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Sweden joins Ireland, Germany and France as countries who are exempt from having their runners in Britain 10 days before a race as part of the British Horseracing Authority's new anti-doping policy first announced last June. The policy requires foreign runners to be in Britain 10 days prior to an intended start to facilitate testing, but the aforementioned countries are excused due to their mirror policies.  “We are pleased to confirm that Sweden's anti-doping rules meet the criteria required for exemption from Britain's sampling procedures for foreign runners,” said Jamie...

Gerard Byrne's Jack Naylor (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), sixth in the G1 Epsom Oaks Saturday and fourth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas May 24, will take her chances in another Classic, with the July 18 G1 Irish Oaks her target.  "Jack Naylor came home well from Epsom,” said trainer Jessica Harrington. “The plan at the moment is the Irish Oaks. Plans can always change but I think we will give her another chance [at a mile and a half]."  Jack Naylor won a pair of stakes in Ireland last year, including...

Cheveley Park Stud's dual Group 1-winning homebred Integral (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) is likely to bypass the G1 Queen Anne S. on opening day of Royal Ascot in favor of a title defense in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. against her own sex a day later. The 5-year-old mare, whose two Group 1 wins have come over a mile at Newmarket, recorded her last win in the G1 Sun Chariot S. in October. She finished seventh in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. two weeks later and was fourth on seasonal debut...

by Jessica Martini  A colt by Majesticperfection turned in the fastest furlong breeze during Wednesday's under-tack preview session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age. At the midway point of the six-session breeze show, hip 469 became the third horse overall to work in :9 4/5. Out of stakes winner Into Reality (Untuttable), the youngster is consigned to the June sale by McKathan Bros., agent.  “We were definitely expecting him to work well,” confirmed Kevin McKathan. “You never expect them to go in :9 4/5,...

by Dean Towers Back in 2009, I was presenting on a panel at the Canadian Gaming Summit. Along with me on the panel was Mark Davies, one of the original founders of British betting giant Betfair, and a friend who is a professional gambler. After the panel concluded (which tackled the topic of new ways to bet and the future of wagering), the three of us sat down for a chat.  "I think the slot machine days are numbered," said the professional gambler.  Mark and I were taken aback at...

Pegram, Watson and Weitman's Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) kicks off his 4-year-old campaign in Saturday's GII San Pasqual S. at Santa Anita.  The half-brother to MGISW Executiveprivilege (First Samurai), a heart-breaking defection with a foot issue two days before the GI Kentucky Derby, returned from the shelf with a smart second-place finish in a seven-furlong optional claimer here Oct. 29, then secured a very game decision in Churchill's GI Clark H. last time Nov. 28. Last term's GII Rebel S. winner and GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up worked six furlongs in 1:12...

Dual Classic winner and Horse of the Year finalist California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) breezed six furlongs in 1:11.60 at Los Alamitos yesterday in preparation for his 4-year-old debut in Santa Anita's GII San Antonio S. Feb. 7. With blinkers on and regular rider Victor Espinoza aboard, the flashy chestnut doled out splits of :23 1/5, :47 2/5 and :59 1/5. Trainer Art Sherman's son and assistant Alan Sherman described the work as "outstanding." The GI Hollywood Derby hero's next work will be pushed back to Monday, Jan. 19 due to the Jan....

Recently retired 5-year-old Premier Steps (Ire) (Footstepsinsand {GB}) provided the first major jolt to the Keeneland sales pavilion Monday morning as Japan's Shadai Farm saw off all challengers to secure the broodmare prospect for $400,000. Craig and Holly Bandoroff's Denali Stud, Agent II consigned the bay as hip 39.  Trained in Europe as a juvenile by Tom Dascombe, Premier Steps was third in Royal Ascot's G3 Albany S. and finished a dead-heat second, beaten just a neck, in Deauville's G3 Prix du Calvados-Haras des Capucines. Transferred to Chad Brown after being purchased privately,...

A number of Todd Pletcher's top 3-year-old worked at Palm Beach Downs over the weekend. Both GI Champagne S. winner Daredevil (More Than Ready) and GI Breeders' Futurity victor Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) fired bullets with Daredvil completing five panls in :59.64 on Sunday and Carpe Diem going that same distance in :59.42 Saturday. "They're both training exceptionally well," Pletcher said. "Carpe Diem's breeze yesterday was very impressive. He came out of it well, and we're planning to go in the [GII] Tampa Bay Derby [Mar. 7] with him. I thought Daredevil worked extremely...

Texas Racing Commission stewards heard jockey Roman Chapa's appeal Monday of a summary suspension and are expected to issue a ruling this week.  Chapa was suspended on Jan. 19 while the commission investigates allegations that he used an electrical device on a horse in a stakes race at Sam Houston Race Park Jan. 17. The State of Texas has taken legal action against the veteran jockey and has charged him with a felony, unlawful influence on racing. He posted a $10,000 bond, appeared in Harris County District Court on Feb....

Beginning with the upcoming March Sale of 2-Year- Olds under-tack show, Ocala Breeders' Sales Company will initiate implementation of Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) guidelines for controlled therapeutic medications. The first phase will include adopting the ARCI medication schedule for administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and bronchodilators. OBS will incorporate the entire ARCI medication schedule by the 2016 2-Year- Old sale season. The policy regarding the use of a riding crop has also been refined.  "In addition to existing state regulations, random testing during our breeze shows has...

By Steve Sherack  As the push for expanded gaming continues to play out in Illinois, the state's longtime horsemen's association president and veteran trainer Michael Campbell currently has a nice distraction on his hands--a potential GI Kentucky Derby starter. Private Prospect (Discreet Cat), a very solid fourth at odds of 21-1 in the Smarty Jones S. Jan. 19 (video), will attempt to continue his path to Louisville in Monday's GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn.  "I'm like a kid in a candy shop," Campbell commented. "I'm enjoying racing and having the time...