Kentucky Derby Developments

The Sun Shines Bright On My Old Kentucky Home! 148th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. 5/7/22
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Tawny Port and Ethereal Road in Keeneland's Lexington Stakes.  Next stop, the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs!
Tawny Port and Ethereal Road in Keeneland’s Lexington Stakes. Next stop, the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs!

The race, 148 years in the making, is upon us! The Run For The Roses, the $3 Million, Woodford Reserve, Grade I, Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday. Twenty contenders have been awarded entry, while only one will win. Don’t miss these details and the Kentucky Derby developments.

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The Preakness Prep List

Bourbon War at home in Kentucky as a yearling.
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Bourbon War at home in Kentucky as a yearling.
Bourbon War lived in Midway, KY as a yearling, years before his Preakness Stakes entry.

It definitely doesn’t seem like it has been nearly two weeks since the Kentucky Derby but here we go, it is time for the 144th edition of the Preakness Stakes. The results of the Kentucky Derby were different and unexpected. We will not have an opportunity for a Triple Crown winner this year. Fortunately, there is a large field of fantastic talent entered in this Preakness, which may still be one of the greatest races. Get ready for one of the best and oldest, classic Grade 1 races, the Preakness Stakes!

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Photogenic Pharoah

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FacebooktwitterAmerican Pharoah

A dream was fulfilled yesterday when I finally got to meet American Pharoah.  I was lucky enough to be present at Keeneland, this past October, when Pharoah worked his way thru the paddock and then flashed past me to win his final race.  He won the first and only Grand Slam, the combination of all 3 legs of the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  With that, Pharoah retired just a few miles further down the road at Ashford Stud in Versailles,KY.

Ashford StudAshford Stud

Ashford Stud is the American division of Coolmore.  Coolmore America acquired the Ashford farm in the 1980s.  The land was developed for cattle farming around 1912 and was called Hereford Farm until the late 1970s.  As the cattle were replaced by stallions some great bloodlines began to prosper here. I was very impressed from the time I traveled thru the gated entry and down the tree lined car path passing lush fields that led us to the start of the tour.  Everything we saw was built with beauty and there is a lot of stone work.

Thunder Gulch

Coolmore added Thunder Gulch to the roster in 1996.  He still lives there today, having retired last year.  He serves as a calming factor to American Pharoah in the paddock now.  Thunder Gulch is the offspring of Gulch and Line of ThunderThunder Gulch was born in March of 1992.  He won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in 1995.  He was 3rd in the Preakness Stakes that year.  He was the Eclipse Award winner for Champion 3 Year Old Colt that same year.  By 2001 he was the top sire.  He has produced many fine Thoroughbreds.

Giant's CausewayGiant's Causeway

A farm favorite and North America’s leading sire in lifetime earnings, still standing at Ashford, is Giant’s Causeway.  He shares a barn with American Pharoah but it is Giant’s Causeway’s large statue that is featured just outside of the barn door.  He is accredited with producing 31 Grade 1 winners.  He is the son of Storm Cat and Mariah’s Storm, born in 1997.  Giant’s Causeway had a nice career as a runner but the stud life is for him.  He earned the champion sire title in 2009, 2010 and 2012.

Shanghai BobbyMunnings

Shanghai Bobby said it was much too pretty to look inward towards the barn.  He was enjoying the view of the lovely farm.  His very 1st crop of yearlings are selling now and he has had some nice prices on his Keeneland September Sale grads.  Shanghai Bobby won the BC Juvenile and and Eclipse Award for Champion 2 Year Old Colt both in 2012.  He himself is the son of Harlan’s Holiday and Steelin’.  He was foaled in 2010.

Munnings wasn’t having it either.  He left the hamming to American PharoahMunnings is the 2006 offspring of Speightstown and La CometeMunnings was a nice race horse and he is producing great foals.  I’m A Chatterbox is one of my favorite of his progeny.

Uncle Mo

Uncle Mo is having a very significant impact on the industry right now.  He is the sire of our last KY Derby winner, Nyquist Indian Charlie and Playa Maya produced Uncle Mo in 2008.  He was the winner of the 2010 BC Juvenile and subsequently the winner of the Eclipse Award for Champion 2 Year Old Colt that same year.

Declaration of WarLookin at Lucky

Declaration of War was born to War Front and Tempo West in 2009.  His sire, War Front along with Tapit took the lead at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale as they have for years.  Declaration of War’s first crop are currently yearlings.

Lookin At Lucky wasn’t necessarily looking at me.  This 2007 son of Smart Strike and Private Feeling was a nice racehorse.  Lookin at Lucky won the Preakness in 2010.  In 2009 and 2010 he took the Eclipse Award for Champion Colt.  Madefromlucky is one of his many graded stakes winning offspring.

Ashford Stud CemeteryAshford Stud Name Plates

The name plaques on the walls and the gravestones in the cemetery remind us of the great horses that have called Ashford Stud home.  Cigar and Scat Daddy are among those memorialized.  Scat Daddy died way to soon.  His last crop of yearlings are making there way through this year’s sales.  Hip 454 at the 2016 Keeneland September Sale was his son.  He was the sale topper hammering $3 million dollars.

Ashford Stud trophiesAshford Stud mementos

The property is stuffed with awards and memorabilia affiliated with the champion sires that have called Ashford home. Pictured here are just a few of the wonderful collection I saw.

Ashford Stud Breeding Shed

The least fancy building on the tour holds the most important rooms.  This is the breeding shed where every live mount at Coolmore America takes place.

American Pharoah

I’ll conclude the tour recap with a few more photos of Ashford’s and America’s champ.  American Pharoah brought an end to our 37 year quest for a Triple Crown Winner.  He is our only living champion horse of just 12 Thoroughbreds to ever win the series.  American Pharoah was born in 2012.  He is the son of Pioneerof the Nile and Littleprincessemma. Pharoah began breeding for the 1st time this year.  I can not wait to see his foals.  I hope they inherit every bit of his talent.  He has put on a little weight and he seemed calm and comfortable for a stallion.  To arrange for your own tour go to Horse Country Tours

American Pharoah

In other news, California Chrome races again Saturday.  Look for my Chrome story any day now.

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