LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Robert “Gus” Koch, the manager of Claiborne Farm during a golden age for the farm’s stallion business who commanded respect throughout Central Kentucky, died on Saturday at his home in Paris, Ky., of complications from cancer, according to his family. Koch was 74.

Hot Rod Charlie

Oxbow–Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie

Bred in Kentucky by Edward A. Cox Jr. ($17,000 Fasig-Tipton February short yearling purchase by Erickson Equine; $110,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling purchase by Dennis O’Neill)

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Amid a logjam atop the leaderboard at the under-tack preview show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March sale of 2-year-olds in training, reigning leading sire Into Mischief and his son Practical Joke emerged as stallions to watch at the year's juvenile market opener.

Caddo River

Hard Spun – Pangburn, by Congrats

Bred in Kentucky by Shortleaf Stable

Caddo River, who is continuing along Oaklawn Park’s Kentucky Derby prep series, comes from a family with a history of success. Both his sire and dam were hard-knocking racehorses, and there is proven two-turn ability on both those sides of the family.

Longtime horseman John Fernung died on March 5 in Ocala, Fla. He was 79.

Fernung gained national prominence as the racing manager for multiple Eclipse Award-winning Lasater Stable (1974-76). The operation was the leading money-winning stable in the country five years in a row and, during Fernung’s tenure, raced Grade 1 winners Honky Star, Hot N Nasty, and Royal Glint.

Juddmonte’s blue hen Kind, best known as the dam of unbeaten champion Frankel, died Monday due to foaling complications. The 20-year-old daughter of Danehill had delivered her final foal, a surviving Kingman colt, on March 2.

“I cannot thank the [Rossdales Veterinary team] and Juddmonte team enough for the tireless care they have given Kind,” Juddmonte’s UK stud director Simon Mockridge said in a press release. “To many, she will rightfully always be best remembered as the dam of Frankel and Noble Mission. To us at Juddmonte, she will always be Kind by name and Kind by nature.”

Life Is Good

Into Mischief – Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor

Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West ($525,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by China Horse Club and Maverick Racing)

Cesario, a Grade 1 winner on two continents and the dam of two champions in Japan, died Saturday at Northern Farm in Japan of a ruptured artery. The daughter of Special Week was 19.

Fresh off earning another Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding owner, the international Godolphin operation has started 2021 in strong fashion. Godolphin recorded three homebred graded stakes winners in the United States on Saturday alone, highlighted by Eclipse Award champion Essential Quality’s successful 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn. Mystic Guide gave the Godolphin blue a double at Oaklawn by winning the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap, and Antoinette captured the Grade 3 The Very One at Gulfstream.

Tapit, one of North America’s perennial leading sires, turned 20 on Saturday. The Gainesway stallion celebrated by sweeping Saturday’s Kentucky Derby preps, as Eclipse Award champion Essential Quality returned a winner at Oaklawn Park and Greatest Honour continued his march through the Gulfstream Park prep series.