August, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Win, Lose Or Draw, It’s Good For The Soul’: Chasanoff Excels At Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Sale

No matter what corner of the Thoroughbred industry one chooses to occupy, the wins are so euphoric because most of the time is spent dealing with defeat. Those wins, and the feeling they provide, are what keep us all in the business.

On Sunday night, Robert Chasanoff got a win.

Hip 364, a Liam's Map filly from Chasanoff's small breeding program, climbed up to $260,000 before hammering to Joseph Migliore, agent, and finishing the night as one of the top offerings of the opening session.

Chasanoff, a semi-retired Long Island-based real estate developer, has sold yearlings for more money in the past, but there was something special about Sunday's transaction beyond the fact that it paid for the mare, the filly's stud fee, and more. It was a public “attaboy” from an often fickle marketplace for his way of doing things.

“We really were just enjoying the experience,” he said. “I'm really not in the business for the money, per se. It's just really being around the animals. It's extremely gratifying to breed a good horse that's well received in the market. It's fun to be popular. We've all bred horses that when they go to the sale, they're not popular, or people walk by the stall and you know it's not going to be good. You really have to enjoy the few and far between experiences when you have a good product and it's popular. I swear to God, that's as gratifying as the money to me.”

The filly that sold on Sunday was the second foal out of the stakes-winning Red Giant mare Catcha Rising Star, who Chasanoff purchased as a racing or broodmare prospect for $85,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

He was advised in the purchase by Kentucky-based bloodstock agent Tom Bozarth of Arch Bloodstock, a trusted guide for Chasanoff's broodmare interests for two decades.

“I always look to buy maiden mares.” Chasanoff said. “I like to make my own choices. They're not always right, but I at least like to implement my own thoughts into breeding. I look for maiden mares, and I look for some familiar race record. If you're trying to buy at a reasonable price, something has to be sacrificed, and that usually means to me being a little lighter on the pedigree.”

Catcha Rising Star joined Chasanoff's broodmare band, which typically hovers around four members. They're boarded at Blue Chip Farm in Wallkill, N.Y., between trips to Kentucky to meet stallions during the breeding season.

The mare's commercial breeding career started rather unceremoniously, with a Congrats filly who sold as a short yearling for $2,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale.

With Bozarth's blessing, Chasanoff went to Lane's End resident Liam's Map for the mare's second mating. There's rarely just one reason that a mating is decided upon, and this one was based partly on past performance, and partly on aesthetic.

“This is not professional, but I have a huge affinity for grays,” he said. “If I could, every mare of mine would be gray. I love them. I think there's a higher percentage of good gray horses for the amount that there are, and I aesthetically like them.

“I was a fan of Liam's Map and Unbridled's Song,” he continued. “I think they throw beautiful horses. I'd sold a filly for $190,000 that's now three years old and a winner named Liam's Light, and I've done some good with Liam's Map, and I just wanted to breed back.”

Chasanoff's reasoning might have been a little unusual, by his own admission, but don't mistake him for a wide-eyed neophyte in the racing business. His roots run deep in the Standardbred realm, led by his late father, Michael “Mickey” Chasanoff, and uncle Alan Chasanoff, who owned and bred horses with Robert under the name Alnoff Stable.

The Chasanoffs were national-level competitors in standardbred racing, with 1979 Trotter of the Year Chiola Hanover among their stars. They owned stallions, and won major races in New York and beyond. Then, around the turn of the century, they left the game.

“We had a lot of luck, and then we left the business about 20 years ago,” the younger Chasanoff said. “The medication issue, some of the things the Thoroughbred business is dealing with now, we thought was prevalent in the Standardbred business about 20 years ago. That wasn't something we wanted to be associated with.”

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In listing his associates in the Thoroughbred industry – Bozarth, Blue Chip Farm, and consignor Mill Ridge Farm, which handled the filly that sold on Sunday – Chasanoff stressed the importance of character and acting above-board in their dealings. That group also includes trainer Brendan Walsh, who conditions the occasional Chasanoff homebred when the auction ring isn't the right fit.

“I want to be associated with the best people, just honorable, good people,” he said. “That's part of the enjoyment during the other 364 days of the year.

“They deserve all the credit,” Chasanoff continued. “I sit in an office in Long Island, and they do all the work.”

Even if he's quick to credit others for his success, Chasanoff's own respect for the horse is apparent, even in a simple conversation. Wins are always hard to come by in this business, but they mean a little more when they're done the right way, which Chasanoff has made a stated priority.

Just like a win on the racetrack, he hoped his success at the New York-bred sale could help him share that one-of-a-kind feeling.

“Get in the horse business,” he said. “Own a piece of a horse, own a piece of a racehorse or broodmare. It's just great to connect with the animals. It's a great business, and it will improve your life to be around the horses and the farms. I can't emphasize it enough: win, lose or draw, it's good for the soul.”

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Daughter of Veda Debuts at Deauville

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations features a daughter of G1 French 1000 Guineas runner-up Veda (Fr) (Dansili {GB}).

3.00 Deauville, Debutantes, €27,000, 2yo, f, 6 1/2fT
VEDEVA (FR) (Dark Angel {Ire}) debuts for The Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre and is a daughter of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Veda (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), which makes her a half-sister to the stable's G2 Prix Chaudenay and G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil winner and G1 Prix Royal-Oak runner-up Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). The April-foaled grey encounters Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-thani's Como Te Llamas (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), a Francis-Henri Graffard-trained daughter of the G3 Prix la Rochette and G3 Prix Imprudence winner and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere runner-up What a Name (Ire) (Mr. Greeley).

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McPeek Bullish On Crazy Beautiful In Alabama

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.–Without hesitation, trainer Kenny McPeek used a four-letter word to describe his level of concern about Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) entering the GI $600,000 Alabama S. Saturday after missing the GI Coaching Club American Oaks.

“None,” he said.

After the 'TDN Rising Star', owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III, rebounded from an uncharacteristic poor performance in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks with a pair of impressive wins, McPeek aimed her for Saratoga's two big races for 3-year-old fillies. That plan was scuttled the evening of opening day, July 15, when the horses in Barn 86, which McPeek's stable shares with Jorge Abreu, were placed under a 21-day quarantine. The ban on racing and limits on training were put in place when an unnamed, unraced 2-year-old filly trained by Abreu tested positive for equine herpesvirus.

Though none of McPeek's horses had any issues, he was prohibited from entering them in any races until early August. That meant Crazy Beautiful had to pass the Coaching Club on July 24 and GI Runhappy Travers S. prospect King Fury (Curlin) missed the GII Jim Dandy S. on July 31.

Crazy Beautiful, winner of half of her 10 career starts, has trained up to the historic Alabama, the 1 1/4-mile test that is the companion to the Travers. The Alabama will be her first start since a smashing six-length victory in the GIII Delaware Oaks July 3. During a phone interview from France where he was attending the Arqana sale, McPeek said Crazy

Beautiful is ready for the Alabama.

“I think she's doing well,” McPeek said. “I thought she would have run well in the Coaching Club, but, of course, that didn't happen. She's doing super and we're excited about it.”

This season, Crazy Beautiful was on what was roughly a once-a-month racing schedule. She started the campaign at Gulfstream Park with a second in the Feb. 27 GII Davona Dale S. and won the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 27. Following her 10th in the Kentucky Oaks, McPeek sent her to California, where she won the GII Summertime Oaks under Mike Smith May 30. Smith, who was up for the Delaware Oaks, has a commitment at Del Mar and will be replaced by Jose Ortiz. The break between the Delaware Oaks and the Alabama is 49 days.

“I think the added time is going to help her, probably,” McPeek said. “And I do think that she will run big. She's done everything right all year. We've shipped around and done a lot of good stuff with her. She's won three out of her last four. The Alabama would be a home run for her.”

In the Alabama, Crazy Beautiful is expected to face Kentucky Oaks winner and division leader and fellow 'Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) as well as Maracuja (Honor Code), who handed Malathaat her first career loss in the CCA Oaks. Also expected to enter are Army Wife (Declaration of War), Clairiere (Curlin), Played Hard (Into Mischief) and Will's Secret (Will Take Charge).

McPeek won the Alabama last year with Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) and the 2018 running with Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve). The last trainer to win the Alabama in consecutive years was Todd Pletcher with Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior) in 2013 and Stopchargingmaria (Tale of the Cat) in 2014. The last trainer to win the race three times in four years was Oscar White (1949-51-52) with horses owned by Walter Jeffords. According to Equibase, McPeek has won with two of his four starters.

Crazy Beautiful is out of Indian Burn (Indian Charlie) and was purchased as a yearling in 2019 at Fasig-Tipton October for $250,000. She is McPeek's first purchase for Phoenix and the syndicate's top earner.

All three of Crazy Beautiful's wins this year have been at 1 1/16 miles. The Kentucky Oaks, her lone try past 8 1/2 furlongs, was her worst finish.

“It was a terrible trip,” McPeek said. “She got off awkward and bumped in and never really got up into the race,” McPeek said. “I think it was a bit of a toss. I think she is certainly better than that. Hopefully she makes amends. We'd like to get a Grade I with her. She's done everything else.”

With all the traveling she has done, running her 10 races at six tracks and with wins at four tracks, McPeek said a victory over Malathaat in the Alabama could put the one-run filly in contention for the division title.

“It's a huge race, the Alabama,” he said. “and you'd have to put her, certainly, in the mix for champion 3-year-old filly, if she pulls it off.”

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Solid Final Session Wraps Arqana August

DEAUVILLE, France–Gestut Ammerland, the famed German nursery of such luminaries of the turf as Lope De Vega (Ire) and Hurricane Run (Ire), stole the limelight during the concluding session of Arqana's August Sale with a New Bay (GB) granddaughter of the homebred Deutsches Derby winner and Arc-placed Borgia (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}).

John and Thady Gosden had already left Deauville earlier in the day following Sunday's success of stable star Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois for the second year running. But, through Arqana's Freddy Powell, Thady placed his bids on the chestnut filly, finally signing her up for Clarehaven Stables at €320,000.

“She's a very nice filly from a great farm, with an excellent pedigree, and she has been bought for a client of ours,” he said later via text message.

The third foal of her dam Borgia's Best (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the filly (lot 335) hails from a family which has reaped plenty of black type over the years for Dietrich Von Boetticher's Bavarian farm. Borgia's half-brother Boreal (Ger) (Java Gold) also won the Deutsches Derby and followed up a year later with victory in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom. Their dam Brittania (Ger) (Tarim {GB}) was a winner of the G2 Deutsches St Leger, while Borgia's Best's half-siblings include the Group 3 winner Bermuda Reef (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Born Wild (Ger) (Sadler's Wells), who is the dam of G1 Prix Vermeille winner Baltic Baroness (Ger) (Shamardal).

The solidity of the final day's trade remained through to the penultimate lot (lot 354), which became the session's second-highest price at €270,000. Arthur Hoyeau was the successful bidder on the sole Caravaggio yearling in the book. Consigned by Haras des Granges, she is a half-sister to two black-type performers, including the listed winner Yuman (Fr) (Literato {Fr}).

“I love Caravaggio and the dam has already produced some good horses,” Hoyeau said. “She was my pick of the day and she will go into training with Christophe Ferland for a partnership in which I will also be involved.”

Trade Holds Up Well

Compared to the last pre-Covid August Sale, figures took a bit of a tumble but not drastically so, and they certainly held their own against the sets of figures in the three years preceding a strong 2019 sale. An overall clearance rate of 76% was attained from the sale of 246 yearlings for a total of €40,229,000 (-8%). The average of €162,638 was down by 13 % and the median also dipped slightly to €100,000. The second part of the August Sale staged in one session on Monday accounted for €9,667,000 of that aggregate, at an average price of €75,523 and median of €65,000 for 128 sold (76.7%).

At the end of the sale, Eric Hoyeau, President of Arqana and Freddy Powell, Executive Director, commented, “The sale remained very international today and the percentage of horses sold was solid, which made the average slip a little compared to 2019. Over the three days as a whole, the results were pleasing. The context was still uncertain when the catalogue was released and it is a relief to see that this edition is in line with the August Sales that we have held previously, just behind the exceptional year of 2019. This is only the third time the turnover has exceeded €40 million and the number of horses sold for €200,000 or more is the same as in 2018. We were fortunate to experience a sale in a near-normal atmosphere. We would like to thank our buyers once again who were active on site and remotely, as well as our vendors for having brought yearlings of this quality to the ring.

“After a year “off”, the v.2 makes its comeback tomorrow at Deauville. This sale has produced some very good horses, such as Coeursamba, Teppal and Olmedo, and we hope that it will continue on in the same vein following the success of the August Sale.”

Sole Power

There was a strong start to proceedings, with four six-figure prices within the first 10 lots through the ring. The early leader until the final hour of the sale was lot 182, the sole offering in the catalogue from John Kilpatrick's J. K. Thoroughbreds. The colt by Wootton Bassett (GB) is from a Juddmonte family which includes the yearling's listed-winning grandam Short Dance (Hennessy) and the G2 Windsor Forest S. winner Lolly For Dolly (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}). Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland made his play for the colt online, with the hammer eventually falling in his favour at €210,000.

“I liked everything about him, he's an absolutely gorgeous individual and has a super temperament,” Donohoe said. “His sire doesn't need much of an introduction, he's the whole package and I thought he was one of the best colts selling today.”

The colt is the second foal of Fray (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), who was bought from Juddmonte by trainer Jim Goldie and subsequently raced in the colours of Frank Brady. That owner/breeder also races Fray's first foal, Odsonne (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who is in training in France with Francois Monfort.

Siyouni, Siyouni

In France, there's no getting away from the champion sire Siyouni (Fr). The Haras de Bonneval resident sired a group-race double across the road from the sales on Sunday with 2-year-old filly Who Knows (Fr) and Wally (Fr), and he retained his popularity in the sale ring throughout the three sessions.

It's easy to understand why the stallion is a favourite with trainers, and Yann Barberot and Pia Brandt both signed for sons of Siyouni on Monday.

Deauville-based Barberot opted for lot 258, the first of five yearlings sold on the day by leading consignor Ecurie des Monceaux. The well-related colt is out of a three-parts sister to the treble Group 1 winner Persian King (Ire)(Kingman {GB}) and bought a final bid of €195,000 from Barberot on behalf of Haras de Bouttemont.

Earlier, Brandt had gone to €190,000 for lot 215 from Haras d'Etreham, the colt out of listed winner Lily Passion (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

The trainer noted, “I've bought him for one of my owners, Finn Blichfield.”

Siyouni's 15 yearlings sold through the August Sale returned an average of €307,667.

Bon Ho Extends European Investment

The international investment at Arqana continued as Hong Kong-based Bon Ho, acting through Mark McStay's Avenue Bloodstock, bought lot 255, Haras de Castillon's son of Night Of Thunder (Ire) for €185,000.

“Bon Ho is an international owner and owns the Everest winner Classique Legend (Aus) as well as Southern Legend (Aus), who is Group 1 winner in Hong Kong,” said the agent.

The owner has also enjoyed success in Ireland recently with Storm Legend (Ire), a listed winner trained by Fozzy Stack and by the same sire as his most recent purchase. The 3-year-old has joined Caspar Fownes in Hong Kong since his victory at Naas on July 3.

McStay continued, “This colt was well presented by Benoit Jeffroy's Haras de Castillon and we're delighted to get him. There are no specific plans as yet for where he will be trained. Bon Ho is very selective about what he buys and he gets very involved in the process. He's a family friend and I'm very fortunate that he has asked me to help him.”

The May-born colt is out of the dual winner Precious Dream (Mr. Greeley), a daughter of the Oaks winner Lady Carla (GB) (Caerleon {Ire}) who in turn traces back to the Meon Valley Stud foundation mare Odeon (GB).

Haras de Castillon's second big sale of the day came at the same price of €185,000 for lot 342, a Kodiac (GB) first living foal of the listed winner Charm Appeal (Fr) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}). Richard Venn did the bidding on the filly who will go into training in Deauville with Stephane Wattel.

A Quartet For America

Further international representation on Monday came from American trainer Kenny McPeek, who bought four yearlings on his third visit to Arqana.

“I've come two other years and the first couple of days are obviously high-level horses with a lot of pedigree. I'm always fairly active at Fasig-Tipton July and then I'm less active at Saratoga in August and then active again in the second half of the September Sale. I enjoy finding a good horse before the page finds it,” he said.

Two colts and two fillies will be on the plane from France to the United States, including a first-crop daughter of Coolmore's Saxon Warrior (Jpn) offered by Haras des Capucines as lot 283. Bought for €125,000, the filly boasts a fairly international pedigree, being out of Songerie (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}), a half-sister to the dam of Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}), a multiple top-flight winner in France and America who went on top produce Frankel's first Group 1 winner, Soul Stirring (Jpn), in Japan.

“Good horses run anywhere and we run so much more turf racing in America now anyway, and I think it's good to have some more outcross pedigrees,” McPeek continued. “Most every horse I've seen here is eligible for the Breeders' Cup and Arqana has done a great job getting us here. Now I just have to figure out how to get home!”

The trainer noted that Three Chimneys Farm and Walking L Thoroughbreds will partner in the fillies. He added, “We will probably do a couple of Magdalena partnerships for the colts and we'll offer them out to some regular clients. Typically those are 20% shares.”

The colts include a second-crop son of the Aga Khan Studs stallion Zarak (Fr), sold by his breeder Domaine de l'Etang as lot 328 for €100,000. He too has a deep pedigree behind him which traces back to the good Wildenstein family of treble Group 1 winner Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill), who is his third dam.

Adding to the global flavour of the sale was Australian owner/breeder Matthew Sandblom, who bought lot 232, a filly from the first crop of crack sprinter Harry Angel (Ire) for €47,000 from Jedburgh Stud.

Smart Colt For Griezmann

The star of the Haras de Montaigu draft on the final day was an elegant dark brown colt very much in the mould of his sire Almanzor (Fr), who fetched €150,000.

The colt's dam Hunza Dancer (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) is a full-sister to Air Chief Marshal (Ire) and half-sister to G1 Irish St Leger winner Flag Of Honour (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who has already produced three winners, including the listed-placed Samothrace (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}). Sold as lot 197, he was bought by Laurent Benoit of Broadhurst Agency on behalf of football star Antoine Griezmann and will be trained by Philippe Decouz.

Benoit also signed for a statuesque daughter of Camelot (GB) from the consignment of Lady Chryss O'Reilly's Haras de la Louiviere at €160,000. One of the first horses through on Monday, lot 174 is a daughter of the young Wootton Bassett mare Elide (Ire) who is herself a granddaughter of George Strawbridge's In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), the dam of of a trio of Group 1 winners in Call The Wind (GB), With You (GB) and We Are (GB).

Galiway's Good Sale

Galiway (GB) had five yearlings catalogued for the Arqana August Sale, all from his home farm of Haras de Colleville. One failed to sell but the remaining quartet returned an average price of €183,000: not bad from Galiway's opening fee of €3,000. After his first crop of runners, which included the G3 Prix La Rochette winner Kenway (Fr), the stallion's fee rose to €10,000 and then along came G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere victor Sealiway (Fr) in his second bunch of runners and the price rose again to €12,000. Sisters to both those stakes-winning colts sold on Saturday for €220,000 and €380,000, respectively.

Another two Galiway fillies feature in the V.2 Sale which begins at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and will conclude the sales action in Deauville until October.

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