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Updated: 2 months 2 weeks ago

Unbeaten Good Civilian Tops Inglis Digital USA July Sale

Wed, 2025-07-30 18:04

The Inglis Digital USA July Sale closed Wednesday with a pair of stakes-winning juveniles heading up the trade, topped by Good Civilian (Good Samaritan–Lei It On Me, by Benny the Bull), who was secured by Flurry Racing for $240,000.

An impressive winner by 11 ½ lengths at Horseshoe Indianapolis June 14, the gelding followed up with a score in the Prairie Gold Juvenile Stakes at Prairie Meadows. Good Civilian was previously raced by Southwest Racing Stables Inc.

Good Civilian was consigned by trainer Genaro Garcia, who made the horse available for inspection from his barn at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Ind.

“I'm glad we were able to get him,” said Staton Flurry of Flurry Racing. “He'll head to (trainer) Cipriano Contreras. I'm the biggest 'Cippy' fan there is, and he's stabled in Indiana. We'll point toward the Indiana-bred stakes with him and just see where we go once that meet is over.”

Bred in Indiana by Dawn Martin, Good Civilian is out of the Benny the Bull mare Lei It On Me, who is already responsible for a pair of winners.

Stakes-winning 2-year-old Border Czar (Beau Liam–Adalee, by Street Boss) was the second highest priced offering of the day, going to Zhenxi Li for $185,000. The filly, who won on debut at Woodbine on June 7 returned to take the July 12 My Dear Stakes.

Barbara Minshall, Border Czar's owner and trainer, consigned the filly from her base at Toronto-area Woodbine.

“I had a very good experience selling on the Inglis Digital USA sale platform,” Minshall said. “They were very helpful and informative as to what was required, and they kept me well informed as to the progress of the sale. Daily info sheets were sent, and I felt my horse was given excellent exposure. I would definitely choose to sell again with Inglis Digital USA.”

Border Czar, bred in Kentucky by Southern Comfort Farm, is out of Adalee, whose three winners from four runners also includes SW Feelgood Factor and multiple winner Sassy and Bold.

Wednesday's auction closed with 27 horses sold for revenues of $537,500, and an average sale price of $19,907.

“We knew going into the sale that the 2-year-olds were going to be popular, and we weren't disappointed,” said Kyle Wilson, Senior Director of Sales and Recruiting for Inglis Digital USA. “We had some good trade at a number of levels, which we are pleased with. It was a solid sale, and we'll look forward moving into the fall sale season.”

Entries are now open for the Inglis Digital USA September Sale, and they will be taken through Monday, Aug. 25. The catalog will be released Friday, Aug. 29, and bidding will close on

Wednesday, Sept. 3.

To enter a horse in the September sale, register as a bidder, or make a bid on an RNA horse from the July sale, visit www.inglisdigitalusa.com.

The post Unbeaten Good Civilian Tops Inglis Digital USA July Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Joseph Hoping For A Rebound From White Abarrio In Whitney

Wed, 2025-07-30 17:36

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Two years ago, the GI Whitney Stakes was a whiteout. As in White Abarrio (Race Day), who crushed the field by 6 1/4 lengths.

Fast forward to now and White Abarrio is back for another run in Saturday's $1 million Whitney, the premier race for older horses at the 40-day meet at Saratoga Race Course.

The 6-year-old horse will look to shrug off a disappointing fourth place finish in the GI Met Mile last month and prove to his trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. that he deserves a place among the elite of the older horse division.

“You just have to have a short-term memory and move forward,” Joseph said Wednesday morning at his Saratoga backstretch barn about White Abarrio's performance in the Met Mile. “He has been in that position before and has rebounded.”

White Abarrio, owned by C2 Racing Stable, Gary Barber and La Milagrosa Stable LLC, started the year with a resounding 6 1/4-length win in the $3 million GI Pegasus World Cup.

He followed that up with another score at his home track of Gulfstream Park, winning the GIII Ghostzapper Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths.

Then came the head scratcher in the Met Mile. The race was billed as a showdown between White Abarrio and Fierceness (City of Light), but they were both defeated by the since retired Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief).

This was the second straight year that White Abarrio tossed in a clunker in the Met Mile. Last June, he was fifth, beaten 10 1/4 lengths by National Treasure (Quality Road).

Since that race, Joseph said that White Abarrio, who will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., has trained well and looked like a horse about to give a solid performance.

Skippylongstocking paddock schools with Bobolo Ureña | Sarah Andrew

“When he comes off a race that is below par, you are always a bit suspect,” Joseph said. “You are like,'what did we miss?' We are happy with him. At the quarter pole [in the Whitney] we will know if he is moving forward.”

Joseph will also run Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) in the Whitney. The main goal for the 6-year-old, owned by Daniel Alonzo, is the $1 million GII Charles Town Classic Aug. 22 in West Virginia. It's a race he has captured the last two years.

Before winning the Charles Town last year, Skipplongstocking finished fifth in the Whitney. He will be ridden by Jose Ortiz on Saturday.

Make no mistake, Joseph is not using the Whitney as a prep race.

“If we did not think we could compete, we would not be running in it,” he said. “Is it a tough race? Yeah, it's a really tough race. Of course, you would like it to be easier, but he is here. He has run fast enough on some days to win a Grade I. This kind of Grade I? It's unlikely, but you've got to be in it to win it.”

 

Mo Plex Could be Pennsylvania Derby Bound

Following Mo Plex's (Complexity) fourth place finish in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes, trainer Jeremiah Englehart will be in no rush to bring his New York-bred back to the races.

His landing point could very well be Parx Racing for the $1 million GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 20.

“If I had to choose from a timing standpoint, that is perfect,” Englehart said while sitting in his office at his barn at the annex across from the Oklahoma Training Track Wednesday morning. “That would give him almost two months.”

Mo Plex between Sandman and Hill Road | Sarah Andrew

Mo Plex set the pace in the Jim Dandy before fading and being beat 10 1/2 lengths by Sovereignty (Into Mischief). Owned by Rick Higgins and Howard Read (R and H Stable), Mo Plex had won the GIII Ohio Derby in his prior start and that gave the group reason to try the big boys in the Jim Dandy.

Englehart hasn't given up on the idea that Mo Plex can compete with the better horses in the division. He said he does not want to run Mo Plex in the $200,000 Albany Stakes against state breds Aug. 21.

“He came out of [the Jim Dandy] fine,” Englehart said. “I don't think I want to run him back in three and a half weeks. I just want to be real smart with the next start.”

Englehart did some homework when researching the Pennsylvania Derby. The last two winners of the race, Seize the Grey (Arrogate) and Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) ran in the Jim Dandy before heading to Parx.

Seize the Grey was fourth in last year's Jim Dandy and Saudi Crown finished second in 2023.

Englehart said he would change his mind about the Pennsylvania Derby if Sovereignty or GI Haskell Stakes winner Journalism (Curlin) decided to head that way. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has not indicated any desire to go to the Pennsylvania Derby and Michael McCarthy has not said which way Journalism is going.

 

Mott Gives Updates on Arthur's Ride, Stars and Stripes

Sovereignty wasn't the only horse Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott had his eye on last Saturday. The stable star did his thing when he rolled to his third straight win in the GII Jim Dandy.

About three and a half hours before Sovereignty won the Jim Dandy by a length, Mott saddled Arthur's Ride (Tapit) for his first start since last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic when he finished 12th out of 14.

Stars and Stripes | Sarha Andrew

Mott was not happy with what Arthur showed him. The 5-year-old horse finished third in a 1 1/8-mile multi-conditional allowance race. He was defeated by 8 1/4 lengths as the 1-2 favorite.

“That was not acceptable, not happy,” Mott said.

Mott said he could not comment on what might be next for Arthur's Ride until he talks with the horse's owners.

Arthur's Ride is owned by Glassman Racing LLC (Karl and Cathi Glassman). He won four of his first nine starts, the biggest being last year's GI Whitney Stakes, his first graded stakes try. He was then fifth in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup before the Breeders' Cup.

Another horse from the Mott Barn, Stars and Stripes (Not This Time), opened some eyes when he won an allowance race at Saratoga by 7 1/4 lengths July 17. That came after he broke his maiden at Aqueduct June 15 by 10 1/2 lengths. That was his second career start.

Owned by Frassetto Stables LLC, Stars and Stripes might not be seen for a while, Mott said.

“He grabbed a quarter pretty good in the [July 17] race,” he said. “I don't have anything picked out for him.”

The post Saratoga Notebook, Presented by NYRA Bets: Joseph Hoping For A Rebound From White Abarrio In Whitney appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Aterradora Humanely Euthanized After Lake George Stakes Injury

Wed, 2025-07-30 17:03

Two days after the running of the GIII Lake George Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday July 26, the Mike Maker-trained Aterradora (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was humanely euthanized at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, the New York Racing Association said via a press release on Wednesday.

The 3-year-old owned by Pura Vida Investments LLC, who was making her eighth career start, was pulled up by jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the gallop out after finishing fifth and was immediately attended to by on-track veterinarians. The filly was transported to the aforementioned medical facility for further evaluation and treatment.

Radiographs taken that same day revealed a slab fracture of the right knee, which was followed by a CT scan to allow for surgical planning. At the time of surgery, the extent of the injury was found to be more severe and complicated than previously identified. As a result, and upon the recommendation of attending veterinarians, Aterradora was humanely euthanized.

According to the NYRA release, since the beginning of the summer meet July 10, Aterradora is the lone fatality during racing. There have been two equine fatalities during training–National Secret (American Pharoah) and Dazzle d'Oro (Bolt d'Oro).

The post Aterradora Humanely Euthanized After Lake George Stakes Injury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Finalists Named, Includes TDN’s Vicki Forbes

Wed, 2025-07-30 15:41

The finalists and runners-up for the 2025 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards have been chosen in the seven categories as the program celebrates its 10th anniversary, according to a Wednesday press release posted on co-sponsor Godolphin's website.

The 2025 ceremony will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 21, in Lexington, Kentucky. Finalists and their guest will enjoy a variety of activities, including a tour of a local horse farm, a stallion show, the ceremony dinner with an afternoon of racing the following day at Keeneland.

The shortlist judging panel–the first of two–met on Tuesday, July 29, to determine the finalists that will make the trip to Kentucky, along with two runners-up in each of the categories. Their meeting was again hosted by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York. The second and final stage of judging will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 21st, when finalists will meet with the judges for in-person interviews.

The panel chair Joe Clancy, said, “The quality of nominees was very strong, across the board, and we sincerely appreciate those who took the time to nominate their champions. I also express sincere thanks to the National HBPA, TOBA, The Jockey Club, Keeneland, Breeders' Cup, and Godolphin, without whose underwriting and support of these awards would not be possible. Also, a heartfelt thanks to media partners–The Thoroughbred Daily News, The Saratoga Special, BloodHorse Publications, Daily Racing Form, FanDuel, Real Players Inside the Backstretch, Paulick Report, Fox Sports, and America's Day at the Races–for helping spread the reach of the awards.

“In addition, the efforts of Roberto Rodriguez, Director of DRF en Espanol and Carlos Morales, Producer and Host of Agentes 305, deserve special thanks for informing the Spanish-speaking community,” he said.

TIEA category sponsors include Hallway Feeds, NTRA, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Keeneland, Churchill Downs, and 1/ST Racing along with new sponsors, NYRA BETS and Kentucky Downs/KHBPA, who will handle all travel.

The winners of the Katherine McKee Administration, Dedication to Breeding, Dedication to Racing, Managerial, Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community, and Support Services Awards will receive a prize of $7,500, with two finalists receiving $3,500. Two runners-up in each category, separate from the winners and two finalists, will receive $2,000 each.

The winner of the Newcomer Award will receive $5,000, with two finalists receiving $2,500 each. Separate from the winners and two finalists, two runners-up will receive $1,000 each.

The 2025 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards finalists are:

Katherine McKee Administration Award, sponsored by Keeneland

  • Maria Isabel Escobar, Todd Pletcher Racing Stable
  • Vicki Forbes, The Thoroughbred Daily News
  • Sandy Martin, Race Track Chaplaincy of America

Runners-up

  • Lacey Coler, Barton Thoroughbreds
  • Lauren Monnet, National HBPA

 

Support Services Award, sponsored by 1/ST Racing

  • Lynne Hewlett, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
  • Robert Richardson, KatieRich Farms
  • Nathan Stephens, Stephens Farrier Service, LLC

Runners-up

  • Mary Perkins, Keeneland Association
  • Steve Peterman, Gulfstream Park

 

Dedication to Breeding Award, sponsored by Hallway Feeds

  • Sara Patterson, Cedar Run Farm
  • Juan Piedra, Stone Bridge Farm
  • Mario Ponce, Coolmore America

Runners-up

  • Luis Sanchez, Kenneth McPeek Racing Stable
  • Alan Shell, Kenneth McPeek Racing Stable

 

Dedication to Racing Award, sponsored by NYRA BETS

  • Carlos Alarcon, D/M Racing Stables
  • Jackie Dayutis, WinStar Farm
  • Fiona Goodwin, Jena Antonucci

Runners-up

  • Rafael Fernandez, Herringswell Stables
  • Lee Vickers, Miguel Clement Racing Stable

 

Managerial Award, sponsored by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

  • John Motaung, Sequel Bloodstock
  • Jesus Pinales, Mulholland Springs
  • Duane Reed, Coolmore America

Runners-up

  • Kali Kleinfelt, Stone Bridge Farm
  • Edwyn Kiely, Hunter Valley Farm

 

Newcomer Award, sponsored by New York Racing Association

  • Braden Heath, Three Chimneys Farm
  • Kinnon LaRose, Tom Amoss
  • Ivanna Rabii, WinStar Farm

Runners-up

  • Madison Jackson, Churchill Downs
  • Maxine Pina, Taylor Made Sales Agency

 

Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award, sponsored by Churchill Downs

  • Peter Drumstra, Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program
  • Nancy Turner, This Old Horse, Inc.
  • CJ Wilson, Win Place Home

Runners-up

  • Victoria Mangini, Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Assoc.
  • Caroline Tatum, Secretariat Center

The post Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Finalists Named, Includes TDN’s Vicki Forbes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

After 30 Years, a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga First for Stautberg

Wed, 2025-07-30 15:33

Caroline Stautberg has been selling her yearlings at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale for three decades now, but the Maryland breeder will record a personal first when the boutique auction opens next week. Through the Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services consignment, Stautberg's Willow Oaks Stable will offer the very first horse through the ring Monday when bidding starts at 6:30 p.m. Hip 1 is a daughter of Vekoma out of Tapit's World (Tapit) and a half-sister to graded winner Il Miracolo (Gun Runner).

“It's been 30 years since my first Saratoga sale and I haven't missed a year, but I've never been in the first 10 [hips],” Stautberg said with a laugh. “So I guess it was my turn. Thankfully, she is a filly with a nice page and I think she will sell herself. And this is a sale that people are pretty well there when it starts. It's not like some of those sales that start at nine in the morning and you know nobody is there. I'm not jumping up and down about it, but it could be worse.”

In addition to her graded-winning half-brother, the yearling is a full-sister to a now 2-year-old filly who sold to Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Plantation for $575,000 at the 2024 Saratoga sale. The trio are out of graded-placed Tapit's World, who was acquired for $175,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Stautberg admitted that purchase a decade ago harkened back to the mare who provided her with her biggest success as a breeder, Fun Crowd.

Stautberg and her late husband, Jerry, purchased Fun Crowd for $115,000 at the 2002 Keeneland November sale. Eleven yearlings sold out of the mare for over $2 million, including Grade I winner Funny Moon (Malibu Moon).

“What a mare, that Fun Crowd,” Stautberg said. “She was really a great mare. When she died, I got the prettiest tree that I could find and had a stone made and she is buried on the farm with a really, really pretty tree marking her stone. She was something else. I just didn't have any idea, really, of how lucky I was. Davant Latham found her for me. And he is still helping me pick out broodmares. She wasn't that expensive because she hadn't raced. But she had a great pedigree and, man, did she produce.”

Latham recalled that purchase when he and his client were bidding on Tapit's World in 2015.

“Davant and I watched her in the ring,” Stautberg said of Tapit's World. “He said, 'The only reason you love her is because she reminds you so much of Fun Crowd.' And she did. She was a chestnut with a white blaze and a couple of white socks. She went through and she RNA'd, so I said, 'Come on.' We ran back to the barn and we offered the price they wanted and they took it.”

Funny Moon | Horsephotos

With just seven broodmares, Stautberg will offer almost her entire foal crop–four yearlings–at the two-day Saratoga sale next week.

“I sold one at the January sale and [Fasig-Tipton] accepted all five I had left,” Stautberg said. “But one of them had an abscess, so she is going to have to wait until fall.”

The group, all consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, includes four fillies and one colt.

“For the last two years, I've had all fillies and only one colt,” Stautberg explained. “It happened again this year. You feel so sorry for that colt all by himself. I live in Monkton, Maryland, so he has to ship up by himself. My farm manager, Darin Martin, is bringing up the fillies, but he can't come with them. He has to have his own transportation.”

Other than the filly out of 15-year-old Tapit's World, the other yearlings in Willow Oaks' Saratoga offerings are out of mares Stautberg has acquired in the past two years. Hip 64 is a filly by Uncle Mo and is the first foal out of stakes-placed Champagne Ivy (Shackleford). She was purchased in utero for $210,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November sale.

Hip 74 is a filly from the first crop of champion Epicenter out of graded winner Cosmic Burst (Violence). Stautberg acquired Cosmic Burst for $260,000 at the 2023 Keeneland January sale.

Rounding out the group is a colt by Mandaloun (hip 147) out of multiple stakes winner Lucky Stride (Declaration of War). Lucky Stride was purchased for $170,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November sale.

“I am 84, almost 85, and I keep saying I don't need to buy any more, but I just can't resist,” Stautberg said of the recent purchases. “I get the catalogue and I see something and I say, 'I think I will hang around for that one.' I keep adding, but I think maybe this is it.”

Stautberg sends her mares to Kentucky to foal and be bred back before mares and foals return to Maryland.

“I have watched them all grow up,” Stautberg said of the yearlings she will offer at auction next week. “You get very attached to them. I went over this morning to Oklahoma [training track] and saw one that I sold last year, a Twirling Candy filly, and she's so happy and doing so well. And that just makes you feel so good.”

Stautberg and her late husband used to raise Black Angus cattle and steeplechasers on their 600-acre Willow Oaks Farm in Monkton, but a trip to Saratoga in the mid-1990s changed the trajectory of their operation.

“[The late steeplechase trainer] Tom Voss was a neighbor,” Stautberg recalled. “My husband and I came up and stayed with Tom and [his wife] Mimi. “We went to the horse sale and ended up buying a yearling that Tom had picked out to be a steeplechaser. In the meantime, the Bluegrass Thoroughbred partners had a party where I met John Stuart and Peter Bance. So all of a sudden I said, 'I know a bloodstock agent'–this was probably 1994–and I said, 'Let's buy one.' My husband was an automobile dealer and he said, 'No, one won't do it. We need more than that.' So we ended up with four. I think my first sales were in '95.”

Willow Oaks will be offering its 30th class of yearlings–beginning with the first hip through the ring–at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale next week and Stautberg's love affair with the upstate New York town is still going strong.

“I usually come up before the sales,” Stautberg said. “I love the racing and I love the people and I love the restaurants. I love everything about it. You are a person here, not just a number. I think the Fasig-Tipton people do such a good job and I am very happy here.”

The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale will be held next Monday and Tuesday at the Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion. Bidding commences each day at 6:30 p.m.

The post After 30 Years, a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga First for Stautberg appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Librado Barocio Joins TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland

Wed, 2025-07-30 13:55

Many involved with the sport probably know little about trainer Librado Barocio. But that could be about to change. His small stable has been on fire as of late and it recorded a milestone when Lovesick Blues (Grazen) upset his better known rivals to win the GI Bing Crosby Stakes Saturday at Del Mar. For the trainer who has been training off and on since 1999, it was his first Grade I win.

How did it feel? That was among the questions our team asked Barocio when he joined us on this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. Barocio was this week's Gainesway Guest of the Week.

“It's a blessing and it's a big blessing for my family,” Barocio said. “I consider myself an underdog who is trying to play in this arena. I found a horse that was an underdog, too. The horse did it all. For him just to accomplish that, it means a lot for my family. It means a lot for my parents.”

Lovesick Blues is a 7-year-old veteran on the California circuit whose best surface appeared to be the grass. Barocio approached his owner, Nick Alexander, about purchasing another horse, Desmond Doss (Grazen), but when told that horse was not in serious training, he decided to buy Lovesick Blues.

The Bing Crosby is a “Win and You're In” race for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, but Barocio will still need to pay $100,000 to get in the race because the horse was not nominated for the Breeders' Cup.

Barocio said he was not sure which way to go until his son intervened. Also called Librado Barocio, the son is an assistant coach for the UCLA football team. He talked his father into committing to the Breeders' Cup.

“He said, 'Dad, you made it to the Super Bowl,'” the elder Barocio said. “Right now he's at UCLA, but two years back he was with the Washington Commanders and Coach Rivera. And of course, their goal was to get to the Super Bowl. And when he played football at UCLA, their goal was to get to the national championship game. He said, 'Dad, you're in the Super Bowl.' He equated this victory with the Super Bowl. I agreed with him. The Breeders' Cup is the Super Bowl of racing. He said, 'You have to go,' and I said, 'absolutely, you are right.'”

Barocio, who says he divides his time between racing and his business as film maker, had his best year in 2023 when he won 24 races. This year, he is 16-for-65, good for a win rate of 25%. Barocio won his first graded stakes race in 2024 in the GIII Senorita Stakes with Visually (Enticed).

“I have to give all credit to my help, my workers, my assistants,” he said. “They work endlessly and they don't miss a beat. They do everything and sometimes they do it twice a day. We work on horses twice a day. I think the horses respond to that.”

In our “Fastest Horse of the Week,” segment which is sponsored by WinStar, the team went over the many reasons there are breed to WinStar stallion Heartland. The fastest horse of the week was none other than Lovesick Blues, who got a 105 Beyer for his win in the Bing Crosby.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by 1/ST Racing, 1/ST TV, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, and West Point Thoroughbreds, the team of Zoe Cadman, Bill Finley and Randy Moss reviewed the big effort by Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes and lamented the fact that he skipped the Preakness in a year where he might have won the Triple Crown.

As for the 2-year-olds, 'TDN Rising Star' Brant (Gun Runner) was a hot topic. A horse that cost a record $3 million at OBS March, he romped at first asking in a Del Mar maiden race, earning a 101 Beyer figure, the fastest number run by any 2-year-old this year.

The team also reviewed the GI Whitney S., which attracted possibly the best field of older dirt horses assembled this year. The consensus was that Fierceness (City of Light) is the horse to beat.

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

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

Everett Dobson Officially Elected Chair of the The Jockey Club

Wed, 2025-07-30 12:38

Everett Dobson has officially been elected by the board of stewards to be the next chair of The Jockey Club. Dobson succeeds Stuart Janney, III, who has served as chair of the organization since August of 2015.

“It's a great privilege to follow Stuart as chair of The Jockey Club,” Dobson said. “Stuart has been an integral part of The Jockey Club as we strive to improve Thoroughbred breeding and racing. I will continue with our endeavor to develop initiatives that support and grow the sport.”

Dobson has been a member of The Jockey Club since 2014. He served as a steward from August 2017 through August 2021 and was elected again in 2024. A longtime owner and breeder of Thoroughbreds, the Oklahoma native is owner of Candy Meadows Farm and races under Cheyenne Stables.

He serves on the executive committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and is immediate past chairman of the American Graded Stakes Committee. Dobson also serves as a member of the Breeders' Cup, in addition to being a trustee of the Keeneland Association.

Dobson is the executive chairman of Dobson Fiber, a telecommunications company based in Oklahoma City. He is also an investor in the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder team and serves on its board of directors.

Janney will continue to serve on The Jockey Club's board of stewards.

“It has been an honor to serve as the chair of The Jockey Club these past 10 years,” Janney said. “I could not be more pleased with the accomplishments that have been made in the industry with the support and leadership of The Jockey Club. I have no doubt that, with Everett as chairman, The Jockey Club will continue to pave the way forward for our wonderful sport.”

Dobson will serve as the 11th chair of The Jockey Club since its establishment in 1894.

The remaining stewards are William S. Farish Jr. (vice chair), Ian D. Highet (treasurer), William M. Lear Jr. (secretary), Louis A. Cella, Gary Fenton, Terry Finley, David O'Farrell, Marc Holliday, Stuart S. Janney III, Bret Jones, and Vincent Viola.

The post Everett Dobson Officially Elected Chair of the The Jockey Club appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

1/ST Renames Races in Honor of Lukas, Clement

Wed, 2025-07-30 12:18

Graded races at Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park have been renamed in honor of the late trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Christophe Clement, 1ST, which operates both racetracks, announced Wednesday.

Beginning in 2026, the GII Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita will be renamed the D. Wayne Lukas Stakes, while the GIII La Prevoyante Stakes at Gulfstream Park has been renamed the Christophe Clement Stakes.

“D. Wayne Lukas and Christophe Clement were not just generational horsemen, they were top-class people,” said 1/ST President Aidan Butler. “Santa Anita and Gulfstream were blessed to be their homes for many years. It is an honor to salute them for years to come at our tracks by renaming races that helped launch their success stories.”

Lukas saddled Flack Flack to win the 1980 Santa Monica, then run as a handicap. It was the trainer's first Grade II race at Santa Anita Park and just his ninth graded stakes win since transitioning to Thoroughbreds from Quarter Horses. Lukas would go on to add five more Santa Monica's to his extensive resume with Parsley (1980), Bara Lass (1984), Pine Tree Lane (1987 and 1988) and the Hall of Fame filly Serena's Song (1996).

Only trainer Bob Baffert's seven wins bests Lukas's record in the seven-furlong race, which has been contested since 1957.

Lukas, who began his successful career based at Santa Anita Park in the 1970s-1990s, passed away June 28, less than three months before his 90th birthday.

The 1992 La Prevoyante provided Clement with just the second graded stakes win of his young career when Irish-bred Sardaniya won for His Highness the Aga Khan, coming less than a month after his first graded win at Gulfstream Park.

Currently run at Gulfstream over 1 1/2 miles on the grass for fillies and mares, the 1992 running at Calder was the first of Clement's six wins in the race, followed by Tampoli (1994), Caretta (1998 and 1999), Irish Mission (2014) and Beautiful Lover (2022).

Clement passed away May 24 at age 59.

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Golden Gate Fields Retro Payments Available

Tue, 2025-07-29 16:54

Retro payment checks for racing conducted at Golden Gate Fields from Dec. 26, 2023 through June 9, 2024 are ready for distribution, according to a release from Thoroughbred Owners of California.

The statement read, “As a result of a thorough review, it has been determined that a total of $670,455 was underpaid to the purse account. This resulted in an 8.04% retroactive payment to all participants who earned purse money in overnight races during this period.”

Eligible owners can log into their InCompass Horsemen's accounts to view the exact amount they are entitled to receive.

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Del Mar CAW Change Analysis: ‘Big Step in Right Direction,’ but More Needed to ‘Stabilize’ All Visible Pools

Tue, 2025-07-29 16:14

After growing clamor among horse players about the role that Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW) players had in driving a spate of marked late odds changes at Del Mar this summer, track officials announced Tuesday that starting this Thursday, they would close CAW access to its win pools at two minutes before the off time.

“I'm really pleased. This is a stepping stone to getting things right as it effectively creates a retail only pool, and it stabilizes prices,” said Marshall Gramm, an economics professor at Rhodes College in Tennessee and someone who has studied the effects of CAW teams across the country.

At the same time, more could be done to “stabilize pricing” in all the visible non-win pools at the track, said Gramm.

“But this is certainly going to help things,” Gramm said about Tuesday's announcement. “It's a big step in the right direction.”

The debate around CAW players typically surrounds the major edge they wield over regular gamblers thanks to their use of sophisticated technologies that allow them to precisely read the markets and to place massive wagers across nearly all polls in the final seconds of betting, as well as the attractive rates and rebates offered to them which are unavailable to the average punter.

Since the start of racing this summer at Del Mar, there have been a growing number of examples of drastic late odds changes, many of them circulated on social media by frustrated horseplayers.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) president Josh Rubinstein wrote in Tuesday's press release about the win pool change:

“This is part of an overall effort to ensure an optimal wagering experience for fans on-track, at simulcast locations and those playing via our advanced deposit wagering partners.”

Rubinstein added, “We had taken steps to encourage CAW players to process their win wagers earlier in the cycle, but it has become clear that we need to take additional measures. We will continue to do our best to create a racing and wagering product that appeals to all segments of the horseplayer market.”

Emphasizing how he views Tuesday's announcement as a major net positive for horseplayers, Gramm added how track officials should now take further steps to curb CAW play in the place, show, Exacta and double pools.

As an example, Gramm pinpointed Saturday winner Nanci Griffith, who went from 18-1 while loading to a final price of 6-1.

Analyzing ADW Tote cycles, Gramm found that while about $10,000 was bet on Nanci Griffith before the last cycle in the win pool, some $25,000 came in for the filly after the last cycle, constituting 36% of the total amount wagered on her.

Furthermore, while she jumped from 4.4% to 11.4% in the win pool, “she went from 4.7% to 11.6% in the Exacta, so it wasn't just a win plunge,” said Gramm. “There was an Exacta change. A Double change. And that was fairly typical for these big market movers.”

Gramm's Del Mar analysis follows his recent study of last cycle activity at New York Racing Association's (NYRA) Aqueduct winter meet since 2022.

In that study, Gramm found that the estimated percentage share from CAW players of monies wagered into the Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta and Early Pick 5 pools at the last cycle (now moved to 30 seconds) has increased noticeably since 2022.

He found that the estimated increase in CAW participation in these pools is significantly higher than that seen in the Win, Late Pick Five, and Pick Six pools, for which NYRA has taken tough steps in recent years to curb CAW play.

The largest apparent increase in last cycle money occurred in the Place pool (a 23.2% increase since 2022), and the Show pool (a 22.7% increase since 2022), according to Gramm.

Interestingly, Del Mar's steps to curb CAW access to the win pool at two minutes to post follow steps NYRA had already implemented since 2021. NYRA blocks CAW access to the win pool at three minutes to post.

The TDN recently asked three influential figures from the world of gambling to respond to Gramm's NYRA findings.

They suggested several measures for all tracks to better manage CAW activity, such as incrementally broadening the steps NYRA has already taken in its Win pools to include all visible pools, and cutting the rebates CAW teams receive, so tracks make more on each dollar bet.

Over the last couple of years, Del Mar has been the focus of scrutiny for its pricing policies in terms of the rates it charges individual CAW teams, and the potential impacts from these pricing decisions on the track's pools.

The TDN found that in 2023, Elite 17–one of more than a dozen individual Elite Turf Club players–enjoyed a noticeably more favorable rate than those other players that year.

Owned by The Stronach Group and NYRA (the latter with a 20% non-controlling interest), Elite Turf Club is a CAW wagering platform that makes up a significant portion of Del Mar's handle. But the favorable rate that Elite 17 enjoyed gave the betting breakdown of Elite Turf Club's ledgers that year a lop-sided look.

Indeed, Elite 17's play constituted nearly 47% of Elite Turf Club's total handle on Del Mar in 2023, according to data obtained by TDN. This was no small amount of money–Elite 17 wagered some $53 million on the track alone that year.

And little had changed last year, with Elite 17 still wielding the same lop-sided impact on CAW wagering at the track.

According to 2024 data obtained by the TDN, the amount Elite 17 wagered constituted 46% of the overall handle that Elite Turf Club players placed on Del Mar's product–what amounted to $63.4 million of a total $138.1 million (including Breeders' Cup play in the fall).

Earlier this month, however, Rubinstein told the Paulick Report that “at the request of the TOC (Thoroughbred Owners of California), we have further modified our [CAW] pricing policies for this year.”

The TDN reached out to Del Mar for a response to Gramm's suggestions. A track spokesperson said that it had no comment beyond Tuesday's press release.

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‘Dress Up Because You Are Going to Win;’ Sedburys Ghost Gives Wu First Stakes Victory in Plate Trial

Tue, 2025-07-29 15:29

When Sedburys Ghost (Shaman Ghost) burst from the pack to capture the Plate Trial Stakes at Woodbine a week ago, the gelding gave his owner/breeder Yawen Wu her first stakes victory and has the Canadian engineer dreaming of her first trip to the King's Plate.

After finishing fourth in the 1 1/16-mile GIII Marine Stakes in June, Sedburys Ghost was given just a 7-1 chance to win the Plate Trial at an extra half-furlong July 20. Wu admitted she wasn't sure herself how the strapping chestnut would do in the trial, but trainer Barbara Minshall had enough confidence for all of them.

“I had mixed feelings,” Wu said. “But Barb said, 'Yawen, dress up because you're going to win.' In the Marine Stakes, we thought if he didn't get first, he would get second or third, but he ended up fourth, so we were a little disappointed. But Barb was so confident. She said, 'Sedbury is training well and I have no doubts unless something happened. If everything goes well, he has speed and he has talent and the jockey [Ryan Munger] had been working with him since we started training him.”

Sedburys Ghost traces back to Wu and husband James Mann's first foray into Thoroughbred breeding. The gelding's second dam Bayou Mist (Silver Ghost) was part of a small group of mares the couple acquired in 2007 to stock their newly acquired farm land in Port Perry, Ontario.

“My husband and I, we are both engineers by trade, we have our own company,” Wu said. “So it's not like we've been involved in racing our whole lives. But we both love horses, so we bought the farm land. We bought acres and built the farm from scratch.”

While Thoroughbred racing wasn't originally in the couple's plans for their new farm, the land just happened to be near the historic Windfields Farm, which was in the process of winding down just as they were building up their farm.

“Originally, we thought we would just have horses in general and then we met [Windfields manager] Bernard McCormack and he told us that we had a great setting for broodmares and foaling,” Wu explained. “We are on an island. It's a great piece of land. Very beautiful and quiet. That was almost 20 years ago, but at that time, it was a new barn, custom made, and a big riding arena. Bernard said it would be great, good for the broodmares and the foals and the yearlings.”

Wu and Mann purchased three mares at the 2007 Keeneland January Sale, where they acquired Bayou Mist for $35,000. The mare's 2006 foal was multiple stakes winner Selva (Forest Wildcat), who went on to produce multiple stakes winner Vanzzy (Verrazano).

The couple's initial breeding operation was short-lived when the demands of family and business, where they operate Mann Engineering with a focus on renewable energy, overtook the racing game.

“I had four kids and they were all busy in the school,” Wu recalled. “And our business was also busy. So we took a five-year break. We sold all the horses in the first group that we had bought in Kentucky. All the yearlings we sold with Bernard. He took all our crop back to Kentucky and we sold all the stock. But it was the best decision, I kept Hurricane Mimi. She was the only one I kept.”

Put into training with Ross Armata, Jr., the hard-knocking Hurricane Mimi hit the board in 11 of 28 starts with three wins and earnings of $171,078 before retiring in 2017 and taking up residence at the Mann family's Spirit Run Farm.

Sedburys Ghost is the mare's fourth foal and her fourth winner and, like all of his siblings up to that point, was entered in the yearling sales where he RNA'd for $20,662 in August of 2023.

“I put a reserve at $29,500 and I didn't get him sold,” Wu said. “Bernard asked if I wanted to lower that, and I said, 'No. I am going to keep him and race him.' I didn't want to give him away. I wanted to race him. I was with Barb already, so I asked her if she would train him.”

Sedburys Ghost | Michael Burns Photo

Sedburys Ghost has rewarded that decision, breaking his maiden in his second start last June and returning nearly a year later to add an optional claimer before his traffic-compromised effort in the Marine Stakes. But it was his 1 1/4-length victory in the Plate Trial that has Wu most excited.

“This was my first stakes winner, so I am very excited,” she said. “I was sitting beside Barb and my two daughters. In the beginning, he was in mid-pack, so after the turn, I saw he had a clear lane and he just went and as soon as we saw that, I knew he was going to close. I have never been so excited in my life, actually. I was shaking.”

The family's broodmare band has grown back up to five head, but Wu has decided to forego the sales ring and aim instead for the racetrack.

“I just need a little bit more courage to breed to sell because the Canadian sires have a lower commercial value,” Wu said. “But they are good horses. I have two yearlings right now and I was going to August to sell, but I withdrew them and decided I am going to race them. They have great pedigrees and they are nice looking and good conformation. I just feel like they will have more value to race then to give away.”

One of those racehorses in the pipeline is Hurricane Amelia, a 2-year-old full-sister to Sedburys Ghost, who has been working steadily at Woodbine for Minshall.

“I heard great things about her from Barb,” Wu said of the juvenile. “She says she is very competitive and she reminds her of Sedbury as a yearling. And they look identical. Chestnut with three white socks.”

Hurricane Mimi produced a filly by Souper Speedy this year and was bred back to Tamarkuz.

Wu has plenty of racing to look forward to, but it's the Aug. 16 King's Plate that is the stable's immediate focus.

“I've never been to the King's Plate,” Wu said with a laugh. “I've never been invited. Usually you have a friend or a friend of a friend who has a horse in the King's Plate and they invite you.”

While her daughters are busy googling 'What to wear at the King's Plate,' Wu admitted, “I am nervous. Excited. But also kind of nervous.”

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Five Fastest Maidens, Presented By Taylor Made, For July 21-28

Tue, 2025-07-29 11:09

NOBLE CONFESSOR, SAR, 7/24, 1 3/16 miles (turf) (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 83
(c, 3, by Quality Road–Sweeter Than Wine, by Noble Mission {GB})
O/B-St Elias Stable. T-Todd Pletcher. J-Irad Ortiz Jr.
Prior to his Wednesday wire-to-wire victory on the stretch-out to 9 1/2 furlongs, the Vinny Viola product was a six-race maiden despite losing to Zulu Kingdom by a neck in last September's Grade II Pilgrim Stakes (and blowing past on the gallop-out) then finishing 6th while beaten 2 1/4 lengths in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (the third-best finish by a North American-based runner).

TOMMY JO, SAR, 7/26, 6 furlongs (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 85
(f, 2, by Into Mischief–Mother Mother, by Pioneerof the Nile)
O/B-Spendthrift Farm (Ky). T-Todd Pletcher. J-John Velazquez.
Definitely the most impressive of Pletcher's five 2-year-old first-timers to win at Saratoga thus far in 2025. Tommy Jo dropped 5 lengths back in the opening furlong while collecting her thoughts, and then blew past the competition. The second foal to race for Mother Mother, who won two ungraded stakes for Bob Baffert but was 2nd or 3rd in three Grade I's.

CIVIL LIBERTY, DMR, 7/26, 5 1/2 furlongs (2nd) (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure-87
(c, 2, by Independence Hall–Love and Respect, by Tiznow)
O-Mark Davis and Great Friends Stables. B-St. Simon Place (Ky). T-Doug O'Neill. J-Antonio Fresu.
Bet down to 5-1 for his debut after a string of quick breezes, Civil Liberty had the misfortune of running into a buzzsaw named Brant–but more than held his own with a encouraging runnerup finish. He set fast early fractions under pressure, and still checked in 3 1/2 lengths ahead of the rest of the field.

USHA, DMR, 7/27, 6 1/2 furlongs (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 95
(f, 3, by Tiz the Law–Animal Appeal, by Leroidesanimaux {Brz})
O-Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. B-Elser and Raine (NY). T-Bob Baffert. J-Juan Hernandez.
It would be easy to say this came out of nowhere, with her four previous starts topping out at 67 on the Beyer Speed Figure scale. However, she debuted at 2-5 against Proud Starlet and Thought Process exactly one year earlier then was 7-10 next out versus stablemate Tenma. Usha was always highly regarded, and after nine months on the sidelines she reemerged with a vengeance–and paid $11.80 after an 11 1/2-length romp.

BRANT, DMR, 7/26, 5 1/2 furlongs (1st) (VIDEO)
Beyer Speed Figure- 101
(c, 2, by Gun Runner–Tynan, by Liam's Map)
O-Zedan Racing Stables. B-PTK (Ky). T-Bob Baffert. J-Flavien Prat.
Zedan and agent Donato Lanni shattered the OBS record in March by going to $3 million to bring home this colt after he drilled a furlong in 9 3/5 seconds. The steel-gray Brant rolled past Civil Liberty for a 5 1/4-length score at first asking, and his Beyer was the fastest for a 2-year-old debut since fellow Baffert trainees Speed Boat Beach (104) and Cave Rock (101) at the 2022 Del Mar meet. Zedan named him to honor his friend Peter Brant, a longtime owner who shares his enthusiasm for horse racing, polo, and fine art.

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Pensioned WinStar Stallion Congrats Dies At 25

Tue, 2025-07-29 10:24

Former WinStar stallion Congrats (A.P. Indy–Praise, by Mr. Prospector) passed away Monday at the age of 25. The news was confirmed by Scott Kintz who heads Six K's Training & Sales at Florida's Woodford Thoroughbreds where the pensioned stallion retired in 2021.

A GSW/MGISP son of A.P. Indy, Congrats won the 2005 GII San Pasqual Handicap and earned placings in the GI Santa Anita Handicap and the GI Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap while also finishing fifth behind Roses In May (Devil His Due) in the 2005 G1 Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup. Through a career spanning four years, Congrats earned just shy of seven figures for owner Cloverleaf Farm and trainer Kathleen O'Connell.

Retired to stud in 2007, he initially stood at Cloverleaf's Florida base before moving to Vinery Stud from 2008-12 and eventually winding up at WinStar in 2013 where he stood the bulk of his career before his pensioning to Woodford, formally the site of Cloverleaf Farm, in October 2021. Always a consistent source of winners, Congrats sired 1,552 runners of which 1,293 started and 932 found the winner's circle. His leading progeny include Grade I winners Turbulent Descent, Haveyougoneaway, Emma's Encore and Wickedly Perfect. Notably, as a broodmare sire, daughters of Congrats have produced the likes of Japan's Forever Young (Jpn) (Reel Steel {Jpn}) and Danon Decile (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}).

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Wagering Menu for 166th King’s Plate Feature New ‘King and Queens Pick 3’

Mon, 2025-07-28 17:00

Woodbine Entertainment released the official wagering menu for the 166th running of the $1-million King's Plate, taking place Saturday, Aug. 16 at Woodbine Racetrack.

A total of $1 million in guaranteed Pick 5 pools will anchor the day, the debut of The Kings & Queens Pick 3, a special Pick-3 sequence linking the day's three marquee races.

  • $200,000 bet365 GII King Edward Stakes
  • $750,000 GI E.P. Taylor Stakes – A Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” race
  • $1,000,000 King's Plate

The special Pick-3 will carry a $5 minimum and 15% takeout.

Below is the full list of featured wagers for King's Plate Day:

  • $200,000 Guaranteed Early Pick 5
  • $400,000 Guaranteed Middle Pick 5
  • Power Pick 6 – Mandatory Payout
  • Kings & Queens Pick 3
  • $400,000 Guaranteed Late Pick 5
  • Jackpot Hi-5 – Mandatory Payout

For more information, visit www.woodbine.com.

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Judge Dismisses Fired Hawthorne Vet’s Whistleblower Claims that Alleged Conspiracy to race Unsound Horses

Mon, 2025-07-28 16:39

A judge has dismissed federal claims in a lawsuit filed last year by a former Hawthorne Race Course association veterinarian who alleged that her efforts to scratch over 80 lame or injured Thoroughbreds during 2022-23 were met with a purported conspiracy among track employees, other veterinarians, and state regulators to overturn her actions so unsound horses could be entered to fill short-field races.

Dr. Christine Tuma had also claimed in United States District Court (Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division) that when she reported this alleged conspiracy to state and federal regulators, she was fired “in retaliation for blowing the whistle on the illegal activities.”

Tuma's Sept. 12, 2024, civil complaint centered on the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to try and collect damages.

RICO is a sweeping 1970 federal statute initially designed to combat the Mafia. But RICO has long since lost its “organized crime” stigma, evolving over the decades into a civil litigation component more often asserted by purported victims of white-collar crime.

Hawthorne management had denied the allegations when the complaint first got filed, and last November asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit based on the contention that Tuma's case did not meet the standards for RICO claims and because her allegations fell “well short of alleging conduct of an enterprise or a pattern of racketing.”

In a July 25, 2025, opinion and order, United States District Judge Jeffrey Cummings agreed with Hawthorne and other defendants, dismissing Tuma's federal claims and relinquishing jurisdiction over her remaining state law claims related to the Illinois Whistleblower Act, common law retaliatory discharge, and civil conspiracy.

The judge dismissed Tuma's federal claims “without prejudice,” explaining in the order that Tuma can refile an amended complaint with the federal court by Aug. 15 “to the extent she can do so consistent with this Memorandum Opinion and Order.”

An attorney for Tuma, Haskell Garfinkel, responded to TDN's request for comment with an email that noted that although the judge dismissed some of the claims against Hawthorne and the other defendants on “procedural grounds,” the court made “no finding on the underlying merits of the case or the allegations made by Dr. Tuma.”

Emails sent Monday morning by TDN to two attorneys representing Hawthorne did not yield replies prior to the late-afternoon deadline for this story.

In addition to Hawthorne as a business entity, the Illinois Racing Board (IRB) was named as a defendant in the lawsuit, as were track employees Jim Miller (director of racing), John Walsh (assistant general manager) and Dave White (racing secretary). Other defendants were Dawn Folker-Calderon, the IRB's chief state vet; two state stewards, Thomas Kelley and John Eddy, plus Beth Beuchler, a vet employed by Hawthorne.

Tuma's lawsuit stated that because of the alleged conspiracy, she “suffered loss of income, benefits, career opportunities, humiliation, and emotional distress.”

She sought judgment against the defendants “for actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages [and] treble damages.”

The lawsuit stated that, “It was during the fall meeting in 2022 that Dr. Tuma uncovered the full extent of the illegal running of sick and lame horses. On or around the same time, Dr. Tuma uncovered and began investigating alterations of the medical records of these horses.”

Tuma's complaint stated that, “The entry of these horses into regulated Illinois races was not only a means for the RICO Defendants to induce wagers on horses that were not legally qualified to run, but in numerous instances, the certification of an additional horse in a race allowed the Enterprise to run races that did not meet the legally mandated minimum number of entries required to run a wagered race under Illinois law.”

Over the course of 48 pages, Tuma's complaint detailed how her assessments of horses as “scratch lame” had allegedly been tampered with by Calderon and Beuchler and changed to “racing sound,” the indication that the horse was fit to run, or to the less-severe “scratch sick” designation that is supposed to indicate temporary illness.

When Tuma expressed her concerns about the scratch process to Calderon, she was allegedly told, “This is how it's always done.”

Tuma's lawsuit stated that owners and trainers began to complain about her high number of scratch assessments, including one horseman who allegedly “caused a horse to lurch menacingly at her, threatening grave bodily harm.” Another time, the suit contended, a groom “physically battered her.”

The suit stated that when Tuma reported these alleged incidents of abuse to track officials and the stewards, “only a nominal fine was levied against the perpetrators.”

When Tuma began making a series of complaints to the stewards about the “misclassification of horses as sick from lame,” she was informed by Calderon “that she had been stripped of her authority to scratch horses,” and that a new protocol requiring Beuchler to check her assessments would be in place, the suit stated.

 

On March 20, 2023, Tuma's suit stated that she “delivered a comprehensive whistleblower letter” to the IRB and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA).

The suit continued: “On or around the date Dr. Tuma submitted her comprehensive complaint to the IRB, Miller, who had theretofore never called Dr. Tuma directly on her cell phone, called her a minimum of six times to intimidate her about her lame scratches and to ensure that the maximum number of horses were run.”

Some 3 ½ months later, the suit stated, just 48 hours before HISA personnel were scheduled to visit Hawthorne for an inspection, “Dr. Tuma met with Walsh via Zoom on July 11, 2023, and was informed that she had been terminated based on the pretext that her termination was a cost-cutting measure.”

But the judge's order last Friday stated that, “Tuma's alleged severe emotional distress and harm to her professional reputation is not an injury to business or property for the purposes of a civil RICO claim.”

Cummings wrote that “even presuming that Tuma's loss of her job was an injury to her business or property for civil RICO purposes, she has failed to allege that this injury was directly caused by the alleged racketeering activity.”

The judge continued, focusing on the RICO claims:

“Three out of the four alleged predicate acts have nothing to do with Tuma's termination,” the order stated. “Plaintiff appears to implicitly agree as her Complaint states that the RICO defendants committed wire fraud 'when they agreed to and engaged in a scheme to defraud bettors and regulators' and to 'induce bettors to wager on [the race-ineligible] horses, thereby depriving the bettors of their money and increasing the funds obtained by the Enterprise…'

“The wire fraud as alleged was therefore aimed at defrauding bettors and regulators, not Tuma,” the judge wrote.

“The same goes for the predicate acts of operating an illegal gambling business in violation of federal law and illegal gambling in violation of state law, both of which are premised on the same actions as those described in relation to the wire fraud allegations,” the order stated.

“Tuma fails to establish that these predicate acts directly caused her firing. The Court's conclusion is not a close call. The Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized the importance of a direct relation between the injury asserted and the conduct alleged,” the judge wrote.

“Furthermore, the Court cannot ascertain any group's ascertainable damages here. The Complaint is devoid of information relating to whether (1) people actually placed wagers on the supposedly ineligible horses; (2) the ineligible horses' performance; or (3) the amount of money wagered and lost.

“As it stands, Tuma merely alleges in a conclusory fashion that the defendants' conduct of promoting sick horses to race 'goes well beyond mere disagreements with [her] professional opinions,' and without any support, this does not create an injury,” the order stated.

“Tuma provides two examples of horses she assessed as lame, but that nonetheless raced,” the judge explained. “The horses (Imagine Gold and Dastardly Deeds) finished second and third in their respective races despite Tuma's 'lame' assessment.

“Tuma likens the horses' positive performance to professional athletes 'playing through the pain,' such as Peyton Manning's performance during the Denver Bronco's 2016 Super Bowl win despite neck issues that ultimately required surgery, and Tiger Woods' 2008 U.S. Open win despite a torn ACL and leg stress fractures,” the order stated.

“However, these examples undercut Tuma's Complaint: anyone who bet on the Broncos in the 2016 Super Bowl or on Tiger Woods in the 2008 U.S. Open would have won money and not lost money,” the order stated.

“Moreover, if the Court takes as true-as Tuma alleges-that lame horses such as Imagine Gold and Dastardly Deeds may nonetheless perform well enough to place or show, then it must logically conclude that purportedly 'defrauded' bettors may win money despite placing wagers on ineligible horses,” the order stated.

The judge next addressed Tuma's fourth predicate act, which was premised on alleged actions deemed unlawful by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which makes it a federal offense to knowingly retaliate against anyone for providing truthful information to a law enforcement officer related to the commission or possible commission of any federal offense.

“Again, here, Tuma alleges that she complained of defendants' RICO activity to Dr. Mary Scollay, Chief of Science at the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) on Dec. 4, 2022, who then referred the matter to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA),” the order stated.

“Tuma also delivered a 'comprehensive whistleblower letter' letter to both HISA and the IRB on March 20, 2023, describing: (a) unauthorized modifications to horses' medical records; (b) inappropriate/fraudulent transactions between trainers and veterinarians; and (c) failure to comply with operating protocol and procedure; and 'was explicit' that 'an investigation must ensue,'” the order stated.

“Tuma argues that HISA qualifies as a law enforcement agency because it is authorized to ensure compliance with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. Defendants disagree and argue that HISA merely assists the Federal Trade Commission in its enforcement of [the Act],” the order stated.

“The Court agrees that Tuma's letter to HISA and her complaint to Dr. Scollay at HIWU do not constitute communications 'to a law enforcement officer' for the purposes of establishing a RICO predicate act,” the judge wrote.

“In sum: Tuma's damage-her employment termination (and 'severe emotional distress resulting in physical injuries and harm to her professional reputation,')-does not directly flow from the alleged predicate acts of wire fraud, illegal gambling, and operating an

illegal gambling business. She fails to allege that her injury was directly related to the predicate acts,” the judge's order stated.

 

 

 

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Prominent Owner/Breeder Fipke Breaks New Ground In Japan

Mon, 2025-07-28 16:27

Kana Tape (Jpn), a 6-year-old mare by perennial leading sire Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), gave North American owner/breeder Charles Fipke–one of just a handful of foreign owners to be granted a full-time license in Japan–his first feature-race winner in the country when coming from far back in the final quarter mile to take out the 1600-meter G3 Sekiya Kinen at Niigata Racecourse on Sunday, July 27.

Ridden by the visiting Rachel King to a Tokyo allowance success Feb. 9, the mare–trained by Noriyuki Hori–returned from a 133-day absence to finish runner-up in the 1800-meter G3 Fuchu Himba Stakes back at headquarters on June 22. A tepid post-time favorite at 17-5 with King back in the saddle from gate 14, Kana Tape was void of early speed and raced fourth from last as American import Shin Forever (Complexity) was loose on the lead.

Asked to sprint on the grandstand side with just less than two furlongs to travel, the bay mare entered the final eighth of a mile in full flight and was along in the final couple of strides to score by a neck, covering her final 600 meters in a race-best :32.5 while stopping the clock in a course-record 1:31 flat. Godolphin's Off Trail (GB) (Farhh {GB}) and second choice Bond Girl (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), a daughter of Coasted (Tizway) and half-sister to GSW & MG1SP Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), dead-heated for second.

Kana Tape is a daughter of 2004 GI QE II Challenge Cup and GI American Oaks victress Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), who was purchased by Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida in foal to Giant's Causeway for $950,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale and was exported to Japan.

Fipke, who has shopped the JRHA Select Sale off and on since 2016, acquired Kana Tape for ¥84 million (about US$772,800) at the 2019 Foal Sale and she gave her owner his first winner of any variety in Japan when breaking her maiden at first asking going 1800 meters at Tokyo in January 2022. Sunday's victory took Kana Tape's record to 5-4-3 from 17 starts for earnings of $975,617.

 

WATCH: Charles Fipke's Kana Tape (#14) flashes home in the G3 Sekiya Kinen

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Thistledown Resumes Racing and Horse Breaks Down in First Race Back

Mon, 2025-07-28 16:13

After a couple of lost training days last week because of escalating safety concerns with the dirt surface, racing resumed Monday at Thistledown, but another tragedy was not far behind. In the first race of the day, the 5-year-old mare Tayyara (Khozan) broke down and had to be euthanized. Thistledown canceled the remainder of the eight-race card.

According to a Horseracing Safety and Integrity Authority (HISA) spokesperson, HISA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Lazarus asked Thistledown to cancel after the first race and they agreed to do so. She also asked them to conduct an investigation and be prepared to discuss the results with her so that they can agree on next steps.”

The track was shut down for training as track officials looked to correct whatever problems there may have been. They resumed training on Saturday and Monday's card was the first day back for racing.

Tayyara stalked the pace early, took the lead entering the turn and then broke down in upper stretch. The Equibase chart also noted that Timely Secret (Commissioner) bumped into the distressed rival, Tayyara, and had to be vanned off the track.

It has been a tumultuous week for the Cleveland area track. On July 21, Thistledown fired its track superintendent, Sean Wright, and brought in outside racing surface consultants and began working with HISA. Images began to circulate on social media showing fist-sized rocks that were allegedly picked up from the track by jockeys and horsemen on Monday and Tuesday. Wright told the TDN's TD Thornton that he was fired for being a whistleblower because he took his concerns to HISA and the track stewards.

Wright also told Thornton that there have been eight catastrophic injuries at Thistledown since the meet began Apr. 21–five in races and three during training.

But at least one Thistledown executive was quick to defend the racing surface.

“We did not have problems with the track today by any stretch of the imagination,” said Racing Secretary Patrick Mackey. “We did have a horse that was pulled up in the first race. We're looking at that right now and investigating what happened. From what I was told, the jockeys were raving about the racing surface. We're still looking into everything but every report we've had on the track was positive.”

Mackey said meetings were on-going to decide whether the track will hold its regularly scheduled Tuesday card.

“The jockeys have told me that from their perspective, the track has never been better,” said a Thistledown jockey agent who asked that his name not be used. “With the work they've done on it the last few days the track was in great shape. I know that a horse breaking down in the first race is a bad look, but it's not the track.”

Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association Executive Director Dave Basler was still another who defended the racing surface Monday.

“Obviously, we're concerned,” he said. “We resumed training Saturday morning after not training from Wednesday through Friday last week in order to get the track back in shape. I received nothing but positive reports from everyone about training on Saturday and Sunday. We did not have any concerns going into today. Unfortunately, there was an incident. No decision has been made on where we go from here. Management, the horsemen and the riders were all confident going into the day that the racetrack was safe.”

 

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Marc Holliday, Bret Jones Appointed Stewards of The Jockey Club

Mon, 2025-07-28 15:08

Marc Holliday and Bret Jones have been elected as stewards, according to a Jockey Club release Monday. Additionally, William M. Lear Jr. was reelected Secretary.

The remaining stewards are Stuart S. Janney III (chair), Ian D. Highet (treasurer), William S. Farish Jr. (vice chair), Louis A. Cella, Everett Dobson, Gary Fenton, Terry Finley, David O'Farrell, and Vincent Viola.

Holliday, a member of The Jockey Club since 2022, was elected chairman of the board of directors of the New York Racing Association (NYRA) in December 2021. In his capacity as chairman, Holliday oversees the design and development of the new Belmont Park scheduled to open in 2026. Appointed to the NYRA board in 2014, Holliday has chaired the NYRA Equine Safety Committee since 2015. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of SL Green Realty Corp, which is New York City's largest owner of office properties. An owner and breeder, Holliday operates Blue Devil Racing Stable.

Jones, a member of The Jockey Club since 2023, is the president of Airdrie Stud in Midway, Kentucky. A 2004 graduate of the University of the South (Sewanee) and an alumnus of the Irish National Stud Breeding Course, he has been an official member of the Airdrie Stud team since 2006. Jones has served on the Breeders' Cup board of directors since 2011 and was recently named to the board of directors of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. He also sits on the Keeneland Advisory Board as well as the board of trustees for the University of Kentucky's Markey Cancer Foundation. He formerly served as a commissioner on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission from 2016 to 2020.

 

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Power Play: Fasig-Tipton Digital Buy Malarchuk After ‘Celly’ Out West

Mon, 2025-07-28 15:02

Dubbed a 'celly' in hockey parlance–short for the celebration that comes after a goal–the Thoroughbred version takes place in the winner's circle where power plays and fist pumps are also welcome.

For those investors looking to ride the nearest glass elevator by punching the button that reads 'Up and Out', logging on the Fasig-Tipton Digital platform is one way to pursue a creditable Horse of Racing Age on the make.

Fasig-Tipton's July auction, which just wrapped online a week ago, once again offered potential owners the chance to win now and not wait till later. A racing prospect who was the second-highest return during the event is a case in point.

Four-year-old Malarchuk (Nyquist)–named after Clint Malarchuk, the NHL goalie who survived having his carotid artery severed during a game in 1989–was offered by owners Richard Schermerhorn, Jeff Drown and Michael J. Ryan. Trained and consigned by Chad Brown, the colt cleared a pair of optional claimers at Saratoga June 6 and July 12. It was Reddam Racing and ERJ Racing who paired to win the war of clicks by going to $525,000.

The man behind ERJ and doing the bidding online as the seconds ticked down on Malarchuk was professional hockey player & Stanley Cup champion Erik Johnson.

He said he has found Fasig-Tipton's platform to be incredibly easy to use. Since his partner Paul Reddam had not delved too much into the format it was Johnson who took the lead when it came to upping the ante.

Nyquist | Sarah Andrew

“It's a great platform Fasig-Tipton has built and what they do is hand bidders everything they need to make informed decisions because it is all there in front of you,” said Johnson. “Paul and I have partnered on some 2-year-olds in the past, but we just did not have much in the way of luck, so when Malarchuk came up we were very interested especially since he is by Nyquist (by Uncle Mo).”

Of course, the NHL has served as an inspiration for Reddam before when he named his GI Kentucky Derby winner after a Detroit 'Hockeytown' star. The colt began his racing career by rattling off eight wins in a row which was capped by the score under the Twin Spires in 2016. Now, Nyquist stands at Darley America.

Nyquist's ability has translated very well to his offspring,” the NHL defenseman said. “As a sire you are seeing versatile runners have success like Gosger, Randomized and Nysos, so we knew that Malarchuk being on the improve was something we wanted to get in on. His figures are strong and he's from a deep family.”

According to Johnson, Fasig-Tipton's digital platform countdown mirrors the clock in a hockey game with overtime as a prospect. The NHL star added that he is used to the challenges of managing time.

“You have to be ready to shoot out a bid when it gets tight after multiple days of watching,” he said. “I actually entered $510,000, but the increments go up when you are over half a million by $25,000, so Paul was teasing me that I actually owe him $15,000. When Malarchuk wins at Del Mar, I will make sure to pay him back.”

Colorado Avalache's star Erik Johnson hoists the Stanley Cup at Del Mar in 2022 | Benoit

Their purchase has left Chad Brown's base upstate and is already in the capable California hands of new trainer Michael McCarthy. Johnson says that the plan is point to the GI Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar Aug. 30 where Malarchuk could potentially meet new stablemate Journalism (Curlin) and also 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos in what is tabbed as a 'Win and You're In' race for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Those big names do not phase Johnson one bit.

“In any sport you want to beat the best and it's shaping up to be a great race with Journalism and Nysos potentially being in there,” Johnson said. “It's a privilege to be able to compete against such quality horses. We are excited to see how our new acquisition will stack up.”

Reddam and ERJ won the war of clicks for Malarchuk during the Fasig-Tipton's July Digital Sale and now they are after an even bigger 'celly' with a month to go until the Pacific Classic. A fist pump in that winner's circle would definitely be in order.

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‘Rising Star’ Dazzle d’Oro Euthanized after Catastrophic Training Injury

Mon, 2025-07-28 11:12

'TDN Rising Star' Dazzle d'Oro (Bolt d'Oro) sustained a catastrophic training injury Monday morning, and had to be euthanized, trainer Tom Amoss announced via X.

According to the tweet, the colt received immediate attention and was sent to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital about a mile from Saratoga, but due to the severity of the injury had to be humanely euthanized to prevent further suffering.

The son of Bolt d'Oro earned the nod from the TDN after a sterling debut at Churchill Downs June 29 when he took a field gate to wire and completed his six-furlong journey just .04 slower than Romeo (Honor A.P.) did when he won the Listed Bashford Manor in stakes-record time later on the same card. Dazzle d'Oro had been entered for Saturday's GII Saratoga Special Stakes.

“I want to thank the track staff, the veterinarians, and the hospital staff for the immediate care and attention Dazzle received,” Amoss said in the post. “Everyone in our barn feels a deep loss & our thoughts and prayers are with the owners and all who worked with him.”

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