At this year’s Fasig-Tipton Florida selected sale of 2-year-olds in training, Dennis O’Neill, acting as agent, purchased a colt from the first crop of champion Uncle Mo for $400,000. The colt was sent to his brother Doug O’Neill to race for owner J. Paul Reddam. A few weeks later, at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of 2-year-olds, he went to just $75,000 for a filly by the same sire and for the same connections.
By Joe Nevills and Nicole Russo
Hosting the Breeders’ Cup at Keene-land will bring fans and participants from around the world to Lexington, Ky., some for the first time, and the local community has embraced the occasion.
A number of events will be held across Central Kentucky in the days leading up to the Breeders’ Cup to showcase local culture, both in and out of the Thoroughbred industry. As one of the smallest metropolitan areas to host a Breeders’ Cup, Lexington provides a unique visitor experience from previous host cities.
By Jen Roytz
Retired racehorses and equestrians will soon have a new venue to meet their match. As the country’s leading racehorse rehabilitation and adoption program, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption adopts out more than 450 horses annually, but the aftercare organization still cannot keep up with the demand.
Gainesway Farm has purchased an interest in French classic winner Karakontie from the Niarchos family and will stand the colt in Kentucky following his repeat attempt in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
The move continues to beef up the roster for the Lexington, Ky., farm, which already stands leading North American sire Tapit and has also repatriated Empire Maker – grandsire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah – to stand for 2016, in partnership with Don Alberto.
Conquest Curlinate, a multiple graded-placed runner, will make his debut at stud in 2016 at Shannondoe Farm in St. Thomas, Ontario for an advertised fee of $5,000 Canadian.
The 3-year old son of Curlin was retired in July after suffering a sesamoid injury while training up to the Queen’s Plate. He finished his on-track career with one win in six career starts for earnings of $188,498, with runner-up finishes in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes, Grade 3 Illinois Derby, and non-graded Plate Trial Stakes.
Mark Casse trained Conquest Curlinate for owner Conquest Stables.
The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association was named the 2015 Nonprofit Business of the Year by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership on Wednesday.
It is the second major award won by FTOBA this year, after being named Association of the Year by the Florida Society of Association Executives in July.
Multiple graded stakes winning millionaire Summer Front has been retired and will begin his stallion career at Airdrie Stud in Midway, Ky.
Summer Front, a son of leading commercial sire War Front, will stand for a fee of $10,000.
Summer Front’s biggest victory came in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale Stakes last year; he also won the Miami Mile and the Cliff Hanger Stakes, both Grade 3 events, in 2013, the Grade 3 Hill Prince Stakes in 2012. He won three other listed stakes and placed in eight other graded events, including five Grade 1 placings.
The Jockey Club released its North American Report of Mares Bred statistics for the 2015 breeding season, which revealed fewer active stallions and an almost even number or mares bred compared with the same point on the calendar in 2014.
The statistics indicated 34,627 mares were bred in North America during the most recent breeding season, down 0.3 percent from 34,540 in 2014. Active stallions fell 6 percent from 6 percent from 1,547 to 1,449.
