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Storm Cat on Top of Keeneland Sire List

After three days of the Keeneland September yearling sale, pensioned Overbrook Farm stallion Storm Cat was the leading sire of yearlings by average, among those with three or more sold.

A.P. Indy Emerges as Leading Day 1 Sire

Although one of his offspring failed to sell for a record RNA price of $7.7 million, A.P. Indy did have the session-topper and emerged as the leading sire of yearlings sold during the first day of the Keeneland September yearling sale Sept. 8.

First Defence Honing His Natural Speed

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

First Defence is one of those horses whose pedigrees scream speed. The son of Unbridled's Song began displaying that potential with a 6 3/4-length romp in the Forego Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 30. After surviving an early speed duel with opening fractions of :22.53 and :44.61, he pulled away in the stretch to win in a final time of 1:21.55.

Honest Pace Helps Honest Man Win Iselin

An honest pace helped the stalking Honest Man register victory over a heavily favored Grasshopper in the $300,000 Philip H. Iselin Beeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park Aug. 16.

Unbridled's Song's Progeny Shine

The Aug. 5 second and final session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling auction includes the offspring of such successful sires as Storm Cat, Unbridled's Song, Awesome Again, and A.P. Indy.

Spanish Steps Sires First Winner

Spanish Steps sired his first winner July 24, when his daughter Spanish Ice won the fifth race at Del Mar by 1 3/4 lengths.

Thorn Song Lights Up Firecracker

Front-running Thorn Song slammed the door on prohibitive choice Einstein in the stretch and held on for a one-length victory in the $213,250 Firecracker Handicap (gr. IIT) over a yielding Churchill Downs turf course July 4.

First Defence Doesn't Bend in Jaipur

First Defence made his initial effort on grass a winning one for trainer Bobby Frankel and became a graded stakes winner in the process, just holding on by a head to capture the $162,966 Jaipur (gr. III) on Belmont Park's yielding course June 15.

Larry Jones Clings to Support, Faith

Trainer Larry Jones doesn't have a horse in the May 17 Preakness (gr. I), but he is at the track to run horses in stakes Friday and Saturday. Not surprisingly, he is still being asked questions about the tragic breakdown of Eight Belles.

Saez to Ride Eight Belles if in Derby

Should Eight Belles run in the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands instead of the previous day's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), jockey Gabe Saez will have the mount, trainer Larry Jones said April 24.

Eight Belles' on a Winning Crescendo

MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter

Racing for Fox Hill Farms, Eight Belles has three consecutive impressive wins under her belt and will now be the likely favorite for Oaklawn's major Oaks prep, the Fantasy Stakes (gr. II),on April 6. She is the third graded winner by Unbridled's Song to feature inbreeding to Mr. Prospector.

Old, Young to Run in Gold Cup 'Cap

Youthful runners and experienced contenders will go head-to-head at Sam Houston Race Park Jan. 26, when 7-year-old horses and 4-year-old colts mix it up in the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup 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.

Gwen's Song Brings $1.5 Million

Gwen's Song breaks the seven-figure mark Tuesday afternoon at Keeneland.

Thorn Song a Major Threat on Turf

The 5-year-old turf specialist goes for another graded stakes victory in the Canadian Turf at Gulfstream Jan. 4.

TCA Stallion Season and Art Auction

Keeneland?s Entertainment Center was the epicenter of Thoroughbred activity on Nov. 30, for the 18th Annual Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) Stallion Season and Art Auction. The evening brought together many leaders of the industry as well as dozens of central Kentucky?s key farms.

Unbridled's Song's Fee Dropped

Unbridled's Song, who stands at Taylor Made Farm, will stand for $150,000 in 2008, down from $200,000 this year.

Spinster Finishers Match Up Again in Chilukki

After finishing seventh and ninth respectively in the Spinster Stakes (gr. I) over the Polytrack at Keeneland Oct. 7, Rolling Sea and High Heels will drop down in company, shorten up to the one-mile distance, and tackle each other again in the Nov. 3 Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) on the dirt at Churchill Downs.

Storm Cat's Stud Fee May Be Reduced

The shift in sire power at the marathon Keeneland September yearling sale could result in a decreased stud fee for Storm Cat and a reduction in the number of mares to be bred to the most expensive sire in North America.

Pair of $425,000 Purchases Start Third Day of Sale

A daughter of Unbridled's Song and a son of Cherokee Run led the morning portion of the third day of the Keeneland September yearling sale, with each selling for $425,000.

Jones-Bred Yearlings in Spotlight This Year

Someone wanting to play percentages for yearlings selling for $1 million or more may need to look no further than the broodmare band of husband/wife breeders Aaron U. and Marie D. Jones.

September Select Gross and Average Fall at Keeneland; Median Equals Record

The select market at the Keeneland September yearling sale isn't as strong at the top as it was a year ago.

Keepin' Up with Keeneland: Notes from Day 2

The boys from Coolmore added another stellar purchase to their already impressive stable, spending $2.6 million for a full brother to grade II winner and stallion Half Ours.

A Day At The Spa: Aug. 7, Horse For Sale

Evenings in Saratoga bring another feeling, one of frantic energy, and of adrenaline, and of the intensity of short, fast-paced hours. No place emphasizes this more than the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds, where the vigorous pursuit of Thoroughbred yearlings at auction began with yesterday's opening session for the two-day select sale.

Offspring of A.P. Indy, Unbridled's Song Could Be 'Real Deals' In Saratoga Sale's Opening Session

Top sires such as Unbridled's Song, A.P. Indy, Distorted Humor have well-regarded yearlings in the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling auction's opening session Monday.

Storm Cat Colt Could Get Saratoga Sale's Second Session Off to a Fast Start

A son of Storm Cat will be the first horse in the sale ring during Tuesday's second session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling auction.

Octave Scales New Heights in CCA Oaks

There may have been questions about Octave's winning desire after five consecutive runner-up efforts dating back to last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I). But not after the quality filly made it back-to-back grade I victories Saturday in the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

First Defence Leads Every Step in Long Branch Romp

Juddmonte Farms' First Defence punched his ticket for the Haskell Invitational (gr. I) Saturday, leading every step to win the $150,000 Long Branch Breeders' Cup for 3-year-olds by 2 1/4 lengths at Monmouth Park.

Unbridled's Song Hot at Belmont

Unbridled's Song shook things up in a big way June 30 at Belmont Park when he sired the winners of both the Suburban Handicap (gr. I) and Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I).

Political Force Shows Clout in Suburban

Joseph Allen's homebred Political Force exploited an opening at the head of the stretch and, in spite of drifting out late, rolled to a 1 1/4-length win in Saturday's $400,000 Suburban Handicap (gr. I) at Belmont Park.

Octave No Second Stringer After Mother Goose Win

Second in each of her last five starts, odds-on choice Octave defeated three rivals while becoming a grade I winner for the first time in the $237,500 Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park Saturday.

Quite a Bride Seeks Trip to Altar in Early Times Mint Julep

Graded stakes winner Quite a Bride looks to better a bridesmaid-like performance in the May 5 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile as she stretches out for Saturday's renewal of the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT) on Churchill's Stephen Foster Day undercard.

Honey Ryder Smooth as Ever in Sheepshead Bay

Glencrest Farm's Honey Ryder, handled patiently by Garrett Gomez, swept past stablemate Safari Queen inside the final sixteenth of a mile to make it back-to-back victories in the $150,000 Sheepshead Bay Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Belmont Park inner turf course Saturday.

California Buyers Pace First OBS March Session

The opening session of the 2007 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s March select 2-year-olds in training sale benefited from the appearance of a large contingent of West Coast trainers and bloodstock agents, with California residents walking away with the session's top-priced colt and filly.

Hot Horses Drawing Attention at Ocala March Sale

Trainers and bloodstock agents from across the country converged on the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's grounds March 25 to inspect the 520 horses catalogued for the annual selected 2-year-olds in training sale March 27-28 in Central Florida. Here's a look at some of the leading prospects.

Richter Scale BC Owned by Half Ours

Favored Half Ours remained unbeaten in five starts when he staved off the hard-charging Park Avenue Ball in the closing strides to take the $225,000 Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship Handicap (gr. II) by a half-length at Gulfstream Park Saturday.

Grade I Winner Splendid Blended Retired

Peter Vegso's grade I winning 5-year-old mare Splendid Blended has been retired, trainer Bill Mott said Saturday.

Half Ours, Sold for $6.1 Million, Returns to Winner's Circle

Half Ours eked out a victory in an allowance/optional claiming race at Aqueduct Thursday in his first start since being sold for $6.1 million at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Pletcher to Donate Stallion Seasons to TCA Auction

Trainer Todd Pletcher has elected to include his personal "package" of stallion seasons for 2007 in the Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) Stallion Season and Art Auction, which will begin Nov. 27 and conclude with a live auction at Dec. 1. The live auction will be conducted by Fasig Tipton auctioneers.

Unbridled Sidney Glides to Cherokee Run Win

Unbridled Sidney, ridden by Corey Lanerie, rocketed to the front and never looked back en route to a 1 1/4-length victory in Friday's $285,000 Cherokee Run Breeders' Cup on the turf at Churchill Downs.

Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale Concludes With Declines

A daughter of Unbridled's Song topped the third and final session of the 2006 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale at the sale company's Newtown Paddocks near Lexington. The three-day sale registered declines in gross, average, and median.

Empire Maker to Remain $100,000

Empire Maker, whose first foals are yearlings, will stand for $100,000 in 2007, the same fee he commanded in his first three years.

Taylor Made Increases Unbridled's Song, Forestry

Taylor Made Farm announced Wednesday that the two stallions it stands for six figures will both have stud fee increases for the 2007 season.

Germance Heads Solid Queen Elizabeth Field

Germance, beaten just once in her career in France, and Magnificent Song, who closed significant ground to capture her last two in New York, headline a solid field of 11 3-year-old turf fillies in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (gr. IT) at Keeneland Saturday.

Average, Median Rise During Day Three of Keeneland Sale

The Keeneland September yearling auction turned in a solid performance Wednesday in Lexington during the first open session following two days of select offerings.

Magnificent Song Scales Garden City Test

Trainer Todd Pletcher opted to keep his ace Wait a While in the barn for Saturday's $246,000 Garden City Breeders' Cup (gr. IT) but Magnificent Song proved quite a capable substitute, winning by two lengths on the Belmont Park inner turf course.

Empire Maker, Mineshaft Fillies Fetch Seven Figures at Saratoga

Relative newcomer Ahmed Zayat went to $1.6 million for an Empire Maker filly Wednesday night to top the 86th annual Fasig-Tipton selected yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The historic sale, now with a two-day run, had yet another solid performance with the average virtually mirroring last year's figure and the gross increasing significantly.

Forestry Colt Leads Way as FTK Kicks Off Yearling Sale Season

Fasig-Tipton Kentucky kicked off the 2006 yearling sale season on a strong note Monday as a Forestry colt was purchased by agent John Ferguson for $1.2 million, the first seven-figure offering at the auction in Lexington, Ky., since 1983.

Pletcher Perfect 3-for-3 After Edgewood Score

Trainer Todd Pletcher is having a perfect day at Churchill Downs Friday, winning all three of the races in which he had entries. The third was Magnificent Song, who won the $114,900 Edgewood Stakes, the first undercard stakes on Kentucky Oaks day.

Rockport Harbor Re-injures Foot; Retirement Possible

Fox Hill Farms' Rockport Harbor, who has had more than his share of bad luck during his racing career, came out of his fifth-place finish in the March 12 Razorback Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III) with a foot injury that may force his retirement.