Half-sister to Derrynane, Mo Donegal colt top Book 3 at Keeneland November sale

November 10th, 2024

Souffle, bred by Waterville Lake Stable and a half sister to this year’s Saratoga NY-bred topper and stakes winner Derrynane, sold for $160,000 Friday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Winter Quarter Farm.

Souffle, a 4-year-old half-sister to stakes winner Derrynane and this year’s topper at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, sold for $160,000 to lead all New York-breds that sold during the Book 3 sessions of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in Lexington.

SF Bloodstock LLC purchased Souffle, offered as Hip 1206 by Winter Quarter Farm, agent, during Friday’s session. Bred and raced by Waterville Lake Stables and foaled at Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Souffle was sold in foal to Practical Joke.

Souffle is the second foal out of the Grade 3-placed stakes-winning Hard Spun mare Portmagee. She’s the dam of Derrynane, winner of the 2021 Woodbine Cares Stakes and fourth in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar. Her yearling colt, by Quality Road, sold for $370,000 to Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stable Inc. to top the Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Souffle’s other two foals – the unraced 2-year-old More Than Ready colt Rossbeigh, a $200,000 RNA at the 2023 Saratoga New York-bred sale; and a weanling filly by Medaglia d’Oro – were also bred by Waterville Lake Stable.

Book 3’s highest-priced weanling also sold Friday. The day after stakes winner Curly Girl $280,000, her half-brother to 2022 Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal sold for $150,000.

Hip 1398, a colt by Mo Donegal and half-brother to stakes winners Curly and Bostontonian, sold for $150,000 Friday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of St George Sales.

Norevale Farm purchased Hip 1398, who is out of the winning Forest Wildcat mare Falconess. She’s the dam of five winners led by Curly Girl, the winner of four of 18 starts and $172,764. Curly Girl won two of four starts at 2, including the Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes, and also placed in the New York Oaks at 3 and Arctic Queen Stakes at 4. Falconess is also the dam of the unbeaten 2-year-old Bernardini gelding Bostontonian, winner of the Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes in September.

Denlea Park LTD, which bred Curly Girl and Bostontonian, also bred the Mo Donegal colt. He was consigned by St George Sales, agent.

Friday’s session also saw the sale of the unraced 3-year-old Ghostzapper filly Mary Jane’s Veil for $140,000. Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm LLC purchased Hip 1087, a half-sister to seven winners led by 2018 New York-bred champion older dirt female, Grade 3 winner and $662,775-earner Holiday Disguise and 2018 New York-bred champion 3-year-old filly, multiple stakes winner and $449,960-earner Midnight Disguise.

Bred by Spruce Lane, Stepwise, Robbins, Copper Beach, Lynn, Manlius and Thorne and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Mary Jane’s Veil was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect and consigned by Winter Quarter Farm, agent. She’s out of the winning Yes It’s True mare Thin Disguise, a half-sister to 2007 New York-bred Horse of the Year and champion 4-year-old and up male Naughty New Yorker among other leading runners produced by Dr. Bill Wilmot and Dr. Joan Taylor’s Stepwise Farm breeding program.

Keeneland reported sales on 16 of the 19 New York-breds offered during the Book 3 sessions for total receipts of $1,246,000, an average price of $77,875 and median of $86,000.

Six of the seven New York-bred weanlings through the ring in Book 3 sold for $389,000, an average price of $64,833 and median of $60,000. Overall, 15 of the 17 New York-bred weanlings offered have sold for $1,304,000, an average price of $86,933 and median of $80,000.

The sale continues with the first of two Book 4 sessions at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Works for Me lands dead-heat win in Aqueduct Turf Sprint

November 9th, 2024

Works for Me and Dylan Davis (light blue silks) put their nose down in time to dead heat with Alogon (outside) in Saturday’s Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. Coglianese Photo/Chelsea Durand.

Works for Me drew into the field for Saturday’s Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship off the also-eligible list and came away with a dead-heat victory in the $150,000 open-company stakes under a pickup ride from Dylan Davis.

The 3-year-old son of Daddy Long Legs finished on even terms with Alogon for his second stakes victory for owners and breeders KatieRich Stables, Chris Connors and Larry Appel. Davis roe the colt for trainer Joe Lee.

“He’s always been a nice horse,” Lee said. “I liked him since last year and I thought the grass moves him up a little bit, but he did run well on the dirt. His preparation for the last couple of races weren’t how we wanted it – you can see that by the workouts – but aside from that, he always gives you 110 percent. I’m really happy for him and for the owners.”

The lone 3-year-old in the field of 10, Works for Me went to post as the second longest price on the board at 23-1.

Jean Valjean took the early initiative in the Turf Sprint, putting a 1 1/2-length lead on Shefflin through the opening quarter-mile in :22.49. Davis kept Works for Me close early while on the outside, just a half-length behind Shefflin.

The first three maintained their positions around the far turn, with Jean Valjean clicking past the half in :45.18 and Alogon inching closer toward the outside and just 2 ½ lengths back under Irad Ortiz Jr. Alogon continued his run through the lane, just to the outside of Works for Me, past 5 furlongs in :56.64. Works for Me responded to Alogon’s run to his inside, edged past Jean Valjean late and hit the finish on even terms.

Works for Me originally landed on the Turf Sprint’s also-eligible list before he drew in when Grooms All Bizness scratched due to a cough. Davis was named on Grooms All Bizness, with Ortiz also named on Alogon.

“I got lucky to pick this one up,” Davis said. “Joe Lee said to try to get him into the game out of the gate. He broke well for me and tracked nicely into the turn. I thought Irad was going to go right by me late, but my horse found a little extra.

“I thought I got the bob there, but it is better than finishing second, so I’m happy. And again, my horse scratched here, so I became available and I was able to pick up this horse. It was a great run, and better than second.”

Works for Me, the second longest price on the board, came into Saturday’s race off back-to-back tries in open-company turf stakes – a fifth in the Mahony in August at Saratoga Race Course and a third in the Carle Place last month at Aqueduct. Works for Me added the Aqueduct Turf Sprint to his victory in last year’s Notebook Stakes on dirt at Aqueduct. He also improved to 4-for-13 with two seconds and three thirds for $307,705 in earnings.

“He ran extremely well in his last race being 13 or 14 out of it at the eighth pole and only getting beat 4 1/2 to Run Carson and that was a speed favoring track that day, but he made up some ground,” Lee said. “I knew he’d run well this time, and I told the owners he’d turn tables. He was doing well, but he does like it a little bit firmer. He dug in and ran great. I have to give him credit and credit to Dylan for not giving up and being resilient.”

Foaled at Doyle Farm in Schuylerville, Works for Me is the first foal out of the Soldat mare Bella’s Game, a two-time winner in eight starts and earner of $58,850. A $90,000 purchase at the 2017 OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale, Bella’s Game is a half-sister to stakes-placed She’s Like Thunder from the family of 2001 Kentucky Derby runner-up Invisible Ink.

Bella’s Game did not produce a foal in 2022, when she did not sell in foal to Beau Liam at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. She’s also the dam of a yearling filly by Beau Liam, bred in New York by Taylor Barraclough and Shane Barraclough, who sold for $47,000 at the recent Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale.

Betsy Blue brings $375,000 at Keeneland November

November 8th, 2024

Three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue, a 6-year-old daughter of Tonalist offered in foal to Nyquist, sold for $375,000 Wednesday at the Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Ballysax Bloodstock.

Three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue sold for $375,000 to lead the New York-bred offerings during Book 2 at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale Wednesday and Thursday in Lexington.

James Harron Bloodstock purchased Betsy Blue, sold as Hip 505 by Ballysax Bloodstock, agent for Forever Spring Farm LLC. The 6-year-old Tonalist mare was sold in foal to champion and classic winner Nyquist.

Bred by Blue Devil Racing Stable LLC and foaled at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, Betsy Blue won 10 of 24 starts with eight seconds and three thirds for $702,010 in earnings.

Campaigned by Cloud Nine Stable and trainer Linda Rice, Betsy Blue won the 2021 Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park, 2022 Garland of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct and 2023 Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct. She also finished third in the Grade 3 Go for Wand Stakes late in her 4-year-old campaign in 2022. Betsy Blue was a finalist for champion New York-bred older dirt female honors in 2022.

Betsy Blue, who is out of the winning Yonaguska mare Honest to Betsy, previously sold for $110,000 to Foundation Bloodstock at the 2023 Keeneland November sale.

Book 2 also saw the sale of stakes winner Curly Girl, a 5-year-old daughter of Nyquist who brought $280,000 from Frederick & May Construction. Sold as Hip 951 by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, Curly Girl was in foal to two-time champion sprinter Elite Power.

Bred by Denlea Park LTD, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, Curly Girl is the fifth foal out of the winning Forest Wildcat mare Falconess. She won four of 18 starts and earned $172,764 for owner Henry Steadman and trainer Paul Barrow. Curly Girl won two of four starts at 2, including the Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes, and also placed in the New York Oaks at 3 and Arctic Queen Stakes at 4.

Hip 410, a colt by Olympiad bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC, Robert Cromartie and Tuscany Bloodstock, sold for $175,000 during Book 2 at Keeneland November. Photo courtesy of Sequel New York.

Hip 410, a colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Olympiad, brought the highest price for a New York-bred weanling in Book 2 on a $175,000 bid from Teddy Town.

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC, Robert Cromartie and Tuscany Bloodstock, foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and consigned by Sequel New York, the colt is the fourth foal out of the Grade 3-winning New York-bred Rock Hard Ten mare Summersault. A winner of seven of 34 starts, including the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes in 2017 at Gulfstream Park, Summersault earned $503,443 for owner White Fox Farm and trainer Mark Hennig.

Summersault, carrying the Olympiad colt in utero, sold for $170,000 to Wildridge, agent, at last year’s Keeneland November sale.

Hip 652, a daughter of Grade 1 winner Yaupon, landed the top price for a New York-bred weanling filly on a bid of $150,000 from Final Furlong Racing. Bred by and foaled at H&H Farms Inc. in Fort Edward and consigned by Vinery Sales, the filly is the second foal out of the unraced Violence mare Lesson Learned.

Keeneland reported sales on 13 of the 15 New York-breds offered during Book 2 for total receipts of $1,685,000, an average price of $129,615 and median of $80,000. Overall through the first two books and three sessions, 18 of 21 New York-breds through the ring have sold for $2,665,000, an average price of $148,056 and median of $120,000.

Through the first three sessions, nine of 10 New York-bred weanlings have sold for $915,000, an average price of $101,667 and median of $80,000.

The sale continues with the first of two Book 3 sessions at 10 a.m. Friday.

NYTB Holiday party returns Friday, Dec. 13

November 7th, 2024

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ Inc. is pleased to announce the return of its annual Holiday Party on Friday, December 13 at the Canfield Casino National Museum in Saratoga Springs, NY from 7-10 p.m. ET.

The evening will feature exquisite hors d’oeuvres, chef-attended dinner stations, an open bar, and musical performances from local Saratoga Springs cover band The Wallies.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting nytbreeders.org/events and are $125 for NYTB members and $150 for non-members.

“Our annual holiday party is a yearly tradition for NYTB members and New York-bred program participants to get together to ahead of the holidays and breeding season,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.  “This year’s party, which will be held at the Canfield Casino, will be even more special in welcoming our guests to a historic and extravagant location for a festive party.”

Please note that the holiday party is a sellout event! You must RSVP by purchasing tickets directly at nytbreeder.org/events or calling the NYTB office at 518.587.0777.

 

Stakes winner Funny How tops Book 1 at Keeneland

November 6th, 2024

Stakes winner Funny How, offered in foal to Constitution, sold for $300,000 during Book 1 at the Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Denali Stud.

Grade 3-placed stakes winner Funny How commanded a bid of $300,000 to lead the New York-bred offerings during Book 1 of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale Tuesday in Lexington.

Locust Road purchased the 5-year-old daughter of Overanalyze, sold as Hip 185 by Denali Stud, agent. Funny How, who made her final start in early April, was sold in foal to top sire Constitution.

Bred by Hibiscus Stable and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Funny How is one of nine winners from nine foals to race and one of three stakes winners out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Heavenly Humor. She’s a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and $638,645-earner Funny Guy, stakes winner Super Humor, stakes-placed $342,170-earner Three Jokers and five other winners.

A $120,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale, Funny How raced for Adelphi Racing Club and Cutair Racing and trainer Ray Handal. She won five of 11 starts, including the 2023 Broadway Stakes at Aqueduct during a run of five straight victories, and earned $302,405. She also finished second in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct.

Hibiscus Stables purchased Heavenly Humor in foal to Big Brown for $25,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga October mixed sale. The resulting foal was Funny Guy, a five-time stakes winner who finished second in the Grade 2 Vosburgh Stakes in 2020. Hibiscus also bred Three Jokers and a New York-bred colt by The Factor born in June 2022 from the mare.

Tuesday’s opening session also saw the sale of the lone New York-bred weanling in Book 1 – Hip 16, a colt by Charlatan and half-brother to Grade 2 winner Baby Yoda – that sold for $190,000 to Brookstone Farm.

Bred by Town & Country Farms LLC, foaled at Mahony Eden Manor in Saratoga Springs and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the colt is out of the placed More Than Ready mare More Than Speed. She’s the dam of three winners led by Baby Yoda, winner of this year’s Grade 2 True North Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and runner-up to Flightline in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in 2021 at Santa Anita Park.

Keeneland reported sales on four of the four New York-bred broodmares, broodmare prospects or racing prospects for $790,000, an average price of $197,500.

The sale continues with the first of two Book 2 sessions at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Downtown Mischief, weanling fillies highlight Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale

November 5th, 2024

Stakes winner Downtown Mischief, offered in foal to leading sire Gun Runner, sold for $800,000 Tuesday at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale. Photo courtesy of Bedouin Bloodstock.

Stakes winner Downtown Mischief sold for $800,000 and four weanling fillies brought six-figure bids apiece to highlight the New York-bred offerings at Tuesday’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale in Lexington.

Freyer Bloodstock purchased Downtown Mischief, a 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief offered in foal to leading sire Gun Runner as Hip 242 out of the Bedouin Bloodstock consignment.

Bred and campaigned by Sheila Rosenblum’s Lady Sheila Stable and foaled at Edition Farm in Hyde Park, Downtown Mischief won four of eight starts with two placings and earned $237,730. She clicked off three straight victories to start her career for trainer Linda Rice, including a win over open company in the Cicada Stakes in March 2023 at Aqueduct. Downtown Mischief also won the Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park as a 3-year-old in addition to a runner-up finish in the Memories Of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct.

Downtown Mischief is the first foal out of the three-time winning Speightstown mare Downtown Mama, who was purchased by Rice on behalf of Lady Sheila for $440,000 at the 2016 OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale. Downtown Mama is also the dam of the placed Miss Welch, a filly by Maclean’s Music who sold for $190,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-old sale.

Fasig-Tipton’s “Night of the Stars Sale,” which posted total sales of more than $93 million and an average of more than $546,000, also saw four New York-bred weanling fillies sell for $120,000 or more.

Hip 152, a daughter of Jackie’s Warrior bred by Emcee Stable and Fortune Farm, brought top price for New York-bred weanling Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Photo courtesy of Legacy Bloodstock.

Hip 152, a daughter of champion sprinter Jackie’s Warrior and half-sister to stakes winner Dirty, brought the top price for a New York-bred weanling on a bid of $200,000 from Susan Naylor. Bred by Emcee Stable and Fortune Farm and foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater, the filly is out of the winning Yes It’s True mare Martini.

Consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, the top filly is a half to three winners and an unnamed unraced 2-year-old colt by Volatile. Dirty won four of 20 starts with seven placings, including a victory in the 2019 King T. Leatherbury Stakes at Laurel Park, and earned $245,815. Martini is also the dam of four-time winner and $145,669-earner Vodkatini and the five-time winner and $128,336-earner Nine Martinis.

Hip 128, a daughter of Grade 1 winner and fourth-crop sire Practical Joke, sold for $155,000 to Rexy Bloodstock. Bred by Lambholm South, foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater and consigned by Frankfort Park Farm, agent, the filly is the first foal out of the winning Kitten’s Joy mare Joyous Times.

Joyous Times, who posted a record of 2-4-1 in 11 starts with $86,830 in earnings, is out of the stakes-winning English Channel mare La Malaguena. She was purchased by Lambholm, agent, for $20,000 at last year’s Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Hip 109, a filly from the first crop of Grade 1 winner and $1,825,131-earner Golden Pal, landed a final bid of $130,000 from Wildridge Bloodstock. Bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable, foaled at River Valley Farm in Gansevoort and consigned by Ballysax Bloodstock, agent, the filly is the sixth foal out of the stakes-placed Freud mare Fenwick Hall.

Fenwick Hall, a full sister to multiple stakes winner Miss Narcissist, is the dam of winners Inspector, Freud Sense and Prince Orb, along with the 2-year-old New York-bred Outwork filly Undergrad and a New York-bred yearling colt by Street Boss. Final Furlong bred all of Fenwick Hall’s foals.

Seismic Activity, a filly from the first crop of 2022 champion 3-year-old and Travers Stakes winner Epicenter, brought $120,000 from First Finds. Bred by Flatbird Stable, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson and offered as Hip 22 out of the Vinery Sales consignment, the filly is the first foal out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Soft Shoe Kitten. Flatbird Stable bought the mare in foal to Epicenter for $60,000 at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Digital February sale.

Soft Shoe Kitten is a full sister to stakes-placed Kitten’s Dancer, the dam of stakes-placed winner Beach Waltz; and a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and $1,661,635-earner Bigger Picture and stakes winner and $340,038-earner Gung Ho.

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on five of the eight New York-bred weanlings through the ring for a total of $685,000, an average price of $137,000. Overall and including broodmares and broodmare prospects, nine of 14 New York-breds sold for $2,085,000, an average price of $231,667.

The fall mixed sales slate moves across town with the start of the nine-day Keeneland November breeding stock sale at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Goichman excited for homebred Scythian in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

October 31st, 2024

Lawrence Goichman (right) leads his homebred filly Scythian and jockey Junior Alvarado into the winner’s circle after the Miss Grillo. The daughter of Tiz the Law runs next in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. Coglianese Photo.

By Paul Halloran

Larry Goichman’s second-generation home-bred Scythian will carry the banner for New York-breds at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships when she takes on 13 foes in Friday’s $1 million, Grade 1 John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.

Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Scythian comes in off an impressive win in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes, traditionally a productive prep for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“The horse has a nice turn of foot,” Goichman said Thursday, shortly after checking into his San Diego hotel. “She can hold her position. (In the Miss Grillo), he didn’t have to touch her and she took off. She moves well. She’s a fluid horse.”

Goichman bred Scythian’s dam, Dean Henry, who is by Empire Maker and out of Baydon Belle, a broodmare he bought in Europe. Dean Henry won three times in a 12-race career from 2008-10. She has produced seven winning offspring, including Dancing Dean, a Constitution filly who has two wins and two seconds in seven starts.

Goichman decided to stay in the Constitution line, sending Dean Henry to Tiz the Law, a son of Constitution who earned more than $2.7 million and was a two-time New York-bred Horse of the Year. Scythian was foaled March 3, 2022 at Stone Bridge Farm in Gansevoort. She is the first U.S. stakes winner out of Dean Henry, though Henry Ride won a Grade 1 in Russia, according to Goichman.

After Scythian ran second in a maiden special weight on the dirt at Saratoga Race Course August 4, Mott told Goichman he wanted to try the horse on turf. She was second in a turf route against the boys August 30, prompting Mott to take a big swing in the Miss Grillo.

“I’ve become a believer,” said Goichman, who knows his filly faces steep competition Friday, led Aidan O’Brien’s two-time Group 1 winner Lake Victoria and Thought Process, a California-based horse coming off a Grade 3 win.
“There are still 14 horses, so you need some luck,” he said. “Fingers crossed.”

Scythian women were warriors who fought alongside men for their tribe during the Iron Age. Goichman, who is looking for his first Breeders’ Cup and first Grade 1 win, is hoping his talented filly proves to be aptly named.

New York-bred Mi Bago runs in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on the undercard Friday. Out on Bail was scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Graded stakes winner Petulante, by Arrogate, joins the roster at Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC

October 30th, 2024

Petulante #1 with Luis Saez riding won the $150,000 Grade III Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, NJ on Saturday June 17, 2023. Photo By Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

PETULANTE (2019 Arrogate o/o Auntjenn by Uncle Mo), a Graded Stakes winning and Black Type-placed runner has been retired and will enter stud in 2025 under the management of Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions LLC in Saratoga, New York.

Racing for Lugamo Racing Stable LLC, the ultra-consistent PETULANTE broke his maiden at first asking and would never finish off the board. His foray into Graded Stakes company would result in a win at the important stallion making distance of one mile in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth beating the likes of Wood Memorial (G2) winner Bourbonic and millionaire Clark Stakes (G2) winner, Trademark. Lugamo Racing Stable LLC retains interest in the stallion and will insure that the stallion is very well supported during his early years at stud.

The son of leading national sire Arrogate, will stand his initial season for $5,000 LFSN. The brilliant Arrogate had his coming out party in the 2016 Travers Stakes (G1) at nearby Saratoga Racecourse and went on to reel off consecutive wins in three of the world’s richest races, The Breeders’ Cup Classic, The Pegasus World Cup Invitational and then the Dubai World Cup. Arrogate, now deceased, is the sire of classic winners Arcangelo (Belmont Stakes) and Seize the Grey (Preakness Stakes). Petulante is out of Auntjenn, a three-time winner and multiple black type placed mare by Uncle Mo. Petulante is also the half brother to stakes winner, The Donegal Clan.

For more information on Petulante, including special incentives for breeders, life-time breeding right purchases or to book your mare please contact:

Rick Burke email: rick@IrishHillCenturyFarm.com

Moe Scavullo email: info@IHDVstallions.com

 

 

 

 

 

Bucchero to stand 2025 at Ironhorse Stallions

October 28th, 2024

Multiple graded stakes winner Bucchero will relocate to Ironhorse Stallions at Questroyal North for 2025. Serita Hult Photo.

Coming off a breakout year that saw his son, Grade 1 winner Book’em Danno, stamp his sire as New York’s leading stallion, Bucchero will stand the 2025 season for Ironhorse Stallions at Questroyal North the former Sez Who Farm in Stillwater.

After five successful seasons in Florida, where he covered 471 mares, Bucchero stood the 2024 season at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs under a one-year agreement.

“We have tremendous respect for the McMahon family and their history in New York and both parties wanted to see how Bucchero would fit with McMahon’s in-house stallions,” said Bucchero’s managing partner, Harlan Malter. “With Bucchero, Central Banker and Solomini, the top three stallions in New York in 2024, it made sense to let the McMahons focus on their homegrown stallions and our group focus exclusively on Bucchero.”

Bucchero will be the first stallion to stand under the Ironhorse Stallions banner, a fitting full-circle moment, as it was the syndicate of Ironhorse Racing Stable who purchased him as a 2-year-old. Ironhorse campaigned Bucchero through his 31-race career and ultimately was the driving force to stand him at stud upon his retirement.

“All of the partners involved in Bucchero have been his biggest supporters from Day 1 and it has been a privilege to be so heavily involved in both his racing and stallion career,” Malter said. “It is the logical next step to see where Bucchero can take us. As I said when he ran at Royal Ascot, ‘every time we have asked him to step up to the next level, he has delivered,’ and now he has done it in the breeding shed.”

Ironhorse Racing Stable and the stallion’s co-owners have actively supported Bucchero in both the auction ring and breeding shed. Ironhorse purchased multiple stakes winner and recent graded-placed Beauty of the Sea and stakes winner Mattingly at the OBS 2-year-ilds in training sales and co-owner Greg Kilka was the breeder of Book’em Danno.

The leading sire by earnings in New York in 2024 ($4,539,822 through Sunday), Bucchero has accomplished this feat without a single New York-bred runner. He is the rare regional sire to see his runners have immediate success in open company and on all surfaces.

Along with Grade 1 winner and millionaire Book’em Danno, the Grade 2-placed Buccherino and Grade 3-placed Beauty of the Sea, some 13 of Bucchero’s black-type horses have come in open stakes, with his most recent stakes performer Bucaro running a close second in the Ontario Display at Woodbine on synthetic after becoming a stakes winner in his prior outing.

Bucchero is currently the leading stallion in America on synthetic with more than $1.2 million of his $4.5 million in 2024 earnings coming across the increasingly relevant surface.

While showing his ability to produce top-level horses on turf and dirt in addition to synthetic, Bucchero has also produced incredibly consistent runners. To date, Bucchero starters (1,259) have run in the top three an astounding 49% of the time, tops among all U.S. stallions with more than 1000 starts.

“With the lucrative breeder awards offered in New York, the combination of Bucchero’s ITM stats, surface versatility and ability to produce open-company horses, we firmly believe that breeders will be richly rewarded by breeding to Bucchero,” Malter said. “We are all-in on New York, both breeding and racing.

“Starting Ironhorse Stallions will give us the ability to not only support New York breeders as a partner in producing the best possible New York-bred and -sired runners, but from a selfish side, we will be big buyers of New York-sired Buccheros and expect Ironhorse Racing Stable to focus the majority of its stable in New York. We have put together a great team and will be hitting the ground running working hand in hand with New York breeders as partners in the success of New York-bred racing.”

Lifelong horseman John Dowd will join Ironhorse Stallions as head of operations and bloodstock to go along with a growing team of experienced professionals in New York and Florida.

Malter addressed the question of why Ironhorse Stallions and why now?

“Our mantra is ‘we want to make racehorses to sell, not sales horses to race.’ We feel that Bucchero is a perfect foundation stallion for this philosophy and we hope New York breeders will join us in this goal. My sports background was as a baseball player and the classic Field of Dreams quote comes to mind in this endeavor: ‘If you build it, he will come.’ With the rich breeders program in New York, the huge commitment to a new Belmont and the amazing energy that Saratoga has rekindled, ‘they have built it, and we have come!’ ”

Bucchero will stand for $10,000 in 2025 with a “New York, New York” discount of $2,500 to any mare who will have a 2025 foal in New York or any prior breeder to Bucchero.

A limited amount of lifetime breeding rights will be available along with co-breeds to specifically approved mares. Information about Ironhorse Stallions and Bucchero can be found at ihstallions.com along with Bucchero’s dedicated and continually updated page at BuccheroStallion.com.

For bookings or inspection, contact Harlan Malter at 27B-UCC-HERO (272-822-4376) or info@ihstallions.com.

 

Mama’s Gold posts monster upset in Empire Classic; Venti Valentine closes career with Empire Distaff win

October 27th, 2024

Mama’s Gold joins half-siblings My Mane Squeeze and Rotknee as stakes winners with 40-1 upset victory in Sunday’s Empire Classic at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

Romero Maragh figured there was one way to go aboard Mama’s Gold from his outside draw in Sunday’s $250,000 Empire Classic on Empire Showcase Day at Belmont at the Big A.

“We broke very sharply,” Maragh said. “He is a one-dimensional type of horse, so I knew I had to establish the lead and get to the rail as fast as I could. That’s how he is, and I knew especially going two turns, if he gets to the lead and to a nice cruising speed, that he is going to be tough to beat.”

Mama’s Gold proved exactly that, clicking off strong splits throughout the 9-furlong Empire Classic and running off to a victory at 40-1 in the co-featured event on the annual card for New York-breds.

A half-brother to Grade 2 winner My Mane Squeeze, multiple stakes winner Rotknee and stakes-placed winner Lookin for Trouble, Mama’s Gold landed his first stakes victory in the Empire Classic in just his second stakes appearance. The 4-year-old son of Bolt d’Oro won by 4 1/4 lengths over 2-1 favorite Bank Frenzy in 1:49.01 over the fast main track.

Bred by William “Buck” Butler and campaigned by Joe Hardoon, Mama’s Gold improved to 5-for-18 and picked up $137,500 to boost his bankroll to $329,461.

Mama’s Gold was claimed by trainer Chad Summers from Butler and trainer Mike Maker for $25,000 out of a victory in a maiden claiming race in January 21, 2023 at Aqueduct. He showed up in his next start for Hardoon and Summers and finished last of eight in a 6-furlong starter-optional in early March 2023 at Aqueduct.

Mama’s Gold lost five subsequent starts – for Summers and trainer Brad Cox – before winning three straight for Summers in October and December 2023. Mama’s Gold finished fifth in Aqueduct’s Haynesfield Stakes in late February 2024 before going to the sidelines.

Mama’s Gold returned September 20 and finished second, behind fellow Empire Classic runner Donegal Surges, in a 9-furlong open-company allowance for trainer Jimmy Ferraro at Aqueduct. He finished seventh in a similar race going 1 mile after that, behind Empire Classic runners General Banker and Jackson Heights.

“He bounced the last time, but he recuperated and ran a fantastic race,” Ferraro said after the Empire Classic. “I have a great crew, and they worked hard on him. The distance suits him, he can get a little more of a relaxed pace. It was a perfect trip.”

Maragh gave Mama’s Gold, who is out of the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, an ideal trip from the start.

Mama’s Gold clicked off splits of :23.96, 47.24 and 1:11.29 with Olympic Dreams, Cicciobello and Drake’s Passage giving chase. Bank Frenzy, winner of the Evan Shipman two starts back at Saratoga Race Course, made a menacing run while wide around the far turn to reach contention. Maragh countered that move while down on the inside with Mama’s Gold, who gave the field the slip and zipped past the mile marker in 1:36.17.

Bank Frenzy couldn’t close from there in the lane as Mama’s Gold draw off and cruised to victory.

“I’m not sure what timing I went, but with him, it is all about comfort,” Maragh said. “He was doing it all comfortably. I’d estimate we went 47 and change, for him, that is OK. That is reasonable. I’m happy we got him into a nice comfort zone and he finished up well, like he always does when he gets to the lead.”

Bred by Butler and foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, Mama’s Gold is one of four winners out of In Spite of Mama. She’s also the dam of the 6-year-old New York-bred Into Mischief horse Lookin for Trouble, a winner and multiple stakes-placed runner for Butler and Maker.

My Mane Squeeze, second in the recent Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland Race Course, won this year’s Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes and Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs, along with three New York-bred stakes. She’s won six of 13 with  $1,044,710 in earnings. Six-time stakes winner Rotknee, third in Sunday’s Hudson Stakes on Showcase Day, sports a record of 11-for-23 with earnings of $713,330.

In Spite of Mama is also the dam of Willful Mama, a New York-bred 2-year-old filly by 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will who finished second in a maiden special weight at Aqueduct September 13; a yearling full brother to Rotknee and a weanling filly by Honest Mischief born May19.

Tom Law

Venti Valentine (outside) edges Sterling Silver to close out career with a win in Empire Distaff. Coglianese Photo.

• There were a million reasons to love the last Valentine’s Day.

In her 25th and final start, Venti Valentine – a champion New York-bred as a 2-year-old who was multiple-graded-stakes-placed – went out on top after holding on to win the $250,000 Empire Classic Distaff Sunday on Empire Showcase Day during the Belmont at the Big A meeting.

In winning for the eighth time, the 5-year-old by Firing Line out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Glory Gold became a millionaire, ending her career with $1,056,100 in earnings. Venti Valentine is cataloged as Hip 209 at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale.

“She’ll be missed at the barn; I can tell you that,” winning trainer Jorge Abreau said. “She has a lot of heart. She’s a been a lot of fun since Day 1. I really wanted her to win because I wanted her to go over the million-dollar mark.”

Smokin’ Hot Kitty set the pace in the 9-furlong stakes, leading the six-horse field through a quarter-mile in :23.80 and a half in :48.20. Golden Rocket sat right off her down the backstretch, with Bon Adieu third. Odds-on favorite Sterling Silver was in tight quarters on the rail on the far turn, while Irad Ortiz Jr. made what turned out to be the winning move by taking Venti Valentine to the outside.

Venti Valentine had the lead when they straightened for home and opened up by 1 1/2 lengths at the stretch call, but had to hold off a fast-closing Sterling Silver, who was taken to the rail by John Velazquez and missed getting up by a nose.

“All year long we were saying we wanted to get her to the million dollars. That was Jorge Abreu’s goal for the past two years,” said Dan Zanatta, co-managing partner of winning owner NY Final Furlong Stable. “Obviously, we’re big supporters of the New York-bred program and this is one we bred, which is kind of rare that we would breed a horse and campaign it for this long.”

Venti Valentine is one of five winners and three stakes winners produced by Glory Gold, who was bought by Final Furlong for $13,000 while she was carrying Venti Valentine. Final Furlong purchased one of those stakes winners, Espresso Shot, for $69,000 as a yearling in 2017. She won five times and earned $516,625 in a 24-race career.

Glory Gold’s 3-year-old Landed, a daughter of Omaha Beach, sold for $500,000 as a yearling and has won four of seven starts, including two New York-bred stakes this year.

Bred by Final Furlong and Maspeth Stable and foaled at Schuylerville Thoroughbred Farm in Schuylerville, Venti Valentine ends her career with six stakes wins, a second in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in 2021, second in Grade 3 Gazelle in 2022 and third in the Grade 3 Go For Wand in 2023. She also earned a start in the 2022 Kentucky Oaks.

Paul Halloran