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The Dubai World Cup card this year falls a week later than is traditionally the case, a development driven by the dates of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which comes to an end with Eid al-Fitr expected to fall Sunday evening (March 30). 

California-based conditioner Doug O'Neill will send out grade 1 winner Raging Torrent in an attempt to win the Godolphin Mile (G2) April 5, for the third time in his career and the second time in succession.

During its annual review of the graded and listed stakes races in Canada, the graded stakes committee for The Jockey Club of Canada decided to downgrade the standing of three stakes for 2025.

NBC Sports will continue to present the Breeders' Cup World Championships on NBC, Peacock, and USA Network through 2030, as Breeders' Cup and NBC Sports announced a multi-year extension of their partnership March 26 .

Coolmore Australia have announced that Derby winner City of Troy will shuttle to their Jerrys Plains-based farm for the 2025 Southern Hemisphere breeding season, where he will stand for an opening fee of AU$49,500 (£24,300/€30,000).

Mauritzfontein, who own the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred Gimme A Nother, will be offering buyers a chance to find the next Gimme A Nother when they bring a classy draft to the 2025 National Yearling Sale, April 10-11.

Fast-improving sophomores Cornucopian, Disruptor, Tappan Street try top Kentucky Derby (G1) prep races, the Arkansas Derby (G1) and the Florida Derby (G1).

It was Thornton's first grade 2 win and first graded stakes win since 2011 when he won the Stars and Stripes (G3) at Arlington Park. The win was over a field that included Sierra Leone making his first start since the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

A class drop and an opportunity to race a shorter distance suggest FMQ Stables' Saudi Crown will be a force in the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile Stakes (G3) March 29 at Oaklawn Park.

Bryce Miller, a San Diego Union-Tribune writer who earned a media Eclipse Award in 2019, died March 22. He was 56.

This week's schedule of racing on radio and television, compiled by America's Best Racing.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and Godolphin have secured the riding services of Manny Franco for Sovereignty's highly anticipated start in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) March 29 at Gulfstream Park.

White Abarrio returns after winning the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park in the Ghostzapper Stakes (G3) there March 29.

Dual group 1-winning mare Emily Upjohn has been sold to Northern Farm and will relocate to Japan later this year.

On the second and final day of the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale March 25, a colt from the first Southern Hemisphere crop of former champion European juvenile Pinatubo topped the sale when selling for AU$290,000 (US$182,700).

Trainer Bill Mott was not surprised Sovereignty was made the 8-5 favorite for the March 29 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. "I guess it's a good thing we've shown we can run over the (Gulfstream) track," he said.

With the March 24 rule change by the BHA, any horse in the future remaining as a race's lone starter will now be declared the winner without having to set foot on the racecourse. 

Valvoline Global Operations, a provider of automotive and industrial solutions, is the new sponsor of Keeneland's $400,000 GII Shakertown Stakes to be held opening Saturday of the 2025 Spring meet, the racetrack said via a press release on Wednesday.

“Keeneland is pleased to welcome Valvoline Global to our team of stakes sponsors, whose participation enables us to continually elevate our world-class racing program,” Keeneland Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Christa Marrillia said. “As Lexington-based companies, Keeneland and Valvoline Global share a commitment to the community, and we thank them for their support of Thoroughbred racing.”

“For more than 150 years, Valvoline Global has been dedicated to driving innovation and excellence–on and off the road,” said Valvoline Global's Chief Brand Officer Rob Kenny. “We are proud to partner with Keeneland, uniting our mutual passion for horsepower and community.”

The Valvoline Global Shakertown is a 5 1/2-furlong turf race for 3-year-olds and up. First run in 1997, the race is named for America's largest and completely restored Shaker community and living museum located 25 miles southwest of Lexington.

The post Valvoline Global To Sponsor Keeneland’s Grade II Shakertown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

When he has the right horse to do so, California-based conditioner Doug O'Neill isn't the smallest bit hesitant to showcase them on the foreign stage. On Apr. 5, the 56-year-old will send out Grade I winner Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief) in an attempt to win the G2 Godolphin Mile for the third time in his career and the second time in succession.

“It's a real honor to have a horse that's classy enough to travel to meetings like this,” said O'Neill, a two-time winner of the GI Kentucky Derby whose success overseas includes an upset victory with one-time claiming horse Fleetstreet Dancer (Smart Strike) in the Japan Cup Dirt in 2003. “It's great for the whole crew and the owners, so I'm just grateful to be working alongside an equine athlete that's so gifted and so classy to take us to a race like this.”

A $75,000 purchase out of the 2023 OBS April Sale, having failed to meet his reserve at $27,000 at Keeneland September prior to that, the bay colt was an impressive debut winner at Del Mar two summers ago, but his true coming-out party happened around this time last year at Churchill Downs when he won a seven-furlong allowance race by a wide margin in slick time.

“He's always been very impressive since he's been out and running, but that race at Churchill was like, 'whoa, OK,'” he said. “To travel away from his home base and to run that sort of race, we knew we were on to something. That's when we decided we might have something pretty special.”

 

 

RAGING TORRENT ($19.32) had some place to be and that place was the winner's circle in @ChurchillDowns Race 13! He sprinted away from the field under @Antonio1Fresu for trainer @DougONeill1. He's a 3yo by @spendthriftfarm's Maximus Mischief!

Last race: https://t.co/Ufc0tno7Rp pic.twitter.com/iW7dymItzf

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) May 5, 2024

 

Two races later, Raging Torrent found himself lining up against the mighty The Chosen Vron (Vronsky), arguably the best California-bred sprinter of all time, in the GII Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar. After laying down strong fractions up front, Raging Torrent was headed by his older rival with time ticking away, but he battled back tenaciously to win by a neck to punch his ticket to the Breeders' Cup.

“That was a pretty special race because The Chosen Vron is a legend,” said O'Neill. “Horses eyeball him and typically back up, but Raging Torrent really showed how tough he is that day.”

Only seventh to recent G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint hero and Eclipse Award winner Straight No Chaser (Speightster) in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, Raging Torrent had the services of one Frankie Dettori for the first time in the GI Malibu Stakes and easily validated 12-5 favoritism in that traditional Boxing Day feature.

“We circled the Godolphin Mile after the Malibu,” said O'Neill, who will look to make it back-to-back wins in the Mile after Two Rivers Over–a son of fellow Godolphin Mile hero Tamarkuz–ran down Walk of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the shadow of the post 12 months ago.

O'Neill, whose other Mile success came with Spring At Last (Silver Deputy) in 2007, is counting his blessings to have a jockey in the irons who knows his way around Meydan.

“Having Frankie in the saddle, arguably one of the best of all time, it's a great asset,” said O'Neill. “He knows him well, he's worked him and won on him so it's definitely a big plus.”

Raging Torrent turned in his most serious piece of work at O'Neill's Santa Anita base on Mar. 9, going six furlongs in a stiff 1:12.20. He's since had a couple of easier maintenance moves, but the trainer said the colt is sitting on ready and has taken the long trip from California to Dubai in his stride.

“Yeah, he shipped great, his appetite has been really good and his energy level is excellent as well according to my staff, so it's so far, so good,” he commented.

And while a look at his early form shows that Raging Torrent struggled with distances up to a mile and a bit farther, O'Neill said next weekend's trip holds no concerns.

“Not at all, I think the one-turn mile is the key,” he said. “He's got tons of stamina. He's a little more precocious than [Spring at Last and Two Rivers Over], who were two wonderful horses, but he's got that six-furlong sort of speed and he can stay a mile. He checks all the boxes and now we just need to stay injury-free between now and the race.”

O'Neill said Raging Torrent would get a bit of a leg-stretch this coming weekend and he will be at Meydan to oversee final preparations from Apr. 3.

The post O’Neill Looking For More Smiles In Godolphin Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

Resolved ADMC Violations
Date: 03/25/2025
Licensee: Collin Maragh, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on Mar. 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. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Lidocaine–Controlled Medication (Class B)–in a sample taken from Cajun's Cookin, who finished second at Gulfstream Park on 2/14/25.

Date: 03/25/2025
Licensee: John Toscano, trainer
Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on Mar. 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 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of DMSO–Controlled Medication (Class C)–in a sample taken from Mr. Mendelssohn, who finished second at Turf Paradise on 1/25/25.

Date: 03/24/2025
Licensee: Michael Zalalas, trainer
Penalty: 30-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person pursuant to ADMC Program Rule 3323, with credit given for the 36-day suspension served, which was issued by the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission in connection with these violations; 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 $2,500. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violations for an intra-articular injection within 14 days of a post-time on ATM Awesome on 9/1/23; and Secret Spell on 3/14/24.

Date: 03/21/2025
Licensee: Carlos Rondon-Mora, trainer
Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on Mar. 22, 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 by HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Tramadol- Controlled Medication (Class B)–in a sample taken from Marvelous Lady, who won at Tampa Bay on 12/6/24.

Date: 03/21/2025
Licensee: Salvador Soto, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horses' 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 per violation, for a total fine of $1,500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points per violation, for a total of 4.5 Penalty Points. Treated as one violation. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violations for the presence of Methocarbamol, Phenylbutazone and Dexamethasone–all controlled substances (Class C)–in samples taken from Geebeesbigboy, who finished fourth at Zia Park on 12/2/24, and from Stormy Dame, who won at Zia Park on 12/9/24.

Date: 03/20/2025
Licensee: Fernando Ferreira, trainer
Penalty: 60-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on Mar. 21, 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 $5,000. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violations for an Intra-Articular Injection Within Fourteen (14) days of a Post-Time on Nice Weather on 10/25/23; on Dance a Little Jig on 10/26/23; and Spikes Shirl on 11/3/23.

Date: 03/20/2025
Licensee: Thomas Pierce Jr., trainer
Penalty: 2-year period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on Mar. 21, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results obtained on 09/02/24 and 09/29/24, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $25,000. Final decision by HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Clenbuterol–a banned substance except in certain circumstances–in a sample taken from Angel's Shadows, who won at Albuquerque on 9/2/24.

Pending ADMC Violations
03/26/2025, James Nicholson Jr., trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a controlled substance (Class B)–in a sample taken from Midnight Getaway on 2/20/25.

03/24/2025, Wayne Catalano, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a controlled substance (Class B)–in a sample taken from Jimmy the Hat on 2/25/25.

03/21/2025, Kasey Ray Kemper, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a controlled substance (Class C)–in a sample taken from El Siete Leguas on 2/24/25.

03/21/2025, Bill McLean, trainer: Pending vets' list medication violation for the presence of Acepromazine–a controlled substance (Class B)–in a sample taken from Mo Town Gal on 2/20/25.

Violations of Crop Rule
Penn National
Jordano Joel Tunon–violation date Mar. 20; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Turf Paradise
Harry Hernandez–violation date Mar. 20; $500 fine, two-day suspension
Francisco Garcia–violation date Mar. 20; $750 fine, three-day suspension

The post Weekly National Regulatory Rulings, Mar. 20-26 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.