Graham Scores 3,000th Win at Fair Grounds

James Graham earned his 3,000th career win when he piloted Vortex to victory in the second race at Fair Grounds Sunday.

“It's quite emotional actually,” Graham said. “I came here in 2002 and all I ever wanted was a shot. I wish my mom was still alive to see this. Thank you to everybody who has ever put me on a winner throughout my whole career. This is all because of you guys. Thank you to my wife. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be where I am. Fair Grounds has been good to me over the years. I've made a lot of friends and lost a lot of friends. Racing is a life and we are all a big family. Thank you to everybody.”

Graham recorded one win in his native Ireland before launching his career in the U.S. where his first victory came at River Downs on July 1, 2003 aboard B.J. Star for trainer Allan Shapoff in just his 12th mount. Later that year, his first Fair Grounds victory came aboard High Octave for trainer Ronny Werner. With 1,340 wins, Graham is the third winningest rider at Fair Grounds since 1986, behind Ronald Ardoin and Robby Albarado.

“This is special for me doing it [at Fair Grounds],” Graham said. “My career took off here. When I first got here in 2003 and started riding, this is the meet that got the ball rolling for me. Look at the guys I started riding with here. Gerard [Melancon], Robby [Albarado], Shane Sellars, E.J. Perrodin–I got educated here. I've got a couple more goals at this track that I want to accomplish, so I'm banging on the door and I'm young, fit and healthy.”

The 44-year-old has won over 47 graded stakes, including Fair Grounds victories aboard 135-1 shot Ive Struck a Nerve in the 2013 GII Risen Star S., 28-1 shot Call Me Midnight in the 2022 GIII Lecomte S., and 7-1 shot Ron the Greek in the 2010 Lecomte.

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America’s Day at the Races Expands Oaklawn Coverage

America's Day at the Races, the national telecast produced by New York Racing Association in partnership with FOX Sports, will expand its coverage of racing from Oaklawn Park when the Arkansas track opens for its 2023-24 meet Friday.

As part of a multi-year agreement, America's Day at the Races will feature daily analysis and handicapping of Oaklawn Park racing as well on-site coverage from NYRA television personalities throughout opening weekend, Smarty Jones weekend, Rebel weekend, Arkansas Derby weekend, Apple Blossom weekend and Oaklawn H. weekend.

Live racing returns to Oaklawn Park Friday and continues through May 4. The meet is highlighted by the $1.5-million GI Arkansas Derby Mar. 30.

Additionally, NYRA and Oaklawn Park will offer a new Cross Country Pick 5 wager each day when both Aqueduct Racetrack and Oaklawn Park conduct racing. The special wager will first be offered Dec. 8.

The Cross Country Pick 5 requires bettors to pick the winner of five select races from Aqueduct and Oaklawn. The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents.

Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country with each day featuring a mandatory payout of the net pool.

For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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Young Sires: Who’s Backing Who To Be A Success In 2024?

With the foal sales at Goffs and Tattersalls confined to the rear view mirror, perhaps now is the time to get a good gauge on the young sires coming through. 

Bragging rights belong to St Mark's Basilica (Fr), who topped the December Foal Sale at Tattersalls when a filly by the multiple Group 1-winning stallion out of Oaks winner Talent (GB) sold for 575,000gns. 

The St Mark's Basilica sale-topper was consigned by Ashbrittle Stud and bought by agent Jill Lamb on behalf of Newsells Park Stud, with the former labelling the filly as the nicest foal that she had seen by the stallion. 

Add that result to a 180,000gns colt to Camas Park Stud, a filly to Ronald Rauscher for 175,000gns and a colt to Yeomanstown Stud for 130,000gns, it's fair to say St Mark's Basilica stamped his authority as a force to be reckoned with.

Space Blue (Ire) was the other big name whose first foals were eagerly anticipated at Goffs and Tattersalls. A colt by the Kildangan-based stallion caught the attention of Baroda Stud at €140,000 at Goffs while the triple Group 1 winner enjoyed solid trade at Tattersalls with a filly making 95,000gns and two colts selling for 80,000gns apiece. 

'Yeomanstown Don't Come Up With A Bad One Too Often'

Peter Kelly summed Supremacy (Ire) up at Goffs when, after selling his half-brother by the stallion to Group 3-winning juvenile Caught U Looking for €180,000, he said, 'Yeomanstown don't come up with a bad horse too often.' The early signs are that the O'Callaghans could be on to a decent one with Supremacy with 31 foals selling at Goffs for an average of €30,952.

The Six-Figure Lots For Starman

Three foals–two colts and a filly–by Starman (GB) have cleared six figures between Goffs and Tattersalls. Two of those were snapped up by Tally-Ho Stud, where the Group 1-winning sprinter will stand at €10,000 for 2024. Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud was another notable supporter of the stallion when signing for a Starman colt for €120,000 at Goffs. 'Flash' Conroy, Timmy Hyde of Camas Park Stud and the Gleeson brothers were other notable buyers.

Vega Looking Lucky

One of the stories to emerge from Goffs was the positivity at which the market met Lucky Vega (Ire). The Group 1-winning juvenile, who stands at the Irish National Stud, achieved sales of €75,000, €72,000 and €65,000. The support continued at Tattersalls last week with Tinnakill House Stud selling a half-sister to Prix de l'Abbaye runner-up Good Vibe (Ire) (Dream Ahead) for 82,000gns.

Nando The Surprise Package

Fellow Irish National Stud-based stallion Nando Parrado (GB) could be viewed as something of a surprise package. Standing for just €6,000, he achieved a rock-solid average of €17,800 for 20 foals sold at Goffs with three foals clearing €30,000. A 20,500gns average for six foals sold at Tattersalls represented another good innings for the son of Kodiac (GB) who makes plenty of appeal to breeders operating on a budget.

Alkumait Packing A Punch

Similar comment could apply to Alkumait (GB), the Showcasing (GB) half-brother to 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who stands for €5,000. Two foals by Alkumait sold for €32,000 and €30,000 at Goffs, with top judges Shane and Alex Power of Tradewinds signing for the latter.

Lope Y Looking Good

A 100,000gns colt capped a memorable debut performance for the foals by Lope Y Fernandez (Ire). Standing at the National Stud for £8,500, Lope Y Fernandez is averaging more than double that fee on 50 foals sold in Britain and Ireland. He has earned the plaudits of some top judges and, along with a 100,000gns colt sold at Tattersalls, Kelly Equine also signed for a colt by the stallion for 78,000gns.

Top Judges Row In Behind Pinatubo

Of the stallions with their first runners next year, it seems as though Pinatubo (Ire) is the one that the majority are rowing in behind. It was a fair achievement for Pinatubo to finish third in the sires table at Tattersalls in terms of aggregate. Granted, Pinatubo was well-represented with 14 foals selling throughout the week, but perhaps the metric to concentrate on here is that his average of 115,500gns and aggregate of 1,617,000gns is greater than what the brilliant first-season sire Blue Point (Ire) achieved through the very same representation. For Blue Point's 14 foals, he cleared an average of 109,929gns and an average of 1,539,000gns. Could Pinatubo chart a similar path next season?

Strong Support For Ghaiyyath

The strength behind Ghaiyyath (Ire) continued last week, with 10 foals selling for an average of 97,500gns, but most interesting was the support from within. Godolphin signed for just four foals last week, two of which were by Ghaiyyath–a colt and a filly respectively to the tune of 540,000gns. That followed on from a bumper performance from Ghaiyyath at Goffs where 23 foals sold for just shy of a €50,000 average and an aggregate of €1,127,500 which made him the second-highest performing stallion at the Irish sale. The figures held up at Tattersalls last week with 10 foals selling for an average of 97,500gns. It's probably an understatement to describe the Darley operation to be in good health with a view towards next season. Rare has there been a more exciting time for the outfit. 

Earthlight Adds To The Excitement At Darley

Earthlight (Ire) adds to that excitement at Darley. There were just six foals by the stallion at Tattersalls and they averaged 63,800gns. But the real story was how punters couldn't get enough of foals by Earthlight at Goffs with Yeomanstown Stud, Camas Park, Ballyphilip and Manister House Stud all featuring on the list of buyers where 13 sold for an average of €56,770.

Good Vibes Behind Mohaather 

Of the other stallions with runners next year, Mohaather (GB) is one who continues to earn the respect in the ring. Not only does Shadwell have eight horses by the Group 1-winning miler to look forward to next season, but plenty of shrewd buyers snapped up yearlings by Mohaather this year. The foals were equally well-received with Mark Dwyer, Eddie O'Leary, 'Flash' Conroy and Shadwell themselves signing for foals by the big-walking stallion at Tattersalls.

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Franco Notches Career Win 1,000

Jockey Geovanni Franco notched the 1,000th win of his career when his mount Miss Commander, who was second under the wire, was promoted to the victory in the second race at Del Mar Saturday.

Asked if getting the milestone victory via DQ tarnished the achievement, Franco said with a smile, “It doesn't. I've won plenty of races by DQ and I'll take a winner any way they come.”

Franco has been riding at Del Mar since 2017, with a year off in 2022 when he moved his tack back to the Midwest. He returned to Del Mar this summer and had 12 wins. He has added five more at the oceanside oval this fall.

“It's truly humbling to have this 1,000th win at Del Mar,” Franco said. “To have been riding here the last five years makes it even better. I'll be happy to get many more.”

Franco rode his first winner at Mexico City's Hipodromo de las Americas in 2009. He went to Canada later that year and rode at Hastings Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. In March of 2010 he came to Santa Anita and rode the rest of the winter meet before heading up to Golden Gate Fields. He rode in Northern California through much of 2011 before finishing the year at Turf Paradise where he was the leading rider in 2012 and 2013.

He began branching out to other tracks in 2014, riding at Sunland Park, Santa Anita again, even Finger Lakes in New York and Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pennsylvania. He settled in the Midwest in 2015, riding at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Remington Park in Oklahoma and Canterbury Park in Minnesota.

Runner-up aboard Lieutenant Dan in the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Franco has recorded top-level victories aboard Fault in the 2018 GI Santa Margarita S. and with Secret Spice in the 2019 GI Beholder Mile.

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