Last weekend offered a comparatively light graded stakes schedule in North America compared to what came before and what’s on the immediate horizon, but there was no shortage of star power as reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan returned to the Saratoga turf in an attempt to score a repeat win in the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap, and champion female sprinter Groupie Doll made her first appearance of 2013 in the Grade 3 Gardenia Stakes at Ellis Park, a race she won in 2011.

Few things help build the résumé of a freshman sire like an impressive maiden winner at Saratoga Race Course. When that maiden winner just misses setting a track record in her first start, it’s that much better.

On Sunday, Sweet Whiskey giving her sire, first-cropper Old Fashioned, a notable boost, effortlessly winning a maiden special weight race at Saratoga by 5 1/4 lengths. The bay filly completed the 5 1/2-furlong race in 1:02.81 over a fast main track, threatening the track record of 1:02.52.

Freedom Child, runaway winner of the Grade 2 Peter Pan at Belmont Park in May, emerged from the Jim Dandy with a high suspensory ligament tear in a hind leg and has been retired.

He will stand stud at Country Life Farm in Maryland, according to Terry Finley, president of West Point Thoroughbreds which owns Freedom Child in partnership with St. Elias Stable and Spendthrift Farm. Finley said all three partners will stay in on the horse as a stallion.

The Jockey Club projects another year of declines for the 2014 North American foal crop, with an expected 22,000 foals based on reports of mares bred, down 4 percent from the 2013 estimate.

North American foal crops have been on the decline since 2006, greatly influenced by the market crash of the late 2000s, from which the Thoroughbred industry continues to recover.

The organization also scaled back its projections for the 2012 and 2013 foal crops to 23,500 and 23,000, respectively. Both crops were originally projected by The Jockey Club to be about 24,700.

She’s All In, who is on the brink of $1 million in career earnings after finishing second to Royal Delta in last month’s Grade 1 Delaware Handicap, was among the Oklahoma-bred runners honored at a Friday night gala jointly put on by the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Racing Commission. The event recognized individuals and horses that led their divisions in Oklahoma-bred earnings in 2012.

A federal magistrate has ordered animal rights groups that won a temporary ban on horse slaughter in the U.S. to post a $500,000 bond to potentially cover revenue lost by the plants during the trial, the Associated Press reports.

If the animal rights groups lose in their legal battle to halt the opening of two horse slaughter facilities in New Mexico and Iowa, the half-million dollar bond will cover the companies’ costs and lost profits for the next 30 days. A federal hearing to decide whether the facilities will be permitted to operate will be held during that time frame.

St. Nicholas Abbey, the Coolmore Grade/Group 1 winner now recovering from two recent surgeries, appears to be making good progress nearly two weeks after colic and pastern-fusion procedures in Ireland, according to Coolmore.

The global breeding and racing conglomerate tweeted Friday that the 6-year-old Montjeu horse “remains in good form” at Fethard Equine Hospital in Co. Tipperary, Ireland, where veterinary staff had replaced his fiberglass cast.

New York-based sire Cosmonaut earned his first win at stud on August 8 when Marvin’s Miracle held on gamely to win a maiden special weight at Saratoga Race Course by three-quarters of a length.

Marvin’s Miracle completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:43.90 over turf labeled as firm, resulting in a 69 Beyer Speed Figure. He is owned by Bacon Barn and trained by Juan Coronel.

Freshman sire Colonel John was represented by his first graded stakes winner on Wednesday when Concave prevailed by a half-length to win the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar.

courtesy Darby Dan FarmRun Away and Hide