Wandering Eyes

In September, Justify left WinStar Farm for a career at Ashford Stud after the undefeated Triple Crown winner was purchased by Coolmore. Two months later, he is on display for breeders and fans alike and has proven to be a popular draw during the Keeneland November Sale. We caught up with Adrian Wallace to see how the big chestnut was settling in. TDN: Justify has been here around two months now. He looks fantastic. How has he settled in? AW: He has settled in fine. We have been overwhelmed by the response from our breeders. It goes without saying he’s always going to be a popular horse, but he looks the part, he’s very mature, and WinStar obviously did a great job with him. He arrived here in good weight, and he has taken to his new role of being our number one show stallion quite well. We have probably had three hundred people through over the last two days. It will be interesting to see what happens when Pharaoh comes back. Having two Triple Crown winners in the same place will be quite overwhelming, I’m sure. But we’re quite happy with him, he’s a beautiful-looking horse, he’s 16.3, a lovely rich color, and in a great mood. And we couldn’t be happier. TDN: American Pharaoh will be back soon enough from Australia. In terms of breeders and the public, how do you prepare for a demand like that? AW: We’re close partners with Horse Country, who do a great job in promoting the farms and arranging the tours. So for the first couple of weeks in November, we stopped our Horse Country tours to give breeders a chance to come see the horse, and come see Mo Town as well, who’s also new for 2019. So once the sales are over, we’ll start again with our Horse Country tours and try to get them available to the fans again. But we want to be mindful of the horse. It wasn’t so long ago he was racing, so we want to do the right thing by him, not overwhelm him, and that’s why we’ve got sort of a fairly strict measure of time. TDN: It’s quite a historic achievement, standing two Triple Crown winners. AW: We’re the fourth farm in history to stand two Triple Crown winners, so that puts us now in a bracket that includes Claiborne Farm, Calumet, and Spendthrift. It’s a place that we’re honored to be in. Having horses like Justify and American Pharaoh is a responsibility to the business and to the industry, and it’s one we don’t take lightly. We’re looking forward to getting a good book of mares under both these stallions. Obviously Pharaoh is going to have his first runners next year, and his yearlings couldn’t have sold any better. And we think Justify will get a justifiably good book of mares. TDN: How do you go about sorting through the mares and trying to get him the best start? AW: We get the applications, some mares are more obvious than others. A Raving Beauty was booked into Justify this morning, so she’s obviously one you don’t have to think about too hard. We’ll breed 40 or 50 of our own mares to them as well. We hope to get a good solid book behind them. The criteria is that we want young, good-looking, well-credentialed mares, but they don’t have to be Grade I or Grade I producers. As long as they’ve got good families behind them and have the credentials, we’re happy to take a look at them. {"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"Justify the Star of the Show at Coolmore America","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/299966153.sd.mp4?s=8654d7ed9606aa7b35d55e8cba68c7e6c0885731&profile_id=165","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/273891801.sd.mp4?s=59b83370d3ca1d184f53617f1f64aff7056df628&profile_id=165","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"} TDN: You have Uncle Mo and now you’ve got one of his sons, Mo Town, standing here next year. How is the demand for Uncle Mo from breeders this year? AW: Uncle Mo is one of those horses; he’s very young, but he’s already had six Group 1 winners in his first two crops. He’s a horse that doesn’t really need any introduction. He’s popular in the sales ring, he’s popular with buyers, he’s popular with breeders, and the trainers like them. Getting Nyquist in your first crop puts you in fairly rarified air, so I think he’s a horse that really doesn’t need too much explaining. But he’s been very well received as well. He, Pharaoh, and Justify really are the horses that are filling up very very well. And obviously our newer horses are starting to fill now as well. TDN: And finally, naturally after Accelerate won the Breeders’ Cup, his connections are campaigning for him as Horse of the Year. What is your argument for Justify as Horse of the Year? AW: There’s only one Triple Crown. There have only been 13 winners of the Triple Crown. And he is the thirteenth Triple Crown winner. He should be Horse of the Year. He’s one of those horses who, when he’s running, you never really doubt that he was going to win the race. He gave Mike Smith the confidence, he gave Bob Baffert the confidence to put him in the Santa Anita Derby in only his third start, and the Kentucky Derby only his fourth start. What the horse achieved this spring and early summer was quite incredible. I think being a Triple Crown winner in six starts was pretty amazing stuff. Let’s not forget the Curse of Apollo, either. View the full article

Exercise rider Odanis Acuna died after a training accident in the early hours of Nov. 10 at Churchill Downs. The long-time member of trainer Ken McPeek's team sustained fatal injuries to his head and neck when the horse he was working broke down. View the full article

Racebets bet of the day 13:15 Sandown No Hassle Hoff finished second to Topofthegame in a decent-looking point-to-point earlier in his career, a race where four of the other five runners have won since, so despite this being his rules chase debut he does have some experience of the bigger obstacles. A winner first time out last season, he shouldn’t be lacking in fitness and is partnered with Daryl Jacob who has an excellent strike rate over fences at Sandown so all things point to a big run today. The biggest danger looks to be Vivas who has taken well to chasing, having won two from two since switching from hurdles. He has gone up 5lbs but is progressing quickly so won’t give up his unbeaten record lightly. Others to consider include fellow chase debutants Molineaux and Dentley De Mee who look to have races in them over the season ahead and can battle it out for the minor honours today. No Hassle Hoff (WIN) Ffos Las 12:55 – Alf N Dor (E/W) 13:25 – Good Boy Bobby (WIN) 14:00 – Kilbricken Storm (WIN) 14:30 – Alfie Corbett (E/W) 15:05 – West Of The Edge (WIN) 15:35 – Steel Native (WIN) 16:10 – Cuban Pete (WIN) Sandown 12:45 – Serosevsky (WIN) 13:15 – No Hassle Hoff (WIN) 13:50 – Sevarano (WIN) 14:20 – Thomas Patrick (WIN) 14:55 – Romanor (E/W) 15:25 – Rathlin Rose (WIN) 16:00 – Jackson Hill (WIN) Navan 12:35 – Stacks Mountain (E/W) 13:05 – Felix Desjy (WIN) 13:35 – Identity Thief (WIN) 14:10 – Doctor Phoenix (WIN) 14:40 – Trainwreck (WIN) 15:15 – Wonder Laish (WIN) 15:45 – Cenotice (WIN) The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Sunday 11th November appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

A delighted Matthew Poon Ming-fai secured his first win as a senior rider with Victory Machine and then made it a double when Nuclear Power produced the run of the day, to put him in serious contention for a spot in next month’s International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley. The 23-year-old collected his 70th winner to complete his apprenticeship last month and he only had to wait until his second meeting as a senior to taste success. Victory Machine put his head down on the... View the full article

Watch Me (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) hit the board behind subsequent G3 Prix Miesque third So Unique (Fr) (Siyouni {Ire}) in her Oct. 20 unveiling going one mile at Saint-Cloud last time and stepped forward to shed maiden status in this stakes debut. Settled in third for the most part, she was caught in traffic in the straight and kept on resolutely once offered an opening at the eighth pole to claim a career high in game fashion. Watch Me, who becomes the first black-type winner for her Haras de Bouquetot-based freshman sire (by Choisir {Aus}), is also the first scorer for Watchful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is a winning half to G3 Scottish Classic and GIII Poker H. runner-up Rabi (Ire) (Alzao) and G3 Coventry S. placegetter Kawagino (Ire) (Perugino). Watchful is also kin to Appleblossom Pearl (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), herself the dam of Listed Heron S. and Listed Fortune S. victor Khafoo Shememi (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). The bay’s third dam Sharaya (Youth), who annexed the G1 Prix Vermeille, is also the ancestress of MGSW G1 Spinster S. runner-up Sans Adieu (Jpn) (French Deputy) and stakes-winning G1 Prix de l’Abbaye and dual G1 Nunthorpe S. placegetter Hamish McGonagall (GB) (Namid {GB}), from a family featuring G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Shawanda (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}) and G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Prix Vermeille victress Shareta (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}). Watchful has a yearling colt by Elvstroem (Aus) to come. Saturday, Toulouse, France CRITERIUM DU LANGUEDOC – PRIX BERNARD DE MARMIESSE-Listed, €60,000, Toulouse, 11-10, 2yo, 8fT, 1:42, hy. 1–WATCH ME (FR), 122, f, 2, by Olympic Glory (Ire) 1st Dam: Watchful (Ire), by Galileo (Ire) 2nd Dam: Sharakawa (Ire), by Darshaan (GB) 3rd Dam: Sharaya, by Youth 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (€30,000 RNA Ylg ’17 ARAUG). O-Alexander Tamagni-Bodmer & Mme Regula Vannod; B-Mme Antoinette Tamagni & Cocheese Bloodstock Anstalt (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, €34,050. 2–Go To Hollywood (Fr), 126, c, 2, Penny’s Picnic (Ire)–Agence Belge (Fr), by Librettist. O-Ecurie Breed To Win SC, Mme Danielle Xoual & Yann Barberot. €12,000. 3–Good Complicity (Fr), 122, f, 2, Power (GB)–Vivement Dimanche (GB), by Royal Applause (GB). (€14,000 Ylg ’17 AROCT). O-Laurent Haegel. €9,000. Margins: 1 1/4, 1, 1. Odds: 4.70, 6.30, 4.00. Also Ran: Udalla (Ire), Divine Gift (Ire), Marie’s Picnic (Fr), Le Marais (Ire), J’Aurais Du (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. View the full article

It is rare to see Zac Purton salute after a victory – not even a Group One – so when he stands up in the irons and flourishes the whip, you know he really enjoyed it. He did just that after You Have My Word’s narrow victory at Sha Tin on Saturday, and there was some extra meaning to it. In this case, you do not have to be a rocket scientist to work out why. Purton is in a spat with Grant van Niekerk both on and off the track, which was brought into the public sphere after the... View the full article

Chad Schofield was reunited with his “favourite” Hong Kong horse on Saturday, with the likeable jockey taking out the Class One Panasonic Cup (1,400m) aboard Rattan. It was Schofield’s fourth win from nine starts aboard the Richard Gibson-trained five-year-old, while they’ve also teamed up for four seconds. “He’s a favourite horse of mine and we get on very well,” Schofield said. “He’s been a great horse to me, I haven’t ridden him his... View the full article

Michael Freedman has signed off from his Hong Kong training career in style, claiming a winner on his way out. Freedman appeared to be a man with the weight of the world off his shoulders after Honest Way’s victory on Saturday, saying he was excited for what the future holds in Australia. The irony was not lost on Freedman that one of his best days on paper at the races in Hong Kong was saved for the very end. His very last runner, Lady First, finished third also. It had been a rough 15... View the full article

Sunday’s Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m) will have a distinct Hong Kong flavour, with star jockey Karis Teetan spearheading a three-pronged attack on the race by Sha Tin-based riders. Teetan rides the Stephen Gray-trained Lim’s Magic in the feature at Kranji and the five-year-old gelding looks set to be right in the finish after being installed as third favourite by bookmakers. “There’s a question mark if he’ll see out the 2,000m but I spoke to the trainer and he told... View the full article

At 18-1, Escape Clause, a Manitoba-bred Going Commando filly who has primarily raced in Canada, claimed her ninth straight victory in her Southern California racing debut and her first start on grass. View the full article

LEXINGTON, KY – The Book 3 section of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale concluded Friday with continued demand for the quality offerings. A weanling colt by Into Mischief attracted the day’s highest bid when selling for $300,000 to the pinhooking partnership Clear Ridge Stables, headed by Gainesway’s Brian Graves. The second-highest priced weanling on the day was also by Into Mischief. A filly by the Spendthrift sire sold for $230,000 to Dudley Racing. “It’s very expensive for the ones you like,” Graves said of the weanling market. “You think it’s Book 3 and you might get a little better deal, but when a nice horse walks up there, it’s expensive.” Carrie Brogden of Machmer Hall purchased the session’s most expensive broodmare on the day, going to $280,000 for Sweet Lollipop (Candy Ride {Arg}). “It’s strong in parts and weaker in others,” bloodstock agent Hanzly Albina said of the mare market. “There is still a lot of money, but there are still a lot of horses to go. The market has been good and solid. It’s been an honest sale.” Through two Book 3 sessions, Keeneland sold 520 head for $32,696,500. The session average was $62,878 and the median was $50,000. The top price of Book 3 was $320,000 and there were 19 horses sold for $200,000 or over. A reformatted 2018 sale–which began with a single Book 1 section–makes comparisons to the 2017 renewal inexact, but last year’s Book 3 saw 512 horses sell for $30,198,500. The average was $58,981 and the median was $47,000. The top price for the section was $275,000 and that was one of eight horses to bring $200,000 or over. The Keeneland November sale continues through Nov. 16 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m. Into Mischief Colt a Pinhook Prospect A colt by Into Mischief is destined for resale after pinhooker Brian Graves paid $300,000 to secure the youngster from the Eaton Sales consignment. “I thought he was a well-balanced, leggy colt with a good walk,” said Graves. “I think he’ll be attractive for the market next year. The sire is doing great and that number was within his averages here at the sale.” The weanling (hip 1574) is the first foal out of Daryanna (Friends Lake), a half-sister to Canadian champion Kimchi (Langfuhr) and to the dam of multiple Grade I winner Mind Your Biscuits (Posse). It was that connection to Mind Your Biscuits that had breeder Samantha Will-Baccari pursuing members of the family two years ago. Will-Baccari bred the two-time G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner, but sold his dam Jazzmane (Toccet) for $11,000 when he was still a weanling at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. “I found [Daryanna] in Washington state,” she said after congratulating Graves on the purchase. “Jazzmane went to Korea and when Biscuits won the [2016 GII] Amsterdam, when he first stepped up on the big stage, I have a gentleman in Canada who finds me horses and he found her for me.” After purchasing Daryanna privately, Will-Baccari bred her to Into Mischief and the resulting foal impressed the breeder right from the start. “He’s been a nice baby all along,” Will-Baccari said of the weanling. “The baby has only gotten better and better and better. In this business, I have to turn over horses, so I’m very happy Brian Graves got him because he does a great job.” The 8-year-old Daryanna was bred back to Empire Maker. Will-Baccari, the wife of consignor and breeder Chris Baccari, has a broodmare band of 10 head based at her Parkland Farm. “My husband and I have two farms–we have his and hers farms because we got married older–so I keep probably 10 mares and my husband has 20 and then probably 40 or 50 outside mares,” she said. “We buy to sell, we breed to sell and we race what we don’t sell. So we basically do everything in-house between two farms. I’ve been very blessed to breed Mind Your Biscuits from a very small band of broodmares.” More Unbridled’s Song for Brogden Machmer Hall’s Carrie Brogden helped get Friday’s session off to a good start with the $205,000 purchase of one granddaughter of Unbridled’s Song, Buy Sell Hold (Violence), and she struck again late in the day to acquire another, Sweet Lollipop (Candy Ride {Arg}), for $280,000. “She looked all Unbridled’s Song to me,” Brogden said after signing the ticket on Sweet Lollipop (hip 1875). “Anyone who knows me, knows I’m his biggest fan.” The 5-year-old mare, in foal to Practical Joke, was a $350,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase in 2014 by Robert and Lawana Low. Out of graded stakes placed Unbridled Beauty (Unbridled’s Song), she is a half-sister to graded stakes placed Meal Penalty (Tale of the Cat) and Danny Boy (Harlan’s Holiday). She was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. “She is just that kind of physical,” Brogden said of the mare. “She has the pedigree, she has the sire power. The only thing she doesn’t have is the race record, but she cost the money like she did.” Stakes-winner Buy Sell Hold will also be joining the broodmare band at Machmer Hall after Brogden bid $205,000 to secure the 3-year-old racing or broodmare prospect from the Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency consignment. “She’ll be a long-term broodmare for Machmer Hall,” Brogden said of the gray filly. “Hopefully, she’ll produce a graded stakes winner and we’ll sell her when she’s 10 years old for $1 million.” Buy Sell Hold (hip 1535) is out of stakes-winner Melody Lady (Unbridled’s Song), a daughter of multiple Grade I winner Lady Tak (Mutakddim). Purchased by Kirk and Judy Robison for $67,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2016, the filly won last year’s Kentucky Juvenile S. and was third in this year’s GIII Miss Preakness S. for the Robisons and trainer Steve Asmussen. “This is not a big mare, she’s about 15.2,” Brogden said. “I know it’s a smaller, really well-made family, so we’ll breed her to something with a lot of stretch.” Machmer Hall has had plenty of success breeding out of daughters of Unbridled’s Song and Brogden is hoping that success carries to the next generation. “If you can’t have an Unbridled’s Song, get a filly out of an Unbridled’s Song mare,” she said. Among Machmer Hall’s other purchases at the Keeneland November sale this week are Rachel’s Ready (More Than Ready) (hip 957) for $235,000 and Majestic Monarch (Majestic Warrior) (hip 878) for $200,000. “We’ve had a really good year,” Brogden said. “We’ve sold a lot of our graded stakes producers, and so we have to get young mares and try to hope to do it again. Hopefully, this is the next group of graded stakes producers.” Microburst Joins Moulton’s Band Susan Moulton, who is building a broodmare band for the former Pauls Mill property she purchased in May, added Microburst (Awesome Again) to the operation when farm manager Debbie Ward paid $275,000 for the 6-year-old mare Friday at Keeneland. The mare is a half-sister to recent GI Champagne S. winner Complexity (Maclean’s Music) and sold in foal to that colt’s sire. “She looks a lot like a sister that we have now,” Ward said after signing the ticket on the mare out back. “[Moulton] owns [half-sister] Naylor (Afleet Alex), so she is partial to that family. And we loved the big update. We thought she was a really pretty Awesome Again mare with a lot of quality. And the Maclean’s Music cover was a big part of it, too.” Out of Goldfield, Microburst (hip 1727) is also a half-sister to graded stakes winner and Grade I placed Valadorna (Curlin). Jeffrey Bloom’s Bloom Racing Stable purchased the chestnut for $21,000 at the 2014 OBS April Sale and she won two times in 13 starts for trainer Jeff Mullins. The mare was consigned to Friday’s sale by Taylor Made Sales Agency. A native of Texas, Moulton was a founder of Safari Bloodstock and has renamed her new farm Safari North at Pauls Mill. “We currently have five mares, but we are looking to build and grow,” Ward said. “We are just getting started. We have a lot of horses in training.” Asked if Moulton was breeding to race or sell, Ward said, “A little of both.” Rio Carnival to Newtown Anner Stud Bloodstock agents Hanzly Albina and Nick Sallusto secured Rio Carnival (Storm Cat) on behalf of Maurice and Samantha Regan’s Newtown Anner Stud when going to $270,000 Friday at Keeneland. The 12-year-old mare (hip 1815) is a daughter of Group 1 winner Zenda (GB) (Zamindar) and is a half-sister to champion Kingman (Invincible Spirit). She is the dam of graded stakes placed Let’s Meet in Rio (Flatter) and sold Friday in foal to Twirling Candy. Mill Ridge Sales consigned the mare on behalf of Juddmonte Farms. “I’ve heard good things about Storm Cat mares–hopefully that will work out for us,” Albina said jokingly. He added, “I think it’s a unique opportunity to get into a really nice family with a great broodmare sire to boot.” Claim Pays for Gainesway Antony Beck’s Gainesway had plenty of experience with the family of Edith Court (Pomeroy) when the gray filly made her lone racetrack appearance in May of 2017. She ran third that day at Belmont and the farm–through trainer Linda Rice– claimed the then 3-year-old for $40,000. In foal to Gainesway’s Empire Maker, Edith Court went through the ring at Keeneland Friday and sold for $230,000 to Manganaro Bloodstock. “We keep an eye out on the claim box for fillies with pedigree,” explained Gainesway’s Michael Hernon. “This one popped up.” Edith Court (hip 1598) is out of Receivership (End Sweep) and is a half-sister to Grade I winner Palace (City Zip). Gainesway, which purchased Receivership in 2014, also sent that mare through the ring Friday where she RNA’d for $19,000. The farm sold a colt by Tapit out of that mare for $430,000 at last month’s Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale. Receivership is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner French Park (Ecton Park), who was also formerly a part of the Gainesway band. Gainesway repatriated Empire Maker from Japan in 2015 and the stallion’s first crop of yearlings since returning to the U.S. were in demand this summer and fall with 49 selling for an average of $316,530. “She was probably claimed with a view to breed to Empire Maker,” Hernon said. “We own half the horse and have some breeding rights on top of that. He is off to a good start and she’s a young mare and half to a Grade I winner.” Of the decision to send Edith Court through the sales ring Friday, Hernon said, “We’re in the business of trading horses, breeding horses and making money. We have to pay for the stallion, and obviously, think big picture. He has been a great profit maker for everyone who has used him. The price well exceeded the reserve and it’s good business. And that’s the business we’re in, to bring horses to auction and to sell them.” View the full article

Looking to shift his focus from the racing to the breeding side of the sport, owner Gary Broad was the winning bidder when historic Walmac Farm was auctioned off Wednesday. Broad’s winning bid for the 248-acre property that sits about six miles from the center of Lexington was $4.8 million. Walmac was founded by John T.L. Jones Jr., and stood numerous top stallions throughout its history, including Nureyev, Miswaki, Successful Appeal and Alleged. In 2016, it was announced that, as part of consolidation process, Walmac was putting its main property up for sale and shifting its operation to a smaller farm near the Fayette/Bourbon County Line. “Gary was very pleased,” said realtor Tom Biederman, who represented Broad at the sale. “The auction was very well publicized and marketed well. There were a lot of people at the auction and it brought fair value. Gary was very happy to be the purchaser and looks forward to making improvements and bringing the farm back to very good condition.” Biederman said since Walmac has not been in operation since 2016, Broad will need to make an investment to refurbish parts of the farm. The new Walmac will operate differently than the old Walmac. According to Broad’s advisor Shannon Potter, Broad has no intention of standing any stallions there. “Gary wanted to branch out and get into the commercial breeding game, so he didn’t buy this for stallions,” he said. “That’s not the plan. He strictly wants to be a commercial breeder.” Potter said Broad currently owns about 15-20 broodmares and will be looking to buy more and improve upon the quality he already has. “We’re going to cull some of the ones we already have and really start to get better quality and go about raising quality babies,” he said. “The goal is to have 25 to 30 broodmares. He’s wanted to have his own broodmare operation for a while.” Potter, who is also the CEO of Town and Country Farm, said Broad wasn’t necessarily expecting to buy Walmac, but felt the price was too good to pass up for such an historic facility. He added that it has yet to be decided whether or not Broad will rename the farm. “We looked at quite a few farms and we weren’t necessarily looking to buy this one,” he said. “But we just thought the location is outstanding and there have been so many good horses raised here. We know the ground is good, the soil is good. When it came up for auction, we were there just to see what it would bring and it brought a figure we thought was fair and Gary was willing to jump all over it.” Town and Country is owned by Kiki Courtelis, who has owned horses in partnership with Broad. According to Potter, Broad will rely on Courtelis’s knowledge to help him rebuild Walmac. With the shift into the breeding side of the business, Broad will begin cutting down on the number of horses he currently has in training. Potter estimated the Broad stable consists of about 50 to 60 horses. “The plan is to cull what he has at this point in time,” Potter said. “It’s not something that will be done quickly, but, yes, there will be a culling process. He will continue to race, but will probably have no more than 10 or 15 horses. Some could be our own homebreds.” Broad’s top horse this year was Core Beliefs (Quality Road), winner of the GIII Ohio Derby. View the full article

Former Kranji stayer Zips home in Kempsey Cup in Australia View the full article

Kellady suspended four days View the full article

It's Breeders' Cup Hangover week, and as you might expect, the stakes schedule is fairly light for Nov. 10. View the full article

Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Magnum Moon is still going through the recovery process at Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists, according to Jacob West, the bloodstock agent and racing manager for owners Robert and Lawana Low. View the full article

1st-AQU, $62K, Msw, 2yo, (S), 1mT, 12:20 p.m. ET Linda Rice unveils a full-brother to her GI Fourstardave H. victor Voodoo Song in fellow Barry Schwartz homebred WORTH A SHOT (English Channel). Voodoo Song found his niche when switching to the Rice barn, rattling off four wins on the Saratoga lawn last summer, including the GIII Saranac S., and adding two more black-type scores this term in the Forbidden Apple S. and Fourstardave. The brothers are out of stakes winner Mystic Chant (Unbridled’s Song), a half-sister SW & MGSP Mystic Soul (Bahri), who is the dam of SW & MGSP Encryption (Exchange Rate). TJCIS PPs. 3rd-AQU, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 1:18 p.m. ET Kiaran McLaughlin sends out a first timer that is a half-brother to one of his Grade I winners in Shadwell Stable homebred HAIKAL (Daaher). Out of the unraced Distorted Humor mare Sablah, the bay is a half to GI Vosburgh S. hero Takaful (Bernardini). This is also the family of European, English and French champion Shadayid (Shadeed). TJCIS PPs. 5th-AQU, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 2:17 p.m. ET Robert and Lawana Low’s SKYLINE SURPRISE (Tiznow) is one of several pricey juveniles seeking their diploma in this test. Purchased for $550,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s Gulfstream Sale after breezing in :10 2/5, the first time starter is out of a daughter of graded stakes winner Welcome Surprise (Seeking the Gold), who is a half-sister to Horse of the Year and top sire A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew) and MGISW Summer Squall (Storm Bird). This is also the family of MGISW turfer Court Vision (Gulch). Eric Fein went to $500,000 to acquire CORCORAN (Curlin) at Keeneland September last year and he debuts in this spot for John Terranova. The chestnut traces his lineage back to MGISW blue hen Take Charge Lady (Dehere), who is the dam of champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled’s Song), GISW millionaire Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and the dam of champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway). Shadwell Stable’s $650,000 KEESEP buy Motagally (Union Rags) makes his second attempt in thistest after finishing fifth to subsequent GIII Nashua S. victor Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) on debut at Belmont Sept. 23. The Chad Brown trainee is out of GSW Baby J (J Be K). Bill Mott also sends out a well-related second timer in Tacitus (Tapit), the first foal out of the Hall of Famer’s champion and five-time Grade I winner Close Hatches (First Defence). The Juddmonte homebred finished fourth in his career bow at Belmont Oct. 4. TJCIS PPs. —@CDeBernardisTDN View the full article

My father-in-law, Robert P. Levy, was a larger-than-life character. Philanthropic, enthusiastic, a straight-shooter, and a true sportsman. I met Bob before I began dating Angela, his daughter and my future wife. With me having not grown up in the U.S. and he being a co-owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, Bob took great pride in introducing me to his brand of Americana through the sport of baseball, showing me the strategy and science that had made it a national pastime. Of course, Bob also loved horse racing, and as a racetrack owner, was a pioneer in every respect. In the early years that he operated Atlantic City Race Course, Bob was eloquently but accurately described by Daily Racing Form turf writer Joe Hirsch as “a veritable fountainhead of fresh and intriguing thoughts on racing.” Bob was able to channel his passion into brilliant and creative marketing. In the 1960s, he devised the Matchmaker S. to attract the best fillies and mares, not merely by purse money but also by awarding seasons to popular stallions like Hail to Reason and Round Table. In 1976, Bob had lighting installed around the oval to make Atlantic City the first major Thoroughbred track to conduct night racing. In 1983, he successfully lobbied for legislative approval to broadcast the Meadowlands races at Atlantic City and so trailblazed a future of full-card simulcasting. In 1994, he brought racing to Houston opening Sam Houston Race Park as a start-up. Bob was a founding director of Breeders’ Cup, former president of the Thoroughbred Racing Association, and a past director at Fasig-Tipton. He carried on his family’s tradition of racing and achieved the highest levels of success as a racehorse owner with Belmont S. winner Bet Twice and Eclipse champion sprinters Housebuster–voted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2013–and Smoke Glacken. Bob had tremendous insight into every aspect of the Thoroughbred industry, and he could draw on his knowledge to advise me. No matter how detailed his analysis might have been, he liked to underscore his point with a lighthearted axiom. (“Just because they can go three-quarters doesn’t mean they can go seven-eighths!”) For as enthusiastic as he was, Bob was a kind and decent man, and he possessed an incredible amount of patience. I remember an afternoon on the golf course, him teaching me how to chip and putt (he got me as close as I’ve ever gotten to what you could call a reasonable stroke). Even though I was a poor golfer, he had a natural ability to coach to match his love of sport. In college at the University of Pennsylvania, Bob played four years of tennis, later coached the women’s tennis team, and was named to the Penn Tennis Hall of Fame. His father, dentist Dr. Leon Levy, founded Penn’s School of Dental Medicine–one of the best dental schools in the country–and Bob continued his parents’ tradition of philanthropy to Penn. He was also immensely philanthropic outside of Penn, devoting time and money to championing causes he was passionate about. In 1953, he founded and organized the Philadelphia Little Quakers football program, which remains active today and has benefitted at least 2,500 inner-city student-athletes. Throughout his life, Bob cared deeply about the Little Quaker team members he had coached, and he would often sponsor their education and mentor them long after their youth football days. Similarly, Bob became an Overseer of William Penn Charter School–the long-established Philadelphia college prep institution from which he had graduated–and in that role enriched the lives of hundreds of students. Many people have reasons to be grateful for Bob, his ideas, his friendship, and his generosity. I will count myself as one of those people. I am grateful to him for the way he welcomed me into his family, for his daughter Angela, and for our five children. Bob will be missed and well-remembered. Antony Beck is president of Gainesway Farm. View the full article

Jockey Luis Saez rode his 2,000th winner Nov. 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack, where he guided Y'allcomenow to victory in the fourth race, a maiden special weight event at one mile on the inner turf. View the full article

Jockey Luis Saez rode his 2,000th winner Nov. 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack, guiding Y'allcomenow to victory in the fourth race, a maiden special weight event at one mile on the inner turf. View the full article

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Tokyo and Kyoto Racecourses. Sunday’s runners will appear in Sunday’s TDN. Saturday, November 10, 2018 4th-TOK, ¥13,400,000 ($118k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT AMERICAN SOLEIL (c, 2, Tapit–Funny Feeling, by Distorted Humor) cost $550K as a Keeneland September yearling last fall and is out of a stakes-winning full-sister to GISW Jimmy Creed who is already the dam of Grade III-placed Gato del Oro (Medaglia d’Oro). Funny Feeling, also a half-sister to MGISW Pussycat Doll (Real Quiet), was acquired privately by Summer Wind Farm after failing to reach her reserve at $900K at Fasig-Tipton November in 2013. The mare’s filly of 2017 by American Pharoah was purchased by John Oxley for $875K at FTSAUG this past summer. B-S-B 2010 J.V. No. 2 & Summer Wind Equine (KY) 5th-KYO, ¥13,400,000 ($118k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT MARECHIARE (f, 2, Pioneerof the Nile–K. D.’s Shady Lady, by Maria’s Mon) was bought back on a bid of $150K at last year’s KEESEP sale, but breezed a quarter-mile in :21 2/5 at this year’s OBS March sale and was hammered down to Katsumi Yoshida for $300K. K. D.’s Shady Lady, the dam of GISW Lady of Fifty (After Market) and Sws Lady Fifty Two (Kodiak Kowboy) and Forestry Steel (Forestry), was acquired by Dixiana Farms for $500K at FTKNOV in 2013. B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY) 6th-KYO, ¥13,400,000 ($118k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m WIN PROUD (c, 2, Lemon Drop Kid–Dame Ursula {GB}, by Elusive Quality) is a half-brother to the SP Fairyland (Scat Daddy) and was produced by a daughter of Chancey Squaw (Chief’s Crown), whose US-bred son Agnes Digital (Crafty Prospector) won the G1 Hong Kong Cup and nine other black-type races in Japan, including the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and the Yasuda Kinen on turf and the February S. on dirt. A $200K KEESEP yearling, Win Proud is kin to a yearling colt by Into Mischief that was purchased by Lothenbach Stables for $240K at KEESEP this year. Joao Moreira has the call on the ante-post favorite. B-Runnymede Farm Inc & Peter J Callahan (KY) View the full article

Bob Brooks, of Kitchener, Ontario, has been selected as the grand prize winner for the $100,000 Capture the Classic Challenge, Breeders’ Cup announced Friday. Launched in June 2018, the interactive promotion tasked fans to predict the winners of select races for a chance to win both experiential and cash prizes. “I was in disbelief because I’ve never won anything like this before,” said Brooks, 73, who grew up going to the races at Woodbine and Mohawk Racecourses in the Toronto area. “I was told it was for real, but with that much money, it’s hard to sink in. But it sure is a great feeling.” Brooks, married and a father of four sons and one daughter, said he’s not sure what he’ll do with his winnings but indicated, “We’ll probably travel a little.” View the full article

After he won the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic with Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky), John Sadler said the story wasn’t about him. He wanted all the glory to go to the horse. But he was only partially right as Sadler was widely admired for how he guided Accelerate’s year and for how he withstood the scrutiny that came with an 0-for-41 record coming into the Breeders Cup. Sadler was this week’s guest on the Thoroughbred Daily News Podcast, brought to you by Taylor Made. Excerpts from that podcast are below. TDN: John, when you heard those words from announcer Larry Collmus, “And Accelerate wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic for John Sadler,” what’s the best way to describe your feelings? Relief? Excitement? Exhilaration? All of the above? JS: All of the above. It was very clearly all of the above. And probably a few we can’t even verbalize. All of the above was the way to describe it. TDN: Some Breeders’ Cup winners in recent years have retired immediately after the Classic. Others have gone on to the GI Pegasus World Cup. You and your owners, Hronis Racing, are saying that the Pegasus is next, and $9 million, that’s an awfully good reason to go on and run one more time. But could you just explain the thinking behind the decision to run again? JS: What we said is that if the horse shows us that he wants to run again and trains up well for the race, we’re going to give him a chance to do it, because it’s such a big purse. The Pegasus is a relatively new event, so everybody is just kind of learning about it, but we’re trying to follow the similar path that Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) did last year. Accelerate went to Lane’s End in Lexington, Kentucky on Sunday after the Breeders’ Cup. Accelerate is still there for a few days of showing, and then he’ll be back out here in California. That’s the tentative plan, but the plan will always be what’s best for the horse first. So we get him home, get him back on the track; he’ll tell us if he has one more in him. TDN: Not that you weren’t already a respected figure in racing, but I think you made a lot of new fans with how you handled the scrutiny that came with being 0-for-41 in the Breeders’ Cup. Was that difficult, and now that you’ve had time to sleep on it and reflect upon it, can you discuss what a pain in the butt it was to have to constantly be asked that question about your record? JS: With these big events, with a lot of the people that are writing about the races, I understand that was an interesting question, but it really requires a little more depth of understanding to really understand what that means. I think most people that are horse people, that are trainers, would think, they don’t get to the Breeders’ Cup 40 times. They might have a horse every couple of years or something like that. It’s a testament to our program that we’ve been there a lot. Is Andy Reid not one of the best coaches in the NFL, even though he never won a Super Bowl? We’re there every year, we have a lot of horses that sometimes win the prep races, which is “win and you’re in.” We’re going there without having to pay exorbitant entry fees, so it makes sense for us. And we’ve had years where we could have won, been second or third, or right up there, and we didn’t have some luck. So for us, it wasn’t as big a stress. I just tried to tell everybody that we were relaxing and enjoying it, and we weren’t stressed out by that conversation, really. TDN: To your credit, you never seem to get ruffled by the 0-for-41 stat, you never seemed to let any of this get under your skin. You handled yourself as a perfect gentleman throughout. People who know you probably weren’t surprised by that, but you’re telling me that that wasn’t really hard to do? Is that just your nature and your confidence in your program? JS: Yes, I think it really is. You know what I like to say, especially at these big events, is, ‘God, what a good day of racing.’ Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), what a champion she is. We saw the two-year-olds, going to be the stars of next year. There was just so much great racing and dynamic performances like Roy H (More Than Ready) and Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic), coming back in winning two years in a row. There were so many great stories out there; I don’t want people to miss them. The human interest stories are great, like my personal story, but I want people to be talking about horse racing, how much fun it is, how it was a beautiful day, how the sun came out at Churchill Downs.. TDN: Even after Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) didn’t fire in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, the losing streak never shook your confidence? JS: Not really, because it’s just the way I felt about it. I didn’t think that. We’ve won so many big races before; we’ve won a $2 million race in Dubai, a $1 million race in Florida. I’ve won Group Is at Churchill before. I’ve been doing this long enough, I think I feel good about it. And if it didn’t happen, it didn’t happen. But if it didn’t happen, it wouldn’t change John Sadler the person. TDN: Over your career, you’ve won so many big races, including the incredible run that Accelerate went on, winning all the major Grade I handicap races in southern California for dirt males. But was the Classic your greatest win, your proudest moment? JS: I think so. But I’d I like a little more time away from it to think about it. I’ve had so much fun in this game, and have been blessed to have so many good horses. I hate to put one in front of the others but early in my career I had an undefeated filly called Melair (Debonair Roger). She ran a mile in 1:32 and change, and beat Snow Chief. (Reflected Glory) She was a great horse. Stellar Wind (Curlin) was a great horse. So I’m putting this on the top of the list, no doubt, but I love all the horses that we train and develop. TDN: After the Pegasus, Accelerate’s next stop will be Lane’s End, where you’ll stand at stud. He’s well bred. He’s a five-time Grade 1 winner; an awful lot of boxes are checked. I know that you’re probably not the most objective person on this, but give us your feelings on the next chapter of his career. Is Accelerate going to excel in the breeding shed as well as he did on the racetrack? JS: I think he’s got a very good chance to be a very good stallion, because he’s such a brilliant racehorse. I go back to thinking about Candy Ride (Arg) and what a brilliant, undefeated racehorse he was. Kind of off-bred really, but has been sensational as a stud. They were a little off on Medaglia d’Oro when he first went to stud; they maybe didn’t love his pedigree, and he’s been awesome. I think that he has a chance to be a very good stallion, and I know he’s going to get the best chance he deserves there in Kentucky at Lane’s End. The key with these young stallions is to get a lot of the right type of mares to them, and that’s why we’re so proud to have Lane’s End stand him, because they’re great at that. They really know what they’re doing. They’ve got the hottest stallion roster in the industry, with Quality Road, Candy Ride, Union Rags, anchoring the proven horses, and then bringing in horses as good as City of Light (Quality Road), Accelerate, and West Coast (Flatter). They’re rocking and rolling over there. View the full article

The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association will host a memorial for late trainer Rick Violette Jr. from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 26, at the Belmont Cafe at Belmont Park. Violette, the long-time president of NYTHA, passed away last month. Donations in Violette’s memory can be made to the Backstretch Employee Service Team (BEST) or the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program. For more information, contact the NYTHA Office at (718) 848-5045. View the full article

Woodford Racing’s Hot Springs (Uncle Mo) tops a short, but sweet field in the GIII Commonwealth Turf S. at Churchill Downs Saturday. Scoring back-to-back victories over the local turf in June, the $750,000 KEESEP buy was second in the GIII Kent S. at Delaware July 14. Fourth in the GIII Saranac S. at Saratoga Sept. 1, the bay took his record over the Churchill lawn to three-for-three last time with a one-length success in the Jefferson Cup S. Sept. 29. Winner of the Toronto Cup on the grass at Woodbine July 28, March to the Arch (Arch) was third in the Saranac and checked in fourth at the GII Hill Prince S. at Belmont Oct. 6. His trainer Mike Maker also sends out Sniper Kitten (Kitten’s Joy). A second out graduate on the Gulfstream lawn in March, the homebred captured an allowance at Keeneland in April and the Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury June 23. Fading to 10th in the GI Secretariat S. Aug. 11, the bay was sixth in the Caesars S. at Indiana last time Sept. 5. View the full article