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The Emirates Racing Authority has said it is “extremely unlikely” that the case of strangles identified in a horse trained by Marco Botti earlier this week originated in the UAE.  An unidentified Marco Botti-trained horse that had campaigned in Dubai over the carnival tested positive for strangles after its return to Newmarket. It is the first case of strangles in the town since 2009, and the ERA said there has not been an outbreak in the UAE for more than 10 years, “and there were no signs suggestive of strangles...

By Kelsey Riley  A year ago, Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club hosted the inaugural renewal of The Championships at Royal Randwick in Sydney. Designed to be Australia's equivalent of season-ending events like the Breeders' Cup, Dubai World Cup and British Champions Day, The Championships was held over two consecutive Saturdays, offering eight Group 1 races worth almost $20 million, including the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., which, with a purse boost to A$4 million, made it the richest weight-for-age race in the country and the world's richest turf race...

The Niarchos Family's Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein), winner of last year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains, is expected to open his 4-year-old campaign in the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury May 16.  “Karakontie has wintered well and the Al Shaqab Lockinge S. is the race we are looking at,” said Alan Cooper, racing manager to the Niarchos Family, after the race's 36 initial entries were revealed Wednesday. “We will obviously have to see nearer the time but we feel he is a horse who needs good ground so...

Northwest Stud, which enjoyed a stellar 2014 sales season, looks to continue its success in the new year, starting with Wednesday's Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale. Northwest Stud consigned an Unbridled's Song colt (hip 134) at the Florida sale last year for $550,000 and consigned the OBS March sales topper Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) for $1.6 million. The farm will consign four 2-year-olds to this year's Florida sale in hip 69, a colt by Cowboy Cal; hip 111, a colt by Bernardini; hip 149, a colt by Tapit; and hip 152, a colt by Harlan's Holiday. ...

El Kabeir (Scat Daddy), winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. and GIII Jerome S. and recent GII Withers S. runner-up, worked four panels in :50 Sunday morning over the Belmont training track in preparation for the GIII Gotham S. this Saturday. He galloped out in 1:02 and change. "He's doing great," said trainer John Terranova. "Today was just to see how sharp he is. He's been training really, really well every day. We wanted to keep him mentally sharp and focused. He likes to run around the turns, so...

With the postponement of the GII Fasig-Tipton Swale S., trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. is unsure whether his colt Souper Colossal (War Front) will contest the affair, which has been rescheduled to Saturday.  "It's a negative because if we're looking at the big picture--which is certainly running in the [GI Kentucky] Derby--I have to look at opportunities and a time frame to get my horse ready to earn (qualifying) points," Plesa said. "With the Swale being postponed for a week, it gives me seven less days to do what I believe is best...

Mark O'Hanlon, a former executive for Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, has died at age 52 following a short illness. O'Hanlon specialized in international markets during his time at ITM, specifically Italy, the Middle East, Singapore, Russia and Morocco.  Michael O'Hagan, former chief executive of ITM, led the tributes to O'Hanlon yesterday, telling Racing Post, "Mark originally joined as our rep in Italy as he lived out there, but the more I got to know him the more I realized he was wasted looking after just one country. He was always just...

The Inglis Premier Yearling Sale got underway with the first of four sessions yesterday in Melbourne, Australia. Gains were realized in high price, gross, average and median, and competition for local Victorian buyers was intense, with much countrywide and international interest. At the end of the day's trade, 112 yearlings had changed hands for A$10,581,000, compared to the 115 that sold for A$9,072,500. The average jumped 19.7% to A$94,473, while the median was up 33.3% to A$80,000. The buyback rate was the lone negative on the stats sheet; it was...

Godolphin's globetrotting 9-year-old Cavalryman (GB) (Halling--Silversword {Fr}, by Highest Honor {Fr}) was euthanized Saturday in Dubai after suffering a fracture to his right hind leg during the running of the G3 Nad Al Sheba trophy over the Meydan turf. The dark bay was pulled up by jockey William Buick midway down the backstretch of the 2810 meter event and reportedly sent for surgery, which was unsuccessful.  Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said, "He was a real character in the yard and was treasured, not only by me, but by everyone here--all of the...

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent his four contenders for the Feb. 7 GI Donn H. out to work four furlongs at Palm Beach Downs Sunday morning. The lightly raced Liam's Map (Unbridled's Song), coming off a win in the Dec. 13 Harlan's Holiday S., went the distance in company with GIII Razorback H. winner Golden Lad (Medaglia d'Oro) in :47.81. “He's proud of himself,” Pletcher said of the Teresa Viola Racing Stables runner. “He looks good. He's carrying his conditioning well. He put in a good breeze this morning. He's a very good...

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a trio of promising sophomores to work Sunday at Palm Beach Downs. Unbeaten Competitive Edge (Super Saver), off since winning the Sept. 1 GI Hopeful S., breezed a half-mile in :48.42. “He's coming back,” Pletcher explained. “That was his third half back. He seems to be rounding into form. We'll give him a five-eighths next week, but he's still probably a month away.”  Let's Go Stable and WinStar Farm's Daredevil (More Than Ready), winner of last year's GI Champagne S., breezed four furlongs in :48.29. “That was his third...

Jockey Victor Espinoza thinks reigning Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) may be even better in 2015. “I think he's stronger this year,” Espinoza said after piloting the flashy chestnut through a five-furlong work at Los Alamitos Sunday in 1:03.60. “The way he feels when I work him, he's bigger and more mature. From last year to this is a big difference. He's been working really strong. I believe he'll run as good as a 4-year-old as he did at three.”  California Chrome is expected to make his 2015 debut...