Thu, 10/27/2005 - 00:00

Can they go long? It's all in the breeding

Horsephotos
Diamond Omi is a half-sister to 1996 Juvenile Fillies winner Storm Song.

LAS VEGAS - Many handicappers think pedigree is useful only for handcapping maiden races, but it has, in fact, pointed the way to some lucrative Breeders' Cup paydays, notably in the two juvenile races, as would be expected. Pedigree handicapping has also helped to decipher how European turf horses will handle dirt.

Thu, 10/27/2005 - 00:00

Fasig-Tipton sale numbers way up

Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's fall yearling sale ended Wednesday with strong gains across the board.

Expanded this year from two days to three, the auction at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Ky., had a flashy $600,000 sale-topper, a Distorted Humor colt that Jess Jackson purchased from James Keogh's Grovendale agency. The colt is out of Happy Nation, a Lear Fan mare who also is the dam of the winner Noshameinmygame.

Wed, 10/26/2005 - 00:00

Six-figure FTK lots continue

A day after producing a $600,000 session-topper, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky fall yearling sale continued its series of six-figure horses at its final session Wednesday, when a $200,000 Giant's Causeway colt helped maintain the upper market's strength.

The British Bloodstock Agency (Ireland) purchased the $200,000 colt from the Hill 'n' Dale agency. Sold as Hip No. 749, he is out of the Grade 2-winning Mining mare Prospectress and is her second foal.

The Giant's Causeway colt was one of three to sell for six figures, and the session's most expensive lot, as of 5 p.m.

Tue, 10/25/2005 - 00:00

Distorted Humor colt goes for $600K

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Tuesday started off as a routine sale day at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky fall yearling sale, but Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stables soon livened up the proceedings.

Mon, 10/24/2005 - 00:00

Big names open wallets at not-so-big sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's three-day fall yearling sale in Lexington kicked off Monday with some early fireworks that proved regional markets are capable of attracting some big buyers.

As of 5 p.m., the opening session's top price was $160,000 for a Silver Deputy-Hedge Ratio filly consigned by James Keogh's Grovendale agency. Respite Farm, agent, purchased the filly, who is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Mary Alex and to stakes-placed Save the Profit.

Fri, 10/21/2005 - 00:00

Mobil retired to stud

Mobil, Canada's champion older horse last year, has been retired and will go to stud next year at Windfields Farm in Oshawa, Ontario.

Mobil will stand for $6,500 as the property of his owner and breeder, Gustav Schickedanz.

, 5, had 11 stakes victories with a 12-9-1 record from 29 starts. Trained by Mike Keogh throughout his career, he earned $1,951,384.

Mobil, by Langfuhr out of the Naskra mare Kinetigal, had been slated for one more campaign but developed a minor throat problem after finishing second in the Grade 1 Atto Mile at Woodbine on Sept. 18.

Fri, 10/21/2005 - 00:00

Buying Adieu's dam turns out a smart move

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Adieu, following her Frizette win, is the fourth foal out of Irene's Talkin.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Surely the quality of this year's running of the Spinaway, Saratoga's most important stakes for juvenile fillies, will cause the personnel on the Graded Stakes Committee to rethink their planning just a bit. The winner and runner-up in the race were Adieu and Folklore, who figure to be the favorite and second-favorite for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Fri, 10/21/2005 - 00:00

Buck Pond sale also boosts its sires

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Buyers looking for mares or weanlings will have an unusual auction to add to the calendar on Sunday. Doug Arnold's Buck Pond Farm in Versailles, Ky., will host a small sale that will have the dual purpose of showing off improvements to Buck Pond's facilities and promoting the historic farm's stallion roster. The afternoon will also feature a stallion show.

Fri, 10/21/2005 - 00:00

Brother Derek state's Cup representative

Dan Hendricks has already heard the criticism of the Grade 2 Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 2, a race he won with Brother Derek.

The race was too slow and the field was sub-par. Such comments just bring a smile to Hendricks.

"They knocked the Santa Anita Derby didn't they?" Hendricks asked a few days ago.

Yes, the quality of the Santa Anita Derby back in April was criticized in the build-up to the Kentucky Derby. Then, Giacomo, who was fourth in the Santa Anita Derby, pulled a shocking win in the Kentucky Derby.

Fri, 10/21/2005 - 00:00

Korean buyers open their wallets at OBS mixed sale

Once again a Korean contingent attending an Ocala Breeders' Sales Company auction made its presence felt. This time around the Koreans, 24 of them in all, bought 61 lots for $987,800 at the recent OBS fall mixed sale. Since patronizing the Ocala sales for the first time five years ago, buyers from Korea have purchased 370 horses - weanlings, yearlings, 2-year-olds in training, and broodmares - for a gross of approximately $4.7 million.