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Kentucky trainer Dale Romans formally announced a bid for the United States Senate Nov. 12, seeking to fill the seat that will be vacated by the retirement of longtime Senator Mitch McConnell in early 2027.

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale concluded Nov. 11, with 1,976 horses changing hands for a total of $245,901,400, including post-ring sales, seeing a 25% increase from last year's gross of $196,492,900 from 2,159 head.

On the heels of a record-breaking November Sale, Keeneland hopes to build off that success with its November Horses of Racing Age Sale. The one-day sale features a catalog of 215 horses, with many in top-form and by some of the most in-demand sires.

A voided claim kept Pinfire under the care of trainer Michael Tomlinson, giving the trainer and his team time to turn the gelding's career around and bring him to the stage of the Claiming Crown at Churchill Downs Nov. 15.

Kim Weir, the director of strategic growth for Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, receives the first Nancy Kelly Volunteer Award for her extraordinary volunteer efforts with the New York Race Track Chaplaincy.

Maiden Watch: Week of Nov. 3-9

Horses with past ties in the claiming ranks will have their annual day in the spotlight Nov. 15 when the 27th Claiming Crown returns to Churchill Downs.

Dale Romans announced Wednesday morning that he will be running in the Kentucky Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat that has opened up due to the impending retirement of Mitch McConnell. He realizes he is an outsider and a Democrat running in a red state, but he sees a path to victory. Romans sat down with the TDN Wednesday to discuss why he is running for the U.S. Senate, whether or not he thinks he can win and what he would do if elected.

TDN: When and why did you decide to run for the U.S. Senate?
DR: I've always been political behind the scenes, mostly on horse racing immigration issues. I've spent a lot of time on Capitol Hill and have met with a lot of local politicians. This is something I've always been fascinated with. When Mitch McConnell said he wasn't going to run again, I started to think about it. I know it's a big seat for a first-time politician but I thought there was an opportunity to throw my hat in the ring. I went to Gov. Beshear first and asked him if he were running and he said no. I asked him what he thought and he said that I wasn't crazy, that this made sense. If a Democrat can win in Kentucky it's going to be someone with deep roots in the state, no voting record, can connect with the people and has a little name recognition. He said I checked all the boxes. I thought I might as well jump in. At this stage in my life, Kentucky has been very good to me and I'd like to give back by being a senator for Kentucky and all of Kentucky.

TDN: In racetrack parlance, it looks like you're a longshot on the board. Can you overcome those odds?
DR: I think so. I don't think the state is as red as people think it is. We did vote a Democratic governor in and we've done that several times. We haven't had a Democratic senator in a long time. (The last Democrat to serve in the U.S. Senate from Kentucky was Wendell Ford, who was elected in 1992). But look at the history. We had two Republican institutions in Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell that nobody was ever going to vote out. Rand Paul came around and won, but there's only been that one opportunity to have a Democrat win. As far as being an outsider, I think that's what the people want right now. We need outsiders in Washington. Let's try something different. What we're doing now isn't working.

TDN: You call yourself an “independent Democrat.” Can you expound on what that means?
DR: I'm running as a Democrat but coming from a red state you have to be independent of the party. You don't have to vote along party lines. I talked about this a lot with Joe Manchin because he is from West Virginia. He said he always called himself an independent Democrat. He wasn't beholden to the party for everything they did. He said they could never primary you. They can't afford to lose the seat. I plan to vote for what's best for Kentucky and best for the country and be independent in what I do.

TDN: A lot of people in this country and in Kentucky are struggling right now. You say you can identify with them. Why is that?
DR: I had a single mother who was raising three boys by herself. We lived in Shively, a suburb of Louisville and it was always paycheck-to-paycheck. So I know those struggles because of what I went through. I was sleeping in tack rooms before I started winning races. I also know the struggles of starting a business and what you have to do for payroll and regulations and keeping your workforce available. My life lessons will translate well to Washington.

TDN: You have admitted that you have overcome issues with alcohol. If you were not sober now would you be doing this?
DR: No, I don't think I would have done it then. There are a lot of people who have helped me get things in my life in order. I got my health back, I got my weight down. I quit drinking two years ago. A lot of people helped me and now it's time for me to help people.

TDN: As a U.S. senator, what can you do to help horse racing?
DR: The biggest thing I can do for horse racing is try to get some funding for the unfunded mandate that's been thrust upon us in HISA. The other big thing is to do some immigration reform. We have a labor force back there and I don't think it's that tough a fix. I don't think the two sides are that far apart. I have talked to a lot of people and that's the reason why I have been on Capitol Hill a few times. They all agree but they don't want to give the other side the win. I don't care if Trump is in office. I will give him the win. Let's just get this fixed.

TDN: Should you win the Democratic primary your likely opponent in the general election will be Rep. Andy Barr. He will surely be a formidable foe. He is a Republican, he's got the name recognition factor and he has also been known to be a friend to horse racing.
DR: I call Andy a friend, but we differ on quite a few issues, one being that he's the one who wrote this unfunded mandate that could bankrupt racing. Andy is a friend. Can I beat him? I'll worry about that if I get through the primary.

TDN: The horse racing industry in Kentucky, particularly in the Lexington area, includes a lot of wealthy people. Have any pledged their support to you? Do you think they will?
DR: I'm hoping they step up for me. I don't know about Lexington, but I've already been very pleasantly surprised how many of my colleagues have already stepped up and donated to me. They have been very supportive.

TDN: You are dyslexic. How did that affect your education and how has it shaped your opinions on our education system?
DR: I didn't get through college. I struggled to get through high school. I think that is another life lesson. I understand how difficult school is to some people like it was for me. Both my kids have advanced degrees and have done very well. I barely got out of high school. It wasn't because a lack of effort; it was a struggle for me. I think there's a different way we can educate people like me.

TDN: In the 2025 elections, Democrats were successful running on what they were calling “kitchen table issues,” namely affordability. They recognized that people were struggling to pay their bills and hit on a winning theme. Will that be one of the themes of your campaign?
DR: I want to pick up on the themes that are important to the American people and the people of Kentucky. Those issues are important. They are complicated issues and there are a lot of things that tie into it. One of them is immigration reform. If you take away the workforce we have from undocumented laborers that we have right now you'll see there'll be bigger problems when it comes to affordability. There are a lot of angles to attack it from. We're going to try to get out there and work on all issues that affect Kentuckians.

TDN: The favorite right now in the Democratic primary is Amy McGrath. She has run two times for major offices in Kentucky, for Congress in 2018 and for the Senate in 2020. She has lost both times. Are Democrats experiencing Amy McGrath fatigue?
DR: With all due respect to Amy, I think it's time to try something different. It's time to try something different in Washington and get a different kind of politician in there.

TDN: I take it that you're not a big fan of Chuck Schumer.
DR: I haven't said I'm not a big fan of Chuck Schumer. I said I'm not pledging any support to Chuck Schumer or anyone else until I get there. I won't be beholden to the party and won't always vote for what they want me to vote for. We'll just have to figure that out when I get there…if Schumer lasts that long. I will say that I'm not a fan of the shutdown. I'll tell you that. I never would have voted to shut down the country and never will vote to shut down the country. I don't think there's any issues big enough to keep people from getting their paychecks and the budget of the United States shouldn't be a political pawn.

TDN: You've already talked about your admiration for Joe Manchin. Let's get back to that issue. What is it about Manchin that you like?
DR: I have talked to Sen. Manchin. His advice to me was to be authentic and be myself. He's the one who gave me the title of “independent Democrat.” He wasn't one beholden to the party because he was from a red state. I talked to him about it before I jumped in because these are very similar situations. He voted for what he thought was best for West Virginia and what he thought was best for the country. He had both sides mad at him half the time. If that happens to me, I'd have no problem with it.

The post A Q&A With Trainer Dale Romans, Who Has Launched Longshot Bid For The U.S. Senate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's Dubai-based RRR Racing went to $900,000 to acquire 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard WORLD RECORD (c, 4, Gun Runner–Marwa {GB}, by Exceed and Excel {Aus}) as Wednesday's single-session Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale neared its conclusion in Lexington.

Consigned by ELiTE Sales, agent, the bay colt was bred by Runnymede Farm LLC, Falguieres Bloodstock, Gestut Zur Kuste AG, et al and was originally a $410,000 purchase as a weanling out of the 2021 Keeneland November Sale. Campaigned in partnership by WinStar Farm and BBN Racing and trained by Rodolphe Brisset, World Record was named a 'Rising Star' when graduating by open lengths at second asking at three and two starts later, ran his rivals off their feet in the GII Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga, scoring by 6 3/4 lengths.

An impressive allowance winner at Churchill Downs during Derby week this past May, the bay was second in the GIII Aristides Stakes and third in the GI Bing Crosby Stakes this season. His career record stands at 11-4-1-4 for earnings of $504,540.

“I think there was quite a bit of interest in this horse from the Middle East,” said Ed Prosser, who signed the ticket on behalf of RRR Racing. “Bhupat Seemar, who will train him in Dubai, asked me to bid on him. He rang me earlier. He had seen the catalog and was interested in a few and this was one of them. He is always on the lookout for horses in America. There are some people from Saudi Arabia and the (Persian) Gulf region who are interested in this horse and this sale. They did their homework and they liked him. He looks like he will be a good horse for the races in Dubai.”

Among RRR Racing's best horses are Isolate (Mark Valeski), winner of the G2 Godolphin Mile; Clapton (Brethren), victorious in the 2023 GIII Lukas Classic Stakes and Group 1-placed in Dubai; G3 UAE Oaks heroine Rayya (Tiz Wonderful); and Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke), twice a winner at Grade III level in this country at the back end of 2024 and acquired thereafter by RRR.

The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ World Record Fetches $900K at Keeneland’s HORA Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Damon Thayer has retired from his job as the Senate Majority Floor Leader in the state of Kentucky, where he was one of horse racing's staunchest and most important allies. Thayer may no longer be walking the halls of the Capitol in Frankfort, but he is still working hard to help the sport he loves. He is now a senior advisor with Thoroughbred Racing Initiative (TRI), a group devoted to stopping decoupling efforts at Gulfstream Park and to see to it that racing in South Florida remains a vital part of the industry.

To bring us up to speed on the latest goings-on in Florida, Thayer was this week's guest on the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

“The Thoroughbred Racing Initiative, which is a coalition of owners, trainers, breeders, and sales companies from Florida banded together sort of in an emergency situation back in February when the decoupling bill came from nowhere to get dropped on us,” Thayer said.  “My board is David O'Farrell, president; Jon Green vice president; and then members, Aron Wellman; dual Hall of Fame trainer, Mark Casse; and Dr. Barry Eisaman. We worked very hard putting together a coalition to kill the bill. But there's another legislative session coming up in January. And while there hasn't been anything pre-filed yet, our sources in Tallahassee tell us that Gulfstream Park is active in Florida's capital, trying to see if there is any support for decoupling.

“If we hadn't banded together and formed our coalition and fought the decoupling bill, it probably would have passed,” he said. “But we got in there and scrapped and fought and clawed and testified in front of multiple legislative committees to tell the story of the $3.3 billion economic impact and the 33,000 jobs the horse industry has on the Sunshine State. So that's why we've seen support come from all over the place. We've been gearing up to fight the decoupling bill again. Last year we were sort of caught on the back foot. This year, we're going on offense.  We are prepared, better prepared to tell our story. Our coalition is engaged and while we can't match Gulfstream Park dollar for dollar on the political side, we are going to be involved in the political side of things before the opportunity to make contributions shuts down when the legislature goes into session in January.”

 

Randy Moss asked Thayer that even if the decoupling bill were to be defeated what would stop The Stronach Group from closing the track and selling the land, which is immensely valuable? He admitted that is a possibility but if it happened his group would look to find a new venue for South Florida racing.

“First of all, I want to note that there are three willing buyers for Gulfstream Park,” he said. “One of them is public. Mike Repole has offered to buy Gulfstream Park and keep it as a racetrack in its current coupled state with the slot machine casino there on the first floor. There are at least two other potential buyers who haven't gone public and I'm not really in a position to reveal that. The Florida HPBA and TRI are co-funding a feasibility study with the Cornerstone Group, which did the Maryland Racing Feasibility Study.

“We're looking at a half a dozen different options for the future of racing in Florida,” he said. “I'm a big fan of making sure from a financial point of view that we figure out some way forward in South Florida, either at Gulfstream Park, at Hialeah, or perhaps somewhere else, north of the Miami-Dade-Broward area where perhaps a new racetrack could be built where land is less expensive. I'm not ready to give up yet on racing at Gulfstream Park. I don't know how long-term viability is for racing 200 days a year there, but I do think there's a way forward in keeping racing in South Florida in general and at Gulfstream Park in particular.”

Thanks largely to the efforts of Mike Repole, The Stronach Group's bid to decouple faces one major obstacle. At this year's OBS Sales, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis came out and said he would likely veto any bill that called for decoupling. How does The Stronach Group get past that roadblock.

“One of the big victories that we achieved was getting Ron DeSantis to come to the OBS sale, which is one of our biggest supporters and an important part of our coalition,” Thayer said. “He came there and in front of a large crowd of owners and breeders and trainers and consignors and industry participants all but said, pass this bill and I'll veto it. And the Republican super majorities there probably didn't want to choose a fight with their very popular governor. That was a really big win for us. You are absolutely correct that Mike Repole played a major role in that. But so did one of our board members. Dr. Barry Eisaman worked behind the scenes on that as well. But I would never try to minimize Mike's role in this. If you were there on Kentucky Derby day, who was in the winner's circle when Mindframe won for Repole? Ron DeSantis.”

The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was “Louisiana Lightning,” also known as Touchuponastar (Star Guitar). The Lousiaina-bred earned a 108 Beyer figure when winning the Delta Mile Stakes at Delta Downs. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, who stands the stallion Mullikin (by Violence).

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, the KTOB, 1/ST TV and West Point Thoroughbreds, Moss and partner Bill Finley discussed the controversial scratch of White Abarrio (Race Day) just minutes before post time for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Both agreed that the Breeders' Cup and the CHRB has done a good job keeping the racing safe, but that more transparency is needed.

Moss and Finley also came to the defense of social media influencer Griffin Johnson, who was criticized in some quarters after receiving the 2025 “New Owner of the Year Award” from OwnerView. Because his social media postings on the horse he co-owned, Sandman (Tapit), reached so many young people who were not otherwise familiar with racing, Moss went so far as to say maybe Johnson should have gotten a Special Eclipse Award.

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

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

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

Dates: 11/07/2025
Licensee: Elizabeth McCue, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Prince Khozan on 9/30/25.

Dates: 11/07/2025
Licensee: Robert Baze, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 8, 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 Cannabidiol (CBD)–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Nephele, who won at Emerald Downs on 8/8/25.

Dates: 11/07/2025
Licensee: Joel Marr, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of internal adjudication panel.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Trichlormethiazide–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Let Her Be, who won at Sunland Park on 2/13/25.

Dates: 11/06/2025
Licensee: Ernesto Padilla-Preciado, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Don't Listen, who won at Parx Racing on 10/1/25.

Dates: 11/06/2025
Licensee: William Blair, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Outrageously, who finished second at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 8/21/25.

Dates: 11/05/2025
Licensee: John Garner Vinson, trainer
Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 6, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Lidocaine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Money Trail, who finished third at Gulfstream Park on 7/25/25.

Pending ADMC Violations

11/12/2025, James Watkins, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Smart Joker, who won at Fairmount Park on 9/16/25.

The post Weekly Rulings: Nov. 6-12 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Tickets for the 152nd running of the GI Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve will go on sale to the public Thursday, Nov. 13 at noon ET, Churchill Downs announced Wednesday.

Two-day all-inclusive reserved tickets to the 152nd GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, held Friday May 1, and Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2, will be available for purchase online, including recent renovations such as the Ford First Turn Reserved seating as well as the Starting Gate Courtyard, both featuring stadium-style seats and easy access for concessions and wagering windows.

Limited premium and luxury dining experiences in select areas–including the Woodford Reserve Paddock Club and Club SI by Sports Illustrated, also will be available for purchase by calling the Churchill Downs Premium Sales Department at (502) 636-4447.

Several non-all-inclusive ticket options will be available for purchase, including Infield-only general admission tickets and two-day Infield Final Turn general admission tickets. The Infield Final Turn is a private area that offers food and beverage concessions for purchase, along with private restrooms and wagering windows.

Fans may secure tickets by clicking here or here or by calling (502) 636-4447.

Churchill Downs also provides the only secure, official resale marketplace to purchase Derby and Oaks tickets via the Churchill Downs Ticketmaster Ticket Exchange.

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Kim Weir, the Director of Strategic Growth for Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, received the first Nancy Kelly Volunteer Award for her extraordinary volunteer efforts with the New York Race Track Chaplaincy at a luncheon held Tuesday at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York, the chaplaincy said via a NYRA release on Wednesday.

The award is named in honor of the late Nancy Kelly, a former president, vice president and longtime volunteer with the New York Chaplaincy. Kelly passed away in February 2024 and the NY Chaplaincy created this award earlier this year to honor her memory and recognize an individual who supports the organization with their volunteerism.

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The Backside Learning Center (BLC), an independent organization providing support and resources for the diverse community of racetrack workers and their families at Churchill Downs and Kentucky racetracks will hold its annual fundraiser “Benefit for the Backside: A Day at the Races” on Friday, Nov. 21 at noon in the First Turn Club at Churchill, the non-profit said via a release on Wednesday.

Both a live and silent auctions are planned with a range of different offerings. Sponsors for this year's benefit include: Rocket Ship Racing, Rigney Racing and FanDuel.

Click here to learn more.

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Everett Dobson, the chair of The Jockey Club of America, will deliver the keynote address at the annual National HBPA Conference hosted by Oaklawn Park Mar. 4, according to a press release from the horsemen's organization on Wednesday.

Dobson is a telecommunications entrepreneur from Oklahoma City who is a horse owner/ breeder and partner in the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

“I'm very honored to get a chance to address the National HBPA. I'm very much looking forward to it,” Dobson said. “It will largely be around a message of collaboration, how our two organizations can collaborate on initiatives, activities that are mutually beneficial for the betterment of our sport that we all love.”

The 2026 conference will run from March 3-6 and Dobson's remarks will follow lunch and an awards presentation.

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Thoroughbred trainer Dale Romans will run for the United States Senate in Kentucky, according to a press release from his campaign Wednesday morning, calling himself an “independent Democrat.”

Romans will face Amy McGrath in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, May 19. The general election for the seat being vacated by longtime Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell is scheduled to be held November 3. The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to face U.S. Congressman Andy Barr.

The release reads:

“Independent Democrat and famed Kentucky horserace trainer Dale Romans today announced his campaign for U.S. Senate to stand up for working people across the state and fix the challenges facing our country like harmful tariffs and dangerous health care cuts–instead of waging exhausting partisan fights that get us nowhere and only divide the nation.”

Said Romans, “I've been in Kentucky my entire life. It's the greatest place in the world and the heart of America. We need a Senator who reflects our people: not polished insiders or party-line politicians running the same old partisan nonsense, but someone who has built a career the hard way and lived the struggles that Kentucky's working families face every day. To solve the challenges before us, we need a fix, not a fight. As an independent Democrat, I won't be beholden to the national party, and I won't be a puppet of the president like a freshman Republican Senator would be. I love Kentucky, and I know our state needs a Senator in Washington focused on our people.”

Romans is a Louisville native and a lifelong resident of Kentucky. He was born into a working-class family and raised by a single mother, along with his two brothers.

“Lynn was a proud union woman who wouldn't let Dale or any of her boys fall through the cracks,” reads the press release. “Dale was also inspired by his grandfather, himself a union man who loved FDR, and grew up learning the values that define Kentucky–hard work, loyalty, and independence–values that voters desperately want in Washington.”

Romans has won over 2,250 races, including wins in the Preakness with Shackleford in 2011 and the 2015 Travers Stakes with Keen Ice, defeating American Pharoah. He has had 12 Kentucky Derby starts, and was appointed to the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

He is president of the Kentucky HBPA, where, the press release says, “he has been a vocal advocate for Kentucky workers, championing fair treatment, protecting jobs, and defending the economic lifeblood of local communities tied to small business, agriculture and racing. As a small business owner himself running a stable with 50 employees, Dale knows what it takes to grow a company, and he's worked hard to protect workers and support the people who keep this essential industry running. Dale came from nothing, built a storied career from the ground up, and always remembers where his roots are. His vision for Kentucky in the U.S. Senate is built on the values and lessons of this remarkable lived experience.

“As a small business owner and president of the Kentucky HBPA, Dale knows how to lead, negotiate, and protect Kentucky jobs, especially in sectors that national politicians often ignore. Dale will protect Kentucky workers and businesses from harmful overregulation and destructive tariffs, like those hurting the state's vital bourbon industry. And he'll relieve the pain and pressure of the affordability crisis on working people by lowering costs, boosting wages, and creating more and better jobs.

“Dale also knows we must do much more to make health care affordable and accessible, especially for working and low-income people. This means reversing the painful health care cuts and hospital closures forced on Kentucky by the OBBBA. Dale wants to strengthen Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act so more people can get healthcare without destroying their household budgets. And Dale won't cave to Big Pharma but instead will finally, after all these years of politicians talking about it in Washington, pass legislation to lower prescription drug costs.”

Romans and partner Tammy Fox | Sarah Andrew

The announcement reveals that Romans was diagnosed as severely dyslexic, and that school was difficult for him. He graduated from Butler High School in Louisville, and said that education will be one of his focuses, adding that while he was characterized as L.D., “that doesn't mean learning disabled, it means learning differently.”

Romans has been sober for two years since quitting alcohol after undergoing a comprehensive rehab program in Bowling Green, and said he hoped to bring reform to addiction recovery, and expand drug and alcohol awareness and resistance programs for young people.

In his announcement video, Romans says, “I've travelled around the world, but I also saw the plight of the immigrant workforce we needed back here. The ones that are here working, doing jobs that are necessary in this country. We need those people. We don't need a fight, we need a fix.”

The release makes it clear that immigration will also be a focus, reading, “For decades, Washington did nothing as the immigration system atrophied. Now it's woefully broken. We must secure the border, and those here illegally who commit crimes should be sent back. But Trump's radical ICE raids are creating fear and resentment in communities, scooping up innocent, law-abiding residents and sometimes even citizens, and hurting businesses and the economy. The aggressive tactics of masked men grabbing people off the street without warrants or legal explanation are un-American, don't keep us safe, and inflict real pain and disruption to the economy that raises costs, including for Kentucky's horse racing industry. Washington needs to stop kicking the can down the road just because it's hard, and Dale will work to pass real immigration reform in the U.S. Senate.”

Romans and his partner, Tammy Fox, a former jockey, live in Louisville where they have raised two children. They welcomed their first grandchild earlier this month.

For more information, visit DaleRomans.com.

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Hip 53, New York-bred champion Cara’s Time, sold for $400,000 at Keeneland November. Photo courtesy of Taylor Made Sales Agency.

The eight-day Keeneland November breeding stock sale wrapped Tuesday with its highest gross since 2007 and records in average and median, with New York-breds playing a role in those returns that continue a historic year for the Thoroughbred industry.

Keeneland reported a total of $245.9 million in sales through the ring and post-sale, the best since $340.9 million in 2007 over 15 sessions. Records were established for average price ($125,572) and median ($60,000).

Overall, 60 New York-breds sold for $5,956,700, an average price of $99,279 and median of $80,000. New York-bred weanlings were in demand, with 46 of the 59 through the ring selling for $4,491,200, an average price of $97,635 and median of $80,000.

New York-bred champion Cara’s Time brought the top price for a New York-bred on a bid of $400,000 from Aaron and Marie Jones LLC. Through the ring as Hip 53 out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment, the 4-year-old daughter of Not This Time out of the Macho Uno mare Zindara was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect.

Bred by Stephen Crestani Jr., foaled at The New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls and a $175,000 purchase by Richard Greeley at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, Cara’s Time went through the ring with a record of 4-3-1 in 20 starts and earnings of $387,110.

Campaigned by Greeley and trained by Mitch Friedman, Cara’s Time won two of five starts with two seconds as a 2-year-old, including the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes at Aqueduct, to land champion New York-bred 2-year-old filly honors. She later won the 2024 Iroquois Stakes as a 3-year-old on Empire Showcase Day at Aqueduct.

Hip 253, a colt by Gunite and half-brother to stakes winner Shoot It True, sold for $335,000 to finish as the top New York-bred weanling at Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Summerfield.

Hip 253, a colt by Grade 1 winner Gunite and half-brother to New York-bred stakes winner Shoot It True, led all New York-bred weanlings on a bid of $335,000 from Louis Dubois, agent for Wesley Ward. Bred by and foaled at Old Tavern Farm in Saratoga Springs, the colt is out of the Malibu Moon mare To the Moon Alice.

Consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield, agent for Old Tavern Farm, the colt is a half-brother to winners Shoot It True and Two for Charging. Shoot It True, also bred by Old Tavern Farm and a $340,000 purchase out of the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, won the 2024 Notebook Stakes and finished second in the Senator Ken Maddy Stakes on Breeders’ Cup weekend at Del Mar. Trained by Ward, Shoot It True is 4-1-0 in seven starts with $253,011 in earnings.

To the Moon Alice is also the dam of the unraced 2-year-old New York-bred Street Sense colt Aggression, who sold for $120,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale and is in training at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.

Hip 812, a daughter of Twirling Candy, brought the sale’s high price for a New York-bred weanling filly at $185,000 from Tracy Farmer. Bred by Jordan Wycoff and Bluewater Farm, foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and consigned by Bluewater Sales, agent, the filly is the ninth foal out of the stakes-placed Macho Uno mare Highestmaintenance. She’s the dam of the stakes-placed winner Manasota Sunset and three other winners.

Hip 1260, a colt by New York-bred Horse of the Year Americanrevolution, also landed one of the six-figure bids and brought the sale’s leading price for a weanling by a New York-based stallion. Chad Frederick purchased the colt out of the winning Street Cry mare Judge Lee.

Bred by Matthew Nestor, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson and consigned by Vinery Sales, agent, the colt is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner and $409,420-earner Out On Bail. A son of multiple New York-bred Horse of the Year Tiz the Law, Out On Bail won the recent Carle Place Stakes at Aqueduct and last year’s Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Americanrevolution, a 7-year-old Grade 1-winning son of Constitution, stands for $12,500 at Rockridge Stud in Hudson.

Eighteen New York-bred weanlings sold for six figures, including the top-priced New York-bred in Book 4.

Hip 2200, a daughter of Taiba, sold for $135,000 to Gap View Stables. Bred by Milfer Farm Inc. and consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, agent, the filly is out of the Into Mischief mare Real Sister. She’s the dam of two winners – One Improbable and Blessed Angel – and a yearling colt by Cyberknife that sold for $125,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. Milfer Farm bought Real Sister, carrying the Taiba filly in utero, for $75,000 at last year’s Keeneland November sale.

Keeneland reported sales on 21 of the 27 New York-breds in Book 4 for a total of $770,700, an average price of $36,700 and median of $33,000.

Keeneland closes its 2025 auction slate with the horses of racing age sale at noon Wednesday.

The post New York-breds play role in Keeneland’s strong November breeding stock sale appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which continued straight on from the strength of the company's record-setting September Yearling Sale, concluded its eight-day run Tuesday with new highwater marks for average and median and the auction's highest gross since 2007.

“This year marked a watershed moment for Keeneland Sales,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “From a record-shattering September Yearling Sale that topped $500 million in gross sales to the continued momentum into an outstanding November Breeding Stock Sale, the confidence in this marketplace has never been stronger. These successes speak to Keeneland's position as the world's marketplace, but more importantly, they highlight the strength of our customers. These are the achievements of the breeders, sellers and buyers who place their trust in Keeneland year after year.”

Through nine sessions, 1,891 horses grossed $237,456,400. The cumulative average of $125,572 was up 37.25% from the 2024 November sale, which saw 2,050 horses sell for $187,557,400 and a then-record average of $91,491. The median of $60,000 rose 50.00% from the 2024 previous record figure of $40,000. The buy-back rate was 20.45%, on par with last year's figure of 20.67%.

With the addition of 85 post-sale transactions, the November sale gross rose to $245,901,400 for an average of $124,444 and a median of $60,000. In 2024, an additional 109 post sales, brought the gross to $196,492,900 for an average of $91,011 and median of $40,000.

The 2007 November Breeding Stock Sale grossed $340,877,220 over 15 sessions and included horses in training.

“It's been remarkable,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “To be very frank, we were hoping this would be a good, solid sale. We felt the quality was here and we had a good group of horses that would fit a large group of people. We were very pleased with the number of buyers that showed up–especially the international contingent–and we saw a lot of people here that we haven't seen in a number of years. It was very encouraging to see people energized to come back.

“But what was really encouraging was to see the domestic market so strong when it came to retaining a lot of these higher-end mares and retaining the gene pool,” Lacy added. “The weanling market was also exceptional, and I think that allowed breeders to feel motivated and positive as they plan to breed mares into the next season and into the near future.”

A total of 18 horses sold for seven figures during the November sale. That is double the figure from 2024 and the most at the auction since 2017. Three topped $3 million, while eight sold for $2 million or more.

Leading the way was recent GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), who sold for $3.7 million to Bill Shively's Dixiana Farm from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. Dixiana Farm, which purchased two mares at the auction, was part of a deep and competitive domestic buying bench.

Cormac Breathnach and Tony Lacy | Keeneland

“The domestic buyers were definitely very, very strong,” Lacy said. “The Japanese buyers are historically very strong, but even they were finding it very competitive and probably not getting as many as they might have expected. It was just really good to see established breeders that were looking to upgrade some of their mares and complement their portfolio with some new mares and some new bloodlines. And we had some new people coming into the game. It was very encouraging overall. It's a good sign for the next few years.”

John Sikura, whose Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment sold 72 horses for $13,943,000 (including post sales), was gratified by, not just the record-setting results of the November sale, but also  the strength of the domestic buying bench.

“There was an expectation that we'd have a strong Breeding Stock Sale based upon the success of the September Yearling Sale and the entire yearling market,” said Sikura. “But there is a difference between expectation and reality. The fact that it happened is a very positive sign because the cycle for breeders is a long one. It expresses market confidence that people were buying high-end mares and the clearance rate was high on quality.

“It was also encouraging that in more cases than one, I saw an American breeder outbid their international counterpart,” Sikura continued. “That's good, because we've sort of been running second around all these big mares, and there were so many instances at this sale where the U.S. breeders were the winners. That's very healthy, because over time we can kind of denigrate the quality of what we have when we keep selling our best mares into private hands or abroad.”

The weanling market was particularly strong, with a pair of foals bringing seven figures. Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, bidding on behalf of Saudi businessman Amr Zedan, went to $2.2 million to acquire a son of Gun Runner from the Denali Stud consignment, while trainer Wesley Ward, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed new racing client–went to $1.25 million to acquire a filly by Curlin from the Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment. Ward ultimately signed for 18 weanlings–including some with Louis Dubois and Charles Shanahan as agents–for $6,030,000.

$2.2-Million Gun Runner weanling | Keeneland

In all, 808 weanlings sold through the ring at the 2025 Keeneland November sale for a gross of $91,630,300. The average price of $110,564 rose 46.50% from 2024 and the median rose 66.67% to $70,000. Twenty-three weanlings sold for $400,000 or more during the auction, up from 11 a year ago.

During the 2024 November sale, 801 weanlings sold through the ring for a gross of $60,454,700 for an average of $75,474 and a median of $42,000. The top-priced foal was a $900,000 son of Into Mischief.

The strength of the November market had its origins in the record-setting Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which set highwater marks for gross, average, median, as well as total number of million-dollar sales.

“The September market was remarkable with a jump of about 25% on last year, which was also a record,” Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach said. “That has spurred reinvestment. Pinhookers have been aggressive in restocking for next year's yearling market, and breeders are seeing a lot of value in mares with attractive commercial covers. The September Sale drove a lot of the gains at the November sale, which is encouraging because it's how you want the industry to work: People continue the cycle and make money along the way. Thankfully, 2025 has been a good year in that regard.”

Some buyers sought to get ahead of another potentially strong yearling market in 2026 by buying weanlings in November. Zedan, traditionally a high-end buyer at the yearling and 2-year-old sales, was making his first weanling purchase through Lanni when he acquired the $2.2-million top-priced foal.

“That end-user market was very active searching for the quality stock because they know those horses were probably going to cost them potentially more in September or at least as much,” Lacy said. “So they were trying to safeguard their position and gaining the quality that was here.”

The competitive bidding also had buyers looking outside of their traditional roles to find value in the market.

“There were some weanling buyers here who talked about diversifying into the broodmare sector as well, just getting pushed back,” Breathnach said. “So you had some yearling purchasers and end-users looking to buying weanlings and you have some weanling pinhookers looking to try to pinhook in uteros. That's another factor of a vibrant market.”

Taylor Made Tops Consignors List, Raging Torrent Syndicate is Leading Buyer

Taylor Made Sales Agency repeated as the leading consignor at the 2025 Keeneland November sale, with 258 horses sold for a gross of $42,172,400. It was the 28th time since 1987 that the Taylor family's operation was the auction's leading seller.

The Raging Torrent Syndicate, which opened the week at Fasig-Tipton with the $5-million purchase of Puca (Big Brown) and $1.5-million purchase of Violent Wave (Violence), was the leading buyer at the Keeneland November sale. The operation purchased five broodmares at Keeneland for a gross of $5,225,000. Leading the way was the $2-million purchase of Chatalas (Gun Runner). Paul Curran, representing the English-based Ace Stud, signed for the mares who are expected to support the operation's new stallions Raging Torrent and Carl Spackler. The two stallions will begin their stud careers next season at Lane's End.

Judicial Ethics Tops November Finale

The unraced 3-year-old broodmare prospect Judicial Ethics (Constitution) (hip 2852) brought the top price of the final day at the Keeneland November sale, selling for $180,000 to Sylvie Racing Ltd. The filly, a daughter of stakes winner Midnight Soiree (Include), was consigned by Lane's End, agent.

During the eighth session of the November sale, 164 head sold for a gross of $2,290,000. The average was $13,963 and the median was $9,750.

During the auction's ninth session, which immediately followed the eighth on Tuesday, 76 horses sold for $913,400 for an average of $12,018 and a median of $7,000.

Horses of Racing Age Sale Wednesday

The action will switch from bloodstock to racehorse offerings with the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale Wednesday. The one-session auction will offer roughly 130 ready-to-run horses and begins at noon.

“We are very encouraged by the depth of quality within the sale,” said Breathnach. “There are a lot of very lightly raced horses. There are 30-odd black-type performers in the group. There are some fillies with pedigree. It's a nice group of horses.”

Among the horses on offer Wednesday are 5-year-old multiple graded stakes winner Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) (hip 4014), who is coming off a win in the GIII Forty Niner Stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 2; 4-year-old graded stakes winner World Record (Gun Runner) (hip 4184); and 3-year-old Divine Justice (Justify) (hip 4190), who broke his maiden at the Keeneland meeting Oct. 3.

“We are definitely seeing the catalogue books fly off the shelf and credit applications are coming in,” Breathnach said. “The horses of racing age are here and we saw a lot of people, end-users, agents and trainers, that are actively shopping all day today, looking through the barns. So we are very encouraged and optimistic about tomorrow's sale as well.”

The post ‘It’s Been Remarkable’: Keeneland November Sale Concludes with Record Average, Median appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

5. DYNAMITE TONIGHT, DED, 11/7, 5 furlongs (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-82
(g, 2, by Independence Hall–Shop for Gold, by Speightstown)
O-Roger Smith and Keiber Rengifo. B-DocAtty Stables (La). T-Sam Breaux. J-Elio Barrera.
Having brought $127,000 in June at OBS–a decent price for a Louisiana-bred–he debuted by demolishing state-bred maidens by 8 3/4 lengths in solid time. His pedigree traces to Jack Dreyfus' old Hobeau Farm breeding operation, and New Iberia-based veteran Breaux, 71, has won 2,063 races and more than five dozen stakes.

4. ROTHKO, CD, 11/8, 6 1/2 furlongs (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-86 (2nd)
(c, 3, by Tapit–Covfefe, by Into Mischief)
O/B-LNJ Foxwoods (Ky). T-Brad Cox. J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Much was expected of the second foal from the Roth family's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Covfefe, and after a training setback he might be getting there. Away from racing for 15 1/2 months after a lackluster 2-year-old debut, he was a solid second here in a race that earned good speed-figure grades.

3. HOMETOWN BOUND, LRL, 11/8, 6 furlongs (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-86
(c, 2, by Mitole–Youngest Daughter, by The Factor)
O-Colts Neck Stables. B-G. Watts Humphrey, Jr., Vickie Oliver and G. Watts Humphrey III (Ky). T-Jorge Duarte. J-Victor Carrasco.
In a maiden sprint that appeared modest on paper but became much tougher in action, first-timers Hometown Bound and runnerup Crossingthechannel left the field–including a 1-to-2 favorite–strung out 20 lengths behind them from first to fifth. Owners Richard and Stephen Santulli went to $350k to buy the winner at OBS March, but bettors underestimated him at 7-1 odds.

2. RIPPED, CD, 11/8, 6 1/2 furlongs (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-88 (1st)
(c, 3, by City of Light–Fly Time, by Mr Speaker)
O-BC Stables. B-Gage Hill Stable II, W.S. Farish and Ken Langone. T-Steve Asmussen. J-Keith Asmussen.
Following the death of D. Wayne Lukas, BC Stables owners John Bellinger and Brian Coelho transferred this $650k yearling to Asmussen in July, and the 12-race maiden is showing signs of life with back-to-back improved efforts. First, he was a good fourth at Keeneland at 61-1 odds last month, and here he took a further step forward to score at 8-1. His dam is a half-sister to GI Preakness winner Rombauer.

1. BARB, CD, 11/5, 1 mile (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-91
(g, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Classic Point, by Flatter)
O-Flying P Stable. B-Marc Keller. T-Mike Maker. J-Jose Ortiz.
In June, owner Jay Provenzano spent $100k to claim Ole Crazy Bone, who 10 weeks later won the $2.5 million GII Kentucky Turf Cup. A month before that claim, Provenzano took this gelding–out of a two-time graded winner–for $75k. He immediately reeled off Beyers of 86 and 87 in losing efforts, regressed in two subsequent outings, then rebounded in a big way last Wednesday (and went untaken) when dropped back into a $100k claiming spot.

 

The post Five Fastest Maidens, Presented By Taylor Made: Nov. 3-10 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Tom Dixon remained involved with the Alydar case for more than 10 years. He has been steadfast in his belief that the prominent stallion broke his leg in a stall accident and was intentionally injured as part of insurance fraud.