Thoroughbred Daily News

In the first oral argument since the United States Supreme Court remanded three lawsuits related to the constitutionality of the Horseracing and Safety Integrity Act (HISA) back to their originating appeals courts five months ago, a panel of three judges on the Sixth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on Wednesday heard from lawyers on both sides in a case that alleges the HISA Act gives a “private corporation broad regulatory authority.”

This same Sixth Circuit panel, back on Mar. 3, 2023, already upheld a lower court's dismissal of that lawsuit, ruling that Congressional changes to the law made in 2022 made the HISA Act completely constitutional.

But now the case, led by the states of Oklahoma, West Virginia and Louisiana against defendants that include the HISA Authority and individuals acting in their official capacities for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is back before them again.

That's because on June 30, 2025, the Supreme Court tasked the Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Circuit appeals courts with revisiting their older decisions in light of a newer Supreme Court ruling in a similar case involving the non-delegation doctrine, a precedent that didn't exist when any of those courts issued their original opinions as far back as three years ago.

On Nov. 12, Chief U.S. Circuit Judge Jeffrey Sutton told attorneys on both sides that the Sixth Circuit lawsuit has been a “challenging case at every iteration.”

The non-delegation doctrine, which bans Congress from delegating legislative power to federal agencies without an “intelligible principle” to guide the exercise of agency discretion, is central to all three HISA-related cases that the Supreme Court remanded.

Attorney Lochlan Shelfer, appearing Wednesday on behalf of the states, told the Sixth Circuit panel that he wanted to start his argument with the “starkest example, which is the Authority's exclusive power to bring enforcement actions in federal court, over which the FTC has zero oversight.”

Shelfer said precedent cases “have explained that the power to enforce federal law is the core provenance of the federal government [and] all of the myriad litigation choices that go into enforcement litigation are the sole provenance of the executive branch. So what the Act does is it flips that on its head, and it deprives the federal government of the power to enforce federal law and puts that entirely in the hands of the private Authority.”

Backstretch worker giving a Thoroughbred a bath | Sarah Andrew

Attorney Pratik Shah, representing the HISA Authority, tried to re-center the argument back to the legislation that Congress enacted three years ago to cure an alleged constitutional defect that had been identified in a different anti-HISA lawsuit (the  Nov. 18, 2022, Fifth Circuit Appeals Court opinion).

“After the [December 2022] amendment, we know Congress has given the FTC all the power it could hope to subordinate the Authority in every which way to Sunday,” Shah said.

Although many parts of Wednesday's proceedings were dense with legalese (as federal-level oral arguments often are), Judge Sutton frequently stopped the lawyers mid-sentence to try and drill down their arguments to common-sense language.

“One feature of case [that] I'm struggling with a little bit is just what 'private' means in this setting. I quite understand non-delegation principles. That's not that hard to get my head around,” Sutton said.

Then the judge made the analogy that Shelfer himself is a private lawyer, “and here you are, standing on behalf of the state of Oklahoma. [In essence], you're Oklahoma right now….You're making decisions as we speak about the position of the state of Oklahoma, and as soon as this argument's done, you're back in your capacity as a private citizen.”

Judge Sutton then asked rhetorically why this same line of reasoning about the way a state employs private lawyers shouldn't apply to how the HISA Authority operates under the auspices of the FTC.

“I don't quite understand why [with] the Horseracing Authority, why you can't essentially say the same thing,” Sutton said.

Judge Sutton continued: “I know there's a process to put people on the [HISA] board. They're not just regular old citizens when they hold meetings. They're not just regular old citizens when they decide to enforce or propose rules. They're trying to carry out this law. This is, of course, historically, the way most criminal law enforcement worked: You deputized private citizens, you gave them the badge, and they went and they had all these authorities….

“It happens all the time that governments rely on private entities to do things,” Sutton said.

“So I'm trying to figure out just what is so bad about this when there's a process for appointing [the HISA board]. You're not making an appointment-clause challenge here, so presumably these people are all appointed correctly. And I assume they have obligations to act for the government and not their private interests. So just help me realize why this is so bad,” Sutton said.

Shelfer started to respond by explaining that in the instance of an attorney like him acting on behalf of the states, the government is instructing a private party to carry out a specific task as an agent.

But the judge interjected before the lawyer could finish his point.

“There is always discretion,” Judge Sutton said. “Everybody knows there has to be discretion, ultimately. You're exercising discretion every second [by arguing a court case right now on behalf of the states]. This is the nature of delegations. There's going to be some discretion.”

Sutton, a George W. Bush appointee, was the only judge of three that asked questions during Wednesday's arguments. The other two on the panel are U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Griffin (also appointed by Bush) and Senior U.S. Circuit Judge Guy Cole Jr. (appointed by Bill Clinton).

The Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Circuit appeals courts have all agreed that HISA's rulemaking structure is constitutional. Only the Fifth Circuit has disagreed, in part, by opining that HISA's enforcement provisions are unconstitutional.

The two cases that the Supreme Court remanded back to the Fifth and Eighth Circuit appeals courts have yet to reach the oral argument stage.

The case in the Fifth Circuit involves an anti-HISA lawsuit spearheaded by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA).

A Fifth Circuit appeals court panel opined July 5, 2024, that even though HISA's rulemaking structure is constitutional, HISA's enforcement provisions are unconstitutional.

Mornings at the track | Coady Media

In the Eighth Circuit, the plaintiffs, led by Bill Walmsley, the president of the Arkansas HBPA, and Jon Moss, the executive director of the Iowa HBPA, are challenging a ruling out of a lower federal court in Arkansas denying a preliminary injunction the horsemen had sought to halt HISA and its Anti-Doping and Medication Control program.

The new precedent that the Supreme Court now wants the Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals to consider involves a case titled Federal Communications Commission (FCC) vs. Consumers' Research.

In that case, the Supreme Court justices, by a 6-3 vote June 27, 2025, rejected arguments that the funding mechanism for a service that provides subsidized telecommunications services for low-income customers, rural hospitals, schools, and libraries violated the non-delegation doctrine.

In that opinion, the Supreme Court also shot down an allegation that the FCC delegated too much authority to a private company to administer the program.

Once the appeals courts issue updated decisions in their respective HISA cases, if the losing parties don't agree with them, they can petition the Supreme Court anew.

Going back to the Supreme Court again would likely add yet another year or two to the timetable for resolving the underlying HISA constitutionality lawsuits, two of which were initiated as far back as 2021.

The post Sixth Circuit Judge On HISA: ‘It Happens All The Time That Governments Rely On Private Entities To Do Things’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Edited Press Release

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse returned to Oaklawn Park last season, winning nine races–a single-season personal best in Hot Springs–led by GI Arkansas Derby hero Sandman (Tapit).

Casse could make an even bigger impact during the coming split meets because several of his most prominent horses will ship for Oaklawn's 64-day season that begins Dec. 12. The trainer, who received 25 stalls, already has horses on the grounds.

“They'll come in stages,” Casse said from his Florida base on Thursday. “But we're going to bring our big guns there.”

His top talent includes Sandman, GISW Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro), MGISW La Cara (Street Sense) and unbeaten Kentucky Derby prospect & 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Ewing (Knicks Go). Casse said that the four horses are now at his training center in Ocala.

Sandman was turned out after his last start in late August. The son of Tapit resumed training about three weeks ago and looking at the schedule Casse said his ultimate goal would be the GII Oaklawn Handicap Apr. 18.

As for Nitrogen, the accomplished filly could make her 4-year-old debut in the GII Azeri Stakes Mar. 7 then be ready for the GI Apple Blossom Handicap Apr. 11.

La Cara, who netted a pair of Grade I races this year, will point to the GIII Bayakoa Stakes Feb. 7.

Ewing was scheduled to make his two-turn debut in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 4, but was scratched.

“He had a minor injury,” Casse said. “We've taken care of that. We gave him some and he's just starting back.”

Ewing's road to the Arkansas Derby Mar. 28 might begin with a January sprint.

Casse's Oaklawn division is again being overseen by assistant Caden Arthur.

The post Casse Makes Oaklawn Plans For Sandman And Other Stable Stars appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

While several tracks have experimented with lowering the takeout, none has gone as far as what Delta Downs has planned for two daytime cards, Nov. 25-26.

On those days, the takeout will be 10% on all wagers, in all pools. Some tracks have slashed the takeout on certain wagers and Hawthorne offered an industry low takeout at its 2025 meet of 12% on all win wagers. But never before has a track lowered takeout on all pools or to anything near 10%.

“Our Director of Racing Ops John Simon came up with the idea,” said Delta's Vice President and General Manager Steve Kuypers. “We are hoping to have more people watch Delta and get them excited about wagering on horse racing. We are hoping the bettors appreciate what we are trying to do and will enjoy the two days.”

Delta normally runs at night and players might not watch a daytime card at the Vinton, Louisiana track, but the Delta team is hoping the 10% takeout gets their attention.

Bettors will notice a significant increase in the winning prices. While the traditional takeout on Win, Place and Show bets is 17% at Delta, the takeout on the Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick Three,  Pick Four and Pick Five is 25%. A winning Pick Four under the traditional takeout structure that would have paid $750 would now pay $900.

None of this was accomplished without a great deal of effort. The takeout reduction had to be approved by both the horsemen and the Louisiana Racing Commission.

Delta Downs grandstand | Coady

Originally, Delta had planned to offer the promotion on six days of racing, all of the daytime cards run around the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. But it recently cut back to just the two days. A possible reason is that the ADWs were not thrilled with such low takeouts, which will cut into their profit margins. But Kuypers said that isn't the case.

“We wanted to try this for two days instead of six days to see how the bettors reacted,” Kuypers said. “The ADWs all thought it was a good idea.”

It will be interesting to see how the CAW players will react. They tend to make up a much larger percentage of the pool at smaller tracks like Delta than they do at places like Keeneland, Del Mar and Saratoga. But they like bigger takeouts, because the bigger the takeout the larger their rebate is. It's not inconceivable that, if there is a significant drop in CAW play, the experiment could backfire.

“We do not think so [that the CAW players will cut back on their handle],” Kuypers said. “Hopefully, they will realize we are trying to get more people to bet which will increase the pool sizes.”

Just two days of reduced takeout at Delta should provide the entire industry with some much needed answers. Do horseplayers really respond to lower takeouts and will CAW play decline when a track lowers the takeout while trying to give a break to the everyday player?

What can Delta learn and what can the racing industry learn from this?

“We want to see if lowering the takeout will actually get more people watching and wagering on Delta,” Kupyers said.

Fair enough. On Nov. 25 and 26, Delta Downs will offer the lowest takeouts in modern horse racing industry. It will be up to the horseplayers to show that they get it, that the lower the takeout the better chance they have of winning.

The post Delta Downs Offering Early Holiday Present For Horseplayers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational will for the first time be included in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, Breeders' Cup Limited and 1/ST announced Thursday.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 94 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners will receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the 2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington.

As part of the global series of automatic qualifying races for the $7-million GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, the Pegasus World Cup Invitational, which will be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Gulfstream Park, will offer the winner an automatic starting position along with pre-entry and entry fees paid (a $150,000 value). Additionally, the nominator of the winning horse will receive a $10,000 award.

All Breeders' Cup Challenge winners receive travel benefits to the World Championships:

• $10,000 for starters based outside of Kentucky in North America
• $40,000 for international starters based outside North America

Since its debut in 2017, six of the nine Pegasus World Cup champions have also won a Breeders' Cup race.

“The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is designed to celebrate and connect premier racing on a global stage,” said Drew Fleming, President and CEO of Breeders' Cup Limited. “Including the Pegasus World Cup is a perfect fit–it's a first-class event that now becomes part of an elite journey to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.”

“This partnership connects two of the sport's most powerful stages,” said Aidan Butler, President, 1/ST. “The Pegasus World Cup Invitational's 10th anniversary will serve as a true gateway to the Breeders' Cup Classic – linking our passionate fans, horsemen and international audience in a new and meaningful way.”

The 2026 Pegasus World Cup, presented by 1/ST, will be broadcast live from 4:30pm – 6:00pm (ET) on NBC and Peacock.

For more information and tickets to the 2026 Pegasus World Cup, visit www.pegasusworldcup.com or follow on socials @pegasusworldcup.

The road to the @BreedersCup has a new stop. Beginning in 2026, the Pegasus World Cup joins the “Win and You're In” Challenge series, giving the champion a guaranteed spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic. pic.twitter.com/KLYA0qQxeJ

— Pegasus World Cup (@PegasusWorldCup) November 13, 2025

The post Pegasus World Cup Joins Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

With inclement weather affecting much of the country, Del Mar will cancel the entirety of its card on Saturday, Nov. 15, the track said in a press release on Thursday.

Friday's 8-race card is expected to proceed as scheduled, however, first post has been moved up to 12 p.m. PST.

Track officials have not yet made a determination regarding Sunday's racing program. Once a decision is reached for the remainder of the weekend, Del Mar will release additional information outlining plans to make up cancelled races as appropriate.

Saturday's cancellation marks only the third time in Del Mar's 88-year history that racing has been suspended due to weather conditions.

Del Mar's 16-day Bing Crosby Fall Racing Season began Oct. 30 and will conclude Sunday, Nov. 30.

The post Del Mar Cancels Saturday Card Due to Weather appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Graded stakes winners Disarm (Gun Runner–Easy Tap, by Tapit) and Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}–Eblouissante, by Bernardini) will take up stud duty at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater, New York in 2026, according to Hidden Lake's Chris Bernhard Thursday. The acquisition was brokered by The Stallion Company.

Disarm's stud fee is set at $7,500. Confidence Game will stand for $5,000. Both stallions will stand as property of a syndicate, LFSN terms apply.

“We are very excited to jump back into the New York Stallion arena with graded stakes-winning millionaire by Gun Runner Disarm and Grade II-winning son of Candy Ride Confidence Game,” Bernhard commented. “Both beautiful colts offer valuable opportunity for breeders in the Empire State. Disarm is the first Gun Runner to stand in New York and to date, his other sons are off to a great start in the sales ring including Gunite, Early Voting, Taiba and Cyberknife. Confidence Game is by Candy Ride, perhaps the most prolific sire of sire in the last decade, siring Gun Runner, Twirling Candy and Vekoma. Confidence Game is the Grade II Derby prep winner of the Rebel Stakes, out of a Bernardini half-sister to [Horse of the Year] Zenyatta. Both horses are graded stakes winners from deep families and poised to enhance the New York-bred program.”

Disarm, fourth behind Mage in the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby, is an earner of nearly $1.7 million in a 19-race career during which he has posted five triple digit Beyer numbers. He broke his maiden by 6 1/4 lengths going seven furlongs at Saratoga, won the GIII Matt Winn at Ellis Park, finished second in the GI Travers at Saratoga and GII Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

He was third in two Grade I's at Saratoga, the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Whitney, and third in the GIII Lexington at Keeneland. In his latest effort on Sept. 25, the 5-year-old finished second in the GII Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs.

On the racetrack, Confidence Game won the GII Rebel and finished third in the GIII Lecomte at Fair Grounds and the Iowa Sprint. The 5-year-old retired with earnings of $823,962.

Candy Ride is the sire of nine Champions, 116 black-type winners and earners of more than $160 million.

Confidence Game's second dam, Vertigineux, was Broodmare of the Year and dam of Zenyatta, track record-setter and 19-time winner (14 Grade I's).

For information, contact Chris Bernhard, Voice/Text: (914) 850-9769 or email at cjbern@hotmail.com.

The post Disarm, Confidence Game to Hidden Lake Farm in 2026 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

A day after the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale closed with new records in the average and median prices, there were more headlines made Wednesday afternoon when recent GIII Forty Niner Stakes winner Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo–Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof the Nile) was knocked down to bloodstock agent Pedro Lanz, agent for Saudi Arabia's KAS Stables, for a record $1.3 million in the first 30 minutes of trade during the auction house's standalone Horses of Racing Age Sale. The previous Keeneland HORA Sale record was the $1 million paid for the 2-year-old colt Extortion (Into Mischief) in 2022. The HORA sale is in its fourth year as a separate auction.

The 5-year-old entire was one of three horses to sell for better than a half-million dollars during a 3 1/2-hour session where 108 horses changed hands for $10,455,000, an increase of 21.39% over last year. The average of $96,806 represented a gain of 18.01%, while the median price of $40,000 declined by 20%. Twenty horses were reported as not sold (15.63%), a slight uptick numerically and on a percentage basis from 2024, when 14 horses (11.76%) failed to find new homes.

In the aftermath of booming results from its September Yearling Sale and again over the course of the eight days of trade during the breeding stock sale, Wednesday's results gave sales officials even more to crow about.

“This was a strong finish to a remarkable sales season,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “Setting a record for top price in this format is very satisfying and reflects an ongoing demand for quality, race-ready horses as we move into a new season.

“The momentum we've seen throughout the year carried right through to the end, and we are grateful to all the buyers and sellers whose participation and confidence make success like this possible.”

Next up on the Keeneland sales docket is the 2026 January Horses of All Ages Sale which begins Jan. 12.

Beyond any shadow of a doubt, the launching of the Saudi Cup in 2020 has dramatically altered the trajectory of horses-of-racing-age sales in Central Kentucky and further afield.

With that in mind, bloodstock professionals representing ownership interests in Saudi Arabia and in the Gulf countries at large have been understandably more aggressive with their spend, willing to invest top dollar with the lure of a potential high-six, seven-, or in the case of the main event, eight-figure payday over the winter months in the desert.

Bishops Bay is the latest to tick the necessary boxes, according to Lanz.

“All year,” the agent told Keeneland media when asked how long the 5-year-old has been on his radar. “That's a typical horse that can work for us. I was watching the replays and I recommended this horse because he is a very honest horse: 12 starts, eight wins, three seconds. It's a very honest horse and I think he will be fine.”

Bred by WinStar Farm and sold for $450,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2021, the bay was trained by Brad Cox for a partnership headed by Spendthrift Farm, won his first two starts as a 3-year-old and transitioned into stakes company, finishing runner-up to future champion Arcangelo (Arrogate) in the GIII Peter Pan Stakes and second to Two Phil's (Hard Spun) in the GIII Ohio Derby.

Restricted to a single appearance at four, Bishops Bay has won five of his seven outings this season, including the GIII Westchester Stakes and GIII Salvator Mile in addition to the Forty Niner on Nov. 2. Bishops Bay has amassed a record of 8-3-0 from 12 starts to date for earnings of $702,800. The other partners in Bishops Bay include Steve Landers, Marty Schwartz, Michael Dubb, Ten Strike Racing, Jim Bakke, Titletown Racing, Kueber Racing, Big Easy Racing, Rick Kanter, Michael Caruso and WinStar.

Bidding on Bishops Bay was fractionally slow to develop through the early stages, with incremental lobs of $10,000 and $15,000 ushering Bishops Bay into the $400,000 range. It picked up–dramatically so–once a $450,000 bid was upped by $50,000, and it progressed in $25,000 chunks through the $1-million mark before the competition bowed out on Lanz's $1.3-million salvo. Bloodstock agent Chad Schumer was the immediate underbidder.

“Pedro was sitting right across from me and poor E. C. [46-year Keeneland bid spotter E. C. Larkin] was going back and forth, I felt sorry for him,” Schumer said anecdotally.

Bishops Bay will race on under Cox's care into a 6-year-old campaign that could end up in a start in the world's richest race, should all go according to plan.

“We have the [GII] Cigar Mile [at Aqueduct on Dec. 6],” Lanz said. “We will talk to Brad Cox and that's a possibility. We have the option to continue training the horse in quarantine for the Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia, not confirmed yet.

“If we win the [G3] King's Cup (Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup) against local-trained horses, we have a pass. We qualify. If we win the Cigar Mile and we get a nice high rating, that's another way. We have to receive an invitation from the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia.”

Rattle N Roll (Connect) won the 2025 King's Cup ahead of a fourth to Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) in the Saudi Cup. The 2026 King's Cup, an internationally recognized Group 3 contest, is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 17, four weeks ahead of the Saudi Cup on Feb. 14 over the same course and 1800-meter distance.

Lanz wasn't entirely surprised that a bidding war ensued.

“Well, that's what usually happens when we have the Middle East fighting for the same horse,” he said. “He was, for me, the best horse–two turns, long distance horse. We (had) to be ready.”

In an ironic twist, Bishops Bay is a half-brother to Strava (Into Mischief), who topped the racing-age section in 2021 when it was still folded into the breeding stock sale. The winning bid of $825,000 was made by the late Louisville head basketball coach Denny Crum.

Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's Dubai-based RRR Racing went to $900,000 to acquire 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard World Record (Gun Runner–Marwa {GB}, by Exceed and Excel {Aus}) as Wednesday's Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale neared its conclusion in Lexington.

“I thought he sold well, that's kind of where we had him pegged, from $500,000 to $1 million,” said WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden, who raced the colt in partnership with BBN Racing. “He had 12 vets and was very popular.”

Consigned by ELiTE Sales, agent, the bay colt was bred by Runnymede Farm LLC, Falguieres Bloodstock, Gestut Zur Kuste AG, et. al. and was originally a $410,000 purchase as a weanling out of the 2021 Keeneland November Sale.

Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, World Record was named a 'Rising Star' when graduating by open lengths at second asking at three and two starts later, ran his rivals off their feet in the GII Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga, scoring by 6 3/4 lengths.

World Record | Keeneland photo

An impressive allowance winner at Churchill Downs during Derby week this past May, the bay was second in the GIII Aristides Stakes and third in the GI Bing Crosby Stakes this season. His career record stands at 11-4-1-4 for earnings of $504,540.

“I think there was quite a bit of interest in this horse from the Middle East,” said Ed Prosser, who signed the ticket on behalf of RRR Racing. “Bhupat Seemar, who will train him in Dubai, asked me to bid on him. He rang me earlier. He had seen the catalog and was interested in a few and this was one of them. He is always on the lookout for horses in America. There are some people from Saudi Arabia and the (Persian) Gulf region who are interested in this horse and this sale. They did their homework and they liked him. He looks like he will be a good horse for the races in Dubai.”

Among RRR Racing's best horses to date are Isolate (Mark Valeski), winner of the G2 Godolphin Mile; Clapton (Brethren), victorious in the 2023 GIII Lukas Classic Stakes and Group 1-placed in Dubai; G3 UAE Oaks heroine Rayya (Tiz Wonderful); and Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke), twice a winner at Grade III level in this country at the back end of 2024 and acquired thereafter by RRR.

The WinStar stallion barn contains some of the country's most fashionably bred sires by top sires-of-sires, but one thing it is 'missing' is a son of the white-hot Gun Runner. The sale of World Record boiled down to a business decision, Walden said.

“We've had discussions about him over the years and there are great opportunities to run in those races in Saudi and Dubai. I think he's a good fit for them,” Walden said.

“For us–and typical of what we've sold in this sale–we felt he just missed the mark on being a stallion in Kentucky at this point and that's why he was for sale,” he added. “It's not at all that he's a bad horse or that we were trying to unload him. Hopefully he'll go on and do good things there and prove us wrong. We've sold horses like him in the past who have gone on and done well. There are also a lot of sprint sons of Gun Runner in Kentucky.”

WinStar has had previous success with horses offered through the Keeneland horses-of-racing-age sale. In 2006, the farm sold Spring At Last (Silver Deputy) to Paul Reddam for $675,000 and the Doug O'Neill trainee would go on to win the 2007 G2 Godolphin Mile and 2008 GI Donn Handicap before returning to cover mares at WinStar.

Brad Weisbord and Liz Crow's EliTE agency was the leading consignor by gross at the Horses of Racing Age Sale, realizing turnover of $5,683,500 for 45 horses sold (including post sales). Some 40% of those gross receipts were due to Bishops Bay and World Record, and Weisbord was duly pleased as he prepared to depart Lexington.

“They way exceeded expectations,” he said. “Bishops Bay is the end of a terrific partnership with Spendthrift and WinStar bred the horses and stayed in. The reserve was just a fraction of that.

“Anytime you bring these sorts of horses to the marketplace, both Bishops Bay and World Record, you're going to get paid. The opportunities to buy these sorts of horses are rare, so when they come about, especially right ahead of the racing carnivals there in Saudi and Dubai, you're going to get paid. The owners were rewarded. We're just grateful that the Spendthrift guys and the WinStar guys are part of our team.”

The post ‘A Strong Finish To A Remarkable Sales Season’: Bishops Bay Tops Keeneland HORA Sale on Record $1.3m Bid appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

For 2026, Maryland's racing calendar will look more or less like this year's schedule after the Maryland Racing Commission on Wednesday approved a slate of 120 dates for Laurel Park.

That's the same number of racing days that the non-profit Maryland Jockey Club had been awarded for this season, with the only difference being that in 2025, six programs were run at Pimlico Race Course as part of the GI Preakness Stakes meet.

Pimlico has since been demolished and is being rebuilt with the goal of all commercial-track Thoroughbred racing in Maryland shifting to the new Baltimore venue by 2027, at which time racing will cease at Laurel.

Laurel's management submitted a request of specific racing dates and post times to the commission for only the early portion of '26.

After racing concludes this year at Laurel Dec. 31, the track will take a brief break before the '26 season opens Jan. 9 with racing through the end of that month on Fridays and Saturdays with 12:00 (Eastern) post times.

In February and March Laurel will add Sundays to make a three-day racing week.

Chris Merz, the commission's executive director, told TDN in an email after the meeting that the expected summer break and the exact race dates around it in the spring and fall would likely not be finalized until March or April.

The Timonium Fair applied for 10 dates covering Aug. 27-Sept. 13, although Merz said at the meeting that “they will likely run seven of those days,” which is consistent with the fair's applications in previous years.

Fair Hill, which conducted its first race meet in six years this past August, was granted eight dates of racing. “Stakeholders are going to work together to get specified dates,” Merz said.

Fair Hill's card in '25 consisted of six pari-mutuel flat races on the turf. But according to a Nov. 2 story in The Racing Biz, the event's organizers have discussed re-introducing steeplechase racing, possibly over Memorial Day weekend in '26.

The post Laurel to Anchor Maryland Circuit in ’26 with Same Template of 120 Dates appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Dale Romans announced Wednesday morning that he will be running in the Kentucky Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat that has opened up due to the impending retirement of Mitch McConnell. He realizes he is an outsider and a Democrat running in a red state, but he sees a path to victory. Romans sat down with the TDN Wednesday to discuss why he is running for the U.S. Senate, whether or not he thinks he can win and what he would do if elected.

TDN: When and why did you decide to run for the U.S. Senate?
DR: I've always been political behind the scenes, mostly on horse racing immigration issues. I've spent a lot of time on Capitol Hill and have met with a lot of local politicians. This is something I've always been fascinated with. When Mitch McConnell said he wasn't going to run again, I started to think about it. I know it's a big seat for a first-time politician but I thought there was an opportunity to throw my hat in the ring. I went to Gov. Beshear first and asked him if he were running and he said no. I asked him what he thought and he said that I wasn't crazy, that this made sense. If a Democrat can win in Kentucky it's going to be someone with deep roots in the state, no voting record, can connect with the people and has a little name recognition. He said I checked all the boxes. I thought I might as well jump in. At this stage in my life, Kentucky has been very good to me and I'd like to give back by being a senator for Kentucky and all of Kentucky.

TDN: In racetrack parlance, it looks like you're a longshot on the board. Can you overcome those odds?
DR: I think so. I don't think the state is as red as people think it is. We did vote a Democratic governor in and we've done that several times. We haven't had a Democratic senator in a long time. (The last Democrat to serve in the U.S. Senate from Kentucky was Wendell Ford, who was elected in 1992). But look at the history. We had two Republican institutions in Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell that nobody was ever going to vote out. Rand Paul came around and won, but there's only been that one opportunity to have a Democrat win. As far as being an outsider, I think that's what the people want right now. We need outsiders in Washington. Let's try something different. What we're doing now isn't working.

TDN: You call yourself an “independent Democrat.” Can you expound on what that means?
DR: I'm running as a Democrat but coming from a red state you have to be independent of the party. You don't have to vote along party lines. I talked about this a lot with Joe Manchin because he is from West Virginia. He said he always called himself an independent Democrat. He wasn't beholden to the party for everything they did. He said they could never primary you. They can't afford to lose the seat. I plan to vote for what's best for Kentucky and best for the country and be independent in what I do.

TDN: A lot of people in this country and in Kentucky are struggling right now. You say you can identify with them. Why is that?
DR: I had a single mother who was raising three boys by herself. We lived in Shively, a suburb of Louisville and it was always paycheck-to-paycheck. So I know those struggles because of what I went through. I was sleeping in tack rooms before I started winning races. I also know the struggles of starting a business and what you have to do for payroll and regulations and keeping your workforce available. My life lessons will translate well to Washington.

TDN: You have admitted that you have overcome issues with alcohol. If you were not sober now would you be doing this?
DR: No, I don't think I would have done it then. There are a lot of people who have helped me get things in my life in order. I got my health back, I got my weight down. I quit drinking two years ago. A lot of people helped me and now it's time for me to help people.

TDN: As a U.S. senator, what can you do to help horse racing?
DR: The biggest thing I can do for horse racing is try to get some funding for the unfunded mandate that's been thrust upon us in HISA. The other big thing is to do some immigration reform. We have a labor force back there and I don't think it's that tough a fix. I don't think the two sides are that far apart. I have talked to a lot of people and that's the reason why I have been on Capitol Hill a few times. They all agree but they don't want to give the other side the win. I don't care if Trump is in office. I will give him the win. Let's just get this fixed.

TDN: Should you win the Democratic primary your likely opponent in the general election will be Rep. Andy Barr. He will surely be a formidable foe. He is a Republican, he's got the name recognition factor and he has also been known to be a friend to horse racing.
DR: I call Andy a friend, but we differ on quite a few issues, one being that he's the one who wrote this unfunded mandate that could bankrupt racing. Andy is a friend. Can I beat him? I'll worry about that if I get through the primary.

TDN: The horse racing industry in Kentucky, particularly in the Lexington area, includes a lot of wealthy people. Have any pledged their support to you? Do you think they will?
DR: I'm hoping they step up for me. I don't know about Lexington, but I've already been very pleasantly surprised how many of my colleagues have already stepped up and donated to me. They have been very supportive.

TDN: You are dyslexic. How did that affect your education and how has it shaped your opinions on our education system?
DR: I didn't get through college. I struggled to get through high school. I think that is another life lesson. I understand how difficult school is to some people like it was for me. Both my kids have advanced degrees and have done very well. I barely got out of high school. It wasn't because a lack of effort; it was a struggle for me. I think there's a different way we can educate people like me.

TDN: In the 2025 elections, Democrats were successful running on what they were calling “kitchen table issues,” namely affordability. They recognized that people were struggling to pay their bills and hit on a winning theme. Will that be one of the themes of your campaign?
DR: I want to pick up on the themes that are important to the American people and the people of Kentucky. Those issues are important. They are complicated issues and there are a lot of things that tie into it. One of them is immigration reform. If you take away the workforce we have from undocumented laborers that we have right now you'll see there'll be bigger problems when it comes to affordability. There are a lot of angles to attack it from. We're going to try to get out there and work on all issues that affect Kentuckians.

TDN: The favorite right now in the Democratic primary is Amy McGrath. She has run two times for major offices in Kentucky, for Congress in 2018 and for the Senate in 2020. She has lost both times. Are Democrats experiencing Amy McGrath fatigue?
DR: With all due respect to Amy, I think it's time to try something different. It's time to try something different in Washington and get a different kind of politician in there.

TDN: I take it that you're not a big fan of Chuck Schumer.
DR: I haven't said I'm not a big fan of Chuck Schumer. I said I'm not pledging any support to Chuck Schumer or anyone else until I get there. I won't be beholden to the party and won't always vote for what they want me to vote for. We'll just have to figure that out when I get there…if Schumer lasts that long. I will say that I'm not a fan of the shutdown. I'll tell you that. I never would have voted to shut down the country and never will vote to shut down the country. I don't think there's any issues big enough to keep people from getting their paychecks and the budget of the United States shouldn't be a political pawn.

TDN: You've already talked about your admiration for Joe Manchin. Let's get back to that issue. What is it about Manchin that you like?
DR: I have talked to Sen. Manchin. His advice to me was to be authentic and be myself. He's the one who gave me the title of “independent Democrat.” He wasn't one beholden to the party because he was from a red state. I talked to him about it before I jumped in because these are very similar situations. He voted for what he thought was best for West Virginia and what he thought was best for the country. He had both sides mad at him half the time. If that happens to me, I'd have no problem with it.

The post A Q&A With Trainer Dale Romans, Who Has Launched Longshot Bid For The U.S. Senate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's Dubai-based RRR Racing went to $900,000 to acquire 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard WORLD RECORD (c, 4, Gun Runner–Marwa {GB}, by Exceed and Excel {Aus}) as Wednesday's single-session Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale neared its conclusion in Lexington.

Consigned by ELiTE Sales, agent, the bay colt was bred by Runnymede Farm LLC, Falguieres Bloodstock, Gestut Zur Kuste AG, et al and was originally a $410,000 purchase as a weanling out of the 2021 Keeneland November Sale. Campaigned in partnership by WinStar Farm and BBN Racing and trained by Rodolphe Brisset, World Record was named a 'Rising Star' when graduating by open lengths at second asking at three and two starts later, ran his rivals off their feet in the GII Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga, scoring by 6 3/4 lengths.

An impressive allowance winner at Churchill Downs during Derby week this past May, the bay was second in the GIII Aristides Stakes and third in the GI Bing Crosby Stakes this season. His career record stands at 11-4-1-4 for earnings of $504,540.

“I think there was quite a bit of interest in this horse from the Middle East,” said Ed Prosser, who signed the ticket on behalf of RRR Racing. “Bhupat Seemar, who will train him in Dubai, asked me to bid on him. He rang me earlier. He had seen the catalog and was interested in a few and this was one of them. He is always on the lookout for horses in America. There are some people from Saudi Arabia and the (Persian) Gulf region who are interested in this horse and this sale. They did their homework and they liked him. He looks like he will be a good horse for the races in Dubai.”

Among RRR Racing's best horses are Isolate (Mark Valeski), winner of the G2 Godolphin Mile; Clapton (Brethren), victorious in the 2023 GIII Lukas Classic Stakes and Group 1-placed in Dubai; G3 UAE Oaks heroine Rayya (Tiz Wonderful); and Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke), twice a winner at Grade III level in this country at the back end of 2024 and acquired thereafter by RRR.

The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ World Record Fetches $900K at Keeneland’s HORA Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Damon Thayer has retired from his job as the Senate Majority Floor Leader in the state of Kentucky, where he was one of horse racing's staunchest and most important allies. Thayer may no longer be walking the halls of the Capitol in Frankfort, but he is still working hard to help the sport he loves. He is now a senior advisor with Thoroughbred Racing Initiative (TRI), a group devoted to stopping decoupling efforts at Gulfstream Park and to see to it that racing in South Florida remains a vital part of the industry.

To bring us up to speed on the latest goings-on in Florida, Thayer was this week's guest on the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He was the Gainesway Guest of the Week.

“The Thoroughbred Racing Initiative, which is a coalition of owners, trainers, breeders, and sales companies from Florida banded together sort of in an emergency situation back in February when the decoupling bill came from nowhere to get dropped on us,” Thayer said.  “My board is David O'Farrell, president; Jon Green vice president; and then members, Aron Wellman; dual Hall of Fame trainer, Mark Casse; and Dr. Barry Eisaman. We worked very hard putting together a coalition to kill the bill. But there's another legislative session coming up in January. And while there hasn't been anything pre-filed yet, our sources in Tallahassee tell us that Gulfstream Park is active in Florida's capital, trying to see if there is any support for decoupling.

“If we hadn't banded together and formed our coalition and fought the decoupling bill, it probably would have passed,” he said. “But we got in there and scrapped and fought and clawed and testified in front of multiple legislative committees to tell the story of the $3.3 billion economic impact and the 33,000 jobs the horse industry has on the Sunshine State. So that's why we've seen support come from all over the place. We've been gearing up to fight the decoupling bill again. Last year we were sort of caught on the back foot. This year, we're going on offense.  We are prepared, better prepared to tell our story. Our coalition is engaged and while we can't match Gulfstream Park dollar for dollar on the political side, we are going to be involved in the political side of things before the opportunity to make contributions shuts down when the legislature goes into session in January.”

Randy Moss asked Thayer that even if the decoupling bill were to be defeated what would stop The Stronach Group from closing the track and selling the land, which is immensely valuable? He admitted that is a possibility but if it happened his group would look to find a new venue for South Florida racing.

“First of all, I want to note that there are three willing buyers for Gulfstream Park,” he said. “One of them is public. Mike Repole has offered to buy Gulfstream Park and keep it as a racetrack in its current coupled state with the slot machine casino there on the first floor. There are at least two other potential buyers who haven't gone public and I'm not really in a position to reveal that. The Florida HPBA and TRI are co-funding a feasibility study with the Cornerstone Group, which did the Maryland Racing Feasibility Study.

“We're looking at a half a dozen different options for the future of racing in Florida,” he said. “I'm a big fan of making sure from a financial point of view that we figure out some way forward in South Florida, either at Gulfstream Park, at Hialeah, or perhaps somewhere else, north of the Miami-Dade-Broward area where perhaps a new racetrack could be built where land is less expensive. I'm not ready to give up yet on racing at Gulfstream Park. I don't know how long-term viability is for racing 200 days a year there, but I do think there's a way forward in keeping racing in South Florida in general and at Gulfstream Park in particular.”

Thanks largely to the efforts of Mike Repole, The Stronach Group's bid to decouple faces one major obstacle. At this year's OBS Sales, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis came out and said he would likely veto any bill that called for decoupling. How does The Stronach Group get past that roadblock.

“One of the big victories that we achieved was getting Ron DeSantis to come to the OBS sale, which is one of our biggest supporters and an important part of our coalition,” Thayer said. “He came there and in front of a large crowd of owners and breeders and trainers and consignors and industry participants all but said, pass this bill and I'll veto it. And the Republican super majorities there probably didn't want to choose a fight with their very popular governor. That was a really big win for us. You are absolutely correct that Mike Repole played a major role in that. But so did one of our board members. Dr. Barry Eisaman worked behind the scenes on that as well. But I would never try to minimize Mike's role in this. If you were there on Kentucky Derby day, who was in the winner's circle when Mindframe won for Repole? Ron DeSantis.”

The “Fastest Horse of the Week” was “Louisiana Lightning,” also known as Touchuponastar (Star Guitar). The Lousiaina-bred earned a 108 Beyer figure when winning the Delta Mile Stakes at Delta Downs. The Fastest Horse of the Week segment is sponsored by WinStar, who stands the stallion Mullikin (by Violence).

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by the PHBA, the KTOB, 1/ST TV and West Point Thoroughbreds, Moss and partner Bill Finley discussed the controversial scratch of White Abarrio (Race Day) just minutes before post time for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Both agreed that the Breeders' Cup and the CHRB has done a good job keeping the racing safe, but that more transparency is needed.

Moss and Finley also came to the defense of social media influencer Griffin Johnson, who was criticized in some quarters after receiving the 2025 “New Owner of the Year Award” from OwnerView. Because his social media postings on the horse he co-owned, Sandman (Tapit), reached so many young people who were not otherwise familiar with racing, Moss went so far as to say maybe Johnson should have gotten a Special Eclipse Award.

To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To listen to the show as a podcast, click here.

The post Damon Thayer Joins The TDN Writers’ Room Podcast Presented By Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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

Dates: 11/07/2025
Licensee: Elizabeth McCue, trainer
Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Betamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Prince Khozan on 9/30/25.

Dates: 11/07/2025
Licensee: Robert Baze, trainer
Penalty: 7-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 8, 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 (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Cannabidiol (CBD)–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Nephele, who won at Emerald Downs on 8/8/25.

Dates: 11/07/2025
Licensee: Joel Marr, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Final decision of internal adjudication panel.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Trichlormethiazide–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Let Her Be, who won at Sunland Park on 2/13/25.

Dates: 11/06/2025
Licensee: Ernesto Padilla-Preciado, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Don't Listen, who won at Parx Racing on 10/1/25.

Dates: 11/06/2025
Licensee: William Blair, trainer
Penalty: Disqualification of Covered Horse's Race results, including forfeiture of all purses and other compensation, prizes, trophies, points, and rankings and repayment or surrender (as applicable); a fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Outrageously, who finished second at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 8/21/25.

Dates: 11/05/2025
Licensee: John Garner Vinson, trainer
Penalty: 15-day period of Ineligibility for Covered Person, beginning on November 6, 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 (as applicable); a fine of $1,000; imposition of 2 Penalty Points. Final decision of HIWU.
Explainer: Medication violation for the presence of Lidocaine–a class B controlled substance–in a sample taken from Money Trail, who finished third at Gulfstream Park on 7/25/25.

Pending ADMC Violations

11/12/2025, James Watkins, trainer: Pending medication violation for the presence of Dexamethasone–a class C controlled substance–in a sample taken from Smart Joker, who won at Fairmount Park on 9/16/25.

The post Weekly Rulings: Nov. 6-12 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Kim Weir, the Director of Strategic Growth for Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, received the first Nancy Kelly Volunteer Award for her extraordinary volunteer efforts with the New York Race Track Chaplaincy at a luncheon held Tuesday at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York, the chaplaincy said via a NYRA release on Wednesday.

The award is named in honor of the late Nancy Kelly, a former president, vice president and longtime volunteer with the New York Chaplaincy. Kelly passed away in February 2024 and the NY Chaplaincy created this award earlier this year to honor her memory and recognize an individual who supports the organization with their volunteerism.

The post Weir Receives Inaugural Volunteer Award From NY Race Track Chaplaincy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Backside Learning Center (BLC), an independent organization providing support and resources for the diverse community of racetrack workers and their families at Churchill Downs and Kentucky racetracks will hold its annual fundraiser “Benefit for the Backside: A Day at the Races” on Friday, Nov. 21 at noon in the First Turn Club at Churchill, the non-profit said via a release on Wednesday.

Both a live and silent auctions are planned with a range of different offerings. Sponsors for this year's benefit include: Rocket Ship Racing, Rigney Racing and FanDuel.

Click here to learn more.

The post Benefit For Backside Learning Center At Churchill Scheduled For Nov. 21 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Everett Dobson, the chair of The Jockey Club of America, will deliver the keynote address at the annual National HBPA Conference hosted by Oaklawn Park Mar. 4, according to a press release from the horsemen's organization on Wednesday.

Dobson is a telecommunications entrepreneur from Oklahoma City who is a horse owner/ breeder and partner in the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

“I'm very honored to get a chance to address the National HBPA. I'm very much looking forward to it,” Dobson said. “It will largely be around a message of collaboration, how our two organizations can collaborate on initiatives, activities that are mutually beneficial for the betterment of our sport that we all love.”

The 2026 conference will run from March 3-6 and Dobson's remarks will follow lunch and an awards presentation.

The post Jockey Club Chair Dobson To Deliver Keynote At National HBPA Conference Mar. 4 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Thoroughbred trainer Dale Romans will run for the United States Senate in Kentucky, according to a press release from his campaign Wednesday morning, calling himself an “independent Democrat.”

Romans will face Amy McGrath in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, May 19. The general election for the seat being vacated by longtime Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell is scheduled to be held November 3. The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to face U.S. Congressman Andy Barr.

The release reads:

“Independent Democrat and famed Kentucky horserace trainer Dale Romans today announced his campaign for U.S. Senate to stand up for working people across the state and fix the challenges facing our country like harmful tariffs and dangerous health care cuts–instead of waging exhausting partisan fights that get us nowhere and only divide the nation.”

Said Romans, “I've been in Kentucky my entire life. It's the greatest place in the world and the heart of America. We need a Senator who reflects our people: not polished insiders or party-line politicians running the same old partisan nonsense, but someone who has built a career the hard way and lived the struggles that Kentucky's working families face every day. To solve the challenges before us, we need a fix, not a fight. As an independent Democrat, I won't be beholden to the national party, and I won't be a puppet of the president like a freshman Republican Senator would be. I love Kentucky, and I know our state needs a Senator in Washington focused on our people.”

Romans is a Louisville native and a lifelong resident of Kentucky. He was born into a working-class family and raised by a single mother, along with his two brothers.

“Lynn was a proud union woman who wouldn't let Dale or any of her boys fall through the cracks,” reads the press release. “Dale was also inspired by his grandfather, himself a union man who loved FDR, and grew up learning the values that define Kentucky–hard work, loyalty, and independence–values that voters desperately want in Washington.”

Romans has won over 2,250 races, including wins in the Preakness with Shackleford in 2011 and the 2015 Travers Stakes with Keen Ice, defeating American Pharoah. He has had 12 Kentucky Derby starts, and was appointed to the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

He is president of the Kentucky HBPA, where, the press release says, “he has been a vocal advocate for Kentucky workers, championing fair treatment, protecting jobs, and defending the economic lifeblood of local communities tied to small business, agriculture and racing. As a small business owner himself running a stable with 50 employees, Dale knows what it takes to grow a company, and he's worked hard to protect workers and support the people who keep this essential industry running. Dale came from nothing, built a storied career from the ground up, and always remembers where his roots are. His vision for Kentucky in the U.S. Senate is built on the values and lessons of this remarkable lived experience.

“As a small business owner and president of the Kentucky HBPA, Dale knows how to lead, negotiate, and protect Kentucky jobs, especially in sectors that national politicians often ignore. Dale will protect Kentucky workers and businesses from harmful overregulation and destructive tariffs, like those hurting the state's vital bourbon industry. And he'll relieve the pain and pressure of the affordability crisis on working people by lowering costs, boosting wages, and creating more and better jobs.

“Dale also knows we must do much more to make health care affordable and accessible, especially for working and low-income people. This means reversing the painful health care cuts and hospital closures forced on Kentucky by the OBBBA. Dale wants to strengthen Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act so more people can get healthcare without destroying their household budgets. And Dale won't cave to Big Pharma but instead will finally, after all these years of politicians talking about it in Washington, pass legislation to lower prescription drug costs.”

Romans and partner Tammy Fox | Sarah Andrew

The announcement reveals that Romans was diagnosed as severely dyslexic, and that school was difficult for him. He graduated from Butler High School in Louisville, and said that education will be one of his focuses, adding that while he was characterized as L.D., “that doesn't mean learning disabled, it means learning differently.”

Romans has been sober for two years since quitting alcohol after undergoing a comprehensive rehab program in Bowling Green, and said he hoped to bring reform to addiction recovery, and expand drug and alcohol awareness and resistance programs for young people.

In his announcement video, Romans says, “I've travelled around the world, but I also saw the plight of the immigrant workforce we needed back here. The ones that are here working, doing jobs that are necessary in this country. We need those people. We don't need a fight, we need a fix.”

The release makes it clear that immigration will also be a focus, reading, “For decades, Washington did nothing as the immigration system atrophied. Now it's woefully broken. We must secure the border, and those here illegally who commit crimes should be sent back. But Trump's radical ICE raids are creating fear and resentment in communities, scooping up innocent, law-abiding residents and sometimes even citizens, and hurting businesses and the economy. The aggressive tactics of masked men grabbing people off the street without warrants or legal explanation are un-American, don't keep us safe, and inflict real pain and disruption to the economy that raises costs, including for Kentucky's horse racing industry. Washington needs to stop kicking the can down the road just because it's hard, and Dale will work to pass real immigration reform in the U.S. Senate.”

Romans and his partner, Tammy Fox, a former jockey, live in Louisville where they have raised two children. They welcomed their first grandchild earlier this month.

For more information, visit DaleRomans.com.

The post Dale Romans to Run for U.S. Senate in Kentucky appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which continued straight on from the strength of the company's record-setting September Yearling Sale, concluded its eight-day run Tuesday with new highwater marks for average and median and the auction's highest gross since 2007.

“This year marked a watershed moment for Keeneland Sales,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “From a record-shattering September Yearling Sale that topped $500 million in gross sales to the continued momentum into an outstanding November Breeding Stock Sale, the confidence in this marketplace has never been stronger. These successes speak to Keeneland's position as the world's marketplace, but more importantly, they highlight the strength of our customers. These are the achievements of the breeders, sellers and buyers who place their trust in Keeneland year after year.”

Through nine sessions, 1,891 horses grossed $237,456,400. The cumulative average of $125,572 was up 37.25% from the 2024 November sale, which saw 2,050 horses sell for $187,557,400 and a then-record average of $91,491. The median of $60,000 rose 50.00% from the 2024 previous record figure of $40,000. The buy-back rate was 20.45%, on par with last year's figure of 20.67%.

With the addition of 85 post-sale transactions, the November sale gross rose to $245,901,400 for an average of $124,444 and a median of $60,000. In 2024, an additional 109 post sales, brought the gross to $196,492,900 for an average of $91,011 and median of $40,000.

The 2007 November Breeding Stock Sale grossed $340,877,220 over 15 sessions and included horses in training.

“It's been remarkable,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “To be very frank, we were hoping this would be a good, solid sale. We felt the quality was here and we had a good group of horses that would fit a large group of people. We were very pleased with the number of buyers that showed up–especially the international contingent–and we saw a lot of people here that we haven't seen in a number of years. It was very encouraging to see people energized to come back.

“But what was really encouraging was to see the domestic market so strong when it came to retaining a lot of these higher-end mares and retaining the gene pool,” Lacy added. “The weanling market was also exceptional, and I think that allowed breeders to feel motivated and positive as they plan to breed mares into the next season and into the near future.”

A total of 18 horses sold for seven figures during the November sale. That is double the figure from 2024 and the most at the auction since 2017. Three topped $3 million, while eight sold for $2 million or more.

Leading the way was recent GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), who sold for $3.7 million to Bill Shively's Dixiana Farm from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. Dixiana Farm, which purchased two mares at the auction, was part of a deep and competitive domestic buying bench.

Cormac Breathnach and Tony Lacy | Keeneland

“The domestic buyers were definitely very, very strong,” Lacy said. “The Japanese buyers are historically very strong, but even they were finding it very competitive and probably not getting as many as they might have expected. It was just really good to see established breeders that were looking to upgrade some of their mares and complement their portfolio with some new mares and some new bloodlines. And we had some new people coming into the game. It was very encouraging overall. It's a good sign for the next few years.”

John Sikura, whose Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment sold 72 horses for $13,943,000 (including post sales), was gratified by, not just the record-setting results of the November sale, but also  the strength of the domestic buying bench.

“There was an expectation that we'd have a strong Breeding Stock Sale based upon the success of the September Yearling Sale and the entire yearling market,” said Sikura. “But there is a difference between expectation and reality. The fact that it happened is a very positive sign because the cycle for breeders is a long one. It expresses market confidence that people were buying high-end mares and the clearance rate was high on quality.

“It was also encouraging that in more cases than one, I saw an American breeder outbid their international counterpart,” Sikura continued. “That's good, because we've sort of been running second around all these big mares, and there were so many instances at this sale where the U.S. breeders were the winners. That's very healthy, because over time we can kind of denigrate the quality of what we have when we keep selling our best mares into private hands or abroad.”

The weanling market was particularly strong, with a pair of foals bringing seven figures. Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, bidding on behalf of Saudi businessman Amr Zedan, went to $2.2 million to acquire a son of Gun Runner from the Denali Stud consignment, while trainer Wesley Ward, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed new racing client–went to $1.25 million to acquire a filly by Curlin from the Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment. Ward ultimately signed for 18 weanlings–including some with Louis Dubois and Charles Shanahan as agents–for $6,030,000.

$2.2-Million Gun Runner weanling | Keeneland

In all, 808 weanlings sold through the ring at the 2025 Keeneland November sale for a gross of $91,630,300. The average price of $110,564 rose 46.50% from 2024 and the median rose 66.67% to $70,000. Twenty-three weanlings sold for $400,000 or more during the auction, up from 11 a year ago.

During the 2024 November sale, 801 weanlings sold through the ring for a gross of $60,454,700 for an average of $75,474 and a median of $42,000. The top-priced foal was a $900,000 son of Into Mischief.

The strength of the November market had its origins in the record-setting Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which set highwater marks for gross, average, median, as well as total number of million-dollar sales.

“The September market was remarkable with a jump of about 25% on last year, which was also a record,” Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach said. “That has spurred reinvestment. Pinhookers have been aggressive in restocking for next year's yearling market, and breeders are seeing a lot of value in mares with attractive commercial covers. The September Sale drove a lot of the gains at the November sale, which is encouraging because it's how you want the industry to work: People continue the cycle and make money along the way. Thankfully, 2025 has been a good year in that regard.”

Some buyers sought to get ahead of another potentially strong yearling market in 2026 by buying weanlings in November. Zedan, traditionally a high-end buyer at the yearling and 2-year-old sales, was making his first weanling purchase through Lanni when he acquired the $2.2-million top-priced foal.

“That end-user market was very active searching for the quality stock because they know those horses were probably going to cost them potentially more in September or at least as much,” Lacy said. “So they were trying to safeguard their position and gaining the quality that was here.”

The competitive bidding also had buyers looking outside of their traditional roles to find value in the market.

“There were some weanling buyers here who talked about diversifying into the broodmare sector as well, just getting pushed back,” Breathnach said. “So you had some yearling purchasers and end-users looking to buying weanlings and you have some weanling pinhookers looking to try to pinhook in uteros. That's another factor of a vibrant market.”

Taylor Made Sales Agency repeated as the leading consignor at the 2025 Keeneland November sale, with 258 horses sold for a gross of $42,172,400. It was the 28th time since 1987 that the Taylor family's operation was the auction's leading seller.

The Raging Torrent Syndicate, which opened the week at Fasig-Tipton with the $5-million purchase of Puca (Big Brown) and $1.5-million purchase of Violent Wave (Violence), was the leading buyer at the Keeneland November sale. The operation purchased five broodmares at Keeneland for a gross of $5,225,000. Leading the way was the $2-million purchase of Chatalas (Gun Runner). Paul Curran, representing the English-based Ace Stud, signed for the mares who are expected to support the operation's new stallions Raging Torrent and Carl Spackler. The two stallions will begin their stud careers next season at Lane's End.

The unraced 3-year-old broodmare prospect Judicial Ethics (Constitution) (hip 2852) brought the top price of the final day at the Keeneland November sale, selling for $180,000 to Sylvie Racing Ltd. The filly, a daughter of stakes winner Midnight Soiree (Include), was consigned by Lane's End, agent.

During the eighth session of the November sale, 164 head sold for a gross of $2,290,000. The average was $13,963 and the median was $9,750.

During the auction's ninth session, which immediately followed the eighth on Tuesday, 76 horses sold for $913,400 for an average of $12,018 and a median of $7,000.

The action will switch from bloodstock to racehorse offerings with the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale Wednesday. The one-session auction will offer roughly 130 ready-to-run horses and begins at noon.

“We are very encouraged by the depth of quality within the sale,” said Breathnach. “There are a lot of very lightly raced horses. There are 30-odd black-type performers in the group. There are some fillies with pedigree. It's a nice group of horses.”

Among the horses on offer Wednesday are 5-year-old multiple graded stakes winner Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) (hip 4014), who is coming off a win in the GIII Forty Niner Stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 2; 4-year-old graded stakes winner World Record (Gun Runner) (hip 4184); and 3-year-old Divine Justice (Justify) (hip 4190), who broke his maiden at the Keeneland meeting Oct. 3.

“We are definitely seeing the catalogue books fly off the shelf and credit applications are coming in,” Breathnach said. “The horses of racing age are here and we saw a lot of people, end-users, agents and trainers, that are actively shopping all day today, looking through the barns. So we are very encouraged and optimistic about tomorrow's sale as well.”

The post ‘It’s Been Remarkable’: Keeneland November Sale Concludes with Record Average, Median appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

5. DYNAMITE TONIGHT, DED, 11/7, 5 furlongs (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-82
(g, 2, by Independence Hall–Shop for Gold, by Speightstown)
O-Roger Smith and Keiber Rengifo. B-DocAtty Stables (La). T-Sam Breaux. J-Elio Barrera.
Having brought $127,000 in June at OBS–a decent price for a Louisiana-bred–he debuted by demolishing state-bred maidens by 8 3/4 lengths in solid time. His pedigree traces to Jack Dreyfus' old Hobeau Farm breeding operation, and New Iberia-based veteran Breaux, 71, has won 2,063 races and more than five dozen stakes.

4. ROTHKO, CD, 11/8, 6 1/2 furlongs (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-86 (2nd)
(c, 3, by Tapit–Covfefe, by Into Mischief)
O/B-LNJ Foxwoods (Ky). T-Brad Cox. J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Much was expected of the second foal from the Roth family's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Covfefe, and after a training setback he might be getting there. Away from racing for 15 1/2 months after a lackluster 2-year-old debut, he was a solid second here in a race that earned good speed-figure grades.

3. HOMETOWN BOUND, LRL, 11/8, 6 furlongs (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-86
(c, 2, by Mitole–Youngest Daughter, by The Factor)
O-Colts Neck Stables. B-G. Watts Humphrey, Jr., Vickie Oliver and G. Watts Humphrey III (Ky). T-Jorge Duarte. J-Victor Carrasco.
In a maiden sprint that appeared modest on paper but became much tougher in action, first-timers Hometown Bound and runnerup Crossingthechannel left the field–including a 1-to-2 favorite–strung out 20 lengths behind them from first to fifth. Owners Richard and Stephen Santulli went to $350k to buy the winner at OBS March, but bettors underestimated him at 7-1 odds.

2. RIPPED, CD, 11/8, 6 1/2 furlongs (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-88 (1st)
(c, 3, by City of Light–Fly Time, by Mr Speaker)
O-BC Stables. B-Gage Hill Stable II, W.S. Farish and Ken Langone. T-Steve Asmussen. J-Keith Asmussen.
Following the death of D. Wayne Lukas, BC Stables owners John Bellinger and Brian Coelho transferred this $650k yearling to Asmussen in July, and the 12-race maiden is showing signs of life with back-to-back improved efforts. First, he was a good fourth at Keeneland at 61-1 odds last month, and here he took a further step forward to score at 8-1. His dam is a half-sister to GI Preakness winner Rombauer.

1. BARB, CD, 11/5, 1 mile (VIDEO).
Beyer Speed Figure-91
(g, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Classic Point, by Flatter)
O-Flying P Stable. B-Marc Keller. T-Mike Maker. J-Jose Ortiz.
In June, owner Jay Provenzano spent $100k to claim Ole Crazy Bone, who 10 weeks later won the $2.5 million GII Kentucky Turf Cup. A month before that claim, Provenzano took this gelding–out of a two-time graded winner–for $75k. He immediately reeled off Beyers of 86 and 87 in losing efforts, regressed in two subsequent outings, then rebounded in a big way last Wednesday (and went untaken) when dropped back into a $100k claiming spot.

The post Five Fastest Maidens, Presented By Taylor Made: Nov. 3-10 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Finger Lakes cancelled the entirety of its card due to adverse weather in the region on Tuesday.

“Please be advised due to adverse weather conditions and out of an overabundance of caution, today's races have been cancelled. The entire card has been rescheduled to this Thursday, November 13th, with a 12:20p.m. first post,” read a Finger Lakes Gaming post on X Tuesday afternoon.

The post Finger Lakes Cancels Due to Adverse Weather Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) registration fees will be going up as of Jan. 1, 2026. The increase is the first since 2022.

Registrations for foals will go from $75 to $95; yearling rates from $100 to $140; racing-age rates from $350 to $700.

Only Kentucky-sired and Kentucky-foaled horses that are registered with KTDF prior to the close of entries will receive KTDF purse supplements.

The registration rates for stallions will stay at current levels, based on a $400-$850 sliding scale related to stud fee, with higher-priced stallions paying the most. Stallions must be registered annually by Mar. 1 for each breeding season. See the complete range here.

Chauncey Morris, the executive director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders, told TDN that the money raised by the last two KTDF registration fee increases, which took effect in 2017 and 2022, was solely directed to fund two special projects, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Promotional Fund and the J. David Richardson Research Fund for Reproductive Disease.

Other than those two special-project fee increases, Morris explained that the KTDF's operating budget has been funded by the same underlying fee structure for 21 years.

“The two previous price increases were to promote the industry and to fund research for the breeding industry, two missions that have been accomplished. This one is for administrative terms,” Morris said.

“The registration sum that we've been operating on, administratively, has been the same since 2004,” Morris said. “And we actually waited, [knowing that] the trajectory of KTDF was going to increase, and things were going to be very stable and on an upswing before we sought any administrative increase, and that's what this is.

“Not only that, it's really important for end-users to realize that we, including the trainer colony here in Kentucky, really want to encourage total registration of the foal crop,” Morris said. “We're running high 80's [percent], which is fantastic. But we'd like to get [it up] a bit more, and the cheapest way to do that is [by incentivizing people to register] at the foal level, which we purposely kept under $100.”

Morris said that Kentucky racing has grown since 2020 in field size, average purse, and increases in graded stakes thanks to the KTDF, which, along with funding from each track, goes to pay purses in the state.

The KTDF supplements that bolster purses are funded by three-quarters of 1% of all wagers in the state on both live Thoroughbred races and historical horse race gaming, plus 1% of all money bet on Thoroughbred races via inter-track wagering and whole-card simulcasting.

“You get a lot of bang for your buck here in Kentucky, and the KTDF has been a fantastic program that has grown since 1978, along with every iteration of pari-mutuel wagering here in Kentucky that's legal,” Morris said. “And we see what it's done for the year-round racing circuit here. It's helped create, arguably, the best racing circuit in the country.”

The post KTDF Registration Fees To Go Up In ’26, First Increase In Four Years appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.