Morgan Firestone bought both co-sale-toppers, for $190,000 apiece, during the select session of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's Canadian-bred yearling sale at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion on Tuesday.
Firestone's first sale-topper is a three-quarter sister to Canada's reigning champion 2-year-old filly, Simply Lovely. A daughter of Bold n' Flashy, the filly was consigned by Gail Wood's Woodlands, as agent.
AUBURN, Wash. - The average price rose 10 percent at the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association's annual summer yearling sale on Tuesday, when 150 yearlings brought $2,781,900 for an average of $18,546.
Gross receipts were up 9.2 percent from last year and the median price of $14,250 was up 9.6 percent, while the percentage of yearlings who failed to meet their reserve declined 12.2 percent to 43.
"All of the arrows are pointing in the right direction," said WTBA general manager Ralph Vacca. "We're very happy."
LAS VEGAS - Recent stakes winners Leroidesanimaux, Intercont-inental, and Three Valleys have something in common. They all have the broodmare Kerali as their second dam. Now, there are good broodmares, and then there are those very special broodmares - the rare blue hen - who not only produces stakes winners, but also continues to be a major influence through their daughters.
Operations are under way to rescue and treat horses stranded and injured during Hurricane Katrina, the number of whom was largely unknown on Monday.
In Kentucky, the American Association of Equine Practitioners announced it will establish a foundation to aid horses in disasters, while area horsemen stopped by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation facility at the Kentucky Horse Park to donate veterinary supplies and horse-care items for local veterinary teams traveling to the stricken Gulf Coast.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - By winning his last two starts, the Jim Dandy and Travers stakes, Flower Alley has fulfilled much of the promise he showed in the spring. The chestnut colt began the spring well, winning the Lane's End Stakes at Turfway in only his third start, but then was thrashed by Afleet Alex in the Arkansas Derby and subsequently ran ninth in the Kentucky Derby.
Four Horsemen's Ranch in Anthony, Fla., does not have the cachet that, say, Ocala Stud has, or Bridlewood Farm. But in its own way the 170-acre working farm has been a success story for almost a quarter-century. So it came as a surprise that Four Horsemen's Ranch is shutting down. Jeff Schwietert, part-owner and manager of this family operation, seeks a change of lifestyle.
"Time to move on," said Schwietert.
Breeding horses can often be a venture of hard luck and broken promises. Kelly and Wayne Bailey can provide a list of could-have-beens and what-ifs when discussing the family of their new stable star, Saay Mi Name, a two-time stakes winner in August.
"We've believed in the family all along," said Kelly Bailey. "But they have been the most unlucky group of horses."
Local horsepeople got into the yearling sales mood a week before Canada's biggest auction was to get under way when consignor Richard Hogan paraded many of his youngsters at a barbecue last Tuesday on his farm in Nashville, Ontario.
Almost 100 people, including top trainers Reade Baker, Roger Attfield, and Mike Doyle, got an early preview of some of the offerings at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's annual sale of Canadian-bred yearlings.
Best of Luck, a multiple graded stakes winner on the New York Racing Association circuit during his racing days, will stand the 2006 breeding season at Highcliff Farm in Delanson.
A stud fee for the 9-year-old son of Broad Brush will be decided in the future.
Best of Luck, who stood previously at Dell Ridge Farm in Lexington, Ky., was acquired by Elisabeth Jerkens, who has boarded her mares at Highcliff Farm for many years.
