Eventail won a division of last weekend's Mount Vernon Handicap for New York-breds at Belmont Park. It would have been a proud moment for her breeder and owner, Jerry Brody, who died last year at 78.
Brody built an extremely successful breeding and racing empire at Gallagher's Stud in Ghent, N.Y., which still continues today under the guidance of his wife, Marlene, and Phil Trowbridge, Gallagher's Stud's farm manager for the past 26 years.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The 2002 Del Mar Yearling Sale will feature 159 yearlings in August, a slight increase over the number offered last year.
The two-day yearling sale, which will be conducted by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association on Aug. 11-12 at the Del Mar HorsePark, features a catalog heavily influenced by California-breds, including yearlings by major stallions Bertrando, Cee's Tizzy, General Meeting, In Excess, Memo, and Swiss Yodeler.
Bonnie Heath III stood Honor Grades at the now-closed Bonnie Heath Farm until the stallion left for Kentucky in the late 1990's.
Heath also is one of the original members of the syndicate that owns Outflanker, who is from the family of Honor Grades.
Danzig sired both Honor Grades, who died this spring, and Outflanker, and while Honor Grades was out Weekend Surprise, dam of A.P. Indy and Summer Squall, Outflanker is out of a half-sister to Weekend Surprise.
Tom Bowman already fills several important roles within Maryland's breeding industry - as a veterinarian renowned for his success with problem broodmares, a leading breeder/owner, and co-owner/founder of Northview Stallion Station. Last week, he took on yet another challenge when the Maryland Horse Breeders Association's board of directors elected him to serve as the organization's new president. The entire slate of officers was replaced; other members of the new regime are Redmond C.S. Finney, vice president, and William K. Boniface, secretary/treasurer.
What do Mr. Prospector, Deputy Minister, Woodman, Silver Deputy, and British Columbia's Tejabo have in common?
They are the sires of the last six Queen's Plate winners and Tejabo, whose T J's Lucky Moon stunned the Woodbine folks on June 23 by winning the 143rd Plate at 82-1, is a son of Deputy Minister.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - After their victories last weekend, Azeri and Raging Fever are clearly at the head of their division, fillies aged 4 and up, on the West Coast and the East Coast. Unless their competition can come up with something new, Azeri and Raging Fever will be tough on the horses they have already beaten until they hook up for an expected Eclipse Award showdown in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Englishman Gerald Leigh, who died last weekend at age 71, was a rarity in Thoroughbred breeding: a prominent home-breeder who also found success in the auction ring.
Breeders and buyers were impressed by Leigh's deft dismissal of the traditional wisdom that you can't do both. But Alexandra Scrope, Leigh's longtime matings advisor, said recently that he had a simple formula for crossing that divide successfully: select for racing quality, not sales-ring fashion.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - British breeder Gerald Leigh, whose program produced such runners as 1994 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Barathea, died of cancer June 21 at his home in England. He was 71.
Leigh, a property developer, was involved in Thoroughbred breeding since the early 1970's. His operation got off to a fast start with the mare Canton Silk. She went on to produce Group 1 winner Brocade, who in turn was the dam of Barathea, a champion in England and Ireland; this year's Irish 1000 Guineas winner, Gossamer; German Group 3 winner Zabar; and Grade 3 winner Free at Last.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Racing fans disappointed by War Emblem's failed bid to become racing's 12th Triple Crown winner, take heart. There is another triple up for grabs this summer, the Big Apple Triple for New York-breds.
The three-race series for 3-year-olds begins Saturday at Belmont Park with the $100,000-added Mike Lee.
The seven-furlong Mike Lee will be followed by the $125,000-added New York Derby, a 1 1/16-mile race at Finger Lakes on July 27. The final leg is the $150,000-added Albany Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 21. The Albany will be run at 1 1/8 miles.
Walter Downey was, well, surprised.
Beau's Surprise, bred by Downey and sold as a weanling for $5,000 at the Keeneland November Mixed sale in 1998, won eight races - five of which were stakes - from 11 starts last year. After a nearly six-month layoff, the Pennsylvania-bred 4-year-old Beau's Surprise has returned in 2002 to win both of his starts, the most recent a hard-fought neck victory over Wild Current in the Lyman Sprint Championship Handicap at Philadelphia Park on June 15. To date, Beau's Surprise has earned $259,274 from 15 starts.