Fog City Dissolving Partnership; Buzzards Bay to Sell in July

Fog City Stable partners Bill Bianco and David Shimmon are in the process of dissolving their partnership.

The horses have been divided between the two partners with the exception of two -- Roman Ruler and Buzzards Bay.

Roman Ruler is scheduled to start Monday in the Dwyer Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park while Buzzard's Bay will be sold at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky in July.

"Fog City will continue under my ownership," Shimmon said. "He (Bill) is looking to do other things, get more involved with Cal-breds and retirement programs. We're going to continue to do things together but him being in Fog City as a 50% partner didn't make a lot of sense given what he wants to do with his efforts and resources going forward."

"This is a business decision between two different guys going two different directions," Davant Latham of Darby Dan Bloodstock, an advisor to Fog City, said. "They've had some wonderful success together and are both going to stay in the game."

Bianco is going to join his son, William III and daughter, Carol Ann, in their Sunset Stables operation.

"The horses in training, 2-year-olds and yearlings have been split up," William Bianco III said. "Everybody knows who is getting who."

Latham said Buzzards Bay will be the last horse through the ring at FTK July 18. The sale has a second session July 19.

"It is pretty amazing to have a grade I winning 3-year-old sold at public auction," Latham said of Buzzards Bay, who will be consigned by Darby Dan as agent.

By Marco Bay out of the Seneca Jones mare Lifes Lass, Buzzards Bay will not start prior to being sold. He was being pointed toward the Aug. 14 West Virginia Derby (gr. III), Latham said. The colt is with trainer Jeff Mullins in California.

Buzzards Bay was purchased privately by Fog City last fall. His big win came in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), after which he finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and fourth in the Affirmed Handicap (gr. III).

Roman Ruler has not started since running eighth in the San Felipe (gr. II), his only start this year. He was a multiple graded stakes winner last year at two. Bianco said a stud deal has been done on Roman Ruler but the farm where he will stand has not been announced yet.

By Fusaichi Pegasus  out of the Silver Deputy mare Silver Swan, Roman Ruler was purchased by Fog City for $500,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Latham said Fog City will also sell a handful of mares at Keeneland in November. The mares are at Darby Dan and Hill 'n' Dale Farm.

Fog City has been a major player at yearling sales since entering the game just a few years ago, freely spending millions in search of top prospects.

At the 2000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga auction, Fog City bought the sale topper, going to $4.2 million for a Seattle Slew colt. Named Distinction, he won three of 21 starts and earned $78,058.

Gotham City (Saint Ballado -- What a Reality, by In Reality) was purchased as a yearling for $2 million and was unplaced in two starts.

Fog City has raced two grade I winners, two grade II winners, and two grade III winners. In addition to Buzzard's Bay, the stable won a grade I race with D'wildcat (Forest Wildcat -- D'Enough, by D'Accord), who took the De Francis Dash in 2002. He was purchased at the 2000 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s March auction for $600,000 and now stands at stud in Canada.