Startantes joins Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale
Group 1 winner Startantes (Star Turn), in foal to Anamoe, will be sold through the Widden Stud draft at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in May. “To secure a Group 1-winning sprinter-miler, who was at the very top of her generation, carrying her first foal to Anamoe — a Champion racehorse and a young stallion with all the credentials to develop into a leading sire of the future, is rare,” said Widden’s Antony Thompson.
Startantes | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“Physically, the mating is an outstanding match. Startantes is very much in that strong, speed-oriented mould we’ve had success with at Widden, much like Secret Trail, who produced Anamoe’s first $1 million-plus yearling earlier this year.
“She is also out of the Group 2 winning mare Funtantes, from a prolific family that consistently produces high-quality, winning horses. There’s already further upside too, with her 3-year-old full brother now Group performed and targeting the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.”
Stefi Magnetica retired
Dual Group 1 winner Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) has been retired and will stay in the same ownership as she goes to the broodmare paddocks. “Stefi Magnetica is the most special mare I've ever trained and two Group 1s bears that out,” trainer Bjorn Baker said in a statement.
“She was unlucky on plenty of occasions, but when it truly mattered, the Doncaster was ours. She had a personality to match her ability, and those who know her well will understand exactly what we mean when we say we developed a certain fondness for her fierceness in the barn.”
A rare G1 Stradbroke Handicap winner out of a winner of the same race, her dam is Mid Summer Music (Oamaru Force). Stefi Magnetica retires with five wins and nine placings from 26 starts with earnings over $7.3 million.
Never Ordinary aimed at Listed Dequetteville Stakes
Morphettville’s Listed Dequetteville Stakes will be the third start for stakes placed 2-year-old filly Never Ordinary (Dirty Work). “She just jumps and just wants to run, you know? She doesn't overdo it. You could hold her up, but once she gets to the front like that, she just relaxes and she's always got a bit left at the end,” trainer Byron Cozamanis told racenet.com.au.
“She ran a faster time than the other 1000m race that day. Her last 600m was 32 (seconds) or something. Bloody hell, not many horses do that.”
She was a $1250 online purchase due to a stifle cyst. “We brought her over from Victoria, put her at the farm. I said, ‘Something's wrong here, she's a beautiful looking filly. The vets went over her with X-rays and reckoned she wouldn't pass the vet. She had a cyst in her stifle.
“She never missed a beat, she ate up and she's pulled up a treat. I wish all my horses were like that. It was sort of like a track gallop to her (last start). She's pretty exciting. It'll be a test Saturday – it's not going to be easy – but on her work she will be hard to beat. She'll be trying her hardest, she always does, and I've got a lot of hope for her.”
Vale Kerry McKee
The Sapphire Coast Turf Club were sad to inform the public of the death of long term board member Kerry McKee. “Kerry went above and beyond offering her services to Sapphire Coast Turf Club,” said SCTC's statement.
“If Kerry wasn't welcoming, officials, trainers, owners and sponsors in the committee room, she was liaising with members of the club in the members room. Kerry was a keen contributer with the day-to-day running of the club at board meetings and will be missed by many.
“She will be in our thoughts when we race this Friday and we, as a club, pass on our condolences to her family and many friends in this difficult time. On behalf of Sapphire Coast Turf Club, rest in peace Kerry.”
New winner for Ole Kirk
Ole Kirk added a new winner when 3-year-old gelding Santana won the Up & Coming Stars Series race at Sandown on Wednesday. He was having his fourth start having placed in his last two starts.
Bought by Hawkes Racing, who train him, for $340,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Santana was sold by Vinery Stud. He is the second winner from as many to race for his dam Manasari (More Than Ready {USA}) who doesn’t have a yearling this year. She is a winning half-sister to Group 3 winner Fiano Romano (Fastnet Rock).
Double for Snitzel at Eagle Farm
On Wednesday, Champion Sire Snitzel sired a double at Eagle Farm with Tony Gollan-trained 3-year-old filly Mercatello winning her maiden at start four. She is the third winner for Group 3 winner Mardotti (Falvelon).
Stablemate 4-year-old gelding Dark Arts took his record to two wins, having placed in his last two starts as well. A $55,000 Inglis Digital purchase as a maiden winner, he was originally a $600,000 yearling.
Horseshoe Hill a sentimental winner
The Bjorn Baker-trained and Ridgmont part-owned Horseshoe Hill (All Too Hard) claimed the BM72 Filles and Mares Handicap at Kensington in fitting style.
The victory carried extra meaning, coming the same day the connections announced the retirement of their dual Group 1-winning mare Stefi Magnetica (All Too Hard) - who wore the same colours, shared the same trainer and sire, and had also been ridden to G1 Doncaster Handicap success by jockey Jason Collett.
With two wins from just five starts, Horseshoe Hill is a filly clearly on the rise, suggesting bigger things ahead.
King strikes twice at Hawera
Up-and-coming Matamata trainer Benji King enjoyed a standout afternoon at Hawera on Wednesday, preparing a tidy double with maiden winners Up With Ace (NZ) (Ace High) and the progressive 3-year-old filly What Next (NZ) (Savile Row).
Both horses broke through nicely, giving King another strong result with his small but efficient team.
The win takes his season tally to six from just 25 starters, a return that underlines his growing reputation and ability to place his horses well.
Grail Seeker bought by Yulong
Yulong have purchased Group 1 winning mare Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) in a private deal. “We will probably send her to stud I would think,” Yulong’s Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray told Loveracing.nz.
“She is a good looking mare and a fast Group 1 winning mare. If she leaves foals like herself, they will be very popular at yearling sales.” She was crowned New Zealand’s Champion Sprinter/Miler in 2024/25 following victories in the Gr1 Telegraph and G1 Tarzino Trophy.
Te Akau seeking third G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes
Te Akau Racing are seeking a third G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes in succession, and this year’s chance is 2-year-old colt Seize The Day (I Am Invincible) who was a winner last start. “We’re so looking forward to giving Seize The Day his chance in a Group One over 1400m,” co-trainer Sam Bergerson told Loveracing.nz.
Sam Bergerson | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“This is the race we set him for, he’s got a beautiful big stride that’s made for a roomy track like Trentham, but not a wet Trentham. He trialed up well enough on heavy tracks in the spring, but raceday in this grade is different and that other colt, Ronaldo, has won his two races on soft and heavy tracks.”
Ka Ying Rising trials well
Hong Kong's reigning Horse of the Year Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) won a barrier trial at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning. The gelding clocked a trial-best :57.62 for the 1000 metre trial over the Sha Tin lawn, a neck to the good of Beauty Waves (Starspangledbanner).
Ka Ying Rising | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The eight-time Group 1 winner, who currently holds the successive wins record at 18 for a Hong Kong-trained horse, is pointing toward the April 6 G2 Sprint Cup back at 1200 metres. “He's going really well. It's good to be back on him. It was a nice little hit-out for him – he'll run again in a few weeks, getting ready for (FWD) Champions Day,” said pilot Zac Purton.
The G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize will be Ka Ying Rising's next goal after the Sprint Cup, on April 26, FWD Champions Day.
Blackbeard favourite for Champion First Season Sire title
Coolmore's dual Group 1-winning juvenile Blackbeard is the 6/5 favourite with bookie Fitzdares to be crowned Britain and Ireland's leading first season sire by number of winners in 2026, ahead of Shadwell's Minzaal at 7/4.
Fitzdares launched its market on Tuesday, four days out from the Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster, the first two-year-old race of the year in Britain. Whilst both Blackbeard and Minzaal are without a representative among the 22 entries published on Monday, it's likely to be just a matter of time before their 2-year-olds start to appear in large numbers, with each of them having 115 juveniles to go to war with in 2026, according to Global Stallions.
“It's a finger in the air kind of thing to start with,” Mark Cancea of Fitzdares said of how he priced up the market. “We didn't go through every mare that every stallion covered, but the number of mares that they covered is a good starting point. Then, we looked at the sires that were precocious themselves and, potentially, would be more likely to have two-year-old winners from their stock, particularly early on. We sort of formulated the prices from there. We did look at the stud fees as well, but that didn't really play a major factor.
“We also looked at previous years and how the first-season sires had performed, in terms of the numbers they had produced and what sort of range we were looking at. Around 35 would probably be a winning number.”
Value in Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale
A Blackbeard half-brother to the GII Sands Point Stakes heroine Eternal Hope (Teofilo) features among 201 juveniles catalogued to sell at next month's Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up Sale, with a further 151 lots set to go through the ring at Park Paddocks during the Horses In Training section.
“The Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-up Sale has delivered a remarkable 43 individual Group/Listed performers since 2023 which is ample evidence of the great value to be found,” said Tattersalls managing director Matthew Prior.
Matthew Prior | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
“This year's catalogue looks to have plenty of quality and diversity which will appeal to the usual cross section of domestic and international buyers who frequent Park Paddocks. The catalogue also features 151 horses in training which only adds to the appeal of this unique fixture ahead of Guineas weekend in Newmarket.”
Fatalities fall under HISA in Americ
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) published its 2025 Annual Metrics Report on Tuesday which showed just 1.04 racing-related equine fatalities per 1000 starts. The report notes that that number, which is “a sustained reduction from pre-HISA benchmarks”, also marks a nearly 50% decline since reporting began nationally in 2009 by The Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database (EID).
“Our mission is clear: to make Thoroughbred racing safer for horses and riders while safeguarding the integrity and future of the sport,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “The data contained in this year's report shows that uniform national safety standards are working. We are encouraged by the progress and remain deeply committed to building on these gains in collaboration with racetracks, regulatory partners and industry stakeholders.”
The EID reported a rate of 1.21 fatalities per 1,000 starts for Thoroughbred racetracks in the U.S. operating outside of HISA rules in 2025.
“This continued gap between HISA and non-HISA racetracks underscores what we have long believed: strong, consistent national standards make racing safer.” Lazarus continued. “At the same time, it is encouraging to see the fatality rate at non-HISA tracks decrease from 2024. We hope that the implementation of HISA rules, the industry-wide focus on safety they have helped catalyze and the movement of people and horses between tracks that are and are not under the HISA umbrella have contributed to a broader cultural shift.”
HISA and Churchill Downs agree on fees
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has reached an agreement with Churchill Downs regarding the track's unpaid HISA dues, according to an order posted on HISA's website Tuesday.
No specific details of the agreement were made public Tuesday other than that the case has been stayed “until notification from the parties that the conditions of the agreement have been satisfied,” according to a joint motion dated March 24, and signed by Charles Scheeler, chair of HISA's board of directors.
“We have no further comment beyond what is in the Board order,” said HISA spokesperson, Mackenzie Kirker-Head. TDN also reached out to Churchill Downs for comment.
Giavellotto ready for Sheema Classic
Hong Kong Vase hero Giavellotto is pleasing his connections in advance of a fourth-straight appearance on Dubai World Cup night on Saturday.
Giavellotto | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Affectionately known as Chicken around the Marco Botti yard, the 7-year-old son of Mastercraftsman ran second in the Vase in 2025. After running ninth and fifth in the 2023 and 2024 editions of the G2 Dubai Gold Cup, he ran fifth in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic last term. In this year's edition, he will lock horns with the Longines World's Best Racehorse, G1 Japan Cup star Calandagan (Gleneagles). Since going close at Sha Tin, he was third in the G2 H.H. The Amir Trophy in Doha, Qatar.
Said Andrew Morris, head lad to Botti and responsible for the Chicken nickname, “We are very proud of him – he's just been a superstar. The highlight was when he won the Hong Kong Vase and when he was second last year. He tried but just didn't quite get there – it would have been a fairytale if he had.”
$400,000 Maximum Bourbon tops Fasig-Tipton digital
Promising allowance winner Maximum Bourbon (Maximum Security) topped the 2026 March Digital Sale which closed Tuesday evening with gross sales of US$4,430,500 (AU$6.3 million) for 142 horses sold. The sale, which opened Thursday, March 19, included horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, broodmares–including mares with foals at foot–2-year-olds in training, 'short' yearlings, and a fractional interest in graded stakes winner Just Beat the Odds (Munnings).
Maximum Bourbon (hip 5) sold for US$400,000 (AU$574,000) to Agave Racing Stable to top the sale. Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned the 4-year-old gelding. A three-time winner in five starts, Maximum Bourbon boasts four 90+ Beyers in his campaign to date, including a career-best 103 Beyer finishing second in allowance company at Fair Grounds on March 13. “We are absolutely delighted to add a horse with this kind of potential to our stable,” said Mark Martinez of Agave Racing.
