Lane’s End Texas, a top breeding operation in the state, has closed, and the operation’s three stallions – Too Much Bling, Grasshopper, and Congaree – have been relocated to Valor Farm in Pilot Point, Texas.
The Hempstead, Texas, farm is owned by William S. Farish, a Texas native who also owns the primary Lane’s End base in Versailles, Ky. The stallions were managed by longtime farm general manager Danny Shifflett.
Unbeaten two-time European Horse of the Year Frankel, who is off to a flying start with his highly anticipated first crop, was represented by his first stakes winner Saturday, when his daughter Fair Eva rolled in the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot Racecourse.
Frankel, a son of international titan Galileo, stands at owner-breeder Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket, England. He is already represented by seven winners. That group includes Queen Kindly, who finished third in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting.
Last weekend provided something of a harmonic convergence for the stud career of Medaglia d’Oro. On the same day that the retirement of the only daughter of his first great champion filly Rachel Alexandra was announced, Medaglia d’Oro’s second great American champion filly Songbird soared to an emphatic victory in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.
Grade 1 winner Rachel's Valentina, the only daughter of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, has been retired from racing, owner-breeder Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Farm announced Sunday.
“We want to announce that Rachel’s Valentina will now retire from racing sound and injury-free,” the farm posted on its blog. “We look forward to sharing her babies with you, carrying on the legacy of ‘Rachel the Great.’ ”
The Jockey Club reminds stallion managers to submit their Reports of Mares Bred (RMBs) for the 2016 breeding season by Aug. 1.
“We ask that RMBs be submitted by Aug. 1 to enable us to provide the most comprehensive breeding statistics possible to industry stakeholders,” said Matt Iuliano, executive vice president and executive director of The Jockey Club.
Iuliano also pointed out that stallion managers who submit their RMBs by Aug. 1 are among the first to receive their Stallion Service Certificates, which expedite the timely registration of 2017 foals.
The first winner by freshman sire Overdriven came in the Dominican Republic on July 9.
The 2-year-old filly Nieve Morena won a $2,192 maiden race going 5.46 furlongs at Quinto Centenario to become the first winner for freshman sire Overdriven, who stands at Ocala Stud in Florida.
Nieve Morena has made two starts in the Dominican Republic.
Out of the Valid Expectations mare Meets Expectations, Nieve Morena was bred in Florida by Darsan and sold for $1,500 to F.N.D.C.C. at the 2015 Ocala Breeders’ Sales August yearling sale.
Grade 1 winner Gemologist was represented by his first winner Saturday, when Morganite won what looked like a solid maiden special weight at Del Mar, coming four wide into the stretch and drawing clear to win by 1 1/2 lengths.
Morganite, out of the Wild Rush mare Crazy Woman Creek, was a $360,000 purchase at this year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March sale of 2-year-olds in training. She now runs for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler.
The popular commercial sire War Front displayed his versatility Saturday with a pair of stakes winners, as American Patriot won the Grade 3 Kent Stakes on the Delaware Park turf and Departing won the Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes on dirt at Indiana Grand.
American Patriot posted his third win from six career starts, and his first stakes win, in the Kent. The WinStar Farm homebred is out of the Tiznow mare Life Well Lived, a full sister to Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed.
North America’s leading sire, Tapit, hit the $100 million mark in career progeny earnings Saturday thanks to Cupid’s victory in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby.
Through Saturday, the Gainesway Farm resident’s worldwide career earnings from nine crops of racing age stood at $100,077,292. He is the sire of 587 winners from 773 starters – for healthy average earnings of $129,466 per starter – and 84 stakes winners.
