Suzie O’Cain, a prominent figure in New York breeding and racing for decades, died Tuesday in Saratoga Springs after a battle with breast cancer.
O'Cain was born in Madison, Wisc., and raised in Mississippi. She became involved with Thoroughbreds after meeting her husband of 40 years, Dr. C. Lynwood “Doc” O’Cain.
Gamine, the 2020 Eclipse Award champion female sprinter, has been retired from racing, owner Michael Lund Petersen announced via a press release issued Tuesday evening.
The 5-year-old daughter of Into Mischief will take up residence at Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Paris, Ky. No breeding plans for Gamine’s first mating in the upcoming 2022 season have been announced.
“Gamine is leaving the track happy and healthy,” Petersen said in the release. “She gave me and my family the thrill of a lifetime. We look forward to her next chapter.”
European champion juvenile Air Force Blue has been acquired by Pegasus Farm of South Korea to continue his stud career. The young stallion, who previously stood at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky, will become the first son of popular international sire War Front to stand in Korea.
Spendthrift Farm announced in the final days of 2021 that it is discontinuing its operations in Australia and putting its 600-acre farm in Victoria up for sale.
Spendthrift had acquired the former Yallambee Stud in 2015, under the leadership of farm owner B. Wayne Hughes, who died last August.
“We have made it a point at Spendthrift to branch out and try new things,” Spendthrift’s U.S. general manager Ned Toffey said in a press release. “Naturally, not every idea is going to work, but I will guarantee you we will continue to take that approach.”
As the calendar turned, Into Mischief wrapped up his third consecutive North American sire title.
Into Mischief, a 17-year-old son of Harlan’s Holiday standing at Spendthrift Farm, concluded 2021 with progeny earnings of $25,009,663, according to Daily Racing Form statistics. Not only was he well clear of his closest rival on the earnings list, Hill ‘n’ Dale’s Ghostzapper with $16,275,413, he shattered his own single-season earnings record of $22,506,085 established last year.
A season to Triple Crown winner Justify, standing at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky, is being auctioned this week to benefit relief efforts for those affected by tornadoes that devastated Western Kentucky on Dec. 11, one of several major donations made by high-profile Thoroughbred breeding establishments this week.
A line of storms unleased tornadoes late Friday and early Saturday across parts of the central and southern United States, with officials fearing the death toll could exceed 100 across eight states.
Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator and Grade 1 winner Carpe Diem will relocate from Kentucky to Texas and Louisiana, respectively, to continue their stud careers.
Exaggerator, a Curlin horse who entered stud in 2017, and Carpe Diem, a Giant's Causeway horse who entered stud in 2016, both previously stood at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.
As far as Spendthrift Farm is concerned, you can’t have too much of a good thing – especially when it comes to two-time reigning leading sire Into Mischief. The record-setting stallion made a promising start with his first son to stud, Goldencents, who stands alongside him at Spendthrift.
Five years ago, the Korean racing and breeding industry experienced a year of milestones and important developments. In 2016, Korea sent its first runners to the Breeders’ Cup and the Dubai Carnival; hosted the inaugural Korea Cup meeting, in association with Keeneland; and was elevated into Part II of the International Cataloguing Standards Book.
