Perennial leading sire Smart Strike reached a noteworthy milestone on Jan. 25, as his daughter Cloud Scapes prevailed in the Grade 3 Endeavor Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs for the stallion’s 100th career stakes winner. The 22-year-old Mr. Prospector horse stands at Lane’s End near Versailles, Ky.
WinStar Farm’s “Breed to Win” promotion will return for a second year, with drawings for 13 free stallion seasons in 2014.
An old saying goes, “Behind every great man, there’s a great woman.” For Kitten’s Joy, there have been several.
Kentucky Derby winner Orb, entering stud at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., is one of three classic winners who lead the new Kentucky sires for 2014. Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow enters stud at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, while Animal Kingdom, the winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby, shuttles to Darley’s American base at Jonabell Farm in Lexington.
Although the Northern Dancer male line’s share of North American graded stakes winners steadily increased, trends indicated that Mr. Prospector was likely to overtake Northern Dancer and become the dominant male line in North America. Fast-forward only three years, and what once seemed an inevitable trend no longer looks quite so unstoppable, mostly due to the emergence of Medaglia d’Oro and Kitten’s Joy as leading sires, coupled with the continued strength of the voluminous male line of Storm Cat and the resurgence of the Danzig male line.
Afleet, the Canadian Horse of the Year in 1987 and an influential sire, died Wednesday at the Breeders Stallion Station in Japan. He was 30. The death was first reported by Paca Paca Farm via Twitter.
Even during the first 48 hours of life, conformation of a foal’s limbs plays a critical role in hoof development.
The first foal by champion and dual classic winner I’ll Have Another arrived last weekend at Big Red Farm on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, where the stallion stands.
Grade 2 winner Notional has been relocated to Rockin’ Z Ranch in Beggs, Okla. for the 2014 breeding season. The 10-year-old son of In Excess previously stood at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky.
Canadian stallion Wando, the most recent winner of his home country’s Triple Crown, died of a suspected heart attack Jan. 22 at Schonberg Farm near Nobleton, Ontario. The son of Langfuhr was 14.
