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In a race where the favorites failed to show up, Claiborne's Admit was left to pick up the pieces, powering to her first graded stakes victory in the $396,013 Valley View Stakes (G2T) Oct. 24 at Keeneland.

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association announces Oct. 24 that Valerie Dailey, a Thoroughbred breeder in Florida since 1985, was elected president of the FTBOA at a board meeting.

Veteran jockey Willie Martinez will retire from riding this month and will begin work as a regional manager for the Jockeys' Guild effective Nov. 1.

Twenty Six Black adds second stakes victory to resume in the inaugural New York Turf Sprint on Empire Showcase Day. Coglianese Photo.

Horacio De Paz felt that Roger Cimbora Jr.’s homebred Twenty Six Black took a step back a bit last time out when third in the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint. He didn’t allow the 5-year-old War Dancer gelding’s loss dissuade him from continuing on to the $200,000 New York Turf Sprint Championship and was rewarded for that decision Saturday at Aqueduct.

Twenty Six Black ran to his 7-5 favoritism and back to the form that landed him a Grade 2 placing and a stakes victory at Saratoga with a rallying score in the inaugural New York Turf Sprint on Empire Showcase Day. Joel Rosario rode Twenty Six Black to his 1-length victory over the pacesetting Waralo in 1:08.20 for the 6 furlongs on firm turf.

“He just regressed a little bit from his efforts at Saratoga and he came back here with a great effort,” De Paz said. “We’ve liked him since he was a 2-year-old and it’s just nice to see him progress as an older horse. He’s a handsome horse and very solid, very honest, too.”

Twenty Six Black improved to 7-for-17 with Saturday’s victory and boosted his bankroll to $627,310. He’s won two of six with a second and third this season.

“He’s a very nice horse and finished very well today; he always does,” Rosario said. “Thank you to Horacio and the owner for the opportunity. I saved the ground and waited to make my move. There was no chance to come out on the turn, so I stayed in as much as I could and after that, he just ran by them with a really nice kick.”

Bet down from his 8-5 price on the morning line, Twenty Six Black settled into fifth early as Waralo took the lead in his stakes debut in search of his fourth win in five starts since moving to the grass in late May.

Waralo clicked off the opening quarter in :22.91, just a half-length in front of the pressing Dancing Buck with Twisted Filigree and Senbei chasing. The order remained unchanged around the far turn and to the half in :45.95 as Rosario stayed patient down on the inside with Twenty Six Black. Rosario tipped Twenty Six Black out in the lane, just as Waralo shrugged off Dancing Buck. Twenty Six Black made up 1 ½ lengths in midstretch with a strong finish in the final furlong to win going away. Waralo held second by a half-length over Run Curtis Run with Dancing Buck fourth. Bold Journey, Twisted Filigree and Senbei completed the field.

Twenty Six Black is the third foal and first stakes winner out of the First Dud mare Brazo de Oro. She’s also the dam of three-time winner and $116,978-earner Happy Hill Lil and stakes-placed $344,835-earner Can’t Fool Me, who was entered in Saturday’s Ticonderoga Stakes off the claim later on the Showcase Day card.

Twenty Six Black’s 2-year-old full brother, A Little At First, finished fifth in both of his starts this season for Cimbora and De Paz – an Aug. 31 maiden at Saratoga and Oct. 9 maiden at Aqueduct. He returned to the work tab on the morning of Showcase Day, breezing a half in :50.77 on the Belmont Park training track.

Cimbora also bred Brazo de Oro’s New York-bred yearling colt by Tourist and her New York-bred weanling full brother to Twenty Six Black born Jan. 30.

The post Twenty Six Black continues strong season in New York Turf Sprint appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Letmecounttheways puts on a show to win the Maid of the Mist Stakes on Empire Showcase Day at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

The Dr. Jerry Bilinski-bred Letmecounttheways caught the eye in her debut in September and a month later she made sure everyone knew she’s the new star on the scene with a 6-length romp in the $200,000 Maid of the Mist Stakes on Empire Showcase Day.

Going off as a heavy favorite off that maiden victory, the Mike Maker trainee was brushed at the start of the 1-mile Maid of the Mist by Grazie but quickly put that incident behind her. She shot straight to the lead with no one willing to challenge and set early fractions of :23.53 and :46.75 with a length on the rest of the runners.

Joel Rosario kept a tight hold on Letmecounttheways while looking confident going into the stretch with the rest of the field hustled by their riders. Rosario took a few looks under his arm in midstretch but when it was clear there was no chance of being caught, he let the filly gallop at her own pace to win by a widening margin.

Letmecounttheways won in 1:35.94. Grazie finished second with Victory Hall another 2 1/4 lengths back in third.

“She’s been training great,” said co-owner Paradise Farms Corp’s Peter Proscia, who celebrated an earlier win on the card with The Wine Steward in the Hudson Stakes. “We’ve had high hopes for her from the beginning, and she showed her form and did the job. Joel looked like he was just a passenger, but we were pleased about that and we’re looking forward to the future with her,”

Letmecounttheways is raced by Paradise Farms with JP Racing Stable, David Staudacher, and Zilla Racing Stables with Sean S. Perl buying her for $190,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. That marked her second trip through the ring after Timothy Wickes bought her as a weanling out of the Stuart Morris consignment for $115,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November mixed sale in 2023.

By leading freshman sire Yaupon, Letmecounttheways is one of two winners from three to race out of Dialed In’s two-time winner Draft. That mare was bought by Bilinsky’s Waldorf Farm carrying her first foal by Army Mule from Sequel New York for $27,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.

Draft foaled a Gun Runner filly in 2021, with that one selling for $180,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale before going on to win two races. Draft was barren the following year and Letmecounttheways is her third foal.

Draft is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Time’s Mistress and stakes placed Most Happy Fella with another half-sister producing the Grade 3 winning Dennis’ Moment. Grade 1 Belmont Derby winner Henley’s Joy Is among those under the filly’s third dam.

Draft foaled a Central Banker filly named McLight last year. She sold for $60,000 at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Draft is the dam of a New York-bred weanling Flameaway colt and was bred to Bucchero in 2025. – Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Bravaro stays perfect to open the Empire Showcase card with victory in the Sleepy Hollow. Coglianese Photo/Susie Raisher.

• If Bravaro felt any nerves while running in the first two races of his career this fall, you certainly wouldn’t know it by watching him. Owned by Albert Ciuffetelli, Stephanie Brennan, Shining Stable, BAG Racing Stable and Paul Braverman, Bravaro improved to 2-for-2 with a victory in the $200,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds on Saturday’s Empire Showcase Day at Aqueduct.

“He comes out and impresses,” Ciuffetelli said. “He’s been working great. He comes out here when it matters most and really shows everybody, which is awesome. He has that swagger, he has that confidence and when he does it, it seems he has more to go. The sky is the limit for him, so we’re excited.”

Breaking from the inside post as the 3-5 favorite, Bravaro and jockey Dylan Davis sat a stalking trip in fourth behind pacesetter Fourth and One through a quarter-mile in :22.60 and a half in :45.19. With nowhere to go turning for home, Bravaro swung five-wide and gradually made up ground, hitting the front with just over a sixteenth of a mile to go and running away to a 2 1/2-length score. The son of Upstart trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. finished the mile in 1:35.68.

“I just let him break comfortably and get into his stride and once I got across the chute, he started taking me into the race,” said Davis, who also rode the colt in his 1-length debut victory Sept. 28. “He was comfortable and within himself – I was happy with the way he was doing it. Just riding the rail and it was a small field, so I knew I’d find a spot sometime – they were four across at the quarter pole and I just wheeled him out and (he) had another gear for me.

“I knew he had a good turn of foot because in his first start the rail opened up and he just shot right through there like nothing. He does have that gear, I just didn’t want to use it too early.”

Bred by Stepanie Baltzan, Bravaro is the second foal out of the unraced Tamarkuz mare Opera Star. His older half-brother, the 3-year-old New York-bred Mitole colt Zakher Crown, is unplaced in two starts. Baltzan also bred Opera Star’s New York-bred yearling colt by Upstart and her New York-bred weanling colt by Practical Joke foaled April 30.

Bravaro picked up $110,000 for the Sleepy Hollow win to increase his career earnings to $154,000. – Alec DiConza

The post Letmecounttheways dominates Maid of the Mist; Bravaro improves to 2-for-2 in Sleepy Hollow appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Crunched from a morning line of 5-1 into 8-5 favoritism while attempting to negotiate nine furlongs at first asking, C R K Stable's Remember Mamba (c, 2, Kitten's Joy–Gizmo, by Uncle Mo) turned in a performance as professional as the late NBA legend for whom he his named, streaking away through the final 100 yards to become a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Saturday at Keeneland.

Drawn gate three, the $270,000 Keeneland September yearling bounced well and was able to secure a prominent position just behind the speed with Jose Ortiz sitting against him for the run down the back.

Held together while racing in the two path passing the three-eighths pole, Remember Mamba was asked to quicken on the swing for home, went to his more-experienced chief market rival Maginnesontap (Omaha Beach) three off the inside nearing the eighth pole and kicked clear with every stride to take it in highly promising style.

As referenced in a story on C R K's Lee Searing by Steve Sherack in 2020, when the operation was represented on the COVID-reshuffled Triple Crown trail by Honor A. P., Searing has long been a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, having grown up in Southern California. The C R K silks pay homage to the NBA franchise and its mega-star Kobe Bryant, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

“When Kobe Bryant came to the Lakers I developed a passion for going and watching Kobe play,” Searing told the Lexington Herald-Leader ahead of Honor A. P.'s Kentucky Derby bid in September 2020. “As a fan I go all the way back to Jerry West and Elgin Baylor and a lot of the great Lakers; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain. But, Kobe will always be my favorite.”

C R K's current marquee attraction is $1.2-million Keeneland September graduate Baeza (McKinzie), who earned a maiden Grade I victory in the Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 20 and is part of a field of now 10 horses set for the Nov. 1 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.

Perennial leading turf sire Kitten's Joy died of an apparent heart attack in his paddoct at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa in the summer of 2022, and Remember Mamba is the fifth winner from 14 to have races (41 total foals) from his final crop. A May 6 foal, Remember Mamba is the first winner from two starters from his dam, a half-sister to four to salute, uncluding SW Plentiful (Harlan's Holiday). Third dam Spring Meadow was a Grade III winner over six furlongs and placed three times at Grade I level, notably when dueling through the Saratoga stretch with the Bobby Frankel-trained You before just failing in the Test Stakes at Saratoga in 2002. Gizmo is also the dam of a weanling filly by McKinzie and is due to Practical Joke for 2026.

The cross of Kitten's Joy over Uncle Mo is now responsible for five winners from as many runners. The El Prado (Ire) cross over Uncle Mo mares has yielded Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna and current GISW Nitrogen, among others.

2nd-Keeneland, $110,000, Msw, 10-25, 2yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:49.97, fm, 4 1/2 lengths.
REMEMBER MAMBA, c, 2, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Gizmo, by Uncle Mo
2nd Dam: Spring Street, by Street Cry (Ire)
3rd Dam: Spring Meadow, by Meadowlake
Sales history: $270,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $62,233. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Burning Daylight Farms Inc & November Hill Inc (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux.

 

On debut #3 REMEMBER MAMBA ($5.52) kicks away late to win race 2 at @keenelandracing. The 2yo son of Kitten's Joy was ridden by @jose93_ortiz and is trained by @reredevaux. C R K Stable owns.

Watch more on @FanDuelTV. pic.twitter.com/YQio79zxRC

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 25, 2025

The post Slam Dunk: Kitten’s Joy Firster Runs To The Money, Becomes a New ‘TDN Rising Star’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Bucchero will stand the 2026 season for $12,500 with an early-bird discount available and a mare cap set for 140. Skip Dickstein Photo.

Ironhorse Stallions announced Saturday that Bucchero will stand the 2026 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.

With the fewest named foals of the top 15 fourth-crop sires, Bucchero continues to distinguish himself among the elite of his generation. Competing alongside comparable rising stars such as Girvin, who will stand for $30,000 in 2026, and Army Mule, standing for $25,000, Bucchero has led both throughout the year, despite covering mares with a lower average quality index. The Comp. index (C.I.)  of mares bred to Girvin is 1.26, to Army Mule 1.18, and to Bucchero 1.03, demonstrating that Bucchero’s foals continue to perform well above expectations.

“While we recognize that Bucchero’s credentials and performance could justify a larger rise in his stud fee, we wanted to send a clear message,” said Harlan Malter, managing partner of Ironhorse Stallions. “With the top stallion in New York, our goal is to be partners with breeders, to make top-quality stallions accessible at a level that allows loyal New York breeders not just to survive, but to thrive. We believe that kind of collaboration is what will strengthen and grow this program for years to come.”

Further underscoring his consistency, Bucchero leads all fourth-crop sires with 100 or more starters in two key productivity measures: over 60 percent winners from named foals, and an impressive 82 percent starters from named foals. These numbers highlight the hallmark of the Bucchero line, durability, soundness, and the ability to compete and win at a remarkably high rate.

“Bucchero just keeps showing up where it matters,” said John Dowd of of Ironhorse Stallions. “He’s proven he belongs in the same conversation as the top young sires in the country, and he’s done it the right way, through consistency, toughness, and results. When you pair that with the opportunities in the New York-bred and New York-sired programs, it’s an unbeatable formula for breeders who want both quality and value.”

Bucchero’s success has carried through to the sales ring, where demand for his progeny continues to surge. His 2025 yearlings sold strongly at Fasig-Tipton New York and OBS October, highlighted by a $240,000 yearling sold near Saratoga Race Course, the same venue where his star son Book’em Danno swept a historic trifecta of graded sprint victories this summer.

Along with multiple Grade 1 winner Book’em Danno, a leading contender for the Eclipse Award for champion male sprinter, Bucchero is also the sire of multiple graded stakes winner Queen Maxima and multiple stakes winner Buccherino. Bucchero is also on track to repeat his 2024 status as top synthetic sire in the US, further proof of his ability to sire fast, durable and versatile runners across all surfaces.

Standing at Ironhorse Stallions in Schuylerville, Bucchero offers breeders the rare chance to access a proven national-caliber sire while staying in-state and taking advantage of one of the most lucrative breeding incentive programs in North America.

The post Ironhorse sets 2026 stud fee for Bucchero at $12,500; early-bird discount and mare cap set appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

A lawsuit filed in a New York federal court accuses major national players in the horse racing industry of engaging in racketeering through their activities in computer assisted wagering companies.

Troubleshooting, victorious in the Sept. 6 Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G1T) at Kentucky Downs when sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on turf, ventures into new territory Oct. 25 at Keeneland when he routes in the 1-mile Bryan Station Stakes (G3T).

What goes without question is that the field of 11 pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) is so deep and star-studded that gamblers will have a field day betting on the race and getting odds way above the horses' prices in recent races

Backcheck (Hip 223) is a Not This Time a half sister to this year's Frizette Stakes (G1) winner.

Bernie Sams will be bringing his decades of experience to Lane's End as the director of stallion operations.

The Kikuka Sho (G1) completes Japan's Triple Crown series and, at 3,000 meters (about 1 7/8 miles), poses a unique challenge for the nation's 3-year-olds by including a backstretch climb over 200 meters.

The reigning Horse of the Year will appear in the Keeneland saddling paddock around 4 p.m. ET.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has accredited 49 organizations, including 40 organizations that are continuing their accreditation and 9 that earned accreditation for the first time this year.

Workouts from anticipated Breeders' Cup starters pick up across much of the country, one week before the start of the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships.u

The 9-year-old son of Paynter has sired 16 winners to date, including graded stakes winner Ewing.

Multiple grade 1 winner Locked will miss his intended engagement in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) because of an untimely illness and has been retired from racing. He will stand at Gainesway Farm for the 2026 breeding season. 

The Challenge, presented by Gainesway

The Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale concluded Oct. 23, breaking records across all metrics. A total of 1,097 yearlings changed hands for a gross of $71,843,500, including private sales, smashing the previous record of $58,940,500 set in 2024.