First Dude had something of a star-crossed career. The twice classic-placed runner was among the most respected performers of his division, but suffered a frustrating string of narrow defeats in major events. He finally broke through with his first Grade 1 victory – but was promptly forced into retirement by an injury.

With Distinction was the leading active sire in Florida last year for a number of reasons: Runners, runners, and more runners. And lots of winners.

High Cotton debuted as Florida’s leading freshman sire of 2011 and has continued to rank as a top-15 juvenile sire in the state every year since. With perhaps his best season yet in 2015, he climbed atop the juvenile sire list for the first time – and also earned placings in other major sire rankings.

Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, Fla., had undergone a long period of transition in the time between the death of venerable owner Arthur Appleton in January 2008 to the farm’s purchase by Liberty Media Co. chairman John Malone and his wife, Leslie, in August 2013.

Old Fashioned and Plan have been sold to continue their stallion careers in Korea for the 2016 breeding season.

Old Fashioned, a 10-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song, previously stood at Taylor Made Stallions in Nicholasville, Ky., where he was advertised for a 2016 fee of $6,500.

Plan, an 11-year-old son of Storm Cat, stood at Heritage Stallions in Chesapeake City, Md., as property of Adena Springs, where he was advertised in 2015 for $2,500.

Shagaf

Bernardini – Muhaawara, by Unbridled’s Song

Shadwell Farm homebred Shagaf, an open-lengths winner of both his starts, may be playing catch-up in terms of experience as he takes his first serious step onto the Triple Crown trail in Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. However, the son of Bernardini has a big advantage in a classic-type pedigree that should serve him well as he progresses.

California leading sire Unusual Heat has passed the $50 million mark in career progeny earnings, becoming the first stallion to achieve the milestone while standing his entire career in California.

The 26-year-old Nureyev horse, who stands at Harris Farms in Coalinga, Calif., was put over that mark when his son Boozer won the Sensational Star Stakes on Feb. 27 at Santa Anita.

California leading sire Unusual Heat has passed the $50 million mark in career progeny earnings, becoming the first stallion to achieve the milestone while standing his entire career in California.

The 26-year-old Nureyev horse, who stands at Harris Farms in Coalinga, Calif., was put over that mark when his son Boozer won the Sensational Star Stakes on Feb. 27 at Santa Anita.

The regally bred Faufiler posted her first U.S. victory with an upset in the Sand Springs Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

The daughter of international titan Galileo rallied for a one-length victory over the favored Partisan Politics, finishing the mile in a sharp 1:33.01 and giving jockey Edgar Prado his first victory since returning from six broken ribs.

The stars aligned for some of the connections of the undefeated New Mexico-bred millionaire Peppers Pride on Saturday night at Sunland Park, with Zasha edging full sister Desert Stepper by a head to sweep the exacta in the stakes named for the mare.

Both runners are trained by Joel Marr, who conditioned the race’s namesake, and were bred by Joe Allen, who campaigned Peppers Pride as a homebred. The daughters of the late stallion Desert God – who also sired Peppers Pride – are the only two starters out of the winning Smoke Glacken mare Thanks for Smokin.