LEXINGTON, Ky. - Danzig, the highly influential American sire who was pensioned after the 2004 breeding season, was euthanized on Tuesday morning at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., due to the infirmities of old age, according to officials at Claiborne, Danzig's home since entering stud in 1981. Danzig turned 29 on Jan. 1.
Danzig is the sire of 21 champions worldwide from 22 crops.
LAS VEGAS - This is the fourth installment on the 2006 freshman stallions, alphabetically featuring the sires R through S with particular emphasis on how to bet their offspring. The sires' names are followed by their pedigree, where they stand, and their designation (SP means speed; ST stamina; T turf; HT hidden turf).
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher signed an emergency regulation Thursday that put into effect an incentive fund for the Kentucky horse breeders, according to published reports. The fund will award an estimated $12 million to Thoroughbred breeders in subsidies in 2006.
Good experiences with New York racing and breeding have prompted Ted Taylor to move his stallion Peruvian to the Empire State.
Peruvian, a 14-year-old son of Conquistador Cielo, will stand the 2006 season at Joe and Anne McMahon's McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for $2,000, live foal.
Providing restricted stakes races for 2-year-olds is always a challenge for the Virginia Breeders Fund.
"It has taken a bit of creativity on our part," said the fund's field director, Mark Deane. "Because the Colonial Downs meet" -Virginia's only parimutuel racing - "takes place early in the summer, when most of our 2-year-olds are not ready for that kind of competition."
ARCADIA, Calif. - Get ready for an encore. The seven California-breds that won Grade 1 races in 2005 are scheduled to race in 2006.
The presence of Brother Derek, Dream of Summer, Greg's Gold, Lava Man, Leave Me Alone, Proud Tower Too, and Unfurl the Flag in 2006 major stakes could further raise the profile of the state's breeding program.
Georgia is an overall red state with pockets of blue. The majority of those who live in the red zones are not proponents of parimutuel horse racing. Those living in the bluish cities of Atlanta and Savannah would likely vote for Thoroughbred racing if given a chance, said Bob Mier, member of the board of governors of the Georgia Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
In a change of plans, Catienus will stay at Highcliff Farm in New York for the 2006 breeding season rather than move to Ramsey Farm in Kentucky, the farms announced Thursday. Catienus (Storm Cat-Diamond City, by Mr. Prospector) will stand for a fee of $6,500, live foal.
In November, Ramsey Farm announced that Catienus, a top 10 second-crop sire, would stand at Ramsey Farm for a fee of $10,000 in 2006.
Handicappers differ in their estimation of the way a tough race affects a horse. The majority seem to consider it a negative that usually moves a horse backward in condition or readiness to compete again soon.
In some cases, however, a hard effort has clearly moved a young horse forward. In looking back at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, for instance, both Point Given in 2000 and Afleet Alex last year ran game races in defeat and bounced back to become better horses.
California breeders have an interesting selection of new stallions to choose from in 2006. Some are stakes winners just off the racetrack - such as Our New Recruit, Ministers Wild Cat, and Singletary - while others have been relocated from other states, including Crafty C. T., Gentlemen, and Salt Lake. This year, there are fewer newcomers than in previous years.
Here is a glance at the seven first-year stallions for 2006 as well as six stallions that were relocated to the state since the conclusion of the 2005 breeding season.
First-year stallions
