Tue, 08/25/2015 - 21:56

Fury Kapcori retired to Journeyman Stud in Florida

Grade 3 winner Fury Kapcori has been retired from racing and will stand the 2016 breeding season at Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman Stud in Ocala, Fla.

The 5-year-old son of Tiznow ends his career with six wins in 18 starts for earnings of $521,040, highlighted by wins in the Grade 3 Precisionist Stakes, as well as the non-graded Charlie Palmer Futurity and Santana Mile Stakes. He also placed in the Grade 1 Cashcall Futurity and the Grade 2 Californian Stakes.

Jerry Hollendorfer trained Fury Kapcori and co-owned him with Rick Awtrey and George Todaro.

Tue, 08/25/2015 - 13:54

SirePowered Results: Curlin

Barbara D. Livingston
Jess's Dream, by Lane's End stallion Curlin, wins his debut on Aug. 24 at Saratoga.

With his regal parentage, the debut of Jess's Dream was highly anticipated, and the colt didn't disappoint, launching a dramatic rally after spotting the field as many as 12 lengths to win a maiden special weight race on Aug. 24 at Saratoga. The Stonestreet Stables homebred is the product of two Horse of the Year honorees in Curlin and Rachel Alexandra. The latter, who was wildly popular at Saratoga, is now represented by two winners from as many starters after Rachel's Valentina won her debut earlier this month.

Fri, 08/21/2015 - 10:37

Thoroughbred pedigrees represented in 2015 All American Futurity trials

The $3-million All American Futurity is Quarter Horse racing’s richest event, but the purse could be seized by a horse with Thoroughbred bloodlines.

A total of 10 juveniles with a Thoroughbred sire or dam will be among the 325 horses in 34 trials over Friday and Saturday at Ruidoso Downs vying for one of 10 spots in the gate for the lucrative final, which will be held Sept. 7.

Fri, 08/21/2015 - 10:33

Champion Dank in foal to Galileo

Dank, the Eclipse Award winner for champion turf female in 2013, has been reported in foal to global sire Galileo for her first pregnancy.

The 6-year-old Dansili mare is owned by James Wigan, who campaigned her during her on-track career, and resides at West Blagdon Stud near Salisbury, England. Her expected due date is Feb. 28.

Thu, 08/20/2015 - 20:02

Gone Astray makes his mark in Sunshine State

Bill Denver/Equiphotos
Gone Astray started his winning streak with a victory of Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby (above) and continued it in the Ohio Derby.

America’s broad economic disaster of 2008 hit the Thoroughbred business like a hard-swung sledgehammer, staggering the industry with precipitous declines in the foal crop, number of mares bred, and number of active stallions from coast to coast. Florida – the region that had given us such Hall of Fame champions as Dr. Fager, Affirmed, Needles, Susan’s Girl, Precisionist, Ta Wee, Desert Vixen, and Skip Away – was not exempt from the pain.

Thu, 08/20/2015 - 13:17

Breeder Kathryn West dies at age 91

Prominent Kentucky breeder Kathryn Martin West died Tuesday in her Midway, Ky. residence at age 91.

West and her late husband, Robert Smiser West, developed Waterford Farm in Midway, Ky., into a leading commercial breeding and consignment operation, breeding most of their horses in partnership with Hall of Fame trainer MacKenzie Miller and his wife Martha.

Tue, 08/18/2015 - 11:15

SirePowered Results: Freud

Barbara D. Livingston
Freudie Anne led a superfecta sweep of the New York Stallion Series Statue of Liberty division for sire Freud.

Freud has been a dominant sire in New York for the better part of the last decade, and that dominance was clearly showcased in the Statue of Liberty division of the New York Stallion Series on Aug. 13 at Saratoga Race Course. The filly Freudie Anne led home a parade of finishers for the stallion, who swept the superfecta.

Sun, 08/16/2015 - 16:41

Sparkman: Cavorting to victory in the Test

Debra A. Roma
Kiaran McLaughlin has won with 6 of his last 10 starters at Saratoga, including Cavorting's victory in the Grade 1 Test on Saturday.

When the late John M. Schiff’s Court Martial filly Goofed won the 1 1/2-mile Ladies Handicap as a 3-year-old in 1963, the race was easily the equivalent of a contemporary Grade 1, far superior to the pallid imitation the New York Racing Association and time have made of a once-great race.

Thu, 08/13/2015 - 18:14

Arlington Million favorite Big Blue Kitten to Calumet upon retirement

Multiple Grade 1 winner Big Blue Kitten, the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s Arlington Million, will stand at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Ky., upon his retirement from racing.

The 7-year-old Kitten’s Joy ridgling will eventually join a Calumet stallion roster that also includes Real Solution, a fellow son of Kitten’s Joy who relocates for the 2016 season after beginning his stud career at Ramsey Farm in Nicholasville, Ky. Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s operation also bred and campaigns Big Blue Kitten.

Tue, 08/11/2015 - 16:30

SirePowered Results: Constellation shines for Bellamy Road

Debra Roma
Constellation wins a maiden race Aug. 9 at Saratoga for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The Saratoga meet is traditionally a coming-out party for juvenile stars of the East Coast.

WinStar Farm sire Bellamy Road came to that party in a big way, as DRF's SirePowered Results shows that he was represented by two maiden special weight winners at the historic track recently.