In an era dominated by commercial breeders, building female families over decades is almost a lost art. With precious few private breeders left, female lines jump from one breeder to the next as success on the racetrack often results in sale for a profit in the broodmare market.
For most of the last 60 years or so, the male line of America’s greatest racehorse Man o’ War has been in serious jeopardy of extinction.
Man o’ War’s best son, 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral, was a great sire, leading the American sire list in 1945, but War Admiral’s best son, 1949 champion 2-year-old Blue Peter, died before going to stud, and none of his other sons made much impression at stud.
Multiple Grade 1 winner Oscar Performance will retire to his birthplace, Mill Ridge Farm in Lexington, Ky., at the end of this racing season to begin his stud career in 2019.
Oscar Performance, by leading turf sire Kitten's Joy, races as a homebred for John and Jerry Amerman. He is out of their stakes-winning homebred Devine Actress, a Theatrical mare who resides at Mill Ridge.
Queen’s Plate heroine Wonder Gadot added another feather to sire Medaglia d’Oro’s cap, and her Plate victory on Saturday did so in fitting style. Not only is she the latest standout filly for the Darley stallion, but she also displays his hallmark versatility.
The turn of the calendar to July means the rapid approach of the boutique summer meetings at Del Mar and Saratoga, which annually unveil some of the nation’s best-bred 2-year-olds. This year, a half-sister to a Triple Crown winner will be based at each track, adding extra anticipation.
Two of the most successful broodmares of the 21st century continued to deliver on Saturday, when both were represented by a new graded stakes winner.
Funtastic, stakes-placed last year, became the latest Grade 1 winner out of Quiet Dance when he won the United Nations on the Monmouth Park turf. Meanwhile, Delta Prince, multiple graded-placed last year, broke through to win the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes at Woodbine to represent the late dam Delta Princess.
For the last several years, Coolmore has obviously been looking for a successor to their aging super stallion Galileo.
Former racehorse and international three-day-event standout Donner and longtime partner Lynn Symansky are among the five horse-and-rider teams named to the U.S. eventing team for the FEI World Equestrian Games, set for Sept. 11-23 in Mill Spring, N.C.
Donner, a New York-bred gelding who raced under the name Smart Gorky, went winless in six starts. He arrived at Symansky’s barn in 2008 as a resale project, but she has instead partnered with him for a decade as he has climbed the levels to become one of the most decorated American horses competing in eventing.
Sam-Son Farm’s breeding program has given it five victories in the Queen’s Plate, and the operation looks to add to that total on Saturday at Woodbine with two homebreds from prominent families. Sam-Son’s Plate entrants Say the Word and Strike Me Down are both based at Fair Hill with trainer Graham Motion.
Ghostzapper is seeking his third Queen’s Plate winner in the last four years, and he will have two shots when the Canadian classic is renewed this Saturday at Woodbine.
