Feed aggregator

Oceanport, NJ–Only a few years removed from what seemed like a death-knell for the New Jersey Thoroughbred industry, Monmout Park enthusiastically ushered in its 80th racing season with a full house during the Oceanport oval's press conference held in Turf Club dining room.

Hosted by the TDN's Christina Bossinakis, the event was attended by a solid contingent of elected officials as well as local horsemen and women. Also included among the event's highlights, Monmouth General Manager John Heims, a long-time Monmouth executive, was honored with the 2025 Virgil 'Buddy' Raines Award.

Currently the track's general manager and in-house counsel, Heims has been at Monmouth Park since 1997, serving in a variety of roles. He started at the Jersey Shore track as the Publicity Assistant, moving on to become the Director of Media Relations, In-House Counsel, Director of Racing/Racing Secretary.

“Having grown up at the Jersey Shore, Monmouth Park has been the only place I ever wanted to spend my time,” said Heims. “To be so lucky and fortunate to work here for nearly 30 years, although when it's a labor of love it's not really work, has been a true blessing.”

Also speaking during the event, Darby Development LLC Chairman and CEO Dennis Drazin underscored several of the changes emerging at the track, including the new Caesars Sportsbook, expected to officially open in July. Outfitted with a new Shake Shack menu, the venue will offer Vegas-style betting menu. Drazin also discussed a pair of new hotels expected for the property and high-end housing. Underpinning the project, it was announced last summer that Darby Development took over the track after forging a new 85-year lease with the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority.

Also featured at this year's conference was a rundown of the updated jockey colony set to return to Monmouth this season. Headed by Paco Lopez, who will aim for his seventh straight riding title and 12th overall, the remaining roster includes Tampa Bay Downs meet leader Samuel Marin, Samy Camacho, Isaac Castillo, Madison Olver, Melissa Iorio, Jomar Torres and Fernando Jara. Veteran rider Jose Ferrer, who missed the 2024 season, also returns this year. Jorge Vargas Jr., who was injured in a spill at Parx in February, is also poised to return at Monmouth this summer.

Newcomers to the venue include Sonny Leon, Jeiron Barbosa, Dexter Haddock, Chantal Sutherland and apprentice Melvis Gonzalez.

(L to R) Joe Bravo, Jorge Gonzalez, Jr., Chantal Sutherlands, Madison Olver and Sonny Leon | Bill Denver  – Equi-Photo

Headlining the trainer's colony, Todd Pletcher, Shug McGaughey and Chad Brown will be represented. Returning trainers include Jorge Delgado, Jose Delgado, Mike Dini, Chuck Spina, Pat McBurney, Kathleen O'Connell, Joe Orseno and Kathleen Demasi. New in 2025, Diane Morici and Daniel Siculietano.

The GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes highlights this season's stakes schedule, which kicks off this Saturday with the Long Branch Stakes on opening day followed by the Serena's Song Stakes on Mother's Day Sunday. During the 50-day meet, post time will be 12:50 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and holiday Mondays. Friday racing is set to begin June 20 and post times for those days will be 2 p.m.

For more information on Monmouth Park's 80th season, click here.

The post Monmouth Park Kicks Off 80th Season; John Heims Receives Virgil ‘Buddy’ Raines Award appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

It was hardly a surprise when Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott announced Tuesday that GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) would not be running in the GI Preakness Stakes and would instead point for the GI Belmont Stakes. No matter how prestigious the race is, no matter how special the Triple Crown has historically been, the modern-day trainer cringes at the thought of running their horses back in two weeks. They just don't want to do it. Bill Mott, as meticulous and patient as he is, certainly is in that camp.

Sovereignty will become the fourth Kentucky Derby winner to pass the Preakness since 2019. The others are Mott's Country House (Lookin At Lucky), Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Rich Strike (Keen Ice).

Losing those horses was bad for the sport, but none of them were considered major stars or candidates to sweep the Triple Crown. That's not the case with Sovereignty. He's an outstanding horse and is trained by one of the best in the business. He would have been a heavy favorite in the Preakness and a good bet to win that race and then come back three weeks later and win it all in the Belmont. This one really stings.

Yes, the Triple Crown is broken. But not beyond repair.

The solution, as it has been for years now, is obvious. There needs to be more spacing between the races and that doesn't mean just moving the Preakness back a week. The Kentucky Derby should be run on the first Saturday in May, the Preakness on the first Saturday in June and the Belmont on the first Saturday in July. That would mean at least four weeks between each race. In an era where trainers usually want about six weeks between races, even that is not ideal, but it's better than what we have now. Would Mott have elected to run in the Preakness if the race were held on Saturday, June 7? That's five weeks after the Derby. So, the answer is probably “yes.”

The purists say don't do it. It's all about the tradition and that the Triple Crown is meant to be hard to win. But what good is tradition when the Preakness has become such a weak link that it is dragging the entire Triple Crown series down with it? Who's going to run in this year's Preakness? So far, not one Grade I winner or horse that performed well in the Derby has committed to the race. If Derby runner-up Journalism (Curlin) doesn't run the favorite may be GII Wood Memorial winner Rodriguez (Authentic).

The three tracks need to gather in a room somewhere and not leave until they solve this problem. And it needs to be solved now, not 10 years from now.

The Kentucky Derby, obviously, is fine. When The Stronach Group still owned Pimlico, it lobbied to have the Preakness moved. But that would take cooperation from NYRA, which, at the time, wouldn't budge. If they don't move the Belmont, the Preakness can't move. It will stay stuck right where it is.

On the one hand, horses passing the Preakness for the Belmont is good for NYRA. It looks like the Belmont will once again come up strong and could feature the first three finishers in the Derby. But NYRA is going to pay the price, as well. If the Derby winner rarely runs in the Preakness that will mean NYRA will be missing out on the chance of a horse coming into New York that is going for the Triple Crown. Sovereignty vs. Journalism vs. Baeza (McKinzie) would be a terrific race, but it will pale in comparison to those Belmonts where a horse is going for the Triple Crown with 90,000 people packing the place, which is what happened when Justify (Scat Daddy) went for the Triple Crown in 2018. There's nothing else like it and as things stand now, we may not see it again for a long time.

Moving the Belmont to the first Saturday in July would have an impact on the top summer races for 3-year-olds. It would mean trouble for the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth, but when it comes to NYRA, the GI Travers would be fine. It will be run on Aug. 23 this year, plenty of time for the Belmont starters and the other Triple Crown horses to regroup and converge on Saratoga, that is if the Belmont were held on July 5, which is the first Saturday in July this year.

None of this can happen without NYRA doing what is the best thing for horse racing, and maybe even the best thing for the Belmont, and agreeing to change the date of the Belmont. The new owners of Pimlico, the new Maryland Jockey Club, could then move the date of the Preakness.

It's not healthy for the sport when its best horses run so infrequently and trainers will pass an historic race like the Preakness because it doesn't fit neatly into their schedule. But that's the way it is and nothing imminent is going to change that.

You can't blame Mott or the owner, Godolphin. They are doing what they believe is the best thing for Sovereignty and that is to wait for the Belmont. It's not their responsibility to “save” the Triple Crown.

This is a dysfunctional sport where everyone looks out for their own best interests first and what's best for the game second. There are a lot of problems where there are no obvious solutions. But this is not one of them.

The post Enough Already. It’s Time to Fix the Triple Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

G2 UAE Derby runner-up Heart of Honor (Honor A.P.) is scheduled to ship to the U. S. Thursday to begin preparations for a start in the GI Preakness Stakes May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, British trainer Jamie Osborne reported from his Lambourn stable Tuesday.

“He has to quarantine at Churchill. It's a bit of a pain,” said Osborne, whose stable is located an hour from London. “He's going to van to Pimlico on Monday. He'll be on the track at Pimlico Tuesday morning.”

Heart of Honor ran five races at Dubai's Meydan Race Course after debuting with a second-place finish at Southwell (England) on an all-weather surface. Jim and Claire Limited's colt came up a nose short of winning the 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby Apr. 5 at Meydan.

“Initially, after the UAE Derby, I thought that the horse may well need a break. He'd had five runs in Dubai. But when he got off the plane, he told me he wasn't ready for a break. He's thrived since he's been back. He's a hardy kind of horse,” Osborne said. “With that in mind, we thought this was worth a shot. He's only three once. There's nothing in the U.K. for him. So, the alternative was to give him a break, a long-extended break, and wait for next year's Middle East season when we go back to Dubai.

Osborne continued, “The Kentucky Derby was clearly going to be too soon for him. Logistically, it was going to be nearly impossible to ship from Dubai back here and then to America. The extra couple of weeks will probably be to our benefit, as well. We're going to have a go, and if he runs OK in the Preakness, the aim is to hang on for another three weeks and go to Saratoga.”

Heart of Honor was equipped with blinkers for the first time in the UAE Derby.

“He did travel more generously with them on, and he will wear them in the Preakness,” Osborne said. “Prior to that, he was being a little bit lazy. He was getting behind. He lost a couple of races in Dubai by getting a little bit too far behind and staying on a bit too late.”

Saffie Osborne, the trainer's 23-year-old daughter, rode Heart of Honor in the UAE Derby and has the Preakness mount.

“I think this horse, in what he's achieved so far, has to step up, but I think there's a chance that he can step up,” said the 57-year-old conditioner. “He's a horse that seems to be maturing and coming around this time of year.”

 

Journalism On the Fence, Preakness-Bound Clever Again Works

Plans have yet to be finalized for GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism (Curlin), who walked Tuesday before returning to train Wednesday, according to Justin Curran, Churchill Downs assistant to trainer Michael McCarthy.

“Then the owners will make a decision in the next couple of days,” he said.  “He came out of the race great–has good energy and is eating. He looks like a happy horse.”

Curran said Journalism is likely to jog [Wednesday], perhaps when the track first opens at 5:30 a.m. ET, then gallop Thursday.

McCarthy flew back to California and is expected to return to Louisville over the weekend.

After three days of delay because of sloppy track conditions at Churchill Downs, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen was finally able to work the lightly-raced Clever Again (American Pharoah) for the Preakness. The Hot Springs Stakes winner worked five-eighths of a mile in 1:01.60 in company and with jockey Jose Ortiz aboard.

“A work scheduled for Saturday has now happened on Tuesday,” Asmussen said. “The horse obviously has plenty of talent. He's very kind, manageable. Jose loved how he felt today, how he galloped out. Very happy to get this work in him.”'

Ortiz rode Clever Again in a pair of Oaklawn races.

Asmussen said Clever Again likely will work a half-mile on Monday [May 12] and van to Pimlico on Tuesday.

GII Wood Memorial winner Rodriguez (Authentic), who was withdrawn from the Derby because of a minor foot issue, is scheduled to have a timed workout this weekend.

Rodriguez continued to train every day, including galloping Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs.

“We're going to breeze this weekend, and then ship to Pimlico,” Baffert said.

The post UAE Derby Runner-up Heart of Honor Confirmed for Preakness; Clever Again Works appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Goffs has announced Fitzwilliam Sports as a new title partner of the Goffs London Sale, joining returning title partner Privat 3 Money for this year's event.

For a ninth straight year, a total of $100,000 in bonus money is on the table for trainers that run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness Stakes (G1) weekend, May 16 and 17, at Pimlico Race Course.

Sovereignty, winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1), will not run in the May 17 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course. Instead, he will be pointed toward the June 7 Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

The voting media gave the son of Into Mischief 299 points, a total that matches the season-best total achieved by Journalism, who was favored to win the Derby. Journalism posted consecutive 299-point weeks in leading the poll April 14 and 21.

The Inglis Australian Weanling Sale record set May 5 was broken only a day later when an immaculately bred colt by sire-of-the-moment Too Darn Hot fetched AU$775,000 on a spirited day of trading at Riverside.

BH Interview: Michael Shiffman

Oaklawn continues to deliver a world-class racing experience, marked by competitive fields and champion performances.

While the New York Thoroughbred racing industry eagerly awaits the expected Fall 2026 re-opening of Belmont Park, one of the circuit's oldest stakes also sits on hold.

Fasig-Tipton has added 36 supplemental entries to its upcoming Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, including 2-year-olds in training by top sires such as Constitution, Gun Runner, Not This Time, Uncle Mo, and Vekoma.

On the May 5 episode of BloodHorse Monday, Louie Rabaut and Sean Collins react to the results of the 151st Kentucky Derby (G1) and hear from winning connections Michael Banahan, Junior Alvarado, and Bill Mott.

A decision on whether there will indeed be a Triple Crown bid in 2025 should come in the next day or two, according to Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin, owners of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Sovereignty.

Thorpedo Anna last year also won the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) and was second in the Travers Stakes (G1). The seventh-place finish May 2 was her first time outside of the top two in 13 career races. She finished 8 1/2 lengths behind Raging Sea.

A daughter of group 1-winning mare Sheidel by Golden Slipper (G1) hero Stay Inside set a new record on the first day at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale May 5, after she was bought back by her breeder Rob Crabtree for AU$650,000.

Godolphin's GI Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) will bypass the May 17 GI Preakness Stakes, according to a release from Pimlico Race Course Tuesday afternoon.

“We received a call today from trainer Bill Mott that Sovereignty will not be competing in the Preakness,” Mike Rogers, executive vice president of 1/ST which operates Pimlico, said in the statement. “Bill informed us they would point toward the GI Belmont Stakes. We extend our congratulations to the connections of Sovereignty and respect their decision. We continue to see the excitement building toward the milestone celebration of the 150th Preakness Stakes, and we look forward to an incredible weekend of world-class racing and entertainment.”

Sovereignty won the Mar. 1 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes in his sophomore debut before finishing second in the Mar. 29 GI Curlin Florida Derby. He charged past favored Journalism (Curlin) over a sloppy Churchill track to secure a 1 1/2-length victory in the Derby last Saturday.

The post Sovereignty to Skip Preakness appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Spendthrift Farm will sponsor the upcoming Sir Barton Stakes, presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. The farm will also make a donation of $50,000 to the TAA during a check presentation following the running of the race on the May 17 Preakness Stakes undercard at Pimlico Race Course.

“We are honored to partner with Spendthrift Farm for this year's Sir Barton Stakes,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, Operations Consultant, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “Their commitment to the welfare of Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers is inspiring, and we are deeply grateful for their support of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance's mission.”

Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey added, “At Spendthrift, the care and future of Thoroughbreds has always been a top priority. We are proud to support Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and to be part of a weekend that celebrates the best of our sport, both on and off the racetrack.”

The post Spendthrift Farm to Sponsor Sir Barton Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A total of $100,000 in bonus money is on the table for trainers who run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races held during Preakness weekend, May 16 and 17, at Pimlico Race Course. Points for the trainer's bonus, which is returning to the Maryland track for the ninth year, are accumulated for finishing first (10 points), second (seven), third (five), fourth (three) and having a starter (one) in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes.

The trainer with the most points will receive $50,000, second is worth $25,000, third $12,000, fourth $7,000, fifth $4,000 and sixth $2,000.

There will also be bonus money totaling $50,000 for trainers with the most points in non-stakes races during Preakness weekend. The points are accumulated in similar fashion, with $25,000 going to the leader, $10,000 to second, $7,500 to third, $4,000 to fourth, $2,500 to fifth and $1,000 to sixth. Trainers must have a minimum of three starts to qualify for the bonus.

The post Preakness Weekend Trainer Bonus Returns appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Who were the five fastest maiden winners based on the Beyer Speed Figures this week? We count them down.

5. PAHOEHOE D'ORO, OP 5/2 – 6 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure: 86

Video Replay
(f, 4, Medaglia d'Oro-Miss Exclusive, by Unbridled's Song)
B-Mt Brilliant Broodmares LLC, O-Old Bones Racing Stable LLC, Volcanic Racing LLC and Joey Platts, T-Phil D'Amato, J-Ramon Vazquez.
Back-class pedigree pages don't look much better than this. Her third dam, Juddmonte blue hen Hasili, produced in sequence: Dansili (3rd in Breeders' Cup Mile), Banks Hill (won Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf), Heat Haze (won Beverly D., Matriarch), Intercontinental (won Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf), Cacique (won Manhattan, Man o'War) and Champs Elysees (won Hollywood Turf Cup, Canadian International).
Intercontinental didn't produce much herself, and daughter Miss Exclusive was sold for $750,000 to Mt. Brilliant at Keeneland November in 2018. But Pahoehoe D'Oro, the third of Miss Exclusive's foals to race, is off to a fine start–winning smartly in her second lifetime start after 7 1/2 months. Volcanic Racing owner Larry Goldman must have named her: pahoehoe is a form of volcanic lava.

4. FOUNTAIN LAKE, CD 5/3- 1 1/16 miles
Beyer Speed Figure: 87

Video Replay
(c, 3, Improbable-Doritza, by Mineshaft)
B-Stoneriggs Farm, O-Shortleaf Stable Inc., T-John Ortiz, J-Julian Leparoux.
Fountain Lake's $100k yearling price may turn out to be a bargain. He kicked off Kentucky Derby day wire-to-wire in his sixth lifetime start, with significantly more speed than his previous races. Owner John Ed Anthony has a history of naming colts after Arkansas locations, and this one's namesake is a small community (population 503) a dozen miles from Anthony's Hot Springs home.

3. CONCORD BRIDGE, SA 5/4- 6 1/2 furlongs
Beyer Speed Figure: 89

Video Replay
(c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro-Pauline Revere, by Distorted Humor)
B-Gage Hill Stables LLC and W.S. Farish, O-Antonio P. Sardo, T-Ron Ellis, J-Welfin Orantes.
Claimed for $50,000 in December, he showed flashes of talent in his next start, but nothing like Sunday. Running for the eighth time, he sat behind the leaders and cut the corner through a big rail opening into the stretch–a perfect trip to be sure, but he then showed explosiveness to quickly open daylight. His dam is a half-sister to Grade I sprinter American Theorem, and at one point he was regarded highly enough to bring $850,000 as a yearling.

2. MAINSTREAM, CD 5/3- 7 furlongs (2nd)
Beyer Speed Figure: 92

Video Replay
(c, 3, Speightstown-Lesley May, by Tapit)
B- Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, O-Jeffrey Drown, Don Rachel LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC, T-Brad Cox, J-Luis Saez.
The entertaining 14th and final race on the sloppy Kentucky Derby program produced our two fastest maidens last week. In his second start, Mainstream rolled past Pursuitneversleeps into the turn but never completely shook him. The two ultimately left the others far behind and battled to the wire before Pursuitneversleeps edged past. A $485,000 yearling, Mainstream lost his March debut at Gulfstream in much the same fashion.

1.PURSUITNEVERSLEEPS, CD 5/3- 7 furlongs (1st)
Beyer Speed Figure: 93

Video Replay
(c, 3, Ghostzapper-Fashion Factor, by The Factor)
B-Ghostzapper Syndicate, Scarteen Stud and Barry Donworth, O-Bakster Farm LLC, T-Dale Romans, J-Corey Lanerie.
After Pursuitneversleep's mid-March debut second behind Here Comes Francis, a fast 3-year-old sprinter so far under the national radar, owner Jim Bakke targeted this Derby day return. Pursuitneversleeps outbroke Mainstream to be third in a line of four on the pace, then was outfooted and perhaps shuffled back a touch at the half-mile pole, but he kept at it and lived up to his name as the even-money favorite.

The post The Five Fastest Maidens for the Week of Apr. 30 through May 4 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.