Mon, 06/08/2020 - 12:06

Air Force Blue, Bobby's Kitten get first winners

Tom Keyser
Bobby's Kitten, winning the 2014 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, had his first winner as a sire on Sunday.

A European champion standing in America and an American standout standing in Europe, both sons of internationally successful sires bred in Kentucky, recorded their respective first winners over the weekend.

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Mon, 06/08/2020 - 11:56

Asmussen practically a part of Volatile's family

Coady Photography
Volatile is trained by Steve Asmussen, who also trained his dam and granddam.

Volatile, by Violence, has an explosive name – and he exploded onto the scene with a victory in the Aristides Stakes on Saturday at Churchill Downs. But trainer Steve Asmussen has a long and harmonious history with the family of the rising star, having conditioned his dam and granddam to sprint stakes victories as well.

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Thu, 06/04/2020 - 09:04

Spendthrift acquires majority interest in Authentic

Emily Shields
Spendthrift has purchased a majority interest in Authentic who will start in Saturday's Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.

Spendthrift Farm has acquired a majority interest in unbeaten Kentucky Derby hopeful Authentic, continuing to invest in its leading sire line. 

Wed, 06/03/2020 - 11:46

Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Shooters Shoot

Benoit Photo
Shooters Shoot, a son of Competitive Edge, will be making his stakes debut in the Santa Anita Derby.

Shooters Shoot

Competitive Edge – Repeat, by Bernardini

Bred in Kentucky by Nancy C. Shuford ($90,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase by Winchell Thoroughbreds; $70,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Gary Mottola; $300,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring 2-year-old purchase by Exline-Border Racing)

 

Tue, 06/02/2020 - 13:05

Arrogate euthanized due to illness

Emily Shields
Arrogate is a Hall of Fame finalist for the first time this year. His four Grade 1 wins came in the Travers, Breeders’ Cup Classic, Pegasus World Cup, and Dubai World Cup. He retired as the all-time leader in purse money earned with more than $17.4 million.

Eclipse Award champion and leading money-winner Arrogate has been euthanized after an unspecified illness caused neurological issues.

Mon, 06/01/2020 - 14:36

WinStar sire Speightster has first winner

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Queen Arella wins a maiden race at Gulfstream Park last Friday to become freshman sire Speightster's first winner.

Grade 3 winner and freshman sire Speightster broke through with his first winner when Queen Arella won her debut last Friday at Gulfstream Park.

Mon, 06/01/2020 - 14:36

New Year's Day, Midnight Lute more than earning their keep

Benoit Photo
Keeper Ofthe Stars gave trainer Jonathan Wong his first Grade 1 win in the Gamely.

New Year’s Day and Midnight Lute got major boosts on the global sire list earlier this year as their respective champion runners Maximum Security and Midnight Bisou finished one-two in the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup. While neither stallion cracks the top 10 list based upon North American earnings – reigning leading sire Into Mischief tops that list – neither is a one-hit wonder for the season. Both had graded stakes winners in May at Santa Anita, and Midnight Lute, in particular, is having a solid season.

Thu, 05/28/2020 - 11:27

Spotlight on Runhappy’s first-crop runners

Barbara D. Livingston

Eclipse champion sprinter Runhappy sparked the public’s attention after taking the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga in stakes-record time, earning a lofty 113 Beyer Speed Figure. He followed that up with a heroic win in the slop in the Grade 2 Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland before a track-record performance in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland. He continued to flash his natural talent in the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita to cap off his 3-year-old season. Runhappy retired with seven wins in 10 lifetime starts and never raced on medication.

Wed, 05/27/2020 - 12:36

Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Ny Traffic

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos
Ny Traffic finished a good second to Maxfield in last weekend's Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Ny Traffic

Cross Traffic – Mamie Reilley, by Graeme Hall

Bred in New York by Brian Culnan

 

Maxfield was the star of the show in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes last Saturday at Churchill Downs, remaining unbeaten with a victory. However, a length behind him was a colt who has quietly been a consistent force on the Kentucky Derby trail and who has months to continue his development.

Mon, 05/25/2020 - 11:50

Bernardini matrons have huge day at Churchill

Coady Photography
Maxfield was one of three stakes winners on Saturday's Churchill card produced by daughters of Bernardini.

Champion and prominent sire Bernardini is steadily emerging as a broodmare sire, following in the footprints of his late, great sire, A.P Indy. Bernardini recorded a triple with three stakes winners out of his daughters on Saturday at Churchill Downs.