COVID-19

Throne Hall (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Strozzi (Ger) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), both consigned by Godolphin, brought identical bids of £50,000 to share joint-topper honours during Thursday's Tattersalls Ascot November Sale. Held at Ascot racecourse for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sale grossed a record £603,500 for 77 sold (83%). The average was £7,838 and the median was £4,600. Blandford Bloodstock purchased lot 66, Throne Hall. A dual winner, the 4-year-old gelding is from the family of globetrotting Group 1 winner Flintshire (GB) (Dansili...

The Breeders' Cup outlines health and safety protocols for the 2021 World Championships, which take place Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar. EQUINE SAFETY, TESTING AND SECURITY All Breeders' Cup runners are subject to: Randomized out-of-competition (OOC) testing (beginning internationally in June and concluded Nov. 1, resulting in the collection of over 300 blood and hair samples Expanded veterinary scrutiny in-stall and during training at Del Mar, Santa Anita and San Luis Rey Training Center Mandatory trot up observations of every horse prior to being permitted to enter a racing surface...

The catalogue for the Tattersalls Ascot November Sale was released on Tuesday. Slated for Nov. 4, the 99 lots are divided between 27 fillies in/out of training, 57 colts and geldings, four point-to-pointers, five yearlings and six stores. It will be the first sale held at Ascot Racecourse since December of 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the vendors are Bedford House, Beckhampton House, East Everleigh, Godolphin, Jackdaws Castle, Park House, Seven Barrows, Somerville Lodge, The Old Malthouse and West Ilsley. Some of the lots on offer are: Kingdom...

Thoroughbred Charities of America is auctioning off a 2021 Breeders' Cup Stretch Run box at Del Mar to benefit the Race to Give campaign. The box was donated to honor the memory of Dr. J. David Richardson, who passed away in September. The six-person box, 4G, is on Del Mar's third level, and was donated by Richardson's friend, Dr. James B. Threlkel. It is valid for Friday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 6, and includes preferred parking passing for Friday and Saturday. Stretch run boxes are located before the wire....

There will be an increase in prize money contributed by the Horseracing Betting Levy Board (HBLB) in 2022. Fixture-related funding will increase to £90 million for UK racing's 2022 fixture list, with £70 million specifically allotted for prize money, £10 million more than was set aside for that purpose in both 2018 and 2019. These sums do not include the additional grants for prize money and towards regulation and integrity already announced following the HBLB taking a £21.5 million loan from the UK Government's Sport Winter Survival Package. The HBLB...

Where others see insurmountable challenges, Johnathan Miller sees opportunity. That's what led him to serve as the president of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, where he worked to help cut off the slaughter pipeline and give a safe and humane retirement to hundreds of equine retirees. It's why, in 2004, he started a foundation to transport badly needed health care professionals and medications to Africa during the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. On Tuesday, Miller officially launched his latest charitable endeavor. That's when his foundation delivered the first of many doses...

There are folks who sound like broken records when it comes to first-crop sires, complaining that breeders who use them and buyers purchasing those yearlings at auction are about as foolish as dunk-tank clowns. However, when one of those sires succeeds with his first 2-year-olds, those same people are usually the first to wax eloquent with platitudes, forgetting what they'd said earlier. That's human nature, I suppose. What they forget is that all sires start out with first crops, and there are people on the other end that wildcat for...

The 2020 financial results were announced by Ascot Racecourse on Wednesday. Total turnover was down by 77% due to COVID-19 restrictions with only two racedays being held with spectators and another 18 run behind closed doors. There were also five lost racedays due to the pandemic and one abandonment due to inclement weather. Pandemic insurance and support from the UK Government through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and business rates relief prevented a pre-tax loss of over £31 million. In addition, the staff were restructured to adjust to pandemic trading...

The 2021 International Conference of Horseracing Authorities, organised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), will be held virtually for the second year in a row on Oct. 4. This year's focus will be on global racing's evolution and future challenges, with the conference digitally released on Oct. 7. New IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges will give the keynote speech, as well as several panel discussions. Some of the topics to be covered in this year's conference include: digitalisation and media; equine welfare; and climate change and sustainability. Rishi Persad...

As the province continues to confront the Delta-driven fourth wave of the COVID-19, the Government of Ontario is requiring guests (12+) to provide proof of vaccination in select settings, which includes horse racing venues and casinos. As such, Woodbine Entertainment has put operational procedures in place to ensure it is fully complying with Provincial laws and regulations. "As the world continues its fight against the Delta variant, our government will never waver in our commitment to do what's necessary to keep people safe, protect our hospitals and minimize disruptions to...

NYRA track announcer John Imbriale received a positive COVID-19 test result after experiencing mild symptoms following the conclusion of the Saratoga meeting, according to NYRA's Senior Director of Communications Patrick McKenna. "As a result of the mandatory 10-day isolation period, Imbriale will miss the opening weekend of the fall meet and is scheduled to return Thursday, Sept. 23," McKenna said. "In his absence, Frank Mirahmadi will handle the race calling duties Thursday, Sept. 16. Chris Griffin, who was named the lead race caller at Parx in March, will call Friday-Sunday....

Woodbine is implementing a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for its staff, horse racing participants and contractors starting Sept. 15. The track is fully supportive of the Government of Ontario's requirement for guests to provide proof of vaccination in select settings which includes horse racing venues and casinos. As per the Government of Ontario's new policy, guests entering Woodbine Racetrack or Casino Woodbine, Woodbine Mohawk Park Racetrack or Elements Casino Mohawk, Greenwood Teletheatre and WEGZ Stadium Bar will be required to provide proof of full vaccination as of Sept. 22. Employees will...