3rd-Fair Grounds, $59,150, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 2-17, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.74, sy, 2 lengths. TUSCAN SKY (c, 3, Vino Rosso–South Andros {SW, $207,125}, by Sky Mesa) facing a field scratched down to just two other runners, backed up a big figure in his Aqueduct debut, also over a muddy surface, Jan. 13 with a defeat here of 'TDN Rising Star' and GIII Lecomte S. runner up Nash (Medaglia d'Oro). Letting that runner go up to set an uncontested lead in what wound up a two-horse race, Tuscan Sky stalked from second, came with his bid into the far turn and engaged that rival in a duel from the top of the lane. With Hawks Creek (Exaggerator) far back in third, the top pair battled it out with Tuscan Sky turning back Nash inside the sixteenth marker to pick up the two-length victory and stay perfect. The half-brother to Private Creed (Jimmy Creed), GSW & GISP, $1,329,166, Tuscan Sky has a 2-year-old Complexity half-brother while his dam produced a full-brother to Private Creed last year before visiting Jackie's Warrior for 2024. Sales History: $200,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $83,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Sierra Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
#7 Tuscan Sky stays perfect in R3 @fairgroundwsnola for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner @spendthriftfarm with @luissaezpty in the irons!
We all have days when we feel a bit low or even depressed. For many people that feeling will pass, but for some it can persist to a point where it becomes overwhelming and perhaps life-threatening.
For Keith Haggins, the latter had become the norm towards the end of his 30-year stint working in the bloodstock business, leading him, eventually, to seek help. As is becoming better known and more openly talked about in everyday life, help with mental health struggles is now fairly widely available and comes in a variety of formats. What works for some may not be so beneficial for others.
Haggins was not so keen on the idea of therapy in its traditional counselling format, but happened upon an eight-week online course called the Thrive Programme. Its website promises “a totally fresh approach to achieving lasting happiness, health and success” through focusing on managing thoughts, emotions and behaviour.
Sounds too good to be true, right? This is what Haggins thought initially too, but he found the course so beneficial to his own situation that he left stud work to retrain as a coach on the programme in the hope of helping others.
“I must emphasise how much I loved working in the industry and I want to pay something back to an industry that has given me so much,” he says, while admitting that there is plenty about the racing and breeding business that he misses.
“I worked in the industry for 30 years and then retrained as a Thrive coach, but I'm still absolutely passionate about everything horsey and the whole industry, not just the horse side, the agricultural side. That's obviously a huge part of it.”
The Irishman, who now lives in Sussex, England, worked at Kildangan Stud and then spent six years assisting Jacqueline Norris before moving to the UK, where he later worked as manager of the late Lady Rothschild's Waddesdon Stud.
He says, “A few years ago I struggled with my mental health and found myself in a deep dark hole for a while and that's when I discovered the Thrive Programme. There's some incredible support out there and some great help, but it seems to be geared for people who are in crisis or who are in the depths of depression, feeling suicidal, suffering from drug addiction or whatever it is. The message is 'when you get to that point, give us a shout and we'll help you'.
“But the Thrive Programme is based on learning and education, developing a skill set, so to speak. You don't need to be very academic to understand the programme as it is delivered in a simple way, it strips away all the complex terms we so often hear and delivers it in plain English. You also don't need to be in trouble to do it. You don't need to have a major significant issue going on in your life right now.”
One of the hardest parts of seeking help if you are struggling is having to admit the fact to those around you. Thrive makes it easier in that regard as the course can be completed at home and doesn't requite participants to be off work or travel to appointments.
“Asking for help is the hardest part, because that's the day you have to accept the fact that something's not quite right,” says Haggins. “That's difficult for a lot of people to get to that point. What drew me to the Thrive Programme is it's not therapy, it's not counselling. It's a training programme and it's structured with a start and middle and an end. And you can either do it at home on your own or with a coach, and then you become your own coach effectively, or whatever you want to call yourself at that point, but you learn the skills you need to do it yourself.”
Through years of experience, Haggins recognises the specific pressures involved in working with horses.
“It's not a nine-to-five, 40-hour-a-week job, especially at management level,” he says. “To be able to fulfil that role and have quality of life when that life revolves around the stud season can be hard. The calendar is very unsocial for parents, impossible really, sometimes. When the children are off on holidays, it's sales, preparation, and so on. And it is a never-ending cycle of, 'I can't go in October half-term because we're in Book 1, Book two. I can't go at Easter because we're foaling.'
“I know the industry, and when somebody comes to me and tells me about their struggles or battles, it's not that I understand it, I've walked in those shoes.
“People have said, 'Why did you give up on that industry?' I did it for 30 years. I don't think I gave up, really. That's a full lifetime career.”
The next stage of Haggins's career is vastly different, but through his more recent experiences he hopes to be able to help those still working in the racing and breeding industry.
“The Thrive Programme is already established in the Metropolitan Police, in a couple of leading companies, and it's in many schools up and down the country,” he explains. “I'd love to see it available to kids in the likes of the racing schools to National Stud courses, and any other training establishment where people can benefit from it. I don't want to appeal just to people in crisis. I want to appeal to everybody.
“It can be tailored to any individual or groups in a variety of different ways. It's a lot of questioning, a lot of understanding. Where did that come from? Why do you think that or how could you think that differently? And when people start talking about that, it can inspire others.
“People don't tend to look for help until something's wrong but making this something that people can come across and do when things are good, it's much better. But obviously it is also there for people when they are struggling.”
The learning-based approach was what drew Haggins to the Thrive Programme initially, and in a time in which mental health is spoken about almost as frequently as physical health, then this is perhaps as important as educating people in the benefits of eating your five-a-day, or why too much sugar is bad for you.
“For me, that's how the world works,” he says. “Life is a journey of learning, and what I learned by doing the Thrive Programme is what got me better and got me to the point I'm at now where life is amazing.”
Godolphin's globetrotting Rebel's Romance (Ire) (g, 6, Dubawi {Ire}–Minidress {GB}, by Street Cry {Ire}) entered Saturday's $2.5-million G3 H.H. The Amir Trophy as one of three Group 1 winners in the field of 11, yet still had something to prove.
Winless since causing a mild surprise in the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland, the homebred failed–for a variety of reasons–in two tries in America last summer, but hinted at a return to his best with an eye-catching victory at Kempton in December. He was a somewhat unexpected entry for this newly upgraded race, but his class was on full display as he dispatched of the best field ever assembled in Qatar with complete authority.
Drawn gate 10, Rebel's Romance was ridden positively by William Buick and sat three deep outside Japan's North Bridge (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) and Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}) passing the stands for the first time and was allowed to edge in front with a circuit to travel. Bowling along, ears straight-forward, turning down the back of the track at Al Rayyan, Rebel's Romance dropped anchor, and things got a bit messy behind him as a result, with North Bridge hard on the bridle for Yasunari Iwata, and Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) also firing up from midfield.
Rebel's Romance was holding firm on the run around the second bend, but Joao Moreira began to feel for Zeffiro (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) 600 metres out and he looped the field, appearing a real threat. The G1 Hong Kong Vase runner-up had dead aim on the front-runner a furlong and a half from home, but drifted badly towards the stands, and Rebel's Romance ran out a comfortable winner. Satono Glanz outfinished North Bridge for third, while defending champion Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) finished off his race soundly to be fifth.
“He really enjoyed it,” Buick said. “It wasn't plan A, but Charlie was keen to go forward from stall 10. He relaxed lovely in front. It wasn't so long ago he won a Breeders' Cup Turf, so he seems to be back to his best and it's great to come to Qatar and ride a winner. It's a big festival and I'm absolutely delighted. That was a good race, with Japanese horses, Irish and English. He had to be somewhere near his best and I'm pretty sure he was.”
Added Appleby: “We were delighted with Rebel's Romance. It was a great ride by William, and we felt the horse was back to his best heading here following a confidence-boosting win at Kempton Park.
“This is an event that is growing with importance every year and the strength of today's field showed how its status is increasing on the international stage. We are very proud to be able to support these big races on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and team Godolphin.
“I would imagine that we will look towards the Dubai Sheema Classic for Rebel's Romance, and then possibly head back out to America for the summer.”
The only treble Group 1 winner in the field, Rebel's Romance had gone winless since the Breeders' Cup. A minor issue dictated that he raced in last year's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic without a prep and he was duly beaten into a distant seventh by world champion Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) at Meydan last March. Sent to America over the summer, he clipped heels in the GII Bowling Green S. at Saratoga in July, throwing Richard Mullen heavily to the turf, and caught unsuitably easy ground during an abnormally wet period in New York when fourth at odds-on in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in October. Forced to regroup with a Breeders' Cup bid now out of play, he returned to action with a visually impressive victory in the Listed Wild Flower S. over the Kempton all-weather in December. From here, all roads lead back to Meydan in six weeks' time where the competition could include Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Japanese Triple Tiara heroine Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), among others.
Pedigree Notes:
Rebel's Romance is one of two potential starters on World Cup night for his stakes-placed dam, whose exciting son Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) took out this year's G1 Jebel Hatta, customarily a pointer to the G1 Dubai Turf.
Second dam Short Skirt was a leading member of her generation in 2006, defeating hot favourite Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) in the the G3 Musidora S. at York for Sir Michael Stoute before finishing third to that foe in the G1 Epsom Oaks. Short Skirt was subsequently second to Alexandrova in that year's G1 Yorkshire Oaks and was purchased by John Ferguson for 1.4 million guineas at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale a few months later. Short Skirt produced five winners from eight to race, including G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy hero Volcanic Sky (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}) and the dam of Japanese listed winner and Group 3-placed Due Process (GB) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}).
There is a further connection to Japan under the third dam, as Much Too Risky's champion daughter and G1 St Leger third Whitewater Affair (GB) (Machiavellian) produced Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}), a two-time champion who famously won the G1 Dubai World Cup only weeks after the devastating Japanese earthquake of 2011. Victoire Pisa's half-brother Asakusa Den'en (Jpn) (Singspiel {Ire}) won the G1 Yasuda Kinen in 2005.
Minidress is represented by a yearling full-brother to Rebel's Romance.
Saturday, Al Rayyan (Doha), Qatar H.H. THE AMIR TROPHY (Sponsored by Longines)-G3, $2,500,000, Al Rayyan, 2-17, 4yo/up, 2400mT, 2:28.84, gd.
1–REBEL'S ROMANCE (IRE), 128, g, 6, by Dubawi (Ire) 1st Dam: Minidress (GB) (SP-Eng), by Street Cry (Ire) 2nd Dam: Short Skirt (GB), by Diktat (GB) 3rd Dam: Much Too Risky (GB), by Bustino (GB)
O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick; $1,425,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-UAE at 9.5-11f, MG1SW-Ger, GISW-US, GSW-UAE & Eng, 17-11-0-0, $4,485,232. *1/2 to Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}), G1SW-UAE, SP-Eng, $479,650. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zeffiro (Jpn), 128, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Wild Wind (Ger), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd; B-Shadai Farm; T-Yasutoshi Ikee; J-Joao Moreira; $550,000.
3–Satono Glanz (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Satono Diamond (Jpn)–Cherry Collect (Ire), by Oratorio (Ire). (¥105,000,000 Ylg '21 JHRAJUL). O-Hajime Satomi; B-Northern Racing; T-Yasuo Tomomichi; J-Yuga Kawada; $275,000.
Margins: 3, 1 3/4, HF.
Also Ran: North Bridge (Jpn), Russian Emperor (Ire), Simca Mille (Ire), Haunted Dream (Ire), Jeff Koons (Ire), Israr (GB), Passion And Glory (Ire), Point Lonsdale (Ire).
Brave Emperor Hong Kong Bound Following ITM Cup
Overseas runners captured two of the three supporting features held Saturday in Doha.
In the opening event of the program, Middleham Park Racing's Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation) raced prominently throughout and managed to stave off a stinging late rally down the centre of the course from Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) to take the $500,000 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup for Archie Watson and Luke Morris. According to a report from the South China Morning Post, the 4-year-old is set to take on Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) in the G1 FWD Champions Mile in late April.
IRISH THOROUGHBRED MARKETING CUP (Qat-G2, NBT), $500,000, Al Rayyan, 2-17, 4yo/up, 1600mT, 1:35.10, gd.
1–BRAVE EMPEROR (IRE), 128, g, 4, Sioux Nation–Roman Gal (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). (£19,000 Ylg '21 GOFAUG). O-Middleham Park Racing; B-Caroline Hanly & Sean Ronan; T-Archie Watson; J-Luke Morris; $285,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Ity & Ger at 7-9.5f, MGSW-Ger, GSW-Fr & Ity, GSP-Swe, 16-10-3-1, $676,757.
2–Cairo (Ire), 128, c, 4, Quality Road–Cuff (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Coolmore; T-Ryan Moore; J-Aidan O'Brien; $110,000.
3–Real World (Ire), 128, g, 7, Dark Angel (Ire)–Nafura (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Saeed Bin Suroor; J-Oisin Murphy; $55,000.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, NK.
Oddyssey Causes Minor Upset In Al Rayyan Mile
Al Shaqab Racing's G3 Horris Hill S. winner Orne (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) was expected to be a tough nut to crack in the $400,000 Al Rayyan Mile for John and Thady Gosden, but the Gassim Ghazali-conditioned Oddyssey (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) more than covered his 80,000gns pricetag from last fall's Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale when driving home by two lengths in a time quicker than the older horses posted in the ITM Cup.
AL RAYYAN MILE (Qat-G2, NBT), $400,000, Al Rayyan, 2-17, 3yo, 1600mT, 1:34.84, gd.
1–ODDYSSEY (GB), 128, c, 3, Ulysses (Ire)–Last Echo (Ire), by Whipper. (10,500gns Wlg '22 TATDEF; 80,000gns HRA '23 TATAUT). O-Sheikh Mohammed Salman M Al-Thani; B-Culworth Grounds Farm; T-Gassim Ghazali; J-Maxime Guyon; $228,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 8-3-0-3, $279,073.
2–Orne (Ire), 128, c, 3, Acclamation (GB)–Pellucid (GB), by Excelebration (Ire). (120,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Rahtbarry Stud; T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Robert Havlin; $88,000.
3–Soldier's Gold (Ire), 128, c, 3, Soldier's Call (GB)–Copperbeech (Ire), by Red Ransom. O-Wathnan Racing; B-Bernard & Eugene Heary; T-Alban de Mieulle; J-Mickael Barzalona; $44,000.
Margins: 2, HF, NK.
Team Osborne Back At It In Qatar
Less than 24 hours after making history as the first female rider to win a race at Meydan, Saffie Osborne repeated the dose–again for her father Jamie–in Saturday's $400,000 Dukhan Sprint, Sponsored By Breeders' Cup, getting home aboard Group 1 winner Emaraaty Ana (GB) just ahead of the locally based Monsieur Noir (Ire). Remarkably, each of the top two finishers is an 8-year-old gelding by Shamardal. Godolphin's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was a good third and could accompany his stablemate back to the States later in the year.
“We will probably travel out to America for the summer as we know he likes the tracks and style of racing out there,” Appleby said.
DUKHAN SPRINT (Sponsored by Breeders' Cup) (Qat-G3, NBT), $400,000, Al Rayyan, 2-17, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:09.19, gd.
1–EMARAATY ANA (GB), 128, g, 8, Shamardal–Spirit of Dubai (Ire) (SW-Eng), by Cape Cross (Ire). (160,000gns HRA '23 TATAUT). O-Barratt Racing; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited; T-Jamie Osborne; J-Saffie Osborne; $228,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, GISP-US, 34-7-5-7, $1,265,929.
2–Monsieur Noir (Ire), 128, g, 8, Shamardal–Night Frolic (GB), by Night Shift. (500,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT; 75,000gns HRA '19 TATAUT). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Highclere Stud & Floors Farming; T-Alban de Mieulle; J-Oisin Murphy; $88,000.
3–Mischief Magic (Ire), 128, c, 4, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Veil of Silence (Ire), by Elusive Quality. O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick; $44,000.
Margins: HD, HF, NK.
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(@TwinSpires) February 17, 2024
