A trio of California-bred colts have spent this season knocking heads in their home state – boosting the profile of their young sire, Square Eddie, and rewarding owner J. Paul Reddam's faith in his talented but unlucky runner.
Bluegrass Cat began his stud career in Kentucky and stood at two different farms in New York before relocating to Ballena Vista Farm in Ramona, Calif., for the 2015 season. He is California's leading active resident by progeny earnings – and, judging by his immediate popularity in the Golden State, may have finally found a long-term home.
The waning days of 2015 may produce a milestone for California owner and breeder Nick Alexander.
There is a late Christmas present arriving at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, Calif., this week. Einstein, the 13-year-old stallion who won the 2009 Santa Anita Handicap, is scheduled to arrive at the farm on Dec. 28 to launch his California stud career in 2016.
Multiple Grade 2 winner Amira’s Prince will stand the 2016 season at Pleasant Acres Stallions in Morriston, Fla., for a fee of $5,000.
Desert God, sire of former modern-day consecutive-win record holder Peppers Pride, died on Tuesday at the age 24 at Joe Allen’s farm near Abilene, Texas.
Bold Chieftain, a multiple stakes winner and popular runner in Northern California, sired his first winner when the 2-year-old gelding I Came to Party won a one-mile maiden-claiming race at Los Alamitos on Dec. 20 in his fourth start.
Maimonides, a $4.6 million yearling purchase by Zayat Stables, will stand the 2016 breeding season at Hand Ride Stables in Dublin, Ohio.
The global racing and breeding operations of Darley and Godolphin, the two entities owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will merge Jan. 1 and operate under Godolphin thereafter. The two had been operated as separate entities for years. Darley, under which all of Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock holdings formerly operated, will be used solely as the name of the stallion operation.
