Horse Racing

With two weeks remaining until the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan Racecourse, riding assignments for the American raiders are coming into focus. Perhaps the best chance for U.S. victory on the program, champion and recent G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint hero Straight No Chaser (Speightster) will look for more desert riches in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen with his regular rider John Velazquez back in the irons. The veteran reinsman's agent Kiaran McLaughlin also confirmed that Velazquez has the call aboard Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) for trainer Antonio Sano...

8th-Fair Grounds, $53,800, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 3-21, 3yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:04.31, fm, 3/4 length. HEY BERTIE (f, 3, Kantharos--Believe in Bertie {MSW & MGSP, $413,482}, by Langfuhr) debuted a winner by 1 1/2 lengths in an off-the-turf sprint in New Orleans Jan. 17. After firing a bullet on the fast track in the Big Easy Mar. 14 (4f, :47.80, 1/114), the filly was well-backed as the 9-5 choice here. The homebred bided her time near the rear of the field up the backstretch as a scramble for the...

11th-GP, $94K, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16m, T, 5:52 p.m. ET. A $650,000 Keeneland September grad, WEAPONIZED (Gun Runner) makes his first start for N Theory Racing and trainer Brad Cox. The colt is out of Lady Tapit (Tapit), who went for a cool $1.8-million to Whisper Hill Farm & Gainesway during last year's Keeneland November Sale while in foal to Good Magic. This productive mare is also responsible for GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby hero and current sire Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo), and her filly Irresistible (Munnings) was purchased for $700,000 by...

Lucky Seven Stable and Sharaf Mohamed Alhairi's Rattle N Roll (Connect), who rallied from the back of the back to finish a creditable fifth to Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) and Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 22, has officially been invited to participate in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse Apr. 5, trainer Ken McPeek tweeted Mar. 21. The 6-year-old failed to draw into last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic and was rerouted for the GII Clark Stakes Nov....

Thoro-Graph, the creator of North American handicapping products, and 1/ST TECHNOLOGY, operator of the online betting platforms 1/ST BET and Xpressbet, have partnered to bring the Thoro-Graph Player Services program to horseplayers around the country, the Stronach Group said via a release Thursday. Thoro-Graph Player Services is a free, membership-based online portal that links users to wagering with the online platforms. "By partnering with Thoro-Graph, we have created a powerful alliance for horseplayers," said 1/ST TECHNOLOGY President, Keith Johnson. "By linking these great brands, Thoro-Graph Player Services members can maximize...

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. Resolved ADMC Violations Date: 03/19/2025 Licensee: Curt Ferguson, trainer Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on Mar. 20, 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...

The Puerto Rico Horse Owners Association, Inc. (PRHOA) has agreed to drop a year-old federal lawsuit over allegedly unsafe surface conditions at Camarero Race Track after the owners of the island's only racing venue finally agreed to a long-sought demand by the plaintiffs to allow John Passero, the noted track-safety consultant who once served as the track superintendent at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, to inspect the track. After a Feb. 10-12 inspection by Passero deemed that Camarero's dirt surface "was generally in good condition [and] not suffering at...

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be onsite during Florida Derby Week as they partner with 1/ST RACING and are designated the beneficiary of a golf tournament, according to a press release from the non-profit on Thursday. TAA will be honored with a named race on the Mar. 29 Derby undercard. Following the running of the race, a presentation will be made to the winning connections including a TAA gift bag. A representative from Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be host the winners of the "Off to the Races" VIP Experience online...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Chukyo and Hanshin Racecourses: Saturday, March 22, 2025 2nd-HSN, ¥10,600,000 ($71k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m GYLFI (JPN) (c, 3, Nyquist--Maedean, by Tapit) is the first foal from her dam, a $450,000 Keeneland September yearling who would go on to win the...

Always ready to open up a lane with a crisp pass or poised to hold for the last shot by spreading the floor, Fasig-Tipton announcers Jesse Ullery and Frank Alosa form a March Madness-like backcourt as they host the latest digital sale on the auction house's platform. For Ullery it is all about channeling the excitement of an online sale with his partner and informing would-be buyers about something they may not have heard. In other words, have a seat on the couch and stay awhile. "I don't know that...

National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback released a quarterly letter Wednesday which addresses Florida's decoupling bill along with the New York Times piece on horse racing. The letter reads: "The first quarter of 2025 has been nothing short of a tsunami for most of us in the industry. We entered the year hoping to turn the page, making positive strides and setting the industry on the right path. Then came January 7. While the events of that date didn't bring our industry to a standstill, they certainly caused an unexpected stumble--one...

11th-Hanshin, Coral S.-Listed, ¥45,970,000 ($308,735), 4yo/up, 1400m, 1:24.2, ft. ADVANCE PHAROAH (h, 5, American Pharoah--Fair Huntress, by Tiznow) became the sixth Japanese stakes winner for his sire with a 28-1 surprise. Ridden for speed from gate three, the $140,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate took them along under a nice hold and maintained a narrow advantage over the stalking T M Listed (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) into the turn. Clinging to the lead with his year-younger rival breathing down his neck, Advance Pharoah led into the final 200 meters and refused to...