While Forever Young is the talk of the Dubai World Cup media briefings April 2, out on the track it was the Noburu Takagi-trained pair of Ushba Tesoro and Wilson Tesoro that drew admiring glances after going through their pre-World Cup paces. 

Jose Ortiz won three stakes races, including sweeping the track’s feature races, the Arkansas Derby (G1) and the Fantasy (G2) on March 29 and the Hot Springs Stakes on March 30. The panel of racing experts voted Ortiz Jockey of the Week.

The board of directors of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation announced that it has authorized expenditures of $2,693,312 to fund 16 new projects and 10 continuing projects at 17 universities, as well as two career development awards.

In July, Sharon O’Regan will become CEO of Weatherbys Limited—succeeding Russell Ferris, who is moving on to become the Managing Director of Racecourse Media Group.

Just in case he wasn’t already front-of-mind with racing fans worldwide, Japan’s Forever Young stirred souls in the Saudi Cup (G1), prevailing over Romantic Warrior (IRE) in one of the greatest stretch duels in international dirt racing history.

The William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour preserved his unblemished record in Sydney group 1 races when he added the April 2 Tancred Stakes (G1) to his back-to-back 2023 triumphs in the Ranvet Stakes (G1) and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1).

Maiden Watch: Week of March 24-30

An amended Florida Senate bill 408 passed the state’s Regulated Industries Committee April 1 despite nearly two hours of testimony from those opposed to the legislation that would decouple Thoroughbred racing from gaming in the state.

During an April 1 meeting of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation’s Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund Advisory Committee meeting, a Kentucky Downs advertising budget double the size it received in 2024 was approved for $974,000.

The NTRA announces staffing additions and changes today. The NTRA announced that Thomas Meis and Mallory Baker will be joining the Washington, D.C., office, and Steve Driskill will be promoted to Vice President of NTRA Advantage-Equine Discounts.