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In Beyond the Bidding, BloodHorse sales editor Olivia Newman takes a look at notable trends, accomplishments, and personalities around the North American sales scene.

A Shinzo filly took center stage at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale May 5, making AU$600,000 to the bid of SP Bloodstock principal Stefan Pardi. At the conclusion of Day 1, the sale had grossed AU$10,599,000, at an average of $73,604.

Cherie DeVaux, a year-round fixture at Keeneland, credited the local track as an integral part of Golden Tempo's Kentucky Derby (G1) preparation.

Churchill Downs will host the Season 19 finale of Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race during the first Twilight Thursday of the spring meet May 7.

The New York Racing Association will help fans and connections say farewell to Aqueduct Racetrack with a memorable closing weekend celebration June 27-28.

Ocelli, third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) as a maiden and the biggest longshot in the field of 18 at odds of 70-1, is now under consideration for the 151st Preakness Stakes (G1) May 16 at Laurel Park.

Dr. Chris Samaha, who founded the industry-leading Backstretch Community Assistance Program at Monmouth Park more than 30 years ago, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Virgil "Buddy" Raines Distinguished Achievement Award.

Childs Walker, who has covered Thoroughbred racing in Maryland and nationally for nearly 20 years, has been named recipient of the Old Hilltop Award for covering the sport with excellence and distinction.

Ocala Breeders' Sales has cataloged 909 horses before supplements for its June 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale, which will be held June 16-18.

For the 10th consecutive year, a total of $100,000 in bonus money is on the table for trainers that run a minimum of five horses in more than a dozen stakes races offered during Preakness weekend, May 15-16, at Laurel Park.

Champion mare Songbird's daughter by Curlin broke her maiden May 1 at Churchill Downs in her second start.

Oaklawn wrapped up its 2025-26 live racing season May 2 with strong numbers across the board, highlighted by increased handle, competitive racing, and significant career milestones.

Following his Kentucky Derby (G1) victory May 2, Golden Tempo is ranked No. 1 in the weekly National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top 3-Year-Old Poll.

Perhaps the 50-plus year debate in United States racing over the use of furosemide, commonly referred to as Lasix, has reached some level of a comfort zone as HISA on May 5 issued a decision that keeps current standards in place.

Trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said that he confirmed the Preakness Stakes (G1) commitment for Junior Alvarado to ride Crupper in the May 16 middle jewel of the Triple Crown being held this year at Laurel Park.

At a press conference and luncheaon held at Monmouth Park Tuesday afternoon, the highlights for the 2026 season were rolled out in advance of opening day on Saturday, May 9. The event was hosted by TDN's Christina Bossinakis.

Heading the 50-day meet is the $1-million GI NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes, which was won last year by Journalism (Curlin), also the winner of the GI Preakness Stakes.

The 45th running of Pegasus Stakes, for 3-year-olds at a mile and a sixteenth, is the track's prep race for the nine-furlong Haskell. The top two finishers in the Pegasus Stakes receive a free entry fee and start fees for the Haskell.

Last year's Haskell Stakes Day card produced an all-sources record handle of $21,999,963, marking the third straight year of a record handle. The crowd of 41,876 was the largest since 2015.

The 2026 Monmouth Park meet will feature 36 stakes races–nine at the graded level–worth $5.85 million.

First race post time on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays is 12:50 p.m. Post time for Friday racing, which begins June 26, is 2 p.m. Live racing at Monmouth continues through Sept. 13.

Also during Tuesday's press conference, Dr. Chris Samaha, who founded the industry-leading Backstretch Community Assistance Program at Monmouth Park more than 30 years ago, was honored as the 2026 recipient of the Virgil “Buddy” Raines Distinguished Achievement Award.

The 55-year-old Samaha, a sports psychologist, launched a substance abuse program for backstretch workers in 1995 that has since involved into a support system for all types of health issues. The program offers free counseling, as well as health education programs, for licensed stable hands, grooms, hot walkers and exercise riders and offers access to a variety of medical screenings.

“I would have burned out long ago if it was strictly a treatment program, but I have all of the other components that help everyone on the backstretch, whether directly or indirectly,” Samaha said. “I'm passionate about what I do and I would not have stayed in it this long if I didn't believe this a good industry.”

 

Dr. Chris Samaha, who runs BCAP (Backstretch Community Assistance Program) was named the 2026 of the Virgil “Buddy” Raines Award at the Monmouth Park Opening Day Press Conference and Luncheon at Monmouth Park | Photo By Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

 

Delgado tries to “Win it again”

After edging out five-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown to earn his first Monmouth training title last year in a career that began in 2017, Jorge Delgado isn't subtle about his goals for the upcoming Monmouth Park meet.

“Win it again–hopefully,” said Delgado.

This season, Delgado has 60 stalls in Barn 1, with 51 occupied by horses currently on the grounds.

“I'll use the other 10 to claim horses, he said. “I have some new owners who want to claim so I will leave the stalls open for that.”

In 2025, the 36-year-old came into the meet with 39 horses, growing that total to 45 after claims. It was just enough to edge out Brown, 21-20, for the training title on the final weekend.

“It meant a lot to me, but it also meant a lot to my owners,” he said. “I saw how much it mattered to them, especially the owners who have been supporting me the past five or six years.”

According to Delgado, who has been Monmouth Park-based since 2022, “We have a different group of horses this year. We have more babies and more quality. We're trying to focus on developing these horses and trying to get them to big races. So we're trying to develop champions.”

 

Leon Returns for Second Stint on Jersey Shore

Leon, embarking on his second year at Monmouth, will attempt to overtake Paco Lopez, who will try to collect a record-tying 13th riding title this season. Joe Bravo currently stands alone with 13 Monmouth titles.

“I'm very competitive, I like to win,” said Leon, who guided 80-1 Rich Strike to victory in the 2022 Kentucky Derby. “I try to go into every meet thinking I can be leading rider. It's not going to be easy beating Paco. But I know more people at Monmouth Park now so we'll see if I can use those connections to have an even better year than last year [fourth in the Monmouth standings].”

As for the long-time leader, Lopez said he will maintain the same schedule as he had last year, splitting time between Monmouth and Colonial Downs, where he also won the riding title last year.

“Nothing is really changing for me. I have the same plan for the summer as I had last year,” explained the 40-year-old rider. “For me, it's a big thing to tie Joe Bravo. He was a great rider here for many, many years. The record is something that is in your mind as you are winning titles but you never think it can happen. Every year the goal was just to win a title. But you never think about 13 of them and tying Joe Bravo. That seemed to be impossible, but here I am.”

For more information on the upcoming Monmouth Park meet, click here.

The post Haskell Highlights 81st Season at Monmouth Park, Dr. Samaha Named 2026 Virgil ‘Buddy’ Raines Award Winner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

 Ocelli (Connect), third in the GI Kentucky Derby as a maiden and the biggest longshot in the field of 18 at odds of 70-1, is now under consideration for the 151st GI Preakness Stakes May 16 at Laurel Park.

Trainer Whit Beckman on Tuesday upgraded Ocelli's likelihood for the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown from “extremely unlikely” on Sunday to “maybe” Tuesday.

“If you look at it from a pace perspective, it could go as fast as the Derby,” Beckman said. “He's doing great. That's the only reason I'm saying 'yeah, maybe.' The horse is doing fantastic. The horse is made of iron. Generally, I run a horse, they may not come to the front of their stall for a week. He was right there.”

Asked if there was any downside to running Ocelli in the Preakness, he said, “The only downside is if the horse is not ready to do it.” He noted that the Preakness winner usually is a horse that ran two weeks earlier in the Derby.

The upside, Beckman said, “is the chance to win a Triple Crown race.”

Corona de Oro (Bolt d'Oro), who was the lone remaining also-eligible for the Derby, is also under consideration for the Preakness with trainer Dallas Stewart saying, “We're thinking about it. We just have to see,” Stewart said. “I'm going to work him again Saturday. He's a very nice horse.”

Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo (Curlin) had his third walk day Tuesday and will return to the track for light training Wednesday at Keeneland. Trainer Cherie DeVaux, speaking at a media availability arranged by Keeneland's communications department, reiterated that the Preakness decision will be made toward the end of the week.

“He's doing great,” said DeVaux. “He'll return to the track tomorrow for a light jog. He'll do that for two days, and then he'll resume galloping.”

As far as running in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness at Laurel Park, she said, “We're going to see how much energy he has when he's on the track, see how he's moving, see his attitude and things of that nature…. I appreciate there's history with the Triple Crown. I appreciate everyone is excited about it. However, the horse comes first. So, any of that pressure is outside information from our decision-making.”

 

“We're gonna give Golden Tempo a couple of days and he's going to dictate the Preakness decision..

There's a lot of conversation right now and we're gonna do what's best for him” ~ @reredevaux #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Az1BJh04qs

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 5, 2026

The post Preakness Notes: Ocelli Upgraded To “Maybe”, Golden Tempo To Jog Wednesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Ocala Breeders' Sales Company has catalogued 909 horses before supplements for its 2026 June 2-Year-Olds in Training & Horses of Racing Age Sale, which will be held over three days June 16-18 in Ocala, Florida. The catalogue is now available online here.

Sale sessions will begin daily at 10:30 a.m. Hips 1 – 302 plus supplements will sell June 16 with Hips 351 – 652 plus supplements going on June 17. The June 18 session will offer Hips 701 – 1002 plus supplements along with Horses for Racing Age Hips 1051 – 1053 plus supplements. Supplements close on Friday, May 22. The supplements will be added to the day that their dam's name would have landed if they were entered in the main catalogue.

The under-tack show will run from June 9-13 starting at 7:30 a.m. ET each day. The daily schedule for the under-tack show will be determined after supplemental entries are complete.

The under-tack show and sale will be streamed live via the OBS website as well as TDN, DRF, BloodHorse, and Past The Wire websites.

Featured graduates of last year's sale include a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard' in GII Pat Day Mile winner Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) and Feminism (Curlin).

The post OBS Catalogues 909 Hips To June Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Childs Walker, who has covered Thoroughbred racing in Maryland and nationally for nearly 20 years, has been named recipient of the Old Hilltop Award for covering the sport with excellence and distinction, the Stronach Group announced Tuesday.

Walker will be presented with the Old Hilltop Award Thursday, May 14 at the Alibi Breakfast at Laurel Park.

The Alibi Breakfast, which began in the 1930s on the porch of the historic Pimlico Race Course, features a gathering of owners, trainers, jockeys, media and fans to celebrate the Preakness and gain interesting and humorous race predictions.

Walker, a Baltimore native, is a current contributor to the Baltimore Banner after spending 24 years at The Baltimore Sun. He covered his first Preakness, won by Curlin, in 2007 and, as he says, “hopped on the Triple Crown beat just in time to see American Pharoah break the 37-year drought in 2015.” He is a graduate of Emory University.

Previous recipients of the Old Hilltop include Jim McKay, Joe Hirsch, Red Smith, Keith Mills, Bill Nack, Jeannine Edwards and Dale Austin.

Click here to purchase tickets for the Alibi Breakfast.

The post Childs Walker To Receive Old Hilltop Award appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

An increase in race days in April 2026 led to bumps in both wagering and purses across the United States compared to April of 2025.

The month saw 2,170 races (+2.99%) across 259 race days (+2.78%) which pushed wagering totals to $898,254,315 (+2.23%). Purses were also up, with paid purses jumping to $95,634,866 (+9.14%).

Average wagering per race day dipped slightly to $3,468,163 (-0.53%) while field size also fell to 7.30 (-5.38%) and starts dropped to 15,837 (-2.55%).

Year over year, available and paid purses remained in the green at $356,025,415 (+1.12%) and $337,882,857 (+1.26%) respectively. Wagering on U.S. races year to date finish the month at $3,225,170,563 (-4.69%).

 

The post Wagering, Purses Up In April Economic Indicators appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.