Pool Play won for the first time since suffering a tendon tear last year, and picked a good race to do it. The 7-year-old son of Silver Deputy took the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) at Hawthorne Oct. 6.
William S. Farish Jr.'s Pool Play, making his first start on dirt in his 28th career start, pulled a 36-1 shocker in the $561,300 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) June 18 at Churchill Downs.
The 1 3/4-mile distance of the $176,816 Valedictory Stakes proved no problem for odds-on favorite Pool Play, who rallied wide in the stretch en route to a handy victory on closing day of the 167-day Woodbine meet Dec. 5.
Maiden Strike Oil, the least-fancied of three Mark Casse-trained 2-year-olds in the $252,326 Coronation Futurity, took the overland route to register a 14-1 surprise at Woodbine Nov. 7.
Summer Raven, winner of the 2004 Tempted Stakes (gr. III) and in foal to Unbridled's Song, became the first horse to bring seven figures Nov. 11 during the second session of the Keeneland November breeding stock auction in Lexington. Offered around noon (EST), she sold for $1.7 million to Kentucky bloodstock agent Reynolds Bell.
Windfields Farm, the historic Canadian nursery that announced in August it would disperse its remaining horses at this year's Keeneland November breeding stock sale, has several promising prospects that are sure to stir up some excitement during the auction Nov. 10-11.
Keeneland announced Oct. 5 that 4,702 horses have been cataloged for its November breeding stock sale, a decline of 17.6% from the record 5,709 cataloged for the Lexington sale in 2008.
Pool Play, making his stakes debut for trainer Mark Casse, charged late to overtake favored Ice Bear, winning the $156,914 Durham Cup (Can-III) over Woodbine's Polytrack by one length Oct. 4.
Windfields Farm, the historic Canadian nursery that had a major impact on North American breeding, has announced it will close following the dispersal of its remaining bloodstock at this year's Keeneland November sale.
Silver Deputy, one of North America's top veteran stallions, has been pensioned because of declining fertility, said Ric Waldman, who managed the bay horse's stud career, Sept. 5.
Veteran stallion faces uncertain future in the breeding shed.
Ascot Knight, one of Canada's top stallions for a number of years, was euthanized Feb. 8 due to declining health. He was 24. He had been pensioned from stallion duty in January at the Taylor family's Windfields Farm near Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. In 2007, he covered 13 mares. He is buried in the cemetery with such farm greats as Windfields, Northern Dancer, and Vice Regent.
Deputiformer rallied from 11th place after three-quarters and used a determined stretch drive to nip favored Cryptonite Kid by a neck in the $250,000 Cup And Saucer Stakes at Woodbine Oct. 14, a 1 1/16-mile event for 2-year-olds on the turf.
South Sea Dancer, who commanded a world-record price of $1.8 million as a yearling, was euthanized Feb. 2 at Jim FitzGerald's Knockgriffin Farm near Paris, Ky.
Grade I winner D'wildcat will relocate to Tom Simon's Vinery Stud near Summerfield, Fla., from Windfields Farm near Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
Gustav Schickedanz' Canadian champion Mobil has been retired from racing and will stand at Windfields Farm near Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
English sire Robellino, a racetrack contemporary of Storm Bird and sire of three classic winners, has been pensioned from stallion duty at Littleton Stud because of his advanced age.
Graded stakes winner National Treasure died April 2 while delivering a Sky Mesa filly by cesarean section.
Graded stakes winner National Treasure died April 2 while delivering a Sky Mesa filly by cesarean section.
The first foal sired by grade I winner D'wildcat is a filly born Jan. 19 at Gardiner Farms near Caledon East, Ontario, Canada.
Inish Glora, last year's Canadian champion grass mare and a finalist for this year's running, has been retired from racing and is booked to major sire Gone West.
The first reported foal sired by grade II winner Cat's At Home is a colt born Feb. 11 at Brian Wallace's Wallace Thoroughbreds near Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
Cool Victor, sire of Canadian champion and classic winner Victor Cooley, was euthanized Dec. 12 because of the infirmities of old age.
Tethra, whose four stakes winners have all won at Woodbine, has been relocated to Windfields Farm near Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
Grade II winner Cat's At Home will enter stud at Windfields Farm near Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Windfields Farm in Canada has purchased a half-interest in grade I winner D'wildcat
Master Willie, a group I winner who was brought to the U.S. by E.P. Taylor's Windfields Farm to provide an outcross for the blood of farm stallion Northern Dancer, was euthanized at Christopher Sweeting's Conduit Farm near Oxfordshire, England, according to the Racing Post.
Ric Waldman, who manages the Windfields Farm stallions, said Wednesday Deputy Minister's stud fee for 2002 will remain $150,000, and the fee for Silver Deputy will be reduced to $40,000 from $75,000.
