Saffie Osborne

Belmont Stakes Notebook: Everything Working Out Just Fine for Jockey Smith

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When the phone rang, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was on the other end. "I'm on the treadmill," Smith said. Of course he was. Smith, who will ride 'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez (Authentic) in Saturday's $2-million GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, has always been obsessed with working out. And, as he closes in on his 59th birthday (Aug. 10), he has no intentions of pulling the plug on his two-hour, five-day-a week workout schedule. Nor are there any plans to hang up his...

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TDN Belmont Stakes Preview: Showdown at the Spa

The field for the GI Belmont Stakes, ranked in "likeliest winner" order. 1) JOURNALISM (c, Curlin--Mopotism, by Uncle Mo) O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5 LLC, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. Sales history: $825,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 7-5-1-1, $2,838,880. Last start: WON May 17 GI Preakness Stakes. For most handicappers, the decision to bet on or against Journalism will come down to whether you think he's still riding an upward...

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Jamie Osborne Joins TDN Writers' Room Podcast, Presented by Keeneland

English based trainer Jamie Osborne doesn't think like everyone else does. Which explains why he paid €160,000 at the 2024 Arqana May Breeze-Up sale for a horse that was bred to be a dirt horse and looked like a dirt horse. The horse turned out to be Heart of Honor (GB) (Honor A.P.) who is among the eight horses that will contest Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes. Could Heart of Honor, with his breeding have become a top turf horse in Europe. The answer is "probably not." But racing this horse...

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No Alibis, Just Fun: The Wayne and Bob Show at the Preakness Alibi Breakfast

BALTIMORE, MD -- Much has been said about the genuine friendship between Hall of Famers D. Wayne Lukas and Bob Baffert that has developed over the years. And the lively banter between the two, as well as several of the other members of the training ranks in attendance at Thursday's Preakness Alibi Breakfast, did nothing to dispel that notion. Completely sidestepping the suggested seating assignments, Baffert planted himself at Lukas's table, which also included John Bellinger, who makes up BC Stables with partner Brian Coelho. The team is represented in...

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No Kentucky Derby Bid For Heart Of Honor But Osborne Reveals Preakness Option

Heart Of Honor (GB) (Honor A.P), who came agonisingly close to providing the Osborne family with an emotional victory in the UAE Derby at Meydan last week, has been nominated for the Triple Crown. However, trainer Jamie Osborne has revealed that the Kentucky Derby would come too soon for the Jim and Claire Bryce-owned colt who went down by just a nose to Admire Daytona (Jpn) (Drefong) in the Group 2 contest.  "We're not going to go to Kentucky," Osborne told TDN Europe. "The turnaround is just too quick on...

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'We're Like Kids In A Sweet Shop' – Meet The Owners Behind UAE Derby Contender Heart Of Honor

DUBAI, UAE--Owners Jim and Claire Bryce have admitted to feeling "like kids in a sweet shop" ahead of Saturday's UAE Derby where their own Heart Of Honor (GB) (Honor A. P.) could help jockey Saffie Osborne create history by becoming the first female jockey to win a race on Dubai World Cup night. Trained by Jamie Osborne, who won the same race 11 years ago with Toast Of New York (Thewayyouare), Heart Of Honor is the most high-profile Flat performer for the husband-and-wife owners who admitted to having mixed emotions...

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Heffernan, Loughnane and Vélon Feature Among Shergar Cup Participants

Multiple Classic winner Seamie Heffernan, Royal Ascot-winning teenager Billy Loughnane and French Group 1 scorer Marie Vélon are among the 12 jockeys today confirmed to ride in Saturday's Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot. Nine countries will be represented across the four teams, while new ground is broken this year with an equal number of male and female jockeys for the first time in the history of the Shergar Cup. Vélon, the first French female jockey to win a French Group 1 race with her victory in the 2022...

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Freshman Sire River Boyne Off The Mark At Brighton

Tara Stud resident River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire} became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when his Amy Murphy-trained daughter Tequila Rose (Ire) justified odds-on favouritism in Tuesday's Get Raceday Ready Restricted Maiden Fillies' S. at Brighton. 3rd-Brighton, £6,800, Mdn, 5-28, 2yo, f, 5f 215yT, 1:12.76, gd. TEQUILA ROSE (IRE) (f, 2, River Boyne {Ire}--Himiko {Ire}, by Aussie Rules), an Apr. 30 debut runner-up going five furlongs at Catterick in her only prior outing, broke sharply from the outside stall and asserted for an early lead...

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'We Can't Quite Believe Our Luck': Jamie Osborne on a Memorable 24 Hours in the Gulf

"Some people looked at me like I'd lost my marbles," admits Jamie Osborne. The trainer is back in rainy Lambourn following a couple of glorious days under the Middle Eastern sun. The potential moment of madness to which he refers came last October when he bid 160,000gns for the then-seven-year-old Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal).  The gelding already had 32 runs under his belt and an impressive track record for Kevin Ryan, which included victory in the G2 Gimcrack S., backed up later by his win at five in the G1...

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Knee Injury Benches Saffie Osborne Until January

Jockey Saffie Osborne will not ride the rest of the year due to torn ligaments in her knee sustained in a race fall at the beginning of October, but is planning on returning in January. Osborne has ridden since the incident occurred, however, she has decided to give herself plenty of time off to recover. The 21-year-old rode 70 winners in 2023, including Metier (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) to win the Chester Cup in May. Another highlight was the victory of Random Harvest (Ire) (War Front) in the G3 Valiant S....

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Team Ladies The Big Winners In The Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup

Team Ladies accumulated 78 point to just edge Team Rest of the World by five points to take the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on Saturday. Hollie Doyle and Saffie Osborne each rode two winners on the day, and Doyle scored points with each of her five rides, resulting in her first Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle, awarded to the day's leading rider. Her points total for the day stands at 48. After winning with The Very Man (Ire) (Jeremy) and Regal Empire (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) in the Dubai...

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Murphy Signs for Scotland, Osborne Returns for Wales and The West

A total of 108 jockeys signed up for the 2023 Racing League draft with last year's leading rider Saffie Osborne, Oisin Murphy, and Sean Levey among the first-choice picks. Each team will have the option of using a wild card pick at any time during the competition, allowing them to add an eighth jockey to their squad of seven. The seven teams and their respective jockeys are as follows: Ireland-- Kevin Blake  Daniel Muscutt Billy Loughnane Ben Curtis Joanna Mason Dylan Browne McMonagle Gavin Ryan Adam Farragher London & The...

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