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7.18.2010 - Ghostzapper 2YO Remains Unbeaten In Chenery S.
Z Appeal made his debut on the Churchill Downs main track and made light work of that field, running off to post a seven-length victory. Out of an excellent turf mare and kin to a Grade III winner on that surface, it was no surprise that he would try the grassy Chenery S. at Colonial Downs for stakes debut. The recipient of an inside trip beneath Kent Desormeaux, Z Appeal was switched out in upper stretch and finished well clear under a full head of steam. Bred by Adena Springs and Farfellow Farm, Z Appeal races for owner Frank Jones and trainer Dale Romans, who won the Virginia Derby (G2) on the same Colonial Downs card with the El Prado colt Paddy O’Prado. Z Appeal is the third new stakes winner for Ghostzapper in the past three months after Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Stately Victor and Edgewood Stakes winner Dynazaper. -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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7.12.2010 - Dawnie Macho Proves Her Worth In Landaluce Stakes
Dawnie Macho was purchased privately after blazing to a front-running track-record setting debut victory at Arlington for trainer Wayne Catalano June 12. She covered the 4 1/2 furlongs in :51 that day and quickly rewarded her new owners with an impressive front-running victory in the Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park. The chestnut daughter of Macho Uno dashed out to the early lead and enjoyed a clear advantage while setting fractions of :22.41, :46.04 and :57.82. She held off the late rush of first-time starter Izshelegal for a three-quarter length triumph. " She not only has speed, but she’s rateable," jockey Joe Talamo said. "She broke so sharp, then just came right back to me. I talked to (trainer) John (Sadler) this morning and he gave me all the confidence in the world. He said she will do whatever you want and she did." "When I went to Chicago to look at her, she reminded me a lot of Coco Belle, another horse I trained," said Sadler. "I flew back to Chicago on the redeye after a Lakers game. I got into Chicago at 5:30 in the morning and went out to Arlington to look at her. Then I got on a plane and flew back. We put a deal together about a week after her first race." "We had a little trouble getting a plane out for her, but when I got her back, she really breezed well Monday," Sadler continued. "The [Aug. 6 GIII] Sorrento at Del Mar will be her next start." -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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7.11.2010 - 'Gem' Makes It 10 Grade 1 Winners For Awesome Again
Veteran gelding Awesome Gem, a lifetime earner of more than $2 million in 36 races, reached the pinnacle of his career when he rallied along the inside to upset odds-on favorite Rail Trip by a half-length in the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I) July 10. It was the first grade I victory for the well-traveled Awesome Gem, a 7-year-old son of Awesome Again out of the Pentelicus mare Piano. An 8-1 shot in the Gold Cup, he is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and trained by Craig Dollase. He is the tenth grade I winner for his sire.With David Flores aboard, Awesome Gem took advantage of a dawdling pace to stay in touch with the field while saving ground, enjoying a clean run through at the rail to challenge Rail Trip past mid-stretch. He took over under urging from Flores near the sixteenth pole and held off the desperately finishing Rail Trip, who was trying to become the third horse to repeat in the Gold Cup. Richard's Kid, winner of last year's Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar, finished third. "This horse can run over anything—synthetic, grass, mud, you name it,'' Dollase said after his first Gold Cup victory. "He's like fine wine. He's just getting better with age.'' Besides the Hawthorne Gold Cup, Awesome Gem’s other graded win have came in the 2007 San Fernando Stakes (gr. II) against 4-year-olds at Santa Anita. He placed in both the Pacific Classic (gr. I) and the Goodwood Stakes (gr. I) in 2007. Awesome Gem was coming off a runner-up finish in the Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III) on May 31. He also finished second in the Charles Town Classic and third in the New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) at Fair Grounds this year. Runnymede Farm, Catesby Clay and Peter Callahan bred Awesome Gem in Kentucky. Earlier on the card, the stakes winner Sangaree, also by Awesome Again, ran a closing second in the grade I Triple Bend Handicap. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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7.10.2010 - One Awesome Saturday
Six days after the 4th of July Awesome Again set off some major fireworks around the country. His brilliantly durable 7yo son Awesome Gem defeated heavily favored Rail Trip to take the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup. In doing so Awesome Gem became his sire’s 10th Grade 1 winner and 4th multi-millionaire after Champions Ghostzapper, Ginger Punch and Wilko. Awesome Gem has now earned over $2.2 million for West Point Thoroughbreds. Earlier on the Gold Cup card at Hollywood Park, Sangaree, a 5yo son of Awesome Again, returned to sprinting and closed well to take second in the Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap. A half-brother to Congaree, Sangaree had previously won the Joe Hernandez Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs and placed to Rail Trip in the Californian Stakes (G2) and Mervyn LeRoy Stakes (G2) going two turns. On the East Coast, graded winner Everyday Heroes took the 13th running of the James B. Moseley Stakes, on the 75th anniversary card at Suffolk Downs. He prevailed over the even-money favorite Ju Jitsu Jax. “This horse did not even get running until a few hundred yards from the finish,” said Jockey Channing Hill. “When he collared the other horse in midstretch, I knew he would go by and win.” Kiaran McLaughlin trains Everyday Heroes, a 4-year-old son of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Awesome Again out of Lucette, by Dayjur. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Marathon Farm and is owned by Darley Stable. Awesome Again is now the sire of six stakes winners in 2010, a figure that includes the 3yo graded stakes winners Awesome Act and Game On Dude.
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6.21.2010 - Milwaukee Appeal Now a Millionaire
Milwaukee Appeal earned coveted Millionaire status with her 2nd place finish in the June 20 Hill ‘N’ Dale Stakes at Woodbine. The 4yo filly has now earned $1,000,401 in her stellar career in which she's won or placed in 12 stakes. The daughter of Canadian Champion Sire Milwaukee Brew won the Ontario Lassie at two and came back with a championship season at three. She won a pair of stakes at Woodbine as a sophomore, including the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks. The durable filly also placed in six other stakes, including the Queen’s Plate and the Prince of Wales Stakes against males. Last August, she ventures to Saratoga and ran second to Careless Jewel in the prestigious Grade 1 Alabama Stakes. She earned a Sovereign Award as Canada's top 3yo filly for that campaign. Out of the Open Forum mare Appealing Forum, Milwaukee Appeal was bred in Ontario by her owner C. E. C. Farms (Eugene George).
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6.16.2010 - Milwaukee Brew Filly Brings $160,000 at OBS June
Hip #348, a chestnut filly by Milwaukee Brew sold for $160,000 at the OBS June Two-Year-Old in Training sale. Consigned by Gayle Woods, Agent, the speedy miss was purchased by Equix LLC, Agent and was the third highest-priced juvenile of the sale. The filly, currently named News With a Brew, worked three eighths in :33 1/5 two days before going through the ring. She’s out of Newsontherun, by Cherokee Run, a daughter of graded stakes winner Channel Three.
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6.13.2010 - Macho Uno 2YO Sets Arlington Track Record
Dawnie Macho blazed to a track-record setting victory at Arlington Park in her career debut on Saturday. Ridden by Michael Baze, the chestnut Macho Uno filly led from the start and shook clear of eight opponents into the stretch to win the 4½-furlong maiden special weight race by five lengths in :51.16 on the synthetic Polytrack surface. The time eclipsed the previous record of :51.22 set by My Dominick James in a maiden special weight race on June 8, 2008. Trained by Wayne Catalano for owner Wayne Granger, Dawnie Macho is the first starter out of the unraced Montbrook mare Blush of Dawn. She was offered by Costanzo Sales, agent, at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring sale of two-year-olds in training in April. Dawnie Macho was bred in Florida by Maurice Miller. -edited from Thoroughbredtimes.com
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6.7.2010 - Third Stakes Win for Cool Bullet
Cool Bullet lived up to his odds-on billing in the $100,000 Rumson Stakes on Sunday at Monmouth Park, taking the event by two lengths. Trained by Steve Margolis, Cool Bullet stepped the six furlongs over a fast main track in 1:11 2/5 and paid $3.60, $2.20 and $2.10. “I just let him bounce away from the gate,” said winning jockey Garrett Gomez. “No one really wanted to go, but I didn’t want to take too strong of a hold of him. The other horse (Kens Cape) finally went up and challenged so I was able to slide in and track in third. When it was time to go, he went on with it very well.” After stalking the pacesetters, Cool Bullet powered past his rivals just outside the 1/16th pole before drawing off to victory. A 3-year-old gelding by Preakness winner Red Bullet from the Saint Ballado mare Lizzy Cool, Cool Bullet boosted his lifetime record to 4-2-0 from nine starts. He has now won three stakes events and earned $170,894 for owners Winmore LLC and Robert and Lawana Low. -edited from monmouthpark.com
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6.5.2010 - A Perfect First Stakes Winner For Giacomo
JRita Young Thoroughbreds LLC’s Lady Giacamo, by Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo kept her unbeaten record intact with an impressive victory in the $66,090 TTA Sales Futurity Stakes (Fillies Division). Fastation finished 1 3/4 lengths back in second, and it was another 3/4 of a length back to Blushing Sis in third. Blushing Sis is also a daughter of Giacomo. Trained by Allen Milligan, Lady Giacamo was sharp from the gate and controlled the early pace through fractions of :22.21 and :46.48 under jockey Martin Escobar. When challenged at the top of the stretch by Fastation, Lady Giacamo ran away from that rival to record a decisive victory while stopping the timer in :59.77 for the five-furlong assignment. “ She’s a nice filly, she’s done everything we’ve asked her to do,” said Milligan. Lady Giacamo, who earned her third victory from three starts is out of the Gallapiat mare Lady Gallapiat. She increased her earnings to $61,734. -edited from lonestarpark.com
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6.1.2010 - Ghostzapper Stays Hot in May
April was a watershed month for Ghostzapper with his son Stately Victor storming home by 4 ¼ lengths in the Grade I Bluegrass Stakes on April 10 and Dynazaper taking the Edgewood Stakes 19 days later. Ghostzapper remained white hot in May with five new maiden winners. He had maiden special winners in New York, California and Kentucky. Hunter’s Bay was especially impressive for trainer Todd Pletcher and Stronach Stables as he cruised to an 8 ½ length win at Belmont Park on May 21. The 3yo colt is out of the multiple graded stakes winner Smok’n Frolic, a daughter of Smoke Glacken. Ghostzapper was also represented by the first winner from his second crop when Star Zapper took a maiden special contest at Delaware Park on May 29.
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5.30.2010 - Red Lead Wins Third Straight Stake
Red Lead, a 4yo gelding by Preakness S. (G1) winner Red Bullet, wore down defending champion Shadowbdancing to capture the Jim Rasmussen Memorial at Prairie Meadows on May 29. The victory was his third consectutive stakes score after wins in the Sunland Park S. and the Curribot S. With that 2 1/2 length win, Red Lead has now earned nearly $400,000 for owner Frontier Stables, LLC and trainer Chris Hartman. He was bred by Adena Springs. Red Bullet is also the sire of the 2010 stakes winner Cool Bullet.
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5.29.2010 - Thunder Brew Strikes Again in Lamplighter Stakes
In the $100,000 Lamplighter Stakes at Monmouth Park, Carlos Marquez
Jr. gave Thunder Brew a winning ride all the way as he tracked the pace to the
turn, circled five-wide as they straightened into the stretch, collared the
leaders at the eighth pole, and then drew off through the final furlong.
The winner, a Florida-bred colt by
Milwaukee Brew trained by Anthony Pecoraro, raced the mile and a sixteenth over
a firm turf course in a swift 1:40 2/5 and paid $9.20, $4 and $4.20 as third
choice in the field of seven. Thunder Brew scored by a length and
a quarter over Fantastico Roberto.
“We were last early,” Marquez said.
“He pulled me up early, and I just let him do what he wanted rather than fight
him. He was going so easily all the way. When I asked him, he took off.” This was the third win and second stakes victory of the year
in five starts for Thunder Brew, who races for the Roman Hill Farm. His career earnings now stand at $165,670
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5.25.2010 - Adena Springs 'Times' Breeder of the Week
Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs enjoyed a strong week with ten winners and earnings of $319,433 paced by Bay to Bay, who won the $200,000 American 1,000 Guineas Stakes at Arlington Park. The victory elevated Adena Springs to the top of the list of leading North American breeders by earnings for the week ended May 24. Stronach purchased Bay to Bay’s dam, stakes-placed winner Bala, by With Approval, for $60,000 at the 2004 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Bay to Bay is by Adena Springs stallion Sligo Bay (Ire). In 2008, Sligo Bay was moved from Adena Springs South to Gardiner Farm in Canada, where he stands for Adena Springs and Michael Colterjohn. Bred in Florida, Bay to Bay is a half sister to two winners. Stronach swept the Eclipse Awards for outstanding breeder and outstanding owner for the 2008 season, giving the Austria native his sixth award as breeder and fourth as owner.
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5.23.2010 - Bay To Bay Scores in American 1,000 Guineas
Robert Smithen’s Bay to Bay, a close second last time out in Keeneland’s Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT), came from seventh in a field of eight 3-year-old fillies to win the May 22 American 1000 Guineas Stakes at Arlington Park. Run for the third time at a mile over the Arlington turf course, the $200,000 Guineas was timed in 1:39.24. Bay to Bay, a daughter of Sligo Bay, sat far off the pace set by Go Ask Alex. Go Ask Alex cruised through the early going, setting splits of :24.88 and :49.09 over the “good” turf course. Bay to Bay, with Albarado aboard, split foes on the turn and hooked the pacesetter early on in the stretch run before pulling away to a 2 1/2-length score. Bred by Adena Springs, Bay to Bay was a $35,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase. She is out of the With Approval mare Bala and is trained by Brian Lynch. In four starts at 2, she won the Natalma Stakes (Can-IIIT) and finished second to Biofuel in the Mazarine Stakes (Can-III). She now has three wins, two seconds, and a third from six career starts and has earned $297,578. Sligo Bay is the #2 ranked sire in Canada in 2010. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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5.10.2010 - Giacomo's Second Winner Airs by 4 3/4
Lady Giacamo, by Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Giacomo, is her sire's second winner after a convnicing score in a 4 1/2 furlong maiden special event at Lone Star Park on May 8. Away from the gate in seventh after getting bumped at the start, the filly rocketed to challenge for the lead on the turn and drew clear to take it by 4 3/4 lengths. Giacomo's first winner, Blushing Sis, won her debut by over 11 lengths and has already earned blacktype. Giacomo is currently tied with Bluegrass Cat for the most winners among North America's first crop stallions.
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5.9.2010 - 'Dude' On His Game in G3 Lone Star Derby
Game On Dude launched a strong move on the final turn, overtook Henshin
Hero into the stretch and went on to a 4 1/2-length win in the Grade 3 Lone Star Derby on May 8. "He ran really impressive,"said Martin Garcia, who was aboard Game On
Dude. "That's the way he won the first time. Today, he showed that he
can run."
The win was the second from five starts for Game On Dude, who added
blinkers Saturday. He won his maiden in a one-turn mile race at
Gulfstream Park in February. He came into the Lone Star Derby off a
fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs on
April 24. Game On Dude, a son of Awesome Again, races for Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable, and Bernard Schiappa. He's the fourth winner of the Lone Star Derby for trainer Bob Baffert. Game On Dude is the second graded stakes-winning 3yo male of 2010 for his sire, along with Gotham Stakes (G3) winner Awesome Act. -edited from drf.com
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4.25.2010 - Souper Miss Keen Winner of Peach of It H.
The Alphabet Soup filly Souper Miss, owned by Bob Ackerman, et al, trained by Mickey Goldfine, earned a hard-fought victory in the Peach of It Handicap at Hawthorne Race Course on Saturday April 24. She pulled away to a length and a quarter victory to the delight of the many fans that sent her off as the post-time favorite. "She's a nice filly,” said rider Tim Thornton. “I rode her last year and thought she was something special. We've been working with her a lot getting her ready to go, trying to get her to relax a little bit. Today she was on the lead; nobody really wanted the lead so I let her run her own race. We felt she was pretty fit going in but we weren't too sure. But when that other horse came up to her in the middle of the lane and looked her in the eye, she dug in and went on again like a good horse. She ran really good today." Trainer Mickey Goldfine was elated, "She was a nice filly at 3 years old, but then she got hurt. Cut herself up bad after a fall in the morning in 2008. She returned in May of last year running short a few times. I realized longer distances better suited her. Tim had full rein of her. I knew she would be aggressive returning from a layoff, but she finally relaxed." They went the mile and a sixteenth in 1:46.51 after fractions of :25.47, :50.56, 1:15.60, and 1:40.07. Souper Miss earned $51,201 for the victory, boosting her career earnings to $180,913. She is the 38th stakes winner sired by Alphabet Soup, the #3 sire in Canada in 2010. -edited from hawthorneracecourse.com
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4.25.2010 - Racing Bran Game Winner of Milwaukee Ave. H.
Stonehouse was the morning-line and post time favorite and expected to go right for the lead in Saturday's $100,000 Milwaukee Avenue Handicap, but second-choice Racing Bran had something to prove. Chris Emigh rode hard to get the win, “Me and Stonehouse both wanted the lead but I just got a better break. I beat him to the first turn and then we hooked up. This horse never gets tired. When he gets hooked, he just keeps digging in. It was an exciting race. You couldn’t ask for a better race for $100,000. “I planned on being near the lead. I thought that there were a couple on the outside that could go for the lead and I could sit behind them. But, if they were going to give me the lead in :24 fractions, I’m going to take it. Trainer Scott Becker of winner Racing Bran added: " The horse just seems to get better with age, he hit a prime at four and just keeps going on." Racing Bran is a son of Awesome Again and took the Essex Handicap earlier this spring at Oaklawn Park. He currently has lifetime earnings of $291,294 -edited from hawthorneracecourse.com
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4.21.2010 - Awesome Again Filly Tops Adena Two-Year-Old Sale
Bahia Beach topped the ninth annual Adena Springs sale of 2-year-olds in training, bringing $115,000 April 18 in Central Florida. Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton’s Kentucky-based Silverton Hill operation purchased the gray or roan daughter of Awesome Again. Bred in Kentucky, Bahia Beach is out of the 10-year-old winning Alphabet Soup mare Pop Princess, a half-sister to 2008 Rampart Handicap (gr. II) winner Spring Waltz (by Silver Charm). Bahia Beach’s second dam, Relaxing Rhythm (by Easy Goer), captured the 1998 Molly Pitcher Breeders’ Cup Handicap (gr. II). The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. conducted the Adena Springs juvenile sale at Adena Springs South near Williston. Adena Springs owner Frank Stronach has won three Eclipse Awards (1998-2000) as outstanding owner, and his Stronach Stables was honored with an owner Eclipse in 2008. Stronach received an Eclipse Award as outstanding breeder in 2000, and Adena Springs won the breeder’s honor for five consecutive years (2004-2008). Last year's sale topper, Stately Victor (by Ghostzapper) recently won the Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) to advance to the Kentucky Derby starting gate. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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4.19.2010 - Bourbon Bay Completes Santa Anita Sweep
Odds-on choice Bourbon Bay became the first horse in 17 years to sweep Santa Anita's three-race turf marathon stakes series when he held off Unusual Suspect by a half-length in the $150,000 San Juan Capistrano Handicap (gr. IIT) in the final race of the 2009-10 season April 18. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano for trainer Neil Drysdale in the 71st edition of the about 1 3/4-mile event, the 4-5 shot Bourbon Bay joined champion Kotashaan (1993) and Astray (1974) as the only ones to sweep the San Luis Obispo (gr. IIT), San Luis Rey (gr. IIT) and San Juan Capistrano handicaps in a single season at Santa Anita. David and Jill Heerensperger's 4-year-old son of Sligo Bay, appeared to be all in past mid-stretch as he scuffled with the outsider Skellytown for the lead. But in an amazing display of grit, he found the resolve to not only win that battle but to find something more in the closing yards as Unusual Suspect drew close approaching the wire. The victory was the fourth of the meet for Bourbon Bay, the three prior to the San Juan all coming at 1 1/2 miles. He started the streak with a 3 1/2-length win in a 1 1/2-mile optional claiming allowance race Jan. 6. In his next start Feb. 21, Bourbon Bay was dominating in the San Luis Obispo, which he took by 4 1/4 lengths over Unusual Suspect at odds of 7-2. In the San Luis Rey a month later, the bay gelding went off favored at 9-10 and scored a convincing 2 1/2-length win. “He’s going to be getting a rest," Drysdale said of Bourbon Bay, a horse he purchased privately for his clients as a 12-furlong prospect. "(Bejarano) gave him a picture perfect ride.” Bourbon Bay, whose first stakes victory came in the San Luis Obispo, improved his career mark to 5-2-2 in 13 starts. He earned $90,000 for the San Juan victory, pushing his bankroll to $388,424. He gave Drysdale his third win in the prestigious race, but the 62-year-old Englishman has a long ways to go to catch all-time leader Charlie Whittingham, who won the San Juan Capistrano 12 times. Drysdale last won it in 2000 with Sunshine Street. Adena Springs bred Bourbon Bay, a $1,700 Keeneland September yearling buy in 2007, in Kentucky. He is out of Coral Necklace, by Conquistador Cielo. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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4.19.2010 - Red Lead Fires Best Shot in Sunland Handicap
Stalking Red Lead soared past the leaders in deep stretch for jockey Martin Bourdieu to tally by 2 1/4 lengths in the $114,400 Sunland Park Handicap April 18. Red Lead, a 4-year-old gelded son of Red Bullet trained by Chris Hartman for owner Joey Davis' Frontier Stables, scored his third win in four starts over the New Mexico track since last December. Racing just off the rail, Bourdieu, riding Red Lead for the first time, tracked Quiet Again and Jacobino, who vied on the front end in the 1 1/8-mile test. He angled Red Lead three wide for the stretch run and they drew off in the final strides after surging past Quiet Again and Tie Rod in the last sixteenth of a mile. The winning time was a smart 1:48.85 over a fast track. Consistent Red Lead upped his career mark to 5-4-3 in 14 races with earnings of $362,120. The winning purse was $60,000. Red Lead has raced mostly in the southwest and Louisiana during his career. Adena Springs bred the winner in Florida. The chestnut is out of Upside, by Unaccounted For, and sold at auction for $10,000 in 2007. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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4.10.2010 - Ghostzapper Colt Takes G1 Blue Grass Stakes
Stately Victor, a three-year-old son of Ghostzapper, emerged from the pack to run off to the biggest upset in the 86-year history of the Blue Grass Stakes, scoring by 4 1/4 lengths at 40-1 on Saturday at Keeneland and putting himself in the gate for the May 1 Kentucky Derby.Maker, the former longtime D. Wayne Lukas assistant whose stable is thriving, said afterward that Stately Victor would run in the 136th Derby while training at Trackside, just a few miles from Churchill Downs. " I've always been high on this horse," Maker said. "I never quit believing in him. He was one of those horses you made excuses for every time." Maker already has another Derby starter in Dean's Kitten, winner of the March 27 Lane's End Stakes at Turfway Park. Odysseus set the early pace from the rail in the Blue Grass, followed closely by Paddy O'Prado to the outside. Midway through the far turn, Paddy O'Prado suddenly spurted clear under Kent Desormeaux, and it was his race to lose. It was only the amazing stretch run of Stately Victor, who had enjoyed a good trip while racing sixth of nine much of the way, that foiled his effort. Stately Victor finished the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:48.69 over Polytrack. "I was very impressed with him," Garcia said. Prior to Saturday, Stately Victor had run seven times, winning a maiden turf route at Saratoga last summer in his second start, then reeling off five straight races without finishing any better than fifth - hence his huge odds Saturday. His only stakes attempt came in the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last fall, when he was sixth with a very wide trip. Stately Victor is owned by Louisville attorney Tom Conway and his son, Jack Conway, the attorney general of Kentucky. Stately Victor is named for Victor Perrone, a late boyhood friend of Jack Conway's. The colt earned $450,000 with the win. Dust Commander, the 1970 winner at 35-1, had been the previous longest-priced winner of the Blue Grass. Paddy O'Prado (by El Prado) earned $150,000 for second and is now on the bubble for Derby eligibility. Romans said he would "like a shot at the Derby." -edited from drf.com
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4.8.2010 - Milwaukee Brew Filly Bests Informed Decision in G1 Madison
Dr. Zic led every step of the Grade 1, $300,000 Vinery Madison to register a 15-1 upset and spoil the return of Eclipse champion Informed Decision on April 8 at Keeneland. With Kent Desormeaux riding for trainer Joan Scott, Dr. Zic broke quickly to make an open lead in the seven-furlong Madison, with Witty and Informed Decision stalking from a couple of lengths back. Turning for home, Dr. Zic turned back the two favorites and put the issue to rest, prevailing by 2 1/2 lengths over Dubai Majesty, a 7-1 shot who rallied belatedly to get second by a length over Informed Decision. Witty was another half-length back and was followed by Starlarks and Direct Line. Dr. Zic, a 4-year-old Milwaukee Brew filly owned by a four-way partnership that includes her trainer, returned $33.40 after setting fractions of 22.97, 46.01, and 1;09.48, and finishing in 1:21.32 over Polytrack. "She was just full of herself today," said Desormeaux. "She was calm and collected over to the quarter pole. Down the lane, she was just lunging for the wire." Informed Decision, the 2009 Eclipse winner as top filly and mare sprinter, was the 1-2 favorite under Julien Leparoux in her first race since winning the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint last November. Witty, a Southern California invader who was unbeaten in four previous starts and was the 2-1 second choice, had no apparent mishap under Victor Espinoza. Dr. Zic, bred in Kentucky by Ron McPeek, was coming off a victory in an overnight handicap at Tampa Bay Downs. She now has 5 wins from 9 overall starts, with the 2008 Sandpiper at Tampa her lone previous stakes win. She earned $180,000, nearly tripling her career bankroll to $288,620. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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4.6.2010 - Ghostzapper Filly Brings $300,000 at Keeneland April
Hip # 98, an attractive dark bay filly by Horse of the Year Ghostzapper commanded $300,000 at the Keeneland April Two-Year- Old in Training sale on April 5. The filly breezed a snappy quarter mile in :21.1 for consignor Eddie Woods on the sale's Preview Day. She was purchased by Heatherway Inc, agent for Tanikawa Farm. The filly is the second Ghostzapper foal out of the multiple graded stakes-placed A. P. Indy mare Quick Temper. Her first, Quick Breeze, was a winner last year at two and is one of several promising Ghostzpper three-year-olds running in 2010. Ghostzapper was the #1 North American first crop sire by 2yo sales average last year. This year his juveniles are averaging $173,333 again much the best among his crop and ahead of such stallions as Pulpit, Elusive Quality, Gone West, Candy Ride, Dixie Union, More Than Ready, Sky Mesa and Stormy Atlantic (2 or more sold).
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4.5.2010 - Giacomo's First Starter Wins by 8 Lengths
Giacomo, the 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner, came through with his first winner when his daughter Blushing Sis defeated colts by eight lengths April 3 at Manor Downs. Racing for Markpoint Stable, Blushing Sis won the 4 1/2-furlong race in :52.88. She is Giacomo's first starter.
Jeanne Stasny Blossom Racing Stable is the breeder of Blushing Sis.
The Texas-bred filly is the first foal out of the Carson City mare
Three City Sisters.
Giacomo (Holy Bull - Set Them Free, by Stop the Music) stands for $5,000 at Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs near Paris, Ky. His first crop of juveniles have also done well at the sales with his first two 2yo's selling for six figures, including a $250,000 colt at the Fasig-Tipton February sale. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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4.4.2010 - Thunder Brew Much The Best in Tampa Stake
Roman Hill Farm LLC’s homebred Thunder Brew, a son of Milwaukee Brew, overcame a troubled trip to capture the 8th edition of the Dayton Andrews Dodge Sophomore Turf at 1 1/16 miles on the Tampa Bay Downs turf course. It was the second consectutive win for the colt, who’s trained by Anthony Pecoraro and was ridden Victor Lebron. Pecararo was pleased with Thunder Brew’s effort. “This guy is still learning what to do. I didn't think we were going to get anything down the backstretch but Victor (Lebron) found a way through and the colt did the rest. I think we are going to do very well with him. We will take him to Delaware next. They have a nice turf course and some money races we can take a shot at. I really can't take too much credit for this win; I got him ready and the colt and Victor did the rest.” Thunder Brew has now won half of his eight starts and earned $110,670 for owner Thomas Croley, who said of his colt’s win, “It was great – I just can’t believe we went off at those odds. It was nice.” Victor Lebron looked as relieved as he did happy after an eventful ride. “Man, that was one rough trip! We got bounced around and shuffled back but this guy is a fighter and when we got room and I asked him to run he came through for me. I had used him early in his last start and Mr. Pecararo thought we should wait with him today and he sure came through for us.” Milwaukee Brew is Canada’s #1 ranked sire in 2010, a position he also held in 2009. -edited from TampaBayDowns.com
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3.28.2010 - Cool Bullet Speeds to 2nd Stakes Win
Cool Bullet relished the return to six furlongs Saturday at Turfway Park, cruising to a 4 1/2-length victory in the $50,000 Hansel Stakes. The winning time of 1:08.97 was just off the track record of 1:08.03 set by Fatal Bullet in the 2008 Kentucky Cup Sprint. Both speeding ‘Bullets’ were sired by Red Bullet.Cool Bullet fought for the lead with Kera’s Kitten through an opening quarter mile in :21.61 before taking command and setting the half mile in :44.45. From the top of the stretch to the wire he was on cruise control under jockey Calvin Borel. Strapping Groom gave chase throughout but had to settle for second, and Rockin’ Rockstar was nine more lengths back in third. “He (trainer Steve Margolis) called me and told me he had him ready to run,” said Borel. “He ran like much the best today. It looks like he’s a real sprinter. Those last races might have been a little long for him. It was a very easy trip. He did it all so easy on his own.” Sent off the 6-5 favorite, Cool Bullet returned $4.40, $2.80 and $2.20. The gelding now has three wins and a second from seven starts and has earned $94,260 for owners Robert and Lawana Low and Winmore LLC (Dave Williams). The Hansel is his second stakes wins, its trophy added to his sprint stakes win in the Sugar Bowl. -edited from HorseracingInsider.com
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3.24.2010 - Giacomo Making a Splash at the 2YO Sales
There have been a pair of juveniles by Giacomo offered so far at the 2010 two-year-old in training sales and both have commanded six figure prices. A Giacomo colt out of the Marquetry mare Fifth Avenue Doll brought $250,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Caler sale. He was purchased by E Stable from the Scanlon Training Center consignment. At the OBS March sale, Mike McCarty went to $100,000 to secure a Giacomo colt out of the stakes winning Relaunch mare Rayelle. Giacomo’s juvenile average of $175,000 ranks fifth among first crop sires (two or more sold) and ahead of such stallions as Bluegrass Cat and Rockport Harbor.
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3.23.2010 - Bourbon Bay Closing in on Rare Sweep
Once every two decades or so, a horse comes along who so dominates the long-distance turf division at Santa Anita that he sweeps the San Luis Obispo and San Luis Rey handicaps, both at 1 1/2 miles, and then the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap at about 1 3/4 miles. Astray did it in 1974, Kotashaan - who would go on to be Horse of the Year - did it in 1993, and now Bourbon Bay is one step away. He added the San Luis Rey on Saturday to his earlier victory in the San Luis Obispo. Only the battle for San Juan hill on closing day, April 18, stands between Bourbon Bay and a sweep. The San Luis Rey marked the third straight win on Santa Anita's turf course for Bourbon Bay, 4, who is vastly improved this year. His trainer, Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, said Bourbon Bay was ill last year and has come back stronger. "Last year, he had allergies," Drysdale said. "We had to turn him out. He seems to have gotten over it." And how. Bourbon Bay romped by 2 1/2 lengths in the San Luis Rey to go along with his 4 1/4-length victory in the San Luis Obispo. Bourbon Bay gave Drysdale his fourth win in the San Luis Rey, following Prized (1990), Single Empire (1999), and Fourty Niners Son (2007). -edited from drf.com
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3.21.2010 - Bourbon Bay Rolls Again in G2 San Luis Rey H.
Odds-on choice Bourbon Bay solidified his hold on the distance turf handicap division in Southern California when he rolled to a 2 1/2-length victory in the $150,000 San Luis Rey Handicap (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita March 20. With Rafael Bejarano at the controls, Bourbon Bay was just like where he likes to be, pressuring the pacesetter Quasicobra, before sweeping past approaching the quarter-pole. There was no catching the 4-year-old son of Sligo Bay in the lane who came home under steady handling in a solid time of 2:24.08 for the 1 1/2-mile distance over firm ground. Bourbon Bay is three-for-four at Santa Anita, all of his victories
coming in the current meet and all at the 12-furlong distance. Coupled with his 4 1/4-length triumph in the San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. IIT) one month ago, Bourbon Bay stands atop the region's turf division heading into the meet--closing the 1 3/4-mile San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (gr. IIT) April 18. Trainer Neil Drysdale collected his fourth San Luis Rey victory, this time for owners David and Jill Heerensberger. Drysdale said he wasn't concerned when Bourbon Bay went to the front early. “Well, I think (Bourbon Bay) had to, because otherwise, they were going to come at him," he said. "He had no option. I think he’s getting the hang of it. I thought he settled better today than he did the other day (in the San Luis Obispo Handicap).” Quasicobra opened up by 2 1/2 lengths over Bourbon Bay while clicking off a swift opening half-mile in :46. The lead dwindled quickly, however, soon after the pacesetter covered the mile in 1:36.30. Bourbon Bay, who bobbled at the start, always looked like a winner while stalking the leader, cruising to the front while rounding the final turn. Bourbon Bay kicked clear in the lane, drifting out under a left-handed crack of the whip and holding sway under a long hold from Bejarano late. “At the break I had to use a little bit of him to make sure I got the break right and get the perfect position at the first turn," Bejarano said. "I felt a little pressure from the horse next to me on the inside, but my horse was relaxed. We were going a little faster than the last time (In the San Luis Obispo) but I still had a lot of horse at the end. This horse is getting through every time he runs, and he is getting better every time he runs. I’m so happy he won again.” The winner earned $90,000 for his fourth win in 12 starts and has now banked $299,424. Bred in Kentucky by Adena Springs, the bay gelding is out of Coral Necklace, by Conquistador Cielo. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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3.8.2010 - Sangaree Caps Big Weekend for Awesome Again
One day after Awesome Act emerged as a major player for the Triple Crown series with a big win in the Gotham Stakes (G3) in New York, Sangaree, another son of Awesome Again, earned his first stakes victory in Santa Anita’s Joe Hernandez Stakes. Jockey Martin Garcia rallied Sangaree between horses in the stretch to defeat Gallant Son by one-half length in a driving finish to the 6 ½ furlong event that had been transferred from the turf to Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface following overnight rain. The final time was 1:15.28 and the outcome reflected the patience of the up-and-coming rider from Mexico who kept his mount well behind some sizzling fractions of 21.78, 44.08 and 1:08.84. “Today, Bob told me to put him in contention and make one run,” Garcia said. “When I saw that there were three horses going for the lead, that made the race for me. I decided to get him outside, and he just took off.” A 5-year-old chestnut horse by Awesome Again, Sangaree is a half brother to multiple grade 1 winner Congaree. He has now earned $164,119 for owner Darley Stable.
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3.7.2010 - 'Act' Awesome in Grade 3 Gotham Stakes
The England-based trainer Jeremy Noseda sat down with his owners, Paul and Susan Roy and Tom Ludt, the day after Awesome Act finished fourth in last November's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita and told them he believed the horse may just be good enough to compete in North America's Triple Crown races.Based on how Awesome Act performed in Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, Noseda may just be right. In his first race on natural dirt and first start in four months, Awesome Act made a four-wide sweep approaching the quarter pole and rolled to a 1 1/4-length victory in the Gotham at Aqueduct. Yawanna Twist, the previously undefeated New York-bred, rallied to be second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Nacho Friend. They were followed in the order of finish by Turf Melody, Shrimp Dancer, Peppi Knows, I've Got the Fever, Wow Wow Wow, Three Day Rush, and Afleet Again. The win was good enough for Awesome Act to remain in the United States and he will now be pointed to the Grade 1, $750,000 Wood Memorial over Aqueduct's main track on April 3. "It's a good solid race...you still got a long way to go, but it's the first hurdle out of the way," Noseda said in the Aqueduct winner's circle. "The dream lives on so we'll live the dream for the moment." On a day when it was beneficial to be close to the pace, Awesome Act raced in seventh position early - about five lengths off the pace - while in between horses under Julien Leparoux. But the pace was extremely quick, with Wow Wow Wow, under Corey Nakatani, setting fractions of 22.85 seconds for the quarter and 46.60 seconds for the half. Awesome Act was pulling Leparoux into the race, while still between horses and he was fifth entering the far turn. Midway around the turn, Peppi Knows and Nacho Friend went up alongside Wow Wow Wow while Awesome Act went four-wide while still on hold from Leparoux. Awesome Act sling-shotted to the front at the three-sixteenths pole and he opened up a three-length lead at the eighth pole. Yawanna Twist, under Edgar Prado, made a run at Awesome Act in the stretch, but never truly threatened. Awesome Act, a son of Awesome Again, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.85 and returned $7.70 as the favorite. "He did everything perfect," said Leparoux, who was riding the horse for the first time. "He broke good, was happy to get a good position around the first turn, he relaxed down the backside and it was good. He was behind the dirt and it didn't bother him at all." Though Awesome Act had never trained on dirt until Friday morning when he jogged on the Belmont Park training track, Noseda was confident the horse would handle the dirt, especially being by Awesome Again. Noseda said Awesome Act raced much more professional in the Gotham than he had in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. "When he ran in the Breeders' Cup, he always wanted to get out the whole way around," Noseda said. "He raced more professionally today so clearly the work we've done on him through the winter has sort of straightened that out. I thought performance-wise it was all we could ask for first effort on dirt, first start back." -edited from drf.com
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2.21.2010 - Sligo Bay Son Takes G2 San Luis Obispo H.
Since Bourbon Bay was acquired in fall 2008, there has been talk in the Neil Drysdale barn that the gelding would thrive in marathon turf races. The point was emphatically proven in Sunday's $150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita. The son of Sligo Bay won his second consecutive race over 1 1/2 miles on turf, and first stakes, in the Grade 2 San Luis Obispo, pulling clear of seven rivals in the final furlong to win by 4 1/4 lengths. Ridden by leading jockey Rafael Bejarano, Bourbon Bay ($9.60) was timed in 2:28.89. He was given a confident ride; Bejarano kept Bourbon Bay just behind pacesetter Sudden War to early stretch before taking the lead. Owned by David and Jill Heerensperger, Bourbon Bay had won an optional claimer over 1 1/2 miles on turf here Jan. 6, his first career win since a maiden race on turf as a 2-year-old at Ellis Park in August 2008. “When we purchased him, we purchased him with the idea that he’d be a mile and a half horse, so he’s lived up to it to date," Drysdale said. "He won well the other day, so it’s good. It looks like he’s improving. He had a lot of mucous and allergy problems as a 3-year-old, but he seems fine now.” Bred in Kentucky by Adena Springs, Bourbon Bay ran his career record to 3-2-2 in 11 races and boosted his earnings to $209,424 with the winning purse of $90,000. The bay is out of the Conquistador Cielo mare Coral Necklace. He began his career with trainer Lowell Stevens at Ellis Park, where he broke his maiden in his second start in August 2008. -edited from Bloodhorse.com & Drf.com
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2.16.2010 - Ghostzapper The Sire of 5 Triple Crown Noms
Brilliant Horse of the Year Ghostzapper is the sire of five nominees to the 2010 Triple Crown series. Among second crop sires only Afleet Alex and Roman Ruler have more. Ghostzapper’s figure also puts him on par with stallions like Storm Cat, Elusive Quality, Pulpit and Tapit and ahead of stallions like Kingmambo, Dynaformer and Dixie Union. The 2010 Triple Crown nominees by Ghostzapper include the stakes winner Golden Ghost, four-time winner Daddy Forty Nine and the promising Spicer, trained by two-time Derby winning trainer Carl Nafzger.
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2.15.2010 - Red Lead is Red Bullet's Latest Stakes Winner
Red Lead rocketed to a commanding 2-length win in the $50,000 Curribot Stakes at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on February 14. Under a thoughtful ride from 5-time Sunland Park riding champ Ken Tohill, Red Lead surged from off the pace to earn his first career stakes win. The four-year-old gelded son of Red Bullet exploded from fourth position at the half mile marker to first place while racing into the stretch. The Chris Hartman trainee had plenty left in the tank for the final quarter mile. The chestnut router lengthened his stride and was in full control while being chased hard by Quiet Again. The latter could not cut into the margin. Red Lead caught the 1 and 1/16 miles in 1:44. The 9-5 second favorite was coming off a good second place effort in the Winsham Lad Stakes last month. Red Lead improved his career record to 4 wins, 4 seconds and 3 thirds from 12 starts. The highly consistent sort earned $30,000 for the Frontier Stables, Inc. led by Joey Davis. The winner paid $5.20 on a $2 win ticket. Last year, Red Lead was stakes placed in such prestigious events as the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby and the $400,000 Lone Star Derby. He has earned over $300,000. -edited from Elpasotimes.com
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2.14.2010 - Kays and Jays Best in Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie S.
In the $125,000 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) on February 13, Zayat Stables’ Kays and Jays powered to the front turning for home and held off a determined bid by Tar Heel Mom to post a half-length victory. Kays and Jays completed the 6 ½-furlong race in 1:16.30 for trainer Mike Mitchell. Favored at odds of 2.70-to-1, Kays and Jays tracked front-runner Dr. Zic through the first half-mile in :45.52 before taking command for her determined victory. “I let [Dr. Zic] have the lead today and I was happy to sit second, following her around,” winning jockey Jose Lezcano said. “I waited as long as I could before asking my filly for one run, and when I did, she went right on by.” Bred in Kentucky by Milan Kosanovich, the four-year-old Macho Uno filly, out of the Dixieland Band mare Lovin Spoonful, improved to five victories and earnings of $308,030 from 11 starts. -edited from Thoroughbredtimes.com
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2.6.2010 - Racing Bran Wire-to-Wire in Essex Handicap
William Stiritz's homebred Racing Bran, cleverly handled by jockey Chris Emigh, led at every pole and raced off to an upset win by four-and-a-quarter lengths over the 4-5 favorite, Win Willy in the $100,000 Essex Handicap on Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn Park. Racing over a track labeled "good" the five-year-old gelded son of Awesome Again was ridden by Chris Emigh through fractions of :24, :49 and 1:14 1/5, while on a clear lead. Once challenged, the Scott Becker trainee had plenty left and was never threatened for the win. Win Willy weaved through traffic to reach an outside position in the upper stretch, but could not cur into the winner's margin. He finished a neck in front of another strong finisher, Patricia Blass's defending champion Prom Shoes. For Racing Bran the win was his fifth in his last six outings. A third place finish in Hawthorne's Bucks Boy Handicap in October is the only mar on his record since last summer. He had taken an allowance prep for the Essex at Oaklawn on January 24. His career mark now jumps to nine wins from 22 starts, with three seconds and four thirds, for career earnings of $239,819. His next local start will likely come in the $150,000 Razorback Handicap at the same mile-and-a-sixteenth distance on Saturday, March 6. -edited from OaklawnPark.com
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1.30.2010 - Another Sovereign Award Winner for Milwaukee Brew
At the Sovereign Awards ceremony on January 29, Milwaukee Appeal was named Canada’s Champion 3-year-old Filly of 2009. The daughter of Milwaukee Brew also finished second in the voting for Horse of the Year in Canada after a remarkably consistent campaign. She won the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks and the Star Shoot Stakes at Woodbine and placed in six other stakes, including the grade I Alabama S. at Saratoga and two Canadian Triple Crown fixtures, the Queen’s Plate and the Prince of Wales Stakes. Milwaukee Appeal is out of the Open Forum (by Deputy Minister) mare Appealing Forum and has earned $965,903. She is the second consecutive filly by Milwaukee Brew to earn a Sovereign Award after 2008 3-year-old filly champ Ginger Brew. Milwaukee Brew stands at Gardiner Farm in Canada and ranked as the country’s top sire by progeny earnings in 2009.
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1.17.2010 - Einstein Retired, to Stand at Adena Springs in 2010
Frank Stronach's Adena Springs Farm announced Jan. 16 that Einstein, a multiple grade I-winning millionaire, has been retired from racing and will stand the 2010 breeding season at Adena Springs in Paris, Ky. Adena Springs president Andy Stronach said in a statement. "Einstein loved to run. He had an amazing career, winning five grade I races and nearly $3 million dollars in his five years on the track." A Brazilian-bred son of Spend a Buck out of the Brazilian group I winner Gay Charm (by Ghadeer), the 8-year-old Einstein proved adept at handling all surfaces. He heads into retirement with a career record of 11-4-4 in 30 lifetime starts, including seven graded stakes wins. He earned $2,945,238. He was trained throughout his North American career by Helen Pitts-Blasi. "He's the kind of horse you hope to have in your stable, and the kind of horse fans love to see race," Stronach added. "We're saddened to see his racing career come to an end, but we're looking forward to having him join our stallion roster in Kentucky." In his last race, the Clark Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs in November, which he won in 2008, he turned in a game effort to finish a hard-closing third, beaten by a half-length. During his 2009 campaign, he won the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) in March on a synthetic track and the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT) at Churchill for the second straight year less than two months later. He was purchased privately by Frank Stronach prior to missing by a neck in the Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar Sept. 6. Einstein's stud fee has not yet been determined. For more information please contact Adena Springs general manager Eric Hamelback (800) 975-5641. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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1.11.2010 - Einstein an Eclipse Award Finalist
Einstein is one of three Eclipse Award finalists for Champion Older Male of 2009. The seven-year-old horse enjoyed yet another fine season in the year just ended with a win in the historic Santa Anita Handicap (G1). He also won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1) for the second consecutive year. If not for an impossibly troubled trip in the Stephen Foster H. (G1), Einstein may well have become the first horse in history with Grade 1 wins on dirt, turf and synthetics in the same year. He settled for third in the Foster and also placed in the Pacific Classic (G1) and Donn H. (G1).
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1.10.2010 - Adena Springs the Top North American Breeder...Again
Adena Springs topped the list of leading individual breeders in North America in 2009 with earnings of $12,853,329, according to statistics released by The Jockey Club Information Systems Jan. 6. In topping the list for the seventh consecutive year, Adena Springs bred the winners of 568 races from 3,903 starts. Adena is followed by Eugene Melnyk, who bred the winners of 291 races from 1,588 starts for earnings of $7,513,369. Adena Springs also led a second breeder list that includes partnerships. Including partnerships, Adena Springs bred the winners of 568 races from 3,908 starts for earnings of $12,856,254. Runner-up was also Eugene Melnyk, who alone or in partnership bred the winners of 291 races from 1,589 starts for earnings of $7,513,696. edited from bloodhorse.com
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12.20.2009 - 2YO Cool Bullet Sweet In Sugar Bowl Stakes
Cool Bullet broke his maiden by 6 ¼ lengths in mid-November and made it two in a row with a rousing win in the Sugar Bowl Stakes at Fair Grounds on December 19. The son of Red Bullet spurted away from the field at the top of the stretch and gamely held off a hard charging Big Texas Daddy. Out of the stakes-winning Saint Ballado mare Lizzy Cool, Cool Bullet is the second 2yo stakes winner for his sire in 2009.
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11.16.2009 - Macho Uno a Popular Covering Sire for Overbrook at Kee Nov
Mares in foal to champion Macho Uno have lit up the sales board at the Keeneland November sale selling for $350,000, $340,000, $310,000 and $ 200,000, etc. Macho Uno was well supported by Overbrook Farm as three mares from that disperal have sold carrying his foals, including Sanibel Island, a stakes producing daughter of champion Flanders. She was purchased for $350,000 by Hargus Sexton. Marquee Attraction, a daughter of Overbrook's 1995 champion 2yo filly Golden Attraction, was purchased by Shimokbe Farm for $340,000 carrying a Macho Uno foal. Through the first six days of the 2009 Keeneland November Sale, mares in foal to Macho Uno have sold for an average of $114,800.
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11.15.2009 - Mare In Foal to Awesome Again Tops Day 3 at Kee Nov
A mare carrying a foal by Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Awesome Again was purchased by WinStar for $875,000 at the Keeneland November Sale. The mare, named Lasting Appeal, was the highest priced hip of the sale’s third session. Lasting Appeal is by A. P. Indy out of the Storm Cat mare Steady Cat, making her a full sister to Grade 2 winner and sire Jump Start. Her first foal is by Horse of the Year Ghostzapper and she is pregnant to Awesome Again on a mid-February cover.
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11.9.2009 - Kays and Jays Returns With Cascapedia S. Win
Kays and Jays defeated Irish Gypsy by three-quarters of a length to win Sunday's $67,338 Cascapedia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on closing day of Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting. Ridden by Joel Rosario, the daughter of Macho Again ran 7 furlongs on the synthetic surface in 1:22.52 and paid $5.40, $3.20 and $2.40 as the 17-20 wagering favorite. The victory was Kays and Jays' fourth win in nine starts and increased her career earnings to $227,030. It was her second stakes score and first start since finshing second in the Grade 3 Azalea S. in July. She is one of 10 stakes horses sired by Macho Again in 2009. Among the others is Macho Again, winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap.
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10.31.2009 - Ghostzapper Colt by 6 at Keeneland
Horse of the Year Ghostzapper was represented by a another first crop winner on Friday, October 30 when Dynazapper rolled to a six length victory in a maiden special weight contest at Keeneland. A $300,000 yearling purchase, Dynazapper was sent off the favorite in the field of 12. He was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, LLC and races for owner Lewis G. Lakin. Bill Mott does the training duties. Four of Ghostzapper’s previous winners have already run in stakes events, including Golden Ghost, winner of the First State Dash S. and runner up in the Bold Lad S. at Belmont.
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10.25.2009 - Unbeaten Bodua is North Light's First Stakes Winner
Undefeated Bodua won her first career stakes race in Sunday's $150,000 Fanfreluche Stakes at Woodbine. One of three Mike Doyle trainees in the six-furlong event, Bodua battled back determinedly on the inside and won by a neck after being headed on the turn and again in mid-stretch by 2-5 favorite Jenny's So Great (by Greatness). Bred by Adena Springs, Bodua is the first stakes winner for Epsom Derby (G1) champion North Light, a son of Danehill. "This horse wants to be good. She digs in and she fights hard. I was very happy when she put her head in front," said winning jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva. " She's by a nice horse who is just getting started. That's a really good mare she's out of," Doyle added. "She's a nice filly. She's got a lot of ability. She'll go further. She'll definitely run around two turns. That won't be a problem." -edited from woodbineentertainment.com
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10.18.2009 - Sal the Barber a Cut Above in G3 Calder Derby
Lewis Schaffel's homebred Kentucky-bred 3-year-old colt Sal the Barber stalked the pace and came on strong in the end to win the $100,000 Calder Derby (G3) at Calder Race Course's Festival of the Sun on Saturday. The three-year-old son of Alphabet Soup defeated Grand Cash by a half-length, who was just a neck ahead of Livingston Street in the close finish. Ridden by jockey Eddie Castro for trainer Christophe Clement, Sal the Barber was making his first start at Calder and covered the mile and an eighth over firm turf in 1:49.41. " He's a really classy horse," said Jane Turner, assistant trainer to Christophe Clemente. Sal the Barber earned his first graded victory after a productive summer in New York where he won the Don Jack Stakes and placed to Courageous Cat in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes. His career bankroll now stands at $171,132.
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10.17.2009 - Top Touch is Touch Gold's Third October SW
Top Touch, a 2yo daughter of Touch Gold, prevailed in the $50,000 Michigan Juvenile Fillies S after an eventful trip. Favored in her fourth start, Top Touch exchanged bumps with De La Crem down the stretch but got to the wire first in the one mile race. Top Touch is Touch Gold’s fifth stakes winner of 2009 and his third stakes winner in the month of October. She races for her breeder, Charlie J. Williams and is trained by Sandra Adkins.
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10.9.2009 - Fatal Bullet Now a Millionaire With G3 Phoenix Win
In the 157th running of the $250,000 Phoenix Stakes (G3), Fatal Bullet proved a popular and deserving favorite when returning $4.40 after finishing six furlongs in 1:09. The 4-year-old Florida-bred gelding wore down the other speed, Ez Dreamer, before finishing a half-length clear of a terrific late run by Capt. Candyman Can, the 3-1 second choice. The win made Fatal Bullet racing's newest millionaire, pushing his career bankroll to $1,003,636Fatal Bullet "ran a great race, he tried 100 percent," said winning jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva, who jubilantly waved his whip a stride or two past the wire. "He was very relaxed. I was very proud of him." Fatal Bullet, the runner-up to Midnight Lute in the 2008 BC Sprint at Santa Anita, now has won a remarkable 9 of 11 races, with two seconds, in synthetic races. He will head to California as one of the favorites for the Nov. 7 Sprint. Likewise, Capt. Candyman Can, a late-running 3-year-old who has won four stakes this year, will be widely regarded as a viable Sprint contender. Fatal Bullet is based in Canada for Bear Stables and trainer Reade Baker. -edited from drf.com
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10.3.2009 - Awesome Gem Sparkles in Hawthorne Gold Cup
The last time Awesome Gem shipped out of California to run 1 1/4 miles in mud it was the fall 2007. Awesome Gem ran well, finishing third in the 2007 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) to Horse of the Year, Curlin. This time, Awesome Gem was the star of the show, coming out at the top of the stretch to wear down Nite Light and win the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup by 1 1/4 lengths. Awesome Gem has been based at California throughout the state's ongoing synthetic-track era, and it is beginning to look like Awesome Gem might be better on dirt than anything else. After his win Saturday, Awesome Gem has won 4 of his 9 on dirt, with two seconds and a third. Testing conditions did not bother him in the least Saturday, and like his sire, Gold Cup winner Awesome Again, Awesome Gem showed mastery of the 1 1/4-mile trip. While Shadowbdancing crossed over from post 7 to make the pace, Awesome Gem, typically a deep closer, took jockey David Flores quickly into the race. He was seventh after a half-mile, but trailed Shadowbdancing's moderate pace (24.17 seconds to the quarter-mile, 48.60 to the half) by only about six lengths. "I wasn't that surprised he was so close," said Flores. "He worked so good last week." Skimming along the inside, Flores said he faced a key moment going into the far turn. "I had to make a decision," he said. "Put the horse in that pocket, or wait a little longer and see what happened." Flores decided to go. It helped that he had plenty of horse underneath to take him there. Awesome Gem got through the hole with no problem, and after straightening away, Flores tipped out three wide to make his final run. Shadowbdancing could not see out the 1 1/4 miles, and though Nite Light fought on, Awesome Gem clearly was going best. He drew away late, and won going away. -edited from drf.com
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10.3.2009 - Abby's Angel 2nd SW of Weekend for Touch Gold
The Indian Maid Handicap was rained off turf and onto dirt - and that was just fine for Abby's Angel. The daughter of Touch Gold was set to make her grass debut in the Indian Maid, but instead, she wound up the controlling speed from the rail in a field that scratched down to six horses. Abby's Angel made a clear lead under Jon Court, backed up the pace, and easily won the $113,100 Indian Maid, beating pace-pressing Hungry Tigress by 6 1/2 lengths. "She had the speed, she got the trip," said Court, who rode Abby's Angel for trainer Mike Stidham. Abby's Angel now has won 4 of 6 career starts. She began her career racing for Stonerside Stable, but now is the property of the Darley Stable. In her last start she was second in the Grade 3 Gardenia S. at Ellis Park. Abby's Angel is the seond stakes winner in two days for Classic winner Touch Gold. The day prior, multiple stakes winner Spritely took the Quick Mischief S. at Belmont.
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10.1.2009 - Spritely Much The Best in Quick Mischief Stakes
Spritely, just a nose short when second in the June 28 GII First Flight H., was third in the Aug. 2 GI Go For Wand H. and was coming off a runner-up finish in the Aug. 30 GII Molly Pitcher H. The daughter of Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Touch Gold stalked the pace in third as Sea Chanter set fractions of :23.49, :46.87 and 1:11.21. Spritely took closer order turning for home and pounced to the lead at midstretch before pulling clear for a confident score in the Quick Mischief S. at Belmont Park. Spritely was bred by John and Barbara Smicklas and races for owner Edward P. Evans and trainer Todd Pletcher. She has finished off the board only once in 15 starts and has now won or placed in nine stakes events the past two seasons. Her bankroll stands at $462,628. -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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9.28.2009 - Peach Brew Stirs Up Another Stakes Win
Graded stakes winner Peach Brew proved much the best in the Oklahoma Classics Distaff at Remington Park on September 26. Sent off as the odds on choice, the filly sat just off the pace before gaining command in midstretch and drawing off to a comfortable 2 ½ length tally. Winner of the Grade 3 Arlington Oaks in July, Peach Brew has won or placed in eight stakes events. She has now earned over $250,000 for her owner/breeder Robert H. Zoellner and her trainer Donnie Von Hemel. Peach Brew is among the five stakes winners and 10 stakes horses sired by Milwaukee Brew in 2009. He is the #1 third crop sire in Florida and ranks just behind Montbrook among all sires in the Sunshine State.
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9.22.2009 - $180,000 For Giacomo Colt at Keeneland September
The second yearling by Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Giacomo ever through the ring at the Keeneland September sale found an owner who knows something about winning America's most coveted race. The attractive yearling colt was purchased for $180,000 by Paul Pompa, Jr. the original owner of Derby and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Big Brown. The Giacomo colt is out of the Marquetry mare Fifth Avenue Doll, who was purchased for $25,000 at the 2006 Adena Springs November Mixed Sale by Ashling and Jerry Burke. They consigned the colt with Select Sales, agt.
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9.20.2009 - Bay to Bay Sails Home in G3 Natalma
Bay to Bay could have a date in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf after an impressive victory in the $147,266 Natalma Stakes (Can-IIIT) in her first try against winners on the Woodbine lawn Sept. 19.?? Ridden by David Clark, the Florida-bred 2-year-old daughter of Sligo Bay shook off even-money choice Elusive Galaxy in mid-stretch and held off the charging Jungle Tale under steady handling to post a three-quarters-length win. She completed the one-mile "Breeders' Cup Challenge" event in 1:36.06 over firm going.?? Owned by Robert Smithen, Bay to Bay now has back-to-back wins for trainer Brian Lynch after posting a two-length maiden victory in her prior start Aug. 14 at seven furlongs on Woodbine's Polytrack. The Natalma win was worth $84,366 and boosted her overall earnings to $126,966.?? "Her first race was on the grass so I was really confident,” said Lynch. “She ran well her first time. She’s a versatile filly. We wanted to see how she'd
handle the ‘Poly.' She handled that. That was a perfect prep to have
her fit enough to get the mile." Out of the With Approval mare Bala, Bay to Bay was bred by Adena Springs and cost $35,000 as a yearling at Keeneland's September sale one year ago.
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9.19.2009 - Karama Is Macho Uno's Newest Stakes Winner
Karama, a three-year-old son of Macho Uno, continued his steady ascent through his conditions with a handy win in the Prairie Meadows Derby on September 19. A maiden winner at Churchill Downs in April, Karama finished second in allowance event June 4, but stretched out to 1 1/16 miles 22 days later and scored by a head. The bay made it two in a row in an optional claimer at Hoosier Park Aug. 14, and was looking to continue the streak in his black-type bow. A close-up fourth through a half in :47.94, Karama went after Perfect Bull in the final furlong of the PM Derby, grabbed the lead in the shadow of the wire and surged clear for his first stakes win. Karama gives Macho Uno 7% stakes winner from his second crop, matching his strike rate from his first crop. He was bred in Florida by Elizabeth P & David J Whelan and races for Malih Al Basti Racing Stable, who purchased the colt for $210,000 at the 2008 Keeneland April Sale. -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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9.17.2009 - Awesome Again Colt Sells to Baffert for $625,000
The highest-price for a colt on day three of the Keeneland September Sale was the $625,000 that trainer Bob Baffert paid for hip 674, a son of Awesome Again out of Grade I stakes heroine Forest Secrets (Forest Wildcat). The colt was consigned by Gainesway for breeders Debby and John Oxley, who got the catbird’s seat of at least part of the action sitting just underneath the press box. Across the aisle was Fox Hill Farm’s Rick Porter, himself sitting with advisor Tom McGreevy. Porter dug in for the colt against Baffert, who was stationed in back, and received plenty of encouragement from those around him. Bidspotter Pete McCormick implored for one more bid as Porter reached his limit, and Gainesway’s Michael Hernon, two rows up, gently suggested another salvo as well. Porter shook his head, though, and the scrum was over. “He looks like a horse who will improve a lot,” Baffert said. “The frame is there, he’ll fill in, and he already has a very sensible mind. You can see the athletic ability with just the way he walked and moved.” The transaction left the Oxleys with broad smiles, and they got hearty congratulations from, among others, Jim Tafel. “I thought he was a really nice colt, but in this market, in can be a little nerve-wracking bringing a horse to a sale,” said Debby Oxley just afterwards. -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News/Thoroughbred Times Today
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9.12.2009 - Another Winner for Ghostzapper
Quick Breeze, a 2yo filly by Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, surged to the lead at the top of the Arlington Park stretch and drew off to an emphatic 3 3/4 length victory in a one mile maiden special weight event. The filly is the latest winner for Ghostzapper whose first winner, Golden Ghost, took the First State Dash S. at Delaware Park. Quick Breeze is out of the graded stakes-winning A. P. Indy mare Quick Temper and was purchased for $425,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale. She races for My Meadowview Farm.
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9.5.2009 - Takin' The Bullet Takes $150,000 Erwin Stakes
Favored Takin’ the Bullet gained command with a three wide move at the top of the stretch and drew off to a commanding 5 ½ length score in the $150,000 A. L. (Red) Erwin Stakes on September 5. It was the first stakes victory for the three-year-old son of 2000 Preakness winner Red Bullet. Takin’ the Bullet had previously placed in the Minstrel S. last year at two and in the Lousiana Cup Derby earlier this season. Bred by Southern Equine Stables out of the Boundary mare Border Fire, Takin’ the Bullet races for Heiligbrodt Racing Stables and is trained by James Hudson. He upped his career earning to over $150,000 and is the third stakes winner in the past seven weeks sired by Red Bullet.
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9.4.2009 - Second Stakes Win for Touch Gold's Sweet Hearth
Sweet Hearth captured the second stakes of her career in the Prix de La Cochere at Chantilly in France on September 4. The three-year-old daughter of Touch Gold was a stakes winner last year in Italy, taking the Premio Alessandro Perrone. The filly races for Investimenti Immobillari Ri Ma and was bred by Westwind Farms. She is out of the Gilded Time mare Sweet Gold and is one of 9 stakes horses for Touch Gold this year. Among the others is Ferrari Pisa, a Group 3 winner In Japan and the stakes winner Spritely, who has also placed in the Grade 1 Go For Wand S. and the Grade 2 Molly Pitcher S.
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9.4.2009 - Stronach Stable Buys Einstein
Einstein, who is scheduled to run in the Sept. 6 Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar, has been bought by Frank Stronach’s Stronach Stables for an undisclosed sum from Bill Gallion and Shirley Cunningham’s Midnight Cry Stable. The deal was completed Aug. 31. Einstein, who was purchased for his ability as a runner and his potential as a stallion, is a grade I winner this year on the main track and the turf. He captured the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) on a synthetic surface and then took the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (gr. IT) on grass at Churchill Downs for the second consecutive year. Bred in 2002 and foaled in Brazil, Einstein has made all 27 starts in North America, winning 11 of 27 races. He has won or placed in 13 stakes, all of which are graded, and has earned $2,703,324. “Mr. Stronach’s breeding program focuses on soundness and on powerful outcrosses,” said Eric J. Hamelback, general manager of Stronach’s Adena Springs farm near Paris, Ky. “Einstein has won seven stakes, five of which are grade I. He’s a strong, solid individual and is still racing.” Einstein is by 1986 Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Spend a Buck, who achieved plenty of success as a stallion in Brazil. Einstein’s pedigree is free of the pervasive blood of Mr. Prospector and Seattle Slew. Another popular stallion, Northern Dancer, appears once in the fourth generation of Einstein’s pedigree. Einstein was produced from Brazilian group I winner Gay Charm (by Ghadeer). Einstein also captured the 2006 Gulfstream Park Breeders’ Cup Stakes (gr. IT); the 2007 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap (gr. (IIT) at Fair Grounds; and the 2008 Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes (gr. IT) and the Clark Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs. Five of his six stakes-placings came in grade I events. -from bloodhorse.com
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8.30.2009 - Gator Brew Snaps Up Lindsay Frolic Stakes
Virginia and James Gamble’s Florida homebred 2-year-old filly Gator Brew won a tight photo finish to capture the $85,500 Lindsay Frolic Stakes at Calder’s Juvenile Showcase on Saturday. Gator Brew came into the one-mile stakes race off her third place career debut on August 15. She ran down the pacesetting Roma’s Gal as did The Isabella Angel and the three of them arrived at the finish line within inches of each other. The photo finish showed Gator Brew the winner by a nose over The Isabella Angel, with Roma’s Gal just a head back in third. “We could have run her in the Susan’s Girl (Florida Stallion Stakes) today, but we were mainly concerned about running in there as a maiden,” said trainer William White. “But off of this effort, we’ll certainly consider running in the next race of the series ($400,000 My Dear Girl at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 17). How she got up (in this race) and won was amazing. I thought she’d be a little short.” Gator Brew is the fifth stakes winner of 2009 for Milwaukee Brew and the second stakes horse already from his third crop. The Wild Again stallion ranks as the #1 third crop sire in Florida, the #4 third crop sire nationally and is just behind Montbrook among all sires standing in Florida.
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8.23.2009 - Ghostzapper's First Winner a Stakes Winner
Ghostzapper had an uncommon career on the racetrack – a Grade 1 winner at 7, 8 and 10 furlongs, a Horse of the Year title, fastest horse since the advent of speed figures, etc. So it’s no surprise that he has begun his stud career in the same uncommon fashion. His very first winner, Golden Ghost, didn’t bother winning his first start against maidens. Instead, the chestnut colt took first prize in the $75,000 First State Dash Stakes at Delaware Park. Golden Ghost is out of the Grade 1-winning millionaire Mandy’s Gold, a daughter of Gilded Time. He races for his breeder, Steeplechase Farm, and is trained by Michael Gorham. Ghostzapper, by Awesome Again, was already the leading commercial sire of his crop, topping his peers in terms of first crop Covering Sire, Weanling and Yearling averages.
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8.22.2009 - Chirac Clear Winner of G3 Iselin
Locally-based Chirac broke on top and never looked back, powering his way to a 12-1 upset against five rivals that included odds-on favorite Coal Play in the $300,000 Philip H. Iselin (gr. III) Aug. 22 in the Monmouth Park slop. It was a successful graded stakes debut for the 4-year-old son of Sligo Bay, who was making his ninth career start at the Oceanport, N.J. racetrack. The bay gelding had won three consecutive races there earlier this season, including the Skip Away Stakes. A Florida homebred of Pia M. Kirkham, Chirac is trained by Jane Cibelli. There was no mistake about what Elvis Trijullo had in mind for Chirac, sending him straight to the lead in the nine-furlong event. Chirac didn’t get away with easy fractions though, as he burned the opening quarter-mile in :22.98, a half-mile in :46.76, and six furlongs in 1:10.83. Pampered Sir pressed the pace in second, while Coal Play and Actin Good were just off of the frontrunners. As they made their way around the turn, You and I Forever made a charge from the back while splitting horses under Eddie Castro to put himself into contention. But Chirac, who had a four-length advantage at the eighth-pole, had plenty left for the stretch drive and extended his lead with every stride. He hit the wire 6 3/4 lengths in front of You and I Forever in a final time of 1:49.11. “The trip was great,” Trujillo said. “I just wanted to get him on the lead. When we got to the front, I just let him do his thing, and that’s what he did. He ran his race all the way around and was getting better and better as we went on. This is very nice horse.” Though Trujillo’s plan may have been clear, Cibelli was a bit surprised at how the race played out. “I wasn’t expecting to be on the lead,” Cibelli admitted. “I wanted to be close, but if it turned out we would be on the lead, than it was okay….He beat some real nice horses in there. The Meadowlands Cup (gr. II, Oct. 16) will be next for him.” Chirac, who is out of the You and I mare Mona Lisa, earned $180,000 for the victory and upped his career bankroll to $347,630. He is now 7-1-4 from 16 lifetime starts. -edited from bloodhorse.com
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8.17.2009 - Red Bullet 2YO Shoots to Victory in CARF Debutante S.
Red Bullet’s two-year-old daughter Unbridled Meeting turned back odds-on Ballistic Sue in winning a heated pace duel and had enough left in the stretch to win the CARF Debutante Stakes on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields. Unbridled Meeting broke alertly under William Antongeorgi and led Ballistic Sue by a head through fractions of 21.75 and 44.81 seconds. The pace proved too much for Ballistic Sue, who was through by the quarter pole in the six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. Unbridled Meeting held a three-length advantage over Got an Itch at the top of the stretch and defeated her by 1 lengths in 1:13.15. Skirt and a Tie was another 5 lengths back in third. "I wanted to get my horse out there and make sure that [Ballistic Sue] didn't get an easy lead," said Antongeorgi. " My filly kicked on and put her away. Everything went perfect." The victory was worth $40,300 for Unbridled Meeting, a Cal-bred daughter of Red Bullet owned by breeder Terry Lovingier and Templeton Horses. Unbridled Meeting, coming off a third in the CTBA Stakes at Del Mar, has now earned $86,712. Red Bullet is also the sire of Red Lead, who earned black type for the third time in his career the day earlier in the $100,000 Prelude S. at Louisiana Downs. -edited from drf.com
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8.16.2009 - Ginger Brew Best in Belle Mahone
Stronach Stables homebred Ginger Brew continued her march to millionaire status with her victory in the $100,000 Belle Mahone Stakes at Woodbine on August 15. She has now earned $917,878 and has been off the board only once in her 13 race career. Ginger Brew took Kabel straight to the front, where she established fractions of :24.96, :48.76 and 1:12.84, pressured from the outside by Smart Surprise. "(Trainer) Brian (Lynch) said he had lots of confidence in her today and she was on her game,” Kabel said. “Nobody wanted the lead, she was there and I wasn't going to take her back. He had her spot on." Ginger Brew put away Smart Surprise inside the quarter pole, but had to brace herself for a dangerous stretch challenge from Simply Splendid. In the final 70 yards, the 2008 Woodbine Oaks champ repelled the chestnut filly and notched her third career stakes score. Ginger Brew, who is trained by Brian Lynch and was ridden by Todd Kabel, travelled 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.55. “We have the Canadian (September 20) in mind. There are good things ahead," he said. "She's developed into a lovely mare. She's very versatile. She can go to the lead if there's no pace, or she can sit off of it." -edited from Woobineentertainment.com
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8.16.2009 - Adena Stallions Dominate Prelude Stakes
The $100,000 Prelude Stakes at Louisiana Downs is building a reputation for tight finishes. Last year, there was a three-way photo for the win. Saturday, the story was much the same at the wire, with Uno Mas, by Macho Uno, edging Electric Alphabet ( Alphabet Soup) and Red Lead ( Red Bullet) by a neck in the 1 1/16-mile prep for next month’s Grade 3, $750,000 Super Derby. Uno Mas closed well through the lane to win the Prelude, which in addition to a first-place check of $60,000 offers its winner a fees-paid berth into the Super Derby on Sept. 19. Shane Sellers was aboard Uno Mas, who settled in seventh early, moved up midway on the final turn, and angled out past the eighth pole to run down Electric Alphabet and a determined Red Lead. The winner covered the distance on a track rated fast in 1:44.64. Steve Asmussen trains Uno Mas, who picked up his first stakes win in the race for owners Bob and Cathy Zollars and Mark Wagner. The Macho Uno colt had previously earned blacktype in the Risen Star S. (G3), Northern Dancer S. and the Prairie Mile S.
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8.9.2009 - Stakes Winner #5 For Congaree
Conchaser graduated by 7 1/2 lengths at Tampa Mar. 17, then gave a good account of himself when third to Capt. Candyman Can in the May 16 Matt Winn S. at Churchill Downs. He was second by a length when stretched out for the June 6 Prairie Mile S. at Prairie Medows. Back to one turn for the Forward Pass at Arlington Park, Conchaser stalked the pace from second, edged to the front in upper stretch and stayed on gamely for the win. Conchacer races for Savoy Stable and was bred by Lantern Hill Farm LLC & Lightning Group. He is the fifth first crop stakes winner for multiple Grade 1 winner Congaree, who has now sired stakes winners on dirt, turf and synthetic surfaces. -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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8.4.2009 - Indy King's 'Queen' A 9-Length Oaks Winner
Even money favorite Mindy Queen surged to the lead midway through the final turn and romped home a 9 ¼ length winner of the Assiniboia Oaks on August 3. The daughter of Indy King has now won seven of her 10 career starts and increased her bankroll to $100,020. She races in the colors of Alton and Majel Olson and is trained by Joel Berndt. Mindy Queen is out of the Awesome Again mare Scarlet Fire and was bred in Florida by Joey Derry & Heather Anderson.
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8.3.2009 - Adena Stallions Offered on Southern Hemisphere Time
Adena Springs has announced that stallions at their Kentucky and Florida locations will be available for breeding on Southern Hemisphere time this fall. "Our stallion roster is extremely appealing to international breeders, and we wish to accommodate them by offering our stallions at a very competitive price,” said Andy Stronach, president of Adena Springs. “Our customers recognize the impact that our roster has made on the international racing scene, and they are very anxious to introduce these bloodlines into the Southern Hemisphere market.”
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8.2.2009 - Ageless Rumor Has It The Talk of Arlington
James F. Glenn and William S. Patterson’s Rumor Has It held off a surging Major Rhythm by a neck in Saturday’s feature, the $54,200 Rossi Gold Stakes for 3-year-olds and up going 1 3/16 miles over an Arlington Park turf course rated “firm.” Jockey Eduardo Perez put the David Hinsley trainee on the lead and never looked back covering the distance in 1:59.56. “ He’s seems to be getting better as he gets older,” said Hinsley. “He’s eight now. We’re just going to along with our program and hope everything works out.” The Rossi Gold Stakes earned the Awesome Again gelding his second stakes win of the meet as he took the $52,500 Polar Expedition on June 27. Rumor Has It now has a bankroll of $291,156 and a career record of 6-5-0 from 29 starts. -edited from arlingtonpark.com
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8.1.2009 - Milwaukee Miracle Rolls to Third Stakes Win
Milwaukee Miracle handled the sloppy surface at Louisiana Downs on August 1 to easily win the $100,000 Louisiana Cup Derby. Allowed to settle into last in the early going, the three-year-old son of Milwaukee Brew launched his bid around the far turn and coasted to a 3-length score. The Louisiana Cup Derby was the third stakes victory of 2009 for Milwaukee Appeal, who increased his career earnings to $211,130. He has now finished on the board in 8 of his 11 starts for owner/breeders Tom Curtis and Wayne Simpson and trainer Curt Bourque. Milwaukee Brew is the #1 third crop sire in Florida and ranks behind only Montbrook on that state’s General Sire List.
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7.26.2009 - Courageous First Winner for North Light
Champion North Light, winner of the 2004 Vodafone Epsom Derby (G1), was represented by his first winner on July 25 when his son Celtic New Year won a maiden special contest at Ellis Park. The 2yo gelding took the 5 1/2-furlong race by a head after enduring a difficult trip. He stopped the teletimer in 1:05.69 for owner Michael Jawl and trainer Chuck Peery. Celtic New York was making his racing debut after training smartly at Keeneland and went postward as the 8-5 chalk. Tucked into a ground-saving third in the early stages, the bay seemed willing to skim the rail turning for home, but the hole was closed off by pacesetter Gentleman John. The crowd’s choice took up, angled out to the two path and drove through between rivals to earn the milestone victory. Bred in Kentucky by Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs, Celtic New York is the second winner from the winning Dynaformer mare Reggae Queen. -edited from bloodhorse.com and Thoroughbred Daily News
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7.21.2009 - Six Figure Touch Gold Filly at Fasig July
A yearling filly by Classic winner Touch Gold brought $150,000 on day one of the Fasig-Tipton July sale. Only four other fillies sold for a higher price during the opening session. Out of the stakes-producing Grindstone mare Seeking the Silver, the attractive filly was purchased by Bob Feld, agent for Sagamore Farm. Hidden Brook, agt handled the consignment duties. Touch Gold is the sire of four Grade 1 winners and his lifetime yearling average remains in excess of $100,000.
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7.20.2009 - Champ Fatal Bullet Returns Firing
Fatal Bullet, Canada's reigning Horse of the Year, won his first start since finishing second in last year's Breeder's Cup Sprint in the $151,350 Bold Venture Stakes on Sunday at Woodbine. Fatal Bullet led throughout the 6 1/2-furlong dash, setting fractions of 22.58 seconds and 44.55 under Eurico Rosa Da Silva. He established a clear advantage early in the stretch, and then coasted home on top by 2 1/4 lengths over Jungle Wave, who held off True Vindication for second. Not Bourbon, the 2008 Queens's Plate winner, was scratched. The final time, 1:14.90, was just 0.36 off Fatal Bullet's own Polytrack record, which was set in last year's Bold Venture. "The horse was ready," said Da Silva. "He looked fabulous. When you move your hands a little bit, he's there to give you [something]. I think he'll be better this year." Fatal Bullet, trained by Reade Baker, earned $90,000 for Bear Stable, upping his career bankroll to $848,636. -edited from DRF.com
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7.19.2009 - Peach Brew Rallies To Win G3 Arlington Oaks
Peach Brew, far back early, wore down her rivals in the homestretch after to post a half-length victory in the $150,000 Arlington Oaks (gr. III) July 18. Ridden by Quincy Hamilton, Peach Brew angled off the rail at the three-sixteenths pole and split horses mid-stretch to get the lead, holding off 21-1 shot Sweet and Flawless in deep stretch. Hamilton earned his first Arlington stakes score aboard the Donnie K. Von Hemel-trained daughter of Milwaukee Brew. Owned by Robert H. Zoellner, Peach Brew covered the 1 1/8-mile event for 3-year-old fillies over Polytrack in 1:50.89. “Words can’t describe what it’s like to ride a filly like that,” Hamilton said. “When she gets ready to go, she knows it’s time and she gives it 110 percent every time. She sure went into her last race well and came out of it well.” The come-from-behind rally for Peach Brew was not without some anxious moments for trainer Von Hemel. “I was very concerned,” said the veteran conditioner, who returned to Arlington Park for the 2009 season after an absence of several years. “The favorite is on the lead by herself, and with the way the racetrack was playing, I was very concerned, but she got the job done.” The Arlington Oaks was the first graded stakes win for both horse and owner. The victory was the third in 13 starts for the Oklahoma homebred, who is is out of the Hickory Ridge mare Georgia Ok. She added $89,400 to her earnings, which now stand at $212,006. -edited from Bloodhorse.com
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7.1.2009 - Alphabet Soup's 'Barber' Sharp in Belmont Stake
Sal the Barber overcame a bit of traffic to score by a neck at 13-1 on debut over the Gulfstream turf course Mar. 7 and followed that effort with a solid third in a Keeneland allowance test rained onto the Polytrack Apr. 19. Returned to the green stuff for the Lamplighter S. at Monmouth May 25, the homebred rallied from midpack to complete the triple, just a nose behind Tamborim for second money. In his second stakes attempt, the Don Jack S. at Belmont Park, the three-year-old son of Alphabet Soup, cut out fractions of :49.84 and 1:14.32. He shook loose turning for home and covered his final three-eighths in :34.82 to post an easy victory. Sal the Barber races for his breeder Lewis Schaffel and has never finished off the board in his four-race career. The winner’s millionaire second dam took the 1989 GI John A. Morris H. at Saratoga and was the runner-up to Bayakoa (Arg) in the 1990 GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff. -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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6.27.2009 - No Doubt About It: Rumor Has It Easily at Arlington
James Glenn and William Patterson's Rumor Has It had everything his way going gate to wire in Saturday's $52,500 Polar Expedition for 3-year-olds and up at Arlington Park on Saturday at the seldom used distance of a mile and three-quarters. Rumor Has It, perfectly timed throughout by jockey Eduardo Perez, broke on top in the six-horse field and was never pressed, drawing off to lead by as many as 20 lengths early before reporting home 5 ¾ lengths in front. The David Hinsley trainee improved his career earnings to $258,636 and improved his record to five wins from 28 starts. Making his first start on the Arlington Park Polytrack, the 8-year-old Awesome Again gelding completed the distance in 3:03.84. "He likes to run a distance," commented Perez. "It looked like he was running off, but he was relaxed. It looked like he was working out in the morning, and then he started running again. This horse gives everything he can." Rumor Has It won the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Turf last season. -edited from Arlingtonpark.com
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6.14.2009 - Macho Again Comes Up Big in G1 Stephen Foster
West Point Thoroughbreds' Macho Again found room off the turn and pulled away from a wall of horses to win the $660,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) June 13 at Churchill Downs. In posting his one-length score, Macho Again earned his first grade I victory and also denied Einstein becoming the first horse to win a grade I race on dirt, turf and synthetics in the same year. The 7-year-old son of Spend a Buck, who went off as the 6-5 favorite, finished third after a troubled trip. Macho Again, a 4-year-old son of Macho Uno, was last in a field of eight for half-mile in the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster, content to let Finallymadeit set the pace for most of the way. Finallymadeit posted splits of :24.03, :48.13 and 1:12.71 under Eduardo Nunez, and still led at the quarter-pole. Researcher tracked in second the whole way, while Alphabet Magic, Bullsbay and Einstein were in the next group. "The race set up great for us today," said Albarado. "We had an outside trip and got a clear run. It's not by design that I wanted to go that wide, but I just put him in a path where he can run around horses. He prevailed to be the best today." Macho Again won for the second time in four starts this season. The gray/roan colt scored in the slop in the March 14 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) at Fair Founds, and last out was sixth to Bullsbay in the Alysheba (gr. II) at Churchill. As a 3-year-old, Macho Again won the Derby Trial and Jim Dandy (gr. II). Bred in Florida by Milan Kosanovich and out of the Wild Again mare Go Donna Go, Macho Again won for the sixth time in 18 starts and has now earned $1,475,247. He is trained by Dallas Stewart, who said the Aug. 8 Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga would be the next goal for Macho Again, who ran in the Travers last season and was second to Big Brown in the Preakness (gr. I). -edited from bloodhorse.com
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6.13.2009 - Sligo Bay's Chirac Takes Skip Away Stakes
Chirac, a four-year-old gelding by Sligo Bay, proved best in the Skip Away S. at Monmouth Park on June 14. Under jockey Elis Trjillo, Chirac gained command at the start and held the lead nearly wire- to-wire. He repulsed a brief bid from Gold Trippi at the ¾ pole and drew off to a comfortable 1 ¼ length victory. Out of a mare by You and I, Sligo Bay was bred in Florida by his owner Pia M. Kirkham and has now earned $132,630. He is Sligo Bay’s second stakes winner and fourth stakes horse of 2009
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6.7.2009 - A 'Brew Filly Takes Woodbine Oaks for 2nd Straight Year
Milwaukee Appeal put away Tasty Temptation in the stretch en route to a decisive score in Sunday's $503,200 Woodbine Oaks, the first leg of the Canadian triple tiara. Koonunga Hill set quick fractions of 23.73 seconds and 48.01, while Milwaukee Appeal stalked in second until the far turn. Tasty Temptation made a big wide move approaching the three-eighths pole and then hit the front briefly on the far turn, but Milwaukee Appeal dug in and kicked away in the stretch to prevail by 3 3/4 lengths. Miss Blakely rallied belatedly to nose out another U.S. invader, favored Wynning Ride, for third in the 13-horse field of Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies. Toronto native Stewart Elliott said he had smooth sailing aboard the Scott Fairlie-trained Milwaukee Appeal. "Mr. Fairlie told me that she's easy to ride," said Elliott. "She lays close, and she'll do whatever you want. The way she came out of there, I thought we were going to be in front, but she settled, rated, and finished great." The final time of 1:49.84 was tied for fourth-fastest in the 54 runnings of the Oaks. "She's continued to improve," said Fairlie. "I think Stewart rode a hell of a race. He left the filly alone, and when Tasty Temptation came up beside her, she kicked on." Milwaukee Appeal banked $300,000 for C E C Farm, boosting her bankroll to $649,938. She is the second filly by the Wild Again stallion Milwaukee Brew to win the Oaks after 2008 winner Ginger Brew. That filly was eventually named champion three-year-old filly in Canada.
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5.17.2009 - 'Heroes' Makes It 4 for 4 In G3 Hirsch Jacobs
Cash Counter Stables’ undefeated Everyday Heroes returned from a brief vacation May 16 and picked up where he left off—a race ending in the winner’s circle. Everyday Heroes, trained by Tim Ritchey and ridden by Jose Caraballo, rated just off a disputed pace and powered away to easily take the $100,000 Hirsch Jacobs Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds at six furlongs at Pimlico Race Course. Everyday Heroes had won the first three starts of his career at Oaklawn Park earlier this year. The Hirsch Jacobs featured a battle between Nuclear Wayne and Yano, who fought through fractions of :22.71 for the first quarter-mile and :44.96 for a half-mile on a fast track. Caraballo placed Everyday Heroes, who was steadied soon after the start when in tight, about a length behind the leading duo heading into the far turn. Caraballo took the colt three-wide to challenge on the turn. Everyday Heroes took over heading for home and drew away to win by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:09.51. "At the middle of the turn, I tapped him on the shoulder and he shook loose," Caraballo said. "He started goofing around, looking around and waiting for other horses to come at him. I wasn’t going to fight him the last eighth of a mile." A Kentucky-bred by Marathon Farms, Everyday Heroes, by Awesome Again out of the Dayjur mare Lucette, raced through his conditions at Oaklawn. He won a maiden special weight event, a non-winners of two lifetime allowance test, and a non-winners of three lifetime allowance race. He did so racing on or just off the lead. “This horse is undefeated and we knew we had a good horse when he beat older horses twice earlier this year at Oaklawn Park," said Ritchey, who won with the only starter he had on the Preakness day card. "They were nice older horses, and that’s a 3-year-old. He really impressed us. He has tons of ability, but we may need to keep him focused a little more during his races.” -edited from Bloodhorse.com
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5.14.2009 - The Sky's The Limit for Mythical Power
Mythical Power was sprawled in his stall out sleeping on a recent morning, dreaming, perhaps, of what lies ahead after his smashing win in the Grade 3, $400,000 Lone Star Derby. The developing colt turned in a career performance in 1 1/16-mile race Saturday at Lone Star Park, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 101. What's in store for him next is to be determined, said his trainer, Bob Baffert, but it appears Mythical Power might be an exciting 3-year-old for the second half of 2009. "We're looking at big races in the summer, you know, later on," said Baffert, who trains the horse for his breeder, Peachtree Stable. "I don't know what we're going to do yet. We've got to figure out a plan. He's still developing. He's still a baby." Baffert said Mythical Power could be considered for a race like the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2. Mythical Power, who flew out of Lone Star on Tuesday, has made just five career starts, his last three at two turns. He won his maiden in his first route start at Santa Anita in March. One start later, Mythical Power traveled to New Mexico and ran second in the $800,000 Sunland Derby. In that race he finished in front of both Mine That Bird, who was fourth and went on in his next start to win the Kentucky Derby, and Advice, who was fifth and one start later took the Grade 2 Lexington. The company line contributed to Mythical Power being the favorite in the Lone Star Derby. He delivered in a big way, stalking the pace and closing for a 7 1/2-length win under Victor Espinoza. "The horse is just learning," Espinoza said. "He's a young horse. He's learning race by race. I think it's just a matter of time, he can be a nice horse. I mean, he's a really good horse, but he can prove more." "He's going to get better and better," said Baffert. Mythical Power is a beautiful son of Congaree, the third-place finisher in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness back in 2001 who was trained by Baffert. The horse was a multiple Grade 1 winner of $3.2 million, among his wins the Wood Memorial and Swaps. "It's good to win with a Congaree," said Baffert. -edited from DRF.com
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4.26.2009 - Speedy New Stakes Winner for Macho Uno
Kays and Jays, a daughter of Macho Uno, missed by a neck when runner-up in the NATC Sorority S. at Monmouth Park Sept. 27 and made one additional appearance at two. She made a successful three-year-old, taking a March 21 allowance down the hill at Santa Anita in front-running style. Heavily favored in her return to stakes competition, the bay pressed Affirmed Truth through fractions of :21.74 and :44.60, took control at the head of the stretch and powered clear to a 9-length score. She stopped the clock in 1:08 3/5, upping her career bankroll to $150,200 for owner Zayat Stables. -edited from the Thoroughbred Daily News
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4.20.2009 - Milwaukee Appeal Goes Over Quarter Million Dollar Mark
Milwaukee Appeal concluded her juvenile campaign with a win in the Ontario Lassie S. in late November. Picking up where she left off, the CEC Farms homebred was near the back of the pack early, but put forth a strong four-wide rally on the turn, forged to lead in upper stretch and drew away in the $123,780 Star Shoot Stakes. The filly has now won four of her seven starts and has finished off the board only once in her promising young career. Her bankroll now stands at $253,165. Milwaukee Brew finished 2008 as the leading 2nd crop sire in Florida and this year he ranks as the leading 3rd crop sire in the Sunshine State. -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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4.19.2009 - Spritely Romps in Rich Sugar Maple Stakes
In the $250,000 Sugar Maple Stakes for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, at seven furlongs, Edward Evans’ Spritely dueled for the lead until the far turn and stormed home to win easily by 3 ¼ lengths under John Velazquez. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Spritely won for the fifth time in 11 starts. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Touch Gold wasn’t hampered by the outside post 10 in the two-turn event. She nearly doubled her career earnings to over $300,000. -edited from Bloodhorse.com
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4.12.2009 - All Smiles Again in Dahlia Stakes
Cynthia McGinnes’ All Smiles closed with a rush to win the $50,000 Dahlia Stakes contested over the sloppy main track this afternoon at Laurel Park. The race had been carded for the turf but it was switched to the dirt after steady rain. Under jockey Jeremy Rose, All Smiles dropped back to last and was still last starting for home when she split horses and angled to the far outside for the run to the finish line. British Event was the leader at the furlong marker, but First Ascent was rallying quickly along the rail and All Smiles was winging on the far outside. All Smiles finished fastest of all and won by a length. “The pace wasn’t fast but they were all bunched up and nobody got a breather,” said Rose, who won five stakes races during the Laurel winter meet, which ended this afternoon. “I was told to go outside. I got in between horses. She kind of hesitated but went to the outside and finished up strong.” The Dahlia was the second stakes win of 2009 for All Smiles. She won the Nellie Morse Stakes earlier this year on the Maryland circuit. She has now earned $184,020. -edited from laurelpark.com
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4.7.2009 - Touch Gold Miss The Filly Sales Topper at KEEAPR
A filly by Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Touch Gold sold for $320,000 on opening night of the Keeneland Two-Year-Old in Training sale. The price was the highest paid for a filly at the sale. John Stephens consigned the miss, a homebred for Brandon Perry’s Paragon Farm. She is out of the winning Meadowlake mare Field of Glory, a sister to the multiple graded stakes winner Randaroo. Steve Young, agent signed the ticket. Touch Gold juveniles have averaged $104,167 this season and his lifetime 2YO average is also in the six figures.
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3.28.2009 - Two Stakes In A Row For Milwaukee Miracle
Milwaukee Miracle trailed 11 of his rivals after a half mile in the $75,000 Crescent City Derby. But after unleashing a powerful rally, the three-year-old son of Milwaukee Brew coasted home a 4 ¼ length victor. It was his fourth win from eight starts and his second consecutive stakes victory. Milwaukee Miracle was bred by his owners, Curtis and Wayne Simpson, and is trained by Robert Young. He has now earned $130,630 and is among the four stakes runners for Milwaukee Brew so far in 2009.
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3.19.2009 - Macho Uno Filly Sells For $360,000 at OBS March
A gray filly by Macho Uno--Forbidden Kiss from the draft of Eddie Woods brought a bid of $360,000 to be the second-highest-priced filly of the OBS March Two-Year-Old in Training sale. The winning bidders were Gabriel Duignan and Ben McElroy’s Elite Horse Racing, in partnership with Tommy Hamilton’s Silverton Hill LLC. The filly, hip 174, is a daughter of the winning eight-year-old Touch Gold mare Forbidden Kiss, herself a daughter of MGSW Rabiadella (Dynaformer) and a sister to GSW Diadella (Diesis {GB}). “We would have liked to get her a little bit cheaper, but she’s just a beautiful filly,” Duignan said afterwards. “She’s just such an athlete--her work was superior. She’s a very sound, nice filly.” -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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3.17.2009 - Ghostzapper Colt Tops Adena 2YO Sale
A colt from the first crop of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper topped the 2009 edition of the Adena Springs sale
of two-year-olds in training on Monday evening on a $250,000 bid by trainer Mike
Maker.
Bidding for Louisville attorney Thomas Conway, Maker outlasted several other
bidders for the fifth foal out of Grade 1 winner Collect the Cash, by
Dynaformer.
“We liked everything about him,” Maker said, “and Mr. Conway really loves the
pedigree. He's a big, athletic colt.”
Maker will send the colt to his Kentucky-based stable, where he already
trains six horses for Conway, including 2009 Dania Beach Stakes winner Jack
Spratt.
Collect the Cash won the 2000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) at
Keeneland Race Course and already has produced stakes-placed winner Money My
Honey. Over the next two days at the OBS March 2YO sale Ghostzapper juveniles continued to be in high demand, selling for $300,000 & $210,000.
- edited from Thoroughbredtimes.com
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3.15.2009 - 'Macho' a Millionaire After New Orleans H. Win
West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again came roaring from off the pace to capture the $500,000 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) in the slop at
Fair Grounds March 14. The victory made Macho Again a millionaire.
Macho Again was in
no hurry down the backstretch under Robby Albarado, content to race next-to-last
in the field of 11. The 4-year-old Macho Uno
colt was still ninth after three-quarters, but began his winning move on the
final turn while being taken six-wide. Once he straightened away, Macho Again
set his sights on longtime leader Secret Getaway and the gray/roan colt kept
charging until streaking past him in deep stretch, eventually crossing the wire
a length in front. It was Albarado’s fourth victory of the afternoon.
Macho Again, bred in Florida by Milan
Kosanovich, was making his second start of the season. During his sophomore campaign, Macho Again won the Jim Dandy (gr. II) and was runner-up to
Big Brown in the Preakness (gr. I).
Macho Again, out of the Wild Again mare Go
Donna Go, is now 5-4-0 from 16 starts with earnings of $1,076,619.
- edited from Bloodhorse.com
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3.10.2009 - A Sweet New Stakes Winner for Sligo Bay
Dulce Agar is the latest stakes winner for Grade 1 winner Sligo Bay after his 1 ¼ length victory in the Ramon Llobet Junior S. on March 8. Previously Grade 1-placed, Dulce Agar upped his lifetime earnings to $106,456. The 3YO colt has now won three of nine starts for owner Establo Estrada and trainer Moises Diaz and has finished off the board only twice in his career. Dulce Agar is out of the Kipper Kelly mare House Keeper and was bred by Jorge Jimenez.
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3.9.2009 - Leading Trainers Tout Awesome Again
The Blood-Horse interviewed several leading trainers to get their take on the offspring of 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again. Below is sample of the what they had to say: “I love training the offspring of Awesome Again. He is a hell of a
stallion. He throws a very nice individual. Their soundness goes along
way”- leading California trainer Craig Dollase“How could you not like the Awesome Agains?”- Eclipse Award-winning trainer Bobby Frankel“They are a pretty hardy type of horse. They will sprint, go long, on dirt, on turf. He is very consistent”- leading Canadian trainer Brian Lynch“They are not always flashy, but they are horses that can compete at the highest levels. They can run at all distances as well”- Eclipse Award winning trainer Todd Pletcher
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3.5.2009 - Ghostzapper Filly Brings $400,000 at FT-Calder
Hip #174, a filly by Ghostzapper, brought a final price of $400,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Calder Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training sale. She was the first juvenile offered at public auction by the 2004 Horse of the Year. Out of the stakes-winning and blacktype-producing Meadowlake mare Holiday Runner, the filly was purchased by Kaleem S. Shah from the Hartley/De Renzo consignment. She breezed an eighth of a mile in :10.2 prior to the sale.
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3.1.2009 - Milwaukee Miracle Takes Gentilly S.
Tom Curtis's Milwaukee Miracle came from far back to score a 2 1/2-length victory in the $60,000 Gentilly Stakes, the first of two stakes races for 3-year-old Louisiana-breds Saturday at Fair Grounds. Milwaukee Miracle rewarded his backers …while accomplishing the about 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:46.76 over the firm Stall-Wilson turf course. The Milwaukee Brew colt, trained by Robert Young, increased his career earnings to $85,630 with his third win in seven lifetime starts. Winning jockey Donnie Meche thought Milwaukee Miracle would love his first start around two turns as well as his first over grass. "I loved his chances going the distance," said Meche in the winner's circle. "I was in a little bit of trouble early behind the field but once he got clear he just accelerated." Milwaukee Miracle is the seventh stakes winner from the first two crop by Milwaukee Brew, Florida’s leading second crop sire of 2008. -edited from fairgroundsracecourse.com
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2.22.2009 - New Stakes Winner For Alphabet Soup
Walloon is Alphabet Soup’s latest stakes winner after storming to victory in the Valdale Stakes at Turfway Park on February 21. The three-year-old filly is a Donamire Farm home bred out of the Crafty Prospector mare Northern Destiny. She took the Valdale by 3 ¼ lengths, her second victory from six lifetime starts. Walloon is the 36th lifetime stakes winner for Alphabet Soup, winner of the 1996 Breeders’ Cup Classic over Cigar.
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2.20.2009 - Experts Lining Up Behind Ghostzapper
For the past 13 years the Thoroughbred Times has asked a panel of experts to handicap the race for leading first crop sire. This year two of the four panelists, leading juvenile consignor and pinhooker Eddie Woods and Eric Guillot, Southern Equine vice president and general manager, have chosen Horse of the Year Ghostzapper to reign supreme atop the freshman sire standings. Mr. Woods had this to say about the progeny of Ghostzapper: “We’ve seen oodles of Ghostzappers that we loved as yearlings that we couldn’t buy. We did get one out of Fasig-Tipton July and she is awesome. She acts like a very very good filly. We’re taking her to Miami and I can’t wait to get there with her. I wish we had a few more like her.” Mr. Guillot added: “We’ve probably got half a dozen Ghostzappers. We bought three or four and bred the others. He is a phenomenal individual, and his babies look like they have great bone…they look like their daddy and have a lot of substance to them. I’ve got a good one out of Victory Ride that we paid a lot of money for.”
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2.6.2009 - Back-To-Back Stakes Wins for Awesome I Am
Awesome I Am ran third to Music Note in the GI Gazelle S. last September, and notched the first black-type win of her career with a 1 3/4-length
decision in the Restored Hope S. Jan. 2. Looking for her second
straight stakes score, Awesome I Am saved ground while racing about
four lengths off the freewheeling pacesetter Devil House. In behind
horses turning for home, she angled wide for running room at the 3/16th
pole and closed resolutely to best Devil House going away. Bred
by Ocala Stud Farm, out of the Known Fact mare Facts of Winning,
Awesome I Am has now earned over $190,000 for owner Sovereign Stable
and trainer John Terranova. The filly is one of 14 stakes horses sired
by Awesome Again out of mares carrying the influence of In Reality.
Among the others is Awesome Again’s best runner, Horse of the Year
Ghostzapper. -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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2.2.2009 - New Group Winner for Touch Gold
Touch Gold’s Ferrari Pisa took the Group 3 Negishi Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan on February 1. It was the third stakes win and first group victory for the five-year-old son of the 1997 Belmont Stakes winner. Bred by Sarum Farm, Ferrari Pisa has now won or placed in 13 of 19 career starts for owner Yoshimi Ichikawa.
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1.26.2009 - Two More Eclipse Awards For Adena/Stronach Racing
History repeated itself in a big way for Frank Stronach. For the second time in his career, the Austrian native earned an Eclipse Award as both outstanding breeder and top owner in the same year. In 2008, his Adena Springs was named best breeder, and his Stronach Stables was chosen top owner. Stronach, who won both titles in 2000, had some big numbers working in his favor in 2008. There were 573 starters representing Adena Springs as breeder alone or in partnership. Those runners, of which 25 were stakes winners, made 3,679 starts, won 604 races, placed in 1,032 others, and earned $19,247,705. Not bad, considering only one of those starters was bred in partnership. Finishing second by breeders’ earnings was Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable, with $8,521,912, followed by Central Kentucky owner/breeder William S. Farish, with $6,950,184. Stonerside was an Eclipse Award finalist as leading breeder, as was Bill Casner and Kenny Troutt’s WinStar Farm.?In Eclipse Award balloting for leading owner, Stronach Stables outpointed IEAH Stables (Michael Iavarone, co-president). Frank Stronach, either in his name or in the Adena Springs name, has won a record six Eclipse Awards as outstanding breeder. The next closest is the four won by Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms. Stronach has earned four Eclipse Awards as top owner, either in his name or in the name of Stronach Stables, which ties him with John Franks. Adena Springs was represented by nine homebred stakes winners, including graded winners Ginger Punch, Giant Gizmo, Harlem Rocker, Spring Waltz, and Sugar Swirl. Ginger Punch, the 2007 Eclipse Award-winning older female and a 2008 finalist in that division, won five stakes in 2008, including the Personal Ensign Stakes (gr. I) and the Go for Wand (gr. I) and Ogden Phipps (gr. I) Handicaps. Her other stakes wins came in the Louisville Stakes (gr. II) and the restricted Sunshine Millions Distaff Stakes. In a way, Ginger Punch is more than just a homebred. She is by Awesome Again, who stands at Adena Springs near Paris, Ky. Stronach also stands stallions at his Adena Springs South near Williston, Fla. In Canada, where Stronach resides, he owns Adena Springs near Aurora, Ontario. Harlem Rocker was not only a graded stakes winner in New York, but also a classic winner in Canada. He won the Withers Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct, plus the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie as a Stronach Stables lessee. His sire, Macho Uno, stands at Adena Springs near Paris. The year 2008 also was good for Frank Stronach in Canada. Adena Springs was voted a Sovereign Award as outstanding breeder. Stronach Stables picked up three Sovereigns. Fatal Bullet was chosen Horse of the Year and top sprinter, and homebred Ginger Brew was voted best 3-year-old filly. The latter, by Adena Springs stallion Milwaukee Brew, scored her biggest win in the classic Woodbine Oaks. Fatal Bullet, by Adena Springs South stallion Red Bullet, won three stakes in 2008. He ended the year with a runner-up effort in the Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I). -from bloodhorse.com
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1.25.2009 - Another New '09 Stakes Winner for Awesome Again
Cynthia McGinnes’ All Smiles ran down 2-5 favorite Fascinatin’ Rhythm to capture the $50,000 Nellie Morse Stakes at Laurel Park on January 24. All Smiles carried jockey Dale Beckner for trainer Fran Campitelli. The daughter of Awesome Again settled comfortably into fifth place in the one turn, one mile event, while tracking odds-on favorite Fascinatin’ Rhythm into the stretch. She moved outside of the favorite, fought her tooth and nail the rest of the way and won by a neck. “He (trainer Campitelli) told me don’t let her fall to far out of it, just keep her off the pace and it worked out,” said Beckner. “She was game. I felt I had a chance. They ran down the lane and she finished up nice.” All Smiles is Awesome Again’s 2nd new stakes winner already in 2009 after Awesome I Am, winner of the Restored Hope Stakes on January 2. -edited from laurelpark.com press release
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1.22.2009 - First Foal For Silent Name
The first foal by Sunday Silence’s son Silent Name is a colt born Jan. 17 at Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs near Paris, Ky. The newborn is the first offspring from the winning Flying Continental mare Driving Miss Helen. A grade II winner, Japanese-bred Silent Name stands at Adena Springs. Out of the Danehill mare Danzigaway, Silent Name will stand for $5,000 in 2009. -from bloodhorse.com
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1.21.2009 - BC Juvenile Winner Wilko's First Foal Born
Wilko, the 2004 Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner, sired his first foal Jan. 8 at Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs South near Williston, Fla. The newborn colt is the initial offspring out of the winning High Brite mare Brite ’n Happy. Wilko (Awesome Again—Native Roots, by Indian Ridge) stands at Adena Springs South. His 2009 fee is $7,500. -from bloodhorse.com
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1.16.2009 - Canada’s Leading Breeders announce Sligo Bay partnership
Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs Farm and Dr. Michael Colterjohn announced today that Sligo Bay will be relocated to Gardiner Farm in Ontario, Canada, where he will stand the 2009 breeding season.
"This partnership between the top two breeders in Canada puts Adena Springs back into the Ontario market and demonstrates our strong commitment to Ontario racing and breeding," said Adena Springs president Andy Stronach. "Sligo Bay’s proven ability to sire polytrack and grass horses will be of great benefit to us and a huge asset for other Canadian breeders," said Stronach. "We strongly believe in this stallion and his superior bloodlines will help bolster or racing program in Ontario."
"We are very excited to have a proven, Grade 1 winning son of Sadler’s Wells standing in Ontario, and we expect a tremendous response from local breeders," said Dr. Colterjohn.
Sligo Bay is a leading second-crop sire in Florida, siring 35 winners and 6 stakes horses in 2008. He will be standing the 2009 season for $5,000 live foal.
For more information please contact Dr. Michael Colterjohn (905) 584-2293, Dermot Carty (416) 518-1449, or Eric Hamelback (800) 975-5641.
Standing at Gardiner Farms
2009 FEE: $5,000 LIVE FOAL
(payable when foal stands and nurses)
ADENA SPRINGS & Dr. Michael Colterjohn joint venture
Dr. Michael Colterjohn (Cell) (416) 605-0775 Email: gardinerfarms@bellnet.ca
Dermot Carty (416) 518-1449 Email: dermotcarty@aol.com
Box 130 Station Caledon East, Caledon, Ontario L7C3L8 phone (905) 584-2293
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1.13.2009 - Mare In Foal to Ghostzapper Tops Keeneland January
Island Fashion, in foal to Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, commanded a final price of $950,000 to top the opening session of the 2009 Keeneland January sale. She was purchased by Naohiro Hosoda of the Shadai Corp. "She was a good race mare, and she’s still young–not so young, but still young–and she’s carrying a Ghostzapper,” Hosoda told Bloodhorse.com. “If she was going to bring not so much money, we were going to try for her. I made a phone call to Mr. Yoshida, and he said, ‘Go.’ We expected around a million (for the price).” The sale continues Ghostzapper’s early commercial success. He has been the leader of his crop (first foals of 2007) in covering sire, weanling and yearling averages. His first 2yo’s sell next month and will begin racing in the spring.
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1.8.2009 - Pedigree Patterns to Watch for Milwaukee Brew
Written by Alan Porter/TrueNicks.com, January 6, 2009 We've previously drawn attention on this site to the deeds of Milwaukee Brew (TrueNicks,SRO) , who ended 2008 as Florida's leading second-season stallion and third leading sire overall. A runner that peaks at 5 and 6 -- as did Milwaukee Brew, when he won back-to-back renewals of the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) -- is never expected to produce precocious progeny. So it was encouraging that with his first crop (3-year-olds of 2008), the Adena Springs South stallion has been represented by three stakes winners, including Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Ginger Brew. What's a little more surprising, however, is that Milwaukee Brew was represented by a trio of juvenile black-type winners from his second crop. We were particularly intrigued by the most recent of those, Dr. Zic, who took the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa on December 27. Dr. Zic is out of the Holy Bull (TrueNicks,SRO) mare Royal Corona. Now, readers with good memories will remember that, some while back, we discussed Holy Bull's young stallion Macho Uno (TrueNicks,SRO) , who also stands under the Adena Springs banner. What we found particularly interesting about him was that all of his stakes winners (four at the time, now six) have the sire Khaled in their dam. This includes the Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) winner and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) runner-up Macho Again, who is out of a mare by Wild Again (dam by Khaled), the sire of Milwaukee Brew. So, if Holy Bull's son Macho Uno likes Wild Again, we won't be surprised if Wild Again's son Milwaukee Brew like Holy Bull. Adena Springs have been heavy Holy Bull supporters, so this could be an important nick in coming years.
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1.3.2009 - Awesome Again Keeps Rolling in '09 With New SW
Awesome I Am, stalked the pace set by the stakes-winning Spritely (by Touch Gold) and ran down that rival to take the Restored Hope Stakes at Aqueduct on January 2. It was a well-deserved win for the newly turned four-year-old filly who had placed in three stakes during her sophomore campaign. Among her blacktype performances was a third place run to 3-time Grade 1 winner Music Note in the Grade 1 Gazelle Stakes last fall. Awesome I Am is the latest stakes winner for her sire, Awesome Again, who is coming off one of his finest seasons at stud in 2008. Last year, Deputy Minister’s leading sire son was represented by 10 stakes winners, half of them Graded winners, and 22 total stakes performers.
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12.28.2008 - Dr. Zic Remains Unbeaten in Sandpiper Stakes
Milwaukee Brew’s 2YO daughter Dr. Zic scored a wire-to-wire victory in the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on December 27. The attractive chestnut has never been headed in two starts, after wiring a Keeneland maiden special event in her debut on October 12. Dr. Zic is the third juvenile stakes winner and sixth overall stakes winner in 2008 for multiple Grade 1 winner Milwaukee Brew. He is the leading second crop sire in Florida and the #4 second crop sire in North America. Only Sky Mesa has more Northern Hemisphere stakes winners among this continent’s second crop sires
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12.19.2008 - Adena Springs January OBS Sale
We know how to breed horses...
Adena Springs - North America's Leading Breeding Farm, is proud to present its latest consignment of broodmares selling at OBS January. These mares will be sold in the consignor preferred section on January 6th. Once again, we have assembled a young and select group of broodmares in foal to Adena Stallions. With these carefully selected matings, Mr. Stronach hopes to give prospective buyers an opportunity to enjoy the same success he has achieved over the years. This is your opportunity to be part of a championship program that has won 5 Eclipse Awards and 8 Sovereign Awards as leading breeder.
In recent years we have sold the dams of these Graded stakes performers:
Ginger Punch - Champion and Multiple Grade 1 winner
Flower Alley - Grade 1 winner and stallion
Ginger Brew - Champion 3yr old filly
Giant Gizmo - Multiple Grade 3 winner
Harlem Rocker - Grade 3 winner and Grade 1 placed
This group of young mares, some of which are in foal for the first time to Adena Stallions, are by leading broodmares sires such as: Alphabet Soup, Arch, Awesome Again, Bertrando, Conquistador Cielo, Crafty Prospector, El Prado, Holy Bull, Honour and Glory, Montbrook, Mt. Livermore, Notebook, Nureyev, Out of Place, Phone Trick, Pine Bluff, Pleasant Tap, Polish Numbers, Quiet American, Runaway Groom, Salt Lake, Silver Charm, Siphon, Sky Classic, Smart Strike, Thunder Gulch, Touch Gold, Valid Expectations, Wild Again, and You and I.
Please take note of the following mares that have had exciting recent updates to their pedigrees:
Hip #139 Platinum Jewel: This is a half sister to the recently crowned Canadian Horse of the Year, and Champion Sprinter, Fatal Bullet. Fatal Bullet ran a very game second to Midnight Lute in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Sprint in his last start. Fatal Bullet is being pointed to the Grade 1 Malibu on Dec 26th in California. Platinum Jewel is in foal for the first time to 2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Wilko who will have his first foals in 2009.
Hip #163 Storm Swirl: This is a half sister to the exciting 2yr old colt Capt. Candyman Can. Since the catalog, Capt. Candyman Can ran 3rd in a blanket finish in the Grade 3 Kentucky Jockey Club stakes at Churchill. He is a very exciting horse to watch, and he should find himself in the mix for the 2009 Kentucky Derby. This mare is in foal for the first time to a full brother of the Horse of the Year and Champion colt Ghostzapper. Aristocrat will have his first foals in 2009.
Hip #189 Don't You Worry: This is a half sister to the exciting 2yr old colt Skipadate. Skipadate broke his maiden impressively first time out at Saratoga this summer. He is now Graded stakes placed and has run in such premier stakes as the Grade 3 Delta Jackpot and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Don't You Worry is in foal to the leading Florida Second Crop sire Milwaukee Brew.
Hip #201 Spider Flower: Spider Flower comes from a young stakes producing family. Her half sister Sly Butterfly was purchased by Stonerside out of the Adena Springs Farm consignment if foal to Macho Uno for $410,000 at Keeneland November in 2007. She has since been transferred to the ownership of Darley. This mare is in foal for the first time to a full brother of the Horse of the Year and Champion colt Ghostzapper. Aristocrat will be having his first foals in 2009.
Hip #250 Pleasant Thunder: By a leading broodmare sire Thunder Gulch who is the sire of the dams of over 16 stakes winners. Her ½ sister, Jeux de Danse, recently took the Copano Stakes at Calder. Jeux de Danse now has updated earnings of over $220,000. Jeux de Danse will be pointed to Graded Stakes at the upcoming meet at Gulfstream. Pleasant Thunder is in foal to Florida's leading 2nd-crop sire Milwaukee Brew.
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12.14.2008 - Fatal Bullet, Ginger Brew, Adena Springs Win Sovereign Awards
Fatal Bullet, a three-year-old son of Red Bullet, was named Canada’s Champion Sprinter and Horse of the Year at the Sovereign Awards ceremony on December 12. Fatal Bullet won three stakes events in 2008, including a win in the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Sprint. He set a new track record in that race, his second record-setting performance of the year. Fatal Bullet’s best effort may have come in defeat, though. He ran a game second to Midnight Lute in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita, the fastest Sprint in the history of the Breeders’ Cup. Fatal Bullet was bred by Adena Springs and is a graduate of the 2007 Adena Springs Two-Year-Old in Training sale. Milwaukee Brew’s daughter Ginger Brew also earned a Sovereign Award as Canada’s top three-year-old filly. She was an impressive winner of the Woodbine Oaks as well as the Calder Oaks and Jammed Lovely Stakes. She acquitted herself well against males as well, with a second place run, beaten just a neck, in the historic Queen’s Plate. Like Fatal Bullet, Ginger Brew is a product of the Adena Springs breeding program, which also secured a Sovereign Award. It was the fourth consecutive year Adena Springs was named Canada’s top breeder.
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12.11.2008 - Wilko Well Received by Breeders in 2008
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Wilko proved to be wildly popular in his first season at stud. He bred a total of 124 mares in 2008, the fifth most of any Florida sire. Only Exclusive Quality bred more mares among Florida’s first year sires in 2008.
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12.1.2008 - Silent Name's Record Keeps Improving
Silent Name’s performance in the 2007 Grade 2 Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup is looking better and better. The son of the legendary Sunday Silence won the race by four lengths in race horse time of 1:21 1/5, just 1/5 off the track record. Left in his wake that day were Lewis Michael and Midnight Lute. The former set a track record in winning the 2008 Pat O’Brien H. (G2) at Del Mar. Midnight Lute, of course, went on to win the ’07 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) and an Eclipse Award after falling to Silent Name in the Commonwealth. In 2008, Midnight Lute came back to become the only horse to ever win the Sprint twice and did so in the fastest time in the 25-year history of the race (1:07).
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12.1.2008 - Giacomo In Select Sire Company
Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Giacomo is proving to be one of the most popular young stallions in Kentucky, breeding over 100 mares in each of his first two seasons at stud. He bred 107 mares in his first year in 2007 and covered even more, 112, in 2008. Of the 13 (second year) Kentucky stallions who have covered 100 or more mares in their first two seasons, only Giacomo, Bernadini and Henny Hughes, covered more mares in their second season than in their first.
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12.1.2008 - Milwaukee Appeal Best in Ontario Lassie
Milwaukee Appeal notched her first career stakes win in Woodbine's $122,351 Ontario Lassie Stakes Nov. 30, defeating the 2-5 favorite Retraceable by 1 1/4 lengths. The daughter of Milwaukee Brew sat just off the pace and opened up a comfortable lead mid-stretch to capture the 1 1/16-mile contest for Ontario-foaled 2-year-old fillies at odds of nearly 8-1. Owned by C. E. C. Farms, Milwaukee Appeal was ridden by Na Somsanith. She traveled the 1 1/16-mile distance on Polytrack in 1:45.43 on a snowy, windy afternoon. The bay filly raced in third, within two lengths, for the first half-mile, which D' Country carved out in :50.19. On the second turn, Milwaukee Appeal advanced on the leader and took charge in upper stretch. "This filly has improved from day one. She's matured and always gotten better with each race," said winning trainer Scott Fairlie, "Milwaukee Brew stamps his foals pretty well.” The homebred filly, who is out of Appealing Forum, is now 3-for-6 lifetime with $190,466 in earnings. -edited from Bloodhorse.com
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11.29.2008 - Springside Awesome in G2 Demoiselle
Canadian invader Springside rallied from last on the final turn and overpowered her rivals by 9 1/2 lengths in the $200,000 Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II) at Aqueduct Nov. 29. Springside, who won her third straight race while making her stakes debut for (trainer Josie) Carroll, completed the 1 1/8-mile test in 1:51.71 on a fast main track. (Jockey Garrett) Gomez allowed Springside to drop off the pace as front-runner Ain’t Love Grand set the pace of :24.09, 48.20, and 1:12.65 while being shadowed by Sky Diva. Sky Diva, ridden by Ramon Dominguez, put Ain't Love Grand to the test on the turn as Springside moved up while racing four wide. The 2YO daughter of Awesome Again made her move coming off the turn for home, and surged past the leaders, including the struggling Sky Diva. Gomez kept her busy on the lead as her advantage swelled in the final eighth of a mile. “All the way around, she was very willing,” Gomez said.“When I moved her to the outside, she was really impressive.” Springside, bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, is out of the Digression mare Folly Dollar and was purchased for $335,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She earned $120,000 for the victory, boosting her career bankroll to $190,163. -edited from Bloodhorse.com
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11.24.2008 - 2YO 'TDN Rising Star' for Awesome Again
Here we go again. It didn’t take long after second-time starter Well Positioned (by Awesome Again) crossed the finish line 14 1/4 lengths in front in the sixth race at Aqueduct Nov. 22 for owner Paul Pompa to begin getting phone calls from prospective buyers. It was déjà vu for Pompa and trainer Pat Reynolds after playing out the same scene last year with Big Brown. But this time, Pompa has a greater foundation to lean back on. This time, he has a lifetime of what might have beens, having to watch Big Brown’s mercurial rise to stardom in the background as 25% owner. Pompa, according to Reynolds, has received a dozen phone calls, including two from IEAH Stables, who purchased majority interest in Big Brown from him after the colt’s maiden victory on grass last summer for a reported $3.5 million. But this time he is not rushing into selling him. Well Positioned put on a dazzling exhibition Saturday, battling briefly for the lead under Javier Castellano and then drawing away under a hand ride to demolish a solid field of highly touted maidens. He covered the mile in 1:38 3/5, while stakes horses ran their mile in 1:40 in the Discovery Handicap (gr. III) the following race en route to a 1 1/8-mile time of 1:53 1/5. The effort earned Well Positioned ‘TDN Rising Star’ status from the Thoroughbred Daily News. “A horse like this always stirs interest, especially with people wondering if history can repeat itself,” Reynolds said. “After the race, Paul said to me, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to win one of those big races in my colors?’ I told him tomorrow we’ll check on the horse and see how he is and then we can sit down and start discussing plans. Paul’s got a taste for the game now and he loves the business, and he’s become a little more experienced. “I don’t rush horses, and my 2-year-old record is less than resplendent, by choice. I don’t get that many well-bred horses, and the ones I do get I take my time with them. I try to protect them as much as I can, because I don’t like having to make those calls to owners. So, this horse has got a great foundation under him, and he didn’t turn a hair after the race. He decimated a field of well-like maidens. Shug McGaughey’s horse was coming off an 84 Beyer and Bruce Levine told me they had a runner. There were seven tips in the race. Well Positioned is bred to run all day, being by Awesome Again, out of a Holy Bull mare, and his second dam is by the Galbreath family’s Hail the Pirates, winner of the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. I) and numerous other stakes in the U.S. and Ireland. “He’s just coming around,” Reynolds said. “He ate all his food last night and he’s hollering for his feed right now, so he’s definitely the goods. I think we can keep on developing him. There were mixed messages after his first race, but sometimes they just need experience.” Well Positioned was purchased for Pompa by Hidden Brook, agent, who also picked out Big Brown, at the Adena Springs sale for $340,000. “Paul said to me, ‘I’m well positioned to stay in this business for a while,’ because of the way things have been planned out, and that’s how the horse got his name,” Reynolds said. “He doesn’t just throw a lot of oatmeal around the kitchen and hope some of it lands in his bowl.” So, will Well Positioned follow Big Brown and head to IEAH or some other owner? That is for Pompa to decide. “You can always use the bread, and I’ve never made any money in this business until we started selling them,” Reynolds said. “Paul is a real guy and he’s always taken care of me. He gave me my 10% with Big Brown. If he does sell I’m sure he’ll take care of me again, but maybe the chips will fall my way this time. Who knows, maybe he’ll sell half of him and the new owner will leave the horse here. I don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ve only had a couple of preliminary discussions.” -edited from Bloodhorse.com
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11.17.2008 - Dos SW's For Macho Uno on November 16
On Sunday November 16, Macho Uno was represented by a pair of new stakes winners. At Philadelphia Park, the two-year-old filly Oh So Clever lead nearly all the way in the Donna Freyer Stakes. It was the second career start and first victory for the Larry Jones-trained filly. She races for owner/breeder Diane Harrington. Less than 20 minutes after Oh So Clever got her picture taken, the three-year-old colt National Pride scored in the Pass the Tab Stakes at Aqueduct. Picked as a TDN Rising Star after his impressive maiden romp last fall was, he was sold to Godolphin soon after that victory. National Pride makes it 7% first crop stakes winners for Macho Uno so far.
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11.10.2008 - Oaks Winner Ginger Brew Returns With Stakes Win
Ginger Brew recorded her first victory going past a mile for the first time on the grass at Gulfstream Mar. 15 before scoring in the nine-furlong Calder Oaks Apr. 26. A stylish six-length winner on the Polytrack in the Woodbine Oaks against Canadian-bred fillies June 8, the chestnut was sent off the 9-5 choice for Canada's premier event, the Queen's Plate, but had to settle for second--beaten only a head by winner Not Bourbon--in the restricted event June 22 last out. Favored once again for this one, the Adena homebred held a narrow advantage throughout, and when challenged at the head of the stretch by Authenicat, the filly hit another gear and cruised home the easy winner. -Thoroughbred Daily News
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11.9.2008 - Touch Gold's Spritely An Easy Winner of Honeybee S.
Spritely began her career with two straight wins in Kentucky last season... She hit the board in each of three prior attempts this term, including a pair of third-place finishes in the Miss Woodford S. at Monmouth Aug. 24 and the Missile Belle S. at Belmont last out Sept. 20. Making her first start around two turns since the Hollywood Starlet, she was sent to the lead by Mike Luzzi and splashed her way home to an easy victory in the Honey Bee Stakes. She is Touch Gold's 8th stakes winner of 2008. The following day in California, Brushed Gold earned blacktype for the first time with a second place run in the 1 1/2 mile Hermosa Beach S. at Hollywood Park. -edited from Thoroughbred Daily News
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11.2.2008 - Another Stakes Win for Awesome Again's 'Hotstuf'
John Henry set the standard for geldings in American racing, winning four Grade 1 races at age nine and retiring as the all-time leading money earner in North America. So it was only fitting that Awesome Again’s 8-year-old gelded son Hotstufandthensome won the John Henry Stakes at The Meadowlands on November 1. He dominated the 1 3/8 turf contest by 6 lengths, increasing his earnings to over $720,000. Already a multiple graded stakes winner, Hotstufandthensome is among the 9 stakes winners and 20 total stakes runners for Awesome Again in 2008.
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10.18.2008 - Unbeaten New Stakes Winner for Olmodavor
High Mist remained undefeated in three starts with her 2 ½ length win in the $150,000 Fanfreluche Stakes at Woodbine on October 18. The daughter of Olmodavor and the Petionville mare High Humidity, had previously won a maiden special and an entry level allowance for trainer Reade Baker and owners N. C. Stable and Wendy Anderson. High Mist, who was purchased earlier this year at the Adena Springs Two-Year-Old in Training sale, covered the six furlongs in an impressive 1:09.78. She is the second stakes winner for first crop sire Olmodavor, a multiple graded stakes-winning son of A. P. Indy.
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10.5.2008 - Moujane Swings Home in Oak Tree Stake
Moujane became Alphabet Soup’s 35th lifetime stakes winner with her easy wire-to-wire victory in the Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita on October 4. A Florida-bred filly out of the Persian Bold mare Melina Mou, Moujane was never seriously challenged in the one mile turf event. She has now earned $229,858 for owner Jane Field and trainer Rafael Beccerra. Moujane is also among the four stakes winners and 12 total stakes runners sired by the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Alphabet Soup.
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9.28.2008 - Fatal Bullet Dominates KY Cup Sprint (G3)
Bear Stables’ Fatal Bullet left no questions unanswered Sept. 27 with an authoritative track-record victory in the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Sprint (gr. III) for 3-year-olds at Turfway Park and appears headed to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park. Carrying Eurico Rosa Da Silva, who was in from Canada to ride for Woodbine-based trainer Reade Baker, Fatal Bullet broke a step slowly but quickly recovered to grab the lead through an opening quarter-mile in :21.71. The gelding got what his jockey called “a breather” through a half-mile in :44.44, then drew away with ease to win by 7 3/4 lengths in 1:08.03, a Polytrack record for the distance.“I think he won quite easily,” said Danny Dion of Bear Stables. “He broke a step slow. He’s the best he has ever looked today.” When asked if Fatal Bullet, who has shown an affinity for synthetic surfaces, is Breeders’ Cup bound, Dion said: “Breeders’ Cup—we’re coming.” Da Silva, who has ridden Fatal Bullet to victory in his last three races, said: “He was just running easy. When we got the breather on the turn, I knew he’d be very hard to catch.” Fatal Bullet, a Florida-bred by Red Bullet out of the Regal Classic mare Sararegal, won one race as a 2-year-old. He is now six-for-seven this year. -edited from Bloodhorse.com
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9.27.2008 - New Juvenile SW for Milwaukee Brew
Peach Brew surged to the lead in the final yards to win the Oklahoma Classics Lassie Stakes at Remington Park on September 27. Winner of a maiden special event in late June, Peach Brew has now finished first or second in all but one of her four career starts. The juvenile filly races for her breeder Robert H. Zoellner. Peach Brew is among the four 2008 stakes winners sired by Milwaukee Brew, Florida’s leading second crop sire. In fact, no U. S. second crop sire has more North American stakes winners this year than the two-time Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner.
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9.15.2008 - $400,000 Macho Uno Colt Tops Keeneland Session
A $400,000 colt by Macho Uno topped the first Sunday session of the 2008 Keeneland September Sale on September 14. Consigned by Hidden Brook, agent for the colt’s breeder Adena Springs, he was purchased by Venezuelan businessman Jose Castro’s Paula C Racing Stable. “We’ve been here all week trying to buy this sort of horse for Mr. Castro,” explained agent Joe Applebaum. “but they kept going for $3 million and $1 million, but we were finally able to do it. We’re excited for him.” The colt is not the first sales success for Macho Uno in 2008. He is also the sire of a $200,000 sales-topping filly at the OBS August Selected Yearling sale.
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9.14.2008 - First Stakes Winner for Olmodavor
Miss Dixie Dancer showed good quality when she set a new track record in her debut at Golden Gate Fields in Northern California. She confirmed that quality with a win in her second start in Southern California. The juvenile filly by freshman sire Olmodavor is now a stakes winner after her nice score in the $129,000 Barretts Debutante at Fairplex on September 13. Bred by Diamond A Racing out of the Dixieland Band mare Dixie Dancer, Miss Dixie Dancer is the first stakes winner for her sire, a multiple graded stakes winner by Champion Sire A. P. Indy. Among Olmodavor’s other early winners is High Mist who ran her record to a perfect two-for-two with an easy wire-to-wire win in allowance company at Woodbine in mid-September.
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9.13.2008 - Multiple G1SW Showing Up to Adena South
Showing Up, a millionaire and multiple grade I winner for Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables, has been retired from racing and will stand in 2009 at Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs South near Williston, Fla. The 5-year-old son of Strategic Mission out of the winning T. V. Commercial mare Miss Alethia will stand for a fee of $7,500 as the property of Adena Springs and Lael. Trained by Barclay Tagg, Showing Up won seven of 10 races and earned $1,660,500. At 3, he won his first three starts, all on the dirt, including the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland and a mile allowance in track-record time at Gulfstream Park. Following a sixth-place effort in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), won by stablemate Barbaro, Showing Up raced exclusively on the grass. He made his turf debut a winning one in the $1-million Colonial Turf Cup Stakes, setting a course-record while defeating subsequent NetJets Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr, IT) winner Kip Deville. In his next start, he wired the field in the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) at Arlington under 126 pounds in 2:00.09, which was the second-fastest running of the 10-furlong event. After a third-place effort in the Man o’ War Stakes (gr. IT) at Belmont Park, he won the Jamaica Breeders’ Cup Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont and the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT), setting a stakes-record of 1:59.35 for 1 1/4 miles in the latter. Showing Up raced once last year, finishing a neck behind Kip Deville in a runner-up effort in the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (gr. IIT) at Keeneland in what was his final start. “Showing Up is a very appropriately named horse,” said Stronach. “He campaigned against the best of his generation and showed up each and every time he stepped on the track, regardless of the surface.” Bred in Kentucky by Nellie M. Cox and Rose Retreat Farm, Showing Up is a half-brother to stakes winner Gimmeawink. Roy Jackson bought Showing Up for $60,000 at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale 2-year-olds in training sale. -from Bloodhorse.com
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9.10.2008 - Ghostzapper #1 at Keeneland
Yearlings by Horse of the Year Ghostzapper were in high demand during the first two days of the Keeneland September Yearling sale. Southern Equine Stables went to $925,000 for a Ghostzapper colt out of graded stakes winner Victory Ride. Ghostzapper yearlings also brought $450,000, $425,000, $400,000, $350,000, $350,000, etc. His overall Book 1 average of $310,227 was by far the best among the stallions in his sire crop
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9.10.2008 - North Light Yearling Brings $450,000
Epsom Derby winner North Light made a great first impression on the buyers at the Keeneland September sale. The very first North Light yearling offered at the historic venue was purchased for $450,000. John Ferguson signed the ticket for Hip #411, a colt out multiple graded stakes winner Critikola (Arg), who is also the dam of Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Lemons Forever.
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9.6.2008 - Two Stakes Winners in Four Days for 'Soup'
Bear’s Artiste coasted to an easy 2 ¼ length score in the Three Year Old Filly Sales Stakes on September 5. The sophomore filly increased her earnings to nearly $140,000 while taking her second stakes event. She also capped off a big week for Alphabet Soup, who was represented by the new stakes winner Media Play just four days earlier. The four-year-old gelding surged to victory in the $75,000 Labor Day Stakes at Mountaineer Park, becoming Alphabet Soup’s 34th lifetime stakes winners.
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9.2.2008 - Speedy 'Bullet' Takes Another Stake
Bear Stables’ Fatal Bullet is quickly emerging as one of the North America’s top three-year-old sprinters after another easy stakes victory in the $100,000 Tom Ridge Labor Day Stakes at Presque Isle Downs on September 1. The 3YO son of Preakness winner Red Bullet coasted to a facile wire-to-wire win in the Labor Day feature yet still stopped the timer at 1:08 3/5, just two ticks off the track record. Fatal Bullet has set a track record in his previous start, the $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes at Woodbine, where he earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. Bred by Adena Springs and trained by Sovereign Award winner Reade Baker, Fatal Bullet has now earned in excess of $300,000.
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8.25.2008 - 'Phil' The Newest Red Bullet Stakes Winner
Phil the Power cruised to a wire-to-wire victory in the $100,000 Kelso Stakes at Delaware Park on August 23. The four-year-old gelding is the newest stakes winner for Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Red Bullet and his second new stakes winner in the past month. Out of the Deputy Minister mare Miss Amy R, Phil the Power is quickly becoming a major contender for the inaugural Breeders' Cup Marathon for owner John R. Perrota and trainer Joe Orseno. Before his easy win in the mile and one half Kelso, he ran a strong second to Grade 1 winner Black Tie Affair in the Greenwood Cup Stakes, also at 12 furlongs. Phil the Power has now finished first or second in 10 of his 19 starts and has earned $215,550.
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8.23.2008 - Ginger Punch Takes 6th Grade 1 in Personal Ensign
There were many who questioned whether champion mare Ginger Punch would be able to stretch out to 10 furlongs—something she had never done before. In the $400,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 22 at Saratoga, the 5-year-old daughter of Awesome Again was grateful for the added distance, as she needed every last stride to pass Lemon Drop Mom, getting up in the final head bob to win by the narrowest of margins. Coming four-wide into the stretch under Rafael Bejarano, Ginger Punch came to take on Lemon Drop Mom and Jose Caraballo, who, after receiving a perfect ground-saving trip, struck the lead at the eighth-pole. Those two began their fierce stretch duel at the top of the lane, but Lemon Drop Mom always kept a narrow advantage. It wasn’t until the final stride that Ginger Punch nailed the 10-1 longshot, as she put her head down perfectly at the wire. “For me, she is a super filly," Bejarano said. "She tries all the time. As soon as I got to the turn, she was kind of tired, but as soon as she saw the other filly pass me in the final furlong, she kept coming back again. This race was very close and very scary. The other horse tried hard, too, but my horse doesn’t quit. She runs ’til the end.” Going off as the 4-5 choice in a field of six, Ginger Punch won for the fourth consecutive time and recorded her sixth career grade I victory. She stayed a perfect 3-for-3 on the Saratoga dirt, as she entered off a 1 1/4-length triumph in the Go for Wand (gr. I), a race she also won in 2007. Owned and bred by Frank Stronach, Ginger Punch is now a remarkable 12-5-2 from 20 lifetime starts and has earned $2,945,603. -from Bloodhorse.com
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8.19.2008 - Macho Uno Filly Tops OBS Select
A filly by Macho Uno sold for $200,000 as the top-selling hip at the OBS August Selected Sale of Yearlings on August 18. The filly, consigned by Hidden Brook, agent for Adena Springs, was purchased by veteran owner Dr. Robert Fishman. "I was looking for this one particular jewel," said Dr. Fishman after the sale. "I’ve looked at the Keeneland September (yearling sale) catalog, and none of the horses in there raised my eyebrow like this one did.” The sale topper is out of the winning Lite the Fuse mare Top of the League. The same Macho Uno-Lite the Fuse cross has already produced the stakes winner Swifty Victress. Macho Uno is also the sire of a $300,000 yearling filly at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select sale earlier in August.
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8.15.2008 - A Romping Fifth Winner for Olmodavor
High Mist, picked up for just $22,000 at the Adena Springs March Two-Year-Old sale earlier this year, went postward as the 7-5 chalk on the strength of several sharp drills. The Ontario-bred bay quickly sprinted to the lead and never looked back as she was hand-ridden to a 5 3/4-length score. High Mist marks the fifth winner for her freshman sire Olmodavor (by A.P. Indy). Among Olmodavor's other winners is Miss Dixie Dreamer, who set a track record in her debut in California. -edited from the TDN
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