Fri, 07/30/2021 - 14:00

Queen's Plate 2021 pedigree profile: Stephen

Michael Burns
Stephen (left) wins the 2020 Coronation Futurity. He is set to make his 3-year-old debut on Saturday at Woodbine.

Stephen

Constitution – Naughty Holiday, by Harlan’s Holiday

Bred in Ontario by Trackwest Racing ($170,000 purchase by Al and Bill Ulwelling at 2020 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training)

 

Constitution sired an American classic winner from his first crop with Tiz the Law. He will go for an across-border score in his second crop with Coronation Futurity winner and Queen’s Plate hopeful Stephen.

Fri, 07/30/2021 - 11:16

Darley champion and top sire Bernardini euthanized at 18

Barbara D. Livingston
Bernardini, the champion 3-year-old of 2006 and with progeny earnings of almost $100 million, was euthanized due to the complications of laminitis.

Eclipse Award champion and prominent sire Bernardini has been euthanized due to complications of laminitis, the international Darley stallion operation of Sheikh Mohammed announced Friday morning.

One of the best sons of breed-shaping sire A.P. Indy, Bernardini was 18 at the time of his death. He was bred and raised by the Darley operation in the early years of Sheikh Mohammed’s ownership of Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Ky., and returned to live out his stallion career there.

Fri, 07/23/2021 - 11:20

Queen's Plate 2021 pedigree profile: Dance Some Mo

Coady Photography
Dance Some Mo, winning a maiden race at Churchill Downs in May, has two Queen's Plate winners in his pedigree.

Dance Some Mo

Uncle Mo – Dance Again, by Awesome Again

Bred in Ontario by Sam-Son Farm

Dance Some Mo brings a family history of success in the Queen’s Plate and other Canadian classics into the chase for the 2021 Plate. The gelded son of young American classic sire Uncle Mo is a homebred from one of the most successful Sam-Son Farm families, and both his third and fourth dams won the Queen’s Plate.

Wed, 07/21/2021 - 11:20

Live Oak Stud's Win Approval, dam of two champions, euthanized at 29

Barbara D. Livingston
Win Approval at Live Oak Stud in 2006.

Blue hen Win Approval, a foundation mare for Live Oak Stud who produced two Eclipse Award champions to run in Charlotte Weber’s red and white colors, was euthanized July 19 due to the infirmities of old age. She was 29.

“She will be missed, but never forgotten,” Weber said in a press release.

Florida-bred Win Approval, by Canadian Horse of the Year With Approval and out of Live Oak’s graded stakes-placed homebred Negotiator, was foaled in 1992. She won twice from 16 starts while trained by Pat Kelly, winning a maiden and allowance race at Monmouth Park.

Mon, 07/19/2021 - 11:36

Arkansas Derby winner and sire Danza dies at 10

Tom Keyser
Aron Wellman (left) of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners leads Danza into the winner’s circle after the 2013 Arkansas Derby.

Classic-placed Grade 1 winner Danza has died of an apparent heart attack at Fair Winds Farm in Waynesville, Ohio. The death of the 10-year-old son of Street Boss was confirmed by Brandywine Farm, which co-bred the horse with Liberation Farm, and by a representative of Spendthrift Farm.

Spendthrift stood Danza in Kentucky for his first four seasons at stud before sending him to Fair Winds on a lease beginning with the 2020 season.

Mon, 07/19/2021 - 11:30

Leading Louisiana sire Half Ours euthanized

Barbara D. Livingston
Half Ours in his paddock at Clear Creek Stud in 2019. Half Ours led the Louisiana sire standings four times.

Four-time Louisiana leading sire Half Ours was euthanized on Saturday following a paddock accident at Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, La. The son of Unbridled’s Song was 18.

Mon, 07/19/2021 - 11:30

Graceful Princess scores important victory for dam, Havre de Grace

Emily Shields
Graceful Princess (9) returned $31 in winning the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park on Saturday.

The regally bred Graceful Princess delivered a victory for her family as she posted a $31 upset victory in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.

Fri, 07/16/2021 - 11:40

Queen's Plate 2021 pedigree profile: Weyburn

Susie Raisher
Weyburn is a son of Pioneerof the Nile, the sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

Weyburn

Pioneerof the Nile – Sunday Affair, by A.P. Indy

Bred in Ontario by Chiefswood Stables

 

Weyburn, winner of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes and most recently second to Mandaloun in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, debuts as the favorite on Daily Racing Form’s Queen’s Plate Watch for 2021. The Chiefswood Stables homebred boasts a stellar pedigree, being from a sireline that has had major classic success and from a female family that has produced multiple champions.

Mon, 07/12/2021 - 11:46

Far From Over dies after seizure

The 9-year-old graded stakes-winning stallion Far From Over, the catalyst for the latest evolution of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale, died Sunday after suffering a seizure the night before. The son of Blame had been standing at William Gray’s Gray Farms near Cottonwood, Calif., and his oldest foals are yearlings.

Mon, 07/12/2021 - 11:40

Came Home dies at age 22 after bout with colic

Multiple Grade 1 winner Came Home died last week in Japan after a bout with colic. The son of Gone West was 22.