LEXINGTON, Ky. - Early results from an ongoing experiment at the University of Kentucky have linked early equine fetal loss to caterpillars and their excrement, researchers reported Wednesday.
In clinical trials in Lexington, researchers announced that six of nine pregnant mares involved in the study lost their fetuses after exposure to caterpillar frass, or excrement, alone. Six of 10 pregnant mares aborted after exposure to large numbers of caterpillars and frass.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Winners of the Kentucky Derby have ranged from princes of the yearling sales ring to paupers, even in the recent history of the race.
The least expensive winner of the Churchill Downs classic in modern times was Canonero in 1971, and the most costly yearling was Fusaichi Pegasus, who won two years ago. And the span of racehorses who ranged from very expensive to great bargains continues with this year's entries for the Kentucky Derby.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Owner David Milch has sold Val Royal, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Mile, for stud duty in South Africa.
A partnership that includes Lionel Cohen and Newsells Park Stud owner Andreas Jacobs privately purchased Val Royal, a French-bred, 6-year-old Royal Academy horse, who will stand at Cohen's Odessa Stud in South Africa. Jacobs, who recently purchased the South African stud farm Maine Chance from Graham Beck, bought his interest in Val Royal in the farm's name.
The biggest difference between this year's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company spring auction of 2 year-olds in training and last year's was at the top.
In 2001 there were three 2 year-olds who sold for more than $400,000. This year the highest priced was $280,000 for Hip No. 1075, a bay colt from the first crop of Grand Slam. The next highest price dropped to $155,000 for Hip No. 708, a colt by Appealing Skier purchased by Yusuf Mongroo of Trinidad.
Like a tightly paced adventure novel, the Maryland Spring Challenge Day last Saturday at Pimlico moved from one plot line to another before reaching its denouement with a nine-length victory by 2001 Maryland-bred Horse of the Year Include, making his season's debut in the $100,000 Jennings Handicap.
New York has yet to produce a Kentucky Derby winner, but that could change next weekend when Arkansas Derby winner Private Emblem carries the hopes and dreams of many New York breeders on his back in the 128th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
Martin G. Kinsella, the executive director of the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund, said if Private Emblem won the Kentucky Derby, it would be a huge boost for the statebred program.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - As of 5 p.m. Thursday, a $280,000 Grand Slam colt was the session leader, and likely sale-topper, on the final day of Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's spring juvenile sale in Florida.
Buzz Chace, agent, bought the colt, who is out of stakes-placed Stephanie's Road (Strawberry Road [Aus]), for the West Point Thoroughbreds syndicate.
"He's a nice, smooth, beautiful horse," Chace said, adding that the colt would "relax" for 45 days at McKathan Bros. Training Center near Ocala before starting a fall campaign.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The decision to run Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Johannesburg in the Kentucky Derby is a sporting adventure for owners Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier. Whether their second overseas expedition with the colt is successful or not, Johannesburg has proven himself among the top-class athletes of his crop, and he is a fitting representative for his sire, Hennessy, his grandsire Ogygian, and his outstanding female family.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - As of 5 p.m., a $155,000 Appealing Skier colt was the session-leader on day three of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's spring 2-year-old sale in Ocala, Fla.
On Tuesday, the auction's second session rang up gross receipts of $4,108,800 for 190 lots sold. Total revenue was down slightly from last year, when 163 horses brought $4,159,300. The second-day average price also declined at this year's second session, falling 15 percent to $21,625. The median price slipped 12 percent, from $17,000 last year to $15,000.