Eras Horse Racing Thread

Petah, the horse racing thread is here.

The Hexastalian Horse Racing Authority (Folyan: Hexsztaliai Lóverseny Hatóság, HLH) is the governing body of horse racing in Hexastalia, responsible for flat races, steeplechasing, and harness racing. Its functions include race planning, disciplinary procedures, protecting the sport’s integrity, licensing and registering race participants, setting and enforcing standards for race participants, setting and enforcing standards for racing venues, ensuring the welfare of both horses and their staff, promoting the sport, recruiting and training new staff in the sport, and grading races.

Hexastalia currently has 36 major racecourses licensed by HLH. It is responsible for the governance of 320 events per year. Flat racing is most popular, with 155 HLH administered races every year: 14 Grade 1 races, 15 Grade 2 races, 45 Grade 3 races, and 81 Listed (below G3) races. Steeplechase sees 100 events administered by HLH every year, followed by Harness Racing with 50 and Endurance Racing with 15.

Here's a spreadsheet for all of Hexastalia's graded races. If I added the listed races, I would have to name 81 more events and 24 more racing venues, and honestly, I think I'm good.


The Hexastalian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is the highest achievement in Hexastalia's horse racing scene. It consists of winning the Káprázatos Cup, Central Stakes, and Hexastalian Derby back to back to back. These races are all Grade 1 events, the highest possible ranking in Hexastalia. They are only open to Hexastalian horses that are three years of age. The last winner of the Triple Crown was Tempestuous in 2018.

The Hexastalian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is a series of three horse races consisting of the Káprázatos Cup, Central Stakes, and Hexastalian Derby. To achieve the crown, one must win all three races. These races are open only to Hexastalian horses of three years of age*, who have either earned a placement through participation in qualifying races or meet the standards of quality and are willing to pay the entry fees. Female horses (fillies) were barred from participation before 2013; despite their participation in the races now, they are still a rare sight. Between the Triple Crown's foundation in 1899 and its 1962 running, the Royal Cup was run as the October leg of the series. It was replaced by the Káprázatos Stakes, subsequently renamed the Káprázatos Cup, in the 1963 edition. In total, ten horses have won all three races of the Triple Crown. Their names and years of achievement are as follows:
•Nagy Császár, 1900
•Horizont, 1922
•Kerekasztal, 1934
•Feketerigó Dala, 1953
•Mogyorófa, 1957
•Rajmond Álma, 1961
•Nagy Gondviselés, 1966
•Star Dancer, 1973
•Cicero Neptunus, 1996
•Tempestuous, 2018

*In thoroughbreds, all horses are treated as if they were born on January 1st of their birth year.

The HLH Awards are an annual series of awards given out to outstanding people and horses in the Hexastalian Horse Racing world. Originally started in 1978, the HLH Awards offer a small amount of prize money, a trophy, and bragging rights to their winners. Award winners are decided via a public vote held between January 1 and February 1, with the awards being given out on February 14. The most prestigious award is the HLH Horse of the Year.
Current Awards:

• HLH Horse of the Year
• HLH Best Two-Year-Old Colt
• HLH Best Two-Year-Old Filly
• HLH Best Three-Year-Old Colt
• HLH Best Three-Year-Old Filly
• HLH Best Older Male Horse
• HLH Best Older Female Horse
• HLH Best Sprinter
• HLH Leading Sire
• HLH Best Steeplechase Horse
• HLH Best Harness Racing Horse
• HLH Jockey of the Year
• HLH Best Steeplechase Jockey
• HLH Trainer of the Year

Additionally, there is the HLH Special Award, which is not regularly awarded. Its purpose is to honor the outstanding achievements or contributions of an individual to the sport of horse racing in Hexastalia. It has been awarded to journalists, commentators and announcers, owners, jockeys, trainers, veterinarians, among others.

the infection has spread

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There are fifty-six grade one (Gryþ An) horse racing events in the Commonwealth of Great Sutherland at present; amongst the most prestigious are the Grand Commonwealth, Capital Stakes, and Lord's. The province of Davenshire, primarily around Mildenhall, hosts the plurality (17) of these events, including the most prominent ones in the country, while a number of other major cities such as Cjanèva, Dunnock, Dæmstede, Averreþ, Baldwin and Hopebeck host the remainder. There is a disproportionate following amongst working-class populations in the southern industrial regions, with Westmorland known for the Duncan MacAllister and Bartoncross, while some areas in the east like Franklin have comparatively little followership for horseracing.

Sutherland also hosts a number of international horseracing events, such as the Southern Cross, and the Sutherland World Cup.

Mimosa Dream (foaled 14 March 2015) is a Hexastalian thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2018 Southern Cross. Sired by Hexastalian champion sprinter Tachyon out of G1 winning race mare Dream Vivid, he represented the Dreamtime Racing organization and was trained by Alex Márton. He won the HLH Award for Best Sprinter. Mimosa Dream is a chestnut colt. He was sired by Tachyon, who won eight graded stakes races, including the Sprinters Championship (twice) out of the Matron Stakes winner Dream Vivid. Tachyon was the 2011 and 2012 leading sire in Hexastalia and Dream Vivid has produced twelve foals, including two graded stakes winners.

Mimosa Dream made his racecourse debut in a 1200-meter maiden race at Northern Racecourse on 26 August 2017. Ridden by Stephen Dobos and despite a slow start, Mimosa Dream closed steadily with the leaders and finished with a comfortable half-length lead. This was followed by a win in the 1200-meter Listed grade Beginners’ Luck Stakes that October at Diósgyőr Fairgrounds, beating a field of sixteen that included several other promising sprinters. This was followed by a step up in length at a 1200-meter Allowance race at Northern Racecourse that November, finishing second two lengths behind the winner, Terra Aroma.

Mimosa Dream started his 2018 campaign with a run in the G3 Northern Stakes, winning by three lengths against a field of fifteen - including Terra Aroma, who placed sixth. This was followed by wins at the G2 Weskermere Sprint Stakes and Listed grade Royal Derby. All of this was preparation for the Peter Tibor Stakes: a Grade 1 1400-meter race in September.

Mimosa Dream started the Peter Tibor Stakes as the third favorite behind the 2017 winner Shuttlecraft and Tachyon Stakes winner Top Prestige. Mimosa Dream started well but settled into the middle of the pack as Fast Ash set the pace. Top Prestige took the lead in the final straight, but Mimosa Dream spurted strongly and pulled away to win by a half-length.

Mimosa Dream’s win at the Peter Tibor Stakes motivated his connections to enter him in the Southern Cross in Sutherland. No Hexastalian horse had won the Southern Cross. He shipped out to Sutherland a week after winning the Peter Tibor Stakes. He started at fifth favorite and as one of two Hexastalian horses sent to compete. Mimosa Dream broke quickly from an inside post and vied for an early lead. Settling into second, Mimosa Dream swung wide on the turn. Accelerating wildly in the straight, Mimosa Dream crossed the finish a full length ahead of second place. He registered a speed score of 115 and was rated as the best sprinter in Hexastalia.

Following his HLH Award for Best Sprinter-winning performance the previous year, Mimosa Dream started his 2019 campaign by being moved up in length to compete in the March Mile Stakes. Despite hopes he would have gained staying power with age, this did not appear to have occurred, and Mimosa Dream finished fifth. He returned to the winner’s circle in May at the Weskermere Sprint Stakes.

It was decided that Mimosa Dream would aim for the Sprinters Championship in 2019. Consequently, he next raced in the Sprinters Championship Trial Stakes. In a close race, Mimosa Dream barely secured a berth at the Championship by a neck. Though they were hesitant about his odds of winning, his connections entered him into the Sprinters Championship. Starting as the favorite to win, Mimosa Dream was unable to keep up with the monstrous pace set by Rice Biscuit, finishing in sixth place.

Retiring to the farm to rest over the winter, Mimosa Dream’s 2020 campaign was cut short following an early win at the Northern Stakes. Shortly after the race, it was announced that Mimosa Dream had sustained injuries that required him to retire early. He was sent to Dream Farm to stud in May. He has sired four graded stakes winners since 2020.

Winter Gale is a Hexastalian thoroughbred racehorse foaled on February 12, 2022. Sired by Tempestuous, a 5-time G1 winner and the champion of the 2018 Hexastalian Triple Crown (the first of the 2000s), and Autumn Queen, a 2-time G1 winner, Winter Gale comes with high expectations. He is the winner of the 2025 Triple Crown.

Winter Gale made his racecourse debut in a maiden race at Metropolitan Racecourse against a field of nine unraced juveniles on February 26th. Following his maiden win, he was entered into the listed grade Capital Newcomers Stakes over 2000 meters at Metropolitan Racecourse on March 15th, 2024, and won by two lengths. On April 22, Winter Gale was stepped up to compete in the Grade 3 Phoenix Stakes, placing first by a neck. He was again stepped up on September 22 to compete in the Grade 1 Junior Cup, which his sire Tempestuous had won in 2017. Winter Gale defended the family legacy by surging in the final straight and placing first by a length. His performance and undefeated two-year-old season saw him named the HLH's Best Two-Year-Old Colt.

Winter Gale made his three-year debut at the 2025 Pegasus Stakes, a G2 over 1800 meters at Káprázatos Racetrack on May 11. He repeated his performance in 2024 by beating second-favorite racer Avalonian - the winner of the 2024 Juvenile Stakes - by 3/4 of a length. In June, Winter Gale found his first loss at the 50th anniversary G3 Challenge Cup, placing second out of sixteen competitors, beaten by Flash Step. Returning to the track on August 17, Winter Gale returned to form with a dominating victory in the G1 Unicorn Stakes.

To close out his 2025 campaign, Winter Gale entered into the three races of the Hexastalian Triple Crown. At the Káprázatos Cup, Winter Gale beat out a strong field of contenders by a half-length. The Central Stakes saw Flash Step return to compete against Winter Gale, who redeemed himself with a win by a neck over Avalonian. The Hexastalian Derby saw Winter Gale add his final jewel to his crown with a win by over a length. Winter Gale’s Triple Crown achievement marks the first time a Triple Crown champion’s offspring has won the Triple Crown. It is also the first time a jockey, Miklós Kocsis, has won the Triple Crown twice.

Winter Gale’s connections have confirmed he will return to the racecourse in 2026.



Flash Step (foaled: March 25, 2022) is a Hexastalian thoroughbred racehorse, best known for an upset victory over Winter Gale in the 2025 Challenge Cup.

Flash Step is a dark bay horse with prominent white facial markings. He is notable for his small size, standing at 15.6 hands at maturity. He is a son of Flash of Genius, winner of the 2007 Autumn Stakes and 2008 Spring Cup. His dam, Step Lightly, a daughter of Lightship, won two Listed races. Flash Step’s pedigree means he is a half-second cousin of Winter Gale; they share the same great-grandfather. Flash Step was bred by Plébánia-Domb Farm and sold as a yearling at the Káprázatos Thoroughbred Sale for 40,000HD (5,926 IBU) to a local businessman, Rafael Lovász. Lovász sent his horse to train with Alexander Pusztai.

Flash Step made his racing debut on 3 March 2024 at a maiden race on the Szarvas Park racetrack. Ridden by Luka Bokros, he placed fifth out of six racers in the 1600m event. Lovász and Pusztai made the decision to replace Bokros with rookie jockey Robert Kis for Flash Step’s next race on May 18th. Flash Step performed strongly under Kis, breaking his maiden race on his second start. On August 24th, he finished third in an allowance race at Káprázatos Racetrack against Civic Virtue. He returned to victory in an undercard allowance race for the Juvenile Stakes on 15 September. Flash Step’s final race of 2024 was the December Stakes, a Listed 2000m race at Árámlat Racecourse, finishing second by a head.
Flash Step participated in his first race of 2025 and first graded race on March 16 in the Eastern Stakes, an 1800 meter race at Káprázatos Racetrack. He finished first by a head despite being fifth favorite to win out of fourteen racers. This was both his and Robert Kis’ first graded win. Flash Step then competed in the Diósgyőr Castle Stakes, a Listed 2000 meter race at the Diósgyőr Fairgrounds; he finished outside of the money in sixth place.

On June 29th, Flash Step entered the starting gate at Káprázatos Racetrack as the seventh favorite to win the 2025 Challenge Cup. Favorite to win was future Triple Crown winner Winter Gale, coming off a 5-win streak, including 3 graded races. Flash Step showed surprising speed and acceleration in the late race, passing Winter Gale and winning by 3/4 lengths. Flash Step set a record for the fastest time to run the last furlong of the Challenge Cup, doing so without Kis needing to use his whip. Kis commented, “I was just along for the ride at the end. I think he wanted to win.”

In August, Flash Step ran in the Csalogány Stakes, a Listed undercard for the Kincsem Stakes. Despite being the favorite to win, he placed fifth out of 14 racers. This was followed by a return to Káprázatos for his first G2 race: the Autumn Stakes. Running against 2025 Soma Gold Cup runner up Cicero Viridis, Flash Step once again failed to replicate his earlier success against a G1-level horse, finishing second by a half-length.

Flash Step was once again stepped up in grade to race in the G1 Central Stakes in November. Starting as eighth favorite, Flash Step would once again face Winter Gale on the racecourse. Following a strong start, Flash Step settled into a position near the rear of the pack along the fence. At the fourth corner, Flash Step’s strong late race performance once again shined, as Kis rode him from tenth place to a third place finish in Flash Step’s first G1 race.

Flash Step is presently at pasture for the winter and will return to racing in Spring 2026