22/01/2026. Santa Anita, Canada, Luca Cumani, Calandagan, St. Mark’s Basilica, Mr. Repole… by TDN

 

 

Santa Anita Files Suit Against California Department of Justice

The latest salvo in the fight over the legality of a suite of Racing on Demand slot machine-style parimutuel games that were removed from Santa Anita by state Department of Justice law enforcement officers Saturday… [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

 

Canadian Champion Dresden Row Tops Fasig-Tipton January Digital Sale

Canadian Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old male Dresden Row (Lord Nelson) (hip 1), sold for $575,000, topped the 2026 Fasig-Tipton January Digital Sale which closed Tuesday evening. The sale, which opened Thursday, Jan. 15 and included… [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

 
 

Luca Cumani Joins TDN Conversations

with Emma Berry

  As a trainer, Luca Cumani’s name has long been etched in the history books among an elite group to have trained two Derby winners.

 

  Along with Kahyasi and High-Rise, other equine stars to have graced his stable over more than four decades include Barathea, One So Wonderful, Gossamer, Alkaased, Falbrav and Zomaradah, who is now better known as the dam of Dubawi.

 

  Perhaps one of the most special was the Fillies’ Mile winner Shamshir, who carried the colours of Sheikh Mohammed but had been bred by Luca and his wife Sara at their Fittocks Stud.

 

  Keen students of pedigrees, the Cumanis have long run this successful breeding establishment in tandem with the training operation, but since his retirement from the training ranks in 2018, Luca has joined Sara in making this his main focus.

 

  Fittocks Stud recently hit was can be described as a bloodstock home run–not once but three times –when selling a trio of seven-figure yearlings at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Sale.

 

  Ahead of the start of another lively foaling season, Luca took the time to speak us about his long-held interest in breeding in this edition of TDN Conversations, sponsored by Saracen Horse Feeds.

 
Click here to listen to the podcast. 
 
 
 

Calandagan Adds Longines World’s Best Racehorse Crown to 2025 Spoils

With a rating of 130, the Aga Khan Studs homebred Calandagan has been crowned Longines World’s Best Racehorse for 2025, ahead of five horses from four different countries who all tied for second on a… [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

 

St Mark’s Basilica Filly Eostre Lights Up Cagnes

January’s flat action at Cagnes-Sur-Mer continued apace on Tuesday, when the debutante Eostre (St Mark’s Basilica) produced an eyecatching display in the mile conditions event. Always travelling easily for Antonio Orani tracking the leading trio,… [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

 

Repole Says He’s in the Process of Launching a Wide-Ranging Lawsuit Against the Horse Racing Industry

Outspoken owner Mike Repole announced Monday on his feed on the social media platform X that he has taken the first steps toward launching what he called a “national lawsuit” that he hopes will bring… [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

 

Time Called On The Career Of Yulong’s 12-Time Group 1 Winner Via Sistina

Yulong’s champion racemare Via Sistina has been retired from racing and is set to return to the UK in the coming weeks in preparation for a visit to Dubawi. Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud Farm, Via… [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

 

Law Enforcement Officers Remove Santa Anita’s Racing on Demand Slot-Machines

Two days after first being quietly unveiled at Santa Anita, the Racing on Demand slot machine-style parimutuel games—with distinct similarities to Historic Horse Racing—were removed from the track by Department of Justice law enforcement officers… [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

 

Omaha Beach ‘Rising Star’ Accelerize Wins Louisiana Stakes Over Just a Touch

Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable’s Accelerize (c, 4, Omaha Beach–Motion Emotion, by Take Charge Indy) tackled a seasoned field in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile GIII Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds in just his fourth career start… [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

 

‘Rising Star’ Golden Tempo Tops Cherie DeVaux Exacta in Lecomte

Golden Tempo (Curlin), tabbed as a ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ in a last-to-first debut victory sprinting at Fair Grounds Dec. 20, ran by them all once again to stay perfect with a 3/4-length… [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

 

by TDN