Strong weekend for Calumet's regional stallions

At first glance, it may appear that Mongolian Groom, upset winner of the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, and Ohio-bred Verissimo, who won the Catlaunch Stakes at Thistledown in his home state a few hours prior, have nothing in common. But they are linked through Calumet Farm’s large and diverse stallion roster, which includes representation in various regional and international markets.

Calumet Farm, which is owned by Brad Kelley, listed 23 stallions on its roster for 2019 – 12 standing publicly at its historic Kentucky base, five standing privately, and six standing in regional markets: Eye of the Leopard in Minnesota, Hightail in Arkansas, Lentenor in Indiana, Real Solution in Louisiana, Ready’s Image in Indiana, and Vertiformer in Ohio. Hightail made the most of two small Kentucky crops before being relocated, while Vertiformer is continuing to prove that his placement in Ohio is working for him.

Hightail’s lone win in 10 career starts, all made as a 2-year-old, came in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint at Santa Anita. The son of Mineshaft covered just six mares in 2013 and four in 2014 in Kentucky, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred. Remarkably, his first foal crop included multiple stakes winner Dynatail and Imperial Royal, a group stakes winner in the Dominican Republic. Mongolian Groom, from Hightail’s small second crop, finished third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, second in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap, and third in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic before scoring his upset win in the Awesome Again.

Hightail moved to Trophy Club Training Center in Royal, Ark., beginning with the 2015 season. In his first four seasons in Arkansas, Hightail covered books of 17, 24, 29, and 12 mares. The Jockey Club has not yet released its 2019 Report of Mares Bred.

Vertiformer, a minor stakes winner in France, was multiple graded stakes placed after coming to the United States before retiring to Poplar Creek Horse Center in Bethel, Ohio. The Dynaformer stallion, who is a half-brother to multiple Group 1 winner Declaration of War and from the immediate family of classic winner Union Rags, is a top 10 sire in his adopted state among stallions with Ohio-sired runners. His top earner is Verissimo, who has four wins and three seconds in seven starts this year, including wins in the Horizon Stakes and the Catlaunch. He has emerged as a contender for the Endurance Stakes on the Best of Ohio Showcase program on Oct. 26 at Mahoning Valley.