The Michigan Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association announced its statebred champions for 2014, led by Horse of the Year Comeflywithanangel.
The 6-year-old Equality mare experienced a banner campaign in 2014, winning 5 of 8 starts at Hazel Park and Thistledown for earnings of $67,120.
Grade 2 winner Cowtown Cat will relocate to Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm in Polk, Ohio, for the 2015 breeding season to stand for a fee to be announced at a later time.
The 10-year-old son of Distorted Humor previously stood in Florida at Journeyman Stud, where he last commanded a fee of $2,500. He is the sire of three crops of racing age, led by Grade 2 winner Calgary Cat, Grade 3-placed Dreaming of Susie, and Bigman in Town, Trinidad and Tobago’s Horse of the Year in 2013.
Grade 1 winner Swagger Jack has been purchased by RisenStorm Thoroughbreds and will stand the 2015 breeding season at Nicks Farm in Sellersburg, Ind., for an advertised fee of $2,500.
The 6-year-old Smart Strike horse stood his debut season in 2014 at Millennium Farms in Lexington, Ky., for a fee of $7,500.
Linchpin, a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner and young sire Quality Road, will stand the 2015 breeding season at Gibson Thoroughbred Farm in Thorp, Wash., for an advertised fee of $1,000.
Linchpin, a 4-year-old son of Elusive Quality, was winless in two starts at age 3, trained by Larry Jones for owners Fox Hill Farm and The Six Horsemen LLC. He was a $650,000 purchase at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale as part of the record-breaking dispersal of the estate of Edward P. Evans.
Breeders did not know quite what to make of 2008 champion 3-year-old male Big Brown when he retired to stud at Three Chimneys Farm in 2009. Was he the horse who scored dominant victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, or the one who finished an ignominious last in the Belmont Stakes? What effect did trainer Rick Dutrow’s admitted use of steroids have on the horse’s racing career?
Throughout nearly every segment of the bloodstock market in 2014, Tapit could be found at the forefront.
The son of Pulpit this year firmly entrenched himself as one of the top sires of his generation, with his first United States classic winner helping to lead him to the single-year record for North American progeny earnings, with $16.6 million through Dec. 17.
Grade 1 winner and pensioned stallion Kiri’s Clown was euthanized Monday due to complications from colic surgery at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky.
The death came a day after A.P. Slew was euthanized at Rood and Riddle following exploratory colic surgery. Both horses were residents of Old Friends Equine Retirement in Georgetown, Ky.
Grade 2 winner Handsome Mike has been retired from racing and will make his debut at stud in 2015 at Pleasant Acres Stallions in Morriston, Fla., for an advertised fee of $4,000.
The 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy finished his on-track career with three wins in 30 career starts for earnings of $1,005,413 racing for owner Reddam Racing and trainer Doug O’Neill. Handsome Mike’s campaign was highlighted by wins in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby on dirt and the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes over a synthetic surface.
One was a Grade 1 winner on turf. Two ran in the Kentucky Derby. Another won the same stakes three times.
The new stallions in California for the 2015 breeding season are an eclectic mix of horses with lengthy racing careers and lightly raced runners. Here is an alphabetical list of first-year stallions in California and five notable stallions that were moved to the state for the 2015 breeding season.
FIRST-YEAR STALLIONS
Boisterous (Distorted Humor–Emanating, by Cox’s Ridge)
Farm: Tommy Town Thoroughbreds
