Alamitos Winter Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

It's been a long time coming for Jacob West. Watching 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' Mindframe make it to the famed stallion barn at Claiborne Farm and settle into the stall once home to the likes of Bold Ruler, Secretariat, Easy Goer and Unbridled marks a full-circle moment years in the making.

One year after West joined Claiborne as their Stallion Seasons and Bloodstock Manager, the farm announced this summer that Mindframe would soon be headed to Claiborne. Weeks later, West was at Churchill Downs celebrating as the son of Constitution secured a third consecutive graded stakes win, defeating champion Sierra Leone in the GI Stephen Foster Stakes.

The connection between the two stretches beyond that. As part of the selection team for owners Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola, West had a hand in purchasing Mindframe as a yearling and he has followed the Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables-campaigned colt every step of the way.

Over the past few weeks, West has split his time between the breeding stock sales and Claiborne's stallion division, where breeders have been stopping in to get a look at the farm's newest recruit. Adding a second Grade I winner to the roster in Johannes, the first son of Nyquist to stand in Kentucky, has made the stretch even more exciting.

In addition to those two newcomers, Claiborne has several other young stallions preparing to enter new phases of their stud careers next year. Prince of Monaco ($30,000) and Bright Future ($10,000) will both see their first foals in 2026 while Annapolis ($12,500) will be represented by his first crop of yearlings.

Out of a stakes-winning Street Sense mare, Mindframe was in the Betz Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale when West and team first got a look at him. West said it was the colt's striking physical that led to his $600,000 purchase.

“He was one of those horses that ranked near the top of our list,” recalled West. “The depth of family was an added bonus to just how good looking he was. Now he's basically a bigger version of what he was back then. He's a big horse, standing at 16.3 hands. He moves like a cat. He's correct, has good bone and a big, strong hip and shoulder. It all translated into having really fluid mechanics on the racetrack. He covered so much ground when he would stride out.”

Johannes | Sara Gordon

Bred in Maryland by prominent Mid-Atlantic owner Larry Johnson, Mindframe's sophomore season was highlighted by a 13 3/4-length debut win, which earned him Rising Star honors, and runner-up finishes in the GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes. His breeder passed away early this year, just before the colt's breakout performance in the GII Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes.

“Larry had been in the business for a long time,” said West. “People had a lot of respect for him and his operation.”

Mindframe displayed his versatility while collecting back-to-back Grade I wins. In the seven-furlong GI Churchill Downs Stakes, the Todd Pletcher trainee bested a field that included future Breeders' Cup champion Nysos (Nyquist) and Grade I winners Book'em Danno (Bucchero) and Mullikin (Violence). Next out in the mile-and-an-eighth Stephen Foster, he earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure in defeating Eclipse Award winner Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), GI Kentucky Derby victor Mystik Dan (Goldencents) and G1 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}).

“He was so versatile and he had such a high cruising speed,” said West. “To win at seven furlongs and at nine furlongs against some of the best horses of his generation just shows how good he was.”

Mindframe made two more career starts this year at four. After an ill-fated break in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, where he lost jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. following a chain-reaction incident, he finished fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. He retired with earnings of $2.05 million.

West predicted that Mindframe's speed and versatility on the racetrack will translate into his career at stud.

“If you go back and analyze the history of Claiborne Farm, horses that were fast and could carry their speed over a route of ground have been successful here,” he explained. “This horse is no different. He's going to fall right in line with getting some incredible mares here on the farm. We have an incredible syndicate group that will back him in the likes of Repole Stable and St. Elias. They're going to be heavily invested in supporting him. The great thing about Mike and Vinnie and their operation is that they support them in the shed, in the sales ring and on the racetrack. They follow through with their stallions.”

West added that Mindframe's credentials are further bolstered by the success of his sire. Constitution is currently a top-five general sire in North America. Mindframe is set to become his third son in Kentucky. First-crop sire Independence Hall, who stands at WinStar alongside his sire, has produced several stakes performers from his first crop while Ashford Stud's Tiz the Law ranks third among second-crop sires in North America.

Johannes was hard to miss as a stallion prospect last year as he reeled off five graded stakes wins in eight months, dominating the turf division in California.

“A son of Nyquist from a very good family and a homebred for his owners, he was a horse that we had kind of kept an eye on,” explained West. “Serious negotiations started this spring and we were lucky that we got him. He was an incredible racehorse.”

Bred and raced by Joe and Debby McCloskey and trained by Tim Yakteen, Johannes developed into Nyquist's highest-earning son over the course of his four-year career.

After breaking his maiden by nine lengths going six furlongs as a 2-year-old, the following year he collected wins in the Baffle Stakes and Pasadena Stakes. He took his game to the next level at four, securing five graded stakes victories highlighted by the GI Shoemaker Mile Stakes. The only slight blemish on an otherwise perfect season was his second-place finish to More Than Looks (More Than Ready) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile.

“To do what he did that year was truly remarkable,” said West. “[Jockey] Umberto Rispoli said coming into the Breeders' Cup that the horse gave him a certain feel when he was on his back with the way he ran and his style. He didn't care who he was running against. He showed up every time.”

Johannes made three starts this year at five, including a second straight win in the GII City of Hope Mile Stakes.

“His best race would probably have to be the Shoemaker Mile, winning the way he did,” West noted. “But the City of Hope this year was also impressive with the way he was able to sit off the pace and when they turned for home, if you watch him coming down the lane, it was basically just in a gallop.”

A half-brother to two other stakes performers, Johannes heads to stud on the heels of another standout year for his sire. Nyquist, the sire of four Grade I winners in 2025, will stand for $175,000 next season at Darley's Jonabell Farm.

“Being the first son of Nyquist to stand in Kentucky is very interesting,” said West. “Nyquist has such a strong following and, quite frankly, is a horse that some people might not be able to get to. So when you can get to his highest-earning son here, we feel like people will love that.”

Johannes will be part of Claiborne's new incentive program “Breed Twice, Breed for Life,” in which owners who breed two mares to the stallion in his first two breeding seasons, produce two live foals and pay two stud fees will be eligible for a lifetime breeding right.

“As a racehorse he was the real deal,” said West. “$10,000 is value for a horse like him with his race record, sire, family and his looks. We're very excited to have him here and offer him to breeders.”

The post Mindframe and Johannes: The Two New Faces at Claiborne Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy–Better Than Honour, by Deputy Minister), only the third filly in history to win the GI Belmont Stakes, died due to infirmities of old age, Coolmore announced Monday. Owned by Coolmore's Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Rags to Riches etched her name into the annals of American racing history when she outbattled Curlin in a dramatic stretch duel to take the final leg of the Triple Crown in 2007, becoming the first filly in 102 years to win the race.

Rags to Riches, purchased for $1.9 million at the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, also won the GI Kentucky Oaks, GI Santa Anita Oaks and GI Las Virgenes Stakes and was named champion 3-year-old filly of 2007.

“Rags to Riches was a truly talented racehorse, and it's been a privilege to be around a horse of her calibre,” said Coolmore's Dermot Ryan. “Her achievements left a lasting impression on all of us, and she brought great pride to her ownership. I would like to thank Bob Davis and his team, who have cared for her with exceptional dedication for over a decade.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher also paid tribute to his former pupil on Monday.

“She was extra special. She was my first Classic winner and to do it in a race like the Belmont against colts, in a quality field with horses like Curlin and Hard Spun in there, it was a remarkable race,” the conditioner said. “It kind of encapsulated everything that's exciting about horse racing. She stumbled at the start and was able to overcome that and the stretch-long duel with Curlin–it looked like she was going to win, it looked like he was going to come back. It was every emotion you could have during the running of a race. [When she it hit the wire first] it was probably the most excited I've ever been after a race. It's still to this day, I think, the most exciting race that we've been a part of.”

The Hall of Famer continued, “She was a terrific filly to train on the racetrack. She was very professional, very straightforward. She was a very good mover, beautiful to watch gallop. That's part of why she was successful in the Belmont, because she was such a great galloper. But she was totally different around the barn. She was very territorial and she was very aggressive. She was not a house pet.”

Rags to Riches has a 2-year-old filly by Munnings and a yearling colt by Uncle Mo.

The post Belmont Stakes-Winning Filly Rags to Riches Passes Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.