Fri, 10/27/2023 - 15:30

Jockey Club reports 26,597 mares bred in North America in 2023

Barbara D. Livingston

Two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal covered 293 mares in 2023.

Golden Pal and Epicenter, new stablemates this year at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky, were extremely popular in their respective first seasons at stud, ranking as the busiest stallions in North America as The Jockey Club released its Report of Mares Bred for the 2023 season.

Based on reports received through Oct. 18, The Jockey Club reports that 867 stallions covered 26,597 mares in North America during the 2023 breeding season. The official breed organization estimates an additional 2,500 to 3,500 mares will be reported as bred.

Thu, 10/19/2023 - 10:22

Early Voting removed from stud duty

By Nicole Russo

Barbara D. Livingston

Early Voting, 2022 Preakness winner, will not stand for stud after breeding issues.

Preakness Stakes winner Early Voting, who entered stud at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky this past season, will not stand in 2024 due to problems with breeding.

The son of Gun Runner was not on the stallion roster when Ashford released its fees for the upcoming year on Tuesday. The Thoroughbred Daily News was the first to confirm why Early Voting was not on the roster.

Thu, 10/19/2023 - 10:17

Former prominent sire Langfuhr dies at 31

By Nicole Russo

Barbara D. Livingston

Langfuhr was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame in 2004.

Champion Langfuhr, who went on to become a prominent sire across North America, has died at the age of 31 at Lane's End Farm. The son of Danzig moved to Lane's End beginning with the 2004 season, and was pensioned in 2018.

Langfuhr earned the Sovereign Award as Canada's champion sprinter of 1996, when he won the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes and Grade 2 Forego Handicap. In 1997, he added major victories in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and Grade 1 Carter Handicap. He was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame in 2004.

Wed, 10/18/2023 - 10:53

Justify gets stud fee bump to $200k

By Nicole Russo

Debra A. Roma

Arabian Lion leads the North America progeny of Justify, capturing the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont in June.

Triple Crown winner Justify, who has emerged as a stellar young international sire, will stand for an advertised fee of $200,000 in 2024 at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky, ranking him among the most expensive sires on the continent.

Mon, 10/16/2023 - 13:05

Curlin, Gun Runner join Into Mischief with $250K stud fees

By Nicole Russo

Barbara D. Livingston

Gun Runner, a white-hot young sire, sees his fee rise to $250,000 for 2024.

Reigning leading sire Into Mischief, perennial classic sire Curlin, and young phenom Gun Runner will all stand for $250,000 in 2024, sharing the highest stud fee in North America as farms begin to roll out their rosters and fees for the upcoming season.

Fri, 10/06/2023 - 14:21

Elite Power to retire to Juddmonte after Breeders' Cup

By Nicole Russo

Barbara D. Livingston

After a title defense in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Elite Power will be retired to Juddmonte in Kentucky.

Eclipse Award champion Elite Power will retire to Juddmonte Farm in Kentucky after seeking to defend his victory in next month's Breeders' Cup Sprint, the farm announced on Friday.

Tue, 10/03/2023 - 14:46

Kafwain, Minsters Wild Cat shipped to Tennessee retirement farm

By Steve Andersen

The former California-based stallions Kafwain and Ministers Wild Cat were shipped last week to a retirement farm near Nashville, Tenn.

Both previously stood at Tommy Town Thoroughbreds in Santa Ynez, Calif., which is downsizing its California presence for a move to Kentucky. Ministers Wild Cat was pensioned from stallion duty in 2022. Kafwain stood earlier this year.

Kafwain and Ministers Wild Cat will be residents at the 70-acre Premier Equine Rehab, which is operated by Jenny Earhart who has a lifelong involvement in racing and retirement farms for racehorses.

Wed, 09/27/2023 - 14:28

Mage will stand at Airdrie Stud after retirement

By Nicole Russo

Barbara D. Livingston

Mage, at Saratoga last month prior to his start in the Travers, will join a stallion roster that includes Cairo Prince, Creative Cause, and Upstart.

Mage, the winner of this year's Kentucky Derby, will stand at Airdrie Stud in Midway, Ky., upon his eventual retirement from racing, the farm announced Wednesday.

Mon, 09/25/2023 - 11:55

Next year's foal crop estimated to decline to 18,000

By Nicole Russo

The Jockey Club is projecting a 2024 North American registered Thoroughbred foal crop of 18,000, which is 500 fewer than the 2023 estimate.

Since the foal crop was 35,274 born in 2008, before the recession later that year, the number has made a year-to-year rise just once – and that was a very minor move from 23,001 in 2014 to 23,047 in 2015.

Wed, 09/20/2023 - 11:40

Bernhards busy expanding Pin Oak's equine holdings and acreage

By Nicole Russo

Jim and Dana Bernhard began buying Thoroughbreds in the summer of 2021, and have already found success, as the first yearling they purchased, Geaux Rocket Ride, won the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational this summer.

The Bernhards found a home base for their operations last year, purchasing the Pin Oak Stud of the late Josephine Abercrombie in Versailles, Ky. They’ve wasted no time in continuing to build their operation, ranking among the Keeneland September yearling sale’s leading buyers, and also recently adding a parcel of land to Pin Oak’s acreage.

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