Godolphin was named national owner of the year and national breeder of the year as the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association honored its annual award winners in Lexington, Ky.
TOBA held both an awards luncheon on Friday at WinStar Farm, honoring state and Canadian breeders of the year, and an awards dinner on Saturday at Fasig-Tipton to honor all award winners, including national honorees.
Country Grammer, whose multiple Grade/Group 1 wins included the 2022 Dubai World Cup, has been retired and will begin his stud career next year at WinStar Farm.
The 4-year-old son of Tonalist will debut for a fee of $10,000, the farm announced Thursday evening. Country Grammer retires with earnings of $14,921,320, behind only champions Arrogate and Gun Runner among North American-based horses.
A full brother to Canadian Horse of the Year Pink Lloyd sold for $150,000 to lead the way as the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s Ontario division hosted the Canadian premier yearling sale on Wednesday. The sale finished with more horses sold for a gain in gross receipts, but drops in average and median prices.
The CTHS reported 168 yearlings sold on Wednesday at Woodbine's sales pavilion in Toronto for a gross of $4,017,790. Last year, 150 yearlings brought $3,837,700.
It was already a celebratory day in the Virginia Thoroughbred community. The Grade 1 Arlington Million and its undercard stakes were contested for the first time at Colonial Downs on Aug. 12, creating the state’s biggest day of racing. In a nice twist, that meant the Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes would be run for the first time on Colonial’s Secretariat Turf Course, as the racing industry celebrates the 50th anniversary of Virginia-bred Secretariat’s Triple Crown triumph.
Touch’n Ride
Gelding by Candy Ride – Niigon’s Touch, by Niigon
Bred in Ontario by Chiefswood Stables
Supplemental entrant Touch’n Ride is a late addition to the King’s Plate party. A maiden winner in July, he is seeking to become the first horse to win the Plate in their third career start since Awesome Again in 1997. Among Touch’n Ride’s attributes, he has a route-oriented pedigree with plenty of Canadian classic success.
Led by a Vronsky colt purchased for $100,000, Tuesday’s Northern California yearling and horses of racing age sale in Pleasanton showed an increase in several key categories compared to the 2022 auction.
According to the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, which conducted the sale, 115 yearlings sold for $1,064,900, an average of $9,260 and a median price of $5,500. There were 19 horses listed as not sold and 32 withdrawn.
In 2022, 105 yearlings sold for $871,100, an average of $8,296 and a median of $4,500.
Modern Games, whose five Grade/Group 1 wins included two Breeders' Cup races, has been retired from racing, owner-breeder Godolphin announced on Tuesday.
Stud plans are yet to be announced for the son of international super-sire Dubawi, who Godolphin stands under its Darley Stallions banner at its Dalham Hall Stud in England. In addition to England and Ireland, Darley has stallion bases in the United States, Australia, and Japan.
Elysian Field
Filly by Hard Spun – Elysian, by Smart Strike
Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms ($50,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling purchase by Clinton Road Stable; $70,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June 2-year-old purchase by Bruce Brown, agent)
