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KEE June Digital Sale Catalog Online
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Happy Valley Farm’s Gary Wolfson Passes Away
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Record-Breaking Derby Sale Closes
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Life Is Good to Pletcher, Returns to Worktab
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Charlatan Retired to Hill ‘n’ Dale
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Full-Sister To Minding, Empress Josephine Debuts
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By Chief Stipe · Posted
I'm not sure what your point is. You aren't exactly comparing apples with apples. For a start: Kumara had 9 races. Ellerslie had 8 races. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Laurel Park will run two $100,000 stakes Jan. 17 for runners bred Maryland or Virginia or by sires in these states: the Jennings Stakes and Geisha Stakes. The card also includes two $100,000 open handicaps.View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
It has been a wild ride for Jes Sikura, son of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa owner and president John Sikura, since the 24-year-old graduated from the University of Kentucky in December. Just a few days after receiving his diploma, he and his father were on a plane to California. What began as a trip to celebrate opening weekend at Santa Anita proved serendipitous when the Sikuras secured multiple graded stakes winner Barnes (Into Mischief) for their stallion roster following his scratch from the GI Malibu Stakes. Since stepping into his new role as Hill 'n' Dale's Director of Bloodstock at the start of this year, the younger Sikura has taken on the assignment of putting together Barnes's first book. Sikura describes it as “an easy first job.” “I don't have to beg anybody to come to us,” he explained. “People are calling us because they're excited about him. People are excited to bring their mares to him.” Sikura recalled attending the 2023 Fasig-Tipon Saratoga Sale when Barnes first made headlines, selling to Zedan Racing for $3.2 million. Bred by Jeff Drown and Rachel Don, the son of Into Mischief hails from the family of Grade I winners Majestic Warrior, Dream Supreme and Spinning Round, but Sikura said it was the bay's imposing physical that made him one of the talking horses of the auction. “A huge endorsement is if Bob Baffert and Donato Lanni are going to pay $3.2 million for a yearling,” he said. “The fact that they did means that as a yearling, he possessed what looked to be an athletic physical.” Sikura noted that the same physical presence that made Barnes a standout in the sales ring now serves as a major draw for breeders visiting the new Hill 'n' Dale sire. “He has great size, great bone and a great shoulder,” he explained. “He walks well and has a beautiful face. I would describe him as an impeccable physical. I think anybody who is looking for a nice foal would be pleased to see Barnes and hope he's going to produce something that looks like himself.” A winner on debut at Churchill Downs in November of his juvenile season, Barnes returned to California to claim the GII San Vicente Stakes by over five lengths. He followed that performance with a second-place finish to MGISW Journalism (Curlin) in the GII San Felipe Stakes and was fifth in the GI Santa Anita Derby. After a mid-summer layoff, Barnes made three more starts including a third-place finish behind Patch Adams (Into Mischief) and Captain Cook (Practical Joke) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes and an 8 1/4-length victory in his final career start in the GIII Perryville Stakes, besting rival Captain Cook and GSW Owen Almighty (Speightstown). “He had a lot of talent, a lot of speed and a lot of ability and courage,” Sikura said of the colt, who was retired due to a tendon injury after hitting the board in five of his seven starts. Sikura noted that at a $15,000 price point, the response has been immediate. He reported that the stallion syndicate filled within an hour of the announcement of his retirement. Sara Gordon photo “Being a first-year stallion at $15,000 who has the endorsement of being a $3.2 million yearling bought by Bob Baffert, Donato Lanni and Amr Zedan, he's got a lot of potential,” Sikura said. “He's going to breed a lot of good mares and have every opportunity. He's standing at a range where breeders are going to have a chance to get to him and we hope that he replicates his success and more through his progeny on the track.” While Sikura is just getting started in his first full-time chapter at Hill 'n' Dale, he grew up in the business learning from his father and other mentors. He worked in the farm's bloodstock division while in college and also found time between classes to spend mornings walking hots for Todd Pletcher and evenings working as a server at Carlo Vaccarezza's Frank & Dino's Restaurant. “It gave me the opportunity to meet people in Lexington and in the horse business while going to school,” explained Sikura. Sikura is looking forward to channeling that same work ethic into his new position. “My new role entails everything bloodstock-related at Hill 'n' Dale, whether that would be the sales, the breeding shed, keeping up with clients' yearlings and mares on the farm or anything organizational in the office,” he said. “It's anything I can do to be a helping hand.” “I love everything about what we do,” he continued. “I love getting to work for the family business. I love promoting the great job that we do. I love getting to reward clients who entrust us with big mares and big yearlings. I love everything I get to do that is Hill 'n' Dale associated–promoting the brand, rewarding clients and giving our stallions an opportunity.” The post Jes Sikura On The Job with New Hill ‘n’ Dale Sire Barnes 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
6th-FG, $60k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:30 p.m. ET A pair of Keeneland September acquisitions by Belladonna Racing and C R K Stable, each sold for better than a half-million dollars, debut for the in-form Cherie DeVaux barn in what appears to be a hot maiden on the Lecomte Stakes undercard. MOJACAR (Essential Quality) looks to become the fifth winner from as many to the races for dam Spanish Star (Blame), who is responsible for 2025 GI Test Stakes victress Kilwin (Twirling Candy); the crack Grade II-winning turf sprinter One Timer (Trappe Shot); and Just Basking (Arrogate), the 2024 Iowa Oaks winner who was subsequently third in the GI Alabama Stakes. A $500,000 KEESEP grad, the Apr. 12 foal is a half to 2019 GI Belmont Stakes hero Sir Winston (Awesome Again). Double Entendre (Tapit) cost $625,000 in Lexington and is out of a half-sister to GI Delaware Handicap and GI Beldame Stakes winner Belle Gallantey (After Market). Whisper Hill Farm unveils Guns Allowed (Gun Runner), a homebred half-brother to GISW Volatile (Violence) and SW & GSP Buy Sell Hold (Violence), herself the dam of SW Bourbon Bash (City of Light) and GSW Showcase (Uncle Mo). The colt's second dam is 2003 GI Test heroine Lady Tak (Mutakddim). TJCIS PPs 5th-FG, $60k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 3:00 p.m. Whisper Hill is represented in this fillies' division by the beautifully bred TAP TO OPEN (Tapit). Mandy Pope acquired the May 27 foal's dam I'll Take Charge (Indian Charlie) for $2.2 million at the 2013 Keeneland September Sale and from her bred this filly's full-brother 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Charge It, twice a winner at the graded level and runner-up in the 2022 GI Florida Derby. I'll Take Charge is one of eight winners produced by treble Grade I victress Take Charge Lady (Dehere), dam of champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song); GISW sire Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy); and GISW As Time Goes By (American Pharoah); and the granddam of champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) and dual Grade I-winning stallion Omaha Beach (War Front). Jay Em Ess homebred Thesewallshaveears (Gun Runner) is the first foal out of the operation's two-time graded winner Go Google Yourself (Into Mischief) and the dual GISW third dam I Ain't Bluffing (Pine Bluff) produced GSW & MGISP Acting Happy (Empire Maker). Goodall (Yaupon) needs a defection to draw in from the also-eligible list but could be heard from should that happen. Sold to Tom McCrocklin for just $67,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton July Sale, the bay was knocked down to Spendthrift for $525,000 after breezing in a bullet :20 2/5 at last year's OBS April Sale. TJCIS PPs 5th-GP, $84k, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 2:20 p.m. ET CONGRESSIONAL (Constitution) is a debuting son of 2017 Sunland Park Oaks winner Ghalia (Medaglia d'Oro), a $600,000 Keeneland November weanling whose two winners to date includes Ghalia Princess (American Pharoah), victorious in the 2024 Cicada Stakes. Grandview Equine went to $650,000 for this Feb. 7 foal at KEESEP in 2024 and his now juvenile half-brother Second Strike (Not This Time) was hammered down to Case Clay Thoroughbred Management for $700,000 at last year's September Sale. Gondorff (Charlatan) is bred for this surface, as he is a half-brother to Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), whose four successes at the graded level includes the GII Fort Lauderdale Stakes at this venue. The $500,000 Keeneland September yearling is out of a half-sister to Unbound (Distorted Humor), the stakes-placed dam of GISW Arabian Lion (Justify). TJCIS PPs The post Uncoupled DeVaux Entry Packs A Powerful Pedigree Punch 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
La Route des Etalons returns next week when, as ever, you can bet your bottom dollar that bloodstock enthusiasts won't be able to resist straying slightly off the beaten track to view the seven-strong roster at Haras d'Etreham. Situated roughly an hour west of Deauville, a fair distance from most of the other farms participating in the two-day extravaganza, Etreham has a long history of standing stallions, with a certain Wootton Bassett featuring among its famous residents of yesteryear. In 2014 and 2015, the privilege of sending a mare to Wootton Bassett at Etreham would have set you back just €4,000, a far cry from the €300,000 fee he commanded in his fifth season at Coolmore in 2025. Though his own day-to-day involvement with the son of Iffraaj had long since passed, Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure came in for plenty of plaudits when the tragic loss of Wootton Bassett was announced in September last year, with a statement from Coolmore hailing the “incredible start” he enjoyed during his time in Normandy. It wasn't the first time de Chambure had provided such a platform, either, and it almost certainly won't be the last. Indeed, therein lies the dream with a young stallion such as Beauvatier, who is new to Etreham for 2026 following a distinguished racing career for trainer Yann Barberot which yielded six wins from 18 starts. Three of those victories, including Beauvatier's most notable triumph when winning October's G2 Challenge Stakes at Newmarket, were achieved over seven furlongs, which de Chambure is taking as a positive omen as he prepares to throw open the doors of Etreham for La Route des Etalons. “Siyouni and Wootton Bassett were real seven-furlong horses and they became extraordinary stallions,” he says of comparisons with the much-missed Wootton Bassett. “With Beauvatier, we tried him over a mile and we tried him over a little shorter, but I think his best distance was really seven furlongs. It's a distance where you need speed, a turn of foot and a little bit of stamina. It's all of the attributes that we like to see in a stallion and, hopefully, there will be similarities down the road between Beauvatier and Siyouni and Wootton Bassett. We would love that – nothing is written, but I think he has a very good chance.” The first chapter of the Beauvatier story was written at Ecurie des Monceaux, his place of birth back in February 2021. Bred by a partnership consisting of Monceaux, Qatar Bloodstock and Barbara Keller, the son of Lope De Vega is the first foal out of the Listed Prix de Thiberville runner-up Enchanting Skies (Sea The Stars), a half-sister to three other black-type performers, including the G1 Preis von Europa winner Empoli (Halling). This is also the family of the German champion racemare Elle Danzig (Roi Danzig). Bought by Barberot for €160,000 at the Arqana August Yearling Sale, Beauvatier earned 'TDN Rising Star' status when winning over five furlongs at Chantilly on his debut in May the following year, drawing right away in the final furlong to win by over five lengths. Five months later, following his fourth consecutive win in the G3 Prix la Rochette, the unbeaten colt arrived at ParisLongchamp as the red-hot favourite for the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. Here, however, the similarities with Siyouni and Wootton Bassett end. Whilst that pair both won France's premier race for two-year-olds, Beauvatier had to settle for third, two and a half lengths behind Rosallion (Blue Point). “He was a very precocious, early horse, more than his pedigree would suggest,” de Chambure says of that juvenile campaign. “He was out in May and he beat Ramatuelle on his second start over six furlongs. He carried that precocity all the way to the Jean-Luc Lagardere where he was an unlucky third. “I think when horses have shown a bit of something at two, it's always important. We've seen with champion horses at three and four that didn't run at two, breeders are always cautious that it could it could be a negative. That's what I like about him is that he was a spring two year old, but he was also a three-year-old, and he was also a four-year old, so it makes the whole thing very attractive.” At three, Beauvatier continued to be highly tried, running at the top level six times in seven starts. On three of those occasions he finished third, with de Chambure identifying his performance behind old rival Ramatuelle (Justify) in the Prix de la Foret as arguably the best of his career. “I think his most impressive race was the Prix de la Foret as a three-year-old,” he explains. “He was at the end of a long campaign. When they go through the Classics and all of that, they can sometimes get a little tired at the end of the season, but that was his best race of the year. It was a 16-horse field and he had a wide draw. He had to sit at the very back and he came flying on the outside to be third. That was very eye-catching, against the older horses and a very strong field.” Having confirmed at Newmarket that every inch of his ability remained intact at the age of four, Beauvatier is reported to have retired sound in wind and limb after being beaten less than five lengths on his swansong in December's G1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin. In fact, when it was announced in October that Beauvatier would be standing at Etreham in 2026, Barberot vouched that the colt had “never seen a vet”. “That was a big factor for us,” says de Chambure. “I think it makes a lot of appeal for the breeders, because the racing is meant to allow us to select the stallion for tomorrow. Sometimes, I think the market probably gives too much room to horses that only won one race and were unsound. “In Beauvatier's case, people can see that he was consistent three years in a row, without having any holes in his career. That's important for us and we're going to support him. The three main partners would be the Allaire family, LNJ Foxwoods and ourselves. The interesting part is that the three of us have different views on what broodmares could suit, so that's going to give the horse a different type of support, but three strong partners, very keen on giving him a good start.” Philippe Allaire, LNJ Foxwoods and Etreham have retained 50% ownership of Beauvatier from his racing days, with the remaining 50% in the process of being syndicated. He has been introduced at a fee of €7,000 for 2026. “We feel that he's got quite a bit going for him as a stallion prospect,” de Chambure sums up. “He's quite an outcross and he's going to be easy for breeders to use. He's a Lope De Vega out of a Sea The Stars mare. This is a successful sireline on both sides and Lope De Vega is yet to have a successful son in France. He's done really well as a sire of sires with some of his young sons in England and Ireland, so it's exciting for the French breeders to be accessing that blood without having to travel. “He's a horse that could sit and quicken, and I think that's very important in France where our racing can be a little bit tactical. He has a very good turn of foot and he performed well until he was a four-year-old, which I think is very important as well. And he's a good-looking horse. He's a quality son of Lope De Vega, a good color with a nice head and a good walk. He has a lot of things going for him.” The post Seven-Furlong Specialist Beauvatier Following the Wootton Bassett Path at Etreham 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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