Classic sire Northern Afleet, who showed his versatility with three diverse Eclipse Award champions, was euthanized Friday at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., after the sudden onset of a gastrointestinal problem. The son of Afleet was 25.

Should Justify complete a Triple Crown sweep Saturday, the Belmont Park winner’s circle will be filled to overflowing with members of his various ownership groups, media, and other entities.

But a similarly raucous winner’s circle celebration could take place some hours earlier, should the Churchill Downs Racing Club’s Warrior’s Club continue a solid season with a victory in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, which would be a blockbuster score for a colt from humble beginnings.

The Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap has a history of being a stallion-making race because it showcases the brilliance that is so desired in the American market. Solid sires have continued to emerge from the race in recent years – including Ghostzapper and Quality Road, who are positioned to showcase themselves on Belmont’s major week of racing.

Nine of the 12 entries in the 2018 Epsom Derby carried a cross of the top-class racemare and all-time great broodmare Urban Sea in their pedigrees. Only one of them, however, carried two crosses of Urban Sea - the most influential broodmare of the 21^st century - and that horses, Masar, won comfortably, giving Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum a rather ironic first Derby victory in his Godolphin blue colors.

Less than a decade after he was a classic winner himself, Lookin At Lucky hopes to get lucky in next week’s Belmont Stakes as the broodmare sire of the enigmatic Gronkowski – and is looking ahead to a big summer after closing May with a bang.

Wonder Gadot
Medaglia d’Oro–Loving Vindication, by Vindication
Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms ($325,000 purchase by TM Investments at OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training)

In the fickle and hyper-competitive world of Thoroughbred stallions, failure to produce Grade 1 winners and fast 2-year-olds in a horse’s first crop to reach the races is too often a ticket to quick export to faraway lands. With hot new stallions retiring to stud every year, patience is not a virtue cultivated by either stallion managers or the yearling market.

Blue hen Leslie’s Lady has been bred to Not This Time, the connections of the stallion announced on Wednesday evening.

Cooler Mike
Giant Gizmo–Executive Affair, by Bold Executive
Bred in Canada by Mike and Nick Nosowenko

Queen’s Plate hopeful Cooler Mike brings a proven classic sire line to the Canadian Triple Crown, balancing out a speed-oriented female family that is cause for concern ahead of the series.

Mind Your Biscuits, winner of the Group 1, $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen in March for a second consecutive year, has been bought by Japan’s Shadai Farm and will stand stud there next year, according to Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

Mind Your Biscuits will race this year for Shadai and his current ownership group, which includes Head of Plains Partners and trainer Chad Summers. He will continue to be trained by Summers.

Mind Your Biscuits is being pointed to the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile on June 9 at Belmont Park.