The Vinery in Summerfield, Fla., the Florida satellite of the Kentucky operation, is located a dozen miles south of Ocala, where there are only a relatively few farms. A 220-acre stallion and training facility, it was completed earlier this year, and you can see and sense that no expense was spared - not on the fences, barns, training track, or turf course.

When a long-successful breeder disperses his entire broodmare band, he can expect to spark enthusiasm among buyers. It turned out that way for Eugene Ford, who was responsible for two of the three top broodmare prices, including the $140,000 sale-topper, at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December mixed sale held Dec. 4 and 5 at Timonium.

But Ford's situation was slightly unusual, because he had only two mares.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Grade 1 winner Nothing to Lose has been retired from racing.

No stud plans have been announced.

, a 5-year-old son of Sky Classic and the Clever Trick stakes-winner Cherlindrea, won the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland in 2004. He also won the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap in 2004 and a pair of Grade 3 races, the Tropical Park Derby and Palm Beach Stakes, in 2003. Nothing to Lose last competed on Nov. 27, 2004, when he finished sixth behind Leroidesanimaux in the Grade 1 Citation Handicap at Hollywood.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Dual Grade 1 winner and 2004 Preakness second Rock Hard Ten will stand at Lane's End in Versailles, Ky., in 2006. A 4-year-old Kris S. colt, Rock Hard Ten will have a $50,000 fee for his first year at stud.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The semi-arid Southwest isn't the first place most people think of when considering a warm-weather racing experience. But the times they are a-changing.

The results from handle and attendance at the newly opened Zia Park in New Mexico clearly indicate that good horses are attracted to good purses, and that results in competitive racing.

The Irish stallion business received a blow Wednesday when the nation's finance minister announced that Ireland will abolish its 36-year policy of not taxing stallion income.

In a budget speech for 2006, Finance Minister Brian Cowen said stallions' tax-free status would end on July 31, 2008, according to the Racing Post. The announcement follows a January 2005 complaint from the European Commission that the Irish tax system, including the stud fee exemption, was anti-competitive and illegal.

Wiseman's Ferry, who stood his first two seasons at Empire Stud in New York, will join the roster at Castleton Lyons in Lexington, Ky., in 2006. A 6-year-old son of Hennessy, he will stand for an $8,500 fee.

Wiseman's Ferry, whose first foals are weanlings this year, had 15 foals in the auction ring in 2005. They grossed $477,700, for an average of $31,847.

Wiseman's Ferry is out of the unraced Silver Deputy mare Emmaus and is thus from the family of sires Bernstein and Sky Mesa. In his racing career, he won the Grade 3 West Virginia and Lone Star derbies in 2002.

Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Lexington, Ky., has added approximately 317 acres to its property by buying a former cattle farm about 3 1/2 miles away from the main Hill 'n' Dale land. Dr. Henry Wells of Lexington formerly owned the land.

"We've been looking for several years to expand our operation out of necessity," said Hill 'n' Dale's president, John Sikura, who estimated that the operation houses as many as 400 mares at peak times of year.

Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's December mixed auction ended Monday evening with losses across the board despite selling slightly more horses than last year.

The two-day auction in Timonium, Md., sold 375 horses this year, up from last year's 363. But gross receipts fell 9 percent, average price fell 12 percent, and median fell 25 percent. Buybacks also rose markedly, from 21 percent to 32 percent.

The two sessions grossed $3,497,900 for an average price of $9,328 and a $3,800 median.

LAS VEGAS - Every December and January, this column takes a brief, early look at the freshman sires for the new season, and 2006 will feature some exciting new sires to watch. Below is a capsulized analysis of the new group of first-crop sires, followed by their pedigree, 2005 stud fee, and state where they are based.

(Legend: SP - speed; ST - stamina; T - turf; HT - hidden turf; x2 - both sides of pedigree)