Fri, 12/05/2003 - 00:00

She's a Devil Due dead at 5

She's a Devil Due, the $30,000 filly who went on to earn more than $530,000 and finish third in a Breeders' Cup race for her owners, died Thursday night at the age of 5.

A Devil His Due mare, winner of the Grade 2 Alcibiades Stakes in 2000, She's a Devil Due was euthanized after suffering complications related to colic. She was not in foal at the time and had been boarded at Hill 'n' Dale Farm since October. She was to be bred to Vindication.

Fri, 12/05/2003 - 00:00

Sprinter's pedigree, router's body

LEXINGTON, Ky. - With a commanding victory in the nine-furlong Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 29, Read the Footnotes established himself as one of the top staying 2-year-old colts of his crop. Already the winner of the Nashua Stakes, Read the Footnotes defeated the Grand Slam colt Master David by 3 3/4 lengths, with the third-place runner 14 1/2 lengths behind the winner.

Fri, 12/05/2003 - 00:00

Chapmans have big plans for 'Smarty'

Roy and Pat Chapman don't want to fling around words like Kentucky Derby just yet. But there seems little doubt that the Chapmans, long-prominent Pennsylvania horsepeople, have a genuine Triple Crown hopeful.

Fri, 12/05/2003 - 00:00

Stallion coordinator follows 10-point plan to success

Adam Staple is a pedigree guru. That is, his role as stallion coordinator for Ocala's Signature Stallions often requires him to advise breeders as to which stallions best suit their mares, and if none do - which rarely happens, he says - to recommend an outside stallion.

Staple can point with pride to his 14-year-old broodmare, Seattle Moon, by Seattle Dancer. She is the dam of Vous, his homebred 2-year-old, winner of this past week's $100,000 Hollywood Wildcat Stakes at Calder Race Course.

Fri, 12/05/2003 - 00:00

The Candi Queen to stay on dirt, point for Millions

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jim Equils was not sure what to think last April at Santa Anita when he and his wife, Marcia, claimed The Candi Queen for $20,000 and watched her finish last of six.

"I said, 'What have we done?' " he said.

This week, Jim Equils was able to look back on that moment and laugh. Thursday at Hollywood Park, The Candi Queen scored the most important win of her career, drawing off to a 17-length win in an allowance race over 1 1/16 miles for California-bred fillies and mares.

Fri, 12/05/2003 - 00:00

Big Apple Triple nominating process changed

The New York Racing Association has instituted a change in the nomination process for the 2004 Big Apple Triple for New York-bred 3-year-olds.

Instead of a $200 early nomination fee due in January for eligibility to each of the Big Apple Triple races, which are run in the summer, nominations will close on a normal schedule, approximately two weeks before the race.

The Big Apple Triple consists of the Mike Lee at Belmont Park in June, the New York Derby at Finger Lakes in July, and the Albany at Saratoga Race Course. The 2004 dates for these races have yet to be assigned.

Thu, 12/04/2003 - 00:00

Ramruna, at $3.68M, part of Tattersalls boom

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Epsom and Irish Oaks winner Ramruna marked a record high point at the Tattersalls December mares sale, which concluded Thursday in Newmarket, England, with increases in gross and average.

Wed, 12/03/2003 - 00:00

Stravinsky gets top freshman marks

LAS VEGAS - As the year draws to a close, it's time to look at the 2003 freshman sires. Stravinsky, a champion sprinter at 3 in England in 1999, appears headed for top honors, but there is a curious twist to his story.

Tue, 12/02/2003 - 00:00

Tattersalls has $1.6M filly

The Tattersalls December mare auction in Newmarket, England, got off to a flashy start Monday with a session-topping Storm Cat filly sold for a million guineas, or about $1.67 million. A slightly smaller catalog than last year's resulted in lower gross receipts and a higher average price at the opener.

Peinture Rose, a 3-year-old half-sister to champion and sire Peintre Celebre, topped the session when she went to French bloodstock agent Frederic Sauque on behalf of an unidentified Swiss client. Ted Voute sold the filly, the first seven-figure lot he has ever sold.

Tue, 12/02/2003 - 00:00

Century City's fee set at $12,500

Grade 2 winner Century City will enter stud in 2004 at Wintergreen Stallion Station in Lexington, Ky., for a $12,500 fee.

A 4-year-old Danzig colt, Century City won this year's Grade 2 Arcadia Handicap and the Turf Paradise Breeders' Cup Handicap. In his last start he finished third in the Breeders' Cup Mile won by Six Perfections.