Exaggerator to Rest at WinStar
Future plans are on hold for Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), Preakness (gr. I), and Haskell Invitational (gr. I) winner Exaggerator, who finished seventh in the Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) Sept. 24.
Kentucky
News and features for Kentucky farm owners, racehorse owners, and breeders
Tepin Works Half-Mile at Saratoga
Robert Masterson’s champion turf female Tepin, continues to march toward the Breeders’ Cup as the 5-year-old mare worked a half-mile in :49.01 Sept. 30 over the turf at Saratoga Race Course. The move was the fastest of 24 on the day’s tab at the Spa.
Outwork, Speightster Retire to WinStar
WinStar Farm added two new stallions to its 2017 roster with the recent retirement of grade I winner Outwork and grade III victor Speightster.
Stopchargingmaria in F-T November Sale
Selling the 2015 Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) winner will allow Town & Country to diversify its broodmare band, according to the farm.
Borell Enters Alford Plea on Cruelty Charges
Charles Borell entered an Alford guilty plea Sept. 29 on nine of 43 animal cruelty charges in Central Kentucky and was sentenced to 179 days in jail, but will not serve that time provided he adheres to conditions of a two-year probationary period.
Colonel John Sold, to Stand in Korea in 2017
WinStar Farm homebred Colonel John, a multiple grade I-winning millionaire and sire of currently racing graded stakes-winning colts Airoforce, Cocked and Loaded, and Dalmore, has been purchased by the Korea Thoroughbred Breeders Association.
Will Call First Winner for Country Day
Juvenile first-time starter Will Call drew off in the stretch of his maiden special weight debut Sept. 28 at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino to become the first winner for his freshman sire Country Day.
Runhappy Faces Five in Ack Ack
Runhappy makes his long awaited 2016 bow Oct. 1 in Churchill Downs' one-turn mile Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III). The race shares the bill with the $175,000 Lukas Classic featuring grade I winners Bradester and Noble Bird.
Air Force Blue Retired to Ashford Stud
The son of War Front won three group I races at 2 and was crowned Europe's 2015 champion 2-year-old male. His 2017 fee to be announced.
Tapit, War Front Dominate Keeneland Sale
Only sires with a median above $500,000
Team Block relocating Fort Prado to Indiana
Team Block's multiple graded stakes-winning stallion Fort Prado is being relocated from Buck Pond Farm near Versailles, Ky., to Swifty Farms in Indiana to take advantage of Indiana's breeding incentives, Chris Block said Sept. 27.
Yearling Market Nears Finish Line
As the yearling auction season nears the finish line with two sales remaining, it appears that the year will end with modest declines in all major metrics, continuing the trends seen in recent years and earlier this year in the juvenile market.
Fasig-Tipton October Catalog Available
Fasig-Tipton has cataloged 1,250 yearlings for The October Sale, scheduled Oct. 24-26 in Lexington. The three continuous sessions will begin each morning at 10 a.m. for the Monday through Wednesday sale.
The RNA Conundrum at Public Auctions
Keeneland reported there were 1,006 yearlings that went unsold at the September yearling sale, for an RNA rate of 26.5%. In reality, the RNA rate was considerably lower due to the large number of horses that sold after they left the ring.
Pinhooking Rookie Scores Big at Keeneland
In her first foray into Thoroughbred ownership, Samantha Menker paid $2,700 for a Gemologist colt at this year’s Keeneland January mixed sale and sold him in September for $125,000.
TCA Honor Guest: Chris McCarron
Chris McCarron calls for a national uniform medication policy as the Honor Guest at the Thoroughbred Club of America's testimonial dinner Sept. 25 at Keeneland.
Solid Keeneland Sale Ends With Declines
Keeneland’s marathon September yearling sale highlighted by the sale of Beholder’s half brother for $3 million ended Sept. 25, with strength at the top and middle of the market and continued tepid demand for lower quality individuals.
Ward: Scope Shows Lady Aurelia Bled
Star Kentucky-bred filly Lady Aurelia is to return to the United States for some time off at co-owner Stonestreet Farm near Lexington after a scope following her first defeat in the Sept. 24 Cheveley Park Stakes (Eng-I) shows she bled.
Runhappy Logs Final Drill for Return
James McIngvale's champion sprint male Runhappy worked five furlongs in :58 1/5 Sept. 25 at Keeneland in preparation for his 2016 debut in Churchill Downs' Oct. 1 Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III).
Keeneland Sale Continues on Par With 2015
Buyers with unfilled orders continued to shop the Keeneland September yearling sale during the Sept. 24 penultimate session as numbers for the marathon auction are nearly identical to 2015.
Tepin Among Stakes Nominees at Keeneland
Robert Masterson's brilliant mare Tepin, the reigning champion turf female, headlines the list of horses nominated to Keeneland's Fall Stars Weekend Oct. 7-9, opening weekend of the Lexington track's fall meet.
Lexie Lou Officially Retired
Toronto icon and 2014 Canadian Horse of the Year Lexie Lou has officially been retired from racing, according to trainer Mark Casse.
Keeneland Sees Gains in Final Book 5 Session
Keeneland reported gains in gross and average Sept. 23 during the 11th session of the September yearling sale, highlighted by the sale of a colt from the first crop of Point of Entry for $100,000.
Bradester Pointing to Lukas Classic
Joseph Sutton's Bradester, upset winner of the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) in June, will be looking for another victory over the Churchill Downs main track when he makes his next start in the $175,000 Lukas Classic Oct. 1.
Classic Empire Works for Breeders' Futurity
John C. Oxley's promising 2-year-old Classic Empire worked from the starting gate over the Churchill Downs main track Sept. 23.
Lexie Lou to Keeneland November
2014 Canadian Horse of Year is likely done racing, but trainer Mark Casse said a final decision is still to come.
Thayer Reappointed to Drug Research Council
Kentucky State Sen. Damon Thayer has been reappointed to the Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council.
Genetics Test Clarifies EVA Risk in Stallions
Even if a stallion shows resistance to equine viral arteritis, annual vaccinations are essential, say researchers.
Spirited Buying Kicks Off Keeneland's Book 5
Two horses sold for $200,000 and up during the start of Keeneland September yearling sale's Book 5. The session average dipped by less than 2% compared with the same session of 2015.
Uncle Mo Filly Most Profitable at Keeneland
An Uncle Mo filly bought by a Greathouse family partnership for $30,000 as a weanling was the most profitable pinhooking transaction during Books 1-4 of the Keeneland September yearling sale.
KEEP Plans Equine Industry Conference
The Kentucky Equine Education Project will welcome horse industry leaders and policy makers from across the state to discuss ways to protect and promote the commonwealth's signature industry at the Equine Industry Conference Oct. 17-18 in Lexington.
Live Foal Report: Foal Crop Steady at 22,500
The Jockey Club released its Live Foal Report for 2016, stating at this stage of the year the crop is down 0.5% from last year. So far, 21,991 foals have been reported. Kentucky's crop is up 2.8% from 2015.
Champion Big Blue Kitten Retired
The homebred son of Kitten's Joy ran first for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, then was acquired by Calumet Farm at the end of his championship year and made three starts for that outfit in 2016. He will stand at Calumet.
Keeneland's Book 4 Ends on Upward Note
The Sept. 21 session of the Keeneland September yearling sale saw 274 yearlings sell for $11,120,100, up 4.1% from the same session a year ago; the average rose 6.4% from $38,158 to $40,584, while the median jumped 20% from $25,000 to $30,000.
O'Callaghan: Sale Better Than Anticipated
With the Keeneland September yearling sale continuing to show vibrancy midway through its second week, Peter O’Callaghan of Woods Edge Farm is among consignors having one of the best auctions in recent history.
OwnerView Seeks New Owner Noms
OwnerView seeks nominations for the New Owner of the Year Award to be presented at the Thoroughbred Owner Conference Oct. 31-Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.
Numbers Up as Keeneland Sale Enters Book 4
It wasn’t quite to the levels of Books 1 and 2, but there was a lot of energy at the Keeneland September yearling sale as Book 4 selling began with a Sept. 20 session that yielded across-the board increases.
Yearling Average Trends Among Top Sires
Looking at how North American yearling averages have changed since 2012 among the top 10 Keeneland September sires by average price through Sept. 19.
Keeneland's High Water Mark for Columbiana
The sale of an Uncle Mo colt for $750,000 to top the Sept. 17 session of the Keeneland September yearling sale was the high water mark for the Columbiana Farm of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ochocki.
State, Borells Clash Over Horses' Ownership
State and local officials have filed a lawsuit seeking the 43 horses determined to be abandoned in June at a Mercer County farm to rule that the horses are owned by Mercer County Fiscal Court, not Charles and Maria Borell.
Bernardini Colt Tops Solid Keeneland Session
A Bernardini colt from the family of top handicap horse Frosted was purchased by Ben Glass on behalf of Gary and Mary West for $600,000 to top the Sept. 19 session of the Keeneland September yearling sale in which numbers dipped slightly.
Baccari Honed Skills Buying Yearlings to Race
Chris Baccari, who sold a Tapit colt for $1.2 million, began his career by buying yearlings to race and turned to sales after having too many horses one year.
Ward: Lady Aurelia Could Run 'Best Ever Race'
Trainer Wesley Ward believes his unbeaten juvenile filly Lady Aurelia just might run of the best race of her young career in the Connolly's Red Mills Cheveley Park Stakes (Eng-I) Sept. 24 at Newmarket.
Pioneerof the Nile Colt Tops at Keeneland
They saved the best for last during the Sept. 18 session of the Keeneland September yearling sale when the day’s highest-price of $700,000 was paid by Paul Haughey’s PTK Racing for a Pioneerof the Nile colt.
KatieRich Topped Book 2 Consignors By Average
While major agencies topped Book 2 of the Keeneland September yearling sale by total receipts, KatieRich Farms had the highest average price during the two sessions.
Not This Time, Daddys Lil Darling Look to BC
Following an 8 3/4-length victory in the Iroquois Presented by TwinSpires.com (gr. III) at Churchill Downs Sept. 17, Not This Time will go straight to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park Nov. 5, according to trainer Dale Romans.
Mineshaft Filly Brings $410,000 at Keeneland
Book 3 of the Keeneland September yearling sale got off to a strong start early Sept. 18 when a daughter of Mineshaft was sold by Lane's End for $410,000.
Uncle Mo Colt Tops Robust Keeneland Session
Topped by an Uncle Mo colt sold for $750,000, the Keeneland September yearling sale continued on a robust note Sept. 17 with across-the-board increases in every key statistical category.
Not This Time Overwhelms Iroquois Rivals
In his first stakes start, Albaugh Family Stable homebred Not This Time rallied four wide in the far turn then drew off in the stretch to post about a six-length victory in the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) Sept. 17 at Churchill Downs.
Uncle Mo Colt to Lane's End for $750,000
Lane’s End went to $750,000 to secure an Uncle Mo colt from the family of millionaire and sire Papa Clem during the Keeneland September yearling sale’s fifth session Sept. 17.
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