Keeneland Archives - Page 8 of 14

December 11, 2016December 11, 2016

Field of Fillies

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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:

Classic Empire
Practical Joke
Gunnevera
Lookin At Lee
Mastery
Gormley
Mo Town
McCraken
Wild Shot
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:

Champagne Room
Daddys Lil Darling
Miss Sky Warrior
Dancing Rags
Yellow Agate
Shane’s Girlfriend
Noted and Quoted
Abel Tasman
Farrell
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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December 2, 2016December 2, 2016

Commentary on Classic Empire

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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.

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 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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November 24, 2016November 24, 2016

Clinching the Clark

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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, 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 :

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

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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November 9, 2016November 9, 2016

Knockout November

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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.

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

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.

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.

Baffled $3.5 M
Curalina $3M
Stopchargingmaria $2.8M
Cassatt $2.5M
Embellish The Lace $2.4M
Lady Zuzu $2.35M
Jacaranda $2M
Love The Chase $1.95M – oh my goodness, it’s California Chrome’s mom!
Whatdreamsrmadeof $1.65M
Cover Song $1.6M
Cathryn Sophia $1.4M
Tapas $1.3M
Paid Up Subscriber $1.1M
Haveyougoneaway $1.1M
Luminance $1M

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.

Secret Gesture $3.5M
Celestine $2.55M
Tapicat $2.2M
My Conquestadory $1.5M
Peace And War $1.45M
Princess Sylvia $1.4M
Summer Soiree $1.3M
Yellow Ribbon $1.3M
Lexie Lou $1M
Dust and Diamonds $1M

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.

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

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October 30, 2016October 31, 2016

Man o’ War Memorial

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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October 21, 2016

Kings of Keeneland

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On the 10th day of racing my true love sent to me, another win thanks to the Ramseys! Sarah and Kenneth Ramsey are the leading owners of Keeneland’s Fall meet currently. The Ramsey’s have earned the leading owner title at 17 prior Keeneland meets. So far, the Ramsey’s have 6 horses win at Keeneland this October.

On opening day, the Ramsey’s opened up their winning streak with two wins. Walking the Kitten won the 7th race on 10/7/16. Walking the Kitten is trained by Michael Maker and riden by Julien Laparoux.

That same day, race 10, Global Entry won. Maker was the trainer and Jose Ortiz was the jockey.

I witnessed my first Ramsey win of the Fall on 10/15 with Homespun Hero, seen above, in race 4. Maker was the trainer and Ortiz was the jockey.

Later that day, race 7, I was fortunate to see Coalport with another consistent win for the Ramseys. Coalport is seen in the above picture.

On Sunday, 10/16, the Ramsey family won again with Hunka Burning Love in the 2nd race. That day the Ramseys won their 100th race of 2016. Regular trainer, Maker won that with Robby Albarado in the saddle.

Yesterday, 10/20, I watched as another Ramsey horse won. Kitten’s Roar won the 3rd race with Maker and Leparoux.

It should be of no surprise that Mike Maker is the current leading trainer at Keeneland. He now has 7 wins for the meet. The other leading trainers are Graham Motion, Mark Casse, Todd Pletcher and Ian Wilkes.

Julien Leparaox leads the jockeys, several wins coming from Ramsey horses. Leparoux has won 11 times this meet. Other top jockeys include Jose Ortiz, Florent Geroux, Ricardo Santana Jr., Corey Lanerie and Robby Albarado.

Following the Ramseys, the top owners include John Oxley, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Maggi Moss, W.S. Farish, G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and Jim and Susan Hill.

With 7 days to go in the Fall Meet all titles are still up for grabs! I can’t make it out this weekend but be sure I will be there the last 2 days of the meet. If you have anything you would like to share with me about Keeneland, leave me a comment.

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October 11, 2016October 11, 2016

Kentucky Racing: Roots to Right Now

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And they’re off! Keeneland, enjoying its 80th anniversary, began their Fall Meet on October 7, 2016. Starting with Fall Stars Weekend, Keeneland had 7 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races and 9 graded stakes races. One of these stakes is the oldest stakes race in the United States. That race was the 164th running of the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes.

A.P. Indian won this year’s Grade 2, Phoenix Stakes of 6 furlongs on the dirt. The race carried a $250,000 purse and an automatic berth into the BC Sprint this coming November. A.P. Indian didn’t even need the berth, as his win in the Forego had already secured that. A. P. Indian was a disappointing 6th place finisher in the Phoenix last year. He rebounded in style and has won all 6 of his races since! In total he has won 11 of his 17 career starts. Green Lantern Stables is his owner and breeder. Arnaud Delacour is his trainer and Joe Bravo is his jockey. A.P. Indian is the KY bred son of Indian Charlie and Ender’s Sister. At 6 year’s old, A.P. Indian is going strong, as is the legacy of America’s oldest race.

To prepare for the Fall Meet there was the 1st ever Phoenix Festival held on 10/6/16. A group named Phoenix Rising hosted the free event in the Isaac Murphy Memorial Garden on the East End of Lexington, KY. Phoenix Rising, named for the Phoenix Stakes, is an organization dedicated to promoting the rich history of the horse racing industry in Lexington.

The Phoenix Stakes was named for the historical Phoenix Hotel, a place in Lexington where people from all over the world would gather to talk Thoroughbred racing. The hotel wasn’t too far from the Kentucky Association’s track where we now have Race Street. The KY Association racetrack originated in 1831 and held some fantastic racing until it closed in 1933. When Keeneland opened in 1936, several KY Association assets were transferred to the new Lexington track, including the gate posts. The site where the Isaac Murphy Memoriall Garden now exists is the original location of the home of Isaac Murphy. The house’s foundation forms the amphitheater shape. This property was on the edge of the KY Association track.

Isaac Burns Murphy, winning jockey of 3 Kentucky Derbies is a historically famed jockey. Part of the park and presentation paid homage to the strong African American influence in Thoroughbred racing. There was a wealth of information on important African Americans in racing. That material will be shared and expanded upon in a separate, future post.

Donna Brothers, former jockey and current NBC Sports racing reporter was one of the speakers at the festival. Yvonne Giles, historian, James Long, retired jockey and Eugene Carter, trainer and handler were some of the other guest speakers. The event was a success as it provided education and entertainment. I am looking forward to more Phoenix Rising activities but as I head into this weekend I can’t wait to attend the Keeneland meet.

My “day job” prevented me from attending Keeneland’s opening weekend but later this week I will finally get my crack at visiting my favorite track. There is nothing like experiencing a live meet in the Horse Capital of the World. I’ll be checking my comments to see if you have any favorite Thoroughbreds for me to try to follow on my visits. Racing at Keeneland starts again tomorrow. Good luck to us all!

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October 5, 2016October 5, 2016

Racing with Runhappy

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There’s an old Irish saying that says just about anything you want it to. One of those being, “The best horse doesn’t always win the race.” I know of a few of the very best horses that even when they don’t win, they at least run happy. I caught up with Runhappy, himself, this weekend at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. He was head bobbing along through the paddock with a smile on his face. He is featured in the 1st three pictures.

Runhappy is a 4 year old colt sired by Super Saver. His dam is Bella Jolie. Hap, as he is affectionately named, is a Kentucky bred horse. He usually lives at the Thoroughbred Training Center with his cat, Sancho, in my hometown of Lexington, KY. Hap, is owned by James McIngvale. He had Edgar S. Prado for a jockey in his last race. He will use Gary Stevens in his next race. Laura Wohlers is his current trainer. Runhappy has had 9 career starts and he has won 7 times. He was sidelined for all of this year until the G3, Ack Ack Handicap this past Saturday, 10/1/16. He finished up a 6 race winning streak in December with a win in the Grade 1, Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA. He spent most of this summer healing from a bruised cannon bone. Hap returned to racing this past weekend in preparation for the $1 million dollar Las Vegas Breeders’ Cup Mile this November at Santa Anita. Last year, Runhappy won the BC Sprint and earned himself an Eclipse Award for 2015 Champion Sprinter. His connections are working with him to do the same with the BC Mile.

The 24th running of the Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs was a stakes race for horses 3 years olds and upward. It was a 1 mile race on the dirt and carried a purse of $100,000. The race is named for Ack Ack, a 1986 United States Racing Hall of Fame inductee and three time 1971 Eclipse Award winner. Ack Ack also went on to be a wonderful stallion at Claiborne Farm producing many more stakes winners.

Hap was one of 6 horses in the race this year. He unfortunately came in 4th, after a lead near the start. His connections still intend to ship him to California for the November BC Mile. Many feel he will continue to improve. Runhappy will also race in the 1st ever Pegasus World Cup on 1/28/17. The Pegasus will carry a $12million dollar purse, the world’s richest horse race.

Tom’s Ready, seen above, was the winner of the Ack Ack Handicap. He will also be targeting the BC Mile this year.

Tepin won the BC Mile last year. She is a contender to do so again. Tepin will race at Keeneland, in Lexington, KY, on opening weekend. She is entered in the First Lady Stakes, race 7 on 10/8/16. Post time is 4:35 P.M. EST. Tepin won the First Lady last year.

My beloved, Mr. Z, seen above, finished 6th in the Ack Ack on Saturday. It was his first race of this year but his 21st career start. He raced in the BC Mile last year as well. I was really pulling for him in the Ack Ack and he was leading at the half-mile. I do not know the current plans for his next race.

Churchill’s September Meet ended on October 2nd but thankfully Keeneland’s Fall Meet starts on the 7th and will continue thru the 29th. I will attend as often as possible to bring you more photos and stories. If there is any Thoroughbred in the Keeneland meet that you really want pictures of, please comment and I’ll give it a try. Thank you and check back for a new post each week.

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September 16, 2016September 16, 2016

Tepin is Pretty in Pink

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She’s sexy and she knows it! Fan favorite, Tepin, will race again on Saturday. This is one special mare. I last saw her win the 28th Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland’s Spring Meet, this past April. I got her picture, above, as she walked towards the paddock with a smile on her face. She raced from post position 8 that day and broke a 20 year stakes record by finishing 5 lengths ahead after covering 1 and 1/16 miles in 1:40.53. She will break from post 8 once again this weekend. Post 8 is assigned a pink saddle cloth. Turf queen, Tepin, will be the only lady in the field. I’m betting we might see Miss Pretty in Pink race on to her 8th straight win.

Tepin was bred in Kentucky and she was born in March of 2011. She is the offspring of Bernstein and Life Happened. Last year, Tepin won the Breeders’ Cup Mile and earned her 1st Eclipse Award. She has won 12 of 20 career starts and she began a winning streak, when I first saw her race, that has not stopped. She won the Grade 1, First Lady Stakes, in October 2015 at Keeneland. That is when she first caught my eye. I saw her win the BC Mile that same month and then I saw her win the Jenny Wiley, all at Keeneland. There have been 4 other wins mixed into the streak. Her last win was on her 1st international trip. Tepin won the Grade 1, Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in England this past June. She was the 1st American based horse to win the Queen Anne and she beat a field of male horses, which is becoming rather usual for her. I have written about her before, so use the search button on my website for additional background information. Now, Tepin has shipped to Canada to continue her reign as an international superstar.

The race I don’t want to miss on Saturday, 9/17/16, is the Ricoh Woodbine Miles Stakes. This race will take place at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto in the Providence of Ontario of Canada. It is the 12th and final race at Woodbine on Saturday. The post time is 6:39 PM EDT, which, conveniently for me, makes it the same time for EST. This race was inaugurated in 1988. It is a 1 mile turf race with a $1 million dollar purse for horses age 3 and older. It is part of the BC “Win and You’re In” challenge for an automatic berth into the BC Mile. Wise Dan holds the speed record, in the Woodbine Mile, with a time of 1:31.75. He won both the Woodbine Mile and BC Mile in 2012 and again in 2013.

Tepin’s regular jockey, Julien Leparoux, won the Woodbine Mile in 2011 with Turallure. Leparoux is an outstanding jockey and he won Eclipse Awards in 2006 and 2009. Tepin’s trainer, Mark E, Casse, nor her owner, Robert E. Masterson have won the Woodmile Mile yet.

The 8 horse field is a follows by post/horse/jockey/trainer/age:

Tower of Texas/Eurico Rosa Da Silva/Rodger L. Attfield/5 YO
Mutakayyef/Dane O’Neill/William J. Haggas/5 YO
Arod/Oisin Murphey/Peter W. Chappel-Hyam/5 YO
Glenville Gardens/Gary Boulanger/Sid C. Attard/4 YO
Full Mast/Joel Rosario/William I. Mott/4 YO
Passion for Action/Luis Contreras/Michael P. De Paulo/4 YO
Mr. Owen/Jamie P. Spencer/Francois Rohaut/4 YO
Tepin/Julien Leparoux/Mark E. Casse/5 YO

I hope Tepin beats the boys again! It’s Tepin Time!

Meanwhile, I’m back at the Keeneland Sales in Lexington, KY which continue thru Sunday, September 25th. I was present 2 of the 3 days of Book 1. Today book 2 of 6 is taking place. Book 1 went well with the number of yearlings sold at 346 versus 443 in 2015. The price fell to a little over $120 million dollars versus more than $134 million in the prior year. However the average and median prices rose to more than $347 thousand dollars and $300 thousand dollars respectively. The biggest seller so far went for $3 million dollars. I’ll share more photos and news and the conclusion of the entire yearling sale.

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September 9, 2016September 9, 2016

Buying the Best Breeding

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Get into the game! Do you want to buy or see the graded stakes winners of the future? If so, plan to head to Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale in Lexington, KY. Keeneland prides itself on being the auction company to graduate the best yearlings in the world.

These are a few of the pictures I took at the sale last September. Thoroughbreds sold at Keeneland are having a fantastic year. In 2016, more of their grads have gone on to win Grade or Group 1 stakes races than from any other auction house. Every winner, of each of the 2016 Triple Crown Series, was once sold at Keeneland’s yearling sale in September of 2014. Nyquist won the Kentucky Derby, Exaggerator won the Preakness Stakes and Creator won the Belmont Stakes. It would take too long to name drop all of the talent that came out of that sale. The 73rd annual sale should lead to greatness as well.

The sale starts with Book 1 on Monday, 9/12/16, at 11 am EST. All of Book 1 sale dates start at 11 am. There are 6 books in the sale that concludes on Sunday, 9/25/16. Books 2 thru 6 sales start at 10 am daily with the exception of Thursday 9/15 when there will be no sale. The schedule is as follows by book, dates and hip numbers:

9/12 hips 1-202, 9/13 hips 203-405, 9/14 hips 406-607
9/16 hips 608-1007, 9/17 hips 1008-1407
9/18 hips 1408-1817, 9/19 hips 1818-2227
9/20 hips 2228-2637, 9/21 hips 2638-3047
9/22 hips 3048-3456, 9/23 hips 3457-3861
9/24 hips 3862-4178, 9/25 hips 4179-4479

The sale will include the best sire power. 53 Tapit yearlings will go thru the auction. Pioneer of the Nile is represented by 60 of the yearlings there. Fine yearlings by Scat Daddy, Bodemeister, Tiznow and Violence will be available as well. Several more yearlings by other outstanding sires are also cataloged. Search the entire catalog here: Keeneland September Yearling Sale

If you can’t make the sale you can go to the Keeneland website to watch the entire sale or TVG and TVG2 will show parts of the sale. I will be in attendance on several days and I will post frequent pictures and news to Twitter. Follow me at Thoroughbred U . Check my webpage over the next few weeks to see more photos and sales recap information.

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