DEL MAR, Calif. - At times in his life, Lava Man has been a gelding that no one really wanted, the best claim of the 2004 Del Mar meeting, and lately the hottest older horse in California.
The leading California-bred of 2005, Lava Man will go for his third consecutive stakes win in Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar. In his last start, he won the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup by 8 3/4 lengths on July 9.
CHICAGO - The Illinois breeding industry took a serious hit last week with the untimely death of Cartwright, the state's leading sire.
Cartwright was put down early on Aug. 10 after badly breaking his right femur in an accident at a veterinary clinic. The horse was only 15.
As a young businessman in Switzerland, Peter Mueller dabbled in Thoroughbred racehorses, keeping a couple of broodmares that he owned with his wife, Katja Ulm, at a French stud farm.
But Mueller had a dream to emigrate to Canada and build his own breeding farm, a dream that is now starting to come to life.
Real Quiet, the 1998 Kentucky Derby winner and 3-year-old champion, will stand at Pennsylvania's Reigle Heir Farm starting in 2006. A 7-year-old Quiet American horse, Real Quiet has relocated from Taylor Made Farm in Lexington, Ky., to Reigle Heir in Grantville, Pa.
Real Quiet will stand for $6,500 for mares who foal outside of Pennsylvania and $5,000 for mares foaling in state.
A colt by Bertrando sold for $50,000 to top Tuesday's northern California yearling sale in Pleasanton, helping the sale, in its second year, to establish increases in gross and average over last year. The median declined, however.
The sale-topping colt was consigned by River Edge Farm, agent, and was purchased by Super Horse Inc. He is out of the unraced Storm Cat mare Sweet Paradise. The colt's second dam is the California champion mare Bountiful Native.
Naevus, who ranked as Texas's leading active sire by lifetime progeny earnings, was euthanized last Friday because of complications from laminitis, according to officials with the Texas Thoroughbred Association. He was 25.
Naevus, based in Texas for the last 10 years, had lifetime progeny earnings of more than $21 million. The only Texas stallion with more progeny earnings is Sunny's Halo, said Denis Blake, a spokesman for the Texas Thoroughbred Association. Sunny's Halo died in 2003 and has progeny earnings of more than $25 million.
Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga preferred yearling sale, which enjoyed double-digit gains last year, ended Monday night with a jump in the median price but declines in the average price and gross receipts.
The buy-back rate also climbed sharply, rising from 38 percent last year to 43 percent.
LAS VEGAS - With the 2-year-olds out in force from coast to coast, nine freshman sires merit an "A" on their mid-season report cards. Four others are noteworthy enough to deserve a "B."
Grade A sires
* Songandaprayer: His offspring are showing the brilliant speed that characterized their sire and tail-male grandsire, Unbridled's Song. From 12 starters, he has 5 winners, including undefeated two-time stakes winner What a Song, as well as He's Got Grit, Praying for Cash, Stolen Prayer, and Golden Silk.
Owner John Fort has sold his promising juvenile filly India to her breeders, Frank and Jane Lyon, of Summer Wind Farm, for $2.05 million. The deal was finalized Monday, Fort said.
India, whom Fort purchased for $400,000 at last summer's Fasig-Tipton sale in Saratoga, will remain in the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher.
