Fri, 01/18/2013 - 12:47

Darley to hold online stallion season auctions

The American operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Darley will hold a series of online auctions for nominations to sires Medaglia d’Oro, Hard Spun, and Lonhro for the 2013 breeding season.

Fri, 01/18/2013 - 10:19

Leading German sire Dashing Blade pensioned

Dashing Blade, one of Germany’s leading sires and the broodmare sire of champion Stacelita, has been pensioned by Gestut Etzean due to old age and arthritis.

To date, the 26-year-old Elegant Air horse has sired 528 winners from 20 crops of racing age for earnings of nearly $21 million. He has sired 67 stakes winners, including Group 1 winners Faberger, Lord of England, and Noble Pearl.

He also sired the stakes-winning mare Soignee, dam of 2011 champion turf female and multiple Grade 1 winner Stacelita.

Fri, 01/18/2013 - 09:22

Forestry to shuttle to Peru

Forestry, the sire of Preakness Stakes winner Shackleford, will shuttle to Claudio Pizarro's Haras El Catorce in Peru this summer for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.

The 17-year-old Storm Cat horse currently stands at Taylor Made Stallions in Nicholasville, Ky., for an advertised fee of $8,000.

Thu, 01/17/2013 - 23:19

Canadian champion Eye of the Leopard retires to Calumet

Michael Burns
Jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva is wrapping up the best season of his six-year career at Woodbine, which includes winning the Queen's Plate aboard Eye of the Leopard (left).

Canadian champion and classic winner Eye of the Leopard has been retired and will enter stud at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Ky.

The 7-year-old A.P. Indy horse will stand for an initial fee of $10,000.

Eye of the Leopard was purchased in 2012 by Brad Kelley's Bluegrass Hall LLC. Kelley assumed control of Calumet last year, leasing the farm from a trust that purchased the historic property. Eye of the Leopard becomes the fourth stallion added to the roster for 2013, joining Americain, Aikenite and Lentenor. All are first-year stallions.

Thu, 01/17/2013 - 23:04

The Cliff's Edge moves to Ohio

After standing his first eight seasons in Kentucky, Grade 1 winner The Cliff's Edge will relocate to Fair Winds Farm in Waynesville, Ohio, for the 2013 breeding season.

The 12-year-old Gulch horse, who most recently stood at Margaux Farm in Midway, Ky., will stand for a fee of $2,500 live foal at Fair Winds, established in 1982 by Kim and Lori Williams.

Thu, 01/17/2013 - 22:39

Trappe Shot's first foal born in Pennsylvania

Grade 2 winner Trappe Shot was represented by his first foal on Jan. 15, a colt born at Blackstone Farm near Pine Grove, Pa.

The colt is out of the stakes-placed Broken Vow mare Return the Jewel. It is the family of Canadian champion Silken Cat and Grade 1 winner Mani Bhavan.

Trappe Shot scored his biggest career victory in the Grade 2 True North Handicap in 2011 at Belmont Park. The 6-year-old Tapit horse, who is also twice Grade 1 placed, retired with six wins from 12 starts for earnings of $703,884.

Thu, 01/17/2013 - 22:29

Sidney's Candy’s first foal arrives at WinStar

Benoit & Associates
Sidney's Candy, winning the San Felipe, seeks his third straight win Saturday in the Santa Anita Derby.

Versatile Grade 1 winner Sidney's Candy was represented by his first foal on Jan. 17, a colt born at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky.

The chestnut colt is out of the Storm Cat mare Ominous Cat, whose dam is the multiple Grade 1-winning Seattle Slew mare Fleet Renee. A full sister to stakes winner Alzora and a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Future Quest, Fleet Renee's five winners from as many starters include Stormy Renee, dam of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Hightail.

Thu, 01/17/2013 - 15:17

California's leading juvenile sire, Tribal Rule passing speed to his progeny

Lori Zelepsky/Coady Photography
Eternal Rule, an Ontario-bred, earned $292,350 in 2012 to become Tribal Rule's top earner on the year.

In his brief four-race career, Tribal Rule’s raw speed carried him to two emphatic wins in sprints in Southern California.

At stud, he has passed that talent along to his progeny. In 2012, Tribal Rule led California’s sires in juvenile earnings for the second consecutive year.

A 17-year-old by Storm Cat, Tribal Rule had progeny earnings of $3,865,413 in 2012, second in the state to Unusual Heat ($4,610,915). In races for juveniles, Tribal Rule’s progeny earned $838,767, well clear of Swiss Yodeler ($604,262) and Unusual Heat ($562,616).

Thu, 01/17/2013 - 15:01

Unusual Heat maintains stranglehold on California sire lists in 2012

Benoit & Associates
Acclamation, Unusual Heat's best son, won two Grade 1 stakes last year, the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park and the Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar (above).

Unusual Heat continued his reign as California’s leading sire for the fifth consecutive year in 2012. Judging from his attitude in recent weeks, there may be no change to the rankings in the near future.

On a recent visit to Harris Farms in central California, stallion owner Madeline Auerbach witnessed firsthand the vivacity of the 23-year-old son of Nureyev.

Wed, 01/16/2013 - 17:52

New stallion Calimonco booked to recent Keeneland purchases

Benoit & Associates
Calimonco wins the Wickerr Stakes under Victor Espinoza.

First-year stallion Calimonco will be bred to ten fillies and mares purchased by Donald Cohn and Martin Wygod at the recently concluded Keeneland January horses of all ages sale, according to officials at Cohn’s Ballena Vista Farm in Ramona, California. Calimonco, a 7-year-old Storm Cat horse, will stand the 2013 season at Ballena Vista Farm for a fee of $1,500 when the foal stands and nurses.