Wandering Eyes

With a full-service Thoroughbred nursery, stallion roster, student program and racing club to oversee, Irish National Stud Chief Executive Officer Cathal Beale has a lot on his plate. He also has an opportunity to see the Thoroughbred business from numerous perspectives, and the TDN‘s Kelsey Riley caught up with him at Keeneland’s January sale in Lexington, Kentucky this week to talk about some hot-topic industry issues. KR: What brings you to Kentucky this week? CB: I’m here trying to source some new stock for the Irish National Stud, trying to find some nice mares to support our stallions, and it’s always good to get out to meet people and let people know we’re here. We’ve purchased two mares for the stud: we got lot 130 [for $60,000], she is a stakes-placed winner at two and in foal to California Chrome, so that’s quite exciting. We got another mare for $20,000 [lot 308] and we’re very happy with her; she’s a half-sister to some stakes horses and nicely bred in foal to a good stallion in Dialed In. It’ll be interesting to see how the market receives those yearlings in a couple years in Europe. KR: Your flagship stallion is of course Invincible Spirit. How is his 2019 book coming together? CB: He’s nearly completed. He’ll be limited again to in and around 100 mares for longevity, to try to keep him going for as long as we possibly can, but we’re delighted with his book. He had such a fantastic year last year with three Group 1 winners, two of those being 2-year-olds, and 19 stakes winners. It was a fabulous year for him on the track so people will continue to support him. Limiting the book is something we do in particular with him because of his age [22]. We don’t want to over face him at this stage of his career but he’s been remarkably fertile and we want to keep him that way. We haven’t covered Southern Hemisphere and we just try to get him to peak in the four months of the season when we really need him, and the other eight months are his own time. It’s the decision we made to cover no more than two mares per day with him to give him every chance. Last year his fertility was exceptional again so it’s great that he can keep going. KR: Two others you have on the roster are Decorated Knight and Free Eagle, who were both very top-class middle distance runners. Both have been featured as TDN value sires in recent weeks, but support of breeders hasn’t exactly been strong; Decorated Knight covered 66 mares last year, and Free Eagle 58. Is it concerning that these types of sires are struggling to get a chance? CB: I think it’s part of the bigger picture. You have to take a step back to look at the entire model. The biggest problem [the Thoroughbred industry] faces is we’re in a very competitive market for people to be interested in what we do. There are new sports coming along all the time and sports that are reinventing themselves. MMA [Mixed Martial Arts] didn’t exist 10 years ago, in Europe certainly, and now it’s a big sport. So there’s such competition to be relevant and stay on the pages of the daily newspapers. Ultimately as an industry, we have to unite under the banner that we have to make ourselves as relevant as possible to Joe Public. In doing that, we have to make the return on investment attractive for people coming into the game. We know it’s attractive in terms of fun, but we need to make sure it’s attractive from a monetary sense as well, or as attractive as we can possibly make it. What we have to do is pull everybody together and face in the same direction and make the case to those who pull the purse strings. If we do that, that then has the knock-on effect of making racehorses more attractive than just something you have to sell as a foal. Breeders are at the pin of their collar at the moment because they’re trying to breed to sell a foal because that’s where the incentive is for them, to sell as a foal, rather than retain the horse themselves and race it, which has been the model for the past 200 years. So they’re choosing what you might deem faster [sires], six or seven furlong horses, for that result. So until we can incentivise breeders to retain their fillies or actually try to race the stock themselves, until we get to the point where it’s affordable for breeders to be able to do that, we’re going to see a fall-off on those sorts of middle distance horses, I think. Having said that, the markets that are opening up for flat racing especially are global. And the majority of these markets are looking for 10-furlong horses. Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore and all of these emerging Eastern markets are looking for the 10-furlong horse. I think over the next two or three years there might be a migration back towards that sort of horse, and I certainly hope there is because ultimately the Thoroughbred is about the piece of wood at Epsom, as Tesio said. I think that’s the ultimate thing we’re trying to breed so I think if we can get back to that, that’s a positive thing. KR: When you announced your 2019 stud fees, you said you were lowering a number of them to “reflect the current market sentiment.” Can you expand upon that? CB: It’s no secret that breeders are under pressure, and certainly commercial breeders have had a tough year. We’ve been listening to people in the barns as we go around and we felt we had to respond to that. We’re in the business of trying to give people a chance to make money on our stallions, because that’s why they come back the following year. It’s a business decision as much as anything else and it’s the right decision in this climate, where breeders are really struggling at the foal sales, particularly this year, to make end’s meet. I felt we had to respond to that by dropping the fees on what we might call our middle-market stallions. We reduced Free Eagle, Decorated Knight, Dragon Pulse, National Defense, Gale Force Ten, and we maintained Invincible Spirit. That was a conscious decision we wanted to make. KR: You’ve already alluded to the polarisation at last year’s breeding stock sales, and it was probably at an unprecedented level. How do you think this worrying trend can be corrected, and is there a way to stimulate spending at lower levels of the market? CB: It comes back to that big picture thing. Everybody keeps beating on about prize money and I think that’s logical, but it’s not just prize money: the bigger thing is the return on investment. Prize money is the biggest return you can get but there’s also a big return if you can get a good horse and sell it to a foreign market. You add that up on the plus side, and then you have the costs on the negative side. The VAT increase is an issue in Ireland now; it’s gone up to 13.5%. It seems from a breeder’s perspective that the costs keep creeping up and the prize money keeps-while everyone is doing their best efforts to push it forward, the return on investment of the whole package together really needs to be more competitive. Other markets like Australia in particular have done a great job making conscious decisions to increase return on investment by increasing prizemoney, and we in Europe have to respond to that and make ourselves as competitive as possible for new entrants to enter the market. A new entrant will come and take a look and they’ll want to see what the economic return is on their investment. It’s really important for us to make sure that is as attractive as we can possibly make it. We need to put forward a very clear case to government, or whoever is in charge of making those decisions, that investment in our industry is going to return three, four, five, six times what they put into it in terms of jobs, exchequer returns-we need to stress the fact that we’re extremely good at this in Europe. In Ireland, England, France, Germany, Italy, in particular, we have the land, the people to do these things. It’s an investment worth making for government and it’s up to us to keep making sure we make that case, that it’s not a handout we’re looking for-it’s an investment. Investing in our industry is going to return massively to government and it’s getting that case and making that point. Everything filters down from that. With the issues that are out there at the moment-breeders are struggling, people are struggling to find staff; trainers, if they have more prize money to aim at, can then make more money and pay their staff more. It trickles down; it’s a filter system from the very top and it’s about getting that funding system correct and attractive as possible. Everything else filters down from that. KR: Are there industry stakeholders making that case to government? CB: Absolutely. It’s something we have to keep doing and keep trying to improve upon. It’s really about making sure that the case is being made and being made so they can understand what we’re doing. It’s important for us to put it in layman’s terms, to say, for every Euro you put in, here’s what the return on the investment is. And it’s extremely significant. I can only talk about Ireland on this, but there are 30,000 jobs directly and indirectly as a result of horse racing, and if they continue to invest more, there will be more jobs and there will be greater returns to the exchequer if companies are making profits and they’re getting taxed on those profits. If we can convince them of the benefits of that, everything else flows back. KR: Brexit is a massive concern at the moment too, but we don’t yet have much of an idea of how it will affect our business. Are you seeing any affects of potential repercussions in any parts of your business? CB: I think people are always inclined to be cautious when there’s uncertainty, but having said that we need to just keep going. There are no prizes for sitting on your laurels and not doing anything, so it’s business as usual to a degree and continuing to push forward and hoping they come up with a solution. There’s a significant amount of work going on behind the scenes in terms of getting the HHH [high health horse] protocol [maintained post-Brexit], and that is absolutely vital not just for the Irish industry but the English and French industries as well. Being able to bring our horses and people across the borders without checks is vital. There is a lot of work going on in Europe at the moment to make that case and get that deal over the line, and that’s a vital piece of legislation to come. Without that we’re probably in a bit of trouble, but I’m cautiously optimistic we can get that done, which will alleviate most of the fears we have with Brexit. KR: You’re now about a year and a half into your role as CEO of the Irish National Stud. How is it going so far? CB: It’s just the most fantastic opportunity because no day is the same. We have a stallion business to run, a boarding business, a consignment business, we’re selling our own stock, we have a lot of clients, but we also have an education piece, and a tourism piece. It’s incumbent on us to be at the forefront of explaining these things to government and to allow people an opportunity to get as close to a horse as they actually can, whatever level they’re at. Whether that’s as a tourist that’s paying €12 to get into the stud and see a horse and they may never have seen a horse in their lives before, or whether that’s somebody who has a keen interest in racing, to set up a racing club like we have will allow them to come in and participate in some really nice horses to take them not just to the big days but the small days; get them to every racetrack across the country if we can over the course of the next couple of years with INS racing. There are various levels, and we try to pitch an option to somebody at every level. That’s the tourism for €12, the INS Racing for €399 or the mares syndicate for €16,000 for a share, or nominations from €1,000 to €120,000; to try to pitch something there at every level so people can take the next step, whatever that may be, and have a good experience and nearly through osmosis learn a bit more about racing and maybe set off a little spark in someone that they want to come back. What we’re really here to do is get people closer and get people a little more involved in racing. KR: You mentioned the Irish National Stud’s Breeding Course, and you yourself as well as many others in top positions in the industry worldwide came through that course. The course must be something the Irish National Stud is quite proud of? CB: It’s another way of getting people further along the road in whatever they’re doing. We have 30 students coming in this year and it’s been running for 48 years. I’ve met so many guys here in Kentucky this week who did the course and came out here 20, 30, 40 years ago. It’s still so highly regarded among them and they continue to send people back to us. They’ll suggest someone go to the National Stud and do the course, so we’re excited the 30 are starting next Monday for our 48th year. It’s the oldest and biggest network of people in the bloodstock industry so we’re very proud of it. View the full article

Walking Thunder (c, 3, Violence-Street Show, by Street Boss) posted his third straight open-length victory to remain unbeaten in an eye-catching performance in Meydan’s UAE 2000 Guineas trial going a mile on the dirt on Thursday. Fast from the gates, Walking Thunder and jockey Connor Beasley sat off the flank of Power Link (Data Link) down the backstretch. Pulling even with that rival rounding the bend, the hooded dark bay pulled clear with a few slaps of the whip at the top of the straight and was soon about 10 lengths clear and winning geared down. Manguzi (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) was second, and the G1 Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Royal Marine (Ire) (Raven’s Pass) checked in a tame fourth, not appearing overly enthusiastic about his first try on the dirt. A 5 1/4-length debut winner at Meydan going 1400 metres on Nov. 1, Walking Thunder added to that with a 4 1/2-length score over this track and trip on Dec. 12. He was a $42,000 OBS April purchase by trainer Ahmed bin Harmash, signed for by his assistant Alessandro Marconi from Q Bar J Thoroughbreds. This was the first carnival winner for the Phoenix Ladies Syndicate, an affiliate of Phoenix Thoroughbreds. View the full article

In this series, we ask agents and others who book a lot of mares for their clients which sires might be flying slightly under the radar in this breeding season. Who might be getting overlooked in the rush for the new, hot thing? Read on. Jacob West: Overanalyze, WinStar Farm, $15,000 I’d have to say Overanalyze. He was the leading freshman sire in 2017, had a couple of stakes horses at the end of 2018, and had a nice horse break his maiden (Overdeliver) right at the end of 2018. The horse has had a couple of graded stakes horses and obviously shown he can get runners, and I don’t feel like anybody is pounding down the doors to get to him right now. So he would probably be my number one pick, just because I think he’s a stallion on the cusp of coming back. I know he bred a lot of mares last year (195), so he might be on the rise. It might be a good opportunity for people to jump on board now. Click here for more about Overanalyze. View the full article

Sitting in the café during a crowded lunch hour Jan. 9 at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, trainer Jeff Metz was somewhat of an anomaly. View the full article

15:00 Huntingdon The Gary Moore team have started the jumps campaign in fine fettle and have really came to the fore in the last few weeks. That form shows no signs of slowing down and they have another great chance of landing the spoils in this one with Dell Oro. The 6yo ran a corker […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Friday 11th January appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Goffs’s two-day February Sale will be held Feb. 5 and 6, with weanlings offered on day one and 2-year-olds, horses in training and breeding stock on day two. Highlights on paper among the weanlings include lot 22, a full-brother to listed winner and multiple group-placed Easton Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}); lot 82, an Awtaad (Ire) colt out of G1 Premio Lydia Tesio winner Aoife Alainn (Ire) (Dr Fong); lot 93, a No Nay Never half-sister to the listed-placed Thubiaan (Dynaformer) and Speculative Bid (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}); lot 112, a full-brother to German Group 3 winner Dessertoflife (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}); lot 248, a Showcasing (GB) colt who is the first foal out of listed winner Porthilly (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}); and lot 256, a full-brother to Listed Pat Eddery S. winner Apex King (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Highlights of the breeding stock portion of the catalogue include It’s A Wish (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 349), a dual placed full-sister to Group 1-winning sprinter Signs Of Blessing (Ire); Spirit of Winning (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 395), a twice-placed mare in foal to Oasis Dream (GB); Mark Of An Angel (Ire) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) (lot 403), the dam of dual Group 3 winner Queen Blossom (Ire) (Jeremy) in foal to Le Havre (Ire); and American Spirit (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) (lot 418), a half-sister to Derby winner Authorized (Ire). View the full article

Similar to its £25,000 Book 1 bonus, Tattersalls will offer a £15,000 Craven Breeze Up Bonus to graduates of its 2019 sale that win a class two, three or four 2-year-old maiden or novice race in Britain, or an open 2-year-old maiden in Ireland. There will be around 300 qualifying races, and the cost to enter is a single payment of £1,000. Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “The £15,000 Craven Breeze Up Bonus has been inspired by the enormous popularity of the £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus and will make Europe’s premier 2-year-olds in training sale an even more compelling fixture for owners and trainers alike. Winners of £15,000 Craven Breeze Up Bonuses will routinely collect around £20,000 in prize money for winning their maiden and in some cases more than £50,000. The £25,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus scheme has been so well received since its inception and the £15,000 Craven Breeze Up Bonus reinforces our commitment at Tattersalls to encourage racehorse ownership by boosting prize money.” View the full article

A new study of the race records and genetics of over 3,000 racehorses published this week in the Equine Veterinary Journal says the myostatin gene-or ‘speed gene’-is the almost singular genetic determinant of a horse’s optimum race distance. The research was led by UCD Associate Professor of Equine Science, Emmeline Hill, who is also chief science officer at leading Irish equine science company Plusvital, and included racehorses from Europe, Australia, South Africa and the U.S. The study found that in Europe, more than 83% of speed gene type C:C (sprint) horses had an optimum race distance of a mile or shorter, and more than 89% of T:T (staying) horses ran best over distances greater than a mile. “We have replicated and validated our original research findings on a massively larger scale,” Hill said. “The power in the numbers has shown that the association of the ‘speed gene’ with race distance is as statistically strong as the most highly genetically influenced traits in humans, including eye colour and the probability of an individual going bald.” Hill said the research also indicates that stayers face a serious threat of extinction. “Since there is just one gene that is a major player in the sprinting versus staying stakes, it is extremely vulnerable to selection pressures. This has been recognised by the concern in the industry over the potential reduction in genetic diversity by favouring precocious, commercially attractive horses. This concern is well justified, with the staying type facing a serious threat of extinction in the global population. T:T (staying) types make up less than 17% of elite race winners in Britain and Ireland and less than 7% of the Australian elite winning population. This is a complete reversal from the picture of genetics of the Thoroughbred 150 years ago.” View the full article

This week is a recap of Glorious Song's first grade 1 victory, the Feb. 10, 1980 La Canada Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. The recap, written by Tracy Gantz, ran in the Feb. 16, 1980 magazine and carried the headline, "Song Of Canada." View the full article

This week is a recap of Glorious Song's first grade 1 victory, the Feb. 10, 1980 La Canada Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park. The recap, written by Tracy Gantz, ran in the Feb. 16, 1980 magazine and carried the headline, "Song Of Canada." View the full article

A dozen of Hong Kong’s premier gallopers have been entered for the Dubai World Cup meeting in March. While multiple Group One winners Beauty Generation and Pakistan Star are unlikely to make the trip, they have been nominated – both for the Dubai Turf and the latter for the World Cup as well – and there are a host of other intriguing runners that could head to Meydan for the extravaganza on March 30. Tony Millard has entered three runners for the meeting, with two-time South... View the full article

Addressing your thoughts, questions and statements about Hong Kong racing. Have something to say? Send a tweet to @SCMPRacingPost. Frankel gelding Simply Brilliant lands the Group Three January Cup. But the best sight is Alexis Badel up on his feet after being unseated after the winning post – hope all is OK with Alexis – @HongKong_Racing Unfortunately, Badel didn’t escape the incident completely unscathed and will miss Saturday’s meeting after doctors found a minor... View the full article

A host of Hong Kong’s best dirt horses step out in Saturday’s Class Two Leighton Handicap (1,650m) at Sha Tin and trainer Michael Chang Chun-wai will be hoping he has a galloper who can slot into that top echelon in Righteous Doctrine. The four-year-old is having his first start in Hong Kong after arriving at Sha Tin from France in October and looks set to be right at home on the all-weather track after winning twice on the similar polytrack of his homeland. Chang has wasted no time... View the full article

13:10 Leicester The dream team of Coleman and Murphy can’t seem to do much wrong at the moment with an amazing 31% strike rate when this jockey and trainer team up. They come together at Leicester today with eight-year-old American Tom. An Irish import from the top yard of Willie Mullins he’s changed hands to […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Thursday 10th January appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

After a cannon bone fracture knocked him out of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), Joe Peacock's homebred 2018 Sunland Derby (G3) winner Runaway Ghost is ready to get back to racing. View the full article

While the racing world will forever remember 2018 as the year horses like Justify, Accelerate, and Monomoy Girl dominated the racetrack, there are just as many runners who slid under the radar but are no less worthy of recognition. View the full article

Vorster makes shock move to Adelaide View the full article

Early scratching January 11 View the full article

When two-time grade 1 winner Heart to Heart begins his seventh season of racing Jan. 12, it will be on one of his favorite courses, as the 8-year-old son of English Channel tries to bounce back from a discouraging finish to 2018. View the full article

After a cannon bone fracture knocked him out of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), Joe Peacock's homebred 2018 Sunland Derby (G2) winner Runaway Ghost is ready to get back to racing. View the full article

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale opened its Book 2 section with a solid, workmanlike session Wednesday in Lexington. Five horses sold for six figures during the session, led by a pair of mares who fetched matching $125,000 final bids. Charles Fipke’s C F Farms was first to hit that session-topping mark when acquiring the unraced Oh Mrs. G (Offlee Wild), in foal to Practical Joke, from the Elite Sales consignment. SF Bloodstock and Newgate Farm paid that same amount for the racing or broodmare prospect Stallion Heiress (Exchange Rate) from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. The pinhooking partnership Fish Bloodstock, led by Brian Graves, purchased the day’s highest-priced short yearling when going to $120,000 for a son of Midnight Lute. In all, 238 horses sold Wednesday for $4,074,300. The average was $17,119 and the median was $8,000. Of the 380 horses catalogued for the session, 290 were offered and 52 were reported not sold for a buy-back rate of 17.93%. It was 20.27% in the third session a year ago when 236 head sold for $3,442,700. The 2018 session average was $14,588 and the median was $7,750. The top price of $145,000 was one of two six-figure offerings on the day. The January sale opened with a strong two-session Book 1 and Elite’s Liz Crow said buyers were still out shopping as the four-day auction moved into Book 2. “There seems to be really good foot traffic [at the sales barns],” Crow said. “I wish there was a little more of the middle market around. I think a lot of people feel that way. But a lot of people are still looking for quality. They want the really good ones and the horses that are left in the middle, a lot of them aren’t finding new homes.” Taylor Made Sales Agency sold three of the session’s six-figure lots and was the day’s leading consignor with 66 sold for a total of $1,399,400 and an average of $21,203. “The market has been really good,” the agency’s Mark Taylor said. “The bottom end is still treacherous, but for anything that has a hint of quality, there are multiple bids above the reserve and they are selling really well. It’s what we saw all last year, but there is still strength for anything with quality.” The Keeneland January sale concludes Thursday with a final session beginning at 10 a.m. Oh Mrs. G to C F Farms Oh Mrs. G (Offlee Wild) (hip 874) topped early returns during Wednesday’s third session of the Keeneland January sale when Tom Thornbury signed the ticket at $125,000 on behalf of Charles Fipke’s C F Farms. The unraced 8-year-old mare was in foal to Practical Joke and was consigned by Elite Sales. Out of Mrs. Marcos (Private Account), she is a half-sister to Grade I winner Zoftig (Cozzene), dam of Grade I winners Zo Impressive (Hard Spun) and Zaftig (Gone West). Zoftig also produced the dam of Fipke’s Grade I-placed homebreds Verve’s Tale (Tale of Ekati) and Tale of Verve (Tale of Ekati). “She has a huge page and I think people were looking for quality and there wasn’t a lot out there, so she kind of stuck out in the catalogue,” Elite’s Liz Crow said of the mare’s appeal. “She was a nice physical. She was a very pretty mare. Everyone who pulled her out liked her physical.” The mare’s covering stallion was another selling point, according to Crow. During last year’s Keeneland November sale, 21 mares sold in foal to first-season sire Practical Joke (Into Mischief) for an average of $97,143. The three-time Grade I winner stands at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud for $30,000. “This mare stuck out because she had such a great page and she is in foal to a hot new sire,” Crow said. “She’s by a good broodmare sire and she’s pretty. So she ticked a lot of the boxes for people who are still out looking for quality horses.” Bred by Lemons Mill Farm, Oh Mrs. G was purchased by Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group for $39,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Sale. The Elkstone Group bred a filly by Declaration of War out of her in 2017 and a filly by Sky Mesa in 2018. SF Snares Stallion Heiress Multiple stakes-winning Stallion Heiress (Exchange Rate) (hip 948) will be joining the broodmare band aof SF Bloodstock and Newgate Farm after selling for $125,000 Wednesday at Keeneland. The 5-year-old racing or broodmare prospect is out of Menocino Beano (Smart Strike) and is a half-sister to stakes-placed Conquest Fleetfeet (Afleet Alex). She was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. “She is a lovely physical and she was obviously a very fast filly on the track,” said SF Bloodstock’s Caroline Wilson. “I think she’ll be great for our program.” Bred in Ontario by Sean Fitzhenry, Stallion Heiress was puchased by Stallionville Enterprises for $100,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale. She opened her racing career with three straight wins, including a pair of stakes scores at Fair Grounds in 2017, and was tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’. Nathan McCauley purchased the filly for $100,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale and she made one start for Premier Racing Club. Midnight Lute Colt a Pinhooking Prospect A colt by Midnight Lute (hip 953) is destined for a return trip through the sales ring later this year after selling to pinhooker Brian Graves for $120,000 Wednesday at Keeneland. Consigned by Taylor Made, the short yearling is out of Lightscameraaction (Will Take Charge), third in the 2018 GII Pocahontas S. He was bred by George Saufley, Pollock Farms, Hugh Owen and Taylor Brothers Properties. “He was a leggy colt with a long neck and a really good mover,” said Graves, who bid while seated alongside Davant Latham and Phil Hager. “It was probably a little bit more than we would have liked to pay for a Midnight Lute, but the horse had a good year this year and he can get a very good racehorse. I guess, my argument is that, when you lead a quality horse up by a stallion who is proven to get good racehorses, people will believe. We’ll probably bring him back here in September and see how we did.” Of a competitive yearling market this week in Lexington, Graves added, “It’s been extremely tough. It forces you into buying Midnight Lutes for $120,000.” Graves and company signed the ticket on hip 953 as Fish Bloodstock and that was also the name on the ticket securing hip 883, a daughter of Midnight Lute, for $90,000 Wednesday. Stop the Lights, who made only one racetrack appearance, is a daughter of multiple Grade I winner of Stop Traffic (Cure the Blues) and is a half-sister to Grade I winner Cross Traffic (Unbridled’s Song). She sold, with the Midnight Lute colt in utero, for $10,000 at the 2018 Keeneland January sale. She preceded her yearling into the sales ring Wednesday, selling in foal to Mshawish for $43,000 to Chad Schumer. “We bought her for some customers who own a share in Mshawish,” Taylor Made’s Mark Taylor said of purchasing Stop the Lights last January. “They were looking for a nice mare to get underneath him–they were looking specifically for a Storm Cat mare to breed to Msawish–and this is the one they landed on. Fortunately enough, Lightscameraaction jumped up and Cross Traffic had a big Breeders’ Cup winner. So the mare brought $43,000 and the baby brought $120,000.” Taylor Made stands Mshawish (Medgalia d’Oro) and a short yearling from the first crop of the multiple Grade I winner consigned by the farm was first to bring six figures Wednesday when The Legend Stables bid $100,000 for hip 812. “I think they are not complicated,” Taylor said of his early impressions of Mshawish’s offspring. “They are very square, balanced and correct with good bone. They look like racehorses. They are not the flashiest horses, typically, just solid bay. They are a lot like him.” Mshawish, who stands for $10,000, won the 2014 G2 Zabeel Mile, 2015 GI Gulfstream Park Turf H. and 2016 GI Donn H. He concluded his racing career with a sixth-place effort behind California Chrome in the 2016 G1 Dubai World Cup. “I think people don’t really remember how good a racehorse he was,” Taylor said. “He won two Grade Is over here, dirt and turf, won a Group 2 in Dubai. We bought into him before the World Cup and he ran an unbelievable race. I didn’t like the ride he got. [Frankie] Dettori had never ridden him before and put him on the lead. I think if they had ridden him more to his style, he would have run second to Chrome. But he was a serious, serious racehorse. We are very bullish on him and think he’s got a big chance.” View the full article

While the racing world will forever remember the year 2018 as the year horses like Justify, Accelerate, and Monomoy Girl dominated the racetrack, there are just as many runners who slide under the radar, but are no less worthy of recognition. View the full article

In this series, we ask agents and others who book a lot of mares for their clients which sires might be flying slightly under the radar in this breeding season. Who might be getting overlooked in the rush for the new, hot thing? Read on. Marette Farrell: HARD SPUN, Darley America, $40,000 Straightaway, I’d say Hard Spun. He’s a phenomenal stallion and gets you a real runner. At the end of the day, we all get caught up in the whole sales thing, and he can get you a proper racehorse, and a sales horse, plus he’s an emerging top-class broodmare sire. How can you overlook a horse like that at $40,000? We are always trying to anticipate which stallions are currently quiet and which ones are about to take off. I think Hard Spun is in this spot right now. His first crop since he came back from Japan have just turned three and he is poised to kick right into gear now that they are going to get the chance to go two turns, be it turf or dirt. In my opinion he is real value. Dave Anderson of Anderson Farms who I work with, had a filly of his sell for $950,000 (at Keeneland September 2018). That’s right there at the top of the tree, and you don’t have to pay $300,000 for a stud fee. For me, the versatility of that and the consistency of a stallion like that is hugely important. If you have a young mare from a good family that you think might have the tools to be a producer, Hard Spun can be a solid foundation sire to get her up and running. So, Hard Spun; a) because he’ll help make a mare, b) because you’ll have a chance at a racehorse and c) because you’ll have opportunity for a good sale horse. Click for more about Hard Spun. View the full article

In preparation for this weekend's kickoff at Laurel Park, the Maryland Jockey Club announced Jan. 9 an incentive program for graded stakes winners that participate in its stakes schedule in 2019. View the full article

In preparation for this weekend's kickoff at Laurel Park, the Maryland Jockey Club announced today an incentive program for graded stakes winners that participate in its stakes schedule in 2019. View the full article