Although California Chrome made it look easy, Del Mar’s Grade 1 Pacific Classic drew perhaps the most competitive field of any race in the world so far this year. The 2016 European equivalent in degree of difficulty to date occurred last Saturday at Leopardstown, where no less than eight Group 1 winners broke from the starting gate for the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes.
Spendthrift Farm will put forth another incentive for Thoroughbred breeders by sponsoring a stakes race for the progeny of its stallions during the fall meet at Churchill Downs.
Grade 2 winner Kantharos will relocate to Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, Ky., for the 2017 breeding season.
The Indiana Breeders Alliance will host its inaugural Indiana Breeders Seminar on Saturday, Nov. 19, to educate breeders in the region and help them book mares to stallions in and out of the state.
Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria, an earner of more than $3 million, has been retired from racing according to her owner, Town and Country Racing of Georgetown, Ky.
Grade 1 winner Offlee Wild is reported to have died at Celikoglu Stud Farm in Turkey from a massive heart attack.
A number of freshman sires had notable milestones Labor Day weekends, as stakes opportunities become more readily available – and extremely importantly for their sire’s credentials. During the past weekend, Union Rags, Maclean’s Music, Tapizar, and Dominus all were represented by their initial stakes winners, and victories in these rich races moved all four into the top five freshman sires in North America.
Charlie Boden, who served as racing manager and stallion season sales director for Calumet Farm, has left the operation to re-establish his bloodstock consultancy, Charles H. Boden Thoroughbreds, Inc.
Sires First Defence and United States have been sold to stand at Half Stud in Saudi Arabia beginning in 2017.
A decade after 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam's death, and five years after the remnants of his female line were scattered across America following the death of prominent breeder Edward P. Evans, his family continues to make an impact that will be felt at the upcoming Keeneland September yearling sale.
