A group of four high-profile owners banded together April 26 to purchase a well-bred son of Medaglia d'Oro for $850,000 to become the new sale-topper at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales spring 2-year-olds in training sale.
Tom Hamm, the general farm manager at the Taylor family's Taylor Made Stallions, will become the general manager for Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm near Ocala, Fla., later this year.
Keeneland’s 13-day November breeding stock sale that ended Nov. 20 reflected a stable market that mirrored recent trends, in which there is continued demand for quality and buyers' unwillingness to take risks on horses that do not fit their criteria.
Topped by Unrivaled Belle at $3.8 million, the Nov. 9 second session of Keeneland's November breeding stock sale brought Book 1 to a close with average and median prices up over 2015 as the gross declined with considerably fewer head sold.
Millionaire Unrivaled Belle in foal to leading sire Tapit lit up the Keeneland bid board when the daughter of Unbridled’s Song was purchased for $3.8 million.
Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm bought two back-to-back Tapit fillies, each for seven figures, during the late stages of Book 1's final session Sept. 14 at the Keeneland September yearling sale.
The Keeneland September yearling sale's second session offered plenty of excitement: a new sale topper, an expensive buy-back that turned out to be a mistake, two high-priced yearlings sold by Airdrie Stud, and a continued uptick in prices.
A War Front colt produced from Havre de Grace and a Bernardini colt who is a half brother to the Horse of the Year are among the top horses to watch during the Sept. 13 second session of the Keeneland September yearling sale.
Topped by $6 million Take Charge Brandi and a record $3.2 million War Front--Take Charge Lady filly in Book 1, Keeneland's November breeding stock sale ended Nov. 13 with gross and average up but a 14.3% decline in median.
A North American record for a weanling sold at public auction was set when Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm went to $3.2 million to purchase a War Front filly Nov. 3 at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
Keeneland's 12-day September yearling sale ended Sept. 26 in Lexington with results that revealed a market similar to 2014's.
A pair of colts that Mandy Pope bred led selling Tuesday at the Keeneland September auction's opening session of Book 4, including the day's highest-priced lot, a $425,000 colt by first-crop sire Astrology.
Pope outdueled trainer Bob Baffert for the $2.1 million session-topper, currently the auction's highest price with nine sessions to go, while Gainesway Farm and Tapit led the day.
Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm went to $2.1 million to land a Tapit colt about midway through the third session of the Keeneland September yearling sale Sept. 16 in Lexington, the highest price paid so far at the sale.
Shadwell Estate Co. bought a War Front filly for $1.45 million on day one of the Keeneland September yearling sale.
NY-breds are out-earning KY counterparts
Two-year-old filly Tap to It overcame some difficulty in capturing her career debut Aug. 16 at Saratoga Race Course, pleasing trainer Ralph Nicks and stamping herself as a candidate for the Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) next month.
Champion Groupie Doll delivered her first foal on March 5, about a week before her original March 11 due date. The colt was rushed immediately to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital near Lexington.
Three winners of the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) are among the 35 grade or group I winners or producers consigned to this year's Fasig-Tipton November sale that will be held Monday, Nov. 3.
Led by a $1.6 Unbridled's Song -- Tizamazing colt, Keeneland's September yearling sale posts significant gains across the board at its second session Sept. 9.
Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm bought the half brother to Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Oxbow. The colt is by Unbridled's Song.
The Fasig-Tipton preferred sale of New York-bred yearlings concluded Aug. 10 on a positive note, with the overall two-day average increasing 11% and the median up 18% over the same sale at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., a year ago.
Sale executives and consignors are feeling optimistic about Fasig-Tipton's July select yearling sale, which kicks off the major yearling auction season in Lexington July 14 starting at 10 a.m. EDT.
Two-time champion Groupie Doll provided a satisfying conclusion to her stellar career with an eye-catching last-to-first romp in the $200,000 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 9 at Gulfstream Park.
Whisper Hill Farm's Havre de Grace and Plum Pretty both produced their first foals at Timber Town Farm near Lexington, a Tapit filly from Havre de Grace and a colt by Distorted Humor out of Plum Pretty.
Betterbetterbetter, the daughter of Galileo who was the $5.2 million sale-topper at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton November sale, foaled a bay filly by War Front Jan. 16 at Timber Town Farm near Lexington.
Mandy Pope collected another high-class filly Sept. 11 at the Keeneland yearling sale, scooping the $2.2 million session-topper and sale leader, a half sister to grade I winners Will Take Charge and Take Charge Indy.
Following a half-mile work over the main track at Saratoga July 20, Mylute was confirmed as a starter for the $600,000 Jim Dandy (gr. II). So Many Ways and Delaunay were also on the tab for trainer Tom Amoss.
Rosie Napravnik remembers galloping horses at Pimlico Race Course before she even earned her jockey's license. On May 18 aboard Mylute, she'll become just the third woman to ever ride in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Trainer Tom Amoss said he only wanted a maintanance work from Louisiana Derby (gr. II) runner-up Mylute April 27 at Churchill Downs, and that was exactly what jockey Rosie Napravnik delivered.
Mandy Pope, who paid $14.2 million in November for major broodmare prospects Havre de Grace and Plum Pretty, has taken important steps in what she believes will pay off handsomely.
Demand was strong for quality young mares and broodmare prospects as the Keeneland November breeding stock sale opened its 11-day run in Lexington.
Havre de Grace, the 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older mare, brought some major fireworks to the Fasig-Tipton November sale when she commanded a final bid of $10 million from Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm.
The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale kept the momentum going on its second day after getting off to a quick start in its opening session.
A bay filly by Tiznow from a solid grass family brought $500,000 during the second session of the Keeneland September yearling sale and became the third horse of the day to bring that amount or more Sept. 11.
The latest edition of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale has more momentum than a charging rhino.
Graded stakes winner and grade I stakes-placed Bearpath, who sustained a shoulder injury during the John's Call Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 5, was euthanized Sept. 23.
Business wasn't as brisk the second evening of the Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington as it was on opening night. But the select portion of the auction still managed to post increases in its key business figures.
It did not take long for the second session of the Keeneland September yearling sale to reach the seven-figure mark, with Mandy Pope paying $1 million for a gray/roan filly by Unbridled's Song out of Silvery Swan.
Tizway, the leader of the handicap division, breezed an easy five furlongs over Saratoga's Oklahoma Training Track Sept. 9 as he continues to prepare for the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (gr. I) next month.
Tizway picked up his second consecutive grade I victory Aug. 6 at Saratoga when he took over approaching the quarter-pole and breezed to an easy score in the $750,000 Whitney Invitational Handicap (gr. I).
William Clifton Jr.'s Tizway took over approaching the quarter pole and opened up in the stretch to post a decisive victory in the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) on Memorial Day at Belmont Park.
Following the conclusion of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training, president Boyd Browning said he was pleased that in spite of the fact there were 69 more horses sold this year the average was down 1.3%.
Corkage, a bay daughter of More Than Ready, brought $300,000 from Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm during the second session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Tizway swept past Jersey Town at the top of the lane and easily pulled clear of the field en route to a five-length win in the $250,000 Kelso Handicap (gr. II) Oct. 3 at Belmont Park.
Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm purchases the bay yearling.
Bob Baffert-trained 3-year-old Tiz Chrome breaks down in workout at Churchill Downs and is euthanized; was working toward start in April 24 The Cliff's Edge Derby Trial (gr. III).
Lothenbach Stables' Bearpath stalked pacesetter Brother Nick for 11 furlongs, took over inside the eighth-pole, then held off favorite Never On Sunday to win the Pan American Stakes (gr. IIIT) March 27 at Gulfstream Park .
Behaving, an 11-year-old winning daughter of Rubiano, brought $165,000 Monday to top the first of three consignor-preferred sessions during Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s five-day fall mixed sale in Central Florida.
Joe and Diane Szymczak, owners of graded stakes winner Halissee, are offering a special bonus promotion to breeders who send mares to that stallion in 2001.
