Flightline

It is beginning to feel as ingrained a New Year ritual as the concert in Vienna: the raising of a toast not just to another record year for Into Mischief, but to the way his reign has become an apt symbol of our times. After all, the whole point of marking the turn of a year-it's just another leaf in the calendar, really, just one more sunrise in the indefinite (but never infinite!) sequence we are apportioned-is to take a step back and see whether we can discern a fresh...

With the 52nd Annual Eclipse Awards in Palm Beach, Fla. less than a month away, the votes will be cast by the media and other important officials until Jan. 3, as Thoroughbred racing aims to honor its best. The Thoroughbred Daily News Staff that are members of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) submitted their selections this week and here is a rundown of the results from some of the categories, along with their 'strongest vote.' Bill Horse of the Year: Flightline 3-Year-Old Male: Taiba 3-Year-Old Filly: Nest 2-Year-Old...

Sue Morris Finley, Publisher & CEO of the Thoroughbred Daily News, spent her childhood driving back and forth to Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga with her family. In 1993, she was part of the team that took over the production of the Thoroughbred Daily News, and oversaw its move to Red Bank, NJ, becoming its co-publisher. For 12 years, she was the First Vice President of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, a national organization dedicated to the humane retirement of former racehorses, and served three years on the board of the Thoroughbred...

It was a banner year for TDNtv with over 11.3 million views of our TDN videos and advertisers' commercials. That number exploded from just 4.1 million views last year. Our videos brought in audiences from all the major horse racing countries, with the U.S. leading the way with 618,461 unique viewers this year, but people tuned in from every corner of the globe (shout out to our 24 viewers in Iceland!). While Kentucky accounted for the most total views by a state this year, New York led the way with...

Another eventful year for horse racing is about to come to an end, which makes this a good time to look back at the TDN stories that were the most widely read during the year. From the heroics of Flightline (Tapit) to the on-going saga of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) to the latest developments in the Jorge Navarro-Jason Servis scandal, there was no shortage of important stories. Unfortunately, there were a number of major stories that reflected poorly on the sport, but, our statistics show, those...

Thoroughbred Charities of America will honor Maggi Moss with the Allaire du Pont Leadership Award and Second Stride with the Ellen and Herb Moelis Industry Service Award at the 33rd Annual Stallion Season Auction and 'Tis the Season Celebration presented by Mt. Brilliant on Sunday, January 8, 2023, at Grand Reserve in Lexington, Kentucky. The Allaire du Pont Leadership Award is presented annually to an organization or individual whose philanthropic endeavors are consistent with TCA's mission. Past award winners include Jen Roytz, LNJ Foxwoods, and Dan Rosenberg, just to name...

As part of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA)'s month-long Holiday Giving Campaign, Siena Farm has pledged to match all donations up to $5,000 made to the TAA Dec. 17. Siena Farm not only breeds and races Thoroughbreds--such as their syndicate ownership in undefeated 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner, Flightline--but excels within their endeavors to support the industry from all angles, including Thoroughbred aftercare. Now, the boutique breeding and racing farm seeks to invite fellow industry participants to match their donation to the TAA Holiday Giving Campaign. "The Thoroughbred Aftercare...

Eric Halstrom is vice president and general manager of Caesar's Horseshoe Indianapolis, a position he's held since 2020. He previously served in several executive positions in horse racing, including vice president of racing at Canterbury Park, vice president and general manager of racing at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, assistant director of racing at Prairie Meadows, and vice president of operations at Harrah's Louisiana Downs. Halstrom, who graduated from the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program, is a native of Bloomington, MN, and is a die-hard fan of...

Welcome to our annual assessment of Bluegrass sire prospects for the approaching covering season. As last year, we're going to confine our focus largely to a "Value Podium" for each intake--rather than attempt, as in the past, an exhaustive (not to say exhausting) assessment of every stallion in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Believe me, it wasn't always easy to find something adequately civil to say about every last one! But the fact is that this is only ever one person's opinion and, as such, a hopelessly subjective exercise. By restricting...

Jared Shoemaker, co-managing partner of Pocket Aces Racing, grew up in Lexington and fondly remembers going to Keeneland with his extended family from the time he could walk. It was one of his favorite things to do as a child. By the time he was in high school, he admits to spending a lot of afternoons at the track while supposedly in class. Not one to miss a good day of racing--no matter the reason--he scheduled all of his lectures at the University of Kentucky to be done by noon...

Beginning in 1980, Frank Brothers trained Thoroughbreds for nearly 30 years. During that time, he amassed a career win percentage of just over 23%, with 2,291 races to his credit, including 262 stakes victors of which 50 were graded. Chief among them was Hansel (Woodman), a multiple Grade I winner of the Preakness S. and Belmont S., who was the 1991 three-year-old Champion. Others in his barn included Grade I winners like Secret Hello (Private Account), Arch (Kris S.), Oath (Known Fact), Madcap Escapade (Hennessy), First Samurai (Giant's Causeway), and...

Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to relive the unforgettable racing career of champion Flightline and look ahead to his first year at stud at Lane's End Farm.