The names Capuano and Leatherbury have been associated with many Maryland Million Day winners since the event's inception in 1986. But Due's surprising victory in the $250,000 Maryland Million Classic, the feature on the 12-race Maryland Million day card held at Laurel Park on Oct. 14, provided a bit of a twist.
El Gran Senor, the English and Irish champion in 1983 and 1984, was euthanized Wednesday at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., at the age of 25 because of the infirmities of old age, Ashford's general manager, Dermot Ryan, said Thursday.
El Gran Senor, a son of Northern Dancer, had been at Ashford since 1985, his second year at stud. While standing at the farm, he experienced fertility problems, but ultimately sired 55 stakes winner from 333 starters. He was pensioned after the 2000 breeding season because of his fertility problems.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Last year, a record seven California-breds won Grade 1 races around the nation. So far this year, five California-breds have won Grade 1 or Group 1 races around the world, but they have accounted for eight Grade 1 races among them.
While time is running out to equal last year's number of individual winners at the highest level, the 2006 group have achieved a different level of success - they are often being chased home by fellow statebreds.
Chris Dragone, recently named executive director for New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., is settling in at the organization's office in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Two weeks into his new position, one of Dragone's priorities is establishing personal contact with NYTB membership.
"These are exciting times for the New York breeding program, and I think the potential is just tremendous," he said. "And communication with, and within, the membership and all the outside parties is number one."
Great Hunter's victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity on Oct. 7 pointed out the positive direction of his sire's stud career and brought a smile of just satisfaction to his breeder's face.
In defeating Circular Quay, Great Hunter also made a case as a contender in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and, therefore, as the leading juvenile colt in the country.
In the autumn of 1985, Domenic Martelli, then an active New Jersey real estate developer, traveled to the Ocala market scouting for business opportunities. His forte was building upscale homes in New Jersey for Wall Streeters, but he was no novice to the Thoroughbred industry - he had a string of horses in New Jersey under the supervision of trainer Bill Sacco.
"We were winning our share of races," said Martelli. "Good races, too."
Maryland-breds ranked among the top sellers at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale, held Oct.o2-4 at Timonium. A Maryland-bred daughter of Forestry, sold for $200,000, tied for second-highest price among the 658 yearlings who were purchased at the sale, the largest horse auction ever held in the state. At $170,000, another Maryland-bred filly (by Johannesburg) was among the 14 yearlings who brought $150,000 or more.
This is not your typical feel-good story about a small-time Thoroughbred breeder who made it big.
In fact, Alison Westrop is no longer involved in the industry and she has some bitter feelings about her experiences, but the British-born horsewoman has reason to be proud about her stint as a breeder.
Westrop, who lives in the small town of Lindsay, Ontario, was pleasantly surprised to learn that Cold War, one of just a handful of foals she bred, became North America's winningest horse of 2006 with his 10th win on Oct. 9 at Woodbine.