LEXINGTON, Ky. - Vinery named Derek MacKenzie its director of public sales Thursday.
The Canadian has been Vinery’s yearling manager for the last three years. Before coming to Vinery, MacKenzie was a foreman at Windfields Farm’s yearling division in Ontario and also managed Mitsuo Haga’s Green Gates Farm in Lexington. MacKenzie has worked at Vinery since 2008.
Adena Springs led North American breeders by earnings, both in partnership and individually, for the eighth consecutive year in 2010, according to year-end statistics compiled by The Jockey Club Information Systems.
Adena Springs-bred runners earned $13,369,852 and won 506 races from 3,661 starts last year. Horses that Adena Springs bred individually and in partnership earned $13,638,355 and won 519 races from 3,739 starts.
Adena Springs is owned by Frank Stronach.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Darley will host an open house at its Lexington, Ky., Jonabell Farm facility during the Keeneland January sale from Jan. 10-14.
The farm will welcome visitors each day from noon until 3 p.m. during the sale and will make all 16 of its stallions available for viewing. The stallions available for inspection will include the farm’s newest arrivals, champion and Breeders’ Cup winner Midshipman and multiple graded winner Desert Party.
For more information, contact Darley at Jonabell at (859) 255-8537.
LEXINGTON, Ky. − A Horse of the Year title represents the pinnacle of Thoroughbred racing achievement in North America, but how much effect does it have on the winner’s breeding career? It can boost a stallion’s first-year fee and the price of a mare’s first few foals, but the title’s influence dims over time as the horse’s talent as a sire or dam becomes breeders’ and buyers’ most important reference point.
Richard Simon and his Sez Who Thoroughbred operation, a Florida operation that expanded to become a leading New York breeder in the last decade, are facing foreclosure on an 86-acre property near Ocala, Fla., the Ocala Star-Banner reported Wednesday.
The Sez Who operation closed in 2009, but foreclosure documents that Mellon United Bank filed Dec. 7 in Florida name Sez Who, Simon, and Simon’s Foxtrotter Ranch in alleged loan defaults totaling more than $8.1 million.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Michael Iavarone, president of the racehorse ownership group International Equine Acquisitions Holdings, confirmed Wednesday that the company’s shareholders are considering a takeover offer. The proposed sale takes place as a IEAH’s major financial backer, James Tagliaferri’s TAG Virgin Islands, is facing a $60 million lawsuit by an IEAH shareholder.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – With the 2010 racing year now in the books, the sport’s major publications are showing different sires – Giant’s Causeway, Fusaichi Pegasus, and Malibu Moon – as the year’s leading North American general sire, depending on how they count progeny earnings.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Audrey Haisfield’s bankrupt Stonewall Farm entities have filed a motion to sell A. P. Warrior, its remaining interests in income from Leroidesanimaux, and its interest in stud-fee income from deceased champion Lawyer Ron. The proposed buyer is Family Broodmares, a Florida-based company whose managing partner is Haisfield’s son, Marc.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Walt Robertson, whose retirement was announced by Fasig-Tipton in October, will re-enter the Thoroughbred auction world in a newly created position at Fasig-Tipton’s rival, Keeneland.
Keeneland president Nick Nicholson announced Tuesday that Robertson was to start work at the Lexington auction house on Wednesday as its vice president of sales. Robertson, 62, “will oversee and direct all functions of the Keeneland sales,” according to the announcement. Keeneland’s director of sales, Geoffrey Russell, will continue in his role.
LEXINGTON, Ky. − The Dec. 31 death of Spring Hill Farm owner Edward P. Evans robbed the sport of one of its leading owners. It has also left farm manager Chris Baker with a lot of fond memories of Evans, whom Baker called “a great sportsman.”
Evans, 68, died of acute myeloid leukemia as his homebreeding program was closing out a very good season, led by Quality Road’s return to his best form with three Grade 1 races as one of the year’s better older males. Malibu Prayer also won the Grade 1 Ruffian Invitational, and A Little Warm won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy.