Laurel River

Laurel River To Miss Dubai World Cup Defence

Juddmonte homebred Laurel River (Into Mischief), off since an overeager second in the Jan. 24 G3 Firebreak Stakes, will skip the Apr. 5 G1 Dubai World Cup, according to trainer Bhupat Seemar. The 7-year-old entire, whose G1 Saudi Cup bid did not materialise after sustaining a small mishap, was an imperious 8 1/2-length winner of the 2024 edition. "Laurel River is doing very good, but after his last gallop, we realize that there will not be enough time to get him fit for a race of this calibre," said Seemar....

[ Read More ]
Forever Young Becomes Timeform's Highest-Rated Dirt Horse

Forever Young (Jpn) earned a Timeform rating of 131 when winning Saturday's $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, identifying him as the highest-rated dirt horse in the world. Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, the son of Real Steel (Jpn) had shown very smart form as a three-year-old when he won the G2 UAE Derby and the G1 Tokyo Daishoten, as well as finishing placed in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic. However, Forever Young raised his game another notch and produced a top-class performance by Timeform's...

[ Read More ]
Record Sum Awarded to Kentucky Breeders for Races Won in 2024

On the back of a year which saw Kentucky-breds thriving at the pinnacle of domestic and international competition, the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation has paid out a record $20-million through its Kentucky Thoroughbred Breeders' Incentive Fund (KTBIF) to participating breeders for races won in 2024, it was announced via press release Friday afternoon. Consistently in elite company at home, Kentucky-breds won 289 of 401 graded races in the U.S. including all three legs of the Triple Crown--all by different horses--and captured 10 Eclipse awards led by Horse of...

[ Read More ]
Laurel River Ruled Out of Saudi Cup

Juddmonte Farms's Laurel River (Into Mischief) has been removed from consideration for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 22 after picking up a minor injury that will require 'two weeks' rest', according to a tweet from racing personality Nick Luck, who was first to report the news. "Just a knock apparently, but it prevented him from getting in a critical workout before traveling," Juddmonte USA's General Manager Garrett O'Rourke said in a text message. "Will wait for the Dubai World Cup." Trained by Bhupat Seemar, the homebred 7-year-old demolished...

[ Read More ]
Romantic Warrior To Clash With Laurel River, Forever Young, As Likely Saudi Cup Fields Released

In one of the most intriguing international clashes of the year, Hong Kong Horse of the Year and recent G1 Jebel Hatta hero Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and 2024 G1 Dubai World Cup victor Laurel River (Into Mischief) will likely face off in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday, Feb. 22. Joining them will be Japanese Group 1 winner Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), who won the G3 Saudi Derby alongside placed runs in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders'...

[ Read More ]
Anodin's King Gold Pips Overzealous Laurel River In Firebreak

The 1600-metre AED700,000 G3 Firebreak Stakes presented by Longines was all about last year's explosive G1 Dubai World Cup hero Laurel River (Into Mischief) until the last jump. Instead, it was the evenly racing G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest victor King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) who closed resolutely and claimed the winner's laurels. Breaking a step slowly, the Bhupat Seemar-trained Juddmonte runner rushed up to challenge for the advantage and soon held the baton while pushed by Meshtri (Medaglia d'Oro) with King Gold near the tail of the field. Laurel...

[ Read More ]
City Of Troy and Laurel River Share Longines World's Best Racehorse Title 

LONDON, UK -- City Of Troy (Justify) and Laurel River (Into Mischief), owned by two of racing's superpowers, Coolmore and Juddmonte, have been jointly crowned Longines World's Best Racehorse for 2024.  At a ceremony to mark the Longines Racing Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London on Tuesday it was revealed that they had each gained a rating of 128, marking the first time since 2019 that two horses had shared the top spot in the world rankings.  The top-rated performance for City Of Troy came in the G1 Juddmonte...

[ Read More ]
Sierra Leone, Laurel River, Senor Buscador Among 28 Top-Level Winners Entered For Saudi Cup

A total of 1,123 entries, including 81 Group or Grade I winners from no fewer than 21 racing jurisdictions from all over the world were received for the 2025 Saudi Cup meeting, to be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21 and 22 and King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. The entries were released Friday by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA). (See TDN Europe for the entries to the meeting's turf events) Some $38.1 million in prize money will be on offer over the course of the weekend, headed up...

[ Read More ]
Via Sistina Moves Up To Joint-Second On Longines WBRR

Multiple Group 1 winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is now the highest rated filly or mare in the world at 127 on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, which were released on Thursday. A winner of the G1 Turnbull Stakes and G1 Cox Plate in October, she added the G1 Champions Stakes in November and is equal to G1 Derby/G1 International Stakes/G1 Eclipse winner City Of Troy (Justify). The highest rated horse in the world is Laurel River (Into Mischief) at 128. Next in the rankings are the...

[ Read More ]
World Pool Moment of the Year Finalists Revealed

After 24 World Pool Moment of the Day prizes were awarded in 2024, which saw each groom of the winning horse receive a cheque for £4,000, four finalists remain in the running to be crowned World Pool Moment of the Year. This year's shortlist for the World Pool Moment of the Year competition features winners from the UAE, Australia, Ireland and the UK, with the grooms of each in contention to win a VIP trip to Hong Kong next year, should they come out on top in the public vote....

[ Read More ]
Irish Champion Win Boosts Economics Up The Longines WBRR

Last month's G1 Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) is now ranked in a joint-fifth at 123 on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, which were released on Thursday. The William Haggas trainee defeated the 122-rated Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) (120) in the Irish showpiece. Also rated 123 are the GI Travers Stakes hero Fierceness (City Of Light) and the 2024 multiple Group 1 winner Rebel's Romance (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Laurel River (Into Mischief), a winner of the...

[ Read More ]
Goliath Moves Into Second On The Longines WBRR After King George Tally

Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), who won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, has received a mark of 125, good for second in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. Leading the list is G1 Dubai World Cup hero Laurel River (Into Mischief) at 128, while G1 Derby and G1 Eclipse Stakes victor City Of Troy (Justify) and UAE and Hong Kong Group 1 winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are both tied for third on a mark of 123. In a five-way tie for fifth, Group 1 winner...

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.