Month: January 2024

Louisiana Downs, Turfway and Oaklawn Cancel Cards Due to Winter Freeze

Following a spate of cancellations throughout the east, Louisiana Downs announced it will cancel the Thursday, Jan. 18 card due to continuing storms and freezing conditions throughout the region. The Bossier City oval also cancelled Monday and Tuesday's cards.

Also forced to alter plans due to the weather, Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky announced it will cancel Friday and Saturday's live racing. Saturday's Leonatus S. will be redrawn and is expected to be carded for Feb. 2. Friday's forecast called for about one inch of snow during the day with the feels-like temperature around 8 degrees and a northwest wind at 9 to 15 mph during the evening. Although the snow is expected to depart by Saturday, the wind chill will remain frigid, around 6 degrees at first post. Thursday's card remains unchanged.

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas has also added its name to those forced to cancel this week. The track has cancelled racing Friday, Jan. 19 through Jan. 21. Simulcast will remain open Thursday through Sunday from 11a.m. to 6p.m.

The post Louisiana Downs, Turfway and Oaklawn Cancel Cards Due to Winter Freeze appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Mating Plans, Presented By Spendthrift: William S. Sparks

As we approach the opening of the 2024 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why.

Today we caught up with Williams S. Sparks of Monroe, Louisiana. Originally from Arkansas where he grew up attending Oaklawn races with his grandfather, Sparks has assembled a band which reflects his philosophy of breeding to race.

“I'm really deeply committed to breeding a sound racehorse who is going to do what they do best–run,” said Sparks. “Regional breeding and racing are the backbone of this business and I love it. I wish I didn't so much, but I do.”

The Monroe dealership owner boards with Sara Patterson of Cedar Run Farm in Arkansas and with Wayne and Cathy Sweezey in Kentucky, and utilizes Ron Moquett as his conditioner.

BESS (8, Mineshaft–Brenda Leigh, by Forest Wildcat) will be bred to Petrov
This is a hard-knocking mare who made almost $300,000 over 38 starts. I bought Bess as a yearling and raced her until she was claimed away. Ron Moquett and I bought her back. She is in foal to Beau Liam and is in the Arkansas breeding program. Like a lot of other folks, I am impressed with the look of these Petrov foals.

Gunite | Sara Gordon

DANCE FOR DADDY (8, Scat Daddy–Dance to the Sea, by Gone West) will be bred to Gunite
I have bred speed into this mare and her last couple of offspring speak to that, including 3-year-old colt Ceepeegee (Army Mule). This colt broke his maiden in September, and my partner Keith Johnston and I are excited about his prospects. I had actually entered him at last April's OBS and once my wife and I saw him there she asked, “why exactly are you selling this horse?”

Dance For Daddy is currently in foal to Volatile. The next move is to send her to Gunite with hopes for a precocious foal. This mare has shown she can get an early runner. Gunite is a grand-looking horse who proved himself a fighter at the races. I hope he passes that on.

FINE FAMILY (5, Upstart–Great Family, by Harlan's Holiday) will be bred back to Girvin
I was fortunate enough to partner with Bret Jones of Airdrie Stud in racing Fine Family. She is in foal to Girvin for this year and I think the plan is to go back to him. Bret obviously knows what he is doing, so I am just following his lead. Girvin is certainly proving to be a successful sire.

MARTZ (12, Scat Daddy–Opulent, by Meadowlake) will be bred to either Complexity, Nashville or Yaupon
Ron Moquett picked out Martz as a 2-year-old at OBS. We raced her and kept her to breed. She is a big, strong mare who throws lovely foals. I have an affinity for Scat Daddy mares. Martz's best foal so far is MSP Sarah Harper (Vancouver {Aus}) who's mating recommendation was the product of John Prather. Martz has big, nice yearling colt by Astern (Aus), and we are going to breed her to speed. I am certainly liking what I am seeing from both Complexity and Yaupon.

MAXINE'S TAP ROOM (8, Bourbon Courage–Sunday In Malibu, by Malibu Moon) will be bred to The Big Beast
This is a stakes-placed mare who was quick, but who unfortunately had an abbreviated racing career. She's in the Arkansas breeding program and alternates between Arkansas and Kentucky stallions. The Big Beast is going to be a super addition to Arkansas and I'm a fan of the good-looking son of Yes It's True.

Fine Family | Coady Photography

SARAH HARPER (6, Vancouver (Aus)–Martz, by Scat Daddy) will be bred to Nyquist or Street Sense
Our plan with Sarah Harper is to have her compete at Oaklawn this spring and then she will head to the breeding shed. She's just been spectacular and nicks well with a lot of stallions. Wayne [Sweezey] and I are talking it over, but Nyquist or Street Sense are our options in that order.

TIPAZAR (9, Tapizar–Tipsy At Midnight, by Midnight Lute) will be bred to The Big Beast
I raced this mare in partnership with my friend Jim Brown. We are breeding Tipazar in the Arkansas program, and the plan is to continue to alternate every other year with that state entity and then with a Kentucky stallion.

TRIP MOM (16, El Corredor–Fifty Mil Short, by Johannesburg) will be bred to either Highly Motivated or Runhappy
Trip Mom, who I have bred and raced in the Arkansas program, was recommended to me by the late pedigree consultant, Les Brinsfield. Upon entering the business, I had the good fortune to meet Les, and also John Prather through friends George Waggoner and Monty Hinton. They provided me with valuable guidance and endless hours of pedigree discussion.

Interested in sharing your own mating plans? Email garyking@thetdn.com.

The post Mating Plans, Presented By Spendthrift: William S. Sparks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Fasig-Tipton to Conduct Lothenbach Dispersal at Winter Mixed, Digital Sales

The Lothenbach Stables of the late Robert Lothenbach will completely disperse its breeding stock, yearlings, and horses of racing age with Fasig-Tipton over the next three weeks. All breeding stock and yearlings will be sold at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, to be held Feb. 5 and 6 in Lexington. The 65 entries of breeding stock and yearlings at the Winter sale will be spread among two consignors: Vinery Sales and Taylor Made Sales Agency. The majority of these entries will be offered in the sale's supplement, but the main catalogue also contains entries that had been previously catalogued prior to the estate's decision to completely disperse.

Included among the breeding stock offerings are Grade I winner Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) (hip 476) and graded stakes winner She Can't Sing (Bernardini) (hip 485). Mares in foal to Authentic, Blame, Bolt d'Oro, Candy Ride (Arg), Charlatan, Into Mischief, Jackie's Warrior, Maclean's Music, Omaha Beach, Uncle Mo, and Yaupon are also on offer.

The Kentucky Winter Mixed offerings also include 22 yearlings, by such sires as American Pharoah, Candy Ride, City of Light, Essential Quality, Ghostzapper, Gun Runner, Into Mischief, Maxfield, Medaglia d'Oro, Omaha Beach, Practical Joke, Twirling Candy, and War Front.

“Mr. Lothenbach's breeding program was old-time–pedigrees he had developed as part of an operation that was 100% breed to race,” commented Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning.  “His families have never been offered on the public market and his yearlings have been raised with one goal–to be racehorses.”

Prior to the Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, the complete dispersal of Lothenbach Stable's horses of racing age will be conducted on Fasig-Tipton Digital, the company's online platform. The approximately 90 Horses of Racing Age, which consist of 3-years-old or older, will be consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Bidding for the Lothenbach Dispersal of Horses of Racing Age on Fasig-Tipton Digital will open Monday, Jan. 29 and will close on Friday, Feb. 2. The catalogue will be made available for previewing prior to the start of the digital sale.

A prominent Minnesota owner and breeder for more than 30 years, Lothenbach passed away in November of 2023. Since 2000 alone, Lothenbach color bearers have won more than 800 races and earned more than $30 million on the racetrack, according to Equibase. His stable ranked in the top 10 nationally in 2020 and 2022.

“Mr. Lothenbach's passing is an immense loss to Thoroughbred racing, as he loved and participated in all aspects of our sport as an owner and breeder, while also highly active at auctions,” said Browning. “We are honored that his family has chosen Fasig-Tipton for the dispersal of the majority of his Thoroughbred holdings.”

The post Fasig-Tipton to Conduct Lothenbach Dispersal at Winter Mixed, Digital Sales appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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