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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
It's been a long time coming for Jacob West. Watching 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard' Mindframe make it to the famed stallion barn at Claiborne Farm and settle into the stall once home to the likes of Bold Runner, Secretariat, Easy Goer and Unbridled marks a full-circle moment years in the making. One year after West joined Claiborne as their Stallion Seasons and Bloodstock Manager, the farm announced this summer that Mindframe would soon be headed to Claiborne. Weeks later, West was at Churchill Downs celebrating as the son of Constitution secured a third consecutive graded stakes win, defeating champion Sierra Leone in the GI Stephen Foster Stakes. The connection between the two stretches beyond that. As part of the selection team for owners Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola, West had a hand in purchasing Mindframe as a yearling and he has followed the Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables-campaigned colt every step of the way. Over the past few weeks, West has split his time between the breeding stock sales and Claiborne's stallion division, where breeders have been stopping in to get a look at the farm's newest recruit. Adding a second Grade I winner to the roster in Johannes, the first son of Nyquist to stand in Kentucky, has made the stretch even more exciting. In addition to those two newcomers, Claiborne has several other young stallions preparing to enter new phases of their stud careers next year. Prince of Monaco ($30,000) and Bright Future ($10,000) will both see their first foals in 2026 while Annapolis ($12,500) will be represented by his first crop of yearlings. Out of a stakes-winning Street Sense mare, Mindframe was in the Betz Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale when West and team first got a look at him. West said it was the colt's striking physical that led to his $600,000 purchase. “He was one of those horses that ranked near the top of our list,” recalled West. “The depth of family was an added bonus to just how good looking he was. Now he's basically a bigger version of what he was back then. He's a big horse, standing at 16.3 hands. He moves like a cat. He's correct, has good bone and a big, strong hip and shoulder. It all translated into having really fluid mechanics on the racetrack. He covered so much ground when he would stride out.” Bred in Maryland by prominent Mid-Atlantic owner Larry Johnson, Mindframe's sophomore season was highlighted by a 13 3/4-length debut win, which earned him Rising Star honors, and runner-up finishes in the GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes. His breeder passed away early this year, just before the colt's breakout performance in the GII Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes. “Larry had been in the business for a long time,” said West. “People had a lot of respect for him and his operation.” Mindframe displayed his versatility while collecting back-to-back Grade I wins. In the seven-furlong GI Churchill Downs Stakes, the Todd Pletcher trainee bested a field that included future Breeders' Cup champion Nysos (Nyquist) and Grade I winners Book'em Danno (Bucchero) and Mullikin (Violence). Next out in the mile-and-an-eighth Stephen Foster, he earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure in defeating Eclipse Award winner Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), GI Kentucky Derby victor Mystik Dan (Goldencents) and G1 Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}). “He was so versatile and he had such a high cruising speed,” said West. “To win at seven furlongs and at nine furlongs against some of the best horses of his generation just shows how good he was.” Mindframe made two more career starts this year at four. After an ill-fated break in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, where he lost jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. following a chain-reaction incident, he finished fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. He retired with earnings of $2.05 million. West predicted that Mindframe's speed and versatility on the racetrack will translate into his career at stud. “If you go back and analyze the history of Claiborne Farm, horses that were fast and could carry their speed over a route of ground have been successful here,” he explained. “This horse is no different. He's going to fall right in line with getting some incredible mares here on the farm. We have an incredible syndicate group that will back him in the likes of Repole Stable and St. Elias. They're going to be heavily invested in supporting him. The great thing about Mike and Vinnie and their operation is that they support them in the shed, in the sales ring and on the racetrack. They follow through with their stallions.” West added that Mindframe's credentials are further bolstered by the success of his sire. Constitution is currently a top-five general sire in North America. Mindframe is set to become his third son in Kentucky. First-crop sire Independence Hall, who stands at WinStar alongside his sire, has produced several stakes performers from his first crop while Ashford Stud's Tiz the Law ranks third among second-crop sires in North America. Johannes was hard to miss as a stallion prospect last year as he reeled off five graded stakes wins in eight months, dominating the turf division in California. “A son of Nyquist from a very good family and a homebred for his owners, he was a horse that we had kind of kept an eye on,” explained West. “Serious negotiations started this spring and we were lucky that we got him. He was an incredible racehorse.” Bred and raced by Joe and Debby McCloskey and trained by Tim Yakteen, Johannes developed into Nyquist's highest-earning son over the course of his four-year career. After breaking his maiden by nine lengths going six furlongs as a 2-year-old, the following year he collected wins in the Baffle Stakes and Pasadena Stakes. He took his game to the next level at four, securing five graded stakes victories highlighted by the GI Shoemaker Mile Stakes. The only slight blemish on an otherwise perfect season was his second-place finish to More Than Looks (More Than Ready) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. “To do what he did that year was truly remarkable,” said West. “[Jockey] Umberto Rispoli said coming into the Breeders' Cup that the horse gave him a certain feel when he was on his back with the way he ran and his style. He didn't care who he was running against. He showed up every time.” Johannes made three starts this year at five, including a second straight win in the GII City of Hope Mile Stakes. “His best race would probably have to be the Shoemaker Mile, winning the way he did,” West noted. “But the City of Hope this year was also impressive with the way he was able to sit off the pace and when they turned for home, if you watch him coming down the lane, it was basically just in a gallop.” A half-brother to two other stakes performers, Johannes heads to stud on the heels of another standout year for his sire. Nyquist, the sire of four Grade I winners in 2025, will stand for $175,000 next season at Darley's Jonabell Farm. “Being the first son of Nyquist to stand in Kentucky is very interesting,” said West. “Nyquist has such a strong following and, quite frankly, is a horse that some people might not be able to get to. So when you can get to his highest-earning son here, we feel like people will love that.” Johannes will be part of Claiborne's new incentive program “Breed Twice, Breed for Life,” in which owners who breed two mares to the stallion in his first two breeding seasons, produce two live foals and pay two stud fees will be eligible for a lifetime breeding right. “As a racehorse he was the real deal,” said West. “$10,000 is value for a horse like him with his race record, sire, family and his looks. We're very excited to have him here and offer him to breeders.” The post Mindframe and Johannes: The Two New Faces at Claiborne Farm 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
Fans will have their second of six opportunities to bet on the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) Nov. 27-30 with Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy–Better Than Honour, by Deputy Minister), only the third filly in history to win the GI Belmont Stakes, died due to infirmities of old age, Coolmore announced Monday. Owned by Coolmore's Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Rags to Riches etched her name into the annals of American racing history when she outbattled Curlin in a dramatic stretch duel to take the final leg of the Triple Crown in 2007, becoming the first filly in 102 years to win the race. Rags to Riches, purchased for $1.9 million at the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, also won the GI Kentucky Oaks, GI Santa Anita Oaks and GI Las Virgenes Stakes and was named champion 3-year-old filly of 2007. “Rags to Riches was a truly talented racehorse, and it's been a privilege to be around a horse of her calibre,” said Coolmore's Dermot Ryan. “Her achievements left a lasting impression on all of us, and she brought great pride to her ownership. I would like to thank Bob Davis and his team, who have cared for her with exceptional dedication for over a decade.” Rags to Riches has a 2-year-old filly by Munnings and a yearling colt by Uncle Mo. The post Belmont Stakes-Winning Filly Rags to Riches Passes Away 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
NEWMARKET, UK–After one last push over the top for the yearlings it is safe to say that the team at Tattersalls can reflect on a successful year for that sector of the market after the December Yearling Sale posted record figures across the board. The final tally included the most expensive colt ever sold at this particular auction, a Frankel half-brother to the G2 Queen Mary and G2 Temple Stakes winner Dramatised (Showcasing) out of the Listed-winning Turtle Bowl mare Katie's Diamond. The mare, who had been bought by Joe Foley for 190,000gns at Tattersalls eight years ago on behalf of Steve Parkin, is set to sell from Parkin's Branton Court Stud next week as lot 1742. Anthony Stroud and Alex Elliott, bidding from either side of the partition in the chute, took each other on for the colt from Hazelwood Bloodstock, with the latter having the final say at 425,000gns. Elliott reported that he had bought lot 85 for a partnership and added, “He looks a fast Frankel, and I am pleased to get him. He obviously should have been in Book 1 but he got a foot abscess and that needed time to grow out. “It's a fast family and I remember the mare racing for Karl Burke. She has already produced a good one in Dramatised. The December Sale has produced some good horses and hopefully he can add his name to the roll of honour.” The big-name stallions largely ruled the top of the leader board, with yearlings by Sea The Stars, Wootton Bassett, Lope De Vega, Night Of Thunder and Blue Point joining Frankel on the list of top ten yearling sires for the day. One notable newcomer to that group was Baaeed, whose first runners will be in action next year and who is the sire of Staffordstown's colt out of the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes winner Aloe Vera (Invincible Spirit). Offered as lot 8, he fetched 170,000gns from trainer Johnny Butler. It took until the final lot through the ring for the previous record turnover to be beaten, but the sale of Shadwell's three-parts-sister to Baaeed, who sold for 100,000gns to Swan Bar & Entertainment, ensured that the aggregate of 7,287,500gns set a new benchmark. The clearance rate of 85% jumped up slightly from 83% in 2024, while the median improved by 33% to 40,000gns and by the average was up by 1% to 52,699gns. Pedigree Picks Sea The Stars was well represented in this opening session of the December Sale, with seven of his yearlings having sold for an average of 129,286gns. They included the most expensive filly of the day from the family of the great Time Charter, who sold for 260,000gns to Anthony Stroud. “The mare's been bred to Sea The Stars a number of times and all the runners she's produced have been highly rated,” he said of My Timing (Street Cry), the dam of Sea On Time, Truthful and Sea Just In Time, rated 100, 88 and 89 respectively. “The stallion's fee has gone up to €300,000 next year, so this represents reasonable value. He's undoubtedly a very good stallion.” Peter Kavanagh of Kildaragh Stud was another to pick up a Sea The Stars filly and went to 200,000gns through Blandford Bloodstock for the half-sister to Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Lope De Vega) and Santorini Star (Golden Horn). Just last week the filly's half-sister by New Bay topped the Goffs November Foal Sale at €650,000. “She's a pretty unique filly, they don't come onto the market that often and she is by Sea The Stars, who we have the utmost respect for as a sire of racehorses and as a broodmare sire,” Kavanagh said. “To get into the family is such an opportunity, it's so vibrant and current, the mare is relatively young, and there are two good runners on the page.” Consignor Luke Lillingston of Mount Coote Stud added, “We were pleased with that. She is not a perfect model, everybody who came to look at her realised that, but I think it was a good result. Olivia Hoare bought her dam here at Tattersalls for 45,000gns, I introduced her to Ed Walker who was just starting to train. She won her final race, a Listed race, as a five-year-old and she went to stud and has been a marvellous broodmare. Today's price was established by those who have come before out of the mare, most especially Dreamloper, who Ed trained to win two Group 1s in France a couple of years ago.” German Links Tempt Rau Tina Rau went back to her roots when signing for a German-bred daughter of Lope De Vega from Rathbarry Stud at 235,000gns. Lot 172, out of the wining Lord Of England mare Strawberry, is a half-sister to Group 3-winning juvenile Sea Bay (New Bay) as well as to Listed winner Samoa (Jukebox Jury), and was bred by Gestut Etzean. She had been an expensive purchase at last year's Breeding Stock Sale at Arqana, where she was bought for €175,000. “She's been bought to race for a partnership in France,” Rau said. “I obviously know the family well. She was born on a very good German stud farm. She was raised on a very good Irish stud farm. The mare is without fault. The three-year-old [Starlight Lips] is staying in training and should be a Group winner next year. The two-year-old [San Marino] is exciting too, so there's a lot to like.” Buying through Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock, MV Magnier scooped up the sole remaining Wootton Bassett yearling in the catalogue for 200,000gns. Bred by Kevin Blake's Golden Farm Thoroughbreds and sold through Tinnakill House as lot 53, the daughter of Entrancing (Mayson) is from the Cheveley Park Stud family of champion two-year-old filly Hooray (Invincible Spirit). “She's a strong filly, and what more can we say about Wootton Bassett? He is a dreadful loss to the industry and to Coolmore,” said McStay. Last Call for the Breeze-up Boys The December Sale provides a last chance for the breeze-up pinhookers to sign up a yearling and Mick Murphy of Longways Stables doubled up with Tally-Ho Stud's St Mark's Basilica half-sister to Group 3 winner Glounthaune, who was bought for 140,000gns, and a Too Darn Hot colt out of the Listed winner Frankel Light (Frankel) for 98,000gns. Murphy was responsible for breezing this year's G1 Dewhurst Stakes winner Gewan, by Night Of Thunder, but it is his friend Johnny Hassett who will take charge of a filly by the same stallion sold from the Castlebridge Consignment for 180,000gns. Lot 161, out of the winning Sea The Stars mare Sous Les Etoiles from the Hascombe & Valiant family of Golden Horn, was bought by Ghrghar Stables, whose representative Ramzi Alghul said, “She has been bought to breeze and goes to Johnny Hassett in Ireland. It is a big investment in a breeze-up prospect, Johnny was very keen to have her and she is by the sire of the moment. Hopefully, she will come back to the Craven Sale.” The first of four sessions of foals gets underway at Park Paddocks at 11am on Tuesday. The post December Sale Off The Mark With Record Yearling Session at Tattersalls 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
Lauren Biddle has been named Director of Marketing and Education at Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. Biddle, most recently Executive Director of the Public Media Business Association, will lead TOBA's efforts to amplify its mission, deepen member engagement, and highlight the rich heritage of the Thoroughbred industry. Biddle has also served as Executive Director of the Paris-Bourbon County Chamber of Commerce where she spearheaded the development of the Legends of Bourbon County Thoroughbred Fund–a 501c3 nonprofit organization aimed at promoting the Bourbon County Thoroughbred industry through tourism initiatives such as public art exhibits, festivals, and 5k races on local horse farms. “Growing up in Central Kentucky, I've seen firsthand how the history and passion of this region shape the Thoroughbred industry,” Biddle said. “I am honored to step into this position with TOBA, where I can help tell the stories of the breeders, the owners, and the people behind the horses. My goal is to bridge tradition and innovation–through education, marketing, and community–to strengthen TOBA's impact across the industry.” The post Lauren Biddle Named TOBA Director of Marketing and Education 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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