Fri, 11/08/2002 - 00:00

Bigger purses and new races for crop of '00

On New York Showcase Day at Belmont Park last month, many of the New York-breds competing in the seven stakes were sired by out-of-state stallions.

Sunday's New York Stallion Stakes Series at Aqueduct, on the other hand, features the progeny of New York-based stallions.

The horses competing in the four Stallion Stakes, which are worth a total of $450,000, must be sired by registered New York stallions who were nominated to the series the year of the horse's conception. The foal's owner is then required to keep the horse eligible to the series.

Fri, 11/08/2002 - 00:00

Hopes spring anew for racing

Tuesday's election could have a profound impact on the state of Georgia's Thoroughbred industry.

Fri, 11/08/2002 - 00:00

Local buyers are bullish on yearlings

The Ontario Thoroughbred season is winding down, but you wouldn't know it by the way the local horse people have been buying up young horses and breeding stock at recent American auctions.

That is good news for future Woodbine meetings, after a 2002 season that was badly lacking in standout performers in most divisions.

More than 70 yearlings, or about 12 percent of the catalog, from the Oct. 21-22 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale in Lexington were purchased by Ontario-based owners or trainers.

Fri, 11/08/2002 - 00:00

A second Willa makes name for herself

What's in a name? Rosy prospects, apparently, for fillies who go by the name of Willa on the Move. Two of them have raced within the past 14 years - both Maryland-breds, and both now stakes winners of some renown.

Willa on the Move, the current model, walloped Maryland-bred 3-year-old rivals in the Politely Stakes on Nov. 2 at Laurel Park, drawing off to an 11-length score for owner Peter Angelos, who campaigns her in the name of his Marathon Farms.

Fri, 11/08/2002 - 00:00

Who's going to Great State?

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association has submitted a list of statebreds that are potential starters for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Great State Challenge race series at Sam Houston Race Park on Dec. 7.

Not surprisingly, the list of California-bred hopefuls includes several winners from last weekend's California Cup program.

Thu, 11/07/2002 - 00:00

Buyers still willing to bid high for quality

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Keeneland November sale entered its fourth day Thursday, with the $420,000 broodmare Water Music the early session leader. Water Music, in foal to Monarchos, went to Glenn Sikura from the consignment of Anderson Farms, agent for Sam-Son Farm. Water Music is by Danzig out of the Seattle Slew mare Classic Slew.

Thu, 11/07/2002 - 00:00

Bless: Latest from a heady mating

LEXINGTON, Ky. - When Bless walked into the sales ring at the Keeneland November sale on Tuesday, there was no more question about her than there was about her brother Fusaichi Pegasus when he stood in the same ring at the Keeneland July select yearling sale in 1998. Bred and raised by Arthur Hancock and Stonerside Stable and quartered in the same Keeneland stall that her older brother had used, Bless brought the identical sum, $4 million, as a broodmare that Fusaichi Pegasus sold for as a yearling.

Wed, 11/06/2002 - 00:00

Keeneland sale strong - for a day 3

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Keeneland November mixed sale rolled into its third of 10 sessions on Wednesday with an early top price of $500,000 for the mare Smokey Mirage.

Audley Farm acquired the Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes winner, who is in foal to Giant's Causeway. Taylor Made Sales, agent, sold Smokey Mirage. She is a daughter of Holy Bull and the Grade 1-placed Slewpy mare Verbasle.

Tue, 11/05/2002 - 00:00

$4M mare tops strong session

Horsephotos
Starine, winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, sold for $1 million as a broodmare prospect on Tuesday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - ClassicStar partnership president David Plummer, who bought champion Xtra Heat privately for $1.5 million on Monday, has been on a shopping spree. By his own estimation, Plummer has spent about $20 million for about 20 broodmares at the Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland November sales. The capstone came Tuesday when he spent $4 million to acquire 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus's full sister Bless, in foal to Storm Cat.

Tue, 11/05/2002 - 00:00

Xtra Heat sold for $1.5M

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Xtra Heat, who brought a $1.7 million bid but failed to reach her reserve at Fasig-Tipton's November sale Sunday night, has been sold privately to David Plummer of ClassicStar for $1.5 million. A 4-year-old filly, Xtra Heat won an Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly last year.

The deal stipulates that Xtra Heat will remain in training in 2003 and will continue to be trained by John Salzman, who previously owned the Dixieland Heat filly with partners Ken Taylor and Harry Deitchman.