Jamie Spencer

Stop me if you've heard this one before. A rain-soaked Saturday at a New York racetrack with a scratched-down field tackling a less-than-firm turf course. In this edition of NYRA's Groundhog Day, Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) repeated her performance in last month's GIII Jockey Club Oaks with another win over Neecie Marie (Cross Traffic) in the GII Sands Point S. Saturday's victory, her second in the United States after a quintet of starts in Europe, also marked her 1 1/8-mile debut in a career of thus-far longer distances. Favored...

A pair of appeals regarding the finish of the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh earlier this month have both been dismissed by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). George Boughey trainee Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), ridden by Jamie Spencer, drifted across the course near the finish and impeded placed horses when winning by two lengths earlier this month. Runner-up Stay Alert (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus])'s owners Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib appealed the stewards' decision to leave the placings as is. However, that appeal was dismissed...

Charlie Hills confirms that G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. shocker Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will be supplemented to Saturday's G1 Pertemps Network July Cup. Whether Royal Ascot partner Jamie Spencer will be available will depend on whether the rider can successfully appeal a careless riding ban from his winning effort aboard Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G1 Pretty Polly S. The massive 80-1 upset came on the heels of a rough trip in the listed British E.B.F. 40th Anniversary Cathedral S. where the Fitri Hay-owned...

George Boughey has pencilled the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket in for his Group 1 heroine Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) following her Pretty Polly S. romp at the Curragh on Saturday.  Stepping up to the highest level for the first time following a brilliant display in the Dahlia S. in May, Via Sistina ran out an authoritative winner of the Pretty Polly to provide her trainer with a first ever success on Irish soil in the hands of Jamie Spencer. Boughey says that his stable star deserves even...

Connections of Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}--Nigh {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) had an anxious wait to learn whether their star mare would keep Saturday's G1 Yulong Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh, but ultimately the inquiry accepted that Becky Hillen's uber-bargain 5,000gns Tatts December Yearling purchase was clear best despite causing significant interference. So impressive on her favoured rain-deadened ground in last month's G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket, the George Boughey-trained 5-year-old who had also captured the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air in the autumn was confidently-supported into 6-4...

There are very few, if any, riders able to navigate Royal Ascot's straight course like Jamie Spencer and he used every bit of his mix of talent, guile and experience to steer the Charlie Hills-trained 80-1 shot Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})--White Daffodil {Ire}, by Footstepsinthesand {GB}) to glory in Saturday's feature G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. Like sweet medicine for these old campaigners who seem to have lost their way, the jockey who had partnered a 50-1 winner up the same strip on Thursday could be spotted some...

Bloodstock agent Stephen Hillen has recalled how Sunday's G2 Dahlia S. winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) would not have won any beauty pageants as a yearling but revealed a certain amount of thinking outside of the box has led to him dreaming of big-race riches with the George Boughey-trained mare.  Via Sistina couldn't have been more impressive at Newmarket on Sunday. She travelled into the race like a dream under Jamie Spencer, a good friend of Hillen's, and won going away by six lengths without having to be...

Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) produced a career-best performance to win the G2 Howden Dahlia S. at Newmarket in a style that suggested there could be even bigger things to come from the gigantic five-year-old mare.  Trainer George Boughey revealed prior to the race that he does not have a bigger horse in his yard and that he had been praying for rain in the build-up to the Group 2 contest. Those prayers were answered, with Via Sistina sluicing through the soft ground under a statuesque Jamie Spencer, who,...

Successful in two of his first three outings, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Marbaan (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}--Zahoo {Ire}, by Nayef) belied odds of 14-1 to claim a career high on stakes debut in Tuesday's G2 Japan Racing Association Vintage S. at Glorious Goodwood. The March-foaled bay opened up with a May 22 third to the reopposing Dark Thirty (Ire) (Straspangledbanner {Aus}) going six furlongs at Newbury before streaking to a five-length tally over the same trip at Nottingham in June and embellished his win column with a half-length score when...

Mickley Stud's first-season sire Massaat (Ire) (by Teofilo {Ire}) had his first winner on Thursday as the Australian Bloodstock acquisition Mascapone (GB) prevailed at Chelmsford. Not seen since finishing fourth in Doncaster's Brocklesby Mar. 26, the 7-4 favourite was anchored in rear early by Jamie Spencer in the opening six-furlong maiden. Delivered to the front with 150 yards remaining, the David Simcock-trained bay asserted to score by 1 1/4 lengths from Lady Lavina (GB) (The Last Lion {Ire}). Australian Bloodstock's Jamie Lovett, who purchased Mascarpone privately, told TDN Europe, "He...

The only maiden in the line-up for Goodwood's Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Cocked Hat S. on Friday, Normandie Stud's Lionel (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) emerged on top of a tight finale to step into the frame for the Irish Derby. Sent off at 17-2 on the back of a promising third behind the re-opposing Natural World (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and the subsequent Listed Fairway S. winner Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in an 11-furlong Newbury maiden Apr. 16, the bay was settled with one behind early...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.    Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. CALIFORNIA Track: Santa Anita Date: 03/04/2022 Licensee: Kent Desormeaux, jockey Penalty: Suspension Violation: Non-appearance for hearing Explainer: Jockey Kent Desormeaux, having failed to respond to written notice to appear before the Board of Stewards at Santa Anita Park on or before...