Bred and raced by Ballymacoll Stud and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, the son of G1 Prix du Cadran heroine Sought Out (Ire) (Rainbow Quest) won one of two starts at two, and added the G2 Dante S. and G1 Derby in succession during the spring of 2004. A half-brother to multiple group winner Cover Up (Ire) (Machiavellian), he then found only Grey Swallow (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}) too good in the G1 Irish Derby and ended his season with a fifth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. At four, he was second in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S., and ended his career with a mark of 7-3-3-0 and $1,989,577 in earnings.

Upon retirement, a majority interest in North Light was purchased by Frank Stronach, who stood the bay at his Adena Springs in Kentucky beginning in 2006. Moved to Adena North in Canada for his fifth season in 2010, he was leased to Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud in England for one season in 2014. Repatriated to Canada beginning in 2015, he was pensioned in October of 2019 and lived out the rest of his days at Adena South.

(North Light)
Vodafone Derby 2004 pic.twitter.com/HmppDndrqQ

— Racing Tales (@Racing_Tales) May 5, 2020

Among his nine worldwide stakes winners were G1 St Leger hero Arctic Cosmos, who also was placed in three other group races, GII Del Mar H. hero Celtic New Year, Grade III winners Chips All In and Go Forth North, and Brazilian Group 2 winner Gol Tricolor (Brz). His daughters have produced five stakes winners, three of them Grade/Group 1 scorers–triple top-level winner War Like Goddess (English Channel), G1 Coolmore Classic heroine Lighthouse (Mizzen Mast), and Olympic Jolteon (Brz) (Elmustanser {GB}).

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Javier Castellano was aboard Ghostzapper for every one of those remarkable performances.

“He was one of the biggest horses and one of the best in my career,” said Castellano. “I say that because you don't see too many horses that do what he did. This horse was particularly diversified at distances. From sprint to long distances, he did everything. He won the sprint races, he won at 1 1/4 miles, he won at a mile, at all the distances. It's hard to stretch out a horse from six furlongs to long and back again, but he did it and he won. He did everything.

“He still has [the Breeders' Cup] record. We're talking about 19 years ago and nobody has broken that record. It was against all the best horses in the world at the time: Funny Cide, Azeri, Pleasantly Perfect.

“He's pretty amazing, such a special horse. He put me on another level in my career. People didn't know who Javier Castellano was at the time and for me to ride the best horse, he opened the door for myself and my family. He opened the door for my career. He's such a special horse. I love him.

“He's just amazing. I'm blessed, thankful, grateful to have ridden such a special horse. Mr. Frankel told me Ghostzapper was the best horse he'd trained in all his life. For him to say that, with all those good horses he had, was pretty amazing.”

Ghostzapper (2000 bay horse, Awesome Again–Baby Zip, by Relaunch)

Lifetime record: Horse of the Year, Ch. older male, MGISW, 11-9-0-1, $3,446,120

Breeders' Cup connections: B-Adena Springs (KY); O-Stronach Stables; T-Robert Frankel; J-Javier Castellano.

Current location: Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, Paris, Ky.

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Already well established south of the border, the Montreal-raised Lanni decided to forge a deeper stake into the Canadian industry over the last few years, first creating X-Men Racing and more recently, joining forces with childhood friends Mark Halloran and Rob Van Blokland to form Canuck Racing Club.

“I'm from Canada and I wanted to spend more time here and I've built a bigger presence here with X-Men horses since a lot of them are here,” explained Lanni. “So I've been trying to buy more Canadian-breds so I can run more in Canada.”

Placing Canada's first jewel of the Triple Crown-the Queen's Plate–squarely in his cross hairs, Lanni unearthed Moira (Ghostzapper) for X-Men Racing–in partnership with SF Bloodstock and Madaket Racing–from its initial group of acquisitions in 2020. With trainer Kevin Attard at the helm, she was a runaway winner in last year's Queen's Plate, concluding the 2022 season as Canada's Horse of the Year.

While unlikely to draw the kind of support Moira drew last year heading into Canada's 10-furlong Classic, Lanni returns, this time with Canuck Racing Club and Daniel Plouffe in tow, and will be represented by Enjoythesilent (Silent Name {Jpn}) in the re-named King's Plate, run as such for the first time since 1951.

“These are my friends from elementary school that run it with me,” explained Lanni. “The Club is basically all new guys from Canada that never owned horses and the first horse they bought is running in the King's Plate. It is so great for the game.”

Initially on the outside looking in, the Kevin Attard trainee drew in after a miscalculation of his earnings was announced early Saturday, thus pushing El Cohete (Society's Chairman) onto the A/E list.

A $37,000 weanling purchase at the Keeneland November sale in 2020, the Adena Springs bred was a runaway winner on debut going seven furlongs at Woodbine May 28 before finishing a close-up third stretching to a 1 1/16 miles against $40,000 optional claimers July 7. Favored in his latest start, the gelding just came up a neck short of the win against similar company July 30.

“He's taking a big step up in class going from Ontario-sired company to open Canadian-bred company, but he's a horse that I think the distance is going to help and will be well suited for him,” explained Attard, who has five runners in this year's King's Plate. “We are going to be adding blinkers to his arsenal.”

In his latest work, the dark bay breezed five panels in 1:00 2/5 (11/52) over Woodbine's Tapeta surface Aug. 12.

“He worked really well last week, so it's pretty exciting to see him get into the race,” added Attard. “He's been pretty consistent and all he needs to do is just take another step in the right direction. I think he's a key player.”

Also under Attard's tutelage, Canuck Racing Club recently tasted success with one of its 2022 purchases–Vandoo (Souper Speedy)–who went wire-to-wire in a five-furlong maiden over Woodbine's main track July 29. The 2-year-old filly was a C$22,000 Canadian Premier Yearling purchase.

“It was cool to have a recent winner with these guys,” said Lanni. “It is a great opportunity for these guys.”

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“There are a lot of emotions leading up to this race,” said winning trainer Kevin Attard, who was celebrating his first Queen's Plate. “It is something that I have cherished a long time while I was growing up. I decided I wanted to be the best and I think this puts me in a special group of trainers. It's a dream come true.”

With the weather in the Toronto area flitting between sparkling to threatening in equal measure in the 48 hours leading up to the Plate, the early part of the card was greeted with a mixture of sun and clouds, albeit ample humidity. However, in the moments leading up to the race, the weather turned decidedly more menacing as a wall of black clouds loomed in the distance.

After her Oaks debacle when the filly lost a shoe and bent the other one, prompting the last-minute decision to run minus hind shoes, Attard decided to switch up the game plan this time, keeping his stable star confined to Woodbine's indoor saddling enclosure while the other 10 sophomores assumed their customary spots in the outside paddock under the sweeping willows. Removed from much of the hoopla of a big race day, Moira still became slightly edgy while having a tongue tie fitted and bit later while stepping onto the track.

“She saddled really well. And I didn't want to put on the [tongue tie] at the barn because it's such a long post parade and it drags out and it was hot weather, so I decided to do it in the paddock,” Attard explained. “When I school her, she's been great. But today she was being a little bit difficult, the crowd got her a little wound up. We got that on her, and I could see when she was walking out to the track that she was getting a little bit edgy. She knew today was a different day. But the beauty of it is, considering all of her [antics], she still stays mentally focused and she knows that she still has a job to do. That's what defines her as a good horse.”

Breaking from post 8, Moira was quickly tucked in by Rafael Hernandez, who also had the option to ride narrowly favored GIII Marine S. winner Rondure (Oxbow), however, opted to stay with the 9-5 filly. She drafted inside horses near the back of the field, rating kindly as 14-1 chance The Minskter (English Channel) led the way over Ironstone (Mr Speaker) and Sir For Sure through a sensible :23.75 quarter. Still moving comfortably, about seven lengths behind the pace, through a half in :47.58, the $150,000 Keeneland September graduate started to pick up the tempo leaving the backstretch but appeared to hit another gear approaching the quarter pole. As Ironstone took a slight edge over The Minskter, Moira was gobbling up real estate on the outside, taking control straightening for home. From there, it was just a question of how far as the filly sprinted clear. While receiving several right-handed reminders from Hernandez in the stretch, she strolled home the easiest of winners, galloping out with as much zest and authority as she had in the body of the race.

“It's unbelievable,” said Hernandez, who teamed with fellow Adena Springs product Shaman Ghost (Ghostzapper) to win the 2015 Plate. “You know, with good horses, you can get out of trouble so quick and always get a second, or third gear like her. Sit off, save ground, and when you want to get out of the horses in front of you, you just move out, and she gave me everything. She gave me another gear, and when we turned for home, she was unbelievable. She's something else. She is so special.”

Hernandez, emotional after the win, gave tribute to his family, headed by his late grandmother.

“This win is for her,” he said. “My whole my family enjoyed the moment. It's unbelievable for me, because this is home.  [Canada] is home now and to be the first one for Kevin, it makes it so special.”

After 10 previous tries, Attard, who finished third with H C Holiday in 2021, recorded his best finish previously with Alezzandro, runner-up in the 2007 renewal. Attard is the son of longtime Woodbine horseman Tino Attard, and the nephew of Sid Attard, who saddled Shamateur (Shaman Ghost) in this year's Plate.

“Being in this business, the amount of time I spend at the barn, my family sacrifices a lot.” Attard admitted. “For them to be there and to share in that moment, it means a lot.”

Simmering with the raw emotion of the moment, he added, “My dad put me in this position. He taught me everything I know. He sacrificed part of his career to put me in a position to succeed, he gave up part of his business and started taking a back seat to me, so I can't thank him enough. I love him so much. I wouldn't be here with him obviously.”

With the win, Moira became the eighth filly to notch the Oaks-Plate double, joining the likes of Dance Smartly, Flaming Page, Holy Helena, Inglorious and Lexie Lou.

Making of Moira

The Attard team showed their hand early when deciding to debut the filly in the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth S. at Woodbine last October, and she obliged with an emphatic 4 1/4-length score at 4-1. No secret the next time at even-money odds, Moira came up a half-length short to eventual Sovereign winner Mrs. Barbara (Bodemeister) over a rain-logged surface in the GIII Mazarine S., and concluded the season among nominees for a divisional championship. Dusted off for her 3-year-old season, she came from off the pace to annex the seven-furlong Fury S. June 11 before blowing the doors off in the July 24 Woodbine Oaks over nine panels.

“We were getting her ready in the spring, and we were having difficulty getting her ready for her first race at two turns, so we decided the Fury was going to be her first race back,” recalled Attard. “I talked to [co-owner] Donato [Lanni] and told him I'd like to run her in the Fury and sit on her until the Oaks. I would have her ready for the Oaks and that would give us four weeks until the Plate. It'll be the third race off the shelf and she will be a fresh horse.”

Now a winner of the first leg in Canada's Triple Crown, the second jewel–the Sept. 13 Prince of Wales S. at Fort Erie–beckons.

“I think she's an improving filly,” he said. “I don't think we've reached the bottom of her yet.”

“Honestly, we have not discussed past this race. We'll enjoy this money and we'll sit down and decide what's next.”

He continued, “As a local trainer, obviously I'd love to put my name down beside a Triple Crown horse if I could. But there are a lot of people involved, so we'll have to discuss it, but to have a Triple Crown horse would be special.”

'X' Marks the Spot

The ownership group behind the Queen's Plate winner, while diverse, holds as much Canadian flavor as Moira herself. Stewarding the partnership is Donato Lanni, very well known in racing circles south of the border. As one of the principal buyers behind the powerhouse arsenal that often find their way into Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's barn, Lanni, a Montreal native, came up with the idea to unite a group of Canadian-based friends and form X-Men Racing. Also brought into the fold were other household names in U.S. racing–Madaket Stables and SF Racing–who are part of the Classic colt-focused partnership Lanni buys for nicknamed The Avengers.

“We put a fund together and we bought a dozen horses and she was one of them,” explained Lanni, who fielded a congratulatory phone call from Baffert in the moments leading up to meeting the press. “They're all guys that are in the horse business, some of them in the Standardbred business. But what they all have in common, besides being friends with me, is that they're all lucky. They have won many of the biggest races in harness racing, every major Standardbred race. They've been very lucky guys. So, I decided to put together guys that I like, and they had to be lucky.

“She stayed at Margaux Farm, in Kentucky over the winter. We took our time, we didn't rush her, never thought we'd be here today. But when you buy them, that's what you dream about.

“She is an unassuming filly. You would never look at her and think she's a freak, but she's got gears. She just takes off.

“We bought her during a COVID year, so there was really nobody there to buy Canadian breds. I didn't see anybody else really buying those, except maybe Mark Casse who would buy them. So we really got lucky with the price.”

Pedigree Notes:

Moira, who is one of 203 black-type winners for Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, is named after Catherine O'Hara's quirky character on the hit show Schitt's Creek.

Lanni explained, “[My wife] likes the character on Schitt's Creek, Moira Rose, but we never thought after we named her that she was going to be a bitch. And she fits the character.”

The $150,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase is out of two-time Gulfstream Park stakes winner and GSP Devine Aida, who is also responsible for multiple stakes-winning Jungle Cry (Animal Kingdom). Devine Aida is also responsible for an unraced 2-year-old full-brother to Moira named Runaway Charlie and Sir Prancealot (Ire) colt foaled earlier this season. She was bred back to Constitution.

Sunday, Woodbine, Canada
QUEEN'S PLATE S., C$1,001,200, Woodbine, 8-21, (C), 3yo,
1 1/4m (AWT), 2:01.48 (NTR), ft.
1–MOIRA, 121, f, 3, by Ghostzapper
              1st Dam: Devine Aida (MSW & GSP, $273,215), by
                               Unbridled's Song
              2nd Dam: Passion, by Came Home
              3rd Dam: Rajmata, by Known Fact
($150,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables
LLC and SF Racing LLC; B-Adena Springs (ON); T-Kevin Attard;
J-Rafael Manuel Hernandez. C$600,000. Lifetime Record: GSP,
5-4-1-0, $902,128. *1/2 to Jungle Cry (Animal Kingdom), SW,
$114,340.
2–Hall of Dreams, 126, g, 3, Lemon Drop Kid–Hallnor, by Horse
Chestnut (Saf). ($27,000 RNA Ylg '20 FTKOCT). O-Gary Barber,
Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch and Leonard Schleifer; B-Joey
Gee Thoroughbreds (ON); T-Mark E. Casse. C$200,000.
3–Sir for Sure, 126, g, 3, Sligo Bay (Ire)–Serena's Rose, by My
Way Only. O-Heste Sport Inc.; B-Norse Ridge Farms (ON);
T-Mark E. Casse. C$100,000.
Margins: 7, 2, 1HF. Odds: 1.80, 16.65, 17.10.
Also Ran: Ironstone, Dancin in Da'nile, Rondure, Hunt Master, Duke of Love, The Minkster, Causin' Mayhem, Shamateur.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Finalists in each category follow. Champion Two-Year-Old Female: Diabolic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Moira (Ghostzapper), Mrs. Barbara (Bodemeiser); Champion Two-Year-Old Male: God of Love (Cupid), Grafton Street (War Front), Ironstone (Mr Speaker); Champion Three-Year-Old Female: Lorena (Souper Speedy), Munnyfor Ro (Munnings), Our Flash Drive (Ghostzapper); Champion Three-Year-Old Male: Artie's Storm (We Miss Artie), Frosted Over (Frosted), Haddassah (Air Force Blue), Uncharacteristic (Texas Wildcatter); Champion Older Main Track Female: Amalfi Coast (Tapizar), Infinite Patience (Sungold), Skygaze (American Pharoah); Champion Older Main Track Male: Mighty Heart (Dramedy), Pink Lloyd (Old Forester), Sir Winston (Awesome Again); Champion Female Turf Horse: Amalfi Coast, Jolie Olimpica (Brz) (Drosselmeyer), Our Flash Drive; Champion Male Turf Horse: Avie's Flatter (Flatter), Silent Poet (Silent Name {Jpn}), Town Cruise (Town Prize); Champion Female Sprinter: Amalfi Coast, Lorena, Our Secret Agent (Secret Circle); Champion Male Sprinter: Avie's Flatter, Pink Lloyd, Souper Stonehenge (Speightstown); Outstanding Broodmare: Avie's Empire (Empire Maker); Include Katherine (Include), Sunday Affair (A.P. Indy); Outstanding Breeder: Adena Springs, Sam-Son Farm, Tall Oaks Farm; Outstanding Owner: Gary Barber, Godolphin, LLC, Live Oak Plantation; Outstanding Trainer: Kevin Attard, Josie Carroll, Mark E. Casse; Outstanding Apprentice Jockey: Michael David, Mauricio Malvaez, Edgar Zenteno; Outstanding Jockey: Rafael Manuel Hernandez, Patrick Husbands, Kazushi Kimura, Justin Stein.

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Foaled on March 31, 1991, Alphabet Soup was 31.

“I guess his kidneys finally gave out,” said Los Angeles native Hofmans, who turned 79 on Thursday. “He's been a good horse to a lot of people. He was super; I've got all good memories about him.”

Alphabet Soup, a descendant of Nearco, was a gray son of Cozzene out of the Arts and Letters mare Illiterate. He compiled a 10-3-6 record from 24 lifetime starts, earning $2,990,270 for Mrs. Georgia Ridder's Ridder Thoroughbred Stable.

He set a track record for 1 ¼ miles at Woodbine when he won the 1996 Classic, defeating both the great Cigar and Preakness winner Louis Quatorze. Upon the death of A.P. Indy on Feb. 21, 2020, Alphabet Soup became the oldest living winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Alphabet Soup raced in 1997 at age six, his best effort coming in defense of the San Antonio Handicap when he finished second to Gentlemen. Alphabet Soup retired to stud duty at Frank Stronach's Adena Springs in Kentucky.

“He was an absolute pleasure to train and an absolute pleasure to race,” Hofmans said. “He tried hard almost every time.

“If he didn't win it was usually because I had him in the wrong race, but he was a good horse to be around, I'll tell you.”

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Bred in Pennsylvania by Southeast Associates, Alphabet Soup was trained by David Hofmans for Georgia B. Ridder and came to hand at four in 1995, winning the GII Del Mar Budweiser Breeders' Cup S. at a flat mile and the GIII Native Diver H.

Proving an even better 5-year-old, Alphabet Soup won the GII San Pasqual H. and GII San Antonio H. early in the season before showing his versatility with a 3 1/2-length victory in the seven-furlong GIII Pat O'Brien H. over field that included future GI Breeders' Cup Sprint hero Lit De Justice (El Gran Senor). Disqualified to third from an apparent victory in the GII Goodwood Breeders' Cup H., Alphabet Soup was a 19-1 shot in that year's Classic, the first held north of the border, and managed to nose out that year's GI Preakness S. hero Louis Quatorze (Sovereign Dancer) and defending champion Cigar (Palace Music). He retired with 10 wins from 24 starts and earnings just shy of $3 million.

Alphabet Soup entered stud at Adena Springs and sired 39 stakes winners, 14 at the graded level, including Grade I winners Egg Drop, Alphabet Kisses and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Our New Recruit. He sired over 700 winners in his career.

“I'm saddened by the news today of Alphabet Soup's passing,” said Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, who piloted Alphabet Soup to his Breeders' Cup win. “I truly enjoyed my relationship with 'Soupy,' and he will always have special place in my heart. He represented the U.S. well when he bested the Cigar and Louis Quatorze in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Rest in peace old friend.”

“It won't be the same around here without Soup,” said Old Friends President and founder Michael Blowen. “Over these seven years he was a delight to be around with his sweet nature and enormous popularity. He brought joy to everyone.

“His best friend, the donkey Gorgeous George, will miss him terribly,” added Blowen, “and so will everyone on the farm. We are so grateful to Frank Stronach and everyone at Adena Springs for giving us the privilege of retiring this fabulous champion.”

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In all, 259 head sold Thursday for a gross of $5,471,700. The session average of $21,126 was up 23.04% from 2021 and the median of $10,000 was up 42.86%. With just 39 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 13.09%. It was 19.05% a year ago.

Through three sessions of the four-day auction, 770 horses have sold for $42,320,400. Without the dispersals which highlighted the 2021 January sale, the cumulative average has dipped 2.21% to $54,962, while the median is up 25% to $25,000.

“It's hard to buy on the good stuff,” Hall commented after signing for the session topper Thursday. “It's very competitive.

I think it's carried over from November.”

Bloodstock agent Chad Schumer said competition for the perceived quality lots remained strong.

“I think it's a very typical January,” Schumer said. “For the right mares, there can be what seems like unlimited funds. If you don't have what everybody wants, they fall right through the cracks. Personally, I think that broodmare prospects have been a little weak here. Whereas generally in January, they are what drives the market. But overall, it's a typical January sale.”

The session's top-priced short yearling was a daughter of Munnings (hip 1122) who sold for $105,000 to the internet bid of JDT Racing, LLC. The bay, out of Soul of Fashion (Perfect Soul {Ire}), was consigned by Bill Murphy. The filly was making her second trip through the ring after RNA'ing for $70,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale.

“She was in the November sale and we couldn't get $70,000 for her,” Murphy said. “She had some conjunctivitis. I decided to take her home and treat her and bring her back. She just really improved over the last two months. A lot of people were on her.”

Asked to access the strength of the yearling market this week in Lexington, Murphy said, “I would agree, it seems a little soft. We are tickled to death with what we got, but hearing from other people, it's been very difficult.”

The Keeneland January sale concludes with a final session beginning at 10 a.m. Friday.

Crowning Jewel Shines

Crowning Jewel (Into Mischief), an unraced 5-year-old half-sister to GI Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}), kicked Thursday's third session of the Keeneland January sale into high gear when selling to Adena Springs for $480,000. Dan Hall signed the ticket on the mare on behalf of Frank Stronach's operation.

“The pedigree is everything,” Hall said of the mare's appeal. “She is by Into Mischief and a half to Street Sense. It's just a great family. She was a typical-looking Into Mischief mare and it was a family that Frank wanted to get into.”

Hall had to see off a determined Eduardo Terrazas, bidding across the pavilion from him, to secure the mare. He admitted the final price, the first six-figure offering of Thursday's session, was a surprise.

“It was higher than I thought,” Hall said. “It got competitive, but when that kind of family walks up there, it's going to cost you.”

Crowning Jewel was Adena Spring's third purchase of the session. Also from Godolphin, the operation acquired Betty Grable (Into Mischief) (hip 886) for $35,000 and purchased Color of Dawn (Exaggerator) (hip 908) from the Elite consignment for $20,000.

“Frank loves the game. He's back into it now,” Hall said of Adena's future. “He just loves it.”

Crowning Jewel (hip 914), a daughter of Bedazzle (Dixieland Band), sold Thursday in foal to Street Boss. The mare also has a yearling filly by Bernardini.

“Street Boss is a known quantity. He has a lot of fans. But it was a surprise that the mare made as much as she did being in foal to Street Boss,” admitted Godolphin's USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan. “That is a pretty big number for him. He has been very successful in Australia and I think we would have seen a different level of value on a mare in foal to him in Australia. He has been successful here; he has a GI Kentucky Oaks winner [Cathryn Sophia]. He gets you nice, solid horses.”

Banahan added of the mare, “She was well over what we would have appraised her for. We would not have thought she would make that much money at all. She was in on the right day [where] she stood out. Lots of people are interested in a young mare like her and by one of the best stallions in the country and with a solid pedigree. Being a half-sister to Street Sense, that was a big draw as well.”

Godolphin sold 26 horses Thursday for $1,434,500.

“We try to keep a broodmare band where we can have about 100 2-year-olds every year,” Banahan said of the decision on which mares to offer at auction. “We work off that number. The ones that have not raced or not won are the ones that probably will go to a sale.”

He continued, “We bought Bedazzled early in her broodmare career, so we have daughters from her at home. Our tie-breaker for deciding which ones to keep is usually fillies who won on the track or if they have black-type. Crowning Jewel never made it to the races, so that was the tie breaker for her.”

Haydens Support Speightster

Jay and Christine Hayden of Saintsbury Farm have been breeding high-class Canadian Thoroughbreds for over a decade, but recently added to their repertoire when purchasing the stallion Speightster (Speightstown–Dance Swiftly, by Danzig) to stand at Northern Dawn Stables in Hillsburgh, Ontario. Bloodstock agent Chad Schumer, who brokered the deal to bring the stallion to Canada, has been busy purchasing mares for the couple at this week's Keeneland January sale to support the new stallion.

Jay Hayden explained the decision to stand a stallion in Ontario started with the idea of providing another outlet for his mares.

“Originally, it was just because we would have mares that, based on their production history, didn't deserve to go back to Kentucky, but I didn't want to give up on them yet,” he explained. “So it fit for us–if we have an older mare that we don't want to give up on or say we had a mare who was just on the fringe of whether you want to cull her or not, to give her one more shot–we could do that with three or four mares a year. That was what started it all.”

Schumer saw a wider appeal to the region's breeders.

“When Chad and I talked about doing this, he said, 'What about the Ontario program?' I asked him if he thought there was enough demand. And he said, 'Looking at it right now, there is a lot of demand, probably a little bit of pent up demand for a new sire. Because there hadn't been a commercially proven stallion in a while.”

Schumer went to work to find a suitable candidate.

“We looked at a stallion prospect before the sale which we thought might work out and it didn't,” Schumer said. “And then Jay asked about stallions in Kentucky. I told him Speightster might be available. He didn't believe me at first. He's just a second crop sire and his numbers are good. We made an offer and it was accepted.”

Speightster, winner of the 2015 GIII Dwyer S., had been standing at WinStar Farm in Kentucky. Out of an unraced full-sister to champion Dance Smartly, he is the sire of five stakes winners, including Canadian stakes winners Dreaming of Drew and Aubrieta, as well as graded placed Tough to Tame.

“The market [in Kentucky] is so harsh, there is no room for patience,” Schumer said of the move. “Speightster's numbers are right up there with Frosted, Runhappy, Not This Time and Nyquist. I think he's right there with them, so that bodes well for his future.”

The 10-year-old stallion has settled in well at his new home.

“The horse has been really well received in Canada,” Schumer said. “They are getting tons of inquiries and probably already have 25 or 30 mares booked and it's still early.”

Hayden has been impressed by the reception Speightster has received.

“It has been a little overwhelming,” Hayden said. “Where he is going to stand, Sherry [McLean] talks to me about two or four people are calling her a day. My friend Bernard McCormack has also been fielding calls. He said the response from some of his clients has been great.”

While many of Saintsbury's 18 mares were already committed to 2022 mating plans when the Speightster deal went through, the Haydens are committed to supporting the stallion.

Among the mares Schumer has purchased this week who are destined for dates with Speightster is graded stakes winner and Grade I placed Ausus (Invasor {Arg}) (hip 34), in foal to Medaglia d'Oro, who was acquired for $90,000; $37,000 acquisition Popstar (Medaglia d'Oro) (hip 270), in foal to Instagrand; and Cost (Pulpit) (hip 501), in foal to War of Will, purchased for $24,000.

“Generally, as a commercial breeder, Jay likes a big, really attractive mare with a good cover and a good family,” Schumer said. “We have bought some really nice mares over the years. He has bred Breaking Lucky, a Canadian Classic winner and a Grade I horse and Unspurned, a graded stakes-winning mare. And commercially, he's had a lot of success. He has sold some expensive yearlings at Saratoga and some nice ones here [in Kentucky]. The operation has kind of paid for itself every year.”

Schumer continued, “For Speightser, we were looking for mares that obviously suited him on pedigree and then mares that made sense commercially because we want them to pay for themselves–hoping that the foals they are carrying will pay for the mare and support the stallion at the same time. In the case of the mare in foal to Medaglia, we paid $90,000 for her, but it's a $150,000 stud fee. If the Medaglia foal looks good, it will pay for the mare.”

While the Haydens are committed to supporting their new stallion, the couple will still remain focused on maintaining a commercial broodmare band.

“Fifteen of their mares are going to Kentucky,” Schumer said. “The ones we purchased here are going to Speightster. And then next year, some of his mares will shift to Speightster. We think it's important to remain commercial with some of his better mares. We have used horses like Charlatan, Maclean's Music, and top, top stallions, Uncle Mo and Justify. So I think we probably need to keep those mares in Kentucky, almost tier the program.”

The Haydens are taking advantage of positive movement in the Canadian breeding and racing industry, according to Schumer.

“Some great things are happening at Woodbine–the purses have gone up,” he said. “I think it makes a lot of sense to breed and race in Canada. There are some are very good incentives to bring mares into Canada and Jay is taking advantage of all of that. By buying Speightster, we bring in one of the top stallions in Canada. He's young and there is a lot to look forward to. There are some really big crops from WinStar that are coming, so I think his numbers will continue to rise. He's out of a half-sister to Smart Strike who was a late-developing stallion himself. We just think in another year or two, Speightster could look like a really smart move.”

The post Godolphin Mares Star at Keeneland January Thursday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The hands-on visionary of the complex, Frank Stronach, purchased the land in 2005 and built a state-of-the-art facility on the 2,300-acre property that opened in 2007, capable of handling over 1,000 horses.

Icon Global' s Bernard Uechtritz said, “We are delighted to make this early campaign announcement on behalf of our client, The Stronach Group, and are truly honored and privileged to be able to do so at this year's Fasig-Tipton illustrious Night of the Stars November Sale event. The Adena Springs contributions, records, awards, and innovations to the Thoroughbred racing industry internationally are incredible and, in some cases, unsurpassed in the annals of modern racing history. This farm is one of the two largest of its kind under one fence in the Lexington bluegrass. The other is the renowned WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky., owned by a Texan.

“Although the complex was originally built for Thoroughbred breeding operations, its world-class infrastructure is multifaceted, versatile, and can easily convert to any equestrian discipline showplace, a horse park or even a co-op operation with central amenities. The farm is also easily subdivided into several smaller tracts for cohesive or separate ownerships along with private access. We will be offering the property in several parcel and custom parcel combinations. The market is very strong right now for all sizes of horse farm property, and even as we now prepare the farm for showings, we have early interest as word has gotten out. We will soon be announcing our Kentucky representative team as we progress towards making the farm and data room available for qualified buyer viewing and negotiations.”

Icon Global designs and implements strategic, tactical marketing and sales campaigns for unique, high-end properties globally.

Icon Global was founded by complex deal maker and International real estate advisor, Bernard Uechtritz. The Australian native most notably led the global marketing and sale of the 535,000-acre W.T. Waggoner Ranch in Vernon, Texas – listed at $725 million – the largest ranch in North America under one contiguous fence, in a world record sale that still stands today. Icon Global is an independently licensed and internationally connected full-service brokerage firm.

To view the listing, click here.

The post Adena Springs Kentucky Farm Listed For Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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