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Fresh off a second-place performance over course and distance in the Untapable S. Dec. 23, West Omaha managed to do one better and pick up an additional 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Saturday with her win in the Silverbulletday S. With a total of 30 points, the homebred daughter of Gary and Mary West's young stallion West Coast now sits second behind GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Just F Y I (Justify) on the 2024 Oaks leaderboard.

Never favored in any of her three prior starts, West Omaha finally earned the nod Saturday, breaking at 4-5 from the middle of the gate under Luis Saez. Despite lunging to the inside in her opening stride, the favorite quickly had her feet under her and was part of the speed into the first turn. Sitting just off pacesetters Accommodate Eva (Munnings) and Miss Code West (Code West), she tracked that pair while two wide up the backstretch through a half in :48.84. Given the cue from Saez midway around the turn, West Omaha responded readily and was up to challenge three wide as the top group swung into the stretch. With plenty of clear running room ahead of her into the final furlong, she kicked clear for home, leaving Perfect Shot to chase her to the wire while staying well clear for the win.

From the extended family of GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner and late sire Tapizar (Tapit), West Omaha is the fourth stakes winner for Lane's End-based stallion West Coast and the third winner from as many to run for her dam. Birthday Bash has a 2-year-old Bernardini filly in the pipeline and produced a filly by Lookin At Lucky last year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The favorite #6 WEST OMAHA ($3.80) was dominate in the $150,000 SIlverbulletday Stakes at the Fair Grounds. The daughter of West Coast earns 20 points on the road to the Kentucky Oaks. Luis Saez was in the irons for @bradcoxracing. Congrats to all the connections! pic.twitter.com/fQgH8W6buB

— TVG (@TVG) January 20, 2024

SILVERBULLETDAY S. PRESENTED BY FASIG-TIPTON, $145,500, Fair Grounds, 1-20, 3yo, f, 1m 70y, 1:43.48, ft.
1–WEST OMAHA, 122, f, 3, by West Coast
                1st Dam: Birthday Bash, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Twisted Tale, by Tale of the Cat
                3rd Dam: Call Now, by Wild Again
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY);
T-Brad H. Cox; J-Luis Saez. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0,
$203,000.
2–Perfect Shot, 122, f, 3, Gun Runner–Meister Legend, by
Bodemeister. ($135,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN; $285,000 Ylg '22
FTSAUG). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC; B-Sierra
Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $30,000.
3–Sistina Chapel, 122, f, 3, Liam's Map–Addae Do Jaguarete
(Brz), by Crimson Tide (Ire). O/B-Brownwood Farm (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $15,000.
Margins: 5, 1HF, HD. Odds: 0.90, 2.00, 8.60.
Also Ran: Miss Code West, Accommodate Eva, Noriskit Nobiscuit. Scratched: Ma Rae's Girl, Play Good Pay Good.

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'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 (2/52) Saturday morning at the Fair Grounds in preparation for next Saturday's $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park. The 4-year-old colt, who was put through his paces by exercise rider Kevin Perez, was clocked in 1:13.60 for six furlongs, according to trainer Brad Cox.

“He's been doing very well week after week,” Cox said of the Godolphin homebred, a latest second to the re-opposing Trademark (Upstart) in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 24. “We're excited about giving him a shot at a Grade I. We weren't looking for anything really different than he'd done the last few weeks. We were just giving him an opportunity to go out there and stretch his legs, see how he's doing. And he's telling us he's doing as well as he ever has.”

First Mission is due to arrive at Gulfstream Monday afternoon. Luis Saez retains the mount.

The Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained duo of GIII Harlan's Holiday S. hero O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman) and Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) got their final tune-ups during half-mile breezes up at Palm Meadows Saturday morning. Working on his own, O'Connor was timed in :48.55, while GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile runner-up Skippylongstocking went in the company of the stakes-winning Swirvin (Girvin) and was clocked in :47.55.

Dynamic One (Union Rags), Crupi (Curlin) and Harlan's Holiday runner-up Grand Aspen (Dialed In) each turned in drills at Palm Beach Downs for trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning. Dynamic One and Crupi went in company, with Crupi going in :48.29 and Dynamic One :48.39. Dynamic One, who was equipped with blinkers for the first time, started two lengths ahead of Crupi, who finished the breeze 1 1/2 lengths behind his stablemate, who was ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. Grand Aspen went the same distance in :49.13.

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Having already lost the live racing program Saturday to wintry weather conditions, officials from the Maryland Jockey Club has also cancelled live racing for Sunday.

The next scheduled program is Friday, Jan. 26, which is set to featuer the $100,000 What a Summer S. and the $100,000 Fire Plug S., each of which was originally programmed for the Jan. 20 card.

The season's first 3-year-old stakes will take place next Saturday, Jan. 27, with the running of the $100,000 Xtra Heat S. for fillies and the Spectacular Bid S. for males.

The Jennings S. and Geisha S., each restricted to Maryland-breds and offering prize money of $75,000, will be brought back for Sunday, Jan. 28.

Laurel, Pimlico Race Course, Rosecroft Raceway and the MJC OTB network will remain open for simulcasting Sunday.

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Edited Press Release

The Board of Directors of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) held its first meeting of 2024 on Friday, Jan. 19. The newly seated board unanimously elected Dr. Scott Ahlschwede, D.V.M., to serve as Board President through 2026.

Current NYTB director Seth Gregory, owner of Innisfree Farm and Seth Gregory Bloodstock, was elected to the office of Vice President. The board also elected Lere Visagie, owner of Rockridge Stud, to serve as Secretary-Treasurer.

Dr. Ahlschwede is a shareholder veterinarian with Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and owner of River Valley Farm. He has previously served as an NYTB director since 2016 and succeeds Thomas J. Gallo, III, managing partner of Dream Maker Racing Stable, Thomas J. Gallo, III Sales Agency, and owner of Blue Stone Farm, who previously served as NYTB President since 2015.

“On behalf of our board of directors and membership, I want to thank Tom for his leadership of NYTB and am thankful he will remain a part of the board with his institutional knowledge and experience,” said Dr. Ahlschwede. “As President, I want to ensure we continue to increase and promote the benefits of breeding and foaling in New York with our fellow stakeholders as we work to sustain the Thoroughbred industry in New York and nationwide.”

“I am proud of the work our organization has accomplished under my tenure as President. I look forward to continue working with Scott and our newly elected officers to ensure NYTB remains the unified voice of Thoroughbred breeders in the state,” said Gallo.

The 2024 NYTB Officers and Board of Directors for 2024 is as follows:

Officers:

• Dr. Scott Ahlschwede, D.V.M., shareholder with Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and owner of River Valley Farm, President

• Seth Gregory, owner, Innisfree Farm and Seth Gregory Bloodstock, Vice President

• Lere Visagie, owner, Rockridge Stud, Secretary/Treasurer

Directors: H. James Bond, Rick Burke, Lois Engel, Thomas J. Gallo, III, Michael Lischin, Vivien Malloy, Jane McMahon, Mallory Mort

Directors Emeritus: Chester Broman, Suzie O'Cain, Joanne Nielsen

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Disarm (c, 4, Gun Runner–Easy Tap, by Tapit), sidelined since finishing a closing second behind Arcangelo (Arrogate) in the GI Travers S. at Saratoga Aug. 26, has returned to training with Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen at the Fair Grounds.

A respectable fourth at 27-1 in the GI Kentucky Derby, last term's GIII Matt Winn S. winner and GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby runner-up exited his second-place finish in the Travers with bone bruising, per David Fiske, longtime advisor to owner/breeder Ron Winchell.

“He was walking visibly off after the Travers,” Fiske said. “Got him back to the barn and whipped out the X-ray machine. We were all standing there looking at the X-rays and everybody looked at one another and went, 'Do you see anything? I don't see anything.' So, that was a big relief that it wasn't anything more serious. We got him down to Lexington and he was diagnosed with some bone bruising.”

He added, “We weren't gonna make any significant races at the end of the year, so we said, 'Let's just give him as much time off as he needs.'”

Following approximately nine weeks of recommended downtime, a positron emission tomography (PET) scan revealed that Disarm still “had some spots that lit up on him” and he was given an additional 30 days off before returning to training.

The 'TDN Rising Star' now has a pair of four-furlong breezes under his belt since returning to the worktab in New Orleans, stopping the clock in :53.80 (42/43) Jan. 8 and :50.80 (18/26) Jan. 18, respectively.

“We gave him some extra time and now he's back,” Fiske said. “He looks great, travels great and has always been a great-looking horse. Hopefully, we can make some noise with him this year.”

Disarm recorded four straight triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures last year, beginning with his aforementioned effort on the first Saturday in May. He earned a career-high 103 Beyer over a muddy surface in the Travers, his first career start racing with blinkers. The handsome chestnut has posted a record of 9-2-3-2 and career earnings of $1,000,200.

While acknowledging that it's still very early days, Fiske said that this summer's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga, a race won by his leading sire in 2017, could be in play for the Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred.

“Given the level at which he ran last year, if he can get back to that, then you'd expect to see him in some of the bigger or biggest races around,” Fiske said. “It would be kinda cool if we could get him cranked up for the Whitney, but that's a long way off. We're gonna need to get some more works. He's still pretty early stages.”

One of nine 'Rising Stars' for Gun Runner, Disarm is a half-brother to Venezuelan champion stayer Tap Daddy (Scat Daddy), who was also a stakes winner and graded-stakes placed on these shores. Disarm's dam Easy Tap, a $300,000 FTKJUL yearling purchase, won one of five career starts.

The Gun Runner over Tapit cross, two of the best to ever carry the maroon-and-white Winchell silks, is already off to a flying start via GI Cotillion S. heroine Society; MGSW and GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint third Wicked Halo; GSW & GISP Red Route One; and GSW & GISP Il Miracolo.

#DISARM 1/8 @fairgroundsnola
1st recorded work since Travers S. @Saratogaraces1 https://t.co/cxU56fDwj5 pic.twitter.com/LZ3pgrXTcs

— DJFiske (@DJFiske) January 8, 2024

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Tom Sage, the executive director of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, will retire Mar. 12, the organization said in a statement which was first reported on Friday by the Lincoln Journal Star.

As the executive director of the Nebraska Racing Commission since 2008, Sage added oversight of casino gambling after voters approved a petition to allow casinos at the state's horse racing tracks in November 2020. He oversaw a staff that began with a single member to now having over two dozen employees.

Sage's career in horse racing began as a security officer in 1988 at Omaha's Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack. He graduated in 1991 from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a B.S. in criminal justice and started as an investigator for the Nebraska Racing Commission in 1993.

After graduating in 1995 from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center, Sage became the commission's director of investigations in 2003. He was an instrumental board member for the Organization of Racing Investigators and currently is serving out his term as the chairman of the board of the Association of Racing Commissioners International.

In the Lincoln Journal Star article, Nebraska commissioner Tony Fulton called Sage a “good man” who is hard-working and diligent, and took on the task of regulating casino gambling in the state with vigor.

“This has been a very heavy lift, and he's done an admirable job,” Fulton said.

The commission also voted Friday to make Casey Ricketts, its current director of compliance, the interim executive director.

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Gold Square LLC's Drum Roll Please (Hard Spun), an individual betting interest in this weekend's Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3, was injured in a Friday workout and has been removed from the Triple Crown trail. Daily Racing Form was the first with the news.

Winner of the Jan. 6 Jerome S. under jockey Javier Castellano for trainer Brad Cox, Drum Roll Please reportedly sustained a sesamoid fracture in his left hind ankle during the Belmont Park work. It is believed the chestnut will undergo surgery and require approximately three months to recover before he is able to resume training.

In addition to his Jerome win, Drum Roll Please was third behind Dornoch (Good Magic) and Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) in the GII Remsen S. in December. His next target was reportedly the Feb. 3 GIII Withers S.

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Like one of those old split-flap mechanical signs at train stations, everyone knows that in the new year the 'Run for the Roses' leaderboard will fluctuate. Week-to-week, the top points begin to compound–from 20 to the winner Saturday and going as high as 100 to the winner come April.

The trail to Derby 150 begins a much steeper ascent on Saturday at Fair Grounds in New Orleans as the GIII Lecomte S. offers 3-year-old colts 20-10-6-4-2 that can be applied to Bank of Churchill.

This year's edition pits a field of eight against one another with the central question being: what happened to Nash (Medaglia d'Oro) in the December running of the Gun Runner S.?

The heavy favorite was unable to build on his Nov. 12 'TDN Rising Star' performance under the Twin Spires at second asking when he powered to the lead, torched a field of maidens by 10 1/4 lengths and posted a 97 Beyer for trainer Brad Cox.

The race shape in the Gun Runner was nothing of the sort for the Godolphin homebred, as he was forced to watch Track Phantom (Quality Road) take control towards the end of the backstretch and never relinquish the lead.

Track Phantom (center) with Nash (along the rail) | Hodges Photography/Amanda Hodges Weir

“It was great to see him [Track Phantom] win the race against a talented field, but especially with going as fast as they did early and showing enough quality to still respond,” said the winner's trainer Steve Asmussen. “I love how he's doing, very happy with him and how he's trained since the Gun Runner. I feel good about the draw and excited to run him again. Past success from there so we'll see what we can do.”

Of course, the pair will have others to contend with in this spot and chief among them is Lat Long (Liam's Map). The dark bay trained by Ken McPeek was never out of the money in all five of his juvenile starts against maiden special weight company starting at Churchill back in September. Facing the likes of GSW Dornoch (Good Magic) and Track Phantom himself, Lat Long broke through at Oaklawn Dec. 17 against his stablemate and next-out winner Common Defense (Karakontie {Jpn}).

“[Lat Long] has been a horse who is still trying to figure it out a bit,” McPeek said. “He's not all there yet. But we're going to try him at a higher level and see how he handles tougher company.”

Also after points is Can Group (Good Samaritan), who was last seen running fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita for trainer Mark Casse. Joining him will be two more Cox runners in Ethan Energy (Uncle Mo), who broke his maiden by 5 1/4 lengths at second asking over this surface Dec. 23, and Awesome Road (Quality Road). Bred by Claiborne Farm, the latter was a $600,000 Keeneland September purchase by Albaugh Family Stables and Donegal Racing.

Preceding the Lecomte is the GIII Louisiana S. for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16th on the main track. This race marks the return of Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming). Now a 4-year-old, the gray debuted a winner by 4 3/4 lengths at Keeneland last April, then won against allowance company at Churchill Downs a month later.

Saudi Crown | Sarah Andrew

Finishing over the summer as the runner-up by a nose in the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park and in the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga, the Brad Cox trainee set the pace en route to the winner's circle in the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx in September. A popular pick in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, the colt finished a well-beaten 10th to close out his year.

“I'm not treating it like he has to be on the lead,” Cox said. “He's a smart horse. He's capable of sitting off. When he broke his maiden, he sat off horses. I really don't think he has to be on the lead. It probably will be a situation where he will have to take a breath at some point, you can't just run all-out throughout.”

After Cox watched Saudi Crown drill five furlongs behind Nash Jan. 13 (1:00.20, 3/51), the trainer said, “It didn't quite set up as well as we expected. There were other horses out there and we got caught up with a little more company than we wanted. I was very, very happy with the breeze. He was a little wide through the lane and around the turn. Plenty fit. He had a good work the week before last. We just wanted him to cruise along the other day and he did. I think he's set up for a big spot.”

Opposing him in New Orleans are a number of seasoned challengers looking to set the tone for their own campaigns. Smile Happy (Runhappy) has not been seen since he ran fifth in the GI Stephen Foster S. at Ellis Park in July. The 'TDN Rising Star' has a resume which includes a pair of Grade II wins in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. as a juvenile and in last year's Alysheba S.–both at Churchill Downs.

Making the gate is deep closer GSW Red Route One (Gun Runner), defending winner and GISP Happy American (Runhappy) and GII Rebel S. hero Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}).

Swinging out to Santa Anita Park on Saturday afternoon, the GIII La Canada S. has MGSW Midnight Memories (Mastery) taking on MGISP Desert Dawn (Cupid). The last time these two met as 4-year-old fillies in the GIII Bayakoa S. at Los Alamitos Dec. 15, it was Midnight Memories who got the best of her rival by a length. Favored at 6-5 on the morning line, the Bob Baffert trainee will also have to contend with, among others, GISP Musical Mischief (Into Mischief) and Coffee in Bed (Curlin).

The post ‘Rising Star’ Nash Faces Track Phantom In Lecomte Rematch Headlining Saturday Graded Races appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) canceled live racing on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack, as well as morning training at Belmont Park, due to arctic temperatures forecast to impact the New York metropolitan throughout the day, the organization said in a release Friday afternoon.

Aqueduct Racetrack will remain open for simulcasting on Saturday and online wagering is available through the NYRA Bets website. Saturday's featured race, the Listed $150,000 Interborough S., will be brought back Saturday, Jan. 27 with entries to be taken Wednesday, Jan. 24.

Live racing is scheduled to resume on Sunday with a nine-race card featuring the $100,000 Rego Park S. First post is 12:20 p.m. ET.

Shortly thereafter, poor weather conditions due to the ongoing winter storm in the Mid-Atlantic region caused the Maryland Jockey Club to cancel Saturday's 10-race program at Laurel Park, the club said in a Friday release.

Laurel, Pimlico Race Course, Rosecroft Raceway and the MJC OTB network will remain open Saturday for simulcasting. Live racing is scheduled to resume Sunday at Laurel with a 12:25 p.m. first post.

Earlier on Friday, the Maryland Jockey Club was forced to cancel the day's racing slate since conditions had deteriorated because of the storm.

Several tracks, including Oaklawn Park and Turfway Park, were forced to cancel their weekend programs due to inclement weather.

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Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), who stands at Godolphin's Darley division in Lexington, Kentucky, sired a filly Jan. 18–his first reported foal–for breeder Airdrie Stud, the stallion's farm said in a release Friday afternoon.

The new filly is out of the Upstart mare Gratz Park, who is a half-sister to GSW Rich Mommy (Algorithms).

“We are overjoyed to see such a nice first foal by Speakers Corner out of the Upstart mare Gratz Park,” said Ben Henley, Airdrie's General Manager. “She has a ton of quality and within a few hours of being born was running laps around the stall!”

Speaker's Corner's top-level wins included the GI Carter H. in which he earned a 114 Beyer. Only Flightline (Tapit) ran a better number over the past four years.

In addition, his 109 Beyer as a 3-year-old matched the highest number out of the trio of 2021 sophomore finalists for Eclipse Award honors.

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Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be in attendance as the official charity for the 53rd Eclipse Awards Jan. 25 at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida, the non-profit said in a Friday release.

“It's an honor to stand with NTRA and the whole racing community, celebrating the incredible talent and of the Thoroughbreds and the dedication of their connections,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, Operations Consultant for Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “We are grateful for the opportunity to highlight our commitment to our industry's horses on this prestigious platform.”

“We are thrilled to welcome back Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as our esteemed partner for this year's Eclipse Awards,” added NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney.

The NTRA also organized a 'Sip, Shop, and Support' event with three participating stores–Lilly Pulitzer, J. Mclaughlin and Oumere–who will donate a percentage of their proceeds to the TAA.

Additionally, TAA will hold a raffle featuring select items from these stores and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to their cause. Store hours are scheduled from Noon to 3 p.m. ET.

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Brothers Mark and Clint Cornett, who race under the name of C2 Racing Stable, have taken on HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia as a partner in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day). The 5-year-old will make his next in the Feb. 24 running of the G1 Saudi Cup. Mark Cornett said that C2 remains the majority owner, but declined to say how big of a percentage was sold.

The story was first reported by the Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch.

Prince Faisal is the owner who lured trainer Jimmy Jerkens to Saudi Arabia to train a string of his horses.

“Winning the Saudi Cup is very important to them,” Mark Cornett said. “It's in his backyard and he'll be representing his country in an international race. You're going to have four or five Japanese horses, horses from all over the world. It's very important to them that they represent the Saudi people.”

Cornett said the deal has been in the works for about four weeks.

“We've been working on this for about a month,” he said. “They've flown over a couple of times to watch the horse breeze. Their vet has come over twice from France to do his due diligence. They ended up pulling the trigger on it and we consummated the deal this week. They're going to be great partners for us and we will be great partners to them. We look forward to doing additional things with them in the future.”

White Abarrio | Benoit

White Abarrio has remained at Santa Anita since winning the Breeders' Cup Classic there. Cornett said the gray will board a plane from LAX to Miami Feb. 13. From there, he will be joined by South Florida-based horses who will also be running on the Saudi Cup card before heading straight to Riyadh.

Though the owners have not committed to any races beyond the Saudi Cup, Cornett said the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 30 is definitely a possibility.

“The Dubai World Cup is definitely on our list of races,” he said. “He'll have to run the right way in the Saudi Cup and come out the race the right way. All the stars are going to have to line up. If that happens, we'll go in the Dubai World Cup. If not, we'll bring him back to New York and take a look at the Met Mile.”

White Abarrio worked four furlongs (:47.60, 6/73) on Friday morning at Santa Anita.

“The horse is doing better than he's ever done,” Cornett said. “I talked to (trainer) Rick (Dutrow) this morning. He breezed a half in :47 3/5 as good as he ever has and came out of the work great. The horse is definitely on his game.”

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Spendthrift Farm's Mo Donegal, the classic-winning son of Uncle Mo, sired his first reported foal this week when a colt was born at WinStar Farm in Versailles, the stallion's farm said in a release Friday afternoon.

Bred by Alfredo Gastaneta, the bay colt is out of the Declaration of War mare Andavete, a half-sister to 2020 GI Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Mr. Big News (Giant's Causeway) and hailing from the immediate family of champion sire Saint Ballado.

“This is a good size colt with good bone and leg underneath him,” said Fernando Macchiavello, agent for Alfredo Gastaneta. “He looks like an Uncle Mo, with that hip and balance and long legs. He has that look to him.”

Mo Donegal joined Nyquist as classic-winning sons of leading sire Uncle Mo when he captured his biggest win in the 2022 GI Belmont S. Campaigned by trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Repole Stable and Donegal Racing, Mo Donegal also won the GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct, defeating Grade I winner Zandon (Upstart), and the GII Wood Memorial S. over classic winner Early Voting (Gun Runner).

Mo Donegal retired to Spendthrift with earnings of $1,511,800. He bred 186 mares in his first book in 2023 and is set to stand his second season for a fee of $15,000 S&N.

For more information about Mo Donegal, please contact Des, Mark, Brian or Daniel at 859-294-0030, or click here.

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The Jockey Club of America Chairman Stuart S. Janney III will be honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit at the 53rd Annual Eclipse Awards Dinner and Ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida on Thursday, Jan. 25, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) said in a Friday release.

“The Eclipse Award of Merit is the Thoroughbred industry's highest honor, bestowed upon an individual who has displayed a lifetime of achievement in service to the sport,” reads the press release from the NTRA. “Janney's decades of involvement and leadership within the sport of Thoroughbred racing has bettered the sport for future generations.”

“I am honored to have been chosen for the Eclipse Award of Merit and sincerely thank those who selected me,” said Janney. “This sport, and its future, have always been my top priority, and I am appreciative of the support of so many who have joined us on the journey to improve Thoroughbred racing and breeding for generations to come.”

As an owner and breeder, Janney has campaigned numerous top-class horses, including homebred graded stakes winners Coronado's Quest (Forty Niner), winner of the GI Haskell S. and GI Travers S. in 1998, Air Support (Smart Strike), Celestial City (Uncle Mo), Data Link (War Front), Hymn Book (Arch), Ironicus (Distorted Humor), Norumbega (Tiznow) and On Leave (War Front). Janney, in partnership with the Phipps Stable, was co-owner and co-breeder of 2013 GI Kentucky Derby winner Orb (Malibu Moon) as well as GISW Carriage Trail (Giant's Causeway).

Born into a Maryland racing family, Janney was raised with an appreciation of the sport through his parents and grandparents. The former, Stuart and Barbara Janney, bred and owned the Eclipse Award-winning champion and Hall of Fame inductee Ruffian. In the 1990s, the younger Janney began owning and breeding Thoroughbreds on his own and has continued to do so for more than three decades.

Janney's reach and influence extends well beyond the winner's circle into many of Thoroughbred racing's most important organizations. Janney has been a member of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association since 1992, serving as chairman from 1997 to 2001 and having served multiple terms on the board of trustees. He also served as a board member of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association from 1992 to 1997 and president of the Maryland Million Ltd. from 1994 to 1997. He was appointed by Maryland Governor Parris Glendening in 1999 to chair the Maryland Commission to Study Ways to Improve the Financial Viability of the Racing Industry. Additionally, Janney served on the board of Keeneland from 1998 to 2015. He currently serves on the board of The New York Racing Association, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Equibase Company and BloodHorse LLC.

Stuart Janney | Scoop-Dyga

“Stuart Janney's career has been that of dedication and service to both the horse and the entirety of the Thoroughbred racing industry,” said NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. “The Eclipse Award of Merit is in appreciation for all his efforts. Stuart's leadership, commitment, and passion for this industry is unquestionable and I thank him for all his work.”

“I offer my sincerest congratulations to Stuart Janney on being honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit,” said trainer Shug McGaughey, who has worked with Janney for decades. “I've trained horses for Stuart since 1988, and he has been an excellent client for me, always putting the welfare of his horses and the people who work with them first. As The Jockey Club chairman for the past decade, Stuart has my admiration for taking on the tough and often unpopular issues that we, as a sport, must face. I know it hasn't always been easy for him, but time and again I've seen him guided only by his principles: do the right thing for the horse.”

“Finally, I am proud to call Stuart my friend, and I wish he and his family my thanks for entrusting his horses with me for so many years,” said McGaughey.

As chairman of The Jockey Club since 2015, Janney has played a pivotal role in initiatives such as the creation of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and the passage of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA). Under his leadership, 5 Stones intelligence was engaged to investigate horse racing, resulting in federal prosecutions and significant penalties. Janney previously chaired The Jockey Club's Thoroughbred Safety Committee, making numerous recommendations for industry improvements.

Before his racing involvement, Janney had a career in the federal government, practiced law, and served as a managing director at Alex Brown & Sons. He is chairman emeritus of Bessemer Trust Company and is involved in various organizations, including serving on the board of King Ranch Inc.

Janney, a graduate of the University of North Carolina and the University of Maryland School of Law, is married with two children and resides in Butler, Maryland.

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The Maryland Jockey Club has cancelled Friday's races at Laurel Park after a winter storm dropped several inches of snow across Northern and Central Maryland, the club said in a release early Friday morning.

Dangerous driving conditions has also caused simulcast wagering to be cancelled at both Laurel and Pimlico Race Course.

The Saturday card with a 10-race program, including four stakes highlighted by the $100,000 What A Summer and $100,000 Fire Plug, will start at noon ET.

Several tracks, including Oaklawn Park and Turfway Park, were forced to cancel their weekend programs due to inclement weather.

The post Laurel Cancels Friday’s Program, Back Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.