The stock of the relatively young broodmare Puca continues to skyrocket, as Dornoch, a full brother to her Kentucky Derby winner Mage, became a graded stakes winner with his game victory in the Grade 2 Remsen on Saturday at Aqueduct. The first three foals out of Puca, a stakes-winning daughter of Big Brown, are all stakes horses – a powerhouse start to the broodmare career of the mare who, at age 11, likely has many years of production ahead. Her first foal was the Gun Runner filly Gunning, stakes-placed at Oaklawn and Ellis Park. Her second foal, Mage, finished second to champion Forte in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in just his third career start, then won the Kentucky Derby. The son of Good Magic went on to finish third in the Preakness Stakes and second in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational. Now along comes Dornoch, who was second in the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth while still a maiden. He came in to the Remsen off a 6 1/2-length maiden score at Keeneland for which he earned a 90 Beyer Speed figure; he earned a 91 on Saturday. The next foal in the pipeline for Puca is a McKinzie colt who sold for $1.2 million to Mayberry Farm, as agent for C R K Stable, at the Keeneland September yearling sale. Puca, who was purchased by Robert Clay’s Grandview Equine for $475,000 in 2018, did not have a foal in 2023, and was bred back to Good Magic for a full sibling to Mage and Dornoch. Striking while the iron is hot, Grandview offered her at last month’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale, with the consignment of Case Clay, Robert’s son. Although she failed to meet her reserve in the ring, with a high bid of $2.8 million, a private sale was later negotiated, and she ultimately sold to major new industry player John Stewart for $2.9 million. “Thanks to Case Clay and Keeneland sales for making it possible to own a horse like Puca. Wow,” Stewart posted on social media after Dornoch’s victory, adding, “What a family.” Stewart had been active throughout the fall purchasing weanlings, yearlings, and active runners to populate his new racing stable. He announced his intentions this fall to build a broodmare band with a breed-to-race objective – meaning Puca’s coming Good Magic foal could be retained by his stable. Stewart purchased a total of five mares in foal for a total of $9.7 million across the major Fasig-Tipton and Kentucky November breeding stock sales. For the time being, Stewart’s burgeoning broodmare band has been boarded out at Margeaux Farm in Midway, Ky., but they will soon have a new home base. Stewart said he expects to close Dec. 18 on the former Shadayid Stud, an 839-acre satellite property of Shadwell Farm in Midway. The property will now be known as Resolute Farm, and Stewart has hired Noel Murphy, formerly with Middlebrook Farm, as a manager. Girvin - Airdrie While breeders prepare for the arrival of the first Kentucky-sired foals by Girvin after the turn of the year, the young stallion’s Florida-bred crops continue to roll on for him. Seminole Chief won the FTBOA Florida Sire In Reality Stakes, while Honey Dijon won the FTBOA Florida Sire My Dear Girl Stakes, giving the stallion a sweep of those stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. He is the third stallion to sweep the two races in the same year, according to FTBOA records, joining Fortunate Prospect (1994) and Awesome of Course (2011). Both Seminole Chief and Honey Dijon were bred in Florida by Brand and Misty Grady, who campaigned Girvin. Both race in the same colors, with Seminole Chief co-owned by David Grund. Grady’s operation is the second entity to sweep these stakes with homebreds in the same year, joining Fred Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm (2009). Girvin entered stud at Ocala Stud in Florida, with the Gradys’ Grand Oaks Farm and Airdrie Stud of Kentucky partnering on the young stallion. With Girvin’s first crop placing him sixth on the 2022 North American freshman earnings list – the only non-Kentucky stallion to make the top 10 – he moved to Kentucky for 2023 to continue his career at Airdrie. The stallion covered 181 mares in 2023, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred, at an advertised fee of $25,000. His fee gets a bump to $30,000 for 2024. The first Kentucky-sired foals by Girvin will be one of several milestones the young Airdrie Stud roster of 12 will have to look forward to in 2024. The farm will see the first runners from Grade 1 winner Complexity, whose yearlings were well received this season. The farm will also be preparing to showcase the first yearlings for Beau Liam, and will anticipate the first foals from this year’s incoming stallions, Happy Saver and Highly Motivated. Meanwhile, Airdrie recently welcomed Kentucky Derby winner Mage to the stallion barn, and will debut him for 2024. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.