Mon, 06/22/2015 - 16:11

Spendthrift Farm announces Southern Hemisphere time fees

Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky. has revealed the advertised Southern Hemisphere stud fees for its stallions remaining at the farm’s Kentucky base for the summer.

The group is led by Spendthrift’s cornerstone stallion Malibu Moon, who will stand the Southern Hemisphere season for $25,000.

The 18-year-old son of A.P. Indy stood the 2015 Northern Hemisphere season for $95,000. He is the sire of runners including Kentucky Derby winner Orb, champion Declan’s Moon, and Grade 1 winners Life at Ten, Devil May Care, Malibu Mint, Ask the Moon, and Malibu Prayer.

Fri, 06/19/2015 - 13:38

Sparkman: A noble redemption for Birdstone

Barbara D. Livingston
Noble Bird (right), under Shaun Bridgmohan, edges Lea by a neck in the Stephen Foster Handicap.

Commercial breeders did not expect a great deal from 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone when he retired to Gainesway in 2005, and as a result, his first crop included only 67 named foals. When two of those 67 foals turned out to be 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and 2009 Belmont Stakes winner and champion 3-year-old male Summer Bird, however, perception of Birdstone’s potential as a sire and patronage by breeders changed somewhat.

Thu, 06/18/2015 - 18:29

Maryland Racing Commission approves breeding fund cuts

The Maryland Racing Commission approved a plan on Tuesday to slow outgoing monies from the Maryland-bred fund through the end of the year, The Racing Biz reports.

The Commission approved plans to reduce the purses of Maryland’s seven remaining state-bred stakes to $50,000, and eliminate the 10 percent Maryland-sired bonus for Maryland-breds who finish in the money at a track in the state. The reductions are expected to save the fund roughly $700,000.

Tue, 06/16/2015 - 14:37

Forty Tales to shuttle to Peru

Multiple Grade 2 winner Forty Tales will shuttle to Haras Barlovento in El Salvador, Peru for the 2015 Southern Hemisphere breeding season.

The 5-year-old son of Tale of the Cat will enter quarantine on June 27 after completing his second breeding season at Sequen Stallions in Hudson, N.Y., where he stands for an advertised fee of $6,500. This will be his first season in the Southern Hemisphere.

Mon, 06/15/2015 - 09:54

SirePowered Results: Birdstone

Barbara D. Livingston
Noble Bird (right), under Shaun Bridgmohan, edges Lea by a neck in the Stephen Foster Handicap.

Noble Bird earned the first Grade 1 victory of his career in Saturday night’s Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs, holding off Lea in a furious stretch rally.

The Foster was the first Win and You’re In qualifying race toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic, to be contested Oct. 31 at Keeneland. With Noble Bird now targeting the major summer stakes en route to the fall event, sire Birdstone, standing at Gainesway in Lexington, Ky., is poised for a solid season.

Sat, 06/13/2015 - 15:52

OBS June: Three tie for quickest furlong Saturday

The sixth and final day of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age sale under-tack show saw three more juveniles tie for the fastest overall time for a one-furlong breeze Saturday, bringing the number of horses to work in 9.80 seconds to 16.

The following juveniles earned the co-fastest time of the breeze show over the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface.

Fri, 06/12/2015 - 14:30

Sparkman: Mr. Prospector line has no American equal

Barbara D. Livingston
Sons of Mr. Prospector (above) recently sired derby winners in France and Japan.

When Secretariat crossed the finish line 31 lengths in front at the 1973 Belmont Stakes, it broke a 25-year Triple Crown drought, then the longest hiatus between Triple Crowns since Sir Barton first accomplished the feat in 1919. A few months previously, Secretariat had already been syndicated for stud duty at Claiborne Farm for a then-record valuation of a little more than $6 million.

Thu, 06/11/2015 - 20:30

Gemologist to shuttle to Chile

Grade 1 winner Gemologist will shuttle to Haras Santa Olga Farm in Santiago, Chile to stand his first Southern Hemisphere breeding season.

The 6-year-old son of Tiznow will cover the last mares from his third season at stud on Sunday, and will enter quarantine Monday. His first foals are yearlings of 2015.

The deal to stand Gemologist in Chile was brokered by Sullivan Bloodstock in Chile in conjunction with Matt Bowling Bloodstock in Lexington, Ky.

Thu, 06/11/2015 - 16:18

New Vocations to break ground on new facility

New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program will hold a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction of its new racehorse adoption facility at Mereworth Farm in Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday, June 24 at 11 a.m. Eastern.

Among those scheduled to speak during the ceremony will be Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning, WinStar Farm CEO Elliot Walden, and Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day. A light lunch will follow.

Tue, 06/09/2015 - 15:45

Four tie for fastest one-furlong breeze time at OBS

Four juveniles turned in the fastest time over an eighth of a mile Tuesday during the second session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co's. June sale. The auction, which is for 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age, runs from June 16-19.

Following are the horses who set the fastest breeze time of the day of 10 seconds over the Ocala Training Center’s all-weather Safetrack surface.