Today's Edition

Expectations were tempered ahead of the second and final day of the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale and so it proved as trade ticked over at pretty low revs throughout the session. Despite a smaller offering of mares compared to last year, the clearance rate fell to 45% when only 67 of the 148 mares on offer changed hands. This had a severely detrimental effect on turnover, which finished up at €370,600, less than a quarter of the aggregate of last year. The average and median also suffered and came...

Whether the market can maintain its breathless bull run in 2019 looks like becoming the $1-billion question so far as trade in transatlantic yearlings is concerned. Figures provided by The Jockey Club show an arc in aggregate sales across North America and Europe this year--up $66,763,974 to $942,688,570, a climb of 7.6%--steep enough, if maintained, to break 10 figures next year. Measured on such a scale, of course, the market bears little coherent analysis. These tables embrace every yearling sold from the 3,500,000gns son of Dubawi (Ire) who topped the...

KILDARE, Ireland—Two years ago the Goffs November Sale benefited from the major Wildenstein dispersal and then 12 months ago some well-credentialed mares going under the hammer to dissolve the partnership between the China Horse Club and John Magnier. This time around, a lack of star names, some high-profile withdrawals and resulting shortfall in range of buyers led to a more sobering set of returns. Despite there not being the usual depth of participants, the top transactions of the day still reflected the international draw of the Irish sales, with leading...

Charles Fipke homebred Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) will look to become the first horse since Bob's Dusty (Bold Commander) in 1977 and 1978 to go back-to-back in the premier race of the fall meeting at Churchill Downs, the GI Clark H. A half-length too good for Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday) and seven other rivals at odds of nearly 8-1 in last year's race, the 5-year-old beat just one home in the GI Woodward S. at Saratoga Sept. 1, but put that effort behind him with a good-looking 1...

Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d'Oro-Magic Mission {GB}, by Machiavellian), Godolphin's 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner, will enter stud at Darley Japan next year, the global breeding operation announced on Thursday. The 5-year-old Talismanic, who also won at Group 2 and 3 level in France for trainer Andre Fabre and was second to Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in last year's G1 Hong Kong Vase, was retired from racing last week. Darley Japan President Harry Sweeney noted that Talismanic has Japanese connections in his pedigree; Wind In Her Hair (Ire) (Alzao),...

Lily's Candle (Fr) (Style Vendome {Fr}), who won the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac less than 24 hours after being bought by Martin Schwartz for €390,000 at the Arqana Arc Sale in October, will make a quick return to the ring at Arqana's December Sale after being supplemented as a wildcard (lot 160). In her lone subsequent start after the Boussac, Lily's Candle beat two home in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf. A further Group 1 update on the page has come from Lys Gracieux (Jpn), who appears under...

Each year, the New York-breds have stepped up their game, becoming more popular and winning more frequently at the highest level. However, 2018 has been the best year yet for Thoroughbreds hailing from the Empire state, thanks to the exploits of Grade I winners Voodoo Song (English Channel), Audible (Into Mischief), Diversify (Bellamy Road), Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) and Fourstar Crook (Freud). "It's special," said Jeff Cannizzo, executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders. "This might arguably be one of the best years for the New York-bred program and...

KILDARE, Ireland—Once the thinner air of the upper tier of the foal market is reached, only the bravest pinhookers remain to do battle against those owner-breeders with a longer-term plan. The beauty of the Thoroughbred business is that each year at least one new player will emerge, intent on spending some serious money for the best bloodlines available, and thus it proved in the transaction of the most expensive foal sold at Goffs this week. The breeder and the vendor of the Kingman (GB) filly in question are names which...

A yearling son of Authorized (Ire) (lot 632) provided some late fireworks to top the third and final session of the Arqana Autumn Sale on Wednesday. The topper, consigned by Haras de la Perelle, brought €72,000 on the bid of Jean-Marie Callier acting for Bertrand Le Metayer. Out of a half-sister to top stallion Monsun (Ger) (Konigsstuhl {Ger}), the January-bred is also a half-brother to GSP Beaulieu (Ire) (Motivator {GB}). "He is a very classy horse with all the right credentials to make a good horse over jumps," said Jean-Marie...

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association launched its Next Generation Apprenticeship Scheme "Supporting Employment Programme" on Nov. 14 with the aim to attract young workers to the Irish Thoroughbred industry. The TDN's Alayna Cullen sat down with ITBA CEO Shane O'Dwyer to find out more about the new programme. AC: Tell us about the new scheme that you have launched? Shane O'Dwyer: The ITBA Next Generation Apprenticeship Scheme is designed to provide employment and support career development within the Thoroughbred industry. In addition, it seeks to assist with the growing concerns...

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens has retired for the third and final time Tuesday after suffering a spinal injury during an incident in a post parade at Del Mar Saturday. The news was first reported by the Daily Racing Form. "I would have liked to have walked away on my exact terms, but I consider myself very fortunate for the career I've had as a jockey and that I can still walk with the news I got this morning," Stevens told the TDN when reached by phone Tuesday. "The...

KILDARE, Ireland—Whitsbury Manor Stud's Showcasing (GB) can do little wrong at present and duly provided the top lot during the second session of the Goffs November Foal Sale. Following a subdued opening session, trade rallied significantly on Tuesday as emboldened pinhookers hit their stride to deliver an improved clearance rate of 73%. Leading the way was Grenane House Stud's first foal of the non-winner Casila (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) (lot 405). Though the mare's race record is underwhelming, she is a daughter of the G2 Ribblesdale S. and G3 Park...