Month: May 2023

Cokoriko Gelding Leads The Way At May Store Sale

A 3-year-old bay gelding already named Kalao Coko (Fr) (Cokoriko {Fr}) (lot 214) brought a sale-topping bid of €65,000 from Tom Malone during the Tattersalls Ireland May Store Sale on Tuesday. Malone was the sale's leading buyer.

Consigned by Liss House, he is related to group winner G3 La Coupe winner Ultimately Lucky (Ire) (Kris {GB}), and the Classic-placed Group 3 winner Berine's Son (Irish River {Fr}).

Liss House also offered the day's second-dearest lot–lot 219, Kicour La (Fr) (Nom De d'La {Fr}). Virginia Considine Racing picked up the 3-year-old for €50,000. The gelding's Robin Des Champs (Fr) dam is a half-sister to a pair of winners.

Total turnover stood at €2,396,300 for 168 horses sold at the end of the day. The average was €14,264 and the median was €11,750.

Simon Kerins CEO of Tattersalls Ireland said, “This sale provides vendors the first opportunity to sell their 3-year-olds and the demand for quality individuals remained strong. The footfall seen over the last two days was impressive and we extend our gratitude to the large contingent of Irish and UK buyers who actively participated, alongside many first-time visitors who contributed to the bustling atmosphere at Fairyhouse.

“The early timing of the May Store Sale has always been eagerly anticipated by point-to-point handlers, and this year was no exception with plenty of demand for the choice lots throughout the day.

“Our attention now turns to the highly anticipated market-leading Derby Sale, which takes place on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 June. Our team eagerly anticipates welcoming back our valued clients and presenting the cream of the store sale crop in a catalogue full of quality.”

The post Cokoriko Gelding Leads The Way At May Store Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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2022 Alberta Award Winners Celebrated

The Alberta Thoroughbred industry was celebrated at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino on the evening of May 5 as over 130 Alberta Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers, and backstretch workers joined to honor Alberta's best.

“In 2022, Alberta horse racing moved forward from the pandemic and began the recovery process with reasons for optimism on many fronts,” said Master of Ceremonies Ken Gee on behalf of Horse Racing Alberta Chief Executive Officer Kent Verlik. “An exciting accomplishment was the long-term funding agreement signed by Horse Racing Alberta and the Alberta Government that provides stability to the industry until Mar. 31, 2031.”

The biggest winner of the night was Dance Shoes (Mank), who won all four of the categories she was nominated for: Horse of the Year, Champion Sprinter, Champion Older Mare, and Champion Alberta-bred.

The Ken Cohoe Lifetime Achievement Award went to horseman Rod Cone. Leading Breeder was Pierre Esquirol; Leading Owner was the partnership of Crystal Cates and Gonzalo Anderson; Tim Rycroft was named Leading Trainer; and Enrique Gonzalez was awarded Leading Jockey.

For full details, visit the CTHS Alberta website.

The post 2022 Alberta Award Winners Celebrated appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘Committed To Getting Rid Of The Drugs’: Jeff Gural Will Lobby For New Jersey’s Harness Industry To Join HISA

Jeff Gural, owner of The Meadowlands, Tioga Downs, and Vernon Downs, told harnessracingupdate.com this week about his plan to lobby New Jersey's Governor Phil Murphy to help him convince the state's standardbred industry to opt-in to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. Gural said the primary incentive to convince the industry would be the end of it's $10 million annual subsidy in New Jersey.

Gural has built a reputation as a staunch anti-doping presence in harness racing, and he sees HISA as a better way forward than allowing the “status quo” to remain in place, i.e., allowing the state to regulate the sport.

Meanwhile, the United States Trotting Association is among those racing industry organizations actively opposing the HISA legislation, a position the USTA strengthened on Tuesday when it released an open letter to The Jockey Club.

“HISA is not the solution,” the USTA letter reads. “HISA failed to prevent seven deaths at Churchill Downs during Derby Week. Another horse broke down and was euthanized on Sunday.”

Gural addressed the USTA's position in his comments to harnessracingupdate.com, as well.

“[USTA president] Russell [Williams] and [USTA chair] Joe [Faraldo] could be leading us on a path of extinction once the public finds out how prevalent drugs have been in our industry,” Gural said. “As far as HISA is concerned, the industry has a choice: they can either side with Jeff Gural or Joe Faraldo. I am committed to getting rid of the drugs in the sport. I have accomplished a great deal, but there is more to do and I am not satisfied that the current arrangement where the state is responsible to regulate the sport is the way to go.

“I assume most of you will side with Faraldo so don't blame me if something bad happens. I tried to get the word out. Time will tell which of us is right but when you consider that Joe's trainer is currently serving a three-year jail sentence and the other leading trainer at Yonkers is also in jail I hope you will change your mind. I have personally spent over $1 million to clean the game up and I am not done. I will not rest until the drugs are totally eliminated and I honestly think the status quo doesn't work.”

Read more at harnessracingupdate.com and ustrottingnews.com.

The post ‘Committed To Getting Rid Of The Drugs’: Jeff Gural Will Lobby For New Jersey’s Harness Industry To Join HISA appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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