December, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘We Have High Hopes For Him’: $900,000 Quality Road Colt Prime Factor Romps In Debut For Pletcher

WinStar Farm LLC and CHC Inc.'s Prime Factor appears ready for prime time following the Todd Pletcher's trainee's sparkling debut Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 2-year-old son of Quality Road crossed the finish line under wraps while scoring by 8 ¾ lengths in the six-furlong maiden special weight race carded as Race 2 on a program that featured the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2) and four other stakes.

Bred by Two Hearts Farm LLC and purchased for $900,000 from the Legacy Bloodstock consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September sale, Prime Factor broke alertly from the starting gate to sit alongside pacesetter Dr. Duke along the backstretch and around the far turn before assuming the lead on the turn into the homestretch. The Kentucky-bred colt quickly accelerated at the top of the stretch under mild encouragement from jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. before completing the final eighth of a mile under wraps.

“It was a very professional debut. He broke well and put himself in a good spot. It looked like he was taking Irad wherever he wanted him to go throughout the race,” Pletcher said. “He's been training exceptionally well. We were looking forward to a good debut. Honestly, he exceeded expectations.”

Prime Factor ($6.20), who ran six furlongs in 1:10.38, is out of the Bernardini mare Hailey Brae, a half-sister to Speightster.

“We'll talk to Elliott [Walden] and the guys at WinStar and CHC and come up with a game plan,” Pletcher said. “The good thing about this time of year is there's pretty good options all around. We have high hopes for him.”

Pletcher-trained Bracken, a debuting son of Speightster for Robert and Lawana Low, closed to finish second behind Prime Factor.

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Equine Insurer Sylvester Kiger Jr. Passes; Insured Triple Crown Winners Seattle Slew, Affirmed

Longtime Central Kentucky equine insurer Sylvester Kiger Jr. died in Lexington on Dec. 8 at the age of 86.

Kiger began his career in the equine insurance business in 1962 when he was invited to join the Kentucky Insurance Agency by Leslie Combs II. He was associated with Fasig-Tipton for many years and started his own agency with Jerry Parks, the Kiger-Parks Insurance Group in 1984. He continued with Kiger Insurance until his death.

Over the years, he insured Kentucky Derby, Oaks and Breeders Cup winners and two Triple Crown winners – Seattle Slew and Affirmed. His clientele included many well-known actors and sports figures.

Born to Sylvester Kiger and Edna Mae Nikirk Kiger, Syl Kiger was a graduate of Henry Clay High School in Lexington. He was inducted into the Henry Clay Hall of Fame in 2018. Following graduation, he worked at the Lexington Public Library and moonlighted at Bluegrass Billiards until 1962. He volunteered for the U.S. Army and was stationed at Thule Air Base in Thule, Greenland, as a Computer/Radar Specialist.

Kiger was political coordinator for Kentucky House Speaker William G. Kenton, who introduced legislation establishing the Kentucky Horse Park. He also served on the Lexington Fayette County Human Rights Commission, the Lexington Public Library Advisory Board, as President of the Underwriters at Lloyd's Agents Association and the Central Kentucky YMCA Men's Club. He was a featured speaker in the “Davis Bottom History Preservation Project” sponsored by the Kentucky Heritage Council.

As important as any of his official recognitions however, Syl is known for his many acts of kindness toward the less fortunate in Lexington, especially those in the inner city.

He is survived by his wife, Cathy Lowe, children Kige Hayes Kiger and Cassie Kiger (Jackson), and a special niece, Olivia Lowe.

An event for family and friends to gather in the spring to honor his life is planned. In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution to the Central Kentucky YMCA or a charity of your choice.

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Upstart Colt Crushes On Laurel Debut

5th-Laurel, $48,520, Msw, 12-12, 2yo, 1m, 1:38.31, ft, 12 1/4 lengths.
MANOR HOUSE (c, 2, Upstart–Cascina, by Dixie Union) could scarcely have been more impressive making his debut over Laurel’s one-turn mile Saturday, as he drew off through the final furlong to graduate by 12 1/4 lengths. The Florida-bred was away to an uneventful beginning from the two hole and made the lead with a minimum of fuss, covering the opening half in :47.50 while taking mild pressure. He began to widen approaching the quarter pole, kicked farther in front in upper stretch and was eased through the final 40 yards by Victor Carrasco. Manor House, who had trained with vigor at trainer Mike Stidham’s Fair Hill base ahead of this debut, is the 18th winner for his first-crop sire (by Flatter). Manor House is a half-brother to Bella Vincenza (Biondetti), SW, $246,043, and his dam was most recently covered by Army Mule from this same A.P. Indy sire line. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $22,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Newtown Anner Stud Farm; B-David Berman (FL); T-Michael Stidham.

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Quality Road Firster Gives Family Another ‘TDN Rising Star’

WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.’s debuting Prime Factor (Quality Road), a $900,000 purchase out of the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale–the joint-second priciest of 63 Quality Road yearlings to sell in 2019–was off as the 21-10 second choice and turned his first trip to the post into a one-horse affair en route to ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors.

Smoothy into stride, the bay sidled up alongside pacesetting Dr. Duke (Ghostzapper) as the top two pulled well clear of the peloton rounding the turn. Prime Factor eased to the front while racing well off the inside approaching the quarter pole, put several lengths on his rivals entering the final furlong, was taken well in hand at the sixteenth pole and jogged home to score by 8 3/4 lengths. Stablemate Bracken (Speightster), himself a $285,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling and the most expensive of 71 of his first-crop sire (by Speightstown)’s yearlings to sell last year, closed belatedly to complete the exacta.

“It was a very professional debut. He broke well and put himself in a good spot. It looked like he was taking Irad [Ortiz] wherever he wanted him to go throughout the race,” Pletcher said. “He’s been training exceptionally well. We were looking forward to a good debut. Honestly, he exceeded expectations.”

As for the future, the conditioner said, “We’ll talk to Elliott [Walden] and the guys at WinStar and CHC and come up with a game plan. The good thing about this time of year is there’s pretty good options all around. We have high hopes for him.”

Prime Factor is, in fact, out of a half-sister to fellow ‘Rising Stars’ Speightster and West Coast Swing (Gone West) as well as SW Paiota Falls (Kris S.). Second dam Dance Swiftly is a full-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year and U.S. Eclipse Award winner Dance Smartly. Haylie Brae is the dam of the yearling colt Sea Lane (Liam’s Map) and a weanling colt by Distorted Humor.

2nd-Gulfstream, $40,000, Msw, 12-12, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.38, ft, 8 3/4 lengths.
PRIME FACTOR, c, 2, by Quality Road
1st Dam: Haylie Brae, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Dance Swiftly, by Danzig
3rd Dam: Classy ‘n Smart, by Smarten
Sales history: $900,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $24,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-CHC Inc & WinStar Farm LLC; B-Two Hearts Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher.

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