Maryland's racing industry has asked the state legislature for a $30omillion enhancement to purses and breeders funds in each of the next two years, to soften the blow from competitive forces in surrounding states.
John B. Franzone, the Maryland Racing Commission member who serves as chairman of the commission's task force, known as KIM (Keep It In Maryland), made the request last Thursday at a briefing before the Senate Finance Committee chaired by Thomas M. Middleton (D-Charles County).
Six years ago Roy Lerman moved his Thoroughbred operation from Middleburg, Va., to Ocala, Fla. The site he selected was Brookside Farm, the property of the late Allen Paulson. This property and its facilities have had frequent changes of ownership over the decades, and earlier this year it had another. Lambholm South, as Lerman named his Ocala operation, relocated a few furlongs west to the former Hobeau Farm.
The 1,700-acre Hobeau Farm was owned by Jack Dreyfus Jr. Hobeau Farm had been an Ocala fixture for nearly a half-century.
LAS VEGAS - This is part 4 of an alphabetical preview of the 2007 freshman sires and how to bet their offspring. The stallions are followed by their pedigree, 2007 stud fee, and state where they are based.
Macabe (Gone West-Laguna Sec, by Seattle Slew); stands for $1,250 in Louisiana. Macabe was twice stakes-placed on turf, and his 2-year-olds should do well in Louisiana-bred races on dirt and especially over wet tracks and when they get on grass.
LEXINGTON, Ky. Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton have taken the first step toward testing for the use of anabolic steroids at Thoroughbred auctions.
The companies jointly announced Friday that they have formed a committee to develop a standardized
policy for all sale horses which will address testing procedures and guidelines for appropriate use of anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids increasingly have been under scrutiny in both human sports and Thoroughbred racing. Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton are the first major United States auction houses to call for a policy.
Dispersals from large and small breeders in California are expected to increase interest in the Barretts January mixed sale in Pomona on Monday and Tuesday.
Few horses in the sale of more than 600 horses will generate as much interest as Selvatica, a 6-year-old mare who won three stakes in Southern California last fall.
A winner of 6 of 10 starts and $219,720, Selvatica is part of the 21-horse dispersal of Granja Vista Del Rio Stable. The dispersal includes Selvatica's dam, Pareja, and her unraced 3-year-old half-brother by Johannesburg, Lenador.
Course record-setter Around the Cape has been retired to stud at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, owned by Joe and Anne McMahon.
Around the Cape, a son of the late Carson City, will stand for a fee of $6,000, live foal, at the farm in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Campaigned by Live Oak Plantation and trained by Bill Mott, Around the Cape won the Grade 3 Jaipur Stakes last year at Belmont Park, setting an inner turf course record of 1:07.31 for six furlongs.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - As the certain Eclipse Award winner in the older horse division, Invasor is also the likely 2006 Horse of the Year, which will be announced Monday night.
Partially in response to Invasor's success in the U.S., Alessandro Miserocchi, the breeder of Invasor, has arranged to send the dam of the Breeders' Cup Classic winner to leading American sire Distorted Humor.
Maryland's top breeder and sire of 2006 are well-known performers who built on past successes. But as for the richest statebred runner? His year was meteoric.
For one magical month during the summer, Les Arcs ranked among the world's best sprinters. And overall, no other Maryland-bred topped his accomplishments for the season.
Last year at age 6, Les Arcs earned $855,075 with 6 wins from 10 starts, and won two six-furlong Group 1 races within a three-week span.
The stats for the two consignors preferred sessions at the Ocala Breeders Sales Companys four-day January mixed sales on Wednesday and Thursday appeared skewed compared to last years. But this was to be expected, as the OBS introduced a new sales rule: a $10,000 upset price, or minimum bid.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - One of the most famous broodmares in the world, Hasili slipped away from her paddocks in England to the lush fields of Juddmonte Farms in Lexington without arousing the equine paparazzi.
In 2007, the great producer has added one further accomplishment to her record and will soon add another. This week, the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association in England named Hasili the Broodmare of the Year, and in a few weeks Hasili is expected to produce a foal by the mighty Storm Cat.