Tag: Keeneland

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My Morning With McCraken

McCraken at Keeneland
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McCraken
McCraken

I had a very early start, 5 A.M. to be exact, just to make sure I caught the morning workouts for many Thoroughbreds and especially, the undefeated, McCraken.  McCraken moved into a barn at Keeneland Racetrack on 3/16/17 after missing the Tampa Bay Derby on 3/11 due to an ankle injury he sustained on 2/28.  He currently holds seventeenth place on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard due to the points he received when he won the Sam F. Davis stakes.  McCraken is the probable morning-line favorite in next weekend’s Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.  He looked like a real champ this morning when he was feeling frisky at bath time after 4 furlongs at :49.40.

 

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From Davis to Derby

Glass replica of Churchill Downs for th Kentucky Derby.
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Good morning race fans!   Today, we are treated to another Kentucky Derby prep race that serves the same purpose for the Tampa Bay Derby as well.  The 37th Sam F. Davis Stakes will post on 2/11/17 at 4:45 P.M EST.  Following last weekend’s upset in the Holy Bull and the the additional points gathered in the Withers and the Robert B. Lewis, the KY Derby leaderboard is looking a little different.  A win by McCraken could shoot him into the top 4 on the board.

 

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Tales from the Sales

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Graydar, he has a tale to tell with a swoosh of his tail!
Graydar, he has a tale to tell with a swoosh of his tail!

The first American Thoroughbred Auction results are in!  Premier auction house, Keeneland, wrapped its annual January Horses of All Ages sale (#KeeJan) this past Friday evening.  It was Friday the 13th and the results were a little spooky.

Graydar grins.
Graydar grins.

The 59th edition of the sale had catalogued 1,893 horses.  961 head sold with across-the-board declines.  Nearly 500 horses were withdrawn and over 400 more did not meet the reserve prices, set by the sellers.  Some speculated reasons included, harsh winter weather, the equine herpes quarantines and no farm dispersals.  A dispersal is when an owner sells off all or many of their horses to reduce inventory for various reasons.  The most likely factor is the increasing desire by the buyers to only purchase the most select of pedigrees.  One of my favorite take away quotes was by Bob Elliston, Keeneland’s Vice President of Racing and Sales, “Breeders need to take note moving forward.”  That is a responsible statement.  This sale grossed over $28 million dollars with an average sales price of nearly $30 thousand dollars.

Graydar, looking a bit more regal.
Graydar, looking a bit more regal.

On the bright side.  Some Thoroughbreds were found very desirable.  The highest price horse in the sale was Siren Serenade.  She sold for $1,025,000!  She is a 11 year-old mare born to Unbridled’s Song and Versailles Treaty.  Siren Serenade is in foal by Tapit, the gorgeous grey number one sire for over 3 years and the leading sire and covering sire of the #KeeJan sale.  Covering sire is another name for a sire when the mare is believed to be pregnant but the foal is yet to be born.  The breeding of Tapit with another Unbridled’s Song daughter, Unrivaled Belle, led to the birth of Unique Bella in 2014.  Unique Bella is turning heads after her romp in the G2 Santa Ynez Stakes, at Santa Anita, earlier this month.  Put this filly in your virtual barn!

Unbridled's Song Grave Marker.
Unbridled’s Song Grave Marker.

Keeping the bloodlines of Tapit and Unbridled’s Song in mind, feel free to search my webpage for former Tapit posts while I spend more of this post focusing on Unbridled’s Song and perhaps his most promising son as a stallion, Graydar.  Tapit was the sire to 10 horses in #KeeJan, right behind him was Unbridled’s Song with 9 Thoroughbreds that sold.  Much further down the list was Graydar whom sired 2 horses that sold.  Unfortunately,  you won’t find a listing for Unbridled’s Song as a covering sire.  He was euthanized at 20 years-old due to an inoperable mass.  He crossed the rainbow bridge too soon in July of 2013.  Graydar was the covering sire for 5 horses that sold in the sale.

Unbridled's Song Stall Plate.
Unbridled’s Song Stall Plate.

Both Unbridled’s Song and Graydar are Taylor Made Farm stallions.  Taylor Made Sales Agency was the leading consignor at #KeeJan and they typically are.  This year they sold 100 horses, in this one sale.  Unbridled’s Song was a stallion on their farm, in Kentucky, for 17 seasons.  Before that, this grey horse was born in February of 1993 to Unbridled, the winner of the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Trolley Song.  Unbridled’s Song had a nice racing career.  He won 5 of 12 starts including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the Florida Derby, the Wood Memorial and the Olympic Handicap.  The Olympic was his last race due to a broken cannon bone.  He was training to go on to the Donn Handicap.  For racing fans, it is probably best that he made it to the breeding shed as quick as he did.  He has created so many powerful stakes winners.  Names like Arrogate, Midshipman, Will Take Charge and so many more winners are his offspring.  Unbridled’s Song was credited with siring his 100th stakes winner the day his son, Graydar, won the Donn Handicap.

Graydar smiles.
Graydar smiles.

Fortunately,  not only can Unbridled’s Song’s offspring race, they are doing well as sires and broodmares themselves.  His lineage lives on and there is a lot of hope that his grey son, Graydar, may be the best to carry on those great genes.  Graydar was born to Sweetest Smile in May of 2009.  He won 5 of 6 starts including the Donn, the New Orleans and the Kelso Handicaps.  He went to stud in 2014 and he has had 2 crops of offspirng thus far.  His first crop is eligible to race this year.  He has produced 157 foals and 99 of those just became of racing age.  The other 58 are yearlings.  His fee is a mere $12,500 for a live foal.  His next crops will sell at the Fasig-Tipton 2017 Winter Mixed Sale and the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company 2017 Winter Mixed Sale.  I expect great things of his 2 year-olds and I think his price will sky rocket once he is proven.  I feel very lucky for those who are buying into Graydar now.  He is a beautiful and sweet horse.  He lives in the same two stall barn as California Chrome.  I had the pleasure of meeting Graydar twice when I visited Chrome while he was recovering from a cannon bone bruise.  I also, briefly part owned a colt by Graydar and Heavenly Ghost.  I am looking forward to following that colt’s racing career.

Graydar's stall.
Graydar’s stall.

Please, enjoy the pictures I took while I was visiting Graydar at Taylor Made Farm.  He has a tale to tell with a swish of his tail.  I hope his progeny sweep the races this year and he keeps on bringing us more of that great Unbridled’s Song legacy.  Between these two and Tapit the whole industry may be turning up grey!

 

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Cold Contemplation

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Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale, 2015
Keeneland’s January Horses of All Ages Sale, 2015

It’s another cold day in the Bluegrass.  In fact, it is a frigid day here and in most of the United States.  Unfortunately, I am not the most weather adaptable person so I have a tendency to stay in my warm home when faced with tough weather.  Then I get the blues considering the opportunities I am missing.  Thankfully, through television and a variety of social media I have kept myself mildly entertained and educated.  Tomorrow we’re are expecting a break in the freezing temperatures.  This is convenient timing for the start of Keeneland’s January Horses of All Ages Sale.

Keeneland Sale 1/15
Keeneland Sale 1/15

Keeneland, in Lexington Kentucky, will host it’s annual Horses of All Ages Sale from Monday, January 9th thru Friday the 13th!  Each day starts at 10 a.m.  I love going to the sales and I will make it for some of the dates this year as well.  I had intended to go on a Keeneland’s Behind-The-Scenes Sales Tours that kicked off yesterday but alas the single digit temps kept me down.  I’m hoping to get in on a tour mid week when it’s wetter but warmer.  All of the pictures in this post are from when I first started Thoroughbred U at the Keeneland January Sale.  I feel I have come a long way since.  I hope you are picking up on some information in my stories.  The Thoroughbreds have definitely matured since.  Practical Joke was sold at KEEJAN in 2015.  He has since won the G1 Hopeful Stakes, the G1 Champagne Stakes and finished 3rd in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.  He has over $700K in earnings.  Not bad for a $135,000 original sale price.

KEEJAN
KEEJAN

This 59th edition of the sale has 1,893 horses catalogued.  Being an all ages sale, they have over 700 yearlings, nearly 300 horses of racing age, almost 900 broodmare and broodmare prospects and 7 stallion and stallion prospects.  The broodmares are in foal to over 170 stallions.  That provides a nice variety with a lot of strength.  There is proven sire power, ex. Tapit, Pioneer of The Nile, Distorted Humor, Union Rags to freshman sires with big hopes, like American Pharoah.  In unfortunate news, some horses won’t make the auction due to the ban on Thoroughbreds from Fair Grounds Race Course and training center in Louisiana.  A few horses there have developed equine herpes virus so in the interest of safety no horse with potential exposure may ship to Keeneland.  Let’s pray for the health of these horses.

Carpe Diem
Carpe Diem

The new babies of 2017 have definitely warmed my heart over these last cold days.  Since many horses in the sale are in foal, some may give birth prior to the sale and then they walk thru the auction with their mother.  I’ve only seen it a few times but it is so cute when I catch it.  Carpe Diem had his first foal on New Year’s Day.  American Pharoah had his first on 1/3/17.  Can’t wait for all the excitement that the new babies bring and I hope to see one at the sale.

Keeneland's Sales Pavilion
Keeneland’s Sales Pavilion

Have a warmer and safe week.  I’m looking forward to the break in cabin fever and a nice trip to the Keeneland sale.  Drop a comment if you will be attending as well.

 

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Field of Fillies

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Farrell at Churchill Downs
Farrell at Churchill Downs

Christmas came early for 8 lucky Thoroughbreds yesterday.  Two races held at Los Alamitos, in California, on December 10th were the end of the road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks for this year.  Fortunately, on 1/7/17 prep races continue as they will until mid April.

I covered the top of the KY Derby leaderboard in my last post.  The Grade 1 CashCall Futurity held yesterday awarded 10 points to Mastery, 4 points to Irap, 2 points for Dangerfield and 1 point to Bobby Abu Dhabi.  This resulted in some changes in the top of the leaderboard bumping Mastery into 5th place and knocking Klimt out of the top ten.  The KY Derby top ten as 2016 ends:

  1. Classic Empire
  2. Practical Joke
  3. Gunnevera
  4. Lookin At Lee
  5. Mastery
  6. Gormley
  7. Mo Town
  8. McCraken
  9. Wild Shot
  10. No Dozing

Changes in the top ten KY Oaks contenders were similar.  The Grade 1 Starlet Stakes gifted 10 points to Abel Tasman, 4 to American Gal, 2 to Mopotism and 1 point for Tapped.  This moved Farrell from the 8th to 9th position as Abel Tasman took over the 8 spot and Ever So Clever fell to 12th as American Gal filled in the 11th position.  The current KY Oaks contenders:

  1. Champagne Room
  2. Daddys Lil Darling
  3. Miss Sky Warrior
  4. Dancing Rags
  5. Yellow Agate
  6. Shane’s Girlfriend
  7. Noted and Quoted
  8. Abel Tasman
  9. Farrell
  10. Valadorna

Unlike the KY Derby where the favorite is my favorite, Classic Empire, I’m uncertain as to which filly in this field I’m a fan of?  The KY Oaks was inaugurated on 5/19/1875.  The 143rd Oaks will be held 5/5/17.

Champagne Room won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and that is where she picked up 20 of her 21 points. Valadorna was second, American Girl was third , Daddys Lil Darling finished fourth, Noted and Quoted was 7th, Dancing Rags ran 8th and Yellow Agate finished 10th.  Therefore, Champagne Room beat many in this field once but she didn’t win it by lengths.  She has finished in the top 4 in her 5 career races, 4 of which were graded stakes.  She got just 1 point when she finished fourth in the Chandelier Stakes.  Noted and Quoted won that race.

Daddys Lil Darling has worked hard for her 20 points.  She has finished in the top 4 of 4 KY Oaks prep races.  She was 1st in the Pohahontas, 2nd in the Alcibiades and the Golden Rod and 4th in the BC Juvenile.

Miss Sky Warrior has finished 1st in the last 3 of her 4 starts.  The last 2 were graded stakes and she took her Oaks points when she won the Demoiselle Stakes.

Dancing Rags won the Alcibiades but finished near the back in the BC Juvenile.  She has won 2 of her 4 starts.

Yellow Agate has only raced 3 times.  She won the Frizette Stakes grabbing 10 points but then did poorly in the BC Juvenile.

Shane’s Girlfriend is undefeated in her 2 starts.  She won the Delta Downs Princess Stakes less than a month after breaking her maiden.

Noted and Quoted has raced 5 times.  She got her Oaks points when she won the Chandelier but she did not excel in the BC Juvenile.

Abel Tasman won the Starlet yesterday.  It was her 1st graded stakes race.  She has won 3 of her 4 lifetime races.

Farrell is my homegirl, LOL.  All 4 of her starts have been at Churchill Downs.  I saw her there this Fall.  It is her picture at the top of the post.  She broke her maiden that day.  The following month she won the Golden Rod Stakes.

Valadorna broke her maiden her 2nd time out.  That was on opening day at Keeneland.  Her next race was the BC Juvenile Fillies where she took 2nd place.  She has not raced since.

With just 9 preps finished and 21 to go I have a while to go before I pick my favorite KY Oaks horse.  2017 is going to be very interesting!  Keep checking my page out as we continue down the road.  Who do you like?

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Commentary on Classic Empire

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Classic Empire

Classic Empire, takes to the dirt at Churchill Downs for the Bashford Manor Stakes. 

In the days leading up to the 2016 Kentucky Derby some 2 year-old Thoroughbreds were already in training for 2017’s big race.  3 days short of the 142nd Run for the Roses, on May 4, 2016, Classic Empire broke his maiden at Churchill Downs.

Classic Empire was foaled to Pioneer of the Nile and Sambuca Classica on 3/21/14.   Classic Empire has an outstanding pedigree.  He is the half brother of American Pharoah by his sire.  His dam carries Secretariat in her genes.  Classic Empire was bred in KY by Steven and Brandi Nicholson.  He is owned by John C. Oxley who purchased him for $475,000 in the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.  Oxley’s silks are gold and blue blocks with white stripes on the sleeves and a gold cap.  This colt is trained by Mark E. Casse and his current jockey is Julien R. Leparoux.

2016 Bashford Manor Stakes

Classic Empire parades out before the 2016 Bashford Manor Stakes. 

Classic Empire is at the top of the leaderboard for the $2 million dollar, Grade 1, 143rd KY Derby.  The KY Derby selects its field of 20 horses using a tiered point system they apply to certain qualifying races.  Most of the early races award 10 points to win, 4 to place, 2 to show and 1 point for a finish at 4th place.  Some important stakes and the later races carry more points, except for the final prep.  Nine of these 37 races have already taken place.  The first race was held at Churchill on 9/17/16.  The last will be held at Keeneland on 4/15/17 and the KY Derby will take place on 5/6/17.

Classic Empire has 30 points.  In second, on the leaderboard, is Practical Joke with 14 points.  The next 5 horses have half as many points as Classic Empire.  I first saw Classic Empire when I went to Churchill Downs for my extended birthday celebration.  On 7/2/16, Classic Empire won the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes. He has finished 1st in 4 of his 5 career starts.  He did not finish the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes when he was stopped by the outriders after unseating his jockey, Irad Ortiz, Jr.  That allowed Practical Joke to win the Hopeful.  Classic Empire got his 1st 10 points when he won the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on 10/8/16.  He gathered a whopping 20 points when he won the Grade 1 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Classic Empire wins the Bashford Manor

Classic Empire blurs through the finish in the Bashford Manor.

The next KY Derby prep race in on 12/10/16.  5 preps take place throughout January.  Trainer Casse has reportedly said that Classic Empire will winter in Florida.  He will be stabled at Gulfstream Park.  The Holly Bull, another KY Derby prep race, takes place at Gulfstream on 2/4/17.  Perhaps that will be Classic Empire’s next race?

In the mean time, I will be looking forward to racing at Los Alamitos, in Cypress, California.  The 12/10/16 Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity is a one and 1/16th mile race that carries a $300,000 purse and KY Derby points.  It is a dirt race for 2 year old colts. Who will pick up the next 10/4/2/1 points and how will the leaderboard change?  Then on 12/17/16,  California Chrome, who has stabled at Los Alamitos for 3 years will race there himself for the first time.  This was a tremendous surprise to Chrome’s fans, after the BC Classic, as we thought his next and last race would be the Pegasus World Cup in January.  The Winter Challenge is a race that Los Alamitos developed specifically to attract Chrome to race there once before he headed off for the Pegasus and following retirement.  I can never get enough of California Chrome.  Check back, you know I will roll out a nice story for my fellow Chromies!

 

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Clinching the Clark

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Mr. Z

Mr. Z, above, lovable and yet a bit of a nibbler.  In the D. Wayne Lukas stable in June, 2015. The benefit is worth the risk if you are lucky enough to meet him.

Happy Thanksgiving!  I have so much to be thankful for this year and the blessings will keep coming.  Churchill Downs has a very nice closing weekend lined up for us.  11/24-11/27 brings 4 days of racing with 7 nice stakes including the Grade 1 Clark Handicap!

Mr. Z in the Ack-Ack

Mr. Z, above, in the Ack-Ack Handicap in October, 2016.

The Clark Handicap is one of America’s older races.  Occurring annually in the Fall, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY, this year’s addition takes place on Friday, 11/25/16.  The race is named for the founder of the Louisville Jockey Club, Colonel M. Lewis Clark.  The Louisville Jockey Club built much of Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.  The 142nd running of the Clark Handicap is a dirt race of 1 and 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) for horses age 3 or older.  The purse is $500,000.  The Clark Handicap will post at 6:24 p.m. EST.  We will be treated to a field of 10 horses on a card of 12 races.  The competition is as follows by post, horse, jockey,trainer and morning line odds :

  1. Gun Runner/Florent Geroux/Steven M. Asmussen/4/1
  2. Effinex/Junior Alvarado/James A. Jerkens/4/1
  3. Are You Kidding Me/Alan Garcia/Roger L. Attfield/15/1
  4. Shaman Ghost/Javier Castellano/James A. Jerkens/8/1
  5. Hawaakom/Miguel Mena/Wesley E. Hawley/20/1
  6. Noble Bird/Julien R. Leparoux/Mark E. Casse/7/2
  7. Breaking Lucky/Luis Contreras/Reade Baker/8/1
  8. Mr. Z/Ricardo Santana, Jr./D. Wayne Lukas/30/1
  9. Hoppertunity/John R. Velazquez/Bob Baffert/5/2
  10. Prayer for Relief/Robby Albarado/Dale L. Romans/30/1

There are a lot of big talent horses in this race and a few more obscure Thoroughbreds as well.  Any horse will be lucky to win but historically some Clark winners have really clinched the title and hit it twice.  Hodge won in 1915 and 1916.  Bold Favorite was 1st in both 1968 and 1969 and Bob’s Dusty won in 1977 and again in 1978.  Hoppertunity and Effinex will both have the chance to win their second Clark Handicap in tomorrow’s race.  Looking to the trainers, Bob Baffert will have a chance to win his 4th Clark Handicap, which would make him the trainer with the most wins.  Currently, Ben Jones, Smiley Adams and Bob Baffert have all won the Clark thrice.

Mr. Z in the Hagyard Fayette Stakes

Mr. Z, above in the Hagyard Fayette Stakes in October 2016.

Gun Runner is the KY bred colt of Candy Ride and Quiet Giant.  He is 3 years old.  Gun Runner has won 5 of his 11 career starts.  He is experienced at Churchill Downs and was 3rd in the 2016 KY Derby.

Effinex is the 5 year old son of Mineshaft and What a Pear.  Bred in NY, he has won 9 of his 27 races.  His only race at Churchill has been the Clark Handicap in which he dominated in 2015.  He had a surprisingly late finish in the BC Classic this year.  Can he win the Clark again?

Are You Kidding Me is a KY bred 6 year-old.  He was born to Run Away and Hide and Sweet Awakening.  He has won 9 of 31 races and holds the 2015 Sovereign Award for Champion Older Horse.  He has primarily raced at Woodbine but he finished 5th at Churchill in the Stephen Foster Handicap this past June.

Shaman Ghost has not raced in 3 months.  He had to scratch from the Breeders’ Cup Classic due to a brief illness. He is a ON bred colt by Ghostzapper and Getback Time.  Shaman Ghost is trained by Jerkens, winner of the 2015 Clark.  He has won half of his 12 starts and he holds the Sovereign Award for 2015 Champion 3 year Old Colt.

Hawaakom is a 6 year-old KY bred gelding born to Jazil and Nafisah.  Hawaakom has won 7 of his 30 career starts.  He has experience at Churchill, including a second place finish in the Lukas Classic in October.

Noble Bird is trained by Casse and I have had the extreme pleasure of visiting this KY bred horse while he was stabled at Keeneland.   This 5 year old colt is sired by Birdstone.  His dam is Anyhow.  Noble Bird’s jockey, Leparoux, won the Clark in 2008 with Einstein. Noble Bird has won 7 of 19 starts.  He frequents both Keeneland and Churchill.  He won stakes races at both in October.

Breaking Lucky is another ON bred colt.  He is the 4 year-old son of Lookin At Lucky and Shooting Party.  He has won 3 of 15 career starts.  His last time out was his only Churchill race where he finished 8th in the Lukas Classic.

Mr. Z is the KY bred 4 year-old colt of Malibu Moon and Stormy Bear.  He has had 22 career starts including two Breeders’ Cup entries.  Mr. Z broke his maiden in his first race, that was at Churchill Downs in 2014.  He also won the Ohio Derby.  He is clearly my favorite horse in this race and trained by my favorite trainer, D. Wayne Lukas.  If Lukas wins this race and Baffert does not, it would put Lukas in as one of the few 3 time Clark winning trainers.  Lukas won the 2013 Clark with Will Take Charge.

Hoppertunity won the Clark in 2014 and finished second in 2015.  He is a KY bred horse by Any Given Saturday and Refugee.  Hoppertunity has won 6 of 23 starts.  He recently finished 4th in the BC Classic.  Is it his turn to clinch a second Clark?

Prayer for Relief is the oldest horse in the race at 8 years-old.  He is a KY bred horse by Jump Start and Sparklin Lil.  He has raced an amazing 44 times with 8 wins.  He raced in the Clark Handicap in 2011, 2013 and 2014.  It must be a favorite race for him by now.  His trainer, Romans, won with Shackleford in 2012.

Ack-Ack 2016 with Mr. Z

Mr. Z, above, in the paddock before the 2016 Ack-Ack at Churchill Downs.

I hope everyone has plenty of blessings that they can be thankful for today.  Enjoy your family, friends, lots of food and the last live races at Churchill Downs of 2016.  I’ll be rooting for Mr. Z.  I enjoy watching some of the more experienced horses in the game taking another shot at a nice stakes race.  Happy Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for all of my readers and the support you have shown me.  Thank you!

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Knockout November

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Love The Chase

Photo:  Love The Chase

Don’t blink!  The 2016 Breeders’ Cup finished up on Saturday and in the next moment the Thoroughbreds shipped away.  Some we will see on the track again, some retired and others were sent promptly to Kentucky for the November sales.

Stopchargingmaria

Photo: Stopchargingmaria

On November 4th and 5th, Santa Anita Park in California hosted the Breeders’ Cup.  13 races took place yielding the following results by race and winning Thoroughbreds:

  • Juvenile Turf: Oscar Performance
  • Las Vegas Dirt Mile: Tamarkuz
  • Juvenile Fillies Turf: New Money Honey
  • Longines Distaff: Beholder
  • 14 Hands Winery Juvenile Fillies: Champagne Room
  • Filly and Mare Turf: Queen’s Trust
  • Twin Spires Sprint: Drefong
  • Turf Sprint: Obviously
  • Sentient Jet Juvenile: Classic Empire
  • Longines Turf: Highland Reel
  • Filly and Mare Sprint: Finest City
  • Mile: Tourist
  • Classic: Arrogate

Baffled

Photo: Baffled

There were a whole lot of upsets and close calls but it is all part of the game!  The results of these races lead to updates in bloodlines all over the world and the new information was influential at the following sales.

Cassett

Photo: Cassett

The November Sale at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, KY was quite the success.  Held at 4 P.M. EST on 11/7/16 there were 175 hips cataloged.  88 horses were sold and 34 did not meet the reserve.  The others scratched prior to the sale.  The auction grossed over $54 million dollars which is up over 22% versus the prior year.  The average price rose nearly 30% versus last year to about $615 thousand dollars.  The median price went up almost 60% to more than $377 thousand dollars.  The horses that didn’t make the reserve, the minimum price per the seller, was down to less than 28% versus 34% in 2015.  15 horses sold for a million dollars or more.

  1. Baffled $3.5 M
  2. Curalina $3M
  3. Stopchargingmaria $2.8M
  4. Cassatt $2.5M
  5. Embellish The Lace $2.4M
  6. Lady Zuzu $2.35M
  7. Jacaranda $2M
  8. Love The Chase $1.95M – oh my goodness, it’s California Chrome’s mom!
  9. Whatdreamsrmadeof $1.65M
  10. Cover Song $1.6M
  11. Cathryn Sophia $1.4M
  12. Tapas $1.3M
  13. Paid Up Subscriber $1.1M
  14. Haveyougoneaway $1.1M
  15. Luminance $1M

Peace And War

Photo: Peace And War

The 2016 November Breeding Stock Sale at Keeneland in Lexington, KY was held starting at 11am on 11/8/16.  It will continue thru November 20th.  Day 1 of Book 1 went very nicely.  Day 1 included 239 hips.  115 Thoroughbreds were sold.  Over $50 million dollars were grossed.  The average price was more than $436 thousand dollars.  The median was $260 thousand.  10 horses sold for 7 figures.

  1. Secret Gesture $3.5M
  2. Celestine $2.55M
  3. Tapicat $2.2M
  4. My Conquestadory $1.5M
  5. Peace And War  $1.45M
  6. Princess Sylvia  $1.4M
  7. Summer Soiree $1.3M
  8. Yellow Ribbon $1.3M
  9. Lexie Lou $1M
  10. Dust and Diamonds $1M

Keenekand November Sale

Photo:  from left to right Dust And Diamonds, Celestine, Tapicat

It was a good couple of days to catch the action in Lexington, KY.  I can’t wait to see what the remainder of the sales yield.  I hope we have a knockout November!  Check back at least weekly and I’ll do my best to keep you updated on new adventures with race horses.

Top Book 1 Keeneland November

Photo: clockwise from top left Summer Soiree, Secret Gesture, Princess Sylvia, My Conquestadory

 

 

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Man o’ War Memorial

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Man o' War

Turn a pity party into paradise!  That’s what one trip to the world famous Kentucky Horse Park can do.  I finished up a glorious Fall Meet at Keeneland Friday and Saturday which left me pining for more equine action today.  Thus I headed out to the KY Horse Park.  I wanted to see the progress on the Man o’ War statue at his final resting place.

Man o' War bronze

Born on March 29, 1917 it will soon be time to celebrate the 100th year since this legendary horse was foaled.  Man o’ War is one of the very best Thoroughbreds to ever race.  “Big Red”, as he was affectionately named, won 20 of 21 career races.  He was bred and born in Kentucky at Nursery Stud owned by August Belmont II.  Man o’ War was sired by Fair Play, his dam was Mahubah.  Man o’ War was sold to Samuel Riddle and lived at Glenn Riddle farm in Maryland.  Big Red was trained by Louis Feustel.  His jockeys were John P. Loftus and later, Clarence Kummer.

Statue of Man o' War

Man o’ War won the Eclipse Award for Champion 2 Year Old Colt in 1990 and 3 Year Old Colt in 1920.  He won the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in 1920 as well.  He then retired to Faraway Farm in Lexington, KY and had a highly successful stud career, siring 62 graded stakes winners.  His son, War Admiral, won the Triple Crown in 1937.  War Admiral died on this very date, 10/30, in 1959.   Before that, Man o’ War passed away 11/01/1947 of a heart attack.  He was buried at Faraway and later moved to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY in 1977.  Man o’ War was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1957.  In many publications of Thoroughbred rankings, Big Red is listed as number 1.

Man o' War plaque

When Man o’ War was exhumed his 3,000 pound bronze statue was moved with him.  Herbert Haseltine created the bronze sculpture dated 1948 but commissioned as early as 1934.  It sits on a marble base.  Casting Arts and Technology is currently in the process of removing the original patina to restore the statue.

Kentucky Horse Park

Man o’ War’s statue is still a beautiful site to behold even while it is a work in progress.  The statue and his grave are in the Man o’ War Memorial area just beyond the main gate and to the left.  Isaac Murphy, a famous jockey and several of Man o’ War’s descendants are buried there as well.

KY Horse Park

I really enjoyed my time at the Kentucky Horse Park this morning.  I especially loved seeing the retired horses that live in the Hall of Champions and petting a sweet horse in a paddock on the property.  Big Red’s statue should be restored any day now and the park is already preparing for their Southern Lights attraction which I posted about last December.  I sure do miss Keeneland racing but I’m glad to have the Kentucky Horse Park open on most days annually.  There is always something new to see.  Check back soon as I post about the upcoming Breeders’ Cup.

 

 

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