Skip to:

Thoroughbred Daily News

Subscribe to Thoroughbred Daily News feed
Thoroughbred Horse Racing’s Leading Worldwide Source of News & Information
Updated: 4 hours 42 min ago

Victory Avenue Returns Sunday, Florida Derby Likely Next for Ferocious

4 hours 43 min ago

OGMA Investments, JR Ranch, Upland Flats Racing, Morplay Racing, High Step Racing, Lady Sheila Stable and Michael and Jules Iavarone's highly regarded Victory Avenue (Arrogate), unraced since his debut run last winter, returns to the races Sunday at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Gustavo Delgado, the colt was second after a troubled start in his debut at Gulfstream on the Pegasus undercard last January. He was entered in the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes off that maiden appearance, but was scratched.

“He was just such a naturally fast talented colt that he kind of took us to the [maiden] race,” explained co-owner Ramiro Restrepo. “We started him at the end of January in a race when he really should have just started training at the end of January. Obviously, he put up a ridiculous race. He ran out of his skin, but he kind of told us after the race that he needed some time. We turned him out for a good while and have taken our sweet time.”

Victory Avenue returned to the work tab Dec. 7 and has breezed eight times at Gulfstream for his comeback. He drew post two in a field of seven for Sunday's fourth race, a maiden special weight for 4-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs on the main track. Javier Castellano will ride.

“He's had eight workouts so far and he's ready to take that first step. We've been easy on him just to get him back. He hasn't had any crazy bullets or anything like that, but with those works he's fit enough to run and just re-start his career,” Restrepo said. “Obviously last year the imagination was running wild, but I think we're a patient bunch and we're just happy to get him back in the gate.”

Restrepo also reported that JR Ranch, Marquee Bloodstock, High Step Racing and OGMA Investments' Ferocious (Flatter) exited his fourth-place finish in the Feb. 1 GIII Holy Bull Stakes in fine shape. Second in last year's GI Hopeful Stakes and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, the colt was making his first start since finishing fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He was wearing blinkers for the first time in the Holy Bull and found himself within a head of the lead after six furlongs before tiring.

“He was tired seven furlongs in. From the quarter [pole] home he kind of flattened out, and that's fine. It happens. He came out of it well. It was nice to have gotten a start in to get the year going,” Restrepo said. “The positive is that he did so many things that nobody even notices. He would get really nervous in the paddock. He would get really nervous in the post parade. He would get nervous in the gate and he would run in pieces in his races. He wouldn't run a complete race. Those were huge questions for us. With the blinkers and the time [off], all those boxes were checked. He behaved like a total gentleman in the paddock, he behaved like a total gentleman in the post parade and starting gate. That was huge for us.”

Ferocious's likely next start is expected to be the Mar. 29 GI Florida Derby.

“I don't know what Gustavo's next move is going to be,” Restrepo said. “The plan was to go Holy Bull-Florida Derby. I believe that seems to be the same plan. I haven't heard him say we have to go Fountain of Youth or reroute to another place or anything like that. I'm assuming Florida Derby will be the next start, and we have ample time to keep building on his training for the Florida Derby.”

The post Victory Avenue Returns Sunday, Florida Derby Likely Next for Ferocious appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

2025 Breeders’ Cup Tickets On Sale Apr. 23

6 hours 48 min ago

Tickets for the 42nd running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, Apr. 23 for the two-day event scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2025, at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

Fans may click here to enroll for special pre-sale ticket access.

Beginning in 2025, fans must have an account on SeatGeek in order to purchase tickets to the Breeders' Cup. Accounts may be created free of charge by clicking here.

More than $34 million in purses and awards will be distributed across the 14 Grade I events that comprise the Breeders' Cup. Del Mar, which also hosted the 2024 championships, will be staging the event for the fourth time.

Breeders' Cup Experiences is the official ticket, hospitality, and travel provider for the 2025 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar. For more information, visit BreedersCupExperiences.com.

The post 2025 Breeders’ Cup Tickets On Sale Apr. 23 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Inglis Digital USA February Sale Topped by Suga Steve

Wed, 2025-02-12 17:21

Suga Steve (Goldencents), a 4-year-old colt catalogued for the Inglis Digital USA February Sale off a three-race winning streak by a combined 16 1/2 lengths, topped the sale Wednesday when purchased for $80,000 by Starry Night Racing's California-based owners Rachel and Sean Gerson.

“We're pleased with our first sale of the year,” said Kyle Wilson, Inglis Digital USA's senior director of sales and recruiting. “A good group of clients supported us and the sale finished up with a healthy clearance rate. There was activity at all levels and we look forward to our next sale in March.”

The February Sale, which offered 32 horses, closed with an 80% clearance rate, according to officials at Inglis Digital USA. The topper had been trained by Lacey Gaudet for owners Team Gaudet and Penwood Racing.

“I had a great first experience working with Inglis Digital USA,” said Gaudet. “We're very pleased with the price and wish the new owners the best of luck. My clients and I are looking forward to using Inglis Digital USA again in the future.”

Entries are open for the Inglis Digital USA March Sale through Monday, Mar. 17. The catalogue will be released Mar. 21 with bidding slated for Mar. 26. For more information, whether buying or selling, visit inglisdigitalusa.com.

The post Inglis Digital USA February Sale Topped by Suga Steve appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Pletcher Horse Tests Positive for Betamethasone

Wed, 2025-02-12 15:22

According to a posting on the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) website, trainer Todd Pletcher has had a horse test positive for the banned substance betamethasone.

The infraction occurred with the horse Vassimo (Nyquist), who tested positive after breaking his maiden on Dec. 14 at Gulfstream. He subsequently came back and won an allowance at Tampa Bay Downs and is entered to run in Saturday's GII Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. The positive will not affect his status for the Fair Grounds race.

Betamethasone, a long-acting corticosteroid with immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties, is the same substance that caused so many problems for trainer Bob Baffert. The Baffert-trained Medina Spirit (Protonico) tested positive for the substance after crossing the wire first in the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby. That was among the reasons Baffert was banned by Churchill Downs and was not permitted to enter horses in the Kentucky Derbies of 2022, 2023 and 2024. Churchill lifted the ban in July. Baffert said that the betamethasone used on Medina Spirt was merely an ointment to help heal a skin rash.

If the betamethasone positive holds up, the penalty levied against Pletcher will likely be a light one. In November 2023, trainer Marcus Vitali was fined $500 by HIWU for a betamethasone positive.

“We have not been formally charged yet,” said attorney Drew Mollica, who is representing Pletcher. “We are going to consider our options but we deny any violation.”

The post Pletcher Horse Tests Positive for Betamethasone appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Contessa States His Case Before Gaming Commission Hearing Officer

Wed, 2025-02-12 15:12

Fined $4,000 by the New York Gaming Commission over a rule regarding when a trainer can run a horse outside of New York after it has been claimed, trainer Gary Contessa was afforded a hearing Wednesday before a hearing officer assigned to the case by the commission.

The hearing officer will now consider the facts that were presented Wednesday and make a recommendation to the Gaming Commission regarding whether or not the fine should be upheld.

Contessa was charged after he ran a horse named Answer the Call (Dialed In) in a Sept. 25 claiming race at Delaware Park. He claimed the horse out of an Aug. 4 race at Saratoga and believed the filly was allowed to run outside of New York because more than 30 days had transpired since the claim. What he did not know was that the rule had recently been changed so that no claimed horse could run at any track but the NYRA tracks for 60 days. Contessa said that he checked the NYRA website to make sure he could ship the horse out of town when he did and that the website had not been updated and still listed the time a horse had to remain “in jail” as 30 days.

“The hearing went 3 1/2 hours and it was an arduous task,” attorney Drew Mollica said. “We look forward to common sense carrying the day. Contessa followed what was on the NYRA website which directed him to the rules of the Gaming Commission. The rule had gone into effect just three weeks earlier but the website had not been updated. Nothing can be a more mitigating factor than that. There is no justification for this. The fine of $4,000 is just madness.”

According to Mollica, trainer Amy Albright violated the same rule when shipping a horse she had claimed at Finger Lakes out of town without waiting out the 60-day period and was fined just $200.

“We had a long hearing and not only does the penalty shock the conscience, it shocks common sense,” Mollica said. “The hearing officer will make his finding of facts and conclusions of law and he will send them to the Gaming Commission and they will have a meeting and decide what to do. Anything can happen. We'll see.”

 

The post Contessa States His Case Before Gaming Commission Hearing Officer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Santa Anita, Cal Poly Pomona Dept. of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Extend Partnership

Wed, 2025-02-12 14:37

Sabrina Nakasone, a senior and Leslie Batista, a junior, were selected for this year's class have been selected to join Santa Anita as interns through an ongoing partnership with California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona), studying in the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Equine Studies program. Both are majoring in Animal Science Pre-Veterinary with a minor in Equine Studies at Cal Poly Pomona.

The internship program, which began last year, is designed to provide students with work experience in the Thoroughbred racing industry with a focus on veterinary best practices and racetrack operations. Each student will complete a minimum of 60 hours between now and the internships end on May 10.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Cal Poly Pomona, providing driven Equine Studies students an introduction to the Thoroughbred racing industry and best veterinary practices with Santa Anita's incredible team,” said Jodie Vella-Gregory, Vice President of Industry Relations for 1/ST Racing. “These internships provide invaluable experience and insight for the next generation of professionals.”

Nakasone will graduate this semester and Batista is on track to graduate in May 2026. Both plan to attend veterinary school after completing their undergraduate degrees.

Cal Poly Pomona's Holly Greene, an equine lecturer in the Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, helped select this year's class.

“As an educator, mentoring and guiding students is one of the greatest rewards,” Greene said. “Providing students with the internship at Santa Anita presents them with work experience and first-hand knowledge of the equine racing industry. What they learn during the internship will provide them with a stronger equine foundation for their future veterinary school goals.”

To be selected, students are required to provide a statement of interest for the internship to Cal Poly Pomona's Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences. Preferences is given to students majoring in the Animal Science/Pre-Vet option or Animal Health Science option. In addition, students with the intent of working in the equine veterinary medicine (DVM or RVT) are strongly desired.

The post Santa Anita, Cal Poly Pomona Dept. of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Extend Partnership appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Weekly National Regulatory Rulings – Feb. 6 -12

Wed, 2025-02-12 14:23

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country.

The following rulings were reported on HISA's “rulings” portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) “pending” and “resolved” cases portals.

In this week's rulings, trainer Peter Miller has been suspended 15 days and fined $2,500 after his trainee Forgiving Spirit tested positive for Tramadol after finishing third at Del Mar Aug. 10 last

year. The suspension began on Feb. 7.

Tramadol is Class B controlled medication under HISA. It's used as a pain reliever. This was Miller's second resolved Class B controlled medication violation since the advent of HISA's

anti-doping and medication control program.

Miller has a prior Acepromazine case resolved in September of 2023. Acepromazine-a sedative widely used across U.S. backstretches-is a Class B controlled substance under HISA.

Miller has a separate pending Acepromazine violation after his trainee Enjoy it Strait allegedly tested positive for the substance after finishing tenth at Del Mar on Nov. 9 last year. According to

HISA's penalty program, because of the penalty points Miller has accumulated, he could be facing a maximum 120-day period of ineligibility and fine of $5,000 for that case.

 

Resolved ADMC Violations

 

Date: 02/11/2025

Licensee: Donna Kutt, trainer

Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender

(as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone-Controlled Medication

(Class C)-in a sample taken from Bivol, who finished fifth at Tampa Bay on 12/29/24.

 

Date: 02/11/2025

Licensee: Glenroy Brown, trainer

Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender

(as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone-a controlled substance

(Class C)-in a sample taken from Tammy's Toy, who won at Mahoning Valley on 12/23/24.

 

Date: 02/07/2025

Licensee: Darlene Green, trainer

Penalty: A written Reprimand; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Caffeine-a controlled substance (Class B)-in a sample taken from Lookin at Justice, who finished sixth at Horseshoe Indianapolis on

10/10/24.

 

Date: 02/06/2025

Licensee: Christine Hicklin, trainer

Penalty: A fine of $500 per violation, for a total fine of $2,000; imposition of 1 Penalty Point per violation, for a total of 4 Penalty Points. Admission.

Explainer: According to the case resolution, HIWU investigators found the following controlled medication substances-Equate ibuprofen tablets containing an unknown liquid, Acepromazine Maleate, Sulfadiazine/Trimethoprim, and Regu-mate/Altrenogest-when they conducted a search of Hicklin's stable areas and vehicle at Prairie Meadows. The possession of these substances is in violation of state law, according to the resolution.

 

Date: 02/06/2025

Licensee: Peter Miller, trainer

Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on February 7, 2025; Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and

other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $2,500; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission.

Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Tramadol-Controlled Medication (Class B)-in a sample taken from Forgiving Spirit, who finished third at Del Mar on 8/10/24.

 

Violations of Crop Rule

Mahoning Valley Roberto Perez – violation date Feb 6; $250 fine, no other info available Santa Anita Park

Manuel Americano – violation date Feb 7; $250 fine, one-day suspension

Welfin Orantes – violation date Feb 8; $500 fine, one-day suspension Sunland Park

Miguel Fuentes – violation date Feb 6; $250 fine, one-day suspension

The post Weekly National Regulatory Rulings – Feb. 6 -12 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Letter To The Editor: The Elephant In The Room, Total Carbon Dioxide Testing

Wed, 2025-02-12 12:57

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (“HISA”) and its prohibited substance enforcement unit, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (“HIWU”), are to be commended for withdrawing the TCO2 charges against numerous trainers with respect to a rash of positives in Pennsylvania, which, by inference, they allege are caused by so-called “milkshaking.” “Milkshaking” is the practice of pumping baking soda into a horse's stomach, which is believed to prevent or slow lactic acid buildup in horses and allow them to run faster and for longer periods. The numerous positives coming out of the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology and Research Laboratory seemed to make little sense, as more and more Pennsylvania horsemen were being charged, yet very few positives for the same violation were found elsewhere, nor had there been a TCO2 violation in Pennsylvania for several years before the recent rash of alleged violations.

While the problem with the Pennsylvania lab is apparently resolved, little attention has been given to the “elephant in the room”–the outrageously unfair rule that governs TCO2 testing. While virtually all equine drug testing has procedures in place for split sample testing after a positive test result, with the second sample going to a different lab, no such procedures exist for TCO2 testing.

Under HISA rule 5430(l), TCO2 testing may be conducted not only post-race but also pre-race. Horsemen have to pay the cost of obtaining a so-called duplicate test. Horsemen may only request the duplicate sample prior to the taking of the official sample. This means horsemen cannot wait to ascertain whether the official sample yields a result higher than the permitted threshold or whether their horse won, hit the board, or earned a substantial purse before making the request. Not only do horsemen have to pay for a second sample before they know if it is necessary, the sample they are paying to obtain will not show whether the problem lies with the sample or with the lab conducting the testing because the duplicate sample is transmitted to the same lab as the official sample.

While HISA may argue that this rule makes sense because of the degradation of a TCO2 sample within a few days and that TCO2 test results can take weeks to be received, the rule is simply unfair and, in my opinion will not withstand due process analysis.

Why not change the rule to provide for two samples to be taken every time a sample is collected? Why not provide that horsemen pay for the second test only when there is a positive result? Why not provide that the duplicate sample be forwarded to different laboratories for analysis? Why not arrange for 48-hour test results?

Another issue is that not all higher-than-permitted carbon dioxide results are caused by milkshaking. Lasix, medications, supplements, dehydration, illness, feed, the environment, the horse's physiology and other random factors may cause a high result. While TCO2 testing is necessary, the rule change is required to ensure the fairness that split-sample testing provides for the testing of other prohibited substances.

Amendments to the rules should be undertaken in short order by HISA and the Federal Trade Commission before more honest and decent horsemen have their lives disrupted, get their names blasted over the internet being labeled as crooks, lose purse money, lose owners and incur unnecessary suspensions and counsel fees.

–Richard J. Hackerman, P.C. is an attorney based in Baltimore, Maryland.

The post Letter To The Editor: The Elephant In The Room, Total Carbon Dioxide Testing appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Brad Cox Joins The TDN Writer’s Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland

Wed, 2025-02-12 12:15

It sometimes seems that not a weekend goes by where Brad Cox isn't making news and visiting the winner's circle somewhere after winning another important race. That was the case last weekend as Cox won the Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs with John Hancock (Constitution). This coming weekend he'll send out one of his top threats for the GI Kentucky Oaks when the filly Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) makes her 2025 debut in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds.

To talk about past successes and what's ahead for his stable, Cox was this week's Gainesway Guest of the Week on the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland.

Cox hasn't decided where John Hancock, who has made just two career starts, will run next, but he said he'll have just one more race before the Derby.

“I think all the preps at the end of March and the beginning of April are in play,” he said. “Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida Derby, the Wood Memorial, all those races. He came out of the race in good order and I'm happy with what we saw from him the day after. I want to give the horse an opportunity to regroup a little bit and take one big swing at a 100-point race.”

He also has the lightly raced Tappan Street (Into Mischief), who is coming off a second-place finish in the GIII Holy Bull S.

“I think he's going to go next in the Florida Derby,” Cox said. “It's a race that offers 100 points to the winner. He picked up eight points in the Holy Bull, so we'll give him one big swing. Obviously this Derby trail, it's tough to go through the grind of it. It's not just about getting in the Derby. You want to have something left if you are able to get to the Derby. He's had two runs there at Gulfstream and will have one more run if all goes well. I hope that would propel him forward.”

Good Cheer is undefeated in four starts, but the Rachel Alexandra will not be in easy spot. The competition includes Silverbulletday S. winner Simply Joking (Practical Joke).

“I really love how she's doing,” Cox said.  “I know it's typical trainer talk, but she is training well. We've had her down at Payson Park training her. She gets through that track very well. I think if you can get through that track and you're working well, galloping out well, you can normally take your show on the road. This is our first season there and we've had some success out of there. So I'm hoping she can show up as a three-year-old just like she did as a two-year-old. It's not a big field, but I think it's a very good group of three-year-old fillies. And a lot of people know that this path through New Orleans is a very good path toward having success in the Kentucky Oaks. So I'm excited about getting her started on Saturday.”

In our “Fastest Horse of the Week,” segment, which is sponsored by WinStar, we went over the many reasons there are breed to WinStar stallion Independence Hall. The fastest horse of the week was Colloquial (Vekoma), who earned a 106 Beyer when winning a maiden race at Aqueduct.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association,https://pabred.com/https://www.kentuckybred.org/https://www.nyrabets.com/  West Point Thoroughbreds, the KTOB, 1/ST Racing and 1/ST TV, the team of Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and Bill Finley dissected the ultra-impressive performance by Colloquial and discussed his future. Is he a Kentucky Derby horse or will he prove to be best suited to sprint races?  The team also discussed the future of Tampa Bay Downs, which has now been included in the on-going decoupling efforts in Florida, and gave their picks for the upcoming GII Risen Star S. and the Rachel Alexandra.

The post Brad Cox Joins The TDN Writer’s Room Podcast Presented by Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Letter To the Editor: Here’s Hoping For Meaningful Change

Wed, 2025-02-12 11:23

I read with interest and a certain amount of confusion, Sue Finley's TDN article about the woes of Kentucky stallion studs.

On the one hand, everyone is agreed that it is difficult to fill stallion books, and on the other, the idea of any book being full has long been consigned to the history books.

When I worked at Ashford in the mid-90s, Woodman topped the active sires list ('96 or '97) and the size of his book caused scandalized conversation in some quarters. One breeder even told me it was impossible to cover so many mares and that we simply had to be cheating and using AI (no, the other one). I politely replied that were simply using hard work and long hours.

The 148-odd mares he covered that season seems positively quaint by today's standards!

To read this morning that Hard Spun is considered a failure at 95 bookings (so far) is shocking and of course a result of unlimited books and the over-commercialization of breeding. Which, according to the article, everyone now, finally, admits is a problem.

And yet, nobody seems to want to look at the obvious fix and hit the necessary reset to bring it about.

If ever there was a moment to limit stallion book numbers, it is surely now?

Ideally, there would be one limit for proven sires and an even lower one for the unproven. We all seem to have forgotten that good sires tend to make it regardless of their book sizes!

With book limits in place, the resulting trickledown effect would see capable underused sires getting their fair share.

Book limits would also force many people in breeding solely for commercial reasons to re-evaluate their reasons for being in the game and either change their priorities or stop breeding.

This process might be a painful one for some, but it would lead to a change in mentality, an end to the current tail-wags-dog situation with regard to sales/commercial value and racing spectacle, and most importantly, it would end the current fashion for calling horses a product (several times in this article alone) and treating them as financial commodities.

If we were able to do all that, then we wouldn't need slick marketing to gloss over problems and convince the general public to go racing or new fans to become owner/breeders because the public would feel and see the change and thus regard horse racing once more as the sport of kings.

Here's hoping meaningful change will one day happen for the sake of our wonderful sport.

All the best,

Eric

Eric Ward grew up in Ireland and spent nearly 30 years in stud farming all over the world including a decade with Coolmore. He managed studs in Ireland, China and Turkey. Now based in Gaillac, France he assists his winemaker wife, writes novels and is also a volunteer fire-fighter/first responder.

The post Letter To the Editor: Here’s Hoping For Meaningful Change appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Keeneland Tickets For Spring Meet On Sale Feb. 18

Wed, 2025-02-12 10:52

Keeneland will open ticket sales for its 2025 Spring Meet, to be held Apr. 4-25, on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 9 a.m. ET, according to a press release from the track on Wednesday.

A variety of options for Dining, Grandstand reserved seating and General Admission will be available. All tickets must be purchased in advance via Keeneland's Official Online Ticket Office.

The 15-day Spring Meet features racing Wednesdays through Sundays with a daily first post of 1 p.m. ET, except closing day, Friday, Apr. 25, when the first race is 12:30 p.m. ET. There will be no racing on Sunday, Apr. 20, in observance of the Easter holiday.

Ticket pricing for General Admission and Grandstand reserved seating for the Spring Meet are:

  • General Admission: Wednesday/Thursday tickets are $7; Friday/Saturday/Sunday tickets are $10; opening Saturday tickets are $15. Children 12 and under are free.
  • General Admission Spring Meet Season Passes: $50. Passes are pre-sold until April 3.
  • Grandstand Reserved Seats: Wednesday/Thursday seats are $15; Friday/Saturday/Sunday seats are $25; opening Saturday seats are $30. Price includes General Admission.

The post Keeneland Tickets For Spring Meet On Sale Feb. 18 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Laurel River Ruled Out of Saudi Cup

Wed, 2025-02-12 08:58

Juddmonte Farms's Laurel River (Into Mischief) has been removed from consideration for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 22 after picking up a minor injury that will require 'two weeks' rest', according to a tweet from racing personality Nick Luck, who was first to report the news.

“Just a knock apparently, but it prevented him from getting in a critical workout before traveling,” Juddmonte USA's General Manager Garrett O'Rourke said in a text message. “Will wait for the Dubai World Cup.”

Trained by Bhupat Seemar, the homebred 7-year-old demolished a field including defending champion Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and 2024 Saudi Cup hero Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) in last year's World Cup, for which he was recently recognized as the world's joint top-rated runner in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. Put away for the season with an eye on the Saudi Cup and a title defense at Meydan in April, Laurel River returned to action in the G3 Firebreak Stakes on the Fashion Friday program Jan. 24. Aggressive in the run beneath his regular rider Tadhg O'Shea, Laurel River carried what appeared to be an insurmountable advantage into the final 400 meters, but he began to feel the pinch, shortened stride and was nabbed on the wire by King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}).

Seemar told the Dubai Racing Club: “He had a small setback in training and missed his intended workout for the Saudi Cup. We will keep him in Dubai and aim him at the Dubai World Cup.”

Laurel River began his career under the care of Bob Baffert, winning four of seven starts, including the GII Pat O'Brien Stakes in 2022. The would-be favorite for that year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, he was taken out in the days leading up to the race and was transferred to Seemar. After faltering in a Group 3 sprint over 1200 meters on his local debut last winter, the bay bounced back in no uncertain terms in the G3 Burj Nahaar, a course-and-distance prep for the G2 Godolphin Mile. Connections elected to take their shot in the World Cup instead and the results were sensational, as he had 8 1/2 lengths on Ushba Tesoro on the wire.

A full field of 14 is still expected for the 1800-meter contest. With Laurel River's defection, Wootton'sun (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is eligible to draw in from the reserves. He is also entered for the G2 Red Sea Turf Handicap over 3000 meters.

The post Laurel River Ruled Out of Saudi Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Dozen Years After National Museum Of Racing Trophy Thefts, Convictions Bring Sense Of Closure

Tue, 2025-02-11 15:20

Three thieves who targeted sporting museums in a two-decade long crime spree were convicted by a Pennsylvania jury Feb. 7 and are now facing federal prison sentences after a fourth, the ringleader of the group, pleaded guilty and testified against them. Included in the 1999-2019 crime spree was the 2013 smash-and-grab, nighttime heist of five trophies worth an estimated $400,000 from the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York.

The looted trophies, three of which were solid gold and one of which was the 1903 Belmont Stakes trophy valued at $150,000, will never be recovered.

That's because in the hours following the theft, the thieves drove 215 miles south to a bar that one of them owned in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and “melted the trophies down into easily transportable metal pieces,” according to the criminal indictment.

The very next day, the thieves drove to New York City, where they sold the raw materials “for approximately $150,000 to $160,000,” the indictment stated.

Brien Bouyea, the communications director for the museum, told TDN in a Feb. 11 email that his organization was grateful that police and prosecutors had pursued the criminal convictions and guilty pleas.

“The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is pleased to learn of these convictions,” Bouyea wrote. “While the irreplaceable items that were stolen were not recovered, these convictions offer a sense of closure. We thank the prosecutors and law enforcement for their efforts in bringing these criminals to justice.”

A methodology of “target-steal-melt-sell” was the blueprint for how at least nine known individuals broke into 14 museums in the Eastern United States over a 20-year span, ripping off artwork, sporting hardware, and high-value, antique memorabilia.

According to the June 6, 2023, indictment filed by prosecutors in U.S. District Court (Middle District of Pennsylvania), 20 of the stolen pieces were considered “objects of cultural heritage” as defined by the federal criminal code because they are “either over 100 years old and worth in excess of $5,000 [or] less than 100 years old and worth at least $100,000.”

The thieves also orchestrated a 2012 robbery at the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York, where they made off with 14 trophies and other awards worth over $300,000.

They also hit museums related to baseball, boxing and golf, looting nine World Series rings and other items once belonging to New York Yankees greats Yogi Berra and Roger Maris; six championship title-fight belts, and the U.S. amateur golf trophy once awarded to Ben Hogan.

The thieves also dabbled in popular art and antique firearms, hauling off paintings by Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock, plus three guns worth a combined $1 million.

The trophies and awards would be stripped “of the gemstones and other valuable attachments prior to melting the objects clown into easily transportable bars, disks, pucks, and other small pieces of the valuable metals,” the indictment stated.

The sales of the metals generally returned only a fraction of what the intact valuables were worth.

The “objects of cultural heritage which could not be broken down, such as antique firearms and paintings,” were then sold on the black market, the indictment stated.

The New York Times reported that Nicholas Dombek, 54, Joseph Atsus, 50, and Damien Boland, 48, were convicted of concealment and disposal of major artwork and interstate transportation of stolen property. Atsus and Dombek were acquitted on several lesser counts alleged by the prosecution. A fourth defendant, Alfred Atsus, 48, the brother of Joseph, was acquitted on all charges.

The convictions were made possible after the leader of the group, Thomas Trotta, 49, was pulled over by state police in Pennsylvania in 2019 for swerving his vehicle. Trotta was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, and in the car, the police found bolt cutters, a sledgehammer, headlamps, ski masks, gloves and several phones.

The New York Times reported that investigators “then traced DNA from a cup of water Mr. Trotta drank from while in custody and matched it to DNA found at several burglaries.”

Trotta cooperated with law enforcement and eventually pleaded guilty. He wore a wire to record conversations with others in the ring, most of whom were his friends since middle school. Several of the thieves were the godfathers of Trotta's children, the admitted ringleader testified from the stand.

“I'm sure they don't like me now,” Trotta said as part of his testimony, the New York Times reported.

Three other thieves involved in the organized ring had already pleaded guilty. They are Ralph Parry, 46, Frank Tassiello, 52, and Dawn Trotta, 53, the sister of the ringleader.

Another defendant, Daryl Rinker, 51, died in April 2024 of natural causes.

All of the thieves who pleaded guilty or were convicted are awaiting sentencing.

The 2023 indictment gave a glimpse of how the National Racing Museum heist was planned and executed on Sept. 13, 2013, just 10 days after the racing season had concluded at the historic track right across the street.

Per usual, the planning, getaway and meltdown operations were a group effort. Except for one time in that 20-year span, Trotta testified that he always carried out the actual thefts alone.

“Prior to Sept. 13, 2013, Nicholas Dombek, Damien Boland and Conspirator No. 1 [later revealed to be Trotta] made multiple visits to the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame [to] view objects of cultural heritage displayed therein and to observe the security measures protecting said objects,” the indictment stated.

Then, in the overnight hours of Sept. 13, Boland drove Trotta to Saratoga, where he “entered the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame without authorization, smashed multiple glass display cases with a center-punch tool and grinder, and stole and removed five trophies displayed therein.”

Published news accounts at the time described how the thief was able to navigate the unlit corridors of the landmark Union Avenue building without triggering perimeter alarms.

In the museum's steeplechase gallery, Trotta took trophies from the 1914 Brook Cup Handicap Steeplechase (won by Compliment) and the 1923 Grand National Steeplechase (won by Sergeant Murphy).

He then moved to the post-Civil War gallery, and from a single case pilfered trophies from the 1903 Belmont Stakes (won by Africander), the 1903 Brighton Cup (won by Hermis), and the 1905 Saratoga Special (won by Mohawk II).

Upon exiting the museum, Boland drove Trotta and the looted objects 1.7 miles to the parking lot of the Saratoga Casino Hotel, where Trotta transferred the trophies to his own car.

The two then drove their separate vehicles 190 miles south to the parking lot of a Denny's restaurant in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, “to inventory the trophies stolen,” the indictment stated.

They then proceeded another seven miles to Scranton, where they met up at a bar called Collier's, owned by Boland, to melt down the trophies, the indictment stated.

The next day they drove together to New York City “and sold the pieces to an individual known to the Grand Jury,” the indictment stated.

After Sept. 14, “[Trotta] paid Nicholas Dombek $30,000 from the proceeds…in exchange for Dombek's help in planning the theft,” the indictment stated.

In 2024, Trotta told the CBS-TV news magazine “60 Minutes” that he was able to successfully case museums without drawing attention to himself, even while video recording the very items he planned to steal.

“I have a dorky look to me,” Trotta told “60 Minutes” reporter Jon Wertheim. “I notice I don't look like a criminal at all.”

Trotta told “60 Minutes” that the gang had justified the thefts by thinking, “Hey, nobody's getting hurt.”

But, added Trotta, who was imprisoned prior to testifying at the trial of his friends, “I never looked at it like, sitting in jail for 51 months. Emotionally, I destroyed people. I know this now. I do regret hurting everybody I stole anything from.”

The post Dozen Years After National Museum Of Racing Trophy Thefts, Convictions Bring Sense Of Closure appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

`The Hardest It’s Ever Been’: What’s Behind the Slow Start to the Breeding Season?

Tue, 2025-02-11 11:16

Later this week, breeding sheds across the Lexington region will open their doors to mares, but in the lead-up to the start of the 2025 mating season, there is an underlying feeling of unease in the Bluegrass.

Several farms have already–and quite publicly–announced discounts off their initially posted stud fees, while others are either fighting hard to attract mares, or shopping private deals or fee reductions. The fear among many in town is that in 2025, the industry has reached some sort of tipping point–either due to the economy, a mare shortage, inflation, stud fees, or too many horses being exported abroad–that is leaving stallions dangerously exposed.

But if the reasons attributed to the current situation are somewhat murky, most of the people interviewed for this story agreed on one thing: this is the hardest year farms have ever had in filling their stallion books.

“I have heard the same things being said,” said Airdrie's Bret Jones. “Certainly, to me it's the hardest it's ever been for solid stallions.”

Over at Spendthrift, General Manager Ned Toffey said they're seeing the same. In mid-January, the farm announced reduced fees for six of its stallions, citing breeders' rising production costs.

“I would say that, yes, this is a tougher year than we've had,” he said. “Bottom line, I think everybody's bookings are down to some degree or another.”

While most first-year stallions and the top echelon are faring well, many established stallions proven to get you a good runner–with a respectable number of black-type horses to named foals, for example–are finding the going a little bit tougher.

Hard Spun has sired 15 Grade I winners, has four stallion sons in Kentucky, and has two three-year-olds on the Derby trail. His top yearling in 2024 realized $500,000. Despite that success, his fee was cut from $35,000 to $25,000 this year.

“The fact that we reduced his fee by a third and given that he's got two colts right now at this stage with Derby aspirations, that's certainly something historically that has moved the needle for him,” said Darley Sales Manager Darren Fox. “And I do feel like if one of those wins a major Derby prep, that will spur him on. He's got 95 mares on his book right now. He bred 140 last year at $10,000 more. So he's probably trending 20% behind the same point last year, with a $10,000 fee reduction. He's getting a little older, sure. Does that explain the drop-off from year to year? I don't think so.”

Hard Spun | Darley photo

“This is definitely the first year that I've felt like there are great deals out there, and I don't know of any mares for them,” said Carrie Brogden. “It's a gut-wrenching industry. It's not for the faint of heart. I'm just getting the feeling that people are not expanding their mare population. I just got another message: `Hey Carrie, we decided we're getting out of Thoroughbreds. We're not going to breed. We need to sell these mares.' I'm getting more of that than people saying, `I want to breed the mares.'”

 

What the Numbers Say

Whatever it may feel like to breeders, there haven't been any huge shifts in the number of available mares, nor in the number of exported mares. In fact, the numbers are fairly stable.

Some popular myths:

1)    There are far fewer mares than just a few years ago. This is not true.

In Kentucky, in 2022, 16,845 mares were bred to 212 stallions for an average book size of 79.5.

In 2023, 17,058 mares were bred to 212 stallions for an average book of 80.5.

And in 2024, 16,663 mares were bred to 196 stallions for an average book of 85. Over the past 20 years, there have been years where fewer mares were spread among far more stallions. In 2011 in Kentucky, for example, 15,636 mares were bred to 268 stallions, for an average book size of 58.3.

The high-water mark over the past 20 years was the 21,594 mares bred in Kentucky in 2007. But while the mare population has fallen by 23 percent since that time, the number of Kentucky stallions has dropped almost in half–by 47%, from 368 stallions in 2007 to 196 last year.

2)   More mares are being exported abroad. In fact, fewer mares are being exported now than they were in 2019, before the pandemic. In 2019, 915 mares of breeding age were exported, compared to 623 of breeding age in 2024, according to facts provided by The Jockey Club.

3) Mares are increasingly going to first-year stallions. This is false.

The Jockey Club keeps track of how many first- to fifth-plus year stallions get mares.

In 2005, 16.42% of the mares went to first-year stallions. In 2024, that number was 16.33%. And while it has ranged as high as 20 percent in 2023, it has remained fairly consistent for the past 20 years. (See table below). These numbers do drop off for second-through- fourth-year stallions, i.e., stallions without runners, but it's not as dramatic as you might think. Last year, while 16.33% of the mares went to a first-year stallion, 14.52% were bred to second-year stallions. This seems to vary slightly from year to year, depending upon the strength of each year's crop of stallions.

Fifth-year-and-up stallions–established stallions–get a pretty fairly consistent 50% of the market share.

While it's too early to say exactly what is going on in 2025 until the breeding statistics are published later this year, it would appear that a physical shortage of mares or a new obsession with first-crop stallions does not explain this year's difficulties.

 

PERCENTAGE OF MARES BRED TO STALLIONS BY YEAR OF SERVICE

Year       Yr 1        Yr 2        Yr 3        Yr 4        Yr 5+

2005      16.42     13.45     9.98       9.42       50.73

2006      14.01     14.68     12.11     8.73       50.47

2007      13.31     12.58     13.03     11.42     49.66

2008      15.03     12.2       10.65     11.36     50.76

2009      13.34     12.84     10.16     9.68       53.98

2010      11.22     12.37     10.99     10.84     54.58

2011      12.24     9.84       10.98     10.88     56.06

2012      15.27     10.13     9.12       10.55     54.93

2013      13.93     14.57     9.29       8.42       53.79

2014      15.67     12.14     12.47     9.22       50.5

2015      14.45     14.97     10.81     11.66     48.11

2016      17           12.42     12.25     10.88     47.44

2017      14.98     13.94     10.72     10.67     49.7

2018      16.58     13.3       12.24     9.76       48.12

2019      17.82     12.49     10.38     10.86     48.45

2020      13.11     14.93     11.37     10.81     49.78

2021      19.19     10.4       11.2       10.64     48.58

2022      15.03     15.66     8.82       11.31     49.18

2023      20           10.84     12.3       7.96       48.9

2024      16.33     14.52     8.02       11.77     49.35

Source: The Jockey Club Fact Book

 

Some Trends are Clear

1) Book size continues to grow. According to The Jockey Club Fact Book:

In 2015, the average Kentucky stallion's book was 77.6. In 2024, it was 85.

2) The number and percentage of mares being bred to `big-book' stallions continues to grow.

Ten years ago, in 2015, 2.44 percent of the mares were bred to stallions covering 201 mares or more. In 2018, it was 3.65%. In 2023, the last year on record, it was 11.06%. Among mares being bred, over 20 percent were bred to stallions covering 151 to 200 mares in 2023. In 2015, it was 11%.

3) The foal crop continues to decline. Ten years ago, it was 21,528. The estimated crop for 2023 is 17,200, marking eight straight years of declines.

 

The Disappearance of Breed-to-Race Outfits

Unable to fill books in Kentucky, Creative Cause is now standing in Texas | Equi-Sport photo

Almost everyone approached on the subject agreed that the growing commercialization of the product, away from the breed-to-race model, has led to where we are today.

“When I first got out of college and got back to the farm, we stood a horse named Slew City Slew,” said Jones. “And every year there was one certainty: that Slew City Slew would get a good book of mares from people who wanted to breed to race–people who wanted a good, sound horse that could earn money at the racetrack, pay their way, and give them a lot of fun along that way. And that breed-to-race breeder simply does not exist any more at that level. I think that has been one of the great tragedies in breeding of the last 10, 15 years. People are so risk-averse that they stick to the safety of those first-year stallions, which we all know will not have a high batting average in terms of who succeeds, with just a total blind eye to the stallions that have actually proven that they can get you a good percentage of stakes runners. I don't think that's any secret in the industry, but it's been amazing how quickly it has happened. In the grand scheme of things, 10 years is not a long period of time, but that's a dramatic departure over that time.”

From their own farm, Jones cited the loss of a stallion like Creative Cause.

“Creative Cause was a horse that was showing that he could get a good Saturday afternoon horse–horses that could pay their own way. And he's standing in Texas now because there was simply no market for him in Kentucky. People are concerned in the economic times that we're living in, and so they run to the shelter of first-year stallions or the uber-proven if you're playing at the higher end of the market.”

Toffey said he agreed.

“It's a continuing trend that the breed-to-race part of the market is going away,” he said. “There are fewer and fewer people that are just interested in a good, useful sire. It's breed for the market, and they feel like it's got to be something that is going to get them a really good return. And so then a horse like Goldencents, Jimmy Creed, horses that we have that stand for not a lot of money… Goldencents just got a Kentucky Derby winner. He's a good horse for just getting runners. He's a wonderful horse for starting out a young mare. But the market for those kinds of stallions just continues to dry up.”

 

The General Economy, and the Ongoing Effects of Covid

“The underlying contributor to breeding historically has been what the general health of the industry is what the previous year's yearling sales were, and also what the general state of the U.S economy is,” said Chauncey Morris, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders. “And on the bloodstock sales, there are definitely motivators for wanting to either breed at the same rate or more when both Saratoga and Keeneland September posted phenomenal sales, record-breaking sales, sales that not only were good at the top end, but where demand for the horses continued on to the last sessions to where the clearance rate was even in the single digits, which is unbelievable and enviable.”

Despite that, he said, “there's something that combines with those economic conditions in that there's a general negative feeling about the state of the industry. I mean, I would be a fool if I said that that wasn't the case. And, there is also uncertainty about the U.S. economy. The underlying economy is positive, but the Federal Reserve did not raise its interest rates because inflation is still an issue. I think that oftentimes in the Thoroughbred industry, we feel that we're in a bubble. I don't feel that's the case now.”

Ned Toffey | Spendthrift

But many aspects of the industry are healthy, he stressed, including Kentucky purses, and new tracks being built in Maryland and New York. “There is underlying strength in the Thoroughbred racing landscape, and not only in Kentucky,” he said. “When you have what has always been the most important racing product–New York–which is the driver of the American economy, when you have hundreds of millions of dollars being invested by the New York State government into Belmont, that is a real strength, and you can't say otherwise. But you couple it with some very visceral feeling of uncertainty in some prime historical markets of importance to racing, places like California and Florida, and I think that's probably why people are feeling a little bit negative.”

Many of these economic uncertainties were ushered in by Covid, and have never left.

“Everything went up 20% across the board during Covid and never came back down,” said Fox.

Toffey agrees. “Coming out of Covid, you saw everything getting much more expensive, right down to some of the minutiae involved with running a farm, buying supplies. But whether it's that or feed or the hay or labor or the ability to get labor, all those things are getting more expensive. It's getting more challenging to get labor. The costs have gone up dramatically.”

For people who plan on keeping their Thoroughbred for a short time before selling it, rising costs puts immense pressure on the need to succeed at the sales. “I think that people have continued to refine their filters over the years,” he said. “And so I think that causes people to be that much more selective with what they are willing to breed to.”

 

Discounts, and the Waiting Game

While some farms, like Spendthrift and Taylor Made, announced new discounts, others are offering them privately. Everyone interviewed for this story said they felt that because they knew that books on mid-tier sires weren't full, breeders were taking their time in making their selections, hoping for some last-minute information or on-track performance that might change their perspective.

“I think people just are reacting to their reality,” said Fox, “which is `it's difficult and the market is selective.' So they're being selective with the stallions they choose and recognize that some of these proven stallions are probably going to have room all year long and there's no rush. If they wait 'til April when the mare foals, they're six months wiser. Maybe that points you to a different horse, or maybe you catch a bubble horse on the rise. So I do think some people are not rushing in to book everything straight away to try to make last-minute decisions that are hopefully better decisions.”

Toffey said he agreed.

“I am optimistic that there's going to be kind of a little bit later surge in bookings this year,” he said. “Bookings are down, but I believe people are just playing the waiting game. And you've seen that farms–just as we've announced–are willing to come in their direction if they'll hold out. So I think there's some of that going on. But I do think that the big question is, `what percentage is that going to account for?'”

Said SF Bloodstock's Tom Ryan, “With a relatively open-door policy, people feel they can afford to wait longer before committing to second and third-season stallions or horses in bubble years. They hold off for positive indicators, knowing there's still capacity in their book. I believe this lack of urgency contributes to the situation.”

And while farms try to lock down those breeders with deals, too-deep discounts could come at a price to farms and breeders alike, warns Jones.

“I think there are some that are playing the waiting game because they recognize the vulnerability amongst some of the stallion farms,” said Jones. “And another thing that worries me for breeders, sometimes there's a race to the bottom where we start giving away product to at no cost, which on the surface certainly appears to be in the breeder's best interest…except that everybody knows which of those stallions are being bred for free. And when you go to market with that resulting yearling, there is a stigma attached to that stallion. So while it may save you money up-front, and I underscore the importance of that, ultimately the real payoff is in the auction ring or on the racetrack. And when you're telling everyone that your stallion is worth $0, that has also factored into a reputation for your stallion amongst buyers. And so the return in their auction ring is so often not what those breeders were expecting when they felt like they were getting a supposedly great deal.”

 

The Double-Edged Sword of the Commercial Marketplace

But while some established breeding operations are still playing the long game, “most people are trying to hold their Thoroughbred a year or less,” said Mark Taylor. “Everybody has very short-term focus.”

Mark Taylor | Fasig-Tipton photo

The irony of it, said Taylor, is that if you're breeding to sell, a first-year stallion has less of a financial risk. If you're breeding to race, “that's the worst gamble. Those are the most high-risk horses because as we know, if there are 10 that come off the track and come to Kentucky every year, there's going to be maybe one, maybe two, very rarely three that make it. So there are definitely going to be seven of them that are going to be failures. You look at a horse like Upstart right now. Upstart's a very good stallion. He did a lot with not big books and not uber-quality mares. And you look at even last year–I think he had three or four two-year-old stakes winners and his good mares haven't even hit yet. I haven't called Airdrie, but I bet that he doesn't have a fraction of the mares that one of these horses that's just off the track has. But there's a 70% chance, at least, that they will never be as good as Upstart is.”

But if you're holding a horse less than a year, it doesn't matter if he's good or not. And therein lies the basic irony of the situation in which the industry finds itself. Are we breeding racehorses with less of a chance to be good because it's economically advantageous to do so?

“This stuff doesn't just happen in a vacuum,” said Toffey. “People make breeding decisions based on other people's buying decisions. And so people understand that it's a safer play to buy a first-year horse. If you breed in year two and the stallion didn't jump up immediately and set the world on fire, you are sitting there with a yearling that you can't sell. There aren't people to buy them.”

Ironically, said Jones, bad decisions are often made when breeders are forced to make them too early in order to secure their nomination to the hot stallion. He said that farms do breeders a disservice by trying to get them to commit to a stallion in the summer.

“Certainly one of our jobs is to fill our books, but we also have to recognize that the game doesn't work if our breeders can't be successful,” he said. “One of the things I really don't think we're doing right is forcing breeders to make their mating decisions before the fall yearling sales. There is such a panic out there of getting shut out on the hot stallion of the summer that breeders are having to make financial commitments before they really even know what their financial situation is. I know it's hard to put that genie back in the bottle, but if breeders can make more informed decisions, they are more likely to be successful, more likely to purchase and breed more mares, and ultimately that will benefit the stallion farms and the industry at large.”

And, with rounds of X-rays and correctional surgeries, turning that mating to the trendy stallion into a marketable yearling has never been harder, nor more expensive, said Taylor, and that is reducing the number of mares people are willing to carry.

“If you turn back the clock to when my dad was general manager of Gainesway in the '70s and '80s, you didn't have a repository at the sales,” said Taylor. “Nobody was X-raying these yearlings pre-sale.” Now, he said, screening for `all these little imperfections' starts with X-rays in February of their spring year. “What that triggers is all these surgeries–I mean thousands and thousands of surgeries–cleaning up these things that we never cleaned up before. I can't even fathom how much money that is, but it's going out of the breeders' pockets and it's fixing something that in some cases–I would argue in many cases–did not need to be fixed for the product to do its job.”

The risk of spending that money and missing the mark has breeders afraid to take a chance with the one thing they can control–their choice of stallion.

“It's so hard to hit that bullseye across at any of the sales,” said Fox. “You've got to have the sire, the physical, the X-ray, the scope, the walk, and your sire has to have been hot in the preceding 60 days before the sales. The expenses are going up and I feel like the bullseye is getting smaller. This has created a dynamic where breeders are being extra careful about the stallions they're choosing. Obviously, they go to first-year horses because of their commercial success. But after year one, it's like there's the mass exodus to the next batch of freshmen sires, or the expensive, proven, hot stallions. And everyone else in the middle is just, I don't know, part of the crowd.”

 

Is There a Fix?

For Toffey, it comes down to controlling the pricing you can control–stud fees.

“I don't think there's any quick fix,” he said. “But if we can make it to where it's profitable for breeders, that means controlling expenses. Unfortunately, it's hard to control the economy, whether it's hay or hardware. But the other big part of that is stud fees. And so that's why I think you've seen every major stud farm in town, whether they've advertised it or not, making significant concessions.”

Taylor said he thinks that there's room to control breeders' expenses by recreating a segment of the marketplace selling naturally raised yearlings purchased from people you trust–no X-rays, no surgeries–with the seller's word that what he's representing is true. “You would be trying to target buyers who just wanted a solid racehorse, and maybe they don't have a huge budget, but you'd probably have some people walking around there looking for a nice horse, and they'd probably find some nice horses in there. That section of breeders would say, `we're not going to do all these screening X-rays, and we're going to save a couple grand.' We're not going to do any surgeries because we don't know what's in there and unless it blows up or it's swollen, we're not doing it. Could you turn back time? There are certain people that I know who just raise a good horse, and I would go buy a horse off of them like that.”

Jones points out that there are not only fewer mares–there are fewer mare owners, and nobody is out there recruiting new ones.

In 2004, according to Equibase, there were 39,043 individual ownership entities who raced a horse. By 2024, that number had fallen by close to half, to 21,123. TOBA currently lists just over 1,500 members. In 2004, that number was around 2,500.

“This is a different conversation, but I think it's as important a conversation as there is,” said Jones. “We have no national marketing as a major league sport. We're not out there promoting to potential racehorse owners–and specifically for this conversation, potential mare owners–about how great this game is. We've got to change that. The only way that you increase the number of mares being bred right now is to get people more excited about horse racing.

“This is the greatest game in the world, and we continue to keep that a secret. And it's a political campaign that we need right now to inspire people. The Derby has never been bigger and horse racing has never been safer. Those two statements are facts and they are should be inspiring. That's not to turn a blind eye to all the issues we have. We all know the issues. But until our industry makes the investment of marketing our sport at the national level in a significant way, we can't be surprised when we feel the momentum is turning against us.”

The post `The Hardest It’s Ever Been’: What’s Behind the Slow Start to the Breeding Season? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Citizen Bull Individual Favorite in Derby Future Pool

Tue, 2025-02-11 11:09

Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), last year's champion 2-year-old, has been tabbed the 6-1 individual favorite in pool four of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, while “All Other 3-Year-Olds” is the 9-2 favorite in the pool which runs from Friday through Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

There are 14 new interests in pool four: Burnham Square (Liam's Map), Captain Cook (Practical Joke), Gate to Wire (Munnings), Hypnus (Into Mischief), John Hancock (Constitution), Legitimate (Authentic), Praetor (Into Mischief), Rapture (Uncle Mo), River Thames (Maclean's Music), Sand Devil (Violence), Sorcerer's Silver (Good Magic), Speed King (Volatile), Tip Top Thomas (Volatile), and Vassimo (Nyquist).

For the complete pool four field, click here.

The post Citizen Bull Individual Favorite in Derby Future Pool appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Horse Racing Women’s Summit Transitions to Horse Racing Women’s Association

Tue, 2025-02-11 10:40

The Horse Racing Women's Summit has transitioned to the Horse Racing Women's Association, reflecting the organization's change from an annual event to a year-round association dedicated to empowering women in the horse racing industry. With a mission to engage, elevate, and invest in the women of horse racing, the HRWA aims to create a vibrant community of women who work across all aspects of the industry.

“We launched four years ago intending to be either a one-time or once-a-year summit,” HRWA chairwoman Stephanie Hronis said in a release from the organization Tuesday. “The notable interest from the women in our sport seeking opportunities to network, learn, and be inspired, led our dynamic committee members to answer the call, recognizing that we are an official and organized community. We celebrate our name edit that reflects our expansion and impact.”

Since hosting its inaugural summit in 2022, HRWA expanded its reach in 2023 and 2024, organizing additional gatherings in New York, Kentucky, and Florida, alongside ongoing activities in California. In 2023, HRWA launched a membership program that invests in its Pay It Forward program, scholarships, and events.

“As demand for year-round connectivity increased, we quickly outgrew the definition of a 'summit,'” said Shona Rotondo, Chair of the Marketing and Communications Committee. “As an association, we now have the flexibility to host women (and men) in a variety of formats, both in person and online. Our goal is to make our community as accessible as possible for anyone and everyone who wishes to contribute to the mission.”

For more information about the Horse Racing Women's Association, membership details, and upcoming events, visit www.horseracingwomen.com.

The post Horse Racing Women’s Summit Transitions to Horse Racing Women’s Association appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Jockey Club Reveals AI Naming Tool

Tue, 2025-02-11 09:37

Naming AI will provide assistance to owners naming their horses, The Jockey Club announced Tuesday. The new technology enables users to generate five or 10 name options with a choice of one-, two-, or three-word names. Customers can use the tool to generate names based on words of their choosing or based on a foal's pedigree.

The tool adheres to the naming rules outlined in Rule 6F of the Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book, but as with all names being claimed or reserved, those generated by Naming AI are subject to approval by The Jockey Club Registry.

“We're very excited to launch this new naming feature,” said Andrew Chesser, director of Registration Services and director of Business Development for The Jockey Club. “Offering a naming tool that can be used to generate names from the horse's pedigree or based on user input will help owners find creative names to submit for their horses.”

Developed by TJC Innovations, Naming AI uses OpenAI, which focuses on natural language processing and generation, and Pinecone, a database service that enables efficient similarity search and indexing of vector data, which is essential for natural language processing.

The post The Jockey Club Reveals AI Naming Tool appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Santa Anita Announces Purse Increases

Tue, 2025-02-11 09:24

Overnight purses at Santa Anita will increase an average of 8% beginning Feb. 28 and continuing through the remainder of the track's Classic Meet Apr. 6. The boost in prize money comes after increases in key business metrics through the first six weeks of the season and were made as a result of collaborative discussions with the Thoroughbred Owners of California, according to a release from Santa Anita.

Purses for Santa Anita Park's Hollywood Meet will increase an average of 10% over the 2024 season, with increases ranging from 8 to 11% depending on class level. The Hollywood Meet begins Apr. 18 and runs through June 16.

Santa Anita has recorded increases in total all-sources handle, on-track attendance and field size in 2025, despite being impacted by the Los Angeles County wildfires last month.

“The transition to a single circuit is the key enabler to the purse increases over the next four months and it is only the beginning,” said Bill Nader, TOC President & CEO. “We will work closely with Santa Anita to return to a balanced purse budget and anticipate further increases for owners and breeders in a phased approach as we continue our new path working together. The early results of the California transition are encouraging.”

The track began its 90th anniversary season Dec. 26 with the largest opening day crowd in eight years and all-sources handle of $21.4 million. The total handle was the third highest in the track's history for an opening day and an increase of 17.4% over last year, marking the fourth time in the last seven years that the opening day handle topped $20 million. The on-track attendance of 41,562 was the largest non-weekend or holiday opening day crowd largest since 1990.

“We are appreciative of the owners, trainers and horsemen who have been very supportive of Santa Anita Park this season,” said Nate Newby, SVP & General Manager of Santa Anita Park. “Horseplayers have embraced the product on the track with their wagering dollars. Field size has been bolstered by horses from Northern California, many of whom have relocated to the South. Santa Anita Park's stable area is full, creating opportunities to race in a variety of categories to suit their conditions.”

The post Santa Anita Announces Purse Increases appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

1/ST Rebrands XBTV Workouts Site to 1/ST TV

Mon, 2025-02-10 18:41

The newly-launched 1/ST TV features a rebranding of XBTV's workout site, which offers coast to coast videos in addition to newly incorporated livestreams from Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and HipicaTV.

XBTV has offered workout content since 2015, and will now bridge 1/ST RACING & GAMING assets under the same branding to leverage its overall brand strength.

1/ST TV will also segment the free video workouts from the East Coast (Gulfstream Park, many of the South Florida training centers and Saratoga) and the West Coast (Santa Anita Park and Del Mar) creating a user-friendly approach to search for current works.

Additionally, several syndicates/fractional ownership groups that follow their horses, including West Point Thoroughbreds, MyRacehorse, Little Red Feather, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Saratoga Stables have had separate portals on www.XBTV.com and will continue to find those portals available on 1/ST TV.

Current XBTV.com users who have frequented and may have the site bookmarked will find a seamless transition to the 1/ST TV site.  In addition to the site change, the social media handles will migrate from @WatchXBTV to @Watch1ST.

The post 1/ST Rebrands XBTV Workouts Site to 1/ST TV appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

GISW Tamara to Undergo Surgery

Mon, 2025-02-10 18:27

Spendthrift Farm's Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), winner of the GI Del Mar Debutante during her juvenile season, is expected to undergo surgery to have a bone chip removed from an ankle this week, trainer Richard Mandella told DRF Sunday.

According to Mandella, the 4-year-old daughter of champion Beholder is expected to mark her return to the races at the end of Del Mar's summer meeting.

In her sole start at three, the filly was last seen finishing a nose second in a six-furlong allowance at Del Mar in November.

Named a TDN Rising Star following a 2 1/4-length victory at Del Mar in August of her juvenile season, the bay galloped in the seaside oval's Debutante before exiting a seventh-place effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita with an injury.

The post GISW Tamara to Undergo Surgery appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Pages