Iowa Thoroughbred owner and attorney Maggi Moss, who has been investigating how one of her retired runners got from a Massachusetts farm to a slaughter auction against her wishes, this week received a threatening letter accompanied by a vial of suspicious powder.
The powder has since been identified as an amphetamine, Moss said Thursday, and is not harmful.
A 3-year-old daughter of Grand Slam sold for $105,000 on Wednesday at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, leading the sales figures on the 10th day of the 12-day session as of 5 p.m. Eastern.
The filly, who is named Ruthless Babe and has won one race this year and earned $32,980, was consigned by Dromoland Farm and purchased by Arch Bloodstock. She is out of the Clever Trick mare Tricky Squaw, a multiple stakes winner.
On Tuesday, Keeneland sold 256 horses for total receipts of $6,839,600. The average price was $26,717, and the median was $16,500.
LAS VEGAS - Shame on me. I really liked Magoo's Magic in his career debut on Aug. 21 at Calder because - surprise, surprise - of his pedigree. But last Sunday, when Magoo's Magic showed up in the Huntington Stakes at Aqueduct, I had completely forgotten about him. And that mental lapse was costly, as Magoo's Magic won the Huntington and paid $23.40.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Vinery operation, owned by Dr. Tom Simon, has announced that it will disperse all its Australian Thoroughbred holdings in order to concentrate its bloodstock interests in North America.
Vinery recently began construction work on a new 220-acre facility in Ocala, Fla., which will serve as a training center for Vinery stock as well as a stallion center. Peace Rules, whom Vinery acquired earlier this year, will be the first stallion to stand there. Vinery also has a farm in Lexington.
Epitome, 1987 champion juvenile filly, died Friday at John and Benny Bell Williams's Elmwood Farm near Lexington, Ky. A Summing mare out of Honest and True, Epitome was 19 and was in foal to Pulpit when she died of a ruptured artery.
Epitome was voted champion 2-year-old filly after winning the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and the Pocahontas Stakes. She also finished second in the Grade 2 Alcibiades that year. She went on to establish a career race record of 14-5-5-1 and earn $631,755 racing for John A. Bell III
LEXINGTON, Ky. - In a lush market for broodmares that is somewhat overpowering in its strength, the top prices were paid for mares either with outstanding racing credentials or with exceptional produce. And in the year of Smarty Jones, no mare was more sought-after than I'll Get Along, who produced the quick-footed chestnut who came close to winning the Triple Crown.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Broodmares were still in demand even as prices tailed off at Friday's fifth session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sales. Top prices were no longer in the million-dollar range, but there was no shortage of horses selling for six figures.
At 5 p.m., the top price was $270,000 for Storm Teal, a 12-year-old Storm Bird mare in foal to El Corredor. B.C. Jones, agent, bought the mare from the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency. Storm Teal is the dam of the stakes winner Gold Storm.
