In many ways, Orb is back where he started – literally and figuratively.
The son of Malibu Moon was foaled and raised at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., and headed out into the world needing to prove himself among the other 28,259 Thoroughbreds foaled in North America in 2010.
Orb returns to Claiborne among the most celebrated members of his generation after splashing home on a sloppy track at Churchill Downs to become the first Kentucky Derby winner for the Phipps and Janney families.
For most of the past 25 years, the overarching trend of the North American breeding industry has been the steadily increasing prominence of the male line of Mr. Prospector. Since Mr. Prospector himself led the American sire list in 1987 and 1988, his male-line descendants have won the Belmont Stakes 15 times, the Preakness 12 times, and the Kentucky Derby 11 times.
More classic winners means more representatives at stud, and, inevitably, the Mr. Prospector male line’s share of North America’s annual complement of graded stakes winners has increased accordingly.
Afleet, the Canadian Horse of the Year in 1987 and an influential sire, died Wednesday at the Breeders Stallion Station in Japan. He was 30. The death was first reported by Paca Paca Farm via Twitter.
Afleet, a son of Mr. Prospector, campaigned as an Ontario-foaled homebred for Richard Kennedy, trained by Phillip England. Out of the 1988 Canadian Broodmare of the Year Polite Lady, Afleet won seven of 15 starts during his racing career for earnings of $995,235.
By Denise Steffanus
A foal’s feet in the uterus are encased in soft, pliable hooves to protect the mare from being injured when her baby kicks and during its struggle to be born. About an hour after it emerges, the foal stands, and its hooves bear weight for the first time.
Even during the first 48 hours of life, conformation of a foal’s limbs plays a critical role in hoof development. The soft hoof-covering gradually gives way to a harder, more durable hoof that is influenced by the angle of the weight-bearing force.
The first foal by champion and dual classic winner I’ll Have Another arrived last weekend at Big Red Farm on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, where the stallion stands.
The filly is out of Cosmo Meal, a Group 3-placed winner who earned $539,091. The 11-year-old Hector Protector mare is the dam of a winner from her only starter to date.
Grade 2 winner Notional has been relocated to Rockin’ Z Ranch in Beggs, Okla., for the 2014 breeding season, standing for an advertised fee of $2,000.
The 10-year-old son of In Excess previously stood at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky. He is the sire of three crops of racing age, led by stakes winners Risky Call, Wargamer, and Venezuelan-bred Awesome Gem.
Prominent South African sire National Assembly, who stood at Highlands Stud in Western Cape, South Africa, has died. The son of Danzig was 30.
National Assembly’s nine champions from 58 stakes winners include standout Soft Falling Rain from his final crop. South Africa’s champion 2-year-old colt of 2012, Soft Falling Rain captured the Group 2 Godolphin Mile and Group 3 U.A.E. 2000 Guineas last year.
Multiple stakes-placed He’s So Chic has been retired from racing and will stand the 2014 breeding season at Flying P Ranch in Hope Hull, Ala. for an advertised fee of $2,000.
The 10-year-old son of Jump Start finishes his on-track career with 15 wins in 51 starts for earnings of $615,358 racing in the Mid-Atlantic region and Florida. He finished in the money in five stakes races at Monmouth Park, Aqueduct, and Tampa Bay Downs, and he set a track record at the Meadowlands, covering six furlongs in 1:07.61.
The Keeneland January sale of horses of all ages concluded Jan. 9 with enough positive sentiment to maintain the generally uplifting outlook for 2014 prevalent in the bloodstock industry.
Moreover, it offered an early look at how first-year sires of 2013 are being received by owners and breeders. Among several standouts from that group, it was multiple classic-placed Grade 1 winner Bodemeister who finished the sale with the most distinction.
