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Catching Up with 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Winner Classic Empire

Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse was coming off his first two Breeders' Cup wins just the year before when he entered Classic Empire in the Juvenile. Second choice on the board, Classic Empire made back-to-back Grade Is look easy following a powerful victory in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. Casse indicated looks can be deceiving.

“Any hair I had left, he made sure it was gone,” said Casse recently with a laugh. “He was a pistol. A lot of people didn't know this, but six days before the Breeders' Cup–right before we were going to ship–he came up with a foot abscess and couldn't walk. We weren't even sure we were going to get him on the plane.

“We put a three-quarter shoe on him and he won. I have that shoe in my office with the win photo.

“That just showed how truly good he was, a testament to him and his ability. It was wonderful to win it for the Oxleys. They have always been big supporters of ours and they were there, so it was special to win.”

Classic Empire (2014 bay horse, Pioneerof the Nile–Sambuca Classica, by Cat Thief)

Lifetime record: Ch. 2yo colt, MGISW, 9-5-1-1, $2,520,220

Breeders' Cup connections: B-Steven Nicholson & Brandi Nicholson (KY); O-John C. Oxley; T-Mark Casse; J-Julien Leparoux.

Location photographed: Coolmore America/Ashford Stud, Versailles, Ky.

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Catching Up with 2006 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Winner Round Pond

John Ferguson acquired Round Pond on behalf of Darley for $5.75 million at Fasig-Tipton's fall sale in 2007. The elegant bay produced two stakes winners for the Darley/Godolphin banner–MSW & GISP Long River (A.P. Indy) and SW & GSP Lake Lucerne (Dubawi {Ire})–while an unraced daughter produced 2022 GI Carter H. winner Speaker's Corner. The latter, a Godolphin homebred by home stallion Street Sense, stood his first season in the Darley stud barn alongside his sire this year.

“Round Pond is a sweet girl,” said Darley's Gainsborough division farm manager Danny Mulvihill, “but is pretty low on the totem pole. She will come for food but likes to play hard to catch! I am sure I have heard her 'laughing' as she runs away from you. She tends to be happy with her own company and doesn't need a whole lot of attention. She is another fan favorite when the tours come through.”

Round Pond (2002 bay mare, Awesome Again–Gift of Dance, by Trempolino)

Lifetime record: MGISW, 13-7-2-3, $1,998,700

Breeders' Cup connections: B-Trudy McCaffery & John Toffan (KY); O-Fox Hill Farms, Inc.; T-Michael Matz; J-Edgar Prado.

Current location: Darley America, Lexington, Ky.

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Catching Up with 2004 Breeders’ Cup Distaff Winner Ashado

Ashado's Breeders' Cup win in 2004 was sandwiched by placings both the year prior and the year after. The grand mare's 11 black-type wins included seven Grade Is, ranging from the Spinaway at two to the Kentucky Oaks at three and the Ogden Phipps at four. No wonder John Ferguson went to $9 million–then a world record–for her at the 2005 Keeneland November sale on behalf of Darley. Her final foal, a Bernardini yearling, is a full-brother to her stakes winner Westwood.

“She is the dominant mare in her retired group,” said Danny Mulvihill, farm manager at Darley's Gainsborough division. “No matter who is added to the group, she remains 'Top Dog'. With that being said, she is very easy to deal with and is a sweetheart but will let you know when she is not happy about something. She loves attention and is extremely food driven! She is definitely an easy keeper. She was a great mom to all of her babies and is now enjoying a happy retirement. She is, of course, one of the fan favorites when the tours come through.”

Ashado (2001 dark bay or brown mare, Saint Ballado–Goulash, by Mari's Book)

Lifetime record: Ch. 3yo filly, Ch. older mare, MGISW, 21-12-4-3, $3,931,440

Breeders' Cup connections: B-Aaron U. Jones & Marie D. Jones (KY); O-Starlight Stable LLC, Paul Saylor, and Johns Martin; T-Todd Pletcher; J-John Velazquez.

Current location: Darley America, Lexington, Ky.

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Catching Up with 2005 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Winner Folklore

The late owners Bob and Beverly Lewis, universally beloved in the industry and honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit in 1997, got their third and final Breeders' Cup win with Folklore, made all the more special as she was a homebred. Although they used a variety of trainers, all three of their of their Breeders' Cup wins were with D. Wayne Lukas.

“We partnered with WinStar on Tiznow and Folklore was in his first crop,” said Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Farm, where Folklore was raised. “She was bred by Bob and Beverly Lewis. At the time, they used several different trainers and Wayne Lukas was one of them. Folklore was kind of slated to go to the sale. We had others for them that were by more high-profile sires at the time, higher-bred yearlings. Lukas was told he could pick one. He locked on her right away. He didn't even look at the pedigree, didn't care who she was by or what her family was. He wanted her and he just knew. And of course she turned into a Breeders' Cup winner and a champion. She really kicked off Tiznow's stallion career, him being such a special horse in Breeders' Cup lore, then to get her in his first crop. I give Lukas a lot of credit. He was right.”

Folklore, now 20 and still owned by a branch of the Lewis family, has a yearling filly by Practical Joke, a weanling filly by Yaupon, and was bred to Mo Donegal for 2024. Her first daughter is the dam of multiple Japanese champion and Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Folklore (2003 bay mare, Tiznow–Contrive, by Storm Cat)

Lifetime record: Ch. 2yo filly, MGISW, 8-4-3-1, $945,500

Breeders' Cup connections: B/O-Robert Lewis & Beverly Lewis (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas; J-Edgar Prado.

Current location: Taylor Made Farm, Nicholasville, Ky.

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