European classic winner and sire Hernando died Friday of a heart attack at Lanwades Stud in Newmarket, England. He was 23.
The French-bred son of Niniski was a multiple Group 1 winner in France, and was graded or group stakes-placed in Ireland, Japan, and the U.S. during his three-year racing career, when he won seven of 20 starts for earnings of $2,081,978. His biggest victories came in the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and the Prix Lupin, both in 1993.
Albertine, the dam of 1993 Breeders Cup Classic upset winner Arcangues, died from the infirmities of old age on Feb. 3 at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky.
The 32-year-old Irish River mare was the farm’s oldest resident. She was buried in the farm’s broodmare cemetery next to fellow Breeders’ Cup producer Golden Cat, dam of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Pounced.
Bred in France by Dayton Limited, Albertine was out of the stakes-winning Wild Risk mare Almyre, and was a half-sister to French champion Ashmore and Group 3 winners Acoma and Art Bleu.
B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm in Lexington has expanded its "Breed Secure" program to include nearly its entire roster of Kentucky-based stallions, effective immediately.
The Breed Secure program was launched two years ago to relieve commercial breeders of the risk of paying stud fees on some of Spendthrift's young stallions. The program guarantees a profit to breeders who sell the resulting in-foal mare, weanling or yearling at public auction before a stud fee is owed.
Seven-time leading Texas sire Valid Expectations recently passed another milestone in the Lone Star State. In late February, he moved ahead of 1983 Kentucky Derby winner Sunny’s Halo to become the all-time leading Texas-based progenitor by progeny earnings.
State City, a highweighted Group 1 winner in the United Arab Emirates, will stand his first season in Oklahoma at Caines Stallion Station near Wynnewood. The 14-year-old stallion previously stood in Kentucky, and between 2005 and 2007 shuttled to Australia.
Declan’s Moon, the 2004 champion juvenile, was voted Best Suited for Dressage Saturday at the Pennsylvania Horse World Exposition, the penultimate event in the Retired Racehorse Training Project’s 100-Day Challenge.
Rachel Alexandra, who earned Horse of the Year honors for her historic 2009 campaign, continues to make positive progress in her recovery from surgery related to foaling complications at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky.
"I couldn’t be happier with where she is right now," Dr. Brett Woodie, an attending veterinarian on the case, said.
Stakes winner Freud's Honour will enter stud this season at Judith Jannuzzelli's Birch Creek Farm in Cream Ridge, N.J.
The 5-year-old Freud horse will stand for an initial fee of $2,000.
Freud's Honour retires with three wins from 15 career starts and earnings of $226,580. He won or placed in four stakes, including a victory in the 2011 Choice Stakes on turf at Monmouth Park.
It was not long ago that Glenn Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms in Aurora, Ontario was bursting at the seams with mares and foals in the midst of a hectic breeding season.
That scenario is pretty much gone this spring as Ontario’s Thoroughbred breeding industry struggles to stay alive because of a radical decision announced a year ago by the Ontario government, under now-retired Premier Dalton McGuinty, and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
