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Gio Ponti to Stand at Castleton Lyons

Castleton Lyons' three-time homebred champion Gio Ponti has been retired from racing to stand at stud in 2012 at the Lexington farm.

Ted's Folly Is First Winner for Wild Tale

Wild Tale was represented by his first winner as a stallion when his 2-year-old son, Ted's Folly, cruised by 4 lengths in a five-furlong maiden-special-weight race at Remington Park Aug. 18.

Overdriven No Longer Overlooked

MAHUBAH'S CORNER
Overdriven follows Uncle Mo as a standout 2-year-old for owner Mike Repole. The Tale of the Cat colt's pedigree offers many clues to how he'll develop as a runner.

Overdriven Powers Home Smartly in Sanford

Trainer Todd Pletcher says he's not comparing new stable star Overdriven to last year's champion 2-year-old colt Uncle Mo. But he may have trouble keeping others from doing so after an easy win in the Sanford Stakes July 24.

Watch Me Go Enters Derby Watch

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter
Gilbert Campbell's homebred Watch Me Go enters Derby fray & focuses spotlight on sire West Acre, from the immediate family of Tale of the Cat and Pulpit and Johannesburg and Minardi.

Gio Ponti Leads Turf Classic Nominees

Two-time Champion Gio Ponti tops the list of early nominees to the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic. He could face last year's winner General Quarters in the grade I race May 7.

First Mare in Foal to Tale of Ekati

First-year stallion Tail of Ekati has his first mare pronounced in foal. The stakes-winning Sea Breezer is out of 2-year-old filly champ Lakeville Miss. Tale of Ekati stands at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington.

Lookin At Lucky to Stand for $35,000

Lookin At Lucky, the leading contender for champion 3-year-old male, will enter stud for a fee of $35,000 at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky.

Tale of the Cat Mare Brings $250,000

Twisted Tale, a stakes-placed 5-year-old daughter of Tale of the Cat in foal to Indian Charlie, sold for $250,000 to top the Nov. 13 session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Four Go For Six Figures at NY-Bred Sale

Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sale posts 'similar' numbers as last year during two-day sale.

Gio Ponti Up Late to Repeat in Man o' War

Reigning champion Gio Ponti closed into a slow pace but was still able to get up by a measured neck to score his first win of the season and defend his title in the $600,000 Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) July 10 at Belmont.

Fastnet Rock's Australian Fee Doubles

Coolmore Australia has reduced many of its stallion fees for the 2010 season with one notable exception.

Craig Trust Reduction Grosses Nearly $700k

Craig Family Trust helps Barretts January mixed sale by attracting buyers worldwide.

Australia Posts 10% Drop in Breedings

Australian sires covered more than 23,000 mares during the 2009 breeding season.

Champion Older Male: Gio Ponti

Son of Tale of the Cat dominated the turf division in a season that lacked a main track standout; finished second to Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic

Champion Turf Male: Gio Ponti

Castleton Lyons' homebred won four consecutive grade I turf races, ran second in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (gr. IT) and Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).

Cat by the Tale Gets Purr-fect 'Gorgonio Trip

The $150,000 San Gorgonio Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Jan. 2 could not have come up any better for Cat by the Tale, who seized the lead from pacesetter Century Park on the final turn and burst home easily.

Giant's Causeway's Fee Drops

Not even a No. 1 ranking on this year's leading sires list and 23 stakes winners could keep Giant's Causeway's fee from going down for 2010.

Storm Cat Leaves a Market in Transition

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

It seems appropriate that the once-perennial leading commercial sire, Storm Cat, bow out while the Thoroughbred market redefines itself.

Castleton Lyons Presents Check to PDJF

In a brief ceremony Sept. 18, representatives of Castleton Lyons presented a check for $29,400 to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

Tale of Ekati to Stand at Darby Dan

Multiple grade I winner and millionaire Tale of Ekati will stand the 2010 breeding season at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington for his owner and breeder Charles Fipke, it was announced Sept. 15.

Tale of the Cat Filly Tops Australian Sale

Golden Act, a 4-year-old Tale of the Cat filly, brought Aust$52,000 (approximately $42,526) to top the Magic Millions Perth winter Thoroughbred sale July 26 in Australia. Glenn Martin purchased Golden Act from the Peters Investments reduction.

Cat Moves Springs to Prioress Victory

Undefeated Cat Moves became a grade I winner in her stakes debut, outfighting Light Green to capture the $300,000 Prioress Stakes (gr. IT) as a pair of Edward P. Evans Virginia homebreds took first and second at Belmont Park July 4.

Last to First for Gio Ponti in Manhattan

Belmont track announcer Tom Durkin made note of Gio Ponti being at the back of the pack as the field turned down the backside in the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan (gr. IT), but the colt came from last to first to win the race in dramatic fashion.

Choisir Colt Tops Scone Sale in Australia

A Choisir-Strawberry Mirn colt brought Aust$68,000 (approximately $51,893 in U.S. funds) to top the 60th annual HTBA William Inglis & Son Scone yearling sale in Australia May 14. Trainer Paul Perry purchased the colt from Broad Crossing.

Tale of Ekati Sent to Darby Dan

Tale of Ekati, winner last year of the Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I), has been sent to John Phillips' Darby Dan Farm near Lexington.

Four OBS March Horses Work in :20 2/5

Four horses tied for the fastest work at a quarter mile during the March 12 first session of the under tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds in training in Central Florida.

Gio Ponti Denies Ventura in Kilroe Mile

Gio Ponti, driving for the wire under a frantic Ramon Dominguez, got up just in time to nose the outstanding mare Ventura in the $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (gr. IT) on the Santa Anita turf March 7.

Tale of the Cat Colt Tops NZ Sale

A Tale of the Cat-Eyes Light Up colt sold for the top price of NZ$205,000 ($106,342) Jan. 30 as New Zealand Bloodstock's select yearling auction ended its three-day run in Karaka. Australian trainer Lindsey Smith purchased the colt from Hallmark Stud.

Alpha Kitten is Quick Cat in Santa Ynez

She may be named Alpha Kitten, but she ran like Alpha Cougar or Alpha Cheetah, taking charge down the lane and winning the Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II) for her first stakes win Jan. 17 at Santa Anita.

Surface Switch No Problem for Gio Ponti

Favored Gio Ponti waited for room under a patient Garrett Gomez and blasted through the pack mid-stretch to win the $100,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes going away in a race taken off the Santa Anita Park turf course and transferred to the Pro-Ride main surface Dec. 26.

Tale of Ekati Splashes Home in Jerome

Tale of Ekati earned his first victory since taking the Wood Memorial (gr. I) on the Triple Crown trail this spring when he captured the $159,500 Jerome Handicap (gr. II) on a sloppy track at Belmont Park Oct. 5.

Queen ofthe Catsle at Home in Ken Maddy

Queen Ofthe Catsle earned her first win in a graded stakes race when she ran down pacesetter La Tee in deep stretch to capture Oak Tree's $111,600 Senator Ken Maddy Handicap (gr. IIIT) over Santa Anita's downhill turf course Oct. 4.

Gio Ponti, Court Vision Hook Up Again

Castleton Lyons' Gio Ponti, who has established himself as one of the top 3-year-old turf runners in the nation this year, looks to return to his winning ways when he takes on six sophomores in the $250,000 Jamaica Handicap (gr. IIT) Oct. 4 at Belmont Park.

Keeneland: Market for Good Horses

With the second week of the Keeneland September yearling sale drawing to a close, numbers continue to be down, though buyers and consignors are still claiming it's a strong market for a quality horse.

Gio Ponti Builds Rep in Virginia Derby

Gio Ponti got the nose decision over Court Vision in the $772,500 Virginia Derby (gr. IIT) in a tremendous stretch run over the Colonial Downs turf course July 19, spoiling favored Sailor's Cap's shot at a $5 million bonus.

Azul Leon Puts Lion Heart On Top

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

Lion Heart, currently the freshman sire leader, and Friends Lake, who is ranked eighth, got big boosts from their recent graded stakes winners Azul Leon and Screen Your Friends, respectively. The talent both of these sires showed as juveniles appears to be passing along to their offspring.

Layoff No Problem For Gio Ponti

Gio Ponti, off for more than seven months and making his 3-year-old debut, rallied from last to take the $100,000 Hill Prince Stakes (gr. IIIT) by two lengths under Garrett Gomez June 6 on the Belmont turf.

Belmont Profile: Tale of Ekati

It's difficult to characterize the rise to greatness for a horse like Tale of Ekati, who was born already virtually flawless, according to John Phillips, managing partner of Darby Dan near Lexington, where the colt was foaled.

Meal Penalty Feasts on Arlington Turf

Front-running Meal Penalty found himself on a lonely lead and made the best of it, holding on for a three-quarters of a length win in the $150,000 Arlington Classic for 3-year-olds on the Arlington Park turf May 24.

Coolmore's 2008 Fees Set

It is little wonder the Australian-bred galloper is gaining credibility all over the world. This fact was confirmed yet again by Coolmore announcing its stunning roster of stallions to stand down under in 2008.

Tale of Ekati Works for Belmont

Tale of Ekati turned in a super-sharp work for the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr.I) when he sped four furlongs in 46.84 seconds over Belmont Park's main track May 20. The move was the fastest of 37 works at the distance, on a track listed as fast before a steady rain began falling later in the morning.

Preakness Profile: Racecar Rhapsody

Racecar Rhapsody is looking to earn the first graded stakes victory of his career when he runs in the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I).

Tale of Ekati Takes Wood from War Pass

Charles Fipke's homebred Tale of Ekati may have turned in a sub-par effort in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II), but he sparkled at Aqueduct when he ran down War Pass in the final strides of the $750,000 Wood Memorial (gr. I) April 5.

War Pass Tops Experimental

War Pass, undefeated winner of the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), received the high weight assignment of 127 pounds on the 2007 Experimental Free Handicap.

Fair Grounds Winners Pay Well

The four ungraded $100,000 stakes races at Fair Grounds' "Road to the Derby Kickoff Day" were all about gate-to-wire wins and solid payoffs, as all but one of the winners paid more than $10 while setting or contesting the pace to do so at the Louisiana track Jan. 12.

War Pass Morning-Line Favorite in Bessemer Trust Juvenile

Nick Zito trainee War Pass, winner of the Oct. 6 Champagne Stakes (gr. I), has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the $2- million Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Monmouth Park Oct. 27.

Tale of Ekati, Benny the Bull Drill for Breeders' Cup

Breeders' Cup prospects Tale of Ekati and Benny the Bull both breezed on the fast Monmouth Park track Oct. 16 in preparation for their respective races, the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).

MAHUBAH'S CORNER: Looking for Storm Cat's Successor

Storm Cat, the leader of American commercial sires for most of the last decade, is still strong commercially and is slated to continue in stud service in 2008. But for the second consecutive year, Storm Cat finished second rather than first among leading sires by average at the Keeneland September select yearling sale, and this year, Storm Cat averaged less than half what he did in 2006 ($559,773 vs. $1,270,208). As a result, speculation as to who will assume the old king's mantle is off and running.

Porter on Pedigrees: Tale of Two 2-Year-Olds

Juvenile racing in New York treated us to Tale of Ekati and Proud Spell, a pair of 2-year-old stakes winners Sept. 15, with intriguing, and somewhat linked, pedigrees.