Carolyn T. Groves, who along with her husband helped develop North Ridge Farm near Lexington, Ky., into an Eclipse Award-winning breeding operation, died on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas, Nev. She was 81.
Carolyn and Franklin N. Groves' North Ridge Farm was honored with the Eclipse Award as outstanding breeder in 1989, the year Blushing John, who the farm bred, claimed the Eclipse Award as champion older male horse. The Groves also bred Capote, the champion 2-year-old male of 1986.
European Horse of the Year Frankel had his first mare confirmed to be pregnant over the weekend, according to a statement from Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms.
Frankel stands his first season at Juddmonte’s Barnstead Manor Stud in Newmarket, Suffolk, England for about $188,279. His first reported mare in foal is Chrysanthemum, a multiple Group 3 winner by Danehill Dancer.
The first mare has been confirmed in foal to multiple Grade 2 winner Mission Impazible, standing his first season at Sequel Stallions in Hudson, N.Y.
Andora Springs, a winning Capote mare from a productive female family, was confirmed in foal on a Feb. 14 cover. The mare is the dam of three winners from six starters, including stakes placed Bandora.
The first mares have been confirmed in foal to Shackleford, Dialed In and Jersey Town, a trio of Grade 1 winning stallions standing their first seasons at Darby Dan Farm in Lexington, Ky.
As 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra recovers from surgery for foaling complications, veterinarians at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., continue to be pleased with her progress.
Dr. Brett Woodie, who performed the Feb. 13 surgery, on Thursday called the 7-year-old Medaglia d'Oro mare's progress "better than expected."
- New York stallion and mare populations on upswing - By Nicole Russo
- Breeders benefiting from incentives and clever marketing - By Patrick Reed
- Demand, prices up for New York-breds at sales - Glenye Cain Oakford
The outlook for New York’s yearling sales is bright, but commercial breeders also should remember that buyers are more selective than ever, says Fasig-Tipton chief executive Boyd Browning Jr.
“New York’s breeding program is a bright star in the North American breeding world,” Browning said. “There have been significant additions in terms of the mares and stallions there in the last 24 months, and the quality continues to improve, so we’re extremely bullish on the sales in New York.”
While the North American Thoroughbred breeding sector showed welcome signs of stability in 2012, one of the most positive developments occurred in New York, where breeders benefited from sizable increases in the state’s incentive program.
Campbell Stables in Jackson, Mich., will add one of the state’s leading sires, Elusive Hour, to its stallion roster for the 2013 breeding season.
