Jaime Carrion, who bred champions Action This Day and Meadow Star, is dispersing his horses. Robert Courtney Sr., owner of Crestfield Farm in Kentucky and a key adviser to Carrion, said approximately 20 broodmares owned by Carrion already have been sold privately in a package.
Nine foals of 2007 and four broodmare prospects owned by Carrion are consigned by Courtney/Crestfield Farm to the 2008 Keeneland horses of all ages sale, which begins Jan. 7. In the group are a 2007 Ghostzapper half-sister to Action This Dayand Elusive Natalie, also a half-sister to the champion.
Also scheduled to be sold are a 2007 Songandaprayer filly out of grade I winner Stormy Pick, and a 2007 Dixie Unionhalf-brother to French group III winner Kentucky Dynamite out of grade I winner Chelsey Flower.
“He’s retiring from the industry,” Courtney said of Carrion. “He’s involved in many things, and he thinks it’s time to move on. He had a good run. He only owned 25 to 30 mares at most at a time, and he bred two champions.”
A native of Puerto Rico and a resident of Florida, Carrion got into the Thoroughbred business in the mid-1970s after his daughter and Courtney’s son, Robert Courtney Jr., were in the same class at Rollins College and met at a graduation ceremony. The younger Courtney also has served as an adviser to Carrion.
“He let us raise his horses like they were horses,” Robert Courtney Sr. said of Carrion, who focused on sending his mares to proven stallions in his commercial breeding program.
In addition to Meadow Star and Action This Day, Carrion bred grade I winners Cutlass Reality and Meadowlake (the sire of Meadow Star). Carrion raced Funistrada, who produced 2001 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIT) winner Krisada and added-money winner Conte Di Savoya, who finished second in the 1992 Blue Grass Stakes (gr. II).