Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ founder jailed
Amer Abdulaziz Salman, the founder and chief executive of Phoenix Thoroughbreds, has been jailed for 15 months in the USA for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The news first appeared in The Racing Post.
The piece says that Abdulaziz, 61, was sentenced by judge Edgardo Ramos in the Southern District of New York for his role in the OneCoin fraud. He was jailed at the Loretto Federal Correctional Institution, a low-security facility in Pennsylvania July 11 with a release date of Oct. 20, 2026, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Phoenix Thoroughbreds said: “Ever since the fraudulent activities of some of his business partners were revealed to him and the world by the OneCoin prosecutions in New York, Amer Abdulaziz has acted with integrity and honour. An accomplished business executive, entrepreneur, and patron of numerous philanthropic causes, Mr. Abdulaziz's responsibility as a citizen led him to engage pro-actively with United States law enforcement.
“Over the last several years, Mr. Abdulaziz has voluntarily travelled between Dubai and New York and engaged with U.S. authorities. He has accepted responsibility for harm ultimately inflicted upon victims of the OneCoin cryptocurrency fraud, which was instigated by people with whom Mr. Abdulaziz had business ties.
Amer Abdulaziz Salman | Image courtesy of Phoenix Thoroughbreds
“Mr. Abdulaziz has always been adamant that he would comply with his obligations under the law and honorably face whatever consequences result from the fair administration of justice, and he has honored this promise.”
In 2019, Abdulaziz was named in a U.S. court as an alleged money launderer for OneCoin, a $4 billion Ponzi scheme run by Dr. Ruja Ignatova, the so-called “CryptoQueen,” who vanished in 2017 and remains on the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted.
Phoenix Thoroughbreds raced horses such as three-time Group 1 winner Advertise (USA) (Showcasing {GB}), GI Belmont Stakes runner-up Gronkowski (USA) (Lonhro) and GI Starlet Stakes heroine Dream Tree (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}).
Some of the Australian horses that Phoenix Thoroughbreds owned or part-owned include the dual Group 1 winner Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) and the G1 Golden Slipper winner and now stallion Farnan.
Listed winner Blue Hotel to resume in Quezette
Trainer Clayton Douglas is asking a lot from 3-year-old filly Blue Hotel (I Am Invincible) when she resumes in Saturday’s G3 Quezette Stakes, but she did win the Listed Dequetteville Stakes at her only start at two. “It will be interesting to see how my filly goes in Melbourne grade,” Douglas told racenet.com.au.
“Saturday is going to determine how she's going and where she sits in the pecking order. But she seems to have really come on since her win. She's a good filly and I think she'll be hard to beat on what I've seen of her so far.
Clayton Douglas | Image courtesy of Clayton Douglas Racing
“It's really hard to say where she will end up. I think she's going to be a sprinting filly but after Saturday, there's races like the Cap D'Antibes down the straight. There's also a race like the Coolmore or even the Poseidon or Danehill Stakes. A race like the Atlantic Jewel is an option as well.”
Maher has strong team for Quezette
Ciaron Maher has a trio of 3-year-old fillies in Saturday’s G3 Quezette Stakes including Group 3 winner Icarian Dream (Blue Point {Ire}), unbeaten Signature Scent (Written Tycoon), and last start winner Custom (Street Boss {USA}). “We wanted to run (Icarian Dream) in the Blue Diamond, but we weren't allowed to,” National Assistant Trainer Jack Turnbull told racingandsports.com.au referring to her being scratched on vet’s advice.
“We were happy with her but she didn't pass the trot up for the vets on the day before the race. It was disappointing, but they were just doing their job, but she was able to have six weeks off and has come back and prepped up beautifully. She started out at Ballarat, has come down to Cranbourne and has had two nice jump-outs. The last one was quite sharp and she did a nice bit of work on Monday.”
Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Signature Scent is unbeaten in two starts. “She's a lovely filly that has plenty of size and scope about her. There's a nice sense of timing with five weeks between runs after four weeks between her first and second, and she's going into this with a little top up at the jump-outs. She's drawn nicely, she's physically very good and all her home work suggests she should be ultra competitive.”
Former rascal Pop Award set for Regal Roller
Lyn Tolson and Leonie Proctor-trained Pop Award (Shamus Award) runs in Saturday’s Listed Regal Roller Stakes and a win would be reward for her attitude. “When we got her, she'd been through different breakers and pre-trainers because she'd been such a rat,” Tolson told racenet.com.au.
Tolson credits the third horseman to have a try with her as figuring her out and making her tractable. “He was the third breaker that had her. But he told us, ‘once you get her in the box, she'll stand. She won't want to come out. Just let her do it herself'. That's what we did, we worked with her and she's a lovely horse. She's such a nice horse to ride but you've got to let her do it on her terms. She's got plenty of attitude but she's a nice horse to work with now.
“As long as she's competitive in it and works to the line, we'll be happy. We'll see how she goes and we can plan from there.” Winner of four of her six starts, Pop Award resumed with a win at Caulfield in July.
King to return for Winx Stakes
Jockey Rachel King will fly home from Japan to ride Arapaho (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in the G1 Winx Stakes on August 23. “I'll definitely be back for Arapaho, I won't be missing him,” King told racenet.com.au.
Trained by Bjorn Baker, 2025 G1 Sydney Cup winner Arapaho is being aimed at the G1 Melbourne Cup.
Rachel King | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Can Pateman achieve the ton in Broome Cup?
Karnup trainer Darryn Pateman has won 99 Cup races during his 700-plus win training career and has four runners in Saturday’s Broome Cup with Gambler’s Gold (War Chant {USA}), Divine Mercy (Mikki Isle {Jpn}), Hafey (I Am Invincible), and Masatora (Real Steel {Jpn}). “It always does mean a lot winning these country cups,” Pateman told racingwa.com.au.
“The other day we got our 99th in the Kimberley Cup, we’re one short of the ton. I’ve won an Australia Day Cup, three or four Derby Cups, a couple of Mount Barker Cups, they all add up. It’s just one of those records that you keep, it doesn't mean much in the overall context, but they are mini milestones along the way. I’ve been around a while so you have to keep attacking.”
Group placed juvenile resumes with victory at Newcastle
Brad Widdup-trained 3-year-old filly Savvy Hallie (Hellbent) resumed at Newcastle on Thursday with an emphatic 5.48l victory over 900 metres. She had four starts at two placing in the G3 TL Baillieu Stakes behind future Group 1 winner Nepotism (Brutal {NZ}) and was second in the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes.
Sold by Baramul Stud for $150,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale to Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA), Savvy Hallie was pinhooked into the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale through Riverstone Lodge’s draft where she sold to B K Racing and Breeding for $320,000. Thursday’s victory took her earnings over $290,000. She is the second foal of Rose Of Savannah (Fastnet Rock) who is in foal to Reliable Man (GB).
Stakes placed Point Barrow resumes with win at Bendigo
One of two 3-year-olds to win at Thursday’s Bendigo meeting, Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained filly Point Barrow (Blue Point {Ire}) won over 1100 metres. It was her first start since placing in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes as an early 2-year-old last season.
Purchased by her trainer from Yarraman Park Stud’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft for $400,000, she is the second foal and second winner for Group 3 winner Take Pride (Reward For Effort).
At the same meeting, Glen Thompson-trained 3-year-old gelding Cannyworth (Written Tycoon) took his record to two wins from five starts, with a 1.5l victory over 1000 metres.
Winner number four for Leonardo Da Hinchi
West Australian third season sire Leonardo Da Hinchi gained his fourth career winner when 3-year-old gelding Artistry In Motion won at Bunbury on Thursday. The Tom Wolfe-trained gelding was having his second start, having run fourth on debut.
Leonardo Da Hinchi had just seven runners from his first two small crops to date, led by Group 3-placed Golden Kathleen. Artistry In Motion was sold by Gold Front Thoroughbreds for $30,000 at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale to his trainer. He is the fourth winner, from as many to race, for Fine Approach (New Approach {Ire}) who won seven races in South Australia and competed in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes won by Miracles Of Life (Not A Single Doubt).
Yokozuna set for G3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes
Trainer Donna Logan’s only concern over Yokozuna (Fierce Impact {Jpn}) in the Saturday’s G3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes is the track, despite him winning there on debut last start. “He’s always shown he is a genuine horse, the question was whether he would cope with the track on debut as Ruakaka is a track better for knowing it than not,” Logan told Loveracing.nz.
“He coped with it well, he coped with the conditions that day and he stuck on really strong, so it was very encouraging for a debut run. I’ve always thought he would like a better track and we’re about to find out as he’ll get a very good track on the weekend, and he’ll meet a very good field.
Yokozuna | Image courtesy of Race Images
“It’s definitely not a gimme, he’ll have to show his true colours and step up. He is a progressive horse. I think we’re running for place money, but somebody has to run second or third and I don’t mind being that person. To me, I think Geneva looks like a very strong contender.”
The Oaks Stud’s fillies to take on stakes class
The Oaks Stud General Manager Rick Williams is excited about his two 3-year-old fillies Group 1-placed Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) and Cashla Bay (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) ahead of Saturday’s G3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes. “It is great to have two promising horses in there,” Williams told Loveracing.nz.
“We managed to win it a few years ago with Catalyst, so it would be nice to get back up there. Tajana is the class horse of the field on what she has achieved so far, but she could be vulnerable at 1200 metres depending on the speed up front.
Rick Williams | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“The other filly (Cashla Bay), with the one run under her belt, she might be the better chance at this stage. Long-term we are pretty excited about Tajana, once she gets up to a mile. The (New Zealand) 1000 Guineas is the grand final for her, and it would be lovely to win it again. We have managed it a few times, but you can never win a Guineas too often.”
First stakes winner for Palace Pier
With the two only realistic contenders of the three runners contesting Wednesday's Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury, Darley's first-season sire Palace Pier (GB) was almost guaranteed to make his breakthrough in black-type company and so it proved as Morris Dancer (Ire) led home A Bit Of Spirit (Ire) for a neat one-two.
Runner-up in the Vintage at Goodwood last month, Godolphin's homebred surprisingly drifted to 11-10 second favouritism to see off the Clive Cox-trained 5-6 market-leader and after taking over from that peer approaching the furlong pole drew away to do so by four lengths.
“He ran a huge race at Goodwood and he's learning on the job, is very genuine and straightforward,” jockey William Buick said. “It was a fair-run race and you can take a bit out of it–there was no bias and so you can take that form seriously. He won't mind a bit of juice in the ground and he can go back to seven furlongs or stay at a mile.”
Camille Pissarro retired
Dual Group 1 winner Camille Pissarro (Ire) has been retired after he suffered an injury at Sandown last month when finishing fourth in the G1 Coral-Eclipse.
“Camille Pissarro pulled a shoe at Sandown and was quite sore afterwards,” said trainer Aidan O'Brien in a press release issued by Coolmore. “We had him X-rayed and a fissure fracture was found in his fetlock. The decision was then made to retire him.
“Camille Pissarro was an extremely classy colt; he had speed and class. He won the Lagardere on Arc weekend last year at two and then he showed everyone how good he was in the French Derby. He was very classy.”
Bred by James Cloney, Camille Pissarro was bought by MV Magnier and White Birch Farm for 1,250,000gns (AU$2.7 million) at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. A son of Wootton Bassett (GB) and the Pivotal mare Entreat, he emulated his half-brother, G1 Commonweatlh Cup hero Golden Horde (Lethal Force), when becoming a Group 1 winner with his victory in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere as a 2-year-old.
Prior to winning this year's Prix du Jockey Club, Camille Pissarro also finished a close-up third in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains won by stablemate Henri Matisse. He retires as the winner of three of his 11 career starts and over £1.1 million (AU$2.3 million) in prize-money.
Future plans for Camille Pissarro will be announced in due course.
Frankel half-sister to Calyx tops Auctav sale
Described by sales house Auctav as 'D-Day', the sale of some of the stock of Jean-Pierre Dubois ended up being a little more V-Day after a little over half of the 99 lots on offer were bought back by the legendary owner-breeder.
The auction did however draw a bustling crowd to the Haras de Bois Roussel, where Helenium (lot 50), a Frankel half-sister to Calyx, stole the show when sold to Coolmara Stables for €600,000 (AU$1.07 million) through agent Conor Quirke.
Offered in foal to Calyx's sire Kingman, the 6-year-old mare already has two fillies on the ground by that same sire. The page has also been enhanced in recent years by the treble Group 1 winner Native Trail (Oasis Dream), whose dam Needleleaf is a half-sister to Helenium's dam, the Group 3 winner Helleborine (Observatory).
Tariffs may affect European yearling sales
When USA President Donald Trump made good on his threat to impose tariffs on countries around the world on August 1-including a 15% tax on goods coming into America from the European Union-markets across the world shuddered. In the bloodstock world, the first to be affected will be the Arqana August Sale, which starts this Saturday, August 16.
An Arqana-sponsored plane full of Americans arrived Wednesday morning from Saratoga, and the TDN spoke with some of those who came over, and others who stayed home, and international buyers who buy for Americans to see how it would affect not only their spending, but what they do with the horses after they buy them.
One thing was clear: the tariffs were on everyone's mind. Deuce Greathouse is at Arqana buying for American interests, and said that the constantly changing nature of the tariffs, first threatened earlier in the year and then postponed only to come back at a different amount, didn't make it easy to make concrete decisions.
“They keep changing,” said Greathouse, “so we have kind of just been playing it by ear. But, I guess obviously it could make you a little more conservative in your purchase price. I guess all you can do right now is just kind of assume you're adding 15%, right? You try to factor it into the total price.”
Diego Velazquez to stand at National Stud in 2026
The multiple Group 2 winner Diego Velazquez is set to take up stallion duties at the National Stud in 2026, following his purchase by Sam Sangster Bloodstock on behalf of a syndicate. The son of Frankel (GB) will continue his racing career in the care of trainer Aidan O'Brien but will run in the renowned Sangster silks for the remainder of the 2025 season.
Last seen winning the G2 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh, Diego Velazquez is set to make his next appearance in Sunday's G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, with further international Group 1 opportunities on the radar in the autumn.
“He is a horse that requires little imagination; he is the stamp of his father and a top-class racehorse to boot,” said Sangster. “He is a multiple Group winner who has mixed it in the best company for three seasons and was Classic-placed, which gives him a rare depth of form and longevity.
“The Jacques le Marois is the immediate target, and from there, we have several exciting Group 1 races to consider. With the strength of the ownership group and the National Stud behind him, this horse has every chance of becoming a major success both on the track and at stud.”
