Latest news with #thoroughbreds
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Health
- Washington Post
What we can all learn from a retired racehorse named Peppy
When Triple Crown winner Secretariat stopped racing in 1973, he retired to a stud farm in Kentucky, where he spent the next 16 years in equine ease, siring 663 foals and maintaining his playful personality to the end. But what of other thoroughbreds, those bred for the track who don't have successful careers? The ones who suffer injury or illness? Few controls are in place to manage their treatment. In the worst case, they might be sold to abattoirs in Canada or Mexico, to be slaughtered and consumed as a delicacy in Europe or Asia.
Associated Press
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
John C. Harris, California horse breeder with ties to 2014 Kentucky Derby winner, dies at 81
COALINGA, Calif. (AP) — John C. Harris, a breeder of thoroughbreds whose Harris Farms foaled and raised 2014 Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome and 2000 Horse of the Year Tiznow, has died. He was 81. He died Wednesday, according to Harris Farms. No cause of death or location was provided. Harris didn't breed either California Chrome, a two-time Horse of the Year, or Tiznow, but both spent their early years at his Coalinga farm in California's San Joaquin Valley near Fresno. Both horses were elected to the sport's Hall of Fame. California Chrome was the first California-bred to win the Derby since 1962. The colt went on to win the Preakness, but had his Triple Crown bid derailed in the Belmont. Harris Farms stood many leading California sires, including Unusual Heat, Cee's Tizzy, Lucky Pulpit, Eclipse Award winner Acclamation and Smiling Tiger. Harris was born on his family's farm on July 14, 1943. He graduated from the University of California, Davis in 1965 with a degree in animal production. He served for two years in the Army. He became the sole shareholder and CEO of Harris Farms in 1981 following the death of his father, Jack, and led the ranch for decades, including Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant, Harris Ranch Beef Co., Harris Feeding Co., Harris Farms Thoroughbred Division and Harris Fresh. Harris was also known for his philanthropic efforts, supporting his alma mater as well as Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Fresno State. He donated horses to a program at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga that gives horses and prisoners a new start through its vocational training program. 'Mr. Harris' foresight, courage and willingness to invest his energy and assets in making our sport be better and rise higher in the eyes of the general public was a thing of pure beauty,' the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club said in a statement. 'We owe him a great debt for dedicating his life to the marvelous animals we all love.' Harris served as chairman of the California Horse Racing Board for three years and was a longtime board member and former president of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association. He served on the board of the Thoroughbred Owners of California and was a member of the California Racing Hall of Fame. 'No one understood and appreciated the intersection of agriculture and Thoroughbred breeding and racing more than John, who was a farmer at heart,' Tom Rooney, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, said in a statement. 'His presence was felt from his native California, to the farms and sales rings he frequented in central Kentucky, and all the way to Washington, D.C., where he helped shape and support the industry's federal policies.' Harris was involved in horse breeding and racing for more than 50 years. He gave trainer Carla Gaines her first horse in 1989 and she went on to train numerous stakes winners for Harris Farms. 'His contributions to the thoroughbred industry in our state cannot be overstated and his support was unwavering,' Santa Anita Park said in a statement. 'The green and white Harris Farms silks were omnipresent in Santa Anita's winner's circle and the legacy of the man they represent will be everlasting.' Harris is survived by his wife, Cookie. ___ AP horse racing:
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Oisin Murphy to ride one or more winners at Windsor today is a BOOSTED 2/1 according to Sky Bet
Sky Bet are offering a Price Boost for today's horse racing action - as Windsor plays host to an eight-race card. Enhanced from 6/4 to 2/1 - the boost requires Oisin Murphy to ride two or more winners. Murphy is booked for four rides today - with one being the favourite and a further three thoroughbreds entering their fixtures as second-favourites. The favourite Murphy is onboard is the Andrew Balding-trained Jet Black in Race 7 at 20:30. Jet Black - who reigned supreme in her last start at Redcar - is a 13/8 favourite with Sky Bet to finish first past the post. Meanwhile, if you're anticipating the filly to be dominant en route to a victory - there are enhanced odds of 6/1 for Jet Black to win by two or more lengths. Oisin Murphy to ride one or more winners WAS 6/4 NOW 2/1
Reuters
16-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Cocktails, canapés and million-pound horses set scene for Royal Ascot
LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) - In the gardens of a royal palace, Swiss billionaires, Qatari royals and the odd former footballer gathered on Monday night for a one-off chance to bag a racehorse ready to run at Royal Ascot the next day. Over 7.5 million pounds ($10.2 million) changed hands as bidders vied to secure one of 28 thoroughbred horses, 18 of which are due to compete this week for a chance to win a portion of Royal Ascot's 10 million pound prize pot. The Goffs London Sale, now in its 11th year, is an exclusive auction held in the grounds of Kensington Palace where anyone, providing they have a minimum 150,000 pound credit clearance, can bid for front-row access to one of the world's most prestigious sporting events. "You could be standing in the grounds of Kensington Palace at six o'clock and by two o'clock the next day, you could be at the parade ring alongside the British Royal Family with your own runner and your own colours," Henry Beeby, chief executive at the 160-year-old Goffs auction house, told Reuters. Top lot Ghostwriter, who holds an entry for the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday, went for 2 million pounds to football agent Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing while the second most expensive horse, Woodshauna, sold for 625,000 pounds to John Stewart of Resolute Racing - two of the biggest buyers in the sport. Joorabchian, who is known to be a big spender after dropping over 24 million pounds at a single sale last year, said his son had picked out the horse and that it had a good chance in the Hardwicke Stakes, a prestigious Group 2 race held at Royal Ascot. Danish entrepreneur and hotelier John Christensen said he bought Super Soldier for 390,000 pounds so his friends would have something to cheer on at the races on Tuesday. Last year's sale turned over almost 8.5 million pounds ($11.54 million) though Beeby conceded that was an exceptional year. Most years the London sale raises 3–6 million pounds, he said. Horses bought at the sale have some history of success at Ascot, though this is by no means guaranteed. The last time a graduate of the London ring won at Royal Ascot was in 2021 when Oxted won the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes while others, like Givemethebeatboys, sold in 2023, have been well-placed. The most expensive horse ever sold there was the French mare, Sparkling Plenty, who had won a Group 1 in Chantilly just days before. She was sold outside the ring in 2024 for 5 million pounds, beating the previous top price of 1.3 million pounds. The sale acts as an unofficial curtain raiser for Royal Ascot where trainers and top horses from around the world will compete over five days in races worth up to a million pounds. Highlights include the marathon two-and-a-half-mile Gold Cup on Thursday as well as numerous top-grade races featuring some of the world's best racehorses. Horseracing may contribute 4.1 billion pounds to the British economy annually, but it's often a game of risk and chance. While jackpots, - like the 9,000-euro ($10,402) colt, Kodi Bear, who returned 500,000 euro when sold again around 9 months later - do happen, for most buyers, owning a racehorse is a luxury. And it can go badly wrong. An American-bred horse, St James Square, was sold for $2.4 million in 2018 and never finished better than sixth in five starts. "We're dealing in luxury items, nobody needs to have a racehorse," Beeby said. Like all commodity markets, thoroughbred sales are not immune to global trade headwinds and tariffs. And like many trading houses, Goffs is navigating trade tensions with the United States – Goffs' trade with the United States was around 10 million euro worth of horses last year --and the fallout from Brexit, which ended a tripartite agreement on the free trade of horses between Britain, France and Ireland. "We are indelibly linked to the worldwide economy but by the same token, this is an extraordinarily resilient global business," he said. "We could do without [tariffs], we're hoping they're a distraction rather than a barrier." ($1 = 0.8652 euros) ($1 = 0.7366 pounds)
Bloomberg
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Bloomberg
Bet Against Journalism in Belmont Stakes: David Papadopoulos
If you missed the Preakness Stakes, call up the NBC replay. I've been watching thoroughbreds run for a long, long time. I'd never seen one do what Journalism did that day. With a quarter mile to go, he squeezed his big frame through an impossibly narrow hole and then, after careening off rivals and losing all momentum, unleashed a sudden, frantic rally to nail the leader in the shadow of the finish line.
