Northview Stallion Station, Maryland's largest Thoroughbred breeding operation and home to the outstanding sire Not for Love, has never been the kind of place to rest on its laurels.
Evidence of that fact came during this past week, with the announcement that two new stallions - Dance With Ravens and Deputy Storm, both proven runners from outstanding families - have been added to the Northview roster for 2006.
Devil's Orchid first made local headlines 14 years ago when the Canadian-owned daughter of Devil's Bag won two graded stakes races in two months in California and New York and landed on the pages of trade magazines such as Canadian Thoroughbred.
The 18-year-old Devil's Orchid is in the news again as the dam of Unification, Darley Stud's $750,000 purchase who won the Grade 3 Grey Breeders' Cup Stakes at Woodbine on Oct. 10.
Through the completion of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale on Oct. 5, the average price for New York-bred yearlings continues to increase at a healthy pace.
Thus far in 2005, 376 yearlings have brought $14,821,300 at auction, for an average price of $39,418 that is 12 percent higher than the comparable figures for 2004, when 405 yearlings grossed $14,259,300 for an average of $35,208.
At the three-day Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale, 74 New York-bred yearlings grossed $1,086,000 for an average of $14,675.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's fall mixed sale enjoyed strong returns early in its five-day run, but by Friday the sales figures had returned to earth. Despite lower numbers at the two open sessions, the auction did not disappoint Tom Ventura, general manager and sales director of OBS.
The Ocala, Fla., auction's consignor-preferred sessions, expanded this year from two to three, performed especially well, Ventura said.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - With a spirited victory in the Champagne Stakes this weekend, First Samurai confirmed his ranking as the leading juvenile colt in the country.
That is some consolation to his breeder, John Gunther, who identifies First Samurai, a powerful son of Giant's Causeway, as "one of the ones that got away."
"But I have to be happy being the breeder," he said.
With an operation based in Kentucky at his Glennwood Farm, Gunther breeds and races his own horses, but also sells a portion of his annual foal crop.
ARCADIA, Calif. - By default, Direct Connect has emerged as a top candidate for the $125,000 California Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 6.
With Norfolk Stakes winner Brother Derek bound for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Belmont Park on Oct. 29 and stakes winner Bro Lo sidelined, Direct Connect has risen to the top of the list of probables for the Cal Cup Juvenile.
Direct Connect has won 2 of 3 starts and $121,860 for owner Omar Aldabbagh. The wins came in two stakes - the Barretts Juvenile at Fairplex Park on Sept. 18 and the Cavonnier Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 9.
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's fall mixed sale began its open sessions Thursday with declines after enjoying an upswing in its consignor-preferred days earlier in the week.
The first open session sold 149 lots for $696,800, down from last year's equivalent session, when 129 horses brought $801,400. The average price also fell, from $6,212 to $4,677.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Mt. Livermore - sire of champions Orientate, Housebuster, and Eliza - has been pensioned due to declining fertility, Gainesway Farm in Lexington announced Wednesday. The Blushing Groom stallion is 24.
Bred by Hilary Boone Jr., Mt. Livermore blossomed into a talented sprinter for owner L.R. French Jr. Highlighting his race record were victories in the Grade 2 Fall Highweight and Carter handicaps, the Grade 3 Boojum, and the ungraded Jaipur in 1985. He earned $610,644 in a career that spanned his 3- and 4-year-old seasons and featured 11 wins from 30 races.
The $215,000 broodmare Enduring Legacy sold Tuesday to top the first two days of selling at Florida's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's fall mixed auction. Y-Lo Racing Stables purchased the 5-year-old Saint Ballado mare, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Star over the Bay and one of two lots to bring $200,000 or more in the first two of four days' selling. The other was a $200,000 weanling filly by Yes It's True that sold Monday.
LAS VEGAS - Bago will be cross-entered in the Breeders' Cup Turf and Breeders' Cup Classic, but his connections may now be leaning toward the Turf after Hurricane Run, winner of the Arc and the best 3-year-old in Europe, was declared from the Turf because of a cough.
Bago, 4, was an undefeated champion at 2 and a champion at 3 in France. He was briefly considered for the Classic last year after his victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but the plan all along was to bring Bago over to the U.S. as a stronger, mature 4-year-old.