Sobhy Sonbol was born in Egypt, earned a degree in biomechanics at the University of California at Berkeley, and returned home to work for businessman Ahmed Zayat in Cairo. Sonbol's pastime in Egypt was racing horses. He had horses racing at the track in Alexandria and the two tracks in Cairo. That was then.
Nowadays, the 30-something naturalized American lives in New Jersey. His business relationship with Zayat has evolved to where Sonbol is now the Zayat Racing operation's racing manager.
Rounds three and four of Florida's 2-year-olds in training sales begin Monday with the auction of Adena Springs homebreds.
There are 136 cataloged, and this sale begins at 4:30 p.m. There's no need to pack an early dinner, as there will be a barbecue-style buffet available from 3 p.m. onward for $20. The buffet's proceeds are earmarked for the Ocala Farm Ministry and the Florida Thoroughbred Retirement Community. Adena Springs, a 4,500-acre facility, is located in Williston, Fla., a half-hour's drive north from downtown Ocala.
Maryland's breeding and racing industry lost one of its icons when Barbara M. "Bobby" Kees died on Feb. 25 at the age of 86, following several years of declining health.
Kees would have scoffed at the term "feminist trailblazer," although women were a rarity on the racetrack when she became a licensed trainer in 1950.
She simply did the work she loved for more than 50 years - raising Thoroughbreds at her Road's End Farm in Sparks, Md., and training them to race primarily at tracks in Maryland.
New York-breds are off to a fast start in stakes company in the first several weeks of 2008. Here's is a look at the accomplishments of six statebred winners of open stakes.
Commentator: With a huge victory in the Grade 2 Richter Scale Handicap at Gulfstream Park on March 8, the 7-year-old won his 11th race from 17 starts and sent his earnings to $971,936.
Commentator has won his first two starts this year by nearly 28 lengths.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - With a bold run out of the fog last week in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, Visionaire became a contender for the Kentucky Derby and confirmed the quality of Louisiana form - he was third to Pyro by 2 3/4 lengths in the Risen Star Stakes last month at Fair Grounds.
With two major juvenile auctions this year in the books, New York-breds are drawing healthy prices.
Thirteen statebred youngsters were sold at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company sale on Feb. 12 and the Fasig-Tipton Calder Sale on Feb. 26, and they grossed $2,265,000 for an average of $174,230.
The top price for a statebred at the Ocala auction was $400,000 for a colt by Hold That Tiger out of French Factor, by Gulch.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A serious medical condition brought together the breeders of Ever a Friend, and their engaging personalities and deep interest in the sport of Thoroughbred racing have bonded them into fast friends.
Ever a Friend, an impressive winner in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile, was bred in Kentucky by Liberation Farm (Rob Whiteley) and Oratis Thoroughbreds (Christopher Elia).
Turf sprint specialist Heros Reward was named Maryland-bred horse of the year for 2007 in the annual poll conducted by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association.
Heros Reward's top honor did not come as a surprise to his delighted breeder, lifelong horsewoman Gretchen Mobberley.
"I thought he would get it," said Mobberley of Heros Reward, a graded stakes winner who finished first or second in 9 of 10 starts last year at age 5, for earnings of $515,826.
Adena Springs South is an integral part of the Eclipse Award-winning equine empire owned by Magna Entertainment's Frank Stronach. Based near Ocala in Williston, the breeding and training complex covers 4,500 acres, tied with Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Stud as Florida's biggest in terms of acreage. On the evening of March 17, Adena Springs will conduct its annual selected 2-year-olds in training sale under the auspices of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.
The resolution of the New York Racing Association franchise almost three weeks ago ended a long period of uncertainty for state breeders.
Their organization, known as New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., is headed by its president, Michael J. McMahon, who was reelected to his second term in late January.
McMahon owns McMahon Bloodstock LLC, a consulting firm with clients who race and breed Thoroughbreds in New York and several other states.
Daily Racing Form asked McMahon to comment on the current situation for New York breeders.