Feed aggregator

Rhyme Schemes, winner of the 2023 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2), has been retired to stud duties, and will stand his first season in 2026 at Clear Creek Stud near Folsom, La.

Sent away as the 3-5 favorite, Test Score won smartly under Juan Hernandez for owners John and Jerry Amerman and trainer Graham Motion.

Wathnan Racing's Hit Show scores a repeat victory in the Fayette Stakes (G3) at Keeneland Oct. 25, securing a sixth consecutive fall meet training title for Brad Cox.

Graded stakes winner Dean Martini has been retired by owner David Bernsen and has joined Old Friends in Georgetown, Ky.

There are 24 British- and Irish-trained horses declared in the six group races, including three group 1s, at Saint-Cloud Oct. 26. Here are two 2-year-olds you should be watching especially closely, plus quotes from the trainers on their stablemates.

Bank Frenzy has an affinity for Aqueduct Racetrack, a point on display Oct. 25 with a victory in the $250,000 Empire Classic Stakes.

Troubleshooting parlays a victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G1T) at Kentucky Downs into another stakes success, this time in the Bryan Station Stakes (G3T) over a mile at Keeneland.

Hawk Mountain led home an Aidan O'Brien-trained trifecta in the Futurity Trophy Stakes (G1) at Doncaster Racecourse Oct. 25.

Hoping that his start in Saturday's GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic will be a memorable one, MGISW Journalism (Curlin) worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Del Mar Sunday morning. With Jose Ortiz in the irons and working with stablemate Legitimate (Authentic), the three-time Grade I winner was last seen finishing second in the GI Pacific Classic on Aug. 30. Both colts are trained by Michael McCarthy.

“We were just looking for a maintenance work this morning,” said McCarthy. “I think we got that accomplished. I loved the way he galloped out. Went from the wire to the seven-eighths and shading :11 and two. All good.”

Ortiz added, “He's a very classy horse. A beautiful mover. We went out there and did five eighths. I just let him stretch his legs and be happy. Michael (McCarthy) was very happy with the work. The horse is ready. He is very happy with what I did today.”

Previously ridden by Umberto Rispoli, the colt will be ridden by Ortiz in the Classic.

“We just thought it was good for [Ortiz] to go ahead and sit on him, get a feel of him, kind of test drive a little bit,” said McCarthy. “It's not like it's never been done before. So grateful that he was able to kind  of take a race or two off today and come out here and help us out.”

Following Sunday's workout, Ortiz hopped on a plane and flew back to Kentucky to ride at Churchill Downs Sunday.

“He's very straightforward,” said Ortiz. “He did everything right. I didn't try to test him or anything. We know he's a nice horse. We're just trying to get to know him a little bit. But he was very classy out there, as he's always been.”

Journalism, winner of this season's GI Preakness, GI Haskell and GI Santa Anita Derby, is expected to be retired to Ashford Stud at the conclusion of his racing career.

Also working at Del Mar Sunday, GI Ogden Phipps winner Dorth Vader (Girvin) negotiated four furlongs in :49 flat. Under Raul Munoz, the 5-year-old is trained by George Weaver.

“She broke off a little slow, but she finished up well, so I had the rider let her gallop on out,” said Blair Golen, assistant to Weaver. “She got off in :26 and 1 and finished up in :49 and 1, so a strong finish. I was happy with her and the way she cools out. She's fit, it's just letting her blow off some mental steam.”

In an effort to ease her anxiety stemming from the travel and change of scenery, Dorth Vader arrived in California accompanied by her trusty companion, a large teddy bear.

“We've always had horses that had a bear– Daddy Is a Legend had one–and I see a few trainers do it,” Golen explained. “Hers is big and sits in the corner, and she just kind of looks at it. It's comforting. Some people have goats, and some have teddy bears.. She takes the bear and her pink Jolley ball everywhere. Sometimes she paws at it, but for the most part they just hang out.”

In preparation for Saturday's GI Filly & Mare Sprint, Zeitlos (Curlin) breezed three panels in :36.20 for trainer Steve Asmussen. The 5-year-old will try and improve upon a seventh in last season's Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar.

 

The post Classic Contender Journalism Heads Breeders’ Cup Worktab at Del Mar Sunday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Breeders' Cup pre-entrants Explora (Blame), Kopion (Omaha Beach), Straight No Chaser (Speightster), Goal Oriented (Not This Time) and Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) all had their final works Sunday at Santa Anita.

Kopion, trained by Richard Mandella, covered three furlongs in :33.20 with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith aboard. The 4-year-old was pre-entered in both the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint going seven furlongs and six-furlong GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, however, Mandella confirmed Kopion would be entered in the Sprint where she will be joined by Mandella-trained stablemate Big City Lights.

Kopion will attempt to become the fourth female to win the Sprint joining Desert Stormer (1995), Safely Kept (1990) and Very Subtle (1987).

Straight No Chaser worked four furlongs in :49.0 ahead of a title defense in the Sprint. Trained by Dan Blacker, Straight No Chaser most recently finished third in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Sept. 28. Last year, Straight No Chaser won the Sprint by a half-length to clinch the Eclipse Award as North America's outstanding sprinter. He'll attempt to join Elite Power (2022-23), Roy H (2017-18) and Midnight Lute (2007-08) as back-to-back winners of the Sprint.

“It was a good work,” Blacker confirmed. “His last two or three works have been really good. He has good enthusiasm, good energy. That's what I want to see. He did pick up some company today, which wasn't ideal, but my assistant, Juan [Landerso], did a great job.”

Explora and Goal Oriented–both TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard–worked for their trainer Bob Baffert. Explora, pre-entered in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, drilled five furlongs in 1:00.20. The filly most recently won the GII Oak Leaf on Oct. 4 at Santa Anita.

“She went nice,” said Bob Baffert. “She is a very classy filly, and she cruised around there by herself. I like the fact that she can go two turns. That is not going to be an issue for her, and she has speed if she wants to use it. She is not a one-dimensional horse.”

Goal Oriented, heading to the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, worked four furlongs with company in :47.40. It was the fastest of 66 works at the distance. Goal Oriented most recently finished third in the GI Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 20 at Parx.

“He always works well; he is a good work horse,” said Baffert. “He was within himself and did it the right way, he was just cruising around there. It was nothing for him.”

Motorious, who'll be making his third attempt at winning the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, worked five furlongs on the synthetic training track in 1:01.20. Trained by Phil D'Amato, Motorious most recently won the GIII Green Flash via disqualification at Del Mar on Aug. 30. The 7-year-old gelding was second in last year's Turf Sprint at Del Mar and fifth in the 2023 Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

“He worked really well,” said Antonio Fresu, aboard for the work. “It was nice and easy today, being six days out from the big race. It was an easy work on his own after what was his fast and heavy work last week. We were really happy with the way he went and today he looked beautiful

on the training track. I just kept him going easy. He's ready to go.”

Final entries for the 42nd Breeders' Cup will be taken Monday, Oct. 27. Post positions will be drawn in the Del Mar paddock starting at 4 p.m. PT.

The post Breeders’ Cup Workers at Santa Anita Sunday led by Explora, Straight No Chaser and Kopion appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Bank Frenzy guts out another victory in Saturday’s Empire Classic at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

You don’t win half of your career starts unless you’re willing to throw it down when necessary.

Bank Frenzy showed he was up for a fight in Saturday’s Empire Classic Stakes on Empire Showcase Day at Aqueduct, coming back to beat Doc Sullivan by a neck after losing the lead late in the stretch.

“When I saw Joel (Rosario, on Doc Sullivan) going inside, I thought we were in good shape because he’s a fighter,” winning trainer Rudy Rodriguez said. “He’s a very special horse for us and he fights every fight. This is very special for all of us – we’re New York guys. We try to support everything as much as we can.”

Bank Frenzy, who won for the 10th time in 20 starts to go with five seconds, dogged pacesetter Iron Dome all the way down the backstretch through a quarter-mile in :24.80 and a half in :49.35, as Doc Sullivan and Dr. Kraft ran in tandem behind the leading pair. Manny Franco pulled even with Iron Dome on the far turn and snuck a quick look behind him as he guided Bank Frenzy to the lead at the quarter pole.

He may have dispatched Iron Dome, but there was an imminent threat coming from Doc Sullivan, and when Franco drifted out slightly, Rosario ducked to the inside with Doc Sullivan and actually stuck his head in front in the final 100 yards. That’s when Bank Frenzy’s competitive fire kicked in and he surged in the final strides to win the $250,000 stakes. A 5-year-old by four-time leading New York sire Central Banker, Bank Frenzy ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.08 on the fast track.

“He was tugging on me,” Franco said. “I knew the pace was slow, so I said, ‘I’m going to go.’ The Asmussen horse (Iron Dome) was on the lead easy and my horse was taking me, so I was happy where I was. My horse likes to wait when he makes the front, but I knew that he had more under him and when the horse engaged him to the inside, he gave me the effort that he has.”

Bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Bank Frenzy is out of the Tiznow mare Storm Now. He originally sold for $110,000 at the 2022 OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training. Randy Sarf of LSU Stables purchased Bank Frenzy privately from Phil’s Racing Stable in the spring of 2024 and has watched him win seven times in 11 starts while wearing the gold and purple silks.

In capturing his fifth state-bred stakes, Bank Frenzy, who has run nine furlongs only four times, with three wins and a second, increased his earnings to $839,420. He came into the Empire Classic off a fifth-place finish in the John Morrissey Stakes July 31 at Saratoga Race Course after winning three straight New York-bred stakes prior to that. He ran second in last year’s Empire Classic to Mama’s Gold, a loss he avenged in this year’s Commentator. – Paul Halloran

Valtellina scores mild upset in Saturday’s Empire Distaff at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo/Chelsea Durand.

• Valtellina notched her second career win on the big stage in Saturday’s $250,000 Empire Distaff Stakes, the co-feature of the Empire Showcase Day card going 1 1/8 miles on Aqueduct’s main track.

After overcoming an awkward stumble at the start, the 3-year-old Complexity filly settled in at the rear of the field as Bernietakescharge and Vehemente took the early lead. The frontrunning pair led by 5 lengths over Sweetest Princess and favored Kay Cup while Valtellina made steady progress along the backstretch.

Under Dylan Davis, Valtellina saved ground around the turn before angling three wide at the top of the stretch, sprinting past a tiring Vehemente to challenge Bernietakescharge for the lead. Valtellina charged past the frontrunner in the final sixteenth to score by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:50.03 for trainer Ray Handal.

“She was a little antsy [in the gate] and [Bernietakescharge] moving around got her going a little bit,” Davis said. “She mistimed the break and made a quick, little stumble. I was hoping she would get her feet in time, but the break wasn’t as important for me today because there was enough speed in here and she’s not a speed horse. I was just hoping she could get her legs going and get me back up and into the race and get going. She did that well.”

Valtellina’s only prior win came on debut at Saratoga Race Course in 2024. She followed the effort with a second in the 2024 running of the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes, closing out her 2-year-old season with a fifth in the Maid of the Mist Stakes and a sixth in the Key Cent Stakes. After four unsuccessful starts in allowance company to begin her 3-year-old year, Valtellina returned to stakes company in June with a fourth in the Bouwerie and a second in the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes in July. She came into the Empire Distaff off a third in the Fleet Indian Stakes Aug. 21 at Saratoga.

Despite the dry spell, her connections never had any doubts about Valtellina’s ability.

“I was a little concerned when she went down like that, but Dylan did a great job getting her back into the race,” said owner Vincent Clerico of Pavillion Racing. “She tries hard every single race. This time we finally caught the break and she got home. It was great.”

Bred by Thorostock LLC and a $67,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, Valtellina is the third foal out of the winning Take Charge Indy mare Take Charge Sue.

Take Charge Sue is also the dam of winning 5-year-old New York-bred Carpe Diem gelding Hot Rod Lincoln, winning 4-year-old New York-bred Yoshida filly Good Enough For Me and the unraced New York-bred 2-year-old Violence colt Violin. Thorostock also bred Take Charge Sue’s yearling New York-bred colt by Mind Control. – Darby O’Brien

The post Fighting ‘Frenzy’ packs a punch in Empire Classic; 3-year-old Valtellina takes Empire Distaff appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Awesome Czech holds off Gallant Greta to win Saturday’s Ticonderoga Stakes on Empire Showcase Day at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

Barry Schwartz’s homebred Awesome Czech will head to some well-earned rest and relaxation after winning for the third time in her last four starts in Saturday’s $200,000 Ticonderoga Stakes on Empire Showcase Day at Aqueduct.

“She’s been an awesome mare,” said Horacio De Paz, who trains the 4-year-old daughter of Mendelssohn. “To be consistent all throughout the year is not the easiest, so she’ll get a good little vacation now and it’s well deserved.”

Awesome Czech earned that break after she settled early and split foes in the stretch to win the 1 1/16-mile Ticonderoga by a neck over Gallant Greta. Ricardo Santana Jr., aboard for Awesome Czech’s previous five starts, rode the filly again and couldn’t say enough after her sixth win in 18 starts.

“I love this filly,” Santana said. “She was working good, and we had a lot of confidence in her. She’s been running in stakes and running hard. Today, I wanted to be patient and follow [Spinning Colors.] She sat behind them and when we turned for home, the hole opened, and I go on from there. She’s a really classy filly.”

Santana landed the mount on Awesome Czech for her first start of 2025, a narrow defeat in an open-company optional claimer May 3 at Aqueduct. After a third in the Mount Vernon Stakes on New York Showcase Day to open the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, Awesome Czech won back-to-back starts at Saratoga Race Course in an open allowance and the Yaddow Stakes. She came into the Ticonderoga off a third, again against open company, in the Athenia Stakes Sept. 14 at Aqueduct.

“She’s more mature and Santana knows her well,” De Paz said.

The 7-5 favorite in the field of nine off that Athenia effort, Awesome Czech raced in third early as Spinning Colors and longshot and Mid-Atlantic shipper Golden Rocket led through opening splits of :24.10 and :47.91 over the firm turf. Spinning Colors, fourth in the Athenia and third in the Yaddo, continued to lead around the far turn as last year’s Moonage Daydream gained ground after recovering from a terrible start.

Santana sent Awesome Czech between the tiring Spinning Colors and Golden Rocket in the stretch and braced for the challenge of Gallant Greta inside the eighth pole. Gallant Greta, making her stakes debut for trainer Mike Maker, made it a race inside the sixteenth pole but came up a neck short. Moonage Daydream finished another 2 lengths back in third, a neck ahead of Golden Rocket. Awesome Czech won in 1:41.41.

Foaled at Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Awesome Czech is the first foal out of the Awesome Again mare Marvelous Martina.

Schwartz purchased the now 9-year-old mare carrying Awesome Czech in utero for $25,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Marvelous Martina is also the dam of the 3-year-old Central Banker filly Rare Society, who finished sixth in a New York-bred maiden race Oct. 9 at Aqueduct.

Marvelous Martina is also the dam of a yearling New York-bred colt by Honest Mischief and a New York-bred full sister to Awesome Czech born Feb. 24. Both are bred by Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm.

Awesome Czech picked up $110,000 for the Ticonderoga victory to boost her bankroll to $573,990. – Tom Law

Manny Franco rallies Slapintheface to victory in the Mohawk Stakes on Empire Showcase Day at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo/Chelsea Durand.

• After closing from 11th to win his last start, Slapintheface only had to come from third to win Saturday’s $200,000 Mohawk Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile affair for New York-breds on the turf, on Aqueduct’s Empire Showcase Day card.

A homebred for Niall Brennan, Slapintheface broke well and took a spot sitting third on the rail early, behind lukewarm fractions of :24.44 and :50.17 set by Itsallcomintogetha. With less than a quarter-mile to run, the gelded son of Oscar Performance tipped out to the three-path under Manny Franco and came with a furious late rally to run down Itsallcomintogetha and a game Sounds Like A Plan by a half-length in 1:43.33 for trainer Anthony Dutrow. George Briggs, the even-money favorite, finished fourth. Slapintheface paid $15.44 for the victory.

“I knew we were going to be closer today, there wasn’t much speed in the race,” Franco said. “I played it by ear and he broke good out of there, so I just let him have that spot. After that, I was comfortable. He was traveling so well and when I tipped out, he was running for me.

“He always closes. It takes him a little bit to get going, but when he gets going, he’s good.”

Franco earned his third consecutive win in the Mohawk Stakes after he won the last two editions of the Empire Showcase Day fixture for older horses on the grass aboard Grade 1 winner Spirit Of St. Louis.

Slapintheface improved to 4-for-15 lifetime with earnings of $364,320 by winning the Mohawk, the first stakes victory of his career.

The 5-year-old is the first foal out of the winning Lookin At Lucky mare Lost Innocence, who finished her racing career with one win in three starts for owner Brennan and trainer Ralph Nicks nearly a decade ago. She has also produced West Seventeenth, an unraced 2-year-old filly by Mendelssohn. – Alec DiConza

The post Awesome Czech adds Ticonderoga to strong resume; Slapintheface rallies to win Mohawk appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Sterling Silver secures her 10th career win with victory in the Iroquois Stakes on Empire Showcase Day at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

Sterling Silver all but guaranteed a spot among the finalists for champion New York-bred female sprinter with another solid season in 2025. Her victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Iroquois Stakes on Empire Showcase Day might just land her the title.

Mark Anderson’s 6-year-old Cupid mare improved to 2-for-7 with two seconds and two thirds this season with a widening 2-length victory over Stonewall Star in the 6 ½-furlong Iroquois. Defending New York-bred Horse of the Year and champion female sprinter finished third as the 4-5 favorite in the field of nine. Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Sterling Silver won in 1:15.09.

“Normally, she has a good kick and then steady at the end,” Alvarado said. “Today, she was all energy.”

An older half-sister to the Breeders’ Cup Mile-bound Rhetorical, Sterling Silver picked up another $110,000 to boost her bankroll to $1,253,051.

Mallory and Karen Mort bred both Sterling Silver and Rhetorical out of the Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor. Sterling Silver earned New York-bred championship consideration in the female sprinter category in 2022, 2023 and 2024, along with a finalist nod in the 3-year-old filly division in 2022.

The Iroquois provided a sixth stakes victory for Sterling Silver, who also won this year’s Biogio’s Rose over New York-breds in early April at Aqueduct. She placed in two other New York-bred stakes and finished third last time out in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Stakes in late September at Aqueduct.

The 2-1 second choice behind My Mane Squeeze, Sterling Silver came away well from the gate and settled toward the back of the pack per her usual style. Stone Smuggler and Sunday Girl came away quickest from the gate before longshot Cara’s Time split those two to take the lead. Cara’s Time led Sunday Girl by a half-length through the opening quarter-mile in :22.42.

Sunday Girl took over on the far turn and led Cara’s Time by a half-length through the half in :45.31, with Khali Magic just a half-length back. Alvarado angled Sterling Silver several paths off the rail turning for home and she accelerated after the leaders. Sunday Girl continued on approaching the eighth pole and led by 1 ½ lengths over Stonewall Star in midstretch with Sterling Silver continuing to gain on the outside.

Sterling Silver took the lead about 70 yards from home and widened her advantage from there. Multiple stakes winner Stonewall Star, off since winning the Bay Ridge in late December, held second by a half-length from My Mane Squeeze. Sunday Girl finished fourth.

“She was very good,” Alvarado said. “She always tries but today she was finally able to get it done. I had a good trip. I got to cut the corner at the end and when I put her outside, she really kicked on today better than a couple other times before where I felt she kicked on and then was just steady at the end. … She kept running through the wire.”

Sterling Silver and My Mane Squeeze are both entered in the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky’s “Night of the Stars” at the November mixed sale. Sterling Silver, cataloged as Hip 157 and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, is one of three winners out of Sheet Humor. Foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Sterling Silver has compiled a record of 10-7-7 from her 35 starts with Mott and former trainer Tom Albertrani.

My Mane Squeeze, also consigned by Taylor Made as Hip 122, suffered her second straight defeat after winning the Johnstone Stakes in late July at Saratoga. She’s 7-for-19 with a pair of graded stakes wins, and earnings of $1,231,785. – Tom Law

The Wine Steward powers home to win the Hudson on Empire Showcase Day at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo/Chelsea Durand.

• The Wine Steward returned to his winning ways in the $200,000 Hudson Stakes on Saturday’s Empire Showcase Day card at Aqueduct.

The 4-year-old son of Vino Rosso notched his second win in five starts this year. Coming off a lackluster sixth Sept. 19 in the 1 1/16-mile Presque Isle Mile Stakes on synthetic, The Wine Steward dominated going 6 1/2 furlongs on the dirt under Ricardo Santana Jr. for the first time.

Breaking sharp from post five, The Wine Steward settled into second early, a half-length behind frontrunner Vettriano for an opening quarter in :22.46. Biding his time as they headed into the turn, The Wine Steward challenged a stubborn Vettriano at the top of the stretch. The Wine Steward put a neck in front deep in the stretch and kept rolling, finishing 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Vettriano for a final time of 1:14.80 for trainer Mike Maker. Acoustic Ave rallied for third.

“It was impressive how he kicked today. I knew we were rolling,” said Santana. “I was chasing [Vettriano] all race, and I couldn’t let him go easy because I knew that was the horse I had to beat. I wanted to put a little pressure on, and I know I’m going fast, and then in the stretch I switched my stick to the left, hit him one time, and he gave me another gear.”

The Wine Steward began his career in 2023 with a three-race win streak, following his maiden win at Belmont Park with triumphs in the Bashford Manor Stakes at Ellis Park and the Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. He finished second in his three subsequent starts, going winless as a 3-year-old. He broke that streak with his triumph in the Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park, the first start of his 4-year-old season, in late January. He followed it up with a third in the Grade 3 Oaklawn Mile in March, a ninth in the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile in May at Lone Star Park and a head loss in the John Morrissey Stakes in July at Saratoga.

“We were always high on this horse,” said Peter Proscia of Paradise Farms, co-owner of The Wine Steward with David Staudacher. “We tried a few different things – going long, out of town – but truth be told, he loves New York. We love New York, and he made it happen today. It’s Showcase Day and we’re very happy about his effort today.”

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds, Lakland Farm and Mark Toothaker, The Wine Steward sold for $70,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale in 2022 before selling for $340,000 at the 2023 OBS March 2-year-old sale.

The Wine Steward is the first of three foals, and lone New York-bred, out of the To Honor and Serve mare Call To Service. Call To Service is also the dam of 3-year-old Authentic gelding Acknowledge, who sold for $310,000 to Repole Stable at the 2024 OBS March sale, and 2-year-old Curlin filly Lady On Call.

The Wine Steward improved to 5-4-1 in 13 starts, boosting his earnings to $745,260. – Darby O’Brien

The post Sterling Silver secures 10th win in Iroquois; The Wine Steward bounces back in Hudson appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

The final session of the Arqana October Yearling Sale concluded Oct. 25, and the five-day sale finished with across-the-board declines in total sales, average price, and median, bucking trends seen at many yearling sales across the world in 2025.

Richard Hannon hailed Rosallion as "a horse of a lifetime" after the trainer said the three-time group 1 winner had been retired.

Yulong Investments' Via Sistina became the oldest mare to land the Cox Plate (G1) and joined an elite list of dual winners in a fittingly classic edition of the race Oct. 25 in its last staging at Moonee Valley Racecourse before its redevelopment.

Nearly four dozen horses preparing for the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar breeze across the country, including 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Sierra Leone.

Ironhorse Stallions announced Oct. 25 that Bucchero will stand the 2026 breeding season for $12,500, with an early-bird discount available through Dec. 31 for mares foaling in New York and a breeder-friendly mare cap of 140. 

Riley Mott, 33, will saddle his first Breeders' Cup starter at this year's World Championships. He will be represented by a solid contender in grade 1 winner Argos, a 2-year-old son of Nyquist, in the Oct. 31 Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.

Bidding has opened for the 2025 Inglis Digital USA October (Late) Sale, featuring a slate of 73 offerings for a broad spectrum of buyers, led by a 11-horse consignment from Paramount Sales, and racing prospects with notable updates.