Grade 1 winner and freshman sire Square Eddie was represented by his first winner Thursday at Hollywood Park, as the 2-year-old filly Sprouts romped to a 5 1/2-length win in a maiden special weight event.
Sprouts picked up her first win in her second career start, setting the early pace and drawing off readily. She covered 4 1/2–furlongs in :52.45 over Hollywood’s synthetic Cushion Track.
From a breeder’s point of view, the goal of horse racing, especially the 3-year-old classics, is to identify the colts with the highest potential as future stallions. In the 146-year history of the American Triple Crown races, there is no question that the Belmont Stakes has produced more leading sires than either the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness Stakes, but that is at least partly a historical artifact.
Eric Kronfeld, best known for breeding 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, died May 15 following a battle with cancer. He was 71.
Kronfeld, owner of a New York-based investment company, became involved with the racing industry in 1975 with the purchase of two horses in England. Among his initial successes was Mrs. Penny, a $40,000 yearling purchase who was named champion 2-year-old filly in England in 1979. The following year, she took the 3-year-old filly title after winning the French Oaks.
Popular jockey Rosie Napravnik has agreed to join the board of directors for the Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement group. The organization is based in Georgetown, Ky., with a satellite near Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
"Rosie is a wonderful representative of the sport, and she is one of the many jockeys who adore these horses," Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen told the Off-Track Thoroughbreds website.
Rockport Harbor relocated to Pin Oak Lane Farm in New Freedom, Pa., for the 2013 breeding season after standing his first six seasons at Darley at Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Ky. The 11-year-old Unbridled’s Song stallion has acclimated quite well to his new surroundings, as his penchant for siring winners at all levels has elevated him to the top of the Keystone State’s general sire list heading into the summer.
Wende Laine Stone “Happy” Bell, wife of Darley America president Jimmy Bell, died on May 9 at her home in Lexington, Ky., according to an obituary released by the Kerr Brothers Funeral Home. She was 56.
A native of Lake Forest, Ill., Bell grew up in Potomac, Md., and received an art history degree from Hollins College in Virginia. On a family trip to the Keeneland July yearling sale, she met Jimmy Bell, whose father founded Jonabell Farm, now Darley America’s Kentucky headquarters. They married in 1979.
Phil Capuano, a longtime Maryland horseman and active member of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, died on May 10 at age 80.
An owner and breeder since 1962, Capuano was a founding member of the MTHA, and was an advocate for backstretch issues as chairman of the MTHA’s Backstretch Committee at the now-defunct Bowie Race Track.
In 1995, Capuano received the MTHA’s award for Outstanding Service to Maryland Horsemen.
The cleverly-named filly Tomei scored by 1 3/4 lengths in her second career start on Sunday at Churchill Downs, becoming the first winner for Group 1 winner and freshman sire Thewayyouare.
Ridden by apprentice Dylan Davis, the filly stalked the pace before pulling away in midstretch, covering 4 1/2 furlongs in :52.74. She previously finished seventh in her debut at Keeneland Race Course on April 11.
Kentucky Derby winner Orb gave Spendthrift Farm stallion Malibu Moon his first classic winner, resulting in a spate of coverage in leading media outlets detailing his rise from modest beginnings to his current position as a leading national sire.
