Quartet of NY-bred colts highlight January sale opener

January 14th, 2025

Hip 21, a colt by Vekoma bred by Sequel New York, sold for $180,000 to spark Monday’s opening session of the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Photo courtesy of Burleson Farms.

Four New York-bred short yearling colts commanded six-figure bids to highlight Monday’s opening session of the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale in Lexington.

Hip 21, a colt from the second crop of multiple Grade 1 winner Vekoma, landed a $180,000 bid from Cherry Knoll Farm Inc. to lead the quartet. Bred by Sequel New York LLC, foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and consigned by Burleson Farms, agent, the colt is out of the winning Yes It’s True mare True History. The winner of seven races and $224,025, True History is the dam of five-time winner and $50,914-earner True Destiny.

Cherry Knoll Farm purchased one of the other six-figure colts, going to $125,000 for Hip 38, a son of Yaupon out of the Shanghai Bobby mare Winnipeg Wonder. Bred by America’s Pastime Stable LLC, foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs and consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, the colt is a half-brother to an unnamed 2-year-old New York-bred colt by West Coast.

Redly Bloodstock bought the second highest-priced New York-bred of the day, going to $145,000 for Hip 228, a colt by champion sprinter Jackie’s Warrior. Bred by Fortune Farm and Emcee Stables, foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the colt is out of the stakes-winning Harlan’s Holiday mare Hi Holiday.

Hi Holiday is the dam of Quiet Confidence, a daughter of Nyquist with a win and two placings from five starts and earnings of $75,148, the 3-year-old War of Will filly Feisty Mama and a 2-year-old colt by Maxfield. Emcee Stable purchased Hi Holiday, carrying the Jackie’s Warrior colt in utero, for $50,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Valiant 24 Bloodstock landed the other six-figure colt on a bid of $110,000 for Hip 186, a colt by Practical Joke. Bred by Keithshire Farm, foaled at Stone Bridge Farm in Gansevoort and consigned by Indian Creek, agent, the colt is the second foal out of the unraced Unified mare Fancy Bluff. Her first foal, also a colt by Practical Joke, sold for $160,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Keeneland reported sales on 11 of the 15 New York-bred yearlings through the ring Monday for $856,500, an average price of $77,864 and median of $85,000. Monday’s opening session also featured the sale of She Is All Business, a 4-year-old daughter of Oscar Performance for $20,000 as a broodmare prospect.

The January sale continues with the second of three sessions at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

First foal for Sequel New York’s Mullion arrives

January 11th, 2025

Mullion’s first foal and her dam, Maggiore. Courtesy of Sequel New York.

Edited press release by Sequel New York

Mullion, TDN Rising-Star and full-brother to 2021 Kentucky Derby Winner, Mandaloun, has first foal, a filly, out of Maggiore.

By Speightstown, the Juddmonte-bred Maggiore is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Bonny South and graded stakes placed Sun Path. Her first foal, a bay filly by Mullion, was bred by Albaugh Family Stables.

Mullion is by 6-Time Champion Sire, Into Mischief and out of the multiple group winning Empire Maker mare, Brooch. Mullion stands at Sequel New York in partnership with Juddmonte Farm. Mullion showed absolute brilliance when breaking his maiden going a mile at Churchill Downs by 10 lengths. The performance garnered national recognition, a TDN Rising Star title and an impressive 4- Ragozin Figure.

Mullion, who bred 84 mares during his first year at stud, stands for a private fee for the 2025 season.

Help us celebrate your newest arrivals
The New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. encourages breeders and owners to submit photos and information on their new foals. Click here to use our form or email info@nytbreeders.org or nytbfoals@yahoo.com. Please include useful information such as foaling farm, foal’s breeder, sire, dam, foal’s gender, email and a photo.

Horsemen pleased with upcoming purse parity for New York-breds on the NYRA circuit

January 10th, 2025

New York horsemen are excited for the two-part plan to provide purse parity for racing in the state starting in 2026. Coglianese Photo.

New York-based horsemen have expressed their support for the two-part plan unveiled by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) to provide purse parity for New York-breds.

The programs will be offered starting in 2026 at both Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct as well as at the new Belmont Park, which will open in the fall of 2026.

In October 2023, NYRA announced that beginning January 1, 2026, all New York-bred overnight races for 2-year-olds [foals of 2024] on the NYRA circuit will offer purse amounts matching their open-company counterparts.

On December 30, NYRA further announced that effective January 1, 2027, all New York-bred overnight races will be run for purse money equal to their open-company counterparts, allowing the New York-bred foal crop to benefit from the financial reward of purse parity throughout their racing careers.

Boyd Browning Jr., President and CEO of Fasig-Tipton
“It’s a fantastic move by NYRA that further strengthens the New York-bred program both from a racing standpoint and from a sales standpoint. It also reiterates the cooperative nature and strengths of the racing community, breeding community and the sales community in the State of New York. This will continue to make the New York-bred sale one of the strongest in the United States and also continue to enhance the value of every New York-bred produced. It should also provide further incentive for more people to breed in the state of New York. We look forward to continuing to devote significant resources to the sales at Saratoga.”

Joe McMahon, McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds
“As a longtime breeder and owner of racehorses in New York State, I would say this is a wonderful addition to the already great NYRA and New York Breeding and Development Fund awards. We’ve been in business here for over 50 years, and it’s certainly one of the biggest advancements we’ve made in that period. It should impact the industry for New York racing very positively. The awards to breeders are going to be based on a higher amount of money, so that’s more money in their pockets.”

Lere Visagie, Rockridge Stud
“It’s obviously very important for us to have it. It’s very good news for all of New York. We’ll see what impact it will have on us this year, but it’s very encouraging for us to say [to clients] that New York-breds will run for the same money as open company.

“There’s a little bit of a disconnect still between New York and Kentucky because it’s a regional market, but we’ve definitely kind of stopped the exodus of people going to Kentucky. There’s a lot more people staying in New York, and with the quality of stallions that are here now, there’s a wide variety for them to stay local. This [purse parity] is all the more reason to stay.

“The last three years, we’ve been stepping it up every year with better and more stallions, because we felt with the new Belmont, there’s a lot of positives that we can build off.”

Harlan Malter, Managing Partner of Ironhorse Racing Stable, Ironhorse Stallions and Bucchero 
“When we moved Bucchero up to New York, it was an unusual move. Usually, it is Florida to Kentucky, or New York to Kentucky. It was very intentional; we felt that he was on the uptick. We saw how strong he was in open company, and we would hear rumblings of the plans coming down the pipeline for Belmont and the plans of purse parity being talked about. That is one of the things that has been on the top of my mind: New York is on its path to be, if not the premier racing jurisdiction in America, the co-premier racing jurisdiction, with the new Belmont and Saratoga. I’ve found in other jurisdictions the state-bred programs are just something on the side that they try to keep going, whereas New York I think has the opportunity to make it a central part of the racing program.

“It feels like the stallions in New York are being upgraded on a consistent basis, and the beauty of this purse parity is that we wanted to come along with it. As stallion owners, as breeders, it is important for us to start to elevate New York sires, so we can have New York-sired compete with New York-breds, who compete with open horses. The strength of the New York program in the future is how strong can we make our New York-sired horses, and can they be competitive with open horses? That was one of the reasons we brought Bucchero to New York. It is a premier racing jurisdiction that is taking all the steps necessary to not just have two levels of racing.”

Dan Zanatta, co-managing partner of NY Final Furlong Stable
“This has already been front of mind for us. We’ve done a few things strategically as we started to think about the program. One, the foals that our broodmares had this year – we sold as weanlings – because we thought there would be a little more demand from the investment side. We definitely saw the market react to the news that had already been released.

“We also started to think about the need to increase the quality of our stock and we’re willing to increase the max threshold ceiling of what we would be willing to pay for horses. We bought a $150,000 Yaupon weanling filly at Keeneland November which is typically in the upper bounds of what we would be paying for a yearling. If we’re going to be able to compete for purses that are up to 20 percent higher than what they are now, then we reshape our focus and improve what we are willing to pay for horses.

“Do we want to have more broodmares and be more invested on the breeding side, as well? These kind of announcements force those discussions and make some of those investments a little easier.”

Michael Sternklar, Clear Stars Stable
“The New York program has always been great for New York-breds, between the increased purses with the casino and the bonuses for running against open-company horses. But you always looked at those other purses and said, ‘why is there a disparity?’ So this was, of course, great news, especially because we converted our stable about 10 years ago from one that did claiming and buying at the sales, to a pure breeding, yearling and 2-year-old stable. We might purchase 10 new 2-year-olds a year and they’re all going to be New York-breds, so this is wonderful news. The program has always been so much better than other states, and it’s not even comparable. This just makes it even better.”

Linda Rice, trainer and owner
“Anything that is good for the New York-bred program is good for me because I race in New York year-round. I’m a big supporter of the New York-bred program and it’s been very good to me for the past 10-15 years, since I started racing in New York for the majority of the year. I’m happy to see that and what’s good for the program is good for my stable as well. I think it will definitely attract more interest in the New York-breds [at the sales], but hopefully not so much interest that we can’t get them bought!”

David Donk, trainer
“It’s showing the strength of the New York-bred program which continues to get stronger where in some other jurisdictions it hasn’t, especially with the declining horse population nationally. It’s a great opportunity for people and there’s a lot of positivity – not just for owners, but for breeders. The state-breds are getting better and better all the time. There’s a lot of good New York-breds out there and it’s a big strength of NYRA’s program.

“There’s a lot of optimism with the new Belmont Park and this just adds to it. The state-breds are the backbone – especially with the winter program – and I think it leads into that winter of 2026. The New York-bred program has been very good to me and hopefully it continues to do so.”

Ray Handal, trainer
“It is huge for the New York-bred program. The New York-breds are getting better so it makes the racing more competitive and people are more inclined to breed to have New York-breds and race them here. I think it is good for everybody that there will be more contentious races. It will give incentive to breeders to bring more horses here and it will put money in all of our pockets for the guys that are dedicated to the New York racing program.

“Half of my barn is New York-bred, so they are a big part of it, and they are a big part of New York racing. Anything we can do to help promote that, is huge.”

Horacio De Paz, trainer
“It is a great incentive for the owners. I would say New York-breds are at least 80 percent of my barn, for the most part, because I train for breeders and owners here in New York. This is a great incentive for us and for them.

“This is going to make the program even better – maybe you will see some different sires start coming over here. It will open up things for people wanting to breed to have New York-breds.”

David Duggan, trainer

“It becomes an easier sell to people that are investing in New York. If you’re thinking of investing, you’re increasing the amount you’re going to invest based on return. It regenerates interest – the cost of doing business here can be a deterrent to people, and I think it’s an added bonus that’s needed to sustain people in regular business. The New York breeders need that boost, and I think this is a good avenue for that. I think it’s good.”

New York State has adopted rules that expand the reach of the New York-bred awards and benefits by clarifying a pathway for non-resident mares to gain residency status. Accordingly, a non-resident mare purchased in foal through public auction is deemed a resident mare provided the mare is purchased for at least $50,000 in the public auction; is present in the state of New York within 15 days after a sale in North America and 60 days at any public auction sale abroad; the foal is foaled in New York; and the mare thereafter is continuously in residence in New York from within 120 days after her last cover in the year of conception of another foal and remains in residency until foaling.

For additional information on resident and non-resident mares and their foals, visit https://www.nybreds.com/rules/resident-non-resident-mares.

To support the residency rule, NYRA and The New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund (NYTBDF) provide up to $650,000 per year in purse bonuses to owners. The bonus offers $5,000 every time a New York-sired New York-bred wins at the maiden special weight or allowance level at NYRA’s tracks.

Central Banker secures fourth leading sire title

January 9th, 2025

McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds’ Central Banker topped the New York sire list for the fourth straight year in 2024. Courtesy of Barbara Livingston/McMahon of Saratoga.

Central Banker emerged from a near season-long battle to finish the 2024 season where he left off the last three seasons – on top of the New York general sire list.

Central Banker collected his fourth straight crown as the Empire State’s leading sire with $5,436,573 in progeny earnings, $17,717 more than runner-up Bucchero. Central Banker’s progeny total for 2024 also best each of his individual totals the last three seasons, including the $5,391,160 earned from his runners in 2022.

“He had another very productive year,” said Joe McMahon of McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, where Central Banker will stand the 2025 season for $7,500. “He’s a pretty viable alternative to not going out of New York state. He’s established that. Just like Freud was years ago. Just a real solid kind of a horse.

“He does a couple nice turf horses. They can run in the mud. If you watch a lot of them you do pick up on things, characteristics. Most of them, when they’re going down the lane and they’re head and head with another horse, they get another gear. They get tougher. Those are the things you just can’t put out there, but if you watch a lot of races, you’ll see it.”

That toughness played out frequently on the New York Racing Association circuit and his six stakes winners and 12 stakes horses led the state, along with his 150 runners. The sire of 431 named foals according to BloodHorse statistics, Central Banker also posted average earnings per runner of $36,244.

Central Banker, the leading sire in the Northeast region, also checked in 58th overall on the North American general sire list and third on New York’s list of leading 2-year-old sires behind Honest Mischief and fellow McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds’ stallion Solomini.

Central Banker did a significant amount of damage at the country’s premier meeting at Saratoga Race Course. He sired Evan Shipman Handicap winner Bank Frenzy and Rick Violette Stakes winner Courtly Banker at Saratoga, among others.

“Saratoga was spectacular for him,” McMahon said. “He’s just a nice horse. Gets runners, gets useful horses. He’s been that way consistently and that’s why he keeps getting the numbers to the breeding shed and that’s why he keeps getting the runners on the racetrack.”

The fight for the leading sire title came down to the final days of 2024, including December 28 when Bank Frenzy picked up $55,000 from winning the Alex M. Robb Stakes at Aqueduct to help pad Central Banker’s narrow advantage. Bank Frenzy was one of six stakes winners in 2024 for Central Banker, along with Light Man, Bold Fortune, Morning Matcha, Courtly Banker and Sunday Girl.

Bank Frenzy led the group with four wins and two seconds in seven starts, along with $293,950 in earnings in 2024. Purchased privately in the summer by LSU Stables, he also won the Evan Shipman Handicap at Saratoga Race Course and finished second in the Empire Classic Stakes on Empire Showcase Day to wrap up the Belmont at the Big A fall meeting. Bank Frenzy was bred by Chester and Mary Broman.

Morning Matcha, Central Banker’s second leading earner with a bankroll of $1,035,820, won the Unique Bella Stakes and Mrs. Penny Stakes at Parx Racing. Bred by Crane Thoroughbred Services LLC and campaigned by LC Racing, Cash is King Racing and Gary Barber, she later sold for $300,000 at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Light Man also won on Showcase Day, taking the Hudson Stakes. He won four of seven starts in 2024 with $268,300 in earnings for owner McRich Stables and breeder Newman Racing.

Richard Nicolai’s homebred Bold Fortune rose toward the top of the New York-bred juvenile ranks with back-to-back victories in the fall, including the New York Breeders’ Futurity. He ended the season with $156,270 in earnings.

McMahon is already looking forward to the 2025 racing and breeding seasons. He’s seen similar strong interest in Central Banker for his 11th season.

“It always remains to be seen but he’s had a pretty good early interest, as he has in other years,” McMahon said. “It seems that the trend in the industry is to book later unless you’re going to a really expensive sire. Central Banker, he probably has 40 already committed to him this year. That’s pretty good. We’ll pick up, between us and the syndicate, another 50 there. That puts him in pretty nice shape going into the breeding season.”

Bucchero, a 13-year-old son of Kantharos, stood his first season in New York in 2024 at McMahon of Saratoga before relocating to Ironhorse Stallions at Questroyal North in Stillwater for the 2025 season. Bucchero, who stood his first five seasons in Florida, also sired six stakes winners and 12 stakes horses in 2024 along with 80 winners and the earners of $5,418,856. He will stand for $10,000 in 2025.

Solomini, a 10-year-old son of Curlin who stands for $7,500 at McMahon of Saratoga, finished third on New York’s general sire list and topped the 2024 second-crop sire list with progeny earnings of $3,387,578.

“He’s doing really well. I’m really proud of him,” McMahon said. “And as things continue, the Solominis will do better with age. He had four stakes winners in 2024; that’s pretty good for a regional stallion or any stallion. We’re very fortunate to have him.

I always thought he was the perfect horse for a program like New York. He was an early 2-year-old, showed real talent as a 2-year-old, ran in top company, he was a dirt horse. New York is still very much a dirt-based racing circuit. And he did have a couple nice turf horses this year. He was the perfect horse for New York, or for any regional program, but for New York especially.”

War Dancer, a 15-year-old son of War Front who stands for $7,500 at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, finished fourth on New York’s general sire list in 2024 with $2,439,496 in progeny earnings. Tourist, who recently relocated out of state, checked in fifth at $2,276,865.

Honest Mischief, a 9-year-old son of Into Mischief who stands for $7,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, led New York’s first-crop and the juvenile sire lists in 2024 with progeny earnings of $1,621,889.

Mi Bago passes synthetic test in Dania Beach

January 1st, 2025

Mi Bago collects third stakes victory in Wednesday’s off-the-turf Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park. Coglianese Photo/Lauren King.

Gary Barber’s Mi Bago, already a stakes winner on grass and a winner on dirt in his debut, became a stakes winner on synthetic Wednesday in the $150,000 Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park.

Taken off the grass following overnight rain, the 1-mile Dania Beach also marked the second straight win for Mi Bago. Sent off as the 4-5 favorite in the field of seven off a win in the Pulpit Stakes November 29 at Gulfstream, Mi Bago won by three-quarters of a length over Hammerhead.

Edwin Gonzalez, aboard for winning trainer Mark Casse, kept it simple on the 3-year-old son of Vekoma.

“Nick [Tomlinson] didn’t give me too many instructions for the horse,” Gonzalez said of Casse’s assistant. “Today I break out of the gate, he put me right there. He was pulling my arm. He wanted to keep going. I wanted to keep him in a nice and relaxed position, and he finished good. He’s a really good horse.”

Barber and his team identified that quality after Mi Bago won his debut in a 5-furlong dirt maiden at Colonial Downs last August for owner CM Thoroughbreds and trainer Carlos Munoz. Barber purchased Mi Bago privately after that effort and moved him to Casse’s care. Mi Bago finished a non-threatening sixth in the Funny Cide Stakes on Saratoga Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course August 25 before moving to the grass to win the October 5 bet365 Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine.

Mi Bago missed out on the Breeders’ Cup after failing to draw into either the Grade 1 Juvenile Turf or Grade 1 Juvenile Turf Sprint. He finished fifth in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes on the Future Stars Friday undercard before returning to the East Coast to win the Pulpit.

Mi Bago led the field through splits of :24.23, :47.03 and 1:10.41 in his synthetic debut, putting away Hit That Review. Mi Bago opened up a 1 1/2-length advantage in midstretch and held off Hammerhead’s late run. Maui Strong finished third, with I Know I Know, Hit That Review, Nothingsubtle and Bucaro completing the field.

Mi Bago, who won the 1-mile and 70-yard test in 1:39.17, earned $91,140 for his lastest victory. He’s won four of six starts.

Bred by Highclere Inc. and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Mi Bago is the fifth winner produced by the unraced New York-bred Indian Charlie mare Wabanaki. She’s the dam of seven-time winner and $227,242-earner Lady Macho (by Mucho Macho Man) and winners What Mightavebeen (Freud), Dawnland (Jimmy Creed), Weyron (Goldencents) and Fast Chaz (Fast Anna). The latter graduated in his 13 start on the New Year’s Eve card at Turf Paradise.

A $62,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February mixed sale in 2023, Mi Bago was a $90,000 RNA later in the year at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Gatsas homebred Five G wins Cash Run Stakes

January 1st, 2025

Five G cruises to victory in Wednesday’s $150,000 Fasig-Tipton Cash Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Coglianese Photo/Lauren King.

Gatsas Stables’ homebred Five G returned to the main track and came away with a victory over open company in the $150,000 Fasig-Tipton Cash Run Stakes on the New Year’s Day program Wednesday at Gulfstream Park.

The newly turned 3-year-old daughter of Vekoma, second in the Tepin Stakes on the turf in her most recent start in mid-November at Aqueduct, blitzed her six foes in the 1-mile Cash Run. Five G won by 9 lengths under John Velazquez, finishing in 1:38.11 over the fast track.

Five G also won a state-bred maiden race on the grass in early November at Aqueduct, after making her debut in a 6-furlong state-bred maiden August 22 at Saratoga Race Course. Trainer George Weaver put the filly back on the dirt after being impressed with her recent works at Palm Beach Downs.

“She worked very well on the dirt and when you’re trying to figure out what horses want to do and what’s best for them, you need to try things sometimes and she worked well enough on the dirt that we needed to try it,” Weaver said. “Obviously we’re happy, she likes the turf and the dirt. With that kind of performance, we’ll probably stick to the dirt now and try and get her on the (Kentucky) Oaks trail.”

Supplemented to the Cash Run, Five G broke well from the rail and stayed close to Andrea through the opening quarter in :24. Velazquez sent Five G to the front before the field hit the half-mile in :46.74.

Five G went on from there, widening her advantage around the far turn and running past 6 furlongs in 1:12.26.

“I left the race in the hands of Johnny,” Weaver said. “I said to just get her comfortable and see what she does. When they got into turn and he had the lead and the more they went on, other people were scrubbing and we weren’t scrubbing yet. I was like, ‘We might be all right here.’ ”

Five G cruised through the lane, increasing her advantage from 4 lengths in midstretch to 9 at the finish. Paradise City, sent off the 9-5 favorite, closed to be a distant second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Unchained Elaine. Yellow, Fallon, Sweet Note and Andrea completed the order of finish.

“Pretty easy,” Velazquez said. “She broke really well, and I was trying to let the speed go. [Jockey Emisael] Jaramillo was on the outside [on Andrea]. When he got close to her she kind of went away from her, and I pulled her to be close to her and she got really on the bridle. After that I just let her get into her rhythm.”

Five G picked up $91,140 for her second victory in four starts, boosting her earnings to $160,290.

Weaver said he’d look at options for Five G going forward, with eyes on the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks March 30, including possibly the Grade 3 Forward Gal going 7 furlongs February 1 and the Grade 2 Davona Dale at 1 mile March 1.

“These Oaks and Derby horses, there’s a bunch of spots,” Weaver said. “We’ll just map out something we think is going to get her there the right way. There’s plenty of options.”

Five G is the second foal out of the Quality Road mare Triumphant, who was purchased by Gatsas Stables in foal to Runhappy for $57,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. The resulting foal, the now 4-year-old Runhappy filly Six O Three, is winless in three starts. Triumphant is also the dam of a yearling full brother to Five G, also bred by Gatsas in New York.

NYRA to increase purses for all New York-bred overnight races in 2027

December 30th, 2024

The New York Racing Association, Inc. today announced its continued support of the New York-bred racing program with the expansion of previously planned overnight purse increases. Effective January 2027, all New York-bred overnight races will be run for purse money equal to their open-company counterparts.

As announced by NYRA in 2023, beginning January 1, 2026, all New York-bred overnight races for 2-year-olds on the NYRA circuit will offer purse amounts matching their open-company counterpart.

This year, NYRA ran 548 New York-bred races for total purses of $42,817,000 with the new program anticipated to increase New York-bred overnight purses by 15 percent compared to 2024 purse levels.

According to early breeding figures reported by The Jockey Club, the New York-bred foal crop is on pace for significant growth this year with 672 live foals reported through October 13, an increase of 13.9 percent compared to the same period last year when a total of 1,088 mares were bred with 590 live foals reported. Nationally, it is expected that the foal crop will decline by approximately two percent in 2024.

“The commitment to the New York-bred overnight program builds upon our previous efforts to support high-quality New York-bred racing,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA’s Senior Vice President of Racing and Operations. “Starting in 2026, the New York-bred foal crop will benefit from the financial reward of purse parity and will continue to reap those benefits throughout their racing careers.”

The programs will be offered starting in 2026 at both Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct as well as at the new Belmont Park, which will open in the fall of 2026.

As a result of the partnership between NYRA and FOX Sports, nearly every New York-bred contest is broadcast live to a national audience on the FOX Sports family of networks. Both Saratoga Live and America’s Day at the Races, which are produced by NYRA, have generated sustained ratings growth since they were launched nationally in 2016.

In addition to the lucrative purses offered by NYRA, a variety of owner, breeder and stallion awards are available to those who breed and race in New York. These incentives directly benefit thoroughbred breeding farms across the state.

“Thanks to the quality of New York-breds in the sales ring and at the racetrack, our foal crop numbers have trended positively in recent years,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director, New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “NYRA’s commitment to investing in the New York-bred program will support continued growth and is a clear statement on why it pays to breed, own, and race in New York.”

New York State has adopted rules that expand the reach of the New York-bred awards and benefits by clarifying a pathway for non-resident mares to gain residency status. Accordingly, a non-resident mare purchased in foal through public auction is deemed a resident mare provided the mare is purchased for at least $50,000 in the public auction; is present in the state of New York within 15 days after a sale in North America and 60 days at any public auction sale abroad; the foal is foaled in New York; and the mare thereafter is continuously in residence in New York from within 120 days after her last cover in the year of conception of another foal and remains in residency until foaling.

For additional information on resident and non-resident mares and their foals, click here.

To support the residency rule, NYRA and The New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund (NYTBDF) provide up to $650,000 per year in purse bonuses to owners. The bonus offers $5,000 every time a New York-sired New York-bred wins at the maiden special weight or allowance level at NYRA’s tracks.

Bank Frenzy edges Doc Sullivan late to win Alex M. Robb

December 28th, 2024

Bank Frenzy (outside) gets up late to defeat Doc Sullivan by a nose in Saturday’s Alex M. Robb at Aqueduct. Coglianse Photo/Chelsea Durand.

LSU Stables’ Bank Frenzy continued to show his determination and fondness for a wet track with a narrow victory over Doc Sullivan in Saturday’s 47th renewal of the $100,000 Alex M. Robb Stakes at Aqueduct.

The 4-year-old son of three-time leading New York sire Central Banker collected his second stakes victory of 2024 with his nose win over the front-running Doc Sullivan and five others in the 1-mile Alex M. Robb. Bank Frenzy, now 4-for-4 on wet tracks, won the Evan Shipman Handicap in mid-August in the mud at Saratoga Race Course shortly after being purchased privately by LSU Stables and transferred to trainer Rudy Rodriguez’s barn.

“He loves the wet track,” said LSU Stables’ Larry Sarf. “When it’s wet, you can’t beat him. He was carrying more weight than all of the other horses, so it makes it a little tougher.

“He likes a little more distance, but he made the way. He stalked the lead and the big thing was he wasn’t getting any splash back, because he was laying on the outside. It was a great ride by Manny [Franco].”

Dismissed as the 6-5 favorite ahead of the 3-year-old El Grande O, making his return to stakes company and against New York-breds for the first time since October 2023, Bank Frenzy dueled with the foe in second and third as Doc Sullivan took the early initiative.

Doc Sullivan, fourth in the Thunder Rumble division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes in late November, led those two and the others through the pouring rain past the opening quarter in :22.73 over the sloppy track. Doc Sullivan and Jose Lezcano continued to lead up the backstretch to the half in :45.60 and around the far turn toward the 6-furlong split in 1:10.29.

El Grande O yielded first behind the free-wheeling front runner, leaving just Bank Frenzy and Sheriff Bianco as the closest pursuers into the stretch. Doc Sullivan opened up early, passed the eighth pole 2 lengths clear as Bank Frenzy continued to cut into his lead approaching the finish.

“I was traveling fine,” Franco said. “My horse broke good. Sometimes he doesn’t break, but today he broke with the field, so I took advantage of that. I put him right next to [El Grande O].”

Bank Frenzy put his nose in front three jumps from home and held on at the finish. He won in 1:36.81 and improved to 6-for-14 in his career.

“The one on the lead was tough to go by. I got to give credit to that horse, too,” Franco said. “My horse was trying, giving all he had, and I got him right there at the wire.”

Bank Frenzy also picked up $55,000 – boosting his bankroll to $424,170. Those dollars also figure to be worthwhile as Central Banker hunts down a fourth straight leading sire title in the Empire State.

Central Banker, a 14-year-old son of Speightstown who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs, came into the day leading the New York general sire list with $5,362,263 in progeny earnings. He held a narrow lead over Bucchero at $5,278,396.

Bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman and foaled at their Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Bank Frenzy is out of the Tiznow mare Storm Now. The Bromans purchased Storm Now for $110,000 at the 2015 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Storm Now is the dam of two other winners – the Into Mischief gelding City Mischief ($131,830) and the Awesome Again gelding Broadway Joe ($15,228). She’s also the dam of the 3-year-old Practical Joke filly Funny Forecast and 2-year-old Instagrand filly Farm House, a $100,000 purchase by Final Furlong Racing Stable at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. The Bromans bred all of those runners in New York, along with Storm Now’s yearling filly by Instagrand.

Stonewall Star rebounds to win Bay Ridge

December 27th, 2024

Stonewall Star collects her fifth stakes victory in Friday’s Bay Ridge at Aqueduct. Coglianese Photo.

Stonewall Star returned to the New York-bred ranks, overcame a hesitant start and bounced back from a graded stakes try 20 days earlier with a victory in Friday’s $100,000 Bay Ridge Stakes at Aqueduct.

Barry K. Schwartz’s homebred 4-year-old daughter of Flatter picked up her second win of 2024 with a 2 1/4-length score over odds-on favorite Sterling Silver and seven others in the 1-mile stakes.

Dylan Davis rode the winner for trainer Horacio De Paz, adding more highlights to the respective career best seasons for the jockey and conditioner. Stonewall Star, the 9-2 third choice coming off a distant seventh in the Grade 3 Go For Wand Stakes December 7 at Aqueduct, won in 1:35.02.

“She had been breezing so good – 47 and change last weekend,” said De Paz, who inched closer to the $4 million mark for purses earned by his stable in 2024. “She’s really been doing good all year. I told Barry that she was really thriving and her coat looked really good. It was just a matter of the break situation. When the overnight came out and we drew the one and it was 12 horses, I was like, ‘really?’ You know you have a gate issue horse but the guys at the gate do as good a job as they could do with her.

“She still wants to be competitive. Honestly, we were just trying to run in this spot to see where she fits now. I’ll talk to Barry and see what he decides to do. But if she’s doing well, I’d imagine he’ll keep her running. We’ll see.”

Bon Adieu came away with the lead shortly after the break and before the field made their way to the main track out of the chute, just ahead of 4-5 favorite Sterling Silver and Sweetest Princess. Stonewall Star, who came away last, ran up the inside over the first quarter-mile and took command just after the opening split of :23.55.

“Horacio has been trying to work with her in the morning and they thought that grabbing the tail in the gate was giving her issues there – the stumblings and the misbreaks,” said Davis, the winner of 208 races and more than $16.1 million in purses in 2024. “We tried no tail today, and she was standing well for me, but she just got antsy there when the last one went in, and she tried to push back on the back doors and then she charged the front. It just finally adjusted there, and we were able to break the best we could, but she has a little bit of an attitude there. When she came out of there, that’s the first time for me a horse ever double-barreled or tried to kick the gate coming out at about the second or third jump. Once she was able to get her feet under her, I was able to ride my race from there.

“With not the best break, I was just trying to get as forwardly as possible and stay on the rail at the same time – just breaking and getting that position, and I just kept finding better position and found myself on the lead. I was happy with where I was.”

Stonewall Star, who came into the Bay Ridge on a five-race losing streak, continued on the lead up the backstretch and to the half in :46.15 with Bon Adieu still giving chase and Lisa’s Vision inching into contention.

Davis let Stonewall Star lengthen her stride around the far turn and she gave the field the slip, opening up by 3 lengths at the quarter-pole and past 6 furlongs in 1:09.98. Stonewall Star continued on in the lane as Sterling Silver, the runner-up last time out in the Empire Distaff Stakes on Empire Showcase Day, launched her rally from the outside under Junior Alvarado.

Stonewall Star held sway in deep stretch and held off Sterling Silver at the finish. Midtown Lights, a daughter of Redesdale and a 35-1 longshot under Sofia Vives, rallied up the inside to finish third with 13-1 Golden Rocket fourth.

“We wanted to just let her run where she’s comfortable and she’s usually pretty comfortable on the front end or close to the pace,” De Paz said. “The way the track has been playing, the rail seemed pretty live, so that was a great spot for her.

“I expected the break to be better, but that’s been her trouble all year – bad breaks. In the morning she doesn’t get unsettled in there, but in the afternoon, Dylan said she was really good right up to the last horse that loaded and then she got a little unsettled in there which cost her the break. We got lucky that it stayed open, and he was able to come up the rail like that.”

Bred and foaled at Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Stonewall Star improved to 6-for-18 with two seconds and four thirds in the Bay Ridge. A stakes winner at 2, 3 and 4, Stonewall Star picked up $55,000 to boost her bankroll to $467,398.

Stonewall Star is the fourth foal and one of three stakes winners along with Whatlovelookslike and La Fuerza out of the Proud Citizen mare Jonata.

Whatlovelookslike, a 5-year-old daughter of English Channel, is 5-4-3 in 18 starts with earnings of $485,350 for Schwartz and trainer Todd Pletcher. Fifth last time out in the Grade 3 Long Island Stakes at Aqueduct and scratched from Thursday’s Via Borghese Stakes at Gulfstream Park, Whatlovelookslike won last year’s Port Washington Stakes at Belmont Park and has placed in three other stakes.

La Fuerza, a full brother to Stonewall Star, won three stakes carrying his owner and breeder’s black and white colors in 2018. He won four of eight and earned $261,610. Jonata is also the dam of New York-bred winner Citizen K, a gelding by Mizzen Mast with a record of 4-2-3 in 25 starts and a bankroll of $208,522.

A $100,000 purchase by Schwartz at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale, Jonata won two of 17 starts with five placings and $140,800.

NYTB Stallion Auction returns Jan. 3rd – 7th on Thoroughlybred.com

December 23rd, 2024

NYTB logoNew York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. (NYTB) will conduct its annual Stallion Season Auction from Friday, January 3rd to Tuesday, January 7th on Thoroughlybred.com.

The annual auction raises funds that allow the NYTB to carry on its two-fold mission of promoting New York breeding and racing and protecting the welfare of industry stakeholders.

The auction has routinely attracted donated seasons from farms in the Empire State and Kentucky, including McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, Sequel New York, Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions, Rockridge Stud, Lane’s End, Darley America, Darby Dan Farm, and additional farms.

“Each year, the proceeds from our stallion season auction support NYTB and the interests of our members and breeders who participate in the New York-bred program,” said New York Thoroughbred Breeders Executive Director Najja Thompson. “The auction offers breeders a diverse selection of stallions based in New York, Kentucky, and additional states for breeders to appropriately match their mares.”

The auction has routinely attracted donated seasons from farms in the Empire State and Kentucky, including McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, Sequel New York, Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions, Rockridge Stud, Spendthrift Farm, Darley America, Darby Dan Farm, and additional farms.

If you are interested in donating a season, please contact NYTB directly at info@nytbreeders.org or 518.587.0777.

Participants must register with Thoroughbredly.com before bidding. All bids will be subject to the rules and conditions of the auction, and each season’s conditions will be posted. Click here to register your account with Thoroughlybred.com.

New York-bred program stakeholders receive more than $60 million annually distributed in purse money, breeding incentives, and awards for New York-breds eligible to compete in more than 600 New York-bred races run on the New York Racing Association circuit and Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack.

To view the current list of stallions available, visit here. *Please note that additional stallions may be entered through the start of the NYTB auction on Jan. 3.

Current Stallions as of 12/28/2024 *Please note this list will be updated through the start of the NYTB auction on Jan. 3. Click here.

Stallion Standing At State
Americanrevolution Rockridge Stud NY
Bee Jersey Darby Dan KY
Bucchero Bucchero Stallion LLC NY
Chewing Gum Rockridge Stud NY
Country House Darby Dan KY
Dialed In Darby Dan KY
Disco Partner Rockridge Stud NY
Honest Mischief Sequel New York NY
Keepmeinmind Sequel New York NY
Fire At Will Sequel New York NY
Galilean Hidden Lake Farm NY
Gufo Darby Dan KY
Higher Power Darby Dan KY
King for a Day Irish HIll Dutchess Views NY
Leofric Darby Dan KY
Lookin At Lee Irish HIll Dutchess Views NY
Messier Rockridge Stud NY
Mind Control Rockridge Stud NY
Modernist Darby Dan KY
Mo Donegal Spendthrift Farm KY
Mystic Guide Darley Stallions KY
Petulante Irish HIll Dutchess Views NY
Proxy Darley Stallions KY
Shirl’s Speight Darby Dan KY
Slumber Rockridge Stud NY
Speaker’s Corner Darley Stallions KY
Tale of Ekati Darby Dan KY
Tale of Silence Darby Dan KY
Title Ready Darby Dan KY
Vino Rosso Spendthrift Farm KY
Warrior’s Charge Irish HIll Dutchess Views NY
War Dancer Rockridge Stud NY
Waiting Irish HIll Dutchess Views NY
Cloud Compputing Pin Oak Lane Farm PA
Flameaway Darby Dan KY
Higher Power Darby Dan KY
Maximus Mischief Darby Dan KY
Modernist Darby Dan KY
Rock Your World Spendthrift Farfm KY
Drain The Clock Gainesway Farm KY
Courageous Cat Questroyal North NY
Central Banker McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds NY
Solomini McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds NY
Provocateur McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds NY
Audible Winstar Farm KY
Gift Box Lane’s End Farm KY
Known Agenda Spendthrift Farm KY
Temple City Spendthrift Farm KY