BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

Spendthrift Hopes for Big Oaks, Derby Weekend

Spendthrift Farm owner B. Wayne Hughes had plenty of horses to keep an eye on April 30 during the training time for those preparing for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands(gr. I).

OTTB Spotlight: Declan's Moon

2004 Champion 2yo Declan's Moon was back in the limelight in the '100 Day Thoroughbred Challenge.'

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Cal Nation to Stand at Merryland Farm

Kentucky's WinStar Farm and Maryland's Country Life Farm (owned by Josh and Mike Pons) have reached a co-ownership agreement to stand WinStar's homebred colt Cal Nation at the Pons' Merryland Farm near Hydes, Md., in 2013.

Friesan Fire to Merryland in Maryland

Friesan Fire, winner of the 2009 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) and the favorite in that year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has been retired from racing and will stand at Merryland in Maryland.

Maryland Stallion Citidancer Euthanized

Pensioned Maryland sire Citidancer, sire of 29 stakes winners, including grade I winners Urbane and Hookedonthefeelin, succumbed to laminitis Aug. 11 at the age of 23.

Pons Joins TCA Board

Thoroughbred Charities of America announced Jan. 20 the appointment of Josh Pons to its board of directors. Pons will serve a three-year term as a new member.

Clancy Wins Eclipse Award For Commentary

Sean Clancy has won the 2009 Media Eclipse Award for Writing in the News/Commentary category for his column "Life's Work," which appeared in the Blood-Horse on Jan. 3, 2009

Downward Trends Continue at F-T Sale

Prices tumbled at the the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale Feb. 9 in Lexington, following the downward trends that have been seen at other recent auctions. The average price dropped 42.8% while the median price fell 28.6%. A much smaller sale catalog than in 2008 contributed to the 62.9% decline in the gross revenue.

Champ Declan's Moon Retired to Merryland

Maryland-bred Declan's Moon, the 2004 Eclipse Award-winning champion juvenile colt and early favorite for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) before an injury, has been retired from racing.

Philadelphia Inquirer's Jensen Wins Second Eclipse

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Jan. 5 that Mike Jensen of the Philadelphia Inquirer has won the 2006 Media Eclipse Award for writing in the features/enterprise category for "The Man Whose Job is Saving Barbaro," a profile of Dr. Dean Richardson, which was published May 28, 2006. Honorable mention in the feature/enterprise category went to Josh Pons for "Merryland, a Diary" which appeared in The Blood-Horse Dec. 3, 2005.

Life of Joseph Pons Remembered at Memorial

Joseph Pons Sr. touched a lot of people in his life, from breeders and racetrackers to prisoners he helped rehabilitate at a nearby detention center. Hundreds of those people turned out Monday at the Pons family's Country Life Farm north of Baltimore to celebrate the life of the beloved Marylander who died last Wednesday at the age of 83.

Maryland Horseman Joseph P. Pons Sr. Dead

Joseph P. Pons Sr., patriarch of Country Life Farm near Bel Air, Md., died Oct. 12 of a heart attack at his home at the farm.

Maryland Stallion Carnivalay Pensioned

Carnivalay, one of Maryland's top stallions since entering the stallion ranks at the Pons family's Country Life Farm near Bel Air, Md., and one of the last of the Northern Dancers at stud, has been pensioned because of decreased fertility.

Country Life Adds Parker's Storm Cat

Filling the void left when his half-brother Malibu Moon was recently moved to Castleton Lyons Farm near Lexington, Parker's Storm Cat will enter stud in 2004 at the Pons family's Country Life Farm near Bel Air, Md. The son of Storm Cat's fee will be $3,000.

Maryland Stallion Allen's Prospect Euthanized

Allen's Prospect, sire of 57 stakes winners and a hallmark of consistency, was euthanized Wednesday, Sept. 3, at age 21 following surgery at New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania for removal of a tumor under his jaw.

New! Farm Life Goes Interactive in New Year

Starting Tuesday, Jan. 1, bloodhorse.com will publish daily installments of the award-winning "Country Life Diary."

Country Life Farm Expands

The Pons' family's Country Life Farm of Bel Air, Md. announced Friday the acquistion of Merryland Farm, a 159-acre horse farm located in the Long Green Valley of Maryland.