Moira

It's an interesting year when it comes to the Eclipse Awards, which will be announced next week. As always, there are the categories that are no-brainers where the winners should be unanimous. But there are several divisions this year that aren't so clear-cut, which will make for an interesting ceremony come Jan. 23. Here's a look at my ballot: Two-Year-Old Male: Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) Became the obvious pick after winning the 2024 GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Scary thing is that he might be no better than the third...

After the Australian farm Yulong Stud paid $4.3 million to acquire GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare winner Moira (Ghostzapper) at the Fasig-Tipton November sale, it was widely assumed that she would be immediately retired and join the farm's broodmare band. But while that remains a possibility, so does a return to racing, perhaps in North America. The story was first reported in the Canadian Thoroughbred. Yulong Stud's General Manager Vin Cox told the TDN that the farm has yet to decide what's next for Moira. "We haven't made any...

It was quite a few days for Canadian-based trainer Kevin Attard. On Saturday, he won his first Breeders' Cup race with Moira (Ghostzapper) in the GI Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf and some 48 hours later she went through the ring for $4.3 million. Knowing he'd have plenty to say, we invited Attard to join us on this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. He admitted that saying goodbye to the best horse he has ever trained was difficult. "Well, right now it's extremely difficult, no doubt...

With her convincing victory in Saturday's GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar, 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) displaced fellow 'Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) atop the final National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top Thoroughbred Poll for 2024. The Ken McPeek-trained filly, who received 26 of a possible 30 first-place votes, should be a unanimous choice for champion 3-year-old filly and cemented her case for Horse of the Year with her front-running, 2 1/2-length defeat of Raging Sea (Curlin) in the Distaff, and combined with Fierceness's runner-up...

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, & Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY - The Fasig-Tipton November Sale failed to continue its streak of $100-million plus gross results, but did produce a day of vibrant trade from a diverse international buying bench Monday in Lexington. Twenty-five mares sold for $1 million or more during the auction, matching the figure from 2023. Nine sold for $2 million or more and four sold for $3 million or over, compared to 16 and 10, respectively, a year ago. "It was another tremendous November sale," said Fasig-Tipton...

Moria (Ghostzapper), Canada's Horse of the Year and Queen's Plate winner who is just over 48 hours removed from a win in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, brought $4.3 million to the bid of Bayles Monday night at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consigned the 5-year-old, who is just shy of $3 million in earnings. Sold as Hip 293, Moira is out of MSW & GSP Devine Aida (Unbridled's Song) and campaigned for Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, and X-Men Racing.

GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) has come out of the marquee race in good order, according to Chad Brown, and will return to Kentucky Monday morning. "Everything's all good," said assistant trainer Baldo Hernandez Sunday morning after showing the horse to the media. "He will ship tomorrow to Kentucky and maybe Florida after that. I don't know for sure, it's up to the boss." The connections are expected to announce future plans for the colt soon. Sean Flanagan of Flanagan Racing confirmed that...

The Fasig-Tipton November Sale--looking to keep a streak of $100 million-plus gross renewals going into a fourth year--will be held Monday at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington. Bidding on the 321 catalogued offerings begins at 2 p.m. and kicks off with an offering of 159 weanlings before continuing on with a glittering array of fillies and mares. "My expectations for the November sale--like they are every year--are sky high," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. "They are high because of the quality of the horses who are in the catalogue. We've...

Edited Press Release Flavien Prat, who guided two horses to Breeders' Cup victories Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club during the World Championships, won the 22nd Bill Shoemaker Award as the outstanding jockey of the event. The Shoemaker Award goes to the jockey who rides the most winners in the 14 Championship races with the tiebreaker being a 10-3-1 point system for second- through fourth-place finishes. Prat and Ryan Moore each won two races but thanks to a runner-up effort on Raging Sea (Curlin) in the GI Longines Breeders'...

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. That was the case for Canadian Horse of the Year MOIRA (Ghostzapper--Devine Aida, by Unbridled's Song) as she took the lead in her third attempt in the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, before driving home a half-length winner for her first Grade I tally at Del Mar Saturday. In so doing, the 5-1 shot held off the late rush of Godolphin's 13-5 favorite Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal), who nosed out Didia (Arg) (Orpen) for second. The final...

Kevin Attard already knows it will be difficult, going back home to his barn at Woodbine and seeing an empty stall where stable star Moira (Ghostzapper) has been a steady presence for the past four years. The Canadian Horse of the Year and millionaire will perform in what will likely be her last dance in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday before she goes through the ring on Nov. 4 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. "This is probably one of the hardest things I've done in...

Leading the graded stakes action on Saturday, there is something gruff and boomy about the barbaric 'yalp' of the European invaders who are set to swarm Woodbine's gates on Turf Champions Day. One can understand this hoard's verve as the booty is worth pillaging since three out of the four Grade I races on the docket are connected to some highly-prized Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' tickets.   Euros Wind Trebuchets Out of this auspicious Canadian slate, first up is the GI Natalma Stakes which offers entry into the...