Star Power: Some Major Female Horses Head to Breeding Shed

Published in the Feb. 9 issue of The Blood-Horse
Some of the most exciting female runners of 2001 will stay in training, barring injury, through 2002. However, a number of grade or group I-winning mares will visit the breeding shed for the first time this year.

The richest maiden of 2002 is $2.7 million-earner Beautiful Pleasure, the champion older mare of 1999. Beautiful Pleasure, owned by John and Debby Oxley, is booked to Thunder Gulch. She will stay at their Fawn Leap Farm near Midway, Ky.

Be Fair, Brazil's champion 3-year-old of 2000, is now with her half-sister, Virginie, also a Brazilian champion. Both are at Crystal Springs Farm near Paris, Ky. Be Fair, owned by Rio Clara Thoroughbreds, R.D. Hubbard, and Connie Sczesny, could go to Stravinsky.

Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) winner Cindy's Hero is at Fares Farm near Lexington. Owned by Tom and Elizabeth Baxter, she is slated to be bred to Deputy Minister.

Millionaire and grade I winner Colstar is at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky. Beverly Randolph Steinman's homebred is booked to Point Given.

Josephine Abercrombie's Confessional has returned home to Pin Oak Stud near Versailles, Ky. The winner of the 1998 Frizette (gr. I) and seven other added-money races, is going to Pin Oak stallion Maria's Mon.

Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Stud paid $1.6 million for Mother Goose (gr. I) winner Dreams Gallore at the 2001 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. The mare is now at Hidaway Farm near Paris, Ky., and is booked to Deputy Minister.

George Steinbrenner's homebred Test and Ballerina Stakes (both grade I) winner Dream Supreme is boarded at Three Chimneys and will be bred to A.P. Indy.

Ogden Phipps' homebred Finder's Fee has been retired to her birthplace, Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky. The winner of the 1999 Matron (gr. I) and 2000 Acorn Stakes (gr. I) is booked to Broad Brush.

The first mate for Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner and Eclipse Award finalist Flute has not been decided. The 4-year-old was officially retired Feb. 4 with a small ankle chip. She will reside at owner Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms near Lexington.

Canadian champion Free Vacation was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for $475,000 at the 2001 Keeneland November sale. She is now at Stone Farm near Paris, Ky., and is going to Fusaichi Pegasus.

Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IT) winner Gaviola was retired to owner Carlos Perez' Twilite Farms near La Grange, Ky., in September. She is booked to Storm Cat.

Aaron and Marie Jones keep their grade I winning mares Golden Ballet and Plenty of Light at Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky. They purchased Golden Ballet for $1.6 million at last year's Keeneland November sale and plan to breed her to Saint Ballado. Plenty of Light is booked to Storm Cat.

Happyanunoit, a group I winner in New Zealand and grade I winner in the U.S., is kept for John and Jerome Amerman at Mill Ridge Farm near Lexington. She is booked to Giant's Causeway.

Darley's Flower Bowl (gr. IT), Irish Oaks (Ire-I), and Nassau Stakes (Eng-I) winner Lailani is now at Sheikh Maktoum's Gainsborough Stud near Versailles, Ky. She is booked to A.P. Indy.

Lael Stable acquired two-time grade I winner Lazy Slusan for $750,000 at last November's Keeneland mixed sale. The mare is at Denali Stud near Paris, Ky., and is booked to Deputy Minister.

George Augustin's No Matter What has returned to Stone Farm, which is owned by her co-breeder Arthur Hancock. No Matter What, winner of the 2000 Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT), is scheduled to visit A.P. Indy.

Emory Hamilton has retired homebred Serra Lake to her sister, Helen Alexander's, Middlebrook Farm near Lexington. Serra Lake, winner of last year's Go for Wand (gr. I), is booked to Rahy.

Eclipse Award nominee and millionaire Tranquility Lake retired in December. Owners Martin and Pam Wygod plan to send the mare from their River Edge Farm in California to Kentucky for a meeting with Storm Cat.

STILL IN TRAINING
Among the distaffers who will try and visit winner's circles in 2002 are Eclipse Award finalists Habibti, Tempera, and You, (all 3-year-olds), sprinter Xtra Heat, turf specialist Banks Hill, and older females Gourmet Girl and Spain.

Other group or grade I winners still in training include Astra, Alexine, Cashier's Dream, England's Legend, Fleet Renee, Forest Secrets, Golden Apples, Janet, Lovellon, Miss Linda, Pompeii, Starine, Victory Ride (who has recovered from an injury last July), and Voodoo Dancer.

Jostle, who won seven stakes for Richard Porter's Fox Hill Farms, was purchased privately by Bill Casner and Ken Troutt's WinStar Farm. The two-time grade I winner is in training with Elliott Walden at Payson Park in Florida.