LEXINGTON, Ky. - It's been a busy week for Jose De Camargo. De Camargo is a part owner of Kentucky Oaks winner Farda Amiga, who retired from racing on Wednesday.
De Camargo, exuberant and lavishly mustachioed, became a popular figure at Farda Amiga's races, leading victory celebrations with the mare's other owners, Julio Camargo and Marcos Simon. Now, he is busy sifting through options for Farda Amiga's mating plans, which probably will be settled by early next week.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Gold Fever, sire of millionaire Gold Mover, has relocated from Lane's End in Versailles, Ky., to Lou Salerno's Questroyal Stud in Hudson, N.Y. He will stand for a $5,000 fee in 2003.
Gold Mover is a 9-year-old Forty Niner horse and Grade 1 winner. From his first three crops to race, he has sired Gold Mover, winner of this year's Grade 2 Princess Rooney Handicap and eight other stakes; 2002 stakes-winning juvenile Arco's Gold; and three-time stakes winner Golden Hurricane. Gold Mover's progeny earnings currently stand at $3,265,080.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - What began with a tax break for racetracks has ended with a lucrative new Florida-bred showcase day, and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association hopes the state's whole breeding industry will reap the rewards.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Keeneland November sale ended Wednesday, and the 10-day auction provided some insights on the health of the horse business and its prospects for next year. Coming into November, most observers expected the market to be down. The only question was how much. The result, however, was an unexpected upturn in average and median prices, as well as an increase in gross revenues. The unexpected boost is reassuring to those in the horse-selling business, a segment of the economy whose product is not a daily requirement.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A $210,000 Chilean-bred broodmare was the session leader late Tuesday afternoon on the ninth day of Keeneland's 10-day November breeding stock sale. Santa Escolastica purchased the mare, Crystal House, from Craig Bandoroff's Denali Stud agency.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Grade 1 winner Victory Ride, retired after her third-place finish in Saturday's Grade 2 Churchill Downs Distaff, will be bred to Storm Cat in 2003, owner G. Watts Humphrey Jr. said Monday.
The mating plan came one day after trainer Rusty Arnold told reporters Saturday that the 4-year-old Seeking the Gold filly would retire.
NEW YORK - Rock of Gibraltar will not run again. A statement by Coolmore Stud on Monday evening said the brilliant 3-year-old miler will stand the 2003 season alongside his sire, Danehill, at Coolmore in Ireland.
While a stud fee has not been announced, people in the industry said they believe the fee will be in the area of $100,000. Rock of Gibraltar was briefly considered for the Hong Kong Mile Dec. 15, but instead has been retired.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Keeneland's November breeding stock sale neared conclusion Monday with a trio of $60,000 lots sharing position as early session leaders.
They were: the stallion prospect Prowling, by Storm Cat out of Seeking the Gold's sister Miner's Game, bought from the Claiborne Farm, agent, by Santa Rosa Ltd.; the Seeking the Gold broodmare Sifting, in foal to Pine Bluff, bought by Cam Allard from Lane's End, agent; and a weanling Two Punch filly out of Skat Girl (by Dixieland Band) that New Partners bought from Lane's End, agent. Monday was the eighth of 10 sessions.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Keeneland's November breeding stock sale continued a strong run into its sixth session Saturday. As of 4:30 p.m. Eastern, the session had a $200,000 early session leader in Hip No. 1743, a stakes-placed Strawberry Road mare in foal to Behrens. Michael S. Brown, agent, bought the mare, Joi's Flame, from Henry D. White's consignment. White sold Joi's Flame as agent on behalf of Disler Farm Ltd., which was dispersing its stock.