February, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

GISW Seeking the Soul’s First Foal is a Filly

Ocala Stud's Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}–Seeking the Title, by Seeking the Gold) was represented by his first reported foal Jan. 29 when a filly was produced by eight-time winner Making Havoc (Gottcha Gold) at Ocala Stud. The bay filly was also bred by Ocala Stud.

First-year sire Seeking the Soul, a homebred for Charles Fipke, won or placed in 11 black-type events during his five-year racing career. His victories included the 2017 GI Clark H., while his runner-up finishes included the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the GI Pegasus World Cup. The $3.4-million earner hails from the family of undefeated champion and Broodmare of the Year Personal Ensign (Private Account), who is his third dam.

Seeking the Soul stands for $5,000, stands and nurses, in 2022.

The post GISW Seeking the Soul’s First Foal is a Filly appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Blea’s License Suspension Upheld; CHRB Equine Medical Director Remains On Leave

Judge Nana Chin has upheld the veterinary license suspension of California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) equine medical director Jeff Blea, reports the Los Angeles Times. The news follows last Friday's formal hearing of the California Veterinary Medical Board's petition for his interim suspension, and Blea remains on leave from his position with the CHRB.

Blea is facing eight causes for discipline, according to formal “accusation” documents issued in late December. Blea's veterinary license was suspended at an emergency meeting held on Christmas Eve. He has not been operating his racetrack practice since taking the job of equine medical director last summer.

Blea was placed on administrative leave in mid-January. Drs. Heather Knych and Ashley Hill have been named acting equine medical directors and will perform the statutory functions of the Equine Medical Director.

“The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is aware the interim order of suspension of Dr. Jeff Blea's veterinary license has been upheld and is monitoring the situation as the legal process moves forward,” Amy Quinton, a UC Davis spokesperson, told the LA TImes. “At this time, Dr. Blea remains on administrative leave. The School of Veterinary Medicine continues to fulfill its duties to provide equine medical director services for the CHRB.”

Blea has also been removed from his role overseeing the investigation into the death of Bob Baffert-trained Medina Spirit, who dropped dead after completing a workout at Santa Anita. The equine medical director is not responsible for actually performing necropsies or testing biological samples on horses who die in racing or training in California or elsewhere. Those responsibilities go to veterinary pathologists and toxicologists — in California, those duties are contracted to UC-Davis, though some samples have been shipped outside California in this particular case. The equine medical director would be responsible for gathering reports and interpreting them for presentation to the board and to the public.

No date has been set for a hearing into the eight charges, but the LA Times suggests that normal circumstances could see the CHRB without an equine medical director for up to a year.

The CHRB remains steadfast in it's support of Blea, releasing the following statement after it's Jan. 20 meeting.

“The commissioners of the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) unanimously agreed in closed session Jan. 20 on their support and confidence in Dr. Jeff Blea to continue in his role as the CHRB's Equine Medical Director (EMD) as he deals with the accusation filed against him by the California Veterinary Medical Board (CVMB), which has resulted in an emergency temporary suspension of his veterinary license.

“The commissioners and Executive Director Scott Chaney are optimistic that the interim suspension hearing held on Jan. 21 will overturn this initial decision. However, regardless of the outcome, Dr. Blea has their full support and confidence to continue in his role as EMD throughout the full adjudication process.

“The commissioners are further committed to pursue appropriate legal avenues to protect the authority of the board, as well as preserve the contract with UC Davis, which appointed Dr. Blea as the Equine Medical Director for the CHRB.”

Mating Plans: Stoneriggs Farm

With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders' mating plans over the coming weeks. Today we have Robert Slack of Stoneriggs Farm near Paris, Kentucky.

BAJAN GIRL (m, 5, Speightstown–Dazzling {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), to be bred to Curlin

We purchased this mare out of a 2-year-old sale in Ocala, and raced her. She was multiple graded stakes placed before we retired her to Stoneriggs. She is by Speightstown, one of my very favorite sires, and out of Dazzling, who herself was a $1-million yearling, and will be bred to Curlin for her first foal.

CHART (m, 5, Lea–Gauge, by War Front), to be bred to Medaglia d'Oro

Like almost all of our 60 broodmares, this mare is young, and we felt fortunate to purchase her in Keeneland November ($210,000), as she is a Grade III winner from an established Claiborne family. She will be bred to Medaglia d'Oro for her first foal.

PLATINUM PAYNTER (m, 6, Paynter–Platinum Preferred, by Vindication), to be bred to Maxfield

Another recent purchase that we are very happy with is this multiple graded stakes-placed filly. She will be visiting the very much in-demand Maxfield at Darley. She was an outstanding race mare, is an outstanding individual, and we eagerly await the foal from this mating.

I'M BETTY G (m, 8, Into Mischief–Lady in Ermine, by Honour and Glory), to be bred to City of Light

Although only eight years of age, this mare is one of our 'seniors' and is carrying a foal by Improbable and will be bred back to City of Light. Into Mischief is one of our favorite broodmare sires and the fact that 'Betty' is a stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed, we have high hopes for her.

MONEY FROMHEAVEN (m, 6, Munnings–Smart Policy, by Smart Strike), to be bred to American Pharoah

Munnings is developing into a very important sire, both on dirt and turf, and we are excited to own this young stakes-winning filly who will be bred to American Pharoah. He's having a great year on both surfaces.

NEEDS SUPERVISION (m, 6, Paynter–Moroccan Rose, by Carson City), to be bred to Charlatan

This filly was also an excellent race mare, winning several stakes, and we are excited to be able to breed her to Charlatan, who we consider to be an outstanding first-year sire. We are breeding several mares to him and we consider him to be a very worthy heir to the legacy that his sire has earned.

Let us know who you're breeding your mares to in 2022, and why. We will print a selection of your responses in TDN over the coming weeks. Please send details to: garyking@thetdn.com.

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First Foal Is A Filly For Grade 1 Winner Seeking The Soul

Ocala Stud stallion Seeking the Soul, a Grade 1 winner who banked more than $3.4 million, sired his first reported foal on Jan. 29 when a bay filly out of the Gottcha Gold mare Making Havoc was born at Ocala Stud.

Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud, the filly is from the family of multiple stakes winner Royal Lad and multiple stakes winner and Graded stakes-placed Kings Command. Making Havoc, who is produced from the Montbrook mare Marion Theatre, was an eight-time winner during her racing career and banked $335,425.

Seeking the Soul, a Charles Fipke homebred, had an illustrious racing career. He won the 2017 Grade 1 Clark Handicap, the 2018 G3 Ack Ack Stakes, and the 2019 G2 Stephen Foster Stakes.

All told, he won or placed in eight graded stakes, including runner-up finishes in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the $9 million G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes, while hitting the board in 20-of-32 career starts.

By Grade 1 winner and Canadian champion Perfect Soul (IRE), Seeking the Soul is out of the graded stakes-winning Seeking the Gold mare Seeking the Title, and hails from the famed Phipps family of undefeated champion Personal Ensign, champion Storm Flag Flying, and Grade 1 winners My Flag, Miner's Mark, and Traditionally.

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