Ontario’s Cold Hard Dash Tops Most Recent Leading Quarter Horse Sire List By Percentage of Winners

Ontario stallion Cold Hard Dash gave Belinda Taggart one last holiday gift as the calendar flipped to 2023, by topping the American Quarter Horse Association's most recent leading sire by percentage of winners list.

The December edition of the American Quarter Horse Racing Journal provided updated sire lists as of Oct. 28, 2022, and Cold Hard Dash led the way with six racing age foals and six winners.

“I was flipping through and thought wow when I came across that list,” said Taggart. “That was then followed up by the major owners in the U.S. calling me and saying, 'Hey guess what? Your stallion is number one.'”

Cold Hard Dash is by hall of fame sire First Down Dash, and his dam This Snow Is Cold earned over $520,000 on the racetrack. So, a strong pedigree and support from the CHD Partnership have allowed him to produce strong racehorses.

“Our group of people have some awesome mares,” said Taggart. “I know from my other stallion that the best thing to do is to breed him to the best mares possible to get him started.”

One of his leading offspring in 2022 was First Cold Wave, who backed up a stellar freshman campaign with a sophomore season where he earned over $44,000. He posted a record of 2-3-1 from eight starts and won the Ontario Bred Derby at Ajax Downs.

Taggart has already fielded calls from breeders looking to send their mares to Cold Hard Dash in 2023, and was hosting prospective breeders for visits this past weekend.

“It's starting to look up, and hopefully we can increase the Quarter Horse population in Ontario,” said Taggart. “We're so glad we have him, and I'm astonished he's made the top of that list, and I just hope he can do it again.”

Click here to view the full rankings of 2022 Leading Sires by Percentage of Winners.

Click here to learn more about Ontario Racing's Quarter Horse Racing Industry Development Program.

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Charles Byrnes Has Dubai Gold Target For Irish Leger Winner Sonnyboyliston

Widely regarded as one of the best dual-purpose trainers in Ireland, Charles Byrnes has taken over the training of classy Flat stayer and 2021 G1 Irish St Leger scorer Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}), who could make his debut for his new connections in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup on Mar. 25.

Sonnyboyliston has not been seen since finishing second in a valuable handicap at Riyadh almost a year ago for Johnny Murtagh, who guided the gelding to six career wins, including an epic in the valuable Sky Bet Ebor before plundering Irish St Leger glory in that same memorable season.

However, the 6-year-old, who carried the colours of the Kildare Racing Club on all 15 of his career starts and won over €1 million in prize-money, has been sold privately to continue his career with Byrnes.

Speaking to What's The Craic DubEye, a new Irish-run website in Dubai, Byrnes explained how the Gold Cup at Meydan could be Sonnyboyliston's first port of call, and said, “Definitely, Dubai would be a possibility if it doesn't come too early for him.”

He added, “We got Sonnyboyliston. It's very exciting to get him with his profile–an Irish St Leger and Ebor winner. We're very fortunate to get him. We're very excited.”

The Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot-winning trainer, who sent out Run For Oscar (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}) to take the Cesarewitch at Newmarket in October, also revealed that Sonnyboyliston's new owner has also sent him a half-sister to the star stayer.

Byrnes said, “We also have his half-sister [by Starspangledbanner (Aus)] and she'll be starting off early in the Flat season. She's very exciting, too. Hopefully she'll go the right way.”

His Flat string may be growing but Byrnes will forever be associated with plundering big-race riches over jumps and is charting a path towards this year's Cheltenham Festival with leading Pertemps Final hope Shoot First (Ire) (Westerner {GB}) and Stayers' Hurdle candidate Blazing Khal (Ire) (Kalanisi {Ire}), who the trainer admitted was only 50-50 to make it to the race.

Byrnes said, “We had a great day in Cheltenham already with Shoot First when he won the qualifier in October. He's owned by a great bunch of lads. He's qualified for the Festival now so hopefully he goes there with a chance.”

On Blazing Khal, he added, “We're 50-50. We didn't have a great run with him all along but I think we are getting back on track to some degree. Whether Cheltenham will come too soon for him is debatable. We'll try and get a run into him within the next month and go from there. You've Aintree and Punchestown. You also have France, which could be an option for him further down the road.”

The post Charles Byrnes Has Dubai Gold Target For Irish Leger Winner Sonnyboyliston appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Unbridled: The Gentle Giant Who Delivered a Magical Kentucky Derby Moment

Few horses have been able to blend the kind of success that Unbridled enjoyed both on the racetrack and in the breeding shed. A strapping, 17-hand colt with a long, ground-gobbling stride, he was slow to develop at 2 after a promising 10 ½-length victory in his career debut. The son of Fappiano was then plagued by a sore hoof at 4, succinctly explaining why he won just eight of 24 career starts.

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$550,000 Broodmare Evocative Leads Opening Day At Keeneland January Sale

Evocative, a 6-year-old daughter of Pioneerof the Nile from the family of Grade 1 winner New Year's Day and Grade 2 winner Mohaymen who is in foal to Quality Road, sold to Kerri Radcliffe, agent, for $550,000 to lead a solid day of trade during Monday's opening session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale.

Keeneland sold 224 horses for $16,261,900, for an average of $72,598 and a median of $40,000. The total declined 9.68 percent from $17,989,200, while the average and median prices both rose slightly from last year.

“The session was even with last year in many metrics,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “The RNA rate (31 percent) was a little higher than expected, but that's a little bit of people thinking they don't have to sell. If they don't get exactly what they need, they're happy to take them home. We're just happy that everybody felt there was good, healthy trade. Quality was selling and selling well. The major buyers were here and the domestic market was strong.

“It's a follow on from November; you could see a trend that was continuing,” Lacy added. “The stock that was young or had current activity in the family and the short yearlings that had good physicals and were by the right sires were in strong demand. There was great energy. Stability in the market is something we're all looking for. Buyers that are very active are saying it's difficult to buy. It's a factor of where the quality is very, very competitive and that's all we can ask for.”

The session-topping Evocative, consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent, is out of the Honour and Glory mare General Jeanne and is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Justwhistledixie, dam of New Year's Day and Mohaymen and Grade 3 winners Enforceable and Kingly.

“She's been bought for a commercial breeder to stay in America,” Radcliffe said. “She's beautiful. Look at the pedigree. Look at the individual. The foal (Evocative's yearling filly by Quality Road) just sold for $450,000. That was beautiful.”

The acquisition of Evocative made Radcliffe the session's leading buyer.

Ack Naughty, whose second foal is recent Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity winner Practical Move and is in foal to Upstart, sold to Chester and Mary Broman for $500,000 Ack Naughty, an 11-year-old stakes-placed, winning daughter of Afleet Alex, is from the family of champion Vino Rosso, Grade 2 winner Commissioner and Grade 3 winner Laugh Track. Out of the General Meeting mare Dash for Money, she is a half-sister to stakes winners So Lonesome and No Spin.

“Mr. Broman has one of the original breeding rights to Into Mischief, so I have a feeling she might be going to Into Mischief,” Becky Thomas, who signed the ticket, said.

Ack Naughty was consigned by ELiTE, agent.

“She was a supplement, and (the sellers) are taking advantage of a nice update,” ELiTE's Liz Crow said. “We were really happy with the price.”

Following Evocative in the ring was her yearling filly by Quality Road, who sold to West Bloodstock, agent for Robert and Lawanna Low, for $450,000. Jacob West said she would go to trainer Todd Pletcher.

“That is right about what we thought she would bring,” West said. “Seeing the (dam) bring ($550,000) in the ring right before gave us an idea (on the price.) I thought she was outstanding. Physically, she is unbelievable. She is a quality filly. I was blown away by the (dam). Whoever bought the mare is going to breed her to a top stallion, so there is stuff coming in the pipeline (for residual value.)”

The yearling also was consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent.

“The plan was always to sell both (Evocative and her yearling) at this sale,” Bedouin's Neal Clarke said. “We really liked the mare and foal coming in here. We thought a lot of them. When we came in here, they really went down well. We weren't expecting that much for them, but we're really tickled at those prices. We always felt that foal was special. For her first foal to be so special, we knew the market would recognize that and it would clearly help the mare. The mare was gorgeous, but the filly pushed her up there in everyone's esteem.”

Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds/David Wade, agent, paid $400,000 for a yearling colt by Gun Runner consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. The first foal out of Willa, a winning daughter of Will Take Charge, he is from the family of Grade 2 winner Miss Coronado and Grade 3 winners Karen's Caper and Girl Daddy.

“We looked at him, and he seemed like he was the whole package,” Wade said. “Tremendous presence and a great walk. A Gun Runner – it doesn't get any better than that – and a really nice family, so it seemed to us like a no-brainer to go after him. Horses like this, as soon as they come at you, you know whether they have class or not. You could tell when he came out (of the consignor's barn) that you were looking at a nice horse.”

Wade said future plans for the colt were undetermined.

“Up in the air,” he said. “A horse like this you could race or pinhook. We tend to pinhook, but we will digest this and go back and think about it.”

“(The price is) exactly where we thought he would be. He was just a beautiful colt,” Taylor Made Vice President of Sales Frank Taylor said. “He's the kind of horse that looks like he could be a Derby horse, a two-turn horse. You can't beat the sire. (The colt) has a lot of class: beautiful eye, good walk, a really good mind. He has it all. He was entered in the (Keeneland) November (Breeding Stock) Sale and got a little virus that set him back. We thought we'd give him time to catch up.”

Taylor Made Sales Agency was the day's leading consignor with sales of $2,282,500 for 20 horses.

Catherine Parke, agent, paid $360,000 for Grade 3 winner Quick (GB), a 7-year-old daughter of Olympic Glory (IRE) in foal to Medaglia d'Oro who was supplemented to the January Sale. Consigned by Vinery Sales, agent, she is out of The Giving Tree by Rock of Gibraltar (IRE).

Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for STH, sold Good Fairy, a 6-year-old half-sister to champion and sire Good Magic in foal to Maclean's Music, who was purchased by MKW Racing and Breeding for $330,000. She is out of stakes winner Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun, and from the family of Grade 1 winner Magical Maiden, Grade 2 winner Magical Mile and Grade 3 winners Take the Ribbon and Exfactor.

“She is a very nice mare with a nice pedigree,” buyer Alistair Roden said. “She is a half-sister to Good Magic. She is a young mare carrying her second foal. She has got a foal by Munnings, who is a proven sire, and is in foal to Maclean's Music on an early cover. She's from an exceptionally good family. I'm very happy with her. She is a very good-looking mare.”

Grade 3 winner Domain Expertise, a 5-year-old daughter of Kitten's Joy who is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Sombeyay, was purchased by James Schenck, agent, for $325,000. Consigned by ELiTE, agent, she is out of the Limehouse mare Teroda.

Two mares sold for $320,000 each.

Woodford Thoroughbreds paid the amount for Just Talkin, a 10-year-old, stakes-placed winning daughter of Midshipman who is in foal to Maxfield. Hunter Valley Farm, agent, consigned the mare, whose full sister, graded stakes winner Lady Shipman, is the dam of two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal. Just Talkin is out of Sumthingtotalkabt, by Mutakddim.

Selling for $320,000 to Scott and Evan Dilworth was stakes winner and Grade 1 runner-up Esplanande, a 5-year-old daughter of Daredevil consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. A half-sister to stakes winner Liberate, she is out of Southern Silence, by Dixie Union, and from the family of Grade 2 winner Highway Star and Grade 3 winner Rodman.

Dubh Bloodstock acquired Blamethechampagne, a 4-year-old, stakes-placed winning daughter of Candy Ride (ARG), for $310,000. From the family of Grade 1 winner and sire Street Boss and Grade 1 winner Jack Christopher, she is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Beyond Blame, dam of 2022 Grade 1 runner-up Loggins. Out of the Forest Wildcat mare Quippery, Blamethechampagne was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent.

The January Sale continues Tuesday with the second of four sessions that run through Thursday. All sessions begin at 10 a.m. ET.

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