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Breaking the Animal: Bradshaw's View

When Randy Bradshaw broke and prepared Animal Kingdom for racing, the Team Valor International homebred colt wasn't the most precocious pupil, but his potential to be a talented runner was apparent.

Animal Kingdom Zips Over Belmont Surface

Animal Kingdom zipped a half-mile in :47.76 on the Belmont Park surface June 6 as the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner showed his readiness for the June 11 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

Unmatched Thrill for Animal Kingdom Partners

Some of the partners in Team Valor International's Animal Kingdom have been investors for some time, but nothing prepared them for May 7 when the colt won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

Triple Crown Insider - 05/11/11 (Video)

A look back at the Kentucky Derby, including comments from Team Valor's Barry Irwin about Animal Kingdom, and a look ahead to the Preakness.

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Triple Crown Talk: Post Derby Thoughts

Kentucky Derby 137 has come and gone, and before we move on to the Preakness let's take a few moments to dissect the race. I have several observations, but let's start out with the winner.

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Partnerships Take Center Stage

After the Derby, Barry Irwin reminded everyone of the important role 
of partnerships today.

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Animal Kingdom Roars to Derby Victory

Team Valor International's homebred Animal Kingdom roared down the stretch to win the 137th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Nehro was second; Mucho Macho Man third.

Animal Kingdom a Team Valor Derby Product

Barry Irwin had faith in the horse he bred and is being rewarded with a chance to participate in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

TOBA to Conduct Ownership Seminar

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association will conduct a Thoroughbred Ownership Seminar Thursday, May 5, at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville.

TCI - Kentucky Oaks Preview (Video)

A special Triple Crown Insider looks at the Kentucky Oaks, including an interview with Barry Irwin of Team Valor, owners of Summer Soiree.

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Pluck Out 60 Days With Cannon Bone Bruising

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) winner Pluck will be turned out in a paddock for the next 60 days as a result of bruising on both of of his hind cannon bones.

Summer Soiree Bought by Team Valor

Summer Soiree, who romped by 10 3/4 lengths in the March 26 Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III) at Turfway Park, has been bought by Team Valor International and will be pointed to the May 6 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.

Pluck Bypassing Palm Beach for TB Allowance

Pluck, last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) winner for Team Valor, will begin his 3-year-old season in a $30,000 allowance race on turf at Tampa Bay Downs March 12.

Team Valor, Denali Stud in Partnership

Team Valor and Denali Stud have formed a strategic alliance that, among other things, will allow the international racing stable to use the Kentucky breeding farm and consignor as its exclusive boarding and sales agent.

Jet Master Colts Top Cape Town Premier Sale

The inaugural Cape Town Premier yearling sale in South Africa generated a gross of R87.9 million ($12,433,600 in U.S. funds) during its two-day run that ended Jan. 28, according to the Racing Post.

Vinery Australia Buys Interest in Pluck

A partnership headed by Tom Simon's Vinery Australia has purchased a 45% interest in this year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT) winner Pluck.

Featured Horse Profile: Pluck

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Pluck may run in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas next year.

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Team Valor Sends All Horses to Trainer Motion

Team Valor International will purchase a barn at Fair Hill Training Center in northeast Maryland and turn all of its horses over to trainer Graham Motion effective immediately.

Team Valor, Partner Acquire Chantilly Nayla

Barry Irwin's Team Valor International and Dave Munro's Highfield Stock Farm have privately purchased the 3-year-old filly Chantilly Nayla, who will be trained by Wayne Catalano.

Gitano Hernando a Star on the Rise

With a victory in the 2009 Goodwood Stakes (gr. I) already in the books, Gitano Hernando now has a legitimate chance to win the world's richest race, the $10 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) March 27 at Meydan Racecourse.

Kinsella Euthanized After Workout

Kinsella, who sold for a sale-topping $2.2 million at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale, was euthanized Jan. 25 after breaking down following a workout over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface.

Anderson to Head Marketing at Team Valor

Takes over advertising, marketing, and promotion for racing partnership enterprise.

Junia Tepzia Takes Long Road to BC

Irish-bred, formerly Bulgarian-owned, German-trained, and Italian-raced Junia Tepzia now campaigned by Team Valor for Breeders' Cup run in Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Gitano Hernando to Bypass Breeders' Cup

Team Valor International announced Oct. 20 that Gitano Hernando, upset winner of the Goodwood Stakes (gr. I) in his North American debut, will not run in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Santa Anita on Nov. 7.

Gitano Hernando Gets Giant Goodwood Upset

Europeans got an early start on the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) this year when British import Gitano Hernando, ridden by Kieren Fallon, upset favored Colonel John in Oak Tree's $350,000 Goodwood Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Oct. 10.

Countdown to the Cup: Zenyatta's Turn

Now that Rachel Alexandra is through for the year, it is time for Zenyatta, the defending Queen of all Turfdom, to take center stage, and her presence will be a welcome sight in a year where the Breeders' Cup has gone a bit haywire.

King of the Roxy Wins First Start at 'Home'

Team Valor Stables' Ohio-bred King of the Roxy, voted Ohio Horse of the Year in 2007, made his first start in his home state a winning one Aug. 28 when he captured the $50,000 Honey Jay Stakes at Thistledown.

Market Chatter: Lots of Concern About Market

Read what people have been saying about their expectations for the Fasig-Tipton July select yearling sale, which is scheduled for July 20 and 21 in Lexington.

Unbridled Belle Seeks Obeah Stakes Repeat

Team Valor Stables' Unbridled Belle turned in an uncharacteristically poor performance in the Louisville Distaff (gr. II) last out, but her connections say they are hopeful the 6-year-old mare will rebound with a big effort in the $125,000 Obeah Stakes (gr. III), a race that she won a year ago.

Sailor's Cap Dies Days After Winning Poker

Sailor's Cap, upset winner of the Poker Stakes (gr. IIIT) June 14 at Belmont Park, collapsed and died in his stall in trainer J. J. Toner's barn at 4:30 a. m. EDT on June 17.

Hull to Skip Preakness; Smith Named Backup

Derby Trial Stakes (gr. III) winner Hull, who is undefeated in three career starts, will bypass the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and will run instead in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens Stakes (gr. II) on Belmont day. Also trainer Chip Woolley confirmed that Mike Smith will ride Mine That Bird if Rachel Alexandra runs in the Preakness.

Hull Dominates Derby Trial in Stakes Debut

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, Team Valor, and partners' Hull became a graded stakes winner and stayed undefeated in three starts when he took over at the top of the lane and pulled away for a convincing four-length victory in the $112,00 Derby Trial (gr. III) on opening day at Churchill Downs April 25.

McLaughlin to Train $1.5-Million Filly

The $1.5-million Storm Cat filly purchased by Team Valor International at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale has been named Carriage Trade, and she will be trained by Kiaran Mclaughlin, according to Team Valor's Barry Irwin.

Visionaire Won't Point for Breeders' Cup

Visionaire, winner of the Aug. 23 NetJets King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I), won't be pointed for the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park in October because none of the races offers him the opportunity to do "what he does best," according to a recent article on Team Valor International's Web site.

Average, Median Rise at Saratoga Sale

The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale, a small boutique auction that offers quality horses, got off to what the company's chairman, D.G. Van Clief Jr., termed "a solid start " Aug. 4 in New York.

Strong Market Opens FT Saratoga Sale

If the close of the opening session of the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale is any indication, the upper level of the Thoroughbred marketplace is alive and well.

Storm Cat Filly Brings $1.5 Million

Barry Irwin of Team Valor Stables went to $1.5 million to secure a lovely daughter of Storm Cat as the opening session of the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling came to a close Aug. 4.

Ghostzappers Standing Out at Saratoga

Horse of the Year has offspring from his first crop in the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale.

Irwin, Sadler: Investors Still Out There

Racing partnerships continue to attract investors even though the economy is weak.

Economy Squeezes F-T July Yearling Sale

Perhaps Mark Toothaker of Legacy Bloodstock said it best during the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July select yearling auction: "The bull's-eye is getting smaller on what the marketplace is wanting. It's gone from about the size of a quarter to the size of a dime."

Team Valor to Focus on Yearlings

Barry Irwin, who heads Team Valor International, is changing his strategy for acquiring horses for the racing partnerships his company puts together. And that could be good news for yearling sale consignors.

Saratoga Sale Topper in Training

Kinsella, the $2.2-million sale-topper at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling auction, is in training with Todd Pletcher and could make his racing debut late this year.

Visionaire Headed for Gotham Stakes

Visionaire, third to Pyro in the Risen Star Stakes (gr.III) at the Fair Grounds Feb. 9, will run next in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct March 8, majority owner Barry Irwin said Feb. 28.

Aron Wellman Joins Team Valor

California attorney Aron Wellman has been named racehorse administrator by Barry Irwin's Kentucky-based Team Valor International.

The Making of a Trainer

Kellyn Goder is a skilled horseman, one of the few trainers who actually deserve that distinction. He is not famous, but that is about to change. Gorder is on the verge of a breakthrough.

Mark Hennig Wins 1,000th Race

Trainer Mark Hennig won his 1,000th race Nov. 11 when Dinner Break captured the sixth race on closing night at Meadowlands Nov. 10.

Video: Interview with Barry Irwin

Team Valor syndicate founder/owner Barry Irwin discusses his Breeders' Cup Distaff contender Unbridled Belle and his methods for purchasing horses with BloodHorseNOW.com reporter Lenny Shulman.

Breeders' Cup Focus: Unbridled Belle

Unbridled Belle has lived in the shadow of her more illustrious stablemates for most of her career. But when Todd Pletcher trainees Rags to Riches, Indian Vale, Panty Raid, and Octave stepped out of the spotlight, the grade I-winning Broken Vow filly got her chance to shine.

BC Bid by Jazzy May Hinge on La Traviata

Discussions are under way on whether to supplement Gallant Bloom Stakes (gr. II) winner Jazzy to the $1-million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Dirt Sprint.

Pletcher to Train Top-Selling Yearling So Far This Year

The most expensive yearling sold at public auction so far this year is scheduled to be trained by Todd Pletcher, Team Valor International's Barry Irwin said Aug. 26.