Take A Peek At The Preakness

Keepmeinmind, racing in the Bluegrass Stakes, will compete in the 146th Preakness Stakes.
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Ram took the lead at the start of a maiden at Keenland this past Fall.  He will race in the 2021 Preakness Stakes.
Ram took the lead at the start of a maiden at Keenland this past Fall. He will race in the 2021 Preakness Stakes.

The middle of May brings the Middle Jewel Of The Triple Crown! Just two weeks after the Kentucky Derby the 146th Preakness Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, May 15th, 2021. The race will feature some contenders from the KY Derby as well as a few entries that bypassed The Run For The Roses. Read on to take at peek at this Preakness.

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Racing the Rebel: On the Road To The Kentucky Derby

Keeneland's Fall Stars Weekend hosted many BC berth races including a Kentucky Derby prep race, The Claiborne Breeders' Futurity.
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Keeneland's Fall Stars Weekend hosted many BC berth races including a Kentucky Derby prep race, The Claiborne Breeders' Futurity.  Super Stock and Keepmeinmind both picked up points in the race,
Keeneland’s Fall Stars Weekend hosted many BC berth races including a Kentucky Derby prep race, The Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. Super Stock and Keepmeinmind both picked up points in the race.

Get ready for the Rebel, where they are racing for an opportunity to Run For The Roses! Eight are entered and half of the field will win points on the Road To The Kentucky Derby. This weekend there is only one KY Derby prep. All eyes will be on Oaklawn as the showdown is on. This race has a historical history of producing KY Derby starters and winners. Read along and don’t miss a furlong.

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Derby Day at Oaklawn: The Arkansas Derby Double Feature

Crypto Cash races in his first start at age 2 at Ellis Park!
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Silver Prospector and Santana, Jr. win at Keeneland!
Silver Prospector and Santana, Jr. win at Keeneland!

When the 2019 Kentucky Derby resulted in a disqualification I thought that racing could not be more historically different and I felt a sense of disappointment. Never would I have imagined that different and disappointment would become what is often referred to as, “The New Normal.” Sometime, in the winter of 2019 a novel virus began sweeping the world and changed everything. Horse racing, an American tradition since the 1600s, slowed but did not, will not stop. Following an altered path on “The Road to the Kentucky Derby”, Grade 1 racing returns with such enthusiasm that it gathered 2 divisions! On the first Saturday in May, when the KY Derby traditionally takes place, we may instead enjoy two Arkansas Derby races, before the KY Derby resumes, scheduled for September 5th.

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Who Is Going To Slam The Sham?

Coliseum broke his maiden at his first asking at Del Mar 11/18 by 6 and 3/4 lengths!
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Coliseum broke his maiden at his first asking at Del Mar 11/18 by 6 and 3/4 lengths!
Coliseum broke his maiden at his first asking at Del Mar 11/18 by 6 and 3/4 lengths!

It is time to see who will slam The Sham? Santa Anita Park in California is hosting the next race on The Road To The Kentucky Derby. Seven contenders make their 3 year-old debuts in the Sham Stakes this. Four will pick up KY Derby points. Only, one will win. Continue on to learn more about today’s race…

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One Mo Weekend (Mo Yearlings/Mo Money/Mo Racing)

Uncle Mo in his stall at Coolmore's Ashford Stud.

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Uncle Mo has sired many stakes winners and his yearlings are in high demand.
Uncle Mo has sired many stakes winners and his yearlings are in high demand.

The site of a Thoroughbred always leaves me wanting More!  As the 13 session long, Keeneland September Yearling Sale has 3 more days to go we have one Mo weekend to see Mo yearlings, spend or make Mo money and meanwhile enjoy some Mo racing.  Uncle Mo was well represented at Keeneland’s sale and he has a couple more hips in the final 3 sessions.  Additionally, he has sired several horses racing word-wide over these next 3 days.  If you are looking for something Mo, please, read on.

 

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Seventy-fifth September Sale

Gun It, was a Keeneland September Sale grad of 2017. He sold for the second highest price for a North American yearling.

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Hip 69, a filly sired by Tapit, her dam is Pretty n' Smart, was 2017's top priced yearling sold in North America, at the Keeneland September Sale!
Hip 69, a filly sired by Tapit, her dam is Pretty n’ Smart, was 2017’s top priced yearling sold in North America, at the Keeneland September Sale!

Suddenly it’s sales time!  I love attending the September Yearling Sales at Keeneland in Lexington, KY.  You never know what you’re looking at the first time you see it.  Justify, our latest Triple Crown winner, is a Keeneland September sales grad.  Today’s yearlings are classic champions in as little as 2 years time.  Be sure I will follow up with results, pictures and tales from the sales.  For now, I’ll keep it simple with the sales stats and story.

 

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Fame isn’t Fast

Affirmed, triple crown winner and U.S Racing Hall of Fame thoroughbred won many awards and his Hall of Fame plaque.

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Affirmed, triple crown winner and U.S Racing Hall of Fame thoroughbred won many awards and his Hall of Fame plaque.
Affirmed, triple crown winner and U.S Racing Hall of Fame thoroughbred won many awards and his Hall of Fame plaque.

Fame does not come fast, not even for Thoroughbreds who sweep the triple crown at the young age of three.  An induction into the Official National Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame is something one achieves many years into or even after their outstanding career in horse racing.  Friday, finally finalized the fame of a few favorites.

 

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Triple Crown Trends

American Pharoah wins the one and only Grand Slam!

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Justify, our 13th Triple Crown winner!
Justify, our 13th Triple Crown winner!

This week brought the disappointing news that no one wanted but many had already suspected.  Our 13th Triple Crown winner, Justify, retired from racing.  Justify achieved more than I ever would have expected but his 111 day racing career ended sooner than I anticipated.  There are several more races I would have enjoyed seeing him participate in but tragically that won’t happen now.  This got me to thinking,  what are our assumptions about a triple crown winner?  Thus, I set out to examine the triple crown trends.

 

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Pharoah’s Phoals

American Pharoah stands at Coolmore America, Ashford Stud in Versailles, KY.

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American Pharoah stands at Coolmore America, Ashford Stud in Versailles, KY.
American Pharoah stands at Coolmore America, Ashford Stud, in Versailles, KY.

The sweltering summer is swiftly sweeping by as we welcome July and all of the super racing and sales that this month has to offer.  As our Triple Crown winning, 2 time Eclipse Winning, Breeders’ Cup Classic and Grand Slam winning, American Pharoah  headed off yesterday I am looking forward to admiring what he has left behind for now, Pharoah’s phoals.

Keeping American Pharoah comfortable in his stall is very important at Ashford Stud.
Keeping American Pharoah comfortable in his stall is very important at Ashford Stud.

American Pharoah retired from racing after his record breaking 2015 racing season.  He stands at Coolmore America, Ashford Stud, in Versailles, KY during North America’s breeding season and then he ships to Coolmore Australia to breed during their season.  American Pharoah went into quarantine for shipping to Australia the last day of June.  His presence in KY will be missed but fortunately he leaves behind many from his 2 crops of foals.

American Pharoah gives some side eye to his fans from his stall at Ashford Stud.
American Pharoah gives some side eye to his fans from his stall at Ashford Stud.

American Pharoah’s foals are too young to race but they are fun to follow for their cuteness, the price that they bring at sales and the promise of future racing.  His 2017 North American crop has earned an average of $445,500 at auction for 10 of 13 weanlings offered.  In 2018 his North American offspring, 3 of 5 yearlings offered, have sold for an average of  $540,000.  American Pharoah has had two of his offspring sell for a million dollars each.  No other sire had a million dollar weanling in 2017.  In 2 North American crops, he has 173 foals, 14 weanlings and 159 yearlings.  He covered 208 mares in North America in 2016 and 214 in 2017.  His 2018 season just ended in June.  His 2016 reported stud fee was listed at $200,000 and was last listed as private.  People must be really holding on to those foals to race them themselves or watch as the value goes up.  It is July and we are about to see some more of his foals at auction!

This stud is a handsome looker. American Pharoah poses for his fans at Ashford Stud.
This stud is a handsome looker.  American Pharoah poses for his fans at Ashford Stud.

On Tuesday, July 10th, 2018 at 10 A.M ET, Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, KY will hold their July Selected Yearlings Sale.  I am in a lot of anticipation for this sale and I plan to follow up with pictures from the sale of these two American Pharoah fillies.  Hip 131 is a filly born to Yong Musician consigned by a selected sales agent for Machmer Hall.  Hip 205 was foaled by Distorted Point and will be sold by Bluewater Sales, LLC.

Look at that conformation! American Pharoah looks so healthy at Ashford Stud.
Look at that conformation!  American Pharoah looks so healthy at Ashford Stud.

I will continue to cover more on American Pharoah’s phoals as they progress and go thru auctions and his phamily as it was fun to watch his full brother, St. Patrick’s Day, finish 3rd in his 3rd start on Thursday.  I am hoping for some more summer racing from St. Patrick’s Day.  This lightly raced 3 year old finished 2nd at Del Mar last Fall before breaking his maiden in his next start, a month later, at the same track.  He made his 2018 debut at Curragh in the listed Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Celebration Stakes last week.  I’d love to see him ship back to America to romp in our races this summer.Share This:
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