Thu, 12/21/2023 - 13:20

Familiar cast tops list of leading California-bred performers

Barbara D. Livingston
The Chosen Vron was among California-bred Grade 1 winners in 2023.

The three finalists for the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association statebred horse of the year award in 2022 were, alphabetically, Fun to Dream, Slow Down Andy, and The Chosen Vron, with the award ultimately going to Fun to Dream.

It would be no surprise if those three runners were again among the finalists when the 2023 honors are presented at the CTBA’s annual meeting and awards dinner in March in Arcadia. Slow Down Andy and The Chosen Vron were among the California-bred Grade 1 winners of 2023, while Fun to Dream was a graded stakes winner.

Thu, 12/21/2023 - 12:36

Simplification arrives at Pleasant Acres Stallions

Pleasant Acres Stallions is pleased to announce the arrival of SIMPLIFICATION (Not This Time / Simply Confection, by Candy Ride) – who will stand in Florida in 2024 for $6,500.

“We are pleased to bring a talented son of NOT THIS TIME into our stallion barn at Pleasant Acres Stallions,” said Director of Stallion Services Christine Jones. “SIMPLIFICATION is a hometown hero for all of us in Florida and we are certain breeders will benefit from breeding to this Champion Horse-of-the-Year, Florida-bred, graded stakes winner.” 

Sun, 12/17/2023 - 12:51

Caravel, 2022 BC Turf Sprint winner, retired, will be bred to Justify

Barbara D. Livingston
Caravel's last start was a 10th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November.

Caravel, whose signature victory came in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, has officially been retired, and is expected to be bred to Triple Crown winner Justify in the upcoming breeding season.

The news on Pennsylvania-bred Caravel, first reported by Lancaster Farming, is unsurprising. The 6-year-old Mizzen Mast mare was a $2.4 million buyback at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, with information on her future plans not immediately available that week.

Fri, 12/15/2023 - 14:59

Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association launches "Hot 2 Trot" Podcast

The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association (PHRA), an organization dedicated to marketing and promoting thoroughbred and harness racing, as well as both thoroughbred and standardbred breeding, has launched a new podcast, “Hot 2 Trot.” Hosted by Ashley Eisenbeil and Dawnelle Mock, the podcast is seeking to carve out its own niche by offering in-depth, offbeat, and, at times, irreverent interviews with a range of individuals working in all aspects of both thoroughbred and harness racing, as well as thoroughbred and standardbred breeding.  

Thu, 12/14/2023 - 11:09

Palace Malice, Yoshida relocating to Darley Japan

Barbara D. Livingston
Palace Malice's relocation to Japan represents an investment in the Curlin sirerline for the country's breeding program.

Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice and dual-surface Grade 1 winner Yoshida will stand the 2024 season at Darley Japan, the farm has announced. Palace Malice formerly stood at Three Chimneys Farm, where he entered stud in 2016. He represents a nascent investment in Curlin’s sireline for Japan. Meanwhile, Yoshida, who entered stud at WinStar Farm in 2020, is a representative of the most prominent sireline in Japan.

Tue, 12/12/2023 - 09:34

Bolden to stand in California at Rancho San Miguel

Southern California sprint sensation Bolden, a dual-surface winner who exhibited sub-1:08 speed during his undefeated racing career, will initiate stallion duties at Rancho San Miguel in 2024. The 5-year-old son of Santa Anita Park track record-holder and leading California sire Square Eddie will stand for an introductory fee of $3,500, live foal guarantee.

Mon, 12/11/2023 - 12:50

Speightstown's legacy will continue to grow through sons and daughters

Barbara D. Livingston
Speightstown wins the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Lone Star Park in 2004.

Eclipse Award champion sprinter and perennial leading sire Speightstown’s story was one of perseverance and patience. He was a milestone horse in various ways for his connections, who tended him through injuries and later colic surgeries to reach the pinnacle of both his careers. 

WinStar bid farewell to the versatile stallion, who left a number of first- and second-generation progeny to carry on his legacy, on Dec. 8 as the farm announced that he had been euthanized at age 25 due to foot issues from old age. 

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 13:54

Gufo to stand at Ballycroy Bloodstock in Ontario

Gufo at SAR Aug 27 2022
Barbara D. Livingston
Gufo, a son of Declaration of War, is a two-time winner of the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga,

Multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Gufo has been retired to stud at Ballycroy Bloodstock north of Toronto as perhaps the most exciting new stallion in Ontario for 2024.

A flashy chestnut trained by Christophe Clement, Gufo made all 21 of his starts on the grass, winning nine races and earning $2,176,530. The 6-year-old son of Declaration of War won the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga twice and took the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at 3. He graduated second time out at 2 in a maiden special at Gulfstream under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Fri, 12/08/2023 - 12:15

Versatile and classy sire Speightstown dead at 25

Barbara D. Livingston
Speightstown, pictured earlier this year at WinStar Farm, had a prolific career as a stallion and has totaled 149 stakes winners through Dec. 7.

Eclipse Award champion sprinter Speightstown, who went on to a prolific stallion career at WinStar Farm, was euthanized on Friday due to foot issues from old age, the farm reported. The son of Gone West was 25.

“We’ve been through a lot together in the last 19 years,” WinStar stallion manager Larry McGinnis said in the release. “We’ll miss our friend.”

Mon, 12/04/2023 - 12:05

Violence has book limited to 125 in 2024, stud fee set at $40,000

Barbara D. Livingston
Violence will stand for a $40,000 fee in 2024 at Hill 'n' Dale Farm.

Violence, whose champion Forte is among his six graded stakes winners this year, will be limited to a book of 125 mares in order to maximize his chances of success in the upcoming breeding season and has thus had his stud fee lowered to $40,000 at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm.

John Sikura, president of Hill ‘n’ Dale, said that for part of the 2023 breeding season Violence was “missing too many of his mares” in a statement released late Sunday night. The farm did not specify what the stallion’s issues were.