Closing Argument, a top 10 leading third-crop sire of 2011, has moved to Whispering Oaks Farm near Carnecro, La. for the 2012 breeding season. The son of Successful Appeal will stand for $5,000.
Friday, December 30, 2011
J P's Gusto, a grade I-winning juvenile and successful 3-year-old sprinter, has been retired from racing and will stand in 2012 at Brent and Crystal Fernung's Journeyman Stud near Ocala, Fla.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Successful Mission parlayed a ground-saving trip into his first graded stakes win, resisting favored Voodoo Swinge in the final strides by a neck in the $125,000 Miami Mile Handicap (gr. IIIT) on turf at Calder.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Jockey Tyler Baze didn't take long to get back to the winner's circle in his return to riding in Southern California April 28.
Thursday, April 28, 2011Florida horseman Dan Rapp has joined Walmac Farm as head of stallion nominations.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Twice the Appeal, disqualified in his prior start, made the most of a second chance when he collared Astrology near mid-stretch en route to a 1 1/2-length victory in the $800,000 Sunland Derby (gr. III) in New Mexico.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Jockey Patrick Valenzuela earned his first California stakes victory since the fall of 2007 when he guided J P's Gusto to a front-running half-length win in the $150,000 Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) at Del Mar Aug. 8.
Sunday, August 08, 2010She posts the quickest time at an eighth of a mile, covering the distance in :9 4/5 during the under tack show for the May sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Successful Appeal, who is represented by nine stakes winners this year, will stand the 2010 season for $17,500 at John T.L. Jones III's Walmac Farm near Lexington.
Monday, November 30, 2009Successful stallions Successful Appeal and Songandaprayer will be available to cover mares at Walmac Farm near Lexington during this year's Southern Hemisphere breeding season.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009The 45-1 outsider Trusty Temper, ridden by Justin Shepherd, shook off favored Saarlight in early stretch and repulsed a strong challenge mid-stretch to win the $200,000 Jostle Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths at Philadelphia Park June 13.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
The third and last foal from Storm Cat's final crop was born March 5 at Louise and Kiki Courtelis' Town & Country Farms near Paris, Ky.
Sunday, March 08, 2009Suave Prospect, who has sired 26 stakes horses, has been relocated to Vern Hrycuik and John Vanderligt's farm near Wanham, Alberta, Canada.
Friday, January 30, 2009Alex's Pal, who is a half-brother to successful sire Successful Appeal, has moved to Ghost Ridge Farm near York, Pa.
Thursday, January 29, 2009In light of the current economics facing breeders today, Walmac Farm has announced a "breeders stimulus plan" applicable to 2009 stud fees
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Walmac announced its 2009 stud fees Nov. 7, with Successful Appeal among the many whose price will be reduced in the coming year. Successful Appeal will stand for $22,500, down from $40,000.
Friday, November 07, 2008
With no stakes winner in the field, even-money choice Dawn After Dawn had an easy time of it in winning the $200,000 La Canada Stakes (gr. II) on the front end at Santa Anita Feb. 10.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Closing Argument will be relocated for 2008 from Florida to John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Farm near Lexington.
Friday, October 19, 2007Fresh off a victory in the Sept. 3 Tom Ridge Labor Day Stakes over the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle Downs, Tom Walters' Elite Squadron heads a field of 11 3-year-olds for the Sept. 29 Kentucky Cup Sprint (gr. III) at Turfway.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Ever since the days of Intentionally and his son In Reality, Florida has been a haven for the male line of Man o' War. The primary Florida branch since the death of In Reality in 1989 has been that of Valid Appeal (In Reality-Desert Trial), who was a perennial regional leader until he was pensioned in 1997. Valid Appeal was succeeded by two Florida-based U.S. leading freshman sires in Valid Expectations (2001) and Successful Appeal (2004). With the transfers of Valid Expectations to Texas and Successful Appeal to Kentucky, however, only 2000 Spectacular Bid Stakes (gr. III) winner B L's Appeal and a few lesser sons of Valid Appeal remained as representatives of the In Reality male line in Florida. But another branch of In Reality, that of Relaunch, has enjoyed success in Kentucky and California, and it has now found a place in Florida through third-crop sire Put It Back
Tuesday, August 21, 2007The two-day Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale posted increases in gross, average, and median during its opening session Feb. 11 at the sale company's Newtown Paddocks near Lexington.
Monday, February 12, 2007Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's favored Appealing Zophie, a grade I winner, turned away an erratic Total in the stretch to run away with Saturday's $200,000 Silverbulletday Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies at Fair Grounds.
Saturday, February 10, 2007Front-running Accountforthegold peeled away from the field at the head of the stretch en route to his first open and graded stakes victory in the $110,100 Stuyvesant Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct Saturday.
Saturday, November 18, 2006Monday's session of the Keeneland November mixed sale saw the sale gross surpass last year's total figure as foreign and domestic buyers kept the market strong. Totals for the eight days of selling reached $290,807,400 while gross sales for the 14-day auction in 2005 totaled $289,602,900
Monday, November 13, 2006Alex's Pal, a half-brother to successful third-crop sire Successful Appeal, will stand at Randolph Thoroughbreds near Ocala, Fla.
Monday, November 13, 2006Successful Appeal and Songandaprayer, two stallions moved to Johnny Jones III and Bobby Trussell's Walmac Farm near Lexington in recent years from Florida, will have their fees raised for 2007.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006Appealing Zophie, who won the Spinaway Stakes (gr. I), and Untouched Talent, who broke her maiden in a stakes before winning the Sorrento Stakes (gr. III) and finishing a fast-closing second in the Del Mar Debutante, should vie for favoritism Friday in Keeneland's opening day feature, the grade II Alcibiades Stakes.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's Appealing Zophie, ridden aggressively at the start by Shaun Bridgmohan, got the jump on her rivals and was never challenged in winning Sunday's $250,000 Spinaway (gr. I) for 2-year-old fillies at Saratoga Race Course.
Sunday, September 03, 2006Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's undefeated homebred Richwoman maneuvered five wide coming into the stretch and gradually wore down the 11-10 favorite Chagall to win the $109,700 Debutante (gr. III) for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs Saturday.
Saturday, July 08, 2006John T.L. Jones III and Robert Trussell's Walmac Farms announced that the fee for first-crop sire Songandaprayer has been boosted to $35,000.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005Indian Halo, a Halo mare that produced grade III winner Indian Ocean, sold for $240,000 to top all prices Wednesday in the third session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company Fall Mixed Sale.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005Closing Argument, the 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) runner-up, has been retired from racing and will take up stud duty for the 2006 breeding season at Becky Thomas' Sequel Stallions in Ocala, Florida.
Friday, September 16, 2005Accountforthegold led every step of the way while setting a stakes record in the $168,400 New York Derby for New York-bred 3-year-olds at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack on Saturday.
Saturday, July 16, 2005Philip and Marcia Cohen have sold an equity interest in the their 3-year old colt Closing Argument to JMJ Racing Stables (Dennis Narlinger) and Sequel Stallions (Becky Thomas and Lewis Lakin), Narlinger announced May 20.
Friday, May 20, 2005Successful Appeal, the leading freshman sire of 2004 and sire of Kentucky Derby (gr. I) second-place finisher Closing Argument, will not cover any more mares this breeding season, John T.L. Jones III of Walmac Farm said in a release today.
Friday, May 13, 2005Few things create more excitement for a stallion than having a Kentucky Derby (gr. I) contender from the first crop of foals. If you doubt it, look at the last three sires who sired a Derby winner from their first crop.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin got almost what he wanted Monday morning from his Kentucky Derby (gr. I) charge Closing Argument.
Monday, May 02, 2005Successful Appeal, last year's leading freshman stallion and sire of Kentucky Derby (gr. I) contender Closing Argument, is recuperating from colic surgery performed April 25 at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital near Lexington.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005Philip and Marcia Cohen's Closing Argument, winner of the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) and one of the most prominent 3-year-olds on the 2005 Triple Crown trail, worked a handy five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Palm Meadows Feb. 28.
Monday, February 28, 2005Stalker Closing Argument registered a game 1 1/2-length victory in the $150,000 Holy Bull (gr. III) for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park, handing 3-5 favorite High Fly his first defeat Saturday.
Saturday, February 05, 2005Three horses consigned by Terry Oliver and three others consigned by Ciaran Dunne of Wavertree Stables were among the fastest workers at an eighth of a mile Monday during the first under tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s select sale of 2-year-olds in training at Calder Race Course.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005Alex's Pal, a half-brother to the 2004 leading first-crop sire Successful Appeal, will stand the 2005 breeding season at Lou Gurino's Lou-Roe Farm near Morriston, Fla. His fee will be $2,500 live foal. Alex's Pal is from the first crop of 2001 leading freshman sire Valid Expectations, who like Successful Appeal, is a son of Valid Appeal.
Friday, January 07, 2005For the second time in four years, a son of Valid Appeal and a representative of the In Reality male line is the leading first-crop sire in North America. In 2001, Valid Expectations earned the freshman sire title, and in 2004, Successful Appeal joined him in stamping Valid Appeal as a modern sire of sires.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005Front-running Punch Appeal turned back Summer Raven in the stretch run of the $250,000 Boyd Gaming's Delta Princess for 2-year-old fillies and pulled away for a 5 1/2-length victory Saturday at Delta Downs.
Saturday, December 04, 2004Favored Punch Appeal didn't have the easiest of trips for jockey Pat Day, but she was not to be denied in winning the $109,500 Pocahontas for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs by a nose.
Saturday, November 06, 2004Successful Appeal, the leading first-crop sire who was relocated this summer from Florida to Walmac International near Lexington, will stand for $25,000 in 2005.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004After rolling past its previous all-time cumulative mark for gross on Tuesday, the Keeneland September yearling sale sailed on Wednesday with another solid session.
Thursday, September 23, 2004Philip & Marcia Cohen's Closing Argument scored an impressive four-length victory in the $201,640 Delaware Park NATC Futurity Saturday.
Saturday, September 04, 2004The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's sixth annual fund-raising party held Monday night at the Saratoga Golf and Polo Club exceeded all expectations as 450 guests attended for a chance to bid on unique experiences and stallion seasons while helping out a good cause. The event raised $425,000.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004The speculation concerning Successful Appeal's move to John T.L. Jones Jr.'s Walmac International near Lexington is over.
Friday, July 16, 2004