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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
There was much consternation when only three new Flat stallions retired to stand in Britain for the 2025 season. It remains to be seen whether this was a blip, but if it becomes a trend then obviously it is cause for concern. It is easy to understand why, in an increasingly commercial sphere, breeders would either flock to the proven elite (for those with mares good enough and pockets deep enough) or to the next first-season sire on the block who may be forgiven for a year or two until we know whether he can do the job well or only passably. In this racing season in particular, however, we have had frequent reminders of those stallions who can get you a Group 1 winner while not necessarily breaking the bank with his covering fee. Naturally the top-tier stallions Sea The Stars, Frankel, Dubawi, Wootton Bassett, Kingman, Night Of Thunder, Camelot, Too Darn Hot and Siyouni all feature on the list of Group 1 sires in Europe this year, but so too do Australia (sire of Lambourn and Cercene), Almanzor (Gezora), Massaat (Docklands), Washington DC (American Affair), Golden Horn (Trawlerman), Sands Of Mali (Time For Sandals), Territories (Lazzat), Gleneagles (Calandagan), Polish Vulcano (Hochkonig), Wooded (Woodshauna), Cable Bay (No Half Measures), Brametot (Nicoreni), Make Believe (Sajir), and Mohaather (Big Mojo). To that list we can now add Sergei Prokofiev and Without Parole, whose respective sons Arizona Blaze and Zavateri each played their part in adding some valuable variety to an excellent Irish Champions Festival. From the latter group, leaving aside Territories, Almanzor and Cable Bay, who were not standing in Europe this season, nine of the remaining 10 were available for £10,000 or less, with Gleneagles being the outlier to a degree at €20,000. We are edging towards the time of year when stallion announcements start to be made, followed by the unveiling of fees. Though the figures are yet to be officially announced, there has reportedly been another drop in covering numbers this year in Britain and Ireland of around 10 per cent. Stallion owners will undoubtedly be thinking hard when it comes to pricing their sires, and breeders too should think hard about where the value lies. Is it worth running the risk of your mare being one of several hundred to be covered by a particular stallion if you end up with an ordinary-looking individual? Granted, it is also a gamble to use an under-the-radar sire and then risk being denied a sales slot simply because of the vagaries of fashion. Inevitably, if a crystal ball is not to hand, it comes down to believing in your own stock and, if the market doesn't like them, being prepared to put horses into training and proving them all wrong. Clearly, though, for those thinking a little outside the box, the cheaper stallions don't necessarily mean smaller returns in the long run. Gunther Graduates Making Their Mark Eight days apart in 2015, John and Tanya Gunther welcomed foals by Frankel and Scat Daddy to their breeding operations in Britain (at Newsells Park Stud) and Glennwood Farm in Kentucky. The first to be born became known as Without Parole after he had been retained by his breeders at 650,000gns at Book 1 of the October Sale at Tattersalls and put into training with John Gosden. The Scat Daddy colt was sold for $500,000 at Keeneland September and raced for a partnership which included the China Horse Club under the name of Justify. We all know what he did on the track, and 10 days after Justify secured his Triple Crown, Without Parole gave the Gunthers a memorable day at Royal Ascot when winning the G1 St James's Palace Stakes. What reflected glory these two stallions still heap on their breeders. On Saturday, Scandinavia battled hard to take the St Leger, following fellow Justify colts City Of Troy and Ruling Court in becoming a British Classic winner. The following day, the name Gunther appeared again as the breeder of the plucky little chestnut colt named Zavateri, who bowed neither to size nor reputation when it came to digging deep to see off three colts from Ballydoyle in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh. Without Parole's two crops of racing age, conceived at Newsells Park from fees of £10,000 and £8,000 respectively, number less than 100. He had 52 foals in his first crop and 42 from his second. Of the 56 to have raced to date, 27 have won (48 per cent), including the Group 3-placed Fiery Lucy and Listed-placed Sea To Sky from his first crop, while current juvenile Genchev was third in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes on debut behind the previous winners Daytona and North Coast. The unbeaten Zavateri is of course Without Parole's star performer, jumping from his Salisbury novice win in June to the G2 July Stakes and G2 Vintage Stakes to become a Group 1 winner. The Dewhurst beckons and, as a descendant of the great Zarkava, Zavateri has the family behind him to allow owners Mick and Janice Mariscotti and trainer Eve Johnson Houghton to dream of next year's Classics. Sergei Prokofiev Calls The Tune The statuesque Sergei Prokofiev retired to stud at the same time as Without Parole, joining Whitsbury Manor Stud at an opening fee of £6,500. A son of Scat Daddy, his best victory came in the G3 Cornwallis Stakes over the minimum trip, and over that same distance he is now a Group 1 sire after his son Arizona Blaze took Sunday's Flying Five Stakes for Amo Racing. David Egan and Kia Joorabchian celebrate Arizona Blaze's win | Racingfotos An admirably tough colt, Arizona Blaze, who was bred by Andrew Bengough and Partners, had been his sire's first winner on March 18, 2024, and he ran a further eight times last year, never finishing out of the first four and beating subsequent Classic winner Camille Pissarro when winning the G3 Marble Hill Stakes. In his final start of last season he was a close second to Magnum Force in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. This year, four of his eight starts to date have resulted in victory and he now has a deserved Group 1 tag against his name. Sergei Prokofiev is also responsible for the Listed winner Enchanting Empress and four other black-type earners, but arguably his most impressive horse of this campaign after Arizona Blaze has been Song Of The Clyde. An £85,000 yearling from Goffs UK by his trainer Clive Cox, the Middleham Park Racing colour-bearer has earned £438,790 from five starts this year, chiefly from his victory in the Harry's Half Million at York, and he was also runner-up last week to Calendar Girl, a daughter of Advertise, in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes. Burke's Shining Example While Aidan O'Brien had to concede the National Stakes to Eve Johnson Houghton, narrowly missing out on making Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) a Group 1 winner like his half-brother Vandeek (Havana Grey), the master of Ballydoyle did collect three of the weekend's top-level contests. With the help of Tom Marquand, he landed the St Leger for the third consecutive year and ninth time in total with the aforementioned Scandinavia, the Irish Champion Stakes with Delacroix (Dubawi), and the Moyglare with Precise (Starspangledbanner), whom he and his wife Annemarie also bred. Karl Burke laid down the most impressive challenge for Britain at the Irish Champions Festival, with Fallen Angel (Too Darn Hot) claiming her fourth Group 1 victory in the Matron Stakes, Convergent (Fascinating Rock) winning the G3 CMG Group Stakes and Royal Champion (Shamardal), Venetian Sun (Starman) and Al Qareem (Awtaad) each finishing third in the Irish Champion, Moyglare and Irish St Leger respectively. Burke and his jockey Clifford Lee also scooped €135,500 for the victory of Alparslan (Dandy Man) in the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Stakes. Burke's five runners in five Group 1 races over the weekend sets an example to plenty of other major stables. Fruitful Partnerships Last year's spending spree by Amo Racing at the yearling sales also saw the emergence of a new partnership between Kia Joorabchian's operation and Al Shaqab Racing. One of their joint-acquisitions was Aylin, from the first crop of St Mark's Basilica, for 600,000gns from Yeomanstown Stud. Another promising young individual from Karl Burke's stable, Aylin posted her second win when taking the G2 May Hill Stakes on Thursday and will likely bid to go a grade higher in the G1 Fillies' Mile. Along with Amo Racing's Group 1 strike with Arizona Blaze, Al Shaqab has also enjoyed a major winner in its own right of late courtesy of the G1 Prix du Moulin win of the homebred Sahlan (Wootton Bassett). Another partnership which has been in clover of late is that of Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy. Following a treble on September 6 with Old Borough Cup winner The Reverend, Crown Of Oaks and Dash Of Azure, the duo was represented on the opening day of Doncaster's St Leger meeting by the victory of the progressive stayer Santorini Star in the G2 Park Hill Fillies' Stakes. The daughter of Golden Horn is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Lope De Vega) and was bred by Olivia Hoare from Livia's Dream (Teofilo), whose female-line ancestors include the 1980 Oaks winner Bireme (Grundy), who also features as the great granddam of another Oaks winner, Talent (New Approach). The William Haggas-trained Santorini Star will in time make a lovely addition to the burgeoning broodmare band of her owners, as will the G1 Prix Morny winner Venetian Sun, who leads the charge for the Bloom and McAleavy team this year. Gold-Star Performers This may not happen any more, but in the schooldays of the 1970s children used to be awarded a gold star for doing something well, or perhaps for not misbehaving. Not so long ago, the daughter of a friend of this column used to be awarded stickers on a kitchen chart if she had got through a whole week without biting anyone. We saw said child at her grandmother's 80th birthday party recently and she appears to have grown out of such behaviour, so the reward charts clearly have a place in civilised society. It is not known whether Convergent and/or Al Riffa are prone to biting people, but they may be forgiven if they are, particularly after their respective gold-star performances at the weekend. Convergent and Clifford Lee, third left | Racingfotos Convergent was simply a joy to watch – and perhaps even more so after the winning post than before. Some excellent camera work followed him bowling on round the bend at Leopardstown after he had won the G3 CMG Group Stakes in convincing fashion for owner-breeder Newtown Anner Stud, who also bred and raced his sire Fascinating Rock. Convergent had previously come within a squeak of adding his sire's name to the list up above, when beaten a short-head in the G1 Deutsches Derby, and it would be no surprise to see him bag his own top-level win before too long. The G1 Champion Stakes and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Fascinating Rock, whose sire Fastnet Rock died last week, has been at Burgage Stud for the past four seasons and was advertised at €2,000 this year. Al Riffa, too, deserves a big gold star for his menacing win in the G1 Irish St Leger, three years almost to the day after he had won the G1 National Stakes on the equivalent card of 2022. The son of Wootton Bassett didn't feature much the following year, running only twice at three, and it would have been easy to have written him off as a decent juvenile who didn't go on. But go on he has, to pick up last year's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and now this season's G2 Curragh Cup and Irish St Leger en route to attempting to give his trainer Joseph O'Brien a third win in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November. As both his jockey's first and most recent Group 1 winner, Al Riffa must hold a special place in the heart of Dylan Browne McMonagle. Let's give him a gold star too. The post Seven Days: Every Sire Has His Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Celebrating its 30th year, the Horse Farm Workers' Educational Assistance Fund has awarded 26 scholarships for 2025-26 to children of full-time horse farm workers in Central Kentucky. Some 808 annual scholarships have been awarded since the inception of the program, totaling $1,718,470. The Fund was founded by Rob Whiteley of Liberation Farm, Tom Evans of Trackside Farm and Fred Seitz of Brookdale Farm. Scholarships are granted for education or skill training after high school and are based upon financial need, merit, biographical essays and personal interviews. Scholarships are also available for full-time horse farm workers in central Kentucky who wish to take equine related training or courses to help them be more knowledgeable and effective while working with Thoroughbred horses. Six Horse Farm scholarship recipients have additionally distinguished themselves for academic achievement as Pollard Scholars at the University of Kentucky. “In pursuit of their dreams, many of our scholars work 20 or more hours per week at one or two jobs while carrying a full course load,” said Evans, the president of the Fund. “Our main goal is to award enough money so that they can focus on their studies and make school their number one priority without incurring a huge burden of long-term student loan debt.” He continued: “Investing in these young people is also an investment in the industry. Many of our scholars after successfully completing their studies have returned to pursue careers in the Thoroughbred industry. Several have already distinguished themselves (including a Director of Racing at a major North American track). Many who have chosen careers outside the industry have made their mark as professionals in nursing, education, social work, theology, and business.” Qualifying parents of scholars have been employed full-time for at least 3 years by one of the following Central Kentucky Thoroughbred farms: Benson Farm, Betz Thoroughbreds, Fallbrook Farm, Gainesway Farm (2), Godolphin @ Gainsborough (2), Godolphin @ Jonabell (2), Godolphin @ Raceland, Hermitage Farm (5), Monticule Farm, Mt. Brilliant Farm, Runnymede Farm, Shadwell Farm, Shawhan Place Farm, Spendthrift Farm (2), Winchester Place Thoroughbreds and WinStar Farm (3). “Our horse farm scholars and parents are an industry treasure,” said Whiteley. “Farm workers are the backbone of the breeding industry and therefore the foundation of the entire Thoroughbred industry. The parents of these scholars have instilled an incredible work ethic in their children. Year after year, these outstanding young people impress the Board with their ability, motivation, energy, enthusiasm, and accomplishments. Quite a few of our scholars are the first in their families to pursue education beyond high school, and some could not do so without our financial assistance.” Click here for additional information or to make a donation to the Fund. The post Horse Farm Workers’ Educational Assistance Fund Awards 26 Scholarships appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Coolmore boss John Magnier has lost a High Court case over the sale of the 750-acre Barne Estate in County Tipperary. High Court judge Mr Justice Max Barrett concluded that a sale had not taken place between Magnier and the owner of the Barne Estate, Richard Thomson-Moore. He commented, “I am satisfied that neither the alleged land-sale agreement nor the alleged option agreement were ever concluded. Nor do I see any breach of the exclusivity agreement to arise. It follows that all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs will be and are respectfully refused.” The estate was put up for sale in July 2023. Magnier claimed that he and Thomson-Moore concluded a sale on the evening of August 22nd, 2023, and that the hand shake agreement was a binding commitment. However, Mr Justice Max Barrett said he is satisfied that no such sale had taken place. Magnier claimed he had secured a deal to buy the estate for €15 million. Thomson-Moore and his wife Anna deny that the deal was agreed, instead, saying the meeting at Magnier's home was equivalent to a sale agreed and was still subject to contract. Their legal team stated that such a claim was confirmed by the fact Magnier's team sought an exclusivity agreement lasting four weeks until the end of September which meant that the Thomson-Moores could not speak to any other bidder. After the exclusivity agreement lapsed, New York-based Maurice Regan came in with an offer of €22.5 million, which is 50 per cent above what Magnier had offered. The Thomson-Moores accepted that offer. It has been reported that the legal costs for this case are expected to run into millions of euros. The post Coolmore Boss John Magnier Loses High Court Case Over Sale Of Barne Estate appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Lady Of Spain will put her unbeaten record on the line in either the Sun Chariot Stakes or the Prix de l'Opera, with Roger Varian keen to test the waters at the highest level with the daughter of Phoenix Of Spain. Both high-class contests take place on the same weekend, meaning the Carlburg Stables handler is able to make a late call with the progressive four-year-old, who delighted her team when making it five-out-of-five in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes last time. Varian said, “She's in good form and has come out of the race at Sandown really well. We'll look to step up to Group 1 company next and she'll be left in the Sun Chariot and she'll be left in the Prix de l'Opera – they're both on the first weekend in October and we'll make a decision on whether we stick to a mile or go up to a-mile-and-a-quarter nearer the time.” He added, “She looks fantastic and is moving well, but we haven't tested her in any strong work since she won the Atalanta, so it will be interesting when we do if she gives us a sharper impression to encourage us to stay at a mile or if we fancy going up to 10 furlongs. “I don't think either will be a problem and I'm sure she'll have the stamina for 10 furlongs, but at the same time she was very good at Sandown over a stiff mile and on soft ground, she was very strong through the line, so both remain very strong possibilities. “These are the decisions you want to be making and she looks a good one and hopefully she continues her progression.” The post Group 1s Are Calling For Roger Varian’s Unbeaten Lady Of Spain appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie–Bernadreamy, by Bernardini), a dual Grade I winner at two, is expected to make the final start of his career in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile before entering stud in 2026 at Eric and Tamara Gustavson's Spendthrift Farm. “We are excited about Chancer McPatrick,” said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey. “We've had good luck with precocious Grade I winners from the first crop of emerging sires–of course, that was the formula with Into Mischief when he came to stud. “It takes a pretty special 2-year-old to win on debut at Saratoga, win a race like the Hopeful in the second start, and win another storied race like the Champagne in the third start. Chancer McPatrick is also a tremendous physical, and we believe breeders are really going to like what they see on the end of the shank.” Bred in Kentucky by Rigney Racing LLC, the bay colt was sold for $260,000 through the Denali Stud consignment at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton July Sale and made for a successful resale when hammering to John Kimmel and Nick Sallusto, agents for Flanagan Racing, for $725,000 at last year's OBS April Sale. Turned over to Chad Brown, Chancer McPatrick was favored on Saratoga debut and found himself well back early on before unleashing a furious stretch rally to score by a length, earning 'TDN Rising Star' honors. After brushing the gate and having Flavien Prat lose an iron at the start of the Hopeful, Chancer McPatrick finished full of run to prevail by a half-length and he validated 1-2 favoritism in the Champagne, drawing clear to win by daylight. He joined the likes of Practical Joke and Jackie's Warrior as horses to win both of the New York circuit's major juvenile Grade I contests. Runner-up on seasonal debut in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby this past March, Chancer McPatrick won the July 24 Curlin Stakes ahead of a wide-trip fourth when last seen in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes on Aug. 23. “Chancer McPatrick showed tremendous ability from the first time I worked him as a 2-year-old,” said Brown. “He won both the Hopeful and Champagne which is extremely difficult to do. The only other horse I was fortunate enough to do that with was Practical Joke, so that's pretty good company. Chancer McPatrick is a very correct, athletic colt with a lovely temperament. I thought he ran super last time out in the Jerkens, he just needed a little bit further. He's doing well and we're going to train him up to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.” Bred on a similar cross to Grade I winner and promising young sire Maxfield, dual Grade I winner La Cara and fellow GISW Speaker's Corner, Chancer McPatrick counts GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes heroine and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Dream Empress (Bernstein) as his second dam. He has amassed a record of 4-1-0 from nine starts and earnings to date of $727,875. A stud fee will be set at a later date. The post ‘TDN Rising Star’ Chancer McPatrick To Stand At Spendthrift appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article
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