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Wagering dipped compared to a year ago in June, but so did the number of race days, according to information released by Equibase on Friday.

Total wagering of $956,784,146 on races during the month represented a 7.18% decrease over the same period from 2024, while available purses of over $114 million were lower by 5.87%. The figure of over $110 million for paid purses in June was also down by 5.95%. As for the total number of race days, they also decreased from 408 to 380 (-6.86%) and the number of U.S. races was lower from 3,207 in June 2024 to last month's tally of 2,964 (-7.58%).

Average field size in June was down a tick from over a year ago when it was 7.18, and checked in at an average of 7.06 runners, a decrease of 1.67%. Average daily wagering decreased slightly by 0.34% to $2,517,853, but the average available purse number per race day was up 1.07% to $301,518 from the figure of $298,340 in 2024.

When it comes to the year-to-date figures, through June of 2024 wagering on U.S. races came in at $5.951 billion, while this year the amount is $5.786 billion (-2.77%). Those numbers include worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

The post June Economic Indicators: Wagering Dips Over Fewer Race Days appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) favorite Ombudsman shortened up to 10-11 with most firms July 3 with four other group 1 winners entered in the six-horse field at the declaration stage for Sandown Park's July 5 group 1 highlight.

Grade 3-placed Flying Mohawk, a runner in this spring's Kentucky Derby (G1), will be scratched from an intended start in the $750,000 Belmont Derby (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course after undergoing emergency colic surgery the morning of July 2.

A lawsuit brought by the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association president and one other board member seeking the removal of seven other board members has ended in a settlement.

A defamation lawsuit brought by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has resulted in a $300,000 judgment entered against Justin Wunderler.

The New York Racing Association announced it has moved the $300,000 Troy Stakes (G2T) back one day from the Aug. 2 Whitney Stakes (G1) Saturday card to Aug. 3.

Trainer Graham Motion will saddle last-out Keertana Stakes victress Marksman Queen as he aims for his 10th victory in the July 5 $250,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3T) at Delaware Park.

The British Horseracing Authority will allow Oisin Murphy to continue riding although the jockey has been fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after pleading guilty to driving over the limit for alcohol.

The fifth installment in the 2025 OwnerView webinar series was held July 1 and covered the development of young Thoroughbreds.

Sweet Azteca and Kopion are set to meet for the first time, their battle coming in a Los Alamitos stakes named for the D. Wayne Lukas-trained multiple stakes winner Great Lady M., the dam of champion Lady's Secret.

In this monthly BH interview, Karen M. Johnson profiles young racing personalities.

The United States House of Representatives has begun its review of President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill," and if and when it passes, it will have implications for the Thoroughbred industry.

When Texas Derby winner Instant Replay runs in the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) at Horseshoe Indianapolis July 5 it will be with a new owner: Wathnan Racing.

Godolphin's Think Big stretches his speed beyond 5 1/2 furlongs for the first time in nine months when he faces a high-quality field of older horses in the $175,000 Kelso Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course.

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged an additional 11 entries to its July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, which will be held July 8. Among these entries are five offerings from the estate of D. Wayne Lukas, consigned by Mulholland Springs, agent.

As much as the New York Racing Association is offering three graded turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, the leader of that division could be one-and-done in the series.

In a joint statement from President Bob Hutt and Executive Director Jeff Matty of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (PTHA), the Bucks County litigation filed last fall by members of the board of directors was settled on terms that all parties believe to be in the best interest of the PTHA and its 2,500-plus membership, the organization said via a press release on Thursday.

On Oct. 22 of last year, TDN's T.D. Thornton reported that seven of the 11 directors of the PTHA had filed a legal response that denied sweeping allegations of corruption and cronyism that were made the prior month by Hutt and another board member. The directors specified for removal by Hutt included Matty, who was also under contract to work as the PTHA's executive director.

In the settlement agreement, the parties recognize that all directors have acted in good faith and in the best interest of the PTHA at all times and that no party should be removed based on the conduct raised in the litigation.

As a result of the settlement terms, the board will seek to implement a plan of action within the next 60 days by amending the bylaws. Changes will include mandatory board training at the beginning of each term, along with a more robust conflict of interest and mandatory disclosure policy.

The release goes on to state that neither the parties nor their counsel shall have any other comment about the litigation or the settlement.

Click here to access the settlement agreement.

The post PTHA Reaches Settlement Agreement On Internal Litigation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and 'At the Races' host Steve Byk will once again partner for the 'Beat Byk NHC Challenge' this summer, offering one NHC tour member the opportunity to compete in the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) at the Horseshoe Las Vegas from Mar. 13-15, 2026.

“For me, the return of 'Beat Byk' means summer and featured contest races at Saratoga, Del Mar, Ellis Park, Colonial Downs, Monmouth Park and by Labor Day, Kentucky Downs,” said Byk. “'Beat Byk' has proven to be an excellent gateway for aspiring contest players and sending one horseplayer to Vegas for the NHC on a free roll every year means a lot to me. Thanks to the NTRA for giving players this no-cost opportunity.”

Last year's contest attracted better than 12,000 entries. Every Thursday, Byk will choose the weekend stakes race that make up the week's contest and announce them both on the radio and on his X page, @Steve_Byk.

Byk's selections will be announced no later than each Friday. There will be 17 chances to qualify to the Beat Byk NHC Online Qualifier on September 13 during the promotional period. Listeners will be encouraged to log into https://www.ntra.com/beatbyk/ where they will either use Byk's selection to win the featured race or try to 'Beat Byk' by selecting another horse.

All who correctly select the winning horse in each round will advance to a NHC 'Beat Byk' online qualifier on Sept. 13 held on Horseplayers.com. Participants may qualify only once during the promotional period.

Membership in the NHC is required to take part in the September NHC Online qualifier.

The post ‘Beat Byk’ Handicapping Contest Returns For 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The fifth installment of the 2025 OwnerView webinar series took place on July 1 focusing on the development of young horses with panelists Niall Brennan (Niall Brennan Stables), David O'Farrell (Ocala Stud), trainer Lindsay Schultz and retired pinhooker Eddie Woods. Gary Falter, the project manager for OwnerView, moderated a panel discussion.

The conference is hosted by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Keeneland, and Stoll Keenon Ogden. The panel was sponsored by OCD Pellets.

According to O'Farrell, it's important to start working with foals as soon as possible if they are nursing and healthy.

“You know they would follow their mother if you let them and they'd lead right into the stall,” he said. “But it's hugely important that you go ahead and put the mini halter, the figure eight halter, on and coax them down the shed row and teach them to lead right off the bat.”

The panelists agreed that starting horses should be done slowly and quietly.

“The slower you go, the better it is. If you get into a rush, it ends up a mess,” Woods said.

Brennan concurred. “If you go a little too quickly with it and frighten them, then that's a different story,” he said. “We just take our time, and similar to Eddie, we spend about a week in the stall with the riders just playing with them, putting the tack on them, turning them around, and just judging them individually.”

Another theme was starting and working horses together.

“We send them out in groups, especially for the first while that they're at the track,” said Schultz. “And if we don't have a group then you might send them out with a pony. The first part of the process, they always go in company.”

The next session entitled 'Buying at the Sales and Digital Sales' will be held Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. ET. The full schedule may be viewed here. There is no fee to register for the series, but registration is required.

Click here for video of the July 1 webinar.

The post OwnerView Webinar Covers The Development of Young Horses appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Gabriel Duignan's Echo Sound (Echo Town) might not be perfect but she's pretty darn close. The winner in her latest start in the GIII Miss Preakness Stakes will try to make it back-to-back graded wins for trainer Rusty Arnold in Saratoga's opening day feature, the GIII Victory Ride Stakes.

According to Arnold, a win in the 6 1/2-furlong test for sophomore fillies would be special for more reasons than simply its placement on the calendar.

“We've targeted this race because of the distance, and it's also a special race to me since I trained Victory Ride,” Arnold said. “It would be nice to win. You don't get many chances where you get to run in a race named after something you had. It's a great opportunity and I can't wait to give it a try.”

A winner in her career debut at Ellis Park last summer, the bay won her next two–an optional claimer at Churchill Downs in September followed by a score in Keeneland's Myrtlewood Stakes in October. Situated a little farther off the pace than usual in Churchill's 6 1/2-furlong Fern Creek Nov. 30, the half-sister to GSW Pick of the Litter (Kitten's Joy) came up 2 1/2-lengths short of Impulse Buy (Speightstown), while finishing a neck ahead of favored Shisospicy (Mitole), who won three of four subsequent starts including the GIII Mamzelle at Churchill.

“She's doing very well. She doesn't have a bad race, and what I like about her is she has won at Ellis Park, Keeneland, Churchill and Pimlico,” Arnold explained. “In five starts, she's won at four different racetracks, so she doesn't need to be on her favorite track.”

He added, “We thought she was nice, but you never know until they run. She did everything right, she's a big strong filly, and she hasn't done anything wrong since Day 1. All her races have been good. We're taking a step up in competition and we'll see what we have.”

Asked about tactics for her first start in New York, Arnold said, “I think I'll leave it to Luis [Saez]. She'll lay right off horses, and I don't think she's ever going to be way back, but she'll lay off of them and if there isn't a ton of speed, she has no problem being there. It's a very good thing for her.”

The post Near Perfect Echo Sound Looks to Add Another Notch to Her Belt in the Victory Ride appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.