LEXINGTON, Ky. - California's Department of Corporations has ordered a Tennessee-based Thoroughbred partnership group to stop selling unregistered securities in an alleged fraud scheme involving racing and breeding partnerships.

TC Enterprises LLC, which also did business as Triple Crown Enterprises LLC, offered both racing and broodmare partnerships to potential investors. Investors were allegedly promised returns of 25 percent to 75 percent or more on their investment through future sales of the mares and their foals.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Victory in the Coaching Club American Oaks has confirmed Ashado as the most consistent filly of her crop in the filly classics of 2004. Winner also of the Kentucky Oaks, Ashado won the Spinaway at Saratoga last year and was second to the sidelined champion Halfbridled in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

LAS VEGAS - Seattle Slew, the beloved 1977 Triple Crown winner, died in 2002 at the age of 28. Because he was taken out of stud service shortly after the 2002 breeding season, he only has four yearlings from his last crop. Thus, his 30 offspring that are 2-year-olds this year are really his last hurrah, and may add to his legacy.

A deal to sell Saarland, the 2001 Remsen winner, to stand stud at Hill 'n' Dale in Kentucky for the 2005 breeding season is near completion, according to his trainer, Shug McGaughey.

McGaughey said Wednesday at his Saratoga barn that "basically everything is done" to complete the sale between Saarland's owner and breeder, Cynthia Phipps, and John Sikura, the owner of Hill 'n' Dale in Lexington, Ky. McGaughey said Narvick International is acting as agent on the sale and that Phipps will retain an interest in Saarland.

The Keeneland September yearling auction will have a record 4,891 entries this year, Keeneland announced Tuesday. That total is 239 more than the previous record, cataloged in 2000.

The September sale is set to run from Sept. 13 through Sept. 27 in Lexington, Ky., with no selling on Friday, Sept. 17. The catalog will include yearlings by 367 stallions. Among those are 13 colts and 14 fillies by the highly successful sire Storm Cat.

Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky yearling sale this past week worked out well for the Trippi syndicate and for Padua Stable.

Trippi, who stands at Ocala Stud, had six yearlings through the ring and they averaged $131,667, or 17 1/2 times his $7,500 stud fee. Padua Stable's Yes It's True, a leading freshman sire, also had six sell, for an average of $128,333 or almost 13 times his $10,000 fee. Padua Stable's Exchange Rate, a first-crop Danzig stallion, had three sell for a $108,333 average, or about 14 times his $7,500 fee.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The support and enthusiasm for the New York Breeders Sales Company has been tremendous.

The company was formed earlier this month by a group of prominent breeders from New York, Kentucky, and Florida. The number of shareholders in the company, which is incorporated, will be limited to 40. As of Thursday, there were 39 shareholding entities, including partnerships. Each entity invested $15,000.

Virginia breeder R. Larry Johnson has had such success with the descendants of Ran's Chick, the first Thoroughbred he ever owned, that he doesn't let many out of his grasp. But on occasion he will sell, and one that got away was Niclie, winner of Delaware Park's Light Hearted Handicap last Sunday.

Paul O'Brien jokes that he and his brother Frank are "overnight successes" in the Ontario breeding industry after more than 15 years in the business. On July 17, their homebred filly Mona Rose won the Grade 3 Dance Smartly Handicap.

"We've bred a lot of claiming winners, but this is just our second stakes winner," said O'Brien, who owns the 50-acre Dalcassian Farm in Caledon East, Ontario.

The O'Briens joined the Thoroughbred industry through Michael Bennett, a friend of theirs from their native Ireland and the breeder of a top-class runner and sire, Briartic.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The death of on Monday has cost the California Thoroughbred breeding industry one of its most promising young stallions.

Free House died as the result of a head injury suffered when he reared up and flipped over while being bathed at Vessels Stallion Farm in Bonsall, Calif. Free House stood at Vessels throughout his five-year stud career.