The Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance (ITA)–a newly founded group dedicated to helping educate, inspire and support those interested in the Indiana horse racing industry–will present “Pedigree Research and Purposeful Pedigrees,” with guest speaker Robert Keck, bloodstock consultant at Kentucky’s Crestwood Farm, on Saturday, Dec. 5.
The event, open to anyone interested in breeding Thoroughbreds, is the first in a series of activities the ITA will host in the coming months, all aimed at helping to educate breeders and those looking to get into breeding.
Susan Burger, a longtime broodmare manager and now owner of Indiana’s Ledgerwood Farm, is the co-vice president of the ITA, and organizer of the seminar.
“The ITA wanted to open up the avenue of continuing education for the breeders of Indiana,” Burger said. “We want to help breeders, and those interested in getting into breeding, to learn what they need to look for when it comes to booking a stallion to their mare, or even purchasing a broodmare.”
The seminar will be held at the Painted Hills Clubhouse in Martinsville, Indiana, starting at 1 p.m. ET. Registration is free and refreshments will be provided.
For more information on the seminar, visit the ITA website at http://indianaTB.org.
Bahraini-based by globally successful trainer Fawzi Nass has cemented a reputation as a shrewd buyer of European horses in training both at public auction and privately, and his latest project Simsir (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) came good on his first start for his new yard on Friday, winning the £500,000 Bahrain International Trophy at Sakhir from John Gosden’s Global Giant (GB) (Shamardal) and Aidan O’Brien’s G1 Irish Derby winner Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
The 4-year-old gelding Simsir was plucked privately from the yard of Mick Halford just this fall, having previously run as a homebred for the Aga Khan. Simsir was not seen until the autumn of his 3-year-old year last year, and won two of his first three starts before a campaign in Dubai earlier this year, where he won a 2000 metre turf handicap. Simsir was second in the Listed Silver S. on his second start back in Ireland in July, and the deal with Nass was made after he finished fifth of 22 runners in The Curragh’s Northfields H. on Irish Champions Weekend.
Nass finished first and fourth in his country’s most important race, with 22,000gns Tattersalls Autumn buy Port Lions (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) just missing the placings. That 5-year-old gelding has been another success story for Nass; he upset Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) by a head in the Feb. 29 Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup on the inaugural Saudi Cup card.
“To win such an amazing race is an absolute thrill,” Nass said in the aftermath of Simsir’s win. “He has done it so bravely. Mick Halford always assured me that he likes it firm and he was right. For me, it was the jockey’s race. I thought he committed early in the straight, but he proved me wrong.”
That jockey was Scotsman Lee Newman, the UK champion apprentice in 2000 who has since ridden around the globe and has recently been stationed at Sakhir.
Newman said, “I took the bull by the horns at the five-furlong pole and kicked on from there. It’s a track that you can do that at if your horse is a galloper and he is that. It is down to Fawzi for putting his trust in me as he could have asked any jockey from anywhere in the world, but he asked me. I am delighted.”
Newman and Simsir broke sharply from gate two, and after hustling initially to hold a prominent position were content to take a slight hold as Coolagh Forest (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) crossed over from a wide draw to take up the running under John Egan. That rival attempt to stretch his advantage down the backstretch but Newman kept the frontrunner in his sights, and the front two had detached themselves from the rest of the pack by the time they hit the second bend. Newman drove Simsir to the front as they turned into the straight as Coolagh Forest began to pack it in, and while the longshot had a mighty target on his back with some of his more fancied rivals gobbling up ground late, he held on to win by a neck from Global Giant, with Sovereign just nosed out in third.
Following Port Lions in fourth, the order of finish was completed by Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper), Certain Lad (GB) (Clodovil {Ire}), Loxley (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), Deirdre, Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}), What A Welcome (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Desert Encounter (Ire) (Halling), Coolagh Forest and Lady Wannabe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).
Pedigree Notes
Being a product of the Aga Khan’s program, it should come as no surprise that Simsir hails from a proper pedigree, and indeed he is out of the listed placed Simawa (Ire) (Anabaa), a half-sister to none other than Sinndar (Ire). Simawa has produced two stakes winners: the Listed Loughbrown S. victress Silwana (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and this year’s G3 Amethyst S. scorer Sinawann (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). The mare, who was sold to Outsider Bloodstock for €210,000 at Goffs November in 2018, has no 2-year-old of 2020, but has a yearling filly by Gleneagles (Ire) and a colt foal by Motivator (GB).
Sakhir, £500,000, Cond, 11-20, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:00.29, gd. SIMSIR (IRE) (g, 4, Zoffany {Ire}-Simawa {Ire} {SP-Ire}, by Anabaa). Lifetime Record: 10-4-3-0, $487,783. O-Victorious. B-HH The Aga Khan Stud SC. T-Fawzi Abdulla Nass. *1/2 to Silwana (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), Hwt. Older Mare-Ire at 14f+, SW & GSP-Ire, $223,199; Summaya (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), GSP-Ire; and Sinawann (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), GSW-Ire, $118,472.
WATCH: Simsir wins the valuable Bahrain International Trophy for Fawzi Nass
Tattersalls and Goffs have released further changes to the schedule of point-to-point sales in December.
The Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale, which originally had been scheduled to follow the end of the Tattersalls December Mares’ Sale on Thursday, Dec. 3, will now be staged at Park Paddocks in Newmarket a week later on Thursday, Dec. 10.
Goffs UK will hold its December P2P Sale at Yorton Farm Stud in Wales on Thursday, Dec. 17.
“Not for the first time in 2020 Tattersalls and Goffs have worked collaboratively in the best interests of all concerned,” said Matthew Prior, Head of the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sales. “The revised schedule will allow our mutual clientele to take part in both sales and we look forward to hosting our first P2P Sale in Newmarket. We are aware that Goffs have an established NH Sale on the same day as our revised date, and we appreciate their acceptance that extenuating circumstances make this one-off clash unavoidable.
Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent added, “We would like to thank Tattersalls for once again working with us to find a solution that best assists the point-to-point market during this busy autumn period. Goffs received some very positive feedback after the Yorton Farm Sale on 12 November and have reacted to requests from vendors to revisit this concept on 17 December. We are grateful to the Futter and Potter families for hosting us again and we look forward to working with vendors to compile the catalogue of horses in the coming weeks.”
The Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF) has awarded $12,000 to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine to be used for educational purposes.
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine’s mission is to advance veterinary medicine at the interface of discovery and application.
In alignment with their mission to support and promote equine education by supporting organizations that are educating the public on the proper care of horses, TERF continues to offer their financial assistance in 2020.
Cornell University will use the grant for two need-based scholarships totaling $12,000 ($6,000 each) for students (Gianna Paganelli and Lili Becktell 2020-21 recipients) interested in pursuing equine medicine after graduation.
