Glorious showdown: Sheikh Mohammed v. Ramzan Kadyrov

If you haven’t seen a replay of the Group 2 Coutts Goodwood Cup, yesterday’s 3:25 at Glorious Goodwood, get a free subscription to Thoroughbred Daily News (TDN) and watch it right away. The race was cinematic on many levels! First off, it’s not often that we (in the US) get a chance to see top-quality [...]

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$5,000 Fasig-Tipton yearling latest success for the Russians

Two years ago, on Oct. 1, a yearling colt by the Hartley DeRenzo stallion Omega Code was offered for sale as Hip No. 143 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall yearling sale. Consigned by Summerfield, agent, the colt was purchased for $5,000 by FMF Stable to race in Russia. On Sunday, the same colt, now [...]

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Jack Werk, back from Oz, writes on: My dinner with Nasser

Jack Werk, world traveller, spent an extended week in Australia tending to business, mostly related to eNicks. “I’ll tell you what,” Jack said the other day from his Fremont, California, home. “The Aussies are the most gung-ho, horse-crazy people I’ve met, and I’m not talking about the horsemen, only. Everywhere you go, unlike here, people [...]

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Overdose doesn’t take to swimming pool; will miss Abbaye

A reason Overdose was transferred from Nantes, France, to Pulborough, England, was to take advantage of the resident swimming pool. Many rehabilitating horses with leg and feet problems are put through swimming regimens to build up cardio and muscle conditioning in lieu of gallops. Overdose, however, does not like the pool, according to a report [...]

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Squires’ “Headless Horsemen” review in Wall Street Journal

Here’s an excerpt from the Ray Kerrison review of Jim Squires’ latest book, “Headless Horsemen,” in the Wall Street Journal: Mr. Squires’s first target is the tight club of ­billionaires who have ruled racing’s establishment for decades. They are led by Ogden Mills Phipps, the ­grandson of Henry Phipps, who founded Bessemer Trust, and William Farish, [...]

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2 beheaded stallions a message for Gustavo Cesti Hurtado

In the following grisly scene from the Godfather, film producer Jack Woltz wakes up to find the head of his prize stallion, Khartoum, beheaded by Vito Corleone’s thugs Rocco Lampone and Aldo Trapani, at the foot of his bed. It was a chilling message. A similar real-life message was delivered recently in Peru to Gustavo [...]

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Filly Heaven Sent wins third leg of Philippine Triple Crown

Got this piece of information from the blog Gogirl Racing, written by Jenny Ortuoste-Alcasid. The filly Heaven Sent, by the Grade 3-placed Gone West stallion Heza Gone West from the Silver Deputy mare Kiss and Run, won the third leg of the Philippine Triple Crown recently. Jenny wrote: “From the ranch, the delegates proceeded to [...]

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Jim Squires’ new book “Headless Horsemen” cuts to chase

Jason Liebman, marketing manager for Henry Holt and Company Publishers in New York, is sending me a review copy of Jim Squires’ new book, “Headless Horsemen: A Tale of Chemical Colts, Subprime Sales Agents, and the Last Kentucky Derby on Steroids.” That’s some kinda title, and it promises to be a helluva read! No doubt, [...]

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Peruvian farm invasion leads to beheading of two stallions

My blogger friend in Japan, Futeki, scans South American publications daily for news and stakes results. A few days ago he posted an item, taken from Peru Hipico , about an attack on a Peruvian stud farm, a story that’s received little attention in Peru, much less in South America. It’s a brutal and bizarre story, however, [...]

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THT’s Kerry M. Thomas analyzes “emotional conformation”

Kerry M. Thomas has a new tool for analyzing horses — it’s called THT — that, I believe, will be a huge benefit to horses and horsemen alike in the future. Our conversations started at the intersection of horse racing and baseball — his brother played pro ball; my sons play at the youth level — and [...]

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Collected posts on the state of the ’09 bloodstock industry

Quarter horse sales have mirrored trends of weak economy More credit squeezes loom in 2010 for Kentucky breeders Kentucky horsemen need slots before the massacre begins Half-sisters to Graded stakes winners plentiful in claimers 2009 Kentucky breeding industry is struggling vs. 2008 Private values for racehorses and breeding stock in 2009 Purchase offers coming in for Derby winner Mine That Bird Half-sister [...]

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A book choice: Diary of a Dream, by George Rowand (2005)

The book is: “Diary of a Dream: My Journey in Thoroughbred Racing,” by George Rowand. Why am I recommending a book published in 2005 now? Well, it’s a great read, for one, but I just came across it.  I also knew the author 15 years ago, and it brought back some memories, notably this one: Click [...]

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Gambling ban in Russia will soon exclude betting at tracks

As you’ve heard by now, casinos and other gaming joints were closed in Russia July 1, effectively ending all forms of legalized gambling in the country. The government, however, has designated some far away zones — parts of Siberia, for one — where gambling will be legal. Click here to read a July 22 New York Times [...]

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Masterofthehorse, Epsom Derby 3rd, sold to Qatar owner

Michael Tabor et al have sold the Sadler’s Wells 3-year-old colt Masterofthehorse, third in the Epsom Derby to Sea the Stars and fourth in the Irish equivalent to Fame and Glory, to Hassan Al-Abdulmalik of Qatar for an unspecified sum. The colt is expected to prepare for a Dubai campaign in 2010. Also on the colt’s [...]

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Pure white Zabeel filly has Group 1 aspirations Down Under

Click here to read about the “freakish” The Opera House, a pure white filly who has Group 1 aspirations in Australia. She’s got the pedigree for it, too. Her three-quarter brother Might and Power earned more than AUS$5 million and won, among other races, the Group 1 Melbourne Cup and Group 1 Cox Plate. Her sire, [...]

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