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Wootton Bassett, one of the world's hottest sires, died unexpectedly at the age of 17. His premature death while on shuttle duty in Australia was announced on Coolmore's social media channels Sept. 23.

The CTHS Alberta sale saw its gross increase 47% year over year and its average rise by 12%. Hip 52, a Vekoma gelding named Vekoma's Pride, topped the sale at CA$72,000.

So far 2025 has been a 50-50 year for the 5-year-old mare Randomized.

Woodbine Entertainment has received approval from the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario to move the Oct. 9 live race card to Oct. 13, the date of Canada's Thanksgiving.

Winner of this race a year ago, Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Hit Show faces a competitive group in the $500,000 Lukas Classic Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs Sept. 27 as he plots a course to return to the Middle East.

BH Interview: Headley VanMeter

The top four sires by average during the second week of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale (Books 3-5) were the same sires occupying the overall leading sires list by average.

Tattersalls Ireland passed the car park test the morning of Sept. 22 with honors. Spaces were at a premium as vehicles of varying sizes, filled the rows closest to the entrance, representing people from all over the world.

On the Sept. 22 episode of BloodHorse Monday, Brad Cox recaps Disco Time and Immersive's weekend victories and previews First Mission's run in the Goodwood Stakes (G1) and Hit Show in the Lukas Classic (G2) Sept. 27.

Delaware Park will introduce a starter bonus beginning Oct. 1 and continuing through the remainder of the 2025 meet, which is scheduled to conclude Oct. 18.

Horses stabled at Delaware Park who start in fields of eight or more on the dirt, and 10 or more on the turf will receive $1,200,  of which the trainer will receive $1,000 and the owner will receive $200.

For horses not stabled at Delaware Park who start in fields of eight or more on the dirt, and 10 or more on the turf, connections will receive $700, of which the trainer will receive $500 and the owner will receive $200.

For horses that start in fields of less than eight on the dirt or 10 on the turf, the bonus will be $500, of which the trainer will receive $300, and the owner will receive $200, regardless of where they are stabled.

The post Delaware Park to Offer Starter Bonus appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Rocco Bowen was suspended 30 days by the stewards at Belterra Park Tuesday for “intentionally” engaging in “rough riding” when finishing second aboard the 3-10 favorite during the stretch run of the $75,000 Miss Southern Ohio Stakes last Friday. But because the veteran jockey has agreed not to appeal the ruling, the penalty has been cut in half, to 15 days.

Bowen's agent, Cory Hayes, confirmed to TDN that the reduced suspension will be in effect from Sept. 29 through Oct. 13.

“It's pretty self-explanatory in the [ruling],” Hayes said. “I'm a little biased on how I think it should have played out. But the stewards, they made their decision, and that's the game we have to play, that you go with what they say.”

On Sept. 19, Bowen was riding the 3-year-old filly Parlay (National Flag), with whom he has partnered for two state-bred stakes victories on the turf this summer at Belterra. He made the lead midway through the 1 1/16-miles grass race, but was confronted by the 12-1 Green Lady (Tough It Up) and jockey John McKee in the stretch.

According to the Equibase chart, Parlay “drifted out near the eighth pole then drifted back in near the sixteenth pole and bumped Green Lady twice in the final sixteenth and was denied the win.” (Video).

After a next-day hearing involving both Bowen and McKee, the stewards wrote in the ruling that Bowen had “intentionally guided his horse towards the inside rail to make contact with jockey John McKee.”

Bowen is currently the leading rider based on earnings at the summer meet at Thistledown. He rides less frequently at Belterra (21 mounts so far this season), the other Ohio track that is active at this time of year.

Albin Jimenez, the standings-topping rider this meet at Belterra, was also recently penalized by that track's stewards. Jimenez is appealing a one-year suspension for “failure to give his best effort to obtain a winning performance and conduct detrimental to the best interests of racing” while riding a 7-10 favorite to a second-place finish Aug. 21. Although a stay of his suspension has been granted, Jimenez has not had a mount since Aug. 22.

And just last Thursday, the Belterra stewards suspended jockey Eddie Jurado 10 days (reduced to five if no appeal gets filed) for holding his whip in front of another jockey's mount in a Sept. 13 race, causing that rival to check to avoid being hit. Jurado's mount went on to win the race, but was disqualified because of the incident.

The post Bowen Suspended 30 Days for ‘Intentional’ Bumping at Belterra; Penalty Halved for Not Appealing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Stable Recovery opened its Women's Horsemanship Program at Spy Coast Farm Monday, marking an important milestone in the organization's mission to empower women in recovery.

In partnership with Lisa Lourie and the Spy Coast Farm team, the program provides participants with hands-on training through the School of Horsemanship at the Spy Coast Farm Reproduction Center, offering the chance to learn from some of the leading professionals in the sport horse industry.

“I am delighted to welcome the Stable Recovery Women's program to Spy Coast Farm” said Lourie, owner and CEO of Spy Coast Farm. “Our farm is owned by a woman and is primarily managed by women. We work hard to educate and promote best practices in equine care while fostering a culture of acceptance and inclusion. As such, we believe that we are uniquely positioned to assist women in recovery. Our partnership with Stable Recovery has been impactful thus far and we look forward to having an even greater impact by hosting their women's program. We thank them for their trust in us to do so and look forward to the future success of the women we will work with”

Christian Countzler, CEO and cofounder of Stable Recovery added: “This is a milestone for Stable Recovery and a win for Kentucky. With Spy Coast Farm, we're building a program where women can find stability, learn a skill, and leave stronger than they arrived mentally, physically, and most important, spiritually. This unique opportunity not only equips women with specialized skills for the equine industry, but also prepares them for long-term success in their careers and lives beyond recovery. They will spend three months in the School of Horsemanship before finding further employment in the industry upon completion of the school.”

The post Stable Recovery And Spy Coast Farm Open Women’s School Of Horsemanship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Special Me, the dam of MGSW/GISP Stonetastic (Mizzen Mast), GISW Gift Box (Twirling Candy), MGSW Special Forces (Candy Ride {Arg}) and 'TDN Rising Star'/MGISW Gina Romantica, has been pensioned from broodmare duty by Machmer Hall.

Carrie Brogden announced the news on social media Tuesday morning, saying “I broke the news to Special Me that she has been retired as a broodmare and is free to live out the rest of her days in happiness, at Machmer Hall. She loves being a mother and we have let her raise her babies. She is literally the toughest, strongest horse I have ever met. She has had knee arthritis from her racing days but has managed to produce four graded stakes winners and a $900,000 yearling from this year. We are delighted to have an Into Mischief filly, full sister to GI winner Gina Romantica, as her last foal to continue on her legacy. To say she has been special to this farm and so many people would be an understatement. Happy retirement, girl! We love you so much.”

A half-sister to G1 Gulf News Dubai Golden Shaeen winner Our New Recruit (Alphabet Soup), Special Me produced her first foal in 2010 and then hit the very next year with Stonetastic who won both the GII Prioress Stakes and the GII Inside Information Stakes. Two years later in 2013 she foaled her first Grade I winner as Gift Box would go on to take the GI Santa Anita Handicap before retiring to stud at Lane's End. He was recently announced to have been sold to Saudi Arabia for the 2026 covering season.

MGSW Special Forces, born in 2015, conquered several stakes at Woodbine and, in 2019, Special Me foaled Gina Romantica who became a seven-figure yearling grad and three-time Grade I winner. Yet to run in the family is the mare's 2-year-old named Keepsake Box (Twirling Candy) while she saw her yearling Flightline filly hammered down at $900,000 to WHS Stables during this month's Keeneland September Sale. Brogden still has the mare's aforementioned 2025 Into Mischief filly.

The post Special Me, Dam Of Gift Box And Gina Romantica, Pensioned At Machmer Hall appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) announced Tuesday that jockey Paco Lopez has been suspended for six months, effective September 23, 2025, according to a press release from HISA.

The release says that, “The suspension stems from Mr. Lopez's violation of the terms of his conditional reinstatement, related to a December 4, 2024 incident involving Mr. Lopez's use of the riding crop on the Covered Horse, National Law.”

“HISA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and integrity in horse racing. We take any behavior that undermines the trust of participants and fans with the utmost seriousness, HISA said in its press release. “By enforcing rules consistently, we aim to promote fairness in the adjudication process, protect both horses and riders and preserve confidence in the integrity of the sport.”

In December, Lopez was hit with an indefinite suspension for striking National Law across the face with his whip after the race was over. He served 50 days of the suspension before being allowed to ride, but that came with some conditions. He was ordered to participate in therapy sessions and make sizeable donations to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and Second Call Thoroughbred Adoption and Placement.

When asked what portion of the terms of the reinstatement Lopez had violated, a HISA spokesperson responded:

“Since Mr. Lopez returned from his suspension in January, 2025, he has been found by stewards to have committed 10 violations of HISA's riding crop rule, including eight violations in which the crop was raised with his wrist above his helmet when using the crop. The cumulative nature of the violations demonstrates a pattern of disregard for HISA's rules and presents risk of injury to Covered Horses.”

Those rulings may be seen on HISA's rulings page.

In a press release issued Tuesday shortly before the HISA release came out, PETA called for action against Lopez for “violently” striking Book 'em Danno (Bucchero) in the GI Forego Stakes, lifting “his arm high, with his wrist above his helmet, to land harder blows four separate times,” the organization said. PETA's story says that they sent “an urgent letter to HISA” after receiving calls and emails about the incident.

“While that recitation of the rules violations may be accurate, all of those violations were addressed by the stewards at the time they happened,” said Lopez's attorney, Drew Mollica. “Moreover, none of those violations in any way relate to the National Law incident. To suggest anything else is a complete mischaracterization of the agreement between the parties. We fervently deny that Mr. Lopez has breached ay convenant of our agreement and look forward to a full and fair hearing on the merits, without PETA interference or character assassination being part of the process.”

The post HISA Suspends Jockey Paco Lopez For Six Months For Violation of Conditions After Dec. 2024 Crop Incident appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A gelding by Spendthrift Farm stallion Vekoma topped the 2025 CTHS Alberta Thoroughbred Sale which closed Friday, Sept. 19. Bought for $70,000 by Norm Tremblay as agent, the colt, named Vekoma's Pride, was consigned by Doug Obert and was the highest priced yearling sold in Alberta since 2015, the sale noted.

73 yearlings sold for a gross of $1,024,600, a 47% increase over the 2024 gross of $699,000. Additionally, the average rose 12% to $14,036 and the median also increased to $10,000. The RNA rate was 10%.

Other tops hips sold included a Reload filly for $53,000, a colt by Stanford for $47,000, a Classic Empire colt for $41,000 and a colt by Bakken for $40,000. Highfield Investment Group topped the consigners list, selling five yearlings for $104,000 while Al Pitchko was the leading buyer with seven yearlings purchased for $152,000.

“This sale had some quality offerings,” said Dawson Guhle, General Manager of CTHS Alberta. “We saw strong competition from start to finish, a near-record average, and a record-matching median. It shows the confidence buyers have in the future of racing here in Alberta.”

The post Vekoma Gelding Tops Strong CTHS Alberta Thoroughbred Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Arctic Beast (Yaupon) became the day's second new stakes winner for his first-crop sire (by Uncle Mo) with a dominating display in the Aspirant Stakes, winning in a time nearly two seconds quicker than the fillies went in the Lady Finger Stakes about 30 minutes earlier.

Off at 1-5 having graduated with a lofty 82 Beyer Speed Figure at Saratoga Aug. 15, the $120,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Mixed Sale weanling turned $275,000 Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred yearling was put right into play from the outside stall and pressed the early pace through an opening quarter in :22.31 over the rain-affected going. Outmoved into the stretch by the front-running Diamond Child (Weekend Hideaway), Arctic Beast leveled off beautifully when asked and shot away to score as much the best. The win gave trainer Mike Maker and jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. a sweep of the day's open juvenile contests.

A fourth black-type winner overall after Yaupon de Replay took out the Listed Blenheim Stakes on debut at Fairyhouse in Ireland, Arctic Beast is the lone winner for his dam, a close relative of the dual stakes-winning Freudie Anne (Freud). He is the last listed produce for Frostie Anne. Click for the Equibase.com chart.

ASPIRANT S., $104,338, Finger Lakes, 9-22, (S), 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.13, sy.
1–ARCTIC BEAST, 121, c, 2, by Yaupon
1st Dam: Frostie Anne (MSW, $584,443), by Frost Giant
2nd Dam: Lake Toccet, by Toccet
3rd Dam: Lake Honey, by Meadowlake
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($120,000 Wlg '23 FTNMIX; $275,000 Ylg '24 SARAUG). O-Paradise Farms Corp, JP Racing Stable, David Staudacher, Zilla Racing Stables & Jennifer Rice; B-Rockridge Stud LLC & Saratoga Glen Farm & Beal's Racing Stable LLC (NY); T-Michael J Maker; J-Ricardo Santana Jr. $62,603. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $112,103. *Fourth stakes winner for freshman sire (by Uncle Mo).
2–Diamond Child, 121, c, 2, Weekend Hideaway–Boss Barney's Babe, by Street Boss. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Irish Hill Century Farm; B-Irish Century Hill Farm & Morgan O'Brien (NY); T-Melanie Giddings. $20,868.
3–Party in the Army, 121, c, 2, Army Mule–Party Like Grandma, by Desert Party. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Flower City Racing LLC, Christopher J Meyer & Rich Spiesman (NY); T-Jeremiah C Englehart. $10,434.
Margins: 7 1/4, 1 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.22, 22.07, 2.75.
Also Ran: Hey Pal, Chioke, The Last Delivery, High Yield Hunk, Takahama, A Bit Raggity. Scratched: Instant Success.

The post Arctic Beast Gives Yaupon International Stakes Double In Aspirant appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Arctic Beast extends in the stretch on the way to his victory in the Aspirant Stakes Monday at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Arctic Beast, the fifth most expensive yearling at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale, ran his record to 2-for-2 in Monday’s $104,338 Aspirant Stakes for state-bred colts and geldings at Finger Lakes.

Ricardo Santana Jr. rode the 1-5 favorite to a 7 1/4-length victory over 22-1 longshot Diamond Child, with 5-2 second choice Party in the Army third and 25-1 longshot Hey Pal fourth in the field of nine. A son of Yaupon owned by Paradise Farms Corp., JP Racing Stable, David Staudacher, Zilla Racing Stables and Jennifer Rice, Arctic Beast came into the Aspirant off a narrow maiden victory August 15 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Mike Maker shipped Arctic Beast to his barn at Churchill Downs following that maiden win and breezed the colt three times in preparation for the 5 ½-furlong Aspirant, one of four stakes on the card Monday at Finger Lakes.

Arctic Beast broke well from the extreme outside but conceded the early lead to Diamond Child just to his inside. Hey Pal chased those two leaders with the trio of Party in the Army, Chioke and The Last Delivery stacked up just behind.

Diamond Child led through the opening quarter-mile in :22.31, just a head in front of an in hand Arctic Beast. The order up front didn’t change into the far turn and to the half in :45.51.

Santana kept Arctic Beast in the clear, turned for home about four wide and took command at the eighth pole. They drew off from there, extending to the finish to win in 1:04.13 over the sloppy and sealed track.

Arctic Beast picked up $62,603 for the Aspirant victory to boost his bankroll to $112,103.

Bred by Rockridge Stgud LLC, Saratoga Glen Farm and Beal’s Racing Stable LLC and foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, Arctic Beast is the second foal out of multiple New York-bred stakes winner and $584,443-earner Frostie Anne.

Originally purchased as a weanling by Good Luck Farm for $120,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale, Arctic Beast returned to that same sales ring the following August and brought $275,000 from Maker at the Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Frostie Anne, a finalist in 2018 and 2019 for champion New York-bred older dirt female honors, is also the dam of the unraced Malibu Moon colt Malibu Frost who sold for $65,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.

The post Arctic Beast powers to Aspirant Stakes victory appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Ricardo Santana Jr. takes a look back and sees Oh is clear en route to winning Monday’s Lady Finger at Finger Lakes. SV Photography.

Oh won the battle and almost lost the war, but had enough left in the tank to capture the $116,000 Lady Finger Stakes for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies Monday at Finger Lakes.

After engaging in a fierce pace battle with Margarita Molly in the 5 1/2-furlong stakes, the William “Buck” Butler homebred had to hold off the fast-closing first-time starter Liberty’s Advance.

The Lady Finger was almost an instant replay of Oh’s first career start at Saratoga Race Course August 28, when she took the lead turning for home and held on to win by a half-length.

Reylu Gutierrez was intent on making the lead aboard Margarita Molly, but was never able to get any separation from Oh as the pair dueled through a quarter mile in :22.32. Ricardo Santana Jr. and Oh got a head in front around the turn and appeared to be traveling better than the hard-ridden Margarita Molly.

Once odds-on favorite Oh vanquished her opponent, she appeared to be headed for an easy victory, but the combination of an honest pace (:46.21 for a half-mile) and her ducking in then drifting out in the stretch welcomed Liberty’s Advance into the fray. Oh dug in when it counted, however, and won by a half-length in a final time of 1:06.06 over the sloppy and sealed track. Mobelladream was third with Margarita Molly fourth.

Oh is by graded stakes-placed Honest Mischief, 2024’s leading freshman sire outside of Kentucky, who stands for $7,500 at Sequel New York in Hudson. Foaled at Cedar Ridge Farm in Pine Plains, Oh is the only winning foal to date out of the unraced Scat Daddy mare Hot Spark, who sold for $15,000 in foal to Honest Mischief at the Fasig-Tipton August Digital Selected Sale in 2024.

Trainer Mike Maker won his eighth stakes race in 15 starts at Finger Lakes over the last five years, then added another when Arctic Beast took the subsequent Aspirant for 2-year-old New York-bred colts and geldings. – Paul Halloran

The post Butler homebred Oh hangs on in Lady Finger appeared first on New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. News.

Baoma Corp.'s 'TDN Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist) breezed a half-mile in :48 flat (10/32) Monday morning at Santa Anita, his first move since being scratched from an expected appearance in the GI Pacific Classic on Aug. 30. According to a text from trainer Bob Baffert to TDN's Sue Finley, the colt's Breeders' Cup target remains a bit up in the air.

“He breezed today, pointing to [Dirt] Mile,” he texted. “I could change my mind between now and then. The [Dirt] Mile probably more realistic right now. Was hoping to make the Classic.”

He added that the Sprint could also still be in play.

The 4-year-old returned from a 15-month absence to dead-heat for second behind 'Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution) in a high-class renewal of the GI Churchill Downs Stakes on May 3, returned to California and romped to a 5 1/2-length victory in the GIII Triple Bend Stakes four weeks later. With the Pacific Classic in mind, Nysos was the 1-10 favorite for the GII San Diego Handicap on July 26, but was scratched with a hind foot bruise on the morning of the Del Mar centerpiece, which was also set to include 'Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) and GI Preakness Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes hero Journalism (Curlin). Fierceness proved a decisive 3 1/4-length winner.

In the immediate aftermath of the scratching, Baffert indicated that Nysos would be rerouted for the GI Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita, but the colt was ultimately not nominated. The nine-furlong Goodwood, a Breeders' Cup Challenge race for the Classic, was to be drawn Monday.

 

Work of the Day from @santaanitapark—Nysos worked 4 Furlongs in 48.00 on September 22nd, 2025, for trainer Bob Baffert. pic.twitter.com/MWpgY3ajXD

— 1/ST TV (@Watch1ST) September 22, 2025

The post Nysos Returns To Worktab, Breeders’ Cup Remains The Goal appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Zi End and Joel Cruz dominate the Niagara Stakes Monday at Finger Lakes for trainer, breeder and co-owner Debra Breed. SV Photography.

You might say Zi End is a generational talent, and Debra Breed would certainly agree.

By Weekend Hideaway out of the Zivo mare Zismokin Gal, Zi End ran her four opponents off their hooves in Monday’s Niagara Stakes for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies at Finger Lakes, rolling to a 9 3/4-length win.

Breed, who co-owns the homebred with Kariann Breed, also bred and trained the dam and the second dam of Zi End, who improved to 6-for-8 lifetime with $120,560 in earnings.

Starting from the outside post, Zi End, who was coming in off a fourth-place finish against older fillies in the Arctic Queen Stakes September 1 at Finger Lakes, broke with the field but was last in the early stages of the 6-furlong Niagara, as they raced in chronological order by post position.

After a slow start, Mischief Lady rushed to the lead from the rail and took them through a quarter-mile in a swift :22.39. She maintained the lead heading into the turn, but Signifying Nothing and Zi End were right with her before they straightened for home.

Joel Cruz made a winning move aboard favored Zi End around the turn and had taken the lead by the time they hit the top of the stretch. From there they ran up the score, lengthening the lead with every stride. Signifying Nothing held second and Mischief Lady was third. The final time was 1:11.69.

Weekend Hideaway stood four seasons at Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions in Stillwater. A $1.14 million earner on the track he won multiple New York-bred stakes. He is pensioned and living at Old Friends in Georgetown, Kentucky.

Zi End is the first foal out of Zismokin Gal, who is by millionaire Zivo, the Suburban Stakes winner and a Breeders’ Cup Classic runner in 2014. Zismokin Gal is one of five foals out of Smokin Racer, also a Breed homebred. – Paul Halloran

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