Grade 1 winner Twirling Candy was represented by his first foal on Jan. 13, a filly born at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Ky.
The bay filly, out of the A.P. Indy mare Silent Moccasins, is bred and owned by Brad Kelley's Bluegrass Hall LLC. Kelley is leasing historic Calumet from a trust that purchased the property in May 2012.
Champion Cape Blanco's first foal, a filly, was born on Jan. 8 at Jim and Pam Robinson's Brandywine Farm in Paris, Ky.
The filly is out of the 10-year-old Black Minnaloushe mare Sigatoo, dam of two winners from three to race.
Sigatoo is a half-sister to six winners, including Grade 2-placed Solar Fire and stakes-placed Mr. Goodkat and Cafalis. It is the family of champion and leading sire El Gran Senor, champion and sire Try My Best, and multiple Grade 2 winner and sire Strong Hope.
Champion Uncle Mo was represented by his first foal on Jan. 4, a filly born at Justice Farm in Lexington, Ky.
The filly is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Erica's Melody, who has produced two winners from as many starters, including stakes-placed Jasmine's Melody. Erica's Melody is a half sister to stakes winners Reno Rumble, Rodman, and Beg Borrow N Steal; the latter is a stakes producer.
Michael Buckley, who served as nominations manager for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland, died suddenly on Saturday at age 45, according to a statement from the farm. His cause of death is undetermined.
Buckley had worked at Kildangan Stud—the Irish base of Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley stallion operation—since 2000, and was well known in the European bloodstock industry.
Three-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti was represented by his first foal on Jan. 11, a colt born at Huntington Stud Farm in Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada.
The chestnut colt is out of the stakes-placed Kissin Kris mare Kissin Party, a half-sister to stakes winner Barrier Reef and stakes-placed Arctic Party.
"[I am] delighted with the foal, who has good size and bone with great quality," owner Dan Mooney said.
Champion sprinter Big Drama was represented by his first foal on Jan. 11, a filly born at Hal Queen Farm in Ocala, Fla.
The chestnut filly is out of the multiple stakes-winning Meadow Prayer mare Bucky's Prayer. Bucky’s Prayer is a half-sister to three winners, including stakes winner Zosia's Genius and stakes-placed Crimson Bucky.
On Jan. 7, Coil was vanned 135 miles from Santa Anita Park to Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, Calif., for the first day of his new life as a stallion at the prominent California farm.
It was a day that Magali general manager Tom Hudson had sought for several months.
“I’ve been trying to get him for a long, long time,” Hudson said of the multiple Grade 1 stakes winner.
Now, Hudson has to find the mares. He has started promoting the stallion to California-based breeders with the hope of giving Coil a major boost in his first year at stud.
Grade 1 winner Girolamo was represented by his first foal on Jan. 9, a filly born at Gallagher's Stud in Ghent, N.Y.
The filly is the second foal out of the unraced Rahy mare Wallstreetmadness, a half-sister to seven winners, including multiple Grade 2 winner Yearly Report, the dam of multiple graded stakes-placed Checklist.
Depending on how you look at it, the leading North American sire of 2012 stood last season on the island of Hokkaido. The progeny of Empire Maker conceived during his seven seasons at his birthplace, Juddmonte Farms in Lexington, Ky., before his premature export to Japan in 2011 earned $14,066,640 worldwide in 2012. That is about $350,000 more than the offspring of Giant’s Causeway, the horse who will be acclaimed the leading North American sire by the racing industry.
