Month: March 2023

Bishops Bay Skips Over Heels and On To ‘Rising Star’-dom at the Fair Grounds

Bishops Bay (c, 3, Uncle Mo–Catch My Drift, {SW & GISP, $280,540}, by Pioneerof the Nile) posted a noteworthy 97 Beyer Speed Figure on debut Feb. 18 at the Fair Grounds, defeating next-out 'Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) in the process and showed his own 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy determination Sunday at the venue in his first trip at two-turns.

Breaking in line with First Defender (Quality Road) and keen to go with that one, the Triple Crown-nominated bay was forced to take back when that early leader crossed over in front of him and wound up clipping heels going into the first turn. In an excellent display of athleticism to stay on his feet, he overcame the early trouble to recover and return to applying pressure from two wide in that leader. The colts locked horns around the far turn and Bishops Bay eventually got the best of that one inside the furlong grounds. Inching away from that challenge, he had to fend off a second from stablemate Demolition Duke (Good Magic) as that one loomed large in the late stages. Rising to meet yet another question, he gamely provided an answer and held off the charge by a neck on the line.

The year younger half-brother to 2021 $825,000 KEENOV procurement Strava (Into Mischief), MSP, $282,340 hails from the female family of GSP Mindy Sue (Pleasantly Perfect), who herself produced MSP Malibu Max (Malibu Moon). Bishops Bay commanded a handsome tag of $450,000 at KEESEP from the BSW/Crow Colts Group back in 2021. Dam Catch My Drift hit the board in the GI Beldame S., and as a broodmare has also produced a 2-year-old colt by Constitution as well as a yearling filly by Improbable. She's due to Not This Time for 2023.

6th-Fair Grounds, $51,000, Alw (NW2L)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 3-19, 3yo, 1m 70y, 1:43.77, ft, neck.
BISHOPS BAY, c, 3, by Uncle Mo
                1st Dam: Catch My Drift {SW & GISP, $280,540}, by Pioneerof the Nile)
                2nd Dam: Drift to the Lead, by Yonaguska
                3rd Dam: Drifa, by Tobasco Cat
Sales history: $450,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $72,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Spendthrift Farm LLC, Steve Landers Racing LLC, Martin S. Schwartz, Michael Dubb, Ten Strike Racing, Jim Bakke, Titletown Racing, LLC, Kueber Racing, LLC, Big Easy Racing LLC, Winners Win, Michael Caruso, and WinStar Farm, LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.

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OBS March Sale Kicks off Juvenile Sales Season Monday

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, the first juvenile auction of the season, begins Monday morning in Central Florida. With 833 horses catalogued–compared to 635 a year ago–the auction has been expanded to three days this year and bidding begins each day at 11 a.m.

“We have been pleased with the amount of traffic we have seen in the barn area,” OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said. “With all of the buyers who have contacted us about coming into town for the sale, I feel pretty good. There are an awful lot of good horses on the grounds. I feel like we should have a good sale.”

The March sale, which transitioned from a select to an open sale in 2015, has been held over two days since 2014.

“That is something that happened organically,” Wojciechowski said of sale's expansion to three days. “We didn't do it intentionally. The whole idea of opening March up a few years ago was to create a bigger catalogue, a better critical mass, for a buyer to come in, to make it worth his while to come to the sale. I think consignors have become more comfortable selling in March in that environment, so I think it's just an organic growth of the sale.”

The OBS April sale has stamped itself as the premier 2-year-old sale in the country in recent years, but the March sale seems to have drawn increased attention this year even as the auction calendar was shuffled with the absence of Fasig-Tipton's boutique Gulfstream sale.

“It's safe to say that we see the pendulum swing on the sales seasons from year to year or over a period of time,” Wojciechowski said. “Certainly April, rightly so, has gotten a lot of attention. But I think March is doing its job and holding its own.”

Without a seven-figure horse for two years, four hit the million-dollar mark at the 2022 March sale.

Asked if that could be a trend for the March market, Wojciechowski said succinctly, “I sure hope so.”

With its appearance as the first 2-year-old sale of the year, March attracts a specific type of offering and that could cap any future expansion of the auction, according to Wojciechowski.

“Being earlier in the year, you need to make sure you bring the right kind of horse to March,” he said. “You need to bring a horse that is precocious. That type of horse is the type that does well in March. Not every horse fits that bill.”

OBS conducted a four-day under-tack preview of the March sale last week. A colt by Good Magic (hip 546, video) and a son of Not This Time (hip 654, video) shared the fastest furlong time of :9 3/5, while a colt by Bucchero (hip 406, video) and a filly by Enticed (hip 631, video) shared the fastest quarter-mile time of :20 3/5.

“The breeze show went very well,” Wojciechowski said. “It was unfortunate we had some pretty significant headwinds Friday, gusting up to 20 and 30 miles an hour. There were some horses that hopefully don't get overlooked and the buyers pay attention to the conditions under which they had to perform. There were some nice horses in that group that maybe don't necessarily have the same time as other horses on the grounds, but are equally as nice.

“The second set of the second day was a little slower than the first set of the other days, but I think the buying public are sharp guys and they will be able to wade through varying conditions like that and pick out good horses.”

During last year's March sale, 374 horses sold for $49,371,00 for an average of $132,008 and a median of $75,000. A colt by More Than Ready brought the auction's top price of $1.2 million.

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American Dirt Pedigrees To The Fore At Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up

There are American pedigrees galore that feature in the 73-strong catalogue for the Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale, which takes place Tuesday afternoon in the saddling enclosure at Meydan Racecourse.

With the lowering of COVID-related travel restrictions in 2022, European-based resellers were a noted presence at this country's yearling auctions last summer and fall, and with the increased focus on dirt racing in the Gulf region–not only at the racetracks of the Emirates Racing Association, but also in Saudi Arabia and, to a lesser extent, Qatar–it stands to reason that American-bred offerings would prove appealing.

To follow are a handful of the horses on offer Tuesday. The sale breeze-up was to be held Monday over the all-weather training track a stone's throw from the sprawling Meydan grandstand, but the works are untimed, giving the newly turned juveniles an opportunity to exhibit their wares without fully extending themselves.

A comprehensive sale preview will appear in Tuesday's TDN European edition.

Lot 18, c, Gun Runner–Baby Go Far (Brz), by Elusive Quality
Consigned by Powerstown Stud
Bred by Stud TNT LLC (KY)

A $160,000 purchase out of the Keeneland September Sale, this Mar. 11 foal is out of a Brazilian Group 1-placed daughter of G1SW Linda Rafaela (Brz) (Bin Ajwaad {Ire}), herself the dam of G1 Brazilian Oaks heroine Viva Rafaela (Brz) (Know Heights {Ire}) and granddam of French listed winner Babala (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Linda Rafaela's winning daughter Awesome Rafaela (Brz) (Elusive Quality) produced GIII Edgewood S.-winning 'TDN Rising Star' New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy).

Lot 25, c, Constitution–Caribbean Babe, by Arch
Consigned by Grove Stud
Bred by CHC Inc (KY)

This half-brother to G3 Killavullan S. third Bold Discovery (Bolt d'Oro) is out of a half-sister to multiple graded-stakes winner and Grade I-placed Independence Hall–also a son of Constitution–as well as Grade III winner Black Onyx (Rock Hard Ten), SW & GSP Francois (Smarty Jones) and GSP Quality Council (Elusive Quality). Third dam Desert Stormette (Storm Cat) was a sister to GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Desert Stormer and the family also includes Group 1-winning juvenile filly White Moonstone (Dynaformer).

Lot 28, c, Liam's Map–Class Included, by Include
Consigned by Longways Stables
Bred by Buck Pond Farm Inc (KY)

Purchased by Durcan Bloodstock/Longways for $100,000 out of the Keeneland September sale, this chestnut colt is the latest from his dam, whose 11 career stakes victories include the GIII Ballerina S. in Western Canada and additionaal black-type successes at the Fair Grounds, Delta Downs and Emerald Downs. Doug Arnold acquired Class Included for $110,000 in foal to Star Guitar at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale.

Lot 34, c, Bolt d'Oro–Dame Ursula (GB), by Elusive Quality
Consigned by Longways Stables
Bred by Runnymede Farm One & P J Callahan (KY)

A half-brother to the stakes-placed Fairyland (Scat Daddy), the May 1 foal is out of a half-sister to Agnes Digital (Crafty Prospector), nine times a stakes winner in Japan and victorious in the G1 Hong Kong Cup in 2001. The colt, a $155,000 KEESEP purchase by Durcan/Longways, hails from the deeper female family of Blushing Groom (Fr). Bolt d'Oro is the sire of G2 UAE Derby hopeful Mr Raj, a graduate of the inaugural Dubai Breeze-Up Sale.

Lot 39, c, Palace Malice–Fiery Pulpit, by Pulpit
Consigned by The Bloodstock Connection
Bred by Taylor Made Stallions Inc, Pollock Farms & Patrick H Payne, et al (KY)

Lot 39 stands to benefit from Saturday's Dubai World Cup meeting, as the $23,000 KEEJAN yearling and $50,000 KEESEP yearling is a half-brother to the progressive GIII Mr. Prospector S. winner Sibelius (Not This Time), one of five American entries for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. The Feb. 15 foal is out of a half-sister to the talented Grade III-winning turf distaffer Clamorosa (Seattle Dancer).

Lot 44, f, More Than Ready–Gone to Town, by Munnings
Consigned by Powerstown Stud
Bred by Nursery Place & Dicken Equine (KY)

John Mayer's Nursery Place gave $240,000 for this half-sister to Canadian stakes winner Sans Souci Island (Chester House)–dam of MGSW River Seven (Johannesburg)–when she was offered in foal to Mendelssohn at Keeneland November in the fall of 2019. The Feb. 18 foal is one of several of Tuesday's offerings purchased as yearlings by bloodstock agent Chad Schumer, who gave $110,000 at KEESEP last fall. Go Soldier Go (Tapiture, $45,000 KEESEP), pinhooked by Schumer to last year's sale (€123,962), won the Listed Al Bastakiya S. Mar. 4 and also goes in Saturday's G2 UAE Derby.

 

 

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Torres Surpasses $4 Million In Purse Earnings At Oaklawn Meet, Chases Single-Season Record

Cristian Torres became the first jockey at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting to surpass $4 million in purse earnings after winning three races Saturday.

Torres won the sixth race aboard Pink Ace ($7.80) for trainer Kenny McPeek, seventh race aboard Frosted Grace ($7.60) for trainer Robertino Diodoro, and the ninth race, the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3), aboard favored Last Samurai ($4) for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

The triple pushed Torres' purse earnings to $4,170,709 through Saturday, Day 45 of the scheduled 68-day meeting. Torres is chasing the single-season Oaklawn record ($5,643,023), set in 2021 by Ricardo Santana Jr. Santana has led all riders in purse earnings at every Oaklawn meeting since 2013.

In addition to purse earnings, Torres entered Sunday with meet highs for victories (65) and stakes victories (six). Torres, 25, is seeking his first career Oaklawn riding title. Francisco Arrieta, Oaklawn's co-leading rider last season, entered Sunday with 56 victories to rank second in the standings. Santana, an eight-time Oaklawn riding champion, was third with 42.

Torres captured his first career riding title in December at Remington Park.

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