WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014 732-747-8060 $ TDN Home Page Click Here MURTAGH CALLS TIME ON RIDING CAREER MCGAUGHEY PLOTS SOPHOMORE COURSES Five-time Irish Champion jockey Johnny Murtagh, Lane=s End Racing and Dell Ridge Farm J “TDN who took out his trainer=s license in Ireland last year, Rising Star” J Honor Code (A.P. Indy), winner of has announced his retirement from race riding to focus the Nov. 30 GII Remsen S., worked four panels in on his training career. :52.06 yesterday at Palm Meadows Training Center as "The training side of things is getting bigger all the he prepares for the GII Rebel S. at time, and I wasn't happy giving the riding 50% and the Oaklawn Mar. 15. AHe went fine,@ said training 50%,@ Murtagh told PA Sport. "It's the right trainer Shug McGaughey. AHe was very time to call it a day with the willing and got stronger as the work riding and put everything into the went on. He went a little slower than I training side of things." wanted, but it wasn=t a problem. I=ll Murtagh, who turns 44 this come back and work him Sunday or year, rode his first winner in Monday with company and we=ll go 1987, and became stable jockey from there.@ Last year=s GI Champagne to John Oxx in 1992. During his S. runner-up was originally scheduled to 11-year tenure with the Curragh- kick off his sophomore season in the based trainer, Murtagh earned GII Fountain of Youth S. last Saturday, 18 Group 1 victories for The Aga but his schedule was pushed back after Khan. He was on board for suffering an ankle bruise. If all goes well Sinndar (Ire)=s wins in the English in the Rebel, McGaughey said Honor Honor Code Johnny Murtagh aboard NYRA/Coglianese Royal Diamond and Irish Derbies, as well as the Code will Aprobably [aim for] the [GI] Racing Post Prix de l=Arc de Triomphe, and Wood Memorial [at Aqueduct Apr. 5].@ also won the G1 Irish Oaks Honor Code was the 12.10-1 individual favorite in Pool aboard The Aga Khan=s Ebadiyla (Ire). 2 of the GI Kentucky Derby Future Wager. McGaughey Murtagh, who has won all the Irish Classics as well is keeping his options open for stablemate Top Billing as the British G1 2000 Guineas twice, won two more (Curlin), who was third in Saturdays= Fountain of Youth. Investec Derbies, aboard Coolmore=s High Chaparral AObviously, we=d like to run him in the [GI] Florida (Ire) and Royal Ascot Racing Club=s Motivator (GB) in Derby [Mar. 29] if he bounces back okay,@ said last 2005, and in 2008 he took up the position of stable year=s Kentucky Derby-winning conditioner. ABut also, jockey to Coolmore. In 2008, he rode 19 Group 1 the [GII] Louisiana Derby [ is a possibility, as well as the winners, followed by 10 in 2009. Amongst his Wood Memorial if Honor Code doesn=t run there.@ standout mounts during this time were four-time Group Click to share this story. 1 winner and Classic hero Mastercraftsman (Ire); Duke of Marmalade (Ire), winner of five consecutive Group 1s in 2008; transatlantic Group/Grade I winner and Eclipse champion Cape Blanco (Ire); three-time Group 1-winning miler Henrythenavigator, and Sussex, Queen Elizabeth II and Juddmonte International scorer Rip Van Winkle. Murtagh was also aboard Yeats (Ire) for the legendary stayer=s historic third and fourth G1 Gold Cup victories at Royal Ascot. After resigning from the Coolmore post in 2010, Murtagh winning the Oaks Murtagh went to work again for with Dancing Rain Oxx and The Aga Khan. He won Racing Post the G1 Prix de Diane aboard The Aga Khan=s Valyra (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) in 2012, and also during that time period won the 2011 G1 Epsom Oaks aboard Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Cont. p3 HIP 85 at Barretts March “ He’s a big, long-striding colt. To see it with your own eyes, his stride is amazing. He broke off at the eighth pole behind older horses, and they were a good 10 lengths ahead of him. He easily got to that pair and split them without hesitation like a knife through butter, and then exploded past. To see a young horse do that, it was an impressive moment that you only see from the good ones. He’s a colt you will definitely hear from.” –Barretts GM Kim Lloyd on the colt’s breeze Feb. 22 WATCH FOR FIRST 2YOs AT THE UPCOMING SALES IN THIS ISSUE Thor-Bred Stables Back in Action With the Barretts March Sale of Selected 2-Year- Olds in Training coming up this Monday, Jessica Martini catches up with Pavla Nygaard, who owns CO-PUBLISHERS Thor-Bred Stables along with her husband Erik. After President: Barry Weisbord scaling back their operation following the economic [email protected] @barryweisbord downturn, the Nygaards have been more active in recent years, and have three offerings set to sell at Vice President: Sue Finley [email protected] @suefinley Barretts. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Director of Business Development: Gary King [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Pavla Nygaard Editor-in-Chief: Jessica Martini Managing Editor: Alan Carasso Page 6 Racing Editor: Steve Sherack Racing Analyst/Social Media Director: Brian DiDonato Associate Editor: Justina Severni Assistant Editor: Christie DeBernardis Michele MacDonald from Qatar Assistant Editor: Heather Likins Assistant Editor: Michael Illiano Michele MacDonald checks in again from Qatar, where the first of three-day International Festival of Racing Tuesday was followed by a black-tie gala dinner. ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising: Alycia Borer Page 9 Art Director: Lia Kusch Sr. Ad Coordinator/Dir. of Distribution: Sarah K. Andrew Advertising Designer: Amanda Crelin Urbane Dies After Foaling Advertising Assistant: Amanda Foster Multiple Grade I winner Urbane (Citidancer--Dumfries Pleasure, by Pleasant CUSTOMER SERVICE Colony), dam of MGSW and sire Suave (A.P. 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[email protected] Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing: Sean Cronin Page 12 Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing: Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 • Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.thoroughbreddailynews.com www.thetdn.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 2/26/14 • PAGE 3 of 12 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Murtagh cont. from p1 "I've done extremely well, and when you look at the After spending a few years working alongside trainer list of horses I've ridden, there have been some brilliant Tommy Carmody at Fox Covert Stables at The Curragh, horses," said Murtagh. "It would be unfair to pick out Murtagh was granted his trainer=s license last year. He one, but there were a number of special days. My first took over Fox Covert and experienced immediate Derby win aboard Sinndar was obviously a huge thing, success, winning a pair of Group 3 races with former and then Yeats was an incredible horse to be G1 Irish St. Leger victor Royal Diamond (Ire) (King=s associated with. I suppose winning on Best), and the G2 Blandford S. with Belle Sole Power in the King's Stand last year de Crecy (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), was massive for me as well. Just the way both of which he also rode. Murtagh the race went and getting up on the line-- continued to perform with outstanding you know when you get it right. Riding success as a jockey last year, collecting and training Royal Diamond to win on five Group 1 victories: the King George VI Champions Day last year at Ascot [in the & Queen Elizabeth S. with Novellist (Ire) G3 Long Distance Cup]. That was (Monsun {Ger}), the King=s Stand S. something very special as well." aboard Sole Power (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), the Betfred Sprint Cup on Gordon "I was very lucky to ride for some great Lord Byron (Ire) (Bryon {GB}), the Irish people,@ Murtagh continued. AI got along Oaks aboard Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) with them all and still do. It's been and the Pretty Polly S. with Ambivalent brilliant. When you are riding you can take (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}). He earned the all the big winners for granted, but when leading rider title at Royal Ascot for the you sit back and think about it, I've been fifth time last year. very lucky. I'm coming up 44 this year Murtagh retires from the saddle with Murtagh and wife Orla after and my first Group 1 was on Manntari for more than 100 Group 1 wins, including winning the 2013 HRI Flat Award Mr Oxx in 1993 [Ireland=s National S.]. >25 Classic victories in four countries and Racing Post Photo Someone texted me earlier saying I had wins in all of Royal Ascot=s Group 1 races. 105 Group 1 winners, but my wife thinks He won three Breeders= Cup races: the 1995 GI it's 107.@ Cont. p4 Breeders= Cup Mile with Ridgewood Pearl (GB), the 2000 GI Breeders= Cup Turf aboard Kalanisi (Ire), and the 2009 Breeders= Cup Marathon on Man of Iron.