22/01/2025. SAH Racing: Striker: 5600 Winners and Counting!… // TDN: American Pharoah, Corniche… by TDN

Striker: 5600 Winners and Counting!

At 58 years old, Piere “Striker” Strydom remains a titan in the world of horse racing. Despite decades of grueling competition, this world-class jockey continues to ride at an elite level, proving age is no barrier to greatness.

Strydom’s reputation precedes him—not just as a masterful jockey but also as a figure of respect in the jockey room. Faithful, dependable, and always ready to deliver, he’s as much a legend off the track as he is on it.

Gujadhur Stable’s 2025 Line-Up: A Blend of Promise and Proven Talent

The Gujadhur Stable, one of Mauritius’ most iconic racing operations, has unveiled its full roster for the 2025 season, adding to the earlier announcement of Allez Moris and Join The Dots. Thirteen additional horses will represent the famous light blue silks with the red sash and cap. This lineup showcases a mix of emerging talent and experienced campaigners, setting high expectations for the upcoming season.

Cape Met Day: Feature Race Moved to Race 2: A Surprising Decision for SA Racing?

The scheduling of the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes as the second race on the Cape Met card has raised eyebrows. Traditionally considered one of the highlights of the day, the Majorca Stakes has typically been placed in a premium slot just before the Cape Met. This year, however, it has been relegated to Race 2—a rare, if not unprecedented, move for South African racing.

Joburg’s Big Gr1 Earns Spot Among World’s Top 100 Races

The 2024 World’s Top 100 Group 1 races have been unveiled, and South Africa’s representation this year comes from an unexpected source: Turffontein’s Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes. Rated among the best global racing events, this marks the first time a Johannesburg-based race has achieved such recognition, cementing its status as a rising force on the international stage.

Cracking Start to ‘The Championships’ as 3 yr olds take flight

Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ at Turffontein has placed together a spectacular set of fields in both Colts and Fillies Guineas.

The R1-million TAB Gauteng Guineas, also the first leg of South African Triple Crown, is set to take flight on Saturday, February 1. A robust field of 28 runners has been nominated, promising a clash of talent and strategy over the challenging 1600m course. Among them is the standout filly, Quid Pro Quo, who recently captured attention with her Grade 2 Dingaans victory. The headline news a few weeks ago was the purchase of the filly by Team Valor.

January 22, 2025

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IN TODAY’S TDN

Dale Romans

Joins the TDN Writers’ Room

Dale Romans may train primarily in Kentucky but he comes to Gulfstream every winter. Few trainers anywhere have their finger on the pulse quite like Romans does when it comes to industry issues, which is why he was this week’s Gainesway Guest of the Week on the TDN Writers’ Room presented by Keeneland to help unravel the situation in Florida. Romans, who is also the president of the Kentucky HBPA, said he took his eye off the ball, because he was so sure that Santa Anita would be the next major track to close.

“I had no inkling.” he said. “I don’t think the regular horsemen on the backside–I can’t speak for the board of their horsemen’s group here–but I don’t think anybody that races here had any idea what was in the plans. You know, what they’re saying is the property has become too valuable for a racetrack to sit on it, basically. And that’s why they want to decouple because right now the way to stay within the law is they have to run 40

days in order to have the casino license.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by 1/ST Racing, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders’ Association, West Point Thoroughbreds, the KTOB and XBTV, the team of T.D Thornton, Bill Finley and Randy Moss gave their own takes on the Gulfstream situation and how it will not affect just Florida but the entire sport. Finley called Paco Lopez’s 90-day suspension for striking a horse in the neck and face after a race in December at Parx a slap on the wrist and said Lopez should have gotten at least 90 days.

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photo credit: Sarah Andrew

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