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HomeHorse ShowsTitle: "State Man Triumphs in Thrilling Boodles Champion Hurdle at 2025 Punchestown...

Title: "State Man Triumphs in Thrilling Boodles Champion Hurdle at 2025 Punchestown Festival"

Title: "State Man Triumphs in Thrilling Boodles Champion Hurdle at 2025 Punchestown Festival"

At the 2025 Punchestown Festival, the highly anticipated Boodles Champion Hurdle saw past Cheltenham winners Constitution Hill, State Man, and Golden Ace compete. State Man, ridden by Paul Townend, dominated the race, securing his third consecutive victory in this Grade 1 event. Constitution Hill, who had a disappointing performance, finished fifth, while Golden Ace came in second, trailing State Man by four and three-quarters lengths. Trainer Willie Mullins praised State Man’s consistent performance, attributing his success to the addition of cheekpieces that enhanced his focus.

In another highlight, Dinoblue triumphed in the Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase, marking a tenth win for Mullins during the festival. The eight-year-old mare showcased her prowess, winning by a remarkable 35 lengths after taking control of the race early on. Mullins expressed optimism about Dinoblue’s future, indicating she would not be retiring to stud just yet.

Final Demand also delivered an impressive performance in the Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle, winning by 16 lengths with a flawless jumping display. After a less favorable finish at Cheltenham, he rebounded strongly, demonstrating his class and potential for future races. Mullins noted the horse’s exceptional jumping ability, which played a crucial role in his victory, and expressed excitement for what lies ahead.

Source:
www.carlow-nationalist.ie
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Title: James Alliston Receives 2025 Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grant

James Alliston and Karma. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation announced that the 2025 Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grant was awarded to eventer James Alliston of San Ramon, California. The national grants are provided by the USET Foundation through the generosity of USET Foundation Honorary Trustee Jacqueline B. Mars, with the aim of supporting preparation and attendance at a competition located more than 1,500 miles from the athlete’s home base.

The grant is designed to assist athlete-and-horse combinations’ progression to the Pre-Elite or Elite Program. The goal of the grant is to provide training and competition resources for athletes who have never competed on an Olympic or FEI World Championship eventing senior team.

The grant was awarded to Alliston with Karma, an 11-year-old North American-bred Oldenburg mare (by Escudo II x Lavita) owned by Alliston Equestrian and Ric Plummer, for the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian CCI5*-L, in which they placed ninth.

“It was a very challenging course, and the galloping was challenging too,” said Alliston of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. “It was a true five-star test. I was really, really happy with Karma, and finishing in the top 10 was great.”

They also received the Mars National Competition and Training Grant in 2023 when they traveled to The Netherlands as part of the U.S. Eventing team for the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Netherlands CCIO4-NC-L, where the team placed fourth. In 2024, the pair finished 12th at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian CCI5-L and ninth in the CCIO4*-S in Aachen, Germany, where they helped the U.S. team win the silver medal in the SAP Cup.

Alliston began riding Karma as a five-year-old when her previous owner, Andrea Pfeiffer, asked for his help in getting her started. Although she was difficult, it was clear that she had plenty of jumping talent. Instead of selling the horse, Pfeiffer kept Karma with Alliston until he bought her in partnership with Ric Plummer.

“It was clear she had something different,” remembered Alliston. “The first time I did a cross-country school, she was incredible. I want to give the horse a chance and hopefully fulfill its potential.”

A short-term goal for Alliston is competing at CHIO Aachen in Germany this summer in preparation for his longer-term goal of representing the U.S. on the team at the FEI World Championships for Eventing in Aachen, Germany, in 2026.

“I need to show good form and that we’re improving and can be a competitive score for the team, but that would be a dream,” he said.

Alliston has lived in California for 15 years, so traveling to Kentucky, the East Coast, and Europe for events requires considerable planning and financial backing. He is grateful for the assistance provided by the Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grants.

“It falls on me to fund trips across the country,” he acknowledged. “It’s expensive for me to leave my teaching business at home, fuel up the truck, and handle all of the expenses that come with traveling. To get the grant is massive; it makes it possible.

“I have to say a big thank you to Mrs. Mars and the USET Foundation, and I’m extremely grateful and really appreciate being chosen for this grant,” he continued. “It’s an honor, and I love riding for the USA.”

Find out more about the criteria for the Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grants here.

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Title: "Countdown to the 2025 Kentucky Derby: Expert Picks and Betting Insights"

The countdown to the first leg of the prestigious horse racing Triple Crown is on, with the 2025 Kentucky Derby set to run on Saturday. Post time for the 151st edition of the "Run for the Roses" is at 6:57 p.m. ET. Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, is the 3-1 favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds. The three-year-old colt heads into Churchill Downs on a four-race winning streak. Other top 2025 Kentucky Derby contenders in the 2025 Kentucky Derby field include Sovereignty (5-1), Sandman (6-1), and Burnham Square (12-1). Could a surprise longshot make a splash and upset the favored 2025 Kentucky Derby horses or will Journalism come away with the win? With so much to consider while making your 2025 Kentucky Derby picks, a little expert help can go a long way.

The Kentucky Derby has earned the nickname "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports." The first race was held in 1875 on a 1.5-mile track in front of an estimated 10,000 fans. Churchill Downs is now a 1.25-mile track with attendance figures topping 150,000 on an annual basis. The Kentucky Derby is held annually on the first Saturday in May and is the longest continuously held sporting event in the United States. The Kentucky Derby has also become known as "The Run for the Roses" because of the longstanding tradition of draping the winning horse in a blanket of roses.

Given all the history, there’s a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Kentucky Derby like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2025 Kentucky Derby picks possible.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has nailed the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 11 times in the last 16 years. He also predicted the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last seven years and called 10 of the last 20 Preakness winners, including in 2023, when he hit the winner, exacta, trifecta and superfecta, as well as the trifecta in 2024. Anyone who has followed him on those picks could be up huge at sites like FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires, and 1/ST BET.

Now, with the 2025 Kentucky Derby post positions set and odds on the board, Demling is sharing his picks and 2025 Kentucky Derby betting predictions over at SportsLine.

Top 2025 Kentucky Derby expert picks

Here’s a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine’s Jody Demling:

Kentucky Derby Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $258.56 at the 2024 Kentucky Derby with Mystik Dan and Sierra Leone.

Kentucky Derby Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $1,113.84 at the 2024 Kentucky Derby with Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone and Forever Young.

Kentucky Derby Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $8,254 at the 2024 Kentucky Derby with Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone, Forever Young and Catching Freedom.

While Demling has no quibbles about the favorite status of Journalism (3-1), the Michael McCarthy-trained colt isn’t his top pick. Instead, he is building his tickets around Luxor Cafe (15-1) and an even bigger longshot who is "generating buzz on the backside," spicing up his 2025 Kentucky Derby exotics.

How to make 2025 Kentucky Derby bets

Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Kentucky Derby 2025.

So which horses do you take? And in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling’s picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2025 Kentucky Derby.

2025 Kentucky Derby odds, futures, horses, post positions.

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