Courtesy of GaineswayAfleet Alex

Afleet Alex, the champion 3-year-old male of 2005, has settled into a steady stallion career at Gainesway in Lexington, Ky., though he has yet to sire a true breakout horse.

The Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) has awarded grants totaling $502,058 to 72 Thoroughbred industry-related non-profits that work to uphold the organization’s mission.

TCA distributes grants to Thoroughbred rescue, rehabilitation and adoption organizations, as well as to education and backstretch programs, therapeutic riding programs and research organizations. 

Hopewell Farm, the Woodford County, Ky.,  operation that once stood 1998 Horse of the Year Skip Away and 2002 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Volponi, sold Tuesday at a court-ordered absolute auction, with creditor PNC Bank buying two of the three tracts on offer.

Grade 1 winner Violence will stand his inaugural season at stud at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, Ky., next year for an advertised fee of $15,000 payable when the foal stands and nurses.

The 3-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro, one of the early favorites on this year’s Kentucky Derby trail, joined the stallion roster at Hill ‘n’ Dale in March, after suffering a fractured right front medial sesamoid coming out of a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.

Desert God, the sire of regional legend Peppers Pride and New Mexico’s leading general sire of the past three years, has been pensioned from stallion duty due to age and declining fertility.

A 22-year-old son of Fappiano, Desert God last stood at Fred and Linda Alexander’s A & A Ranch in Anthony, N.M., for a private fee. He was retired to owner Joseph Allen’s farm in Abeline, Texas.

Snow Fairy, a Group 1 winner in four countries, has been retired after re-aggravating a tendon injury, Racing Post reports.

The 6-year-old Intikhab mare re-aggravated the old injury, which had nagged her for the past two years, following a routine workout Tuesday morning, trainer Ed Dunlop said. She will be sent into broodmare duty in Ireland, and is scheduled to be bred to Elusive Pimpernel in 2014.

Ride On Curlin recovered from a slow break, shot to the lead under Calvin Borel, and jetted to a 7 3/4-length victory in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on Saturday at Ellis Park, setting a track record of 1:03 for the distance.

In a weekend dominated by turf graded stakes events, perhaps the most impressive performance came late Sunday, when Marketing Mix rolled to victory in the Grade 3 Sunset Handicap – her first race against males – during the closing-day card of Hollywood Park’s meet.

Mary Emily Marshall Taylor, the wife of the late central Kentucky horseman Joe Taylor and the mother of Taylor Made’s owners and operators, Duncan, Ben, Frank, and Mark Taylor, died Saturday. She was 85.

A native of Frankfort, Ky., Mary Emily Marshall married Joe Taylor in 1948. Joe Taylor began working at Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Ky., in 1952 and oversaw that farm’s growth into a prominent Thoroughbred breeding operation over the next four decades.

Chicks Dig It bested a maiden special weight field at Presque Isle Downs on July 14 to become the first winner sired by Grade 2 winner Old Fashioned.

The 2-year-old gelding won the 5 1/2 furlong race by a half-length, covering the distance in 1:05.84 over Presque Isle’s synthetic Tapeta Footings surface. He finished fourth in his debut at Presque Isle on June 26 for owner and trainer Ron Potts.