Dave's Friend, a millionaire graded-stakes winner, has died at age 31, according to Franks Farm representative Barbara Doughty. A Friend's Choice gelding, reputed to be a favorite of his late owner and breeder, John Franks, Dave's Friend had been living as a pensioner at the Shreveport, La., farm owned by Franks's widow.
He was euthanized Wednesday because of the infirmities of old age, Doughty said.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Rick Nichols might have been happier than anyone about Jazil's win in the Belmont Stakes.
Nichols helped Jazil's owner, Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum, develop the American wing of his Shadwell breeding and racing empire back in 1985. Now 56, Nichols is especially gratified to see that program paying dividends, in the form of Grade 1 and classic winners, in the United States. The stable achieved its first Grade 1 victory in the United States on
Arlington
Stephen Got Even is one of the many stakes-winning sons of A.P. Indy at stud, and his best runner to date is last year's juvenile champion, Stevie Wonderboy. On June 2, two 4-year-olds from Stephen Got Even's first crop won back-to-back races at Arlington Park, and notably, both are out of mares by Seeking the Gold (sire of Belmont Stakes winner Jazil).
LAS VEGAS - Now that the 2006 Triple Crown is over, it is time to take a look at some highly regarded 3-year-olds who were prevented from competing in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes due to injury, but who will hopefully return for the second half of this season.
Canadian racing fans are in for a treat on Sunday as the 51st Woodbine Oaks has drawn a competitive field of 10 Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. Trying to pick a winner in the 1 1/8-mile Oaks - the filly equivalent of the Queen's Plate - based on current form may not be enough, so consider some of the classic pedigrees of the starters.
Arguably one of the best-bred fillies in the field for long distances is Sweet Breanna, an Ontario-bred by Kentucky stallion Sahm (Mr. Prospector) out of the stakes winning Roberto mare Sweet Roberta.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Three days after a fire killed 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick and five other stallions at JEH Stallion Station in Hondo, N.M., farm co-owner Jim Helzer said the investigation into the blaze is still under way.
But Helzer said Friday that the farm will survive the tragedy.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - For those handicappers who like to bet gray horses in the mud, the gray filly Wait a While has to be a candidate for their handicapping hall of fame. The filly's victory in the Sands Point Stakes at Belmont last weekend occurred under the same conditions as her success last fall in the Miss Grillo.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Texcess joined a growing list of California-bred millionaires with his runner-up finish in the $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap in Texas on May 29. Trainer Mike Mitchell is convinced that the 4-year-old gelding will rise on the list of all-time money-earners in the second half of this year.
Texcess has earned $1,057,735, making him the 43rd California-bred to reach millionaire status. He ranks 39th on the state's all-time money list, well below all-time leader Tiznow, who earned $6,427,830.
A van left Ocala, Fla., this past Tuesday with Lexington, Ky., as its destination. In the van was one of Florida's all-time great racehorses, the 25-year-old Precisionist. His new home will be at the facilities sponsored by Old Friends Equine. The home he left was the residence of the veterinarian Siobhan P. Ellison. He had been put in her care by the late Fred W. Hooper in 1996.
"Much of my research deals with equine reproduction," said Ellison. "When Precisionist was found to have fertility problems, Mr. Hooper sent him to me to see what could be done for him."
Royal Descent, a 3-year-old daughter of aging Maryland sire Bishop Northcraft, gave new meaning to the phrase "improved on turf" when she won the Pearl Necklace Stakes on June 3 at Pimlico.
Until May 14, Royal Descent had gone winless in 11 starts - once beaten by nearly 52 lengths. Her form turned around dramatically in her first start on turf, a one-mile maiden special weight at Pimlico, which she captured by a comfortable two-length margin.
