LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club in Lexington took up the controversial issue of veterinary disclosures in Thoroughbred sales on Tuesday night in a panel discussion that revealed tension between buyers and sellers over the release of veterinary information.
The panel's goal, according to the farm managers club president Charles Koch, was to "identify ways to increase transparency and accountability of various parties in transactions at sales."
Birdstone, who denied Smarty Jones the Triple Crown by beating him in the Belmont Stakes, has been retired from racing due to an ankle injury, his connections announced Wednesday.
No stud plans were set.
During routine radiographs taken following Birdstone's seventh-place finish in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic at Lone Star Park, Dr. Joe Migliacci found that Birdstone had a chip in his left front ankle. The chip is located at the top of the pastern bone where the ankle joint meets the cannon bone, Migliacci said.
Five new stallions have joined the Kentucky stud roster for 2005: Canadian champion Perfect Soul, Grade 1 winner Cuvee, and graded stakes winners Newfoundland, Canadian Frontier, and Teton Forest.
Darby Dan Farm in Lexington will stand Perfect Soul for $15,000, and Newfoundland also will stand for $15,000 at Brookdale Farm in Lexington. Airdrie Stud in Midway will stand Canadian Frontier for $10,000. Cuvee and Teton Forest will both stand at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington for fees of $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Frank Stronach's Adena Springs operation was a big winner at Saturday's Breeders' Cup in Grand Prairie, Texas.
When Ghostzapper won the Classic, he was following in the footsteps of his sire, Awesome Again, who won the Classic at Churchill Downs in 1998. Both Awesome Again and son Ghostzapper are products of Stronach's homebreeding program, and Awesome Again stands at Stronach's Adena Springs Kentucky division near Versailles, Ky.
Some horses bring a glow of success to everyone who owns them. Move to Strike, the Maryland-bred who ran the race of his life to capture the open Sonny Hine Stakes Oct. 16 at Pimlico, is just such a horse.
His breeder, Frankie L. Trull, considered Move to Strike (by Two Punch) well-sold when he brought $50,000 at the 2002 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Artax will rejoin the New York stallion roster for the 2005 breeding season after spending four breeding seasons in Kentucky. Announcement of the move was made last week by Metropolitan Stud's Stallion Station in Pine Plains, N.Y.
Artax will stand at Metropolitan for $10,000, a fee payable when a foal stands and nurses.
Artax, the champion sprinter in 1999 following wins in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Vosburgh, and Carter, entered stud in New York in 2000 at Clermont Farm in Germantown. He stood his first season in the Empire State for $30,000.
The dispersal of seven horses of racing age held by a partnership helped to lessen declines at the Barretts October mixed sale in Pomona last Monday and Tuesday.
The sale was led by Cheiron, a 3-year-old who was purchased by Universal Bloodstock for $165,000. Cheiron was one of seven horses of racing age consigned by Noctis Stable, Neil Papiano, and Steve Taub. The horses were all trained by Kristin Mulhall, who said she will continue to train Cheiron.
Florida's Thoroughbred industry is at a crossroad. On election day voters will consider an amendment to the Florida constitution that permits residents of Dade and Broward counties to subsequently determine whether to allow slot machines at Calder Race Course, Miami jai-alai, and Flagler dog track in Dade County, and Gulfstream, Hollywood dog track, Pompano harness track, and Dania jai-alai in Broward.
Voting for the Sovereign Awards for Canada's champions will begin in less than four weeks, and the family surrounding 17-year-old Artic Bleu is hoping their mare will get recognition for outstanding broodmare.
Artic Bleu's owner, Margaret Squires, has campaigned three stakes winners out of Artic Bleu, including two this season - Norfolk Knight and Millfleet.
The outstanding broodmare award is for a mare who has produced a stakes winner in the current year as well as in a previous year.