The 2016 breeding season brings challenges for stallion owners and breeders: more expensive stud fees for top-tier stallions, fierce competition for mares, and the stock market suffering a worst-ever start to a new year.
Grade III winner and classic-placed Medal Count, a son of Dynaformer, has been retired and will stand stud in 2016 at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington as the newest participant in the farm's Share The Upside Program.
Three who hit the board in the May 30 Opening Verse Stakes will come back to face off again, except the victorious The Pizza Man, in the $200,000 Firecracker Stakes (gr. IIT) June 27 at Churchill Downs.
The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation (GJCRF) announced Feb. 10 that it has reached the target prompted by Starlight Stable's challenge to raise $75,000 for laminitis research.
International Star closed with a rush to overtake favored Conquest Titan approaching the wire for victory in the Grey Stakes (Can-III), his first stakes win, Oct. 5 at Woodbine.
Main Sequence, Imagining, and Twilight Eclipse -- the top three finishers from the last month's Sword Dancer Stakes (gr. IT) at Saratoga -- will face off again Sept. 27 in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (gr. IT)
Wachtel Stable and George Kerr's Long On Value, who won the first three starts of his career at 2, finally returned to the winner's circle in the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby for 3-year-olds at Canterbury Park Sept. 13.
One of the early successes for Starlight Racing and Jack Wolf was Harlan's Holiday, the multiple grade I-winning earner of $2.9 million who went on to a successful stud career at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky.
The richest race of the 68-day Canterbury Park season, the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby, features a field of 12 3-year-olds Sept. 13 including 4-1 morning line favorite Long On Value, trained by Bill Mott.
Pacesetter My Afleet ran the race of his life Sept. 6 at Kentucky Downs as he denied highly regarded Medal Count in a thrilling finish to the $250,000 Dueling Grounds Derby on the turf at Kentucky Downs Sept. 6.
Tom LaMarra and Frank Angst handicap the $400,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. watch video
Spendthrift Farm's Medal Count, a close third in this year's Belmont Stakes (gr. I) and one-for-one on turf, will return to the grass Sept. 6 for the inaugural $250,000 Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs.
The $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course July 26 looks to have several intriguing contenders, some stretching out in distance and others dropping back.
Closing in on the 47th running of the William Hill Haskell Invitational (gr. I), Medal Count put in another solid breeze at Churchill Downs July 19.
The common link between this year's Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist and third-place finisher Medal Count is His Majesty.
Six-time Sovereign Award-winning trainer Mark Casse earned his first victory in the $1 million Queen's Plate, Canada's most famous race, when his filly Lexie Lou came from off the pace to score by 1 1/2 lengths at Woodbine.
Synthetic track standout We Miss Artie will break from post 6 as the 8-5 morning line choice in a field of 15 for the $1 million Queen's Plate, Canada's most famous horse race, July 6 at Woodbine.
Favored General Jack made easy work of the $204,600 Centaur Stakes for 3-year-olds July 2 at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, drawing off to a three-length victory on the turf.
Starlight Racing partners has announced it will donate large sums to two organizations for the purpose of funding research into laminitis in memory of Intense Holiday, who recently succumbed to the disease.
Back on Polytrack after a 10th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, We Miss Artie took charge in upper stretch and held off a tenacious Majestic Sunset to win the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes.
Steve Haskin reflects on the loss of Intense Holiday. read blog
Grade II winner Intense Holiday, who underwent surgery recently for a condylar fracture to his right foreleg after being injured in training, was euthanized June 12 due to laminitis.
After finishing off the board in the Kentucky Derby, grade I winner We Miss Artie will prepare for a run at the Canadian classics when the son of Artie Schiller starts in the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes June 14.
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Stephen Foster Handicap and Matt Winn Stakes. read blog
A pair of horses who earned graded stakes wins as juveniles will try to add to their resumes June 14 at Churchill Downs when Tapiture and Rise Up meet in the $100,000 Matt Winn Stakes (gr. III).
| Horse | Trainer | Breeder / Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Arctic Slope | Kenneth G. McPeek |
|
| Conquest Titan | Mark E. Casse |
|
| General Jack | Michael J. Maker |
|
| Intense Holiday | Todd A. Pletcher |
|
| Kendall's Boy | Thomas M. Amoss |
|
| Laddie Boy | R. Gary Patrick |
|
| Medal Count | Dale L. Romans |
|
| Oogeley Eye | Marya K. Montoya |
|
| Pontos | Efren Loza, Jr. |
|
| Ready for Action | Dale Capuano |
|
| Rum Point | Doug F. O'Neill |
|
| School On a Hill | Wayne M. Catalano |
|
| Smarty's Echo | Anne P. Smith |
|
| Solitary Ranger | Danny Pish |
|
| Tiznowforamerica | Thomas Albertrani |
|
| We Miss Artie | Todd A. Pletcher |
|
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