OCALA, FL – With a $1-million Authentic colt early in the session and a $1.8-million Win Win Win filly late in the day, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds matched its 2023 number of five seven-figure juveniles and the auction concluded its three-day run Thursday with another strong renewal.

“Overall, it was a terrific sale and we are looking forward to April,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski.

Through three sessions, 446 horses sold for $66,437,600. The average of $148,963 dipped 5.0% from 2023 and the median of $75,000 was down 6.3%. The buy-back rate was 25.3%. It was 23.2% at the close of bidding last year.

In its ninth renewal as an open sale, the March auction has now produced back-to-back competitive editions and multiple seven-figure offerings for the third straight year.

“I think consignors are probably more comfortable and feel more confident that they can put a horse in either March or April and do well,” Wojciechowski said. “It doesn't have to be either/or. It can be both. And the way we set these sales up, if you have a horse that is ready now, he is March-type of horse and if he needs just a little more time, he is an April horse, and if he needs even more time than that, he is a June horse. I think when we opened this sale up there were probably some reservations and concerns and there was a little bit of a sit-back-and-watch attitude, but I think that comfort level is there now. The consignors who have brought those type of horses the last couple of years have been rewarded and the rest of the consignors have seen that.”

Bloodstock agent Marette Farrell saw the results of that increased confidence in the March market on the OBS sales grounds this week.

“I thought the sale was deep with good horses and there were a lot of very athletic horses to choose from,” Farrell said. “I think the consignors did a good job bringing early, athletic horses here. Horses who were forward, they weren't afraid and didn't feel like they had to wait for the April sale. One consignor said to me, 'If it's a good horse, it will be found.' If it's showing a little more precocity, they are happy to bring it to this sale because they are going to find the real athletes.”

A Florida-bred filly by first-crop sire Win Win Win became the sale's highest-priced offering when selling to Amr Zedan for $1.8 million. The filly was the highest-priced horse ever sold by the O'Farrell family's historic Ocala Stud.

“They are a legacy consignor here at OBS,” said Wojciechowski. “Their history and reputation within the industry is important to both OBS and to the industry. So to see them do well was very gratifying.”

Ocala Stud's sale-topping Win Win Win filly | Photos by Z

The sale topper provided an exclamation point on a strong showing for the Florida breeding and racing industry, with a pair of seven-figure juveniles set to join the barns of trainers based in the state.

“I think what it shows is that Florida is still loaded with quality horses and quality horsemen,” Wojciechowski said.

It was the second year in a row that Zedan has walked away with the top-priced horse at the March sale. The Saudi businessman purchased subsequent Grade I winner Muth (Good Magic) for $2 million last year.

The end results of the March sale continued to show a polarization in the market.

“This year, we had a lot of horses in that middle market over the first couple of days and it's been a little tough,” admitted consignor David Scanlon. “Overall, the market has been a little bit challenging. When everything lines up, you get rewarded. Really rewarded. But the other ones that you need $100,000 for, it's been a struggle. You have to be realistic and set your reserves right. It keeps you humble.”

Farrell speculated buyers in the middle market may be taking a wait-and-see approach to the juvenile sales season.

“It's becoming increasingly the same,” she said. “The top horses are definitely gathering momentum and there is a little bit of a dearth in the rest of the market. But I think it's also because it is the first sale of the season, so some people are sitting on their hands a little bit for a lower-level horse now. They are saying, 'Well, April is coming up and there are 1,200 horses, maybe we could find the same for less.' But maybe they won't. I think that is the dilemma that everyone is facing.”

De Meric Sales was the leading consignor at the March sale, with 40 sold for $6,595,100, followed by Wavertree Stables with 14 sold for $4,960,000.

Hideyuki Mori was the sale's leading buyer. The Japanese trainer signed for 10 horses for $2,695,000.

Homebred Success for Ocala Stud

“I am absolutely speechless,” Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell said after watching the operation's homebred filly (hip 788) from the first crop of Win Win Win sell for a sale-topping $1.8 million to Amr Zedan Thursday at OBS. “I don't know whether to laugh or cry. It's incredible.”

O'Farrell knew the filly was special even before the striking bay turned in her track-record equaling :20 1/5 work during last week's under-tack preview.

“We weren't totally surprised,” O'Farrell said after watching the filly sell. “She prepped extremely well, all completely on her own. I didn't tell people what the prep time was because I don't think they would believe me. But I was super excited coming into the breeze show because I knew she was special and we were expecting that kind of breeze from her.”

David O'Farrell | Photos by Z

O'Farrell continued, “She is just a special filly. The fastest that we've had and we've been doing these 2-year-old sales a long time. She has just been a spectacular filly. She performed every time that we sent her out to the racetrack and she came back beautifully and the sky is the limit for her.”

Bred and campaigned by Live Oak Plantation, Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) won the 2020 GI Forego S. He stands at Ocala Stud for $5,000.

“We are super excited about the stallion,” O'Farrell said. “We love what we are seeing. We have more to come in the later sales and later crops and we think he has a huge future.”

Ocala Stud has grown a reputation as launching pad for stallions to begin their careers in Central Florida before making the trek north to Kentucky. Recent stallions to take that path include Girvin and Kantharos.

“To recruit the stallion [Win Win Win] and bring on great partners in Live Oak, who bred and raced the horse, and also Airdrie Stud is a partner and to support him heavily and to carry him all the way to the 2-year-old sales for our own crop, is super rewarding,” O'Farrell said. “And to get him off to a great start, we couldn't be happier about his prospects.”

Asked what he was seeing in the stallion's first crops, O'Farrell said, “Just a ton of athleticism, super versatile, good-looking horses with big rear ends. Very smart, very quick and very athletic.”

The topping Win Win Win filly | Photos by Z/Joe DiOrio

The $1.8-million juvenile is from the same family that has put her breeder on the GI Kentucky Derby trail this year with GIII Holy Bull S. winner Hades (Awesome Slew). Ocala Stud purchased the filly's second dam, Lady Discreet (Boundary), for $45,000 from the E. P. Robsham dispersal at the 2004 OBS October sale.

Lady Discreet produced The Shady Lady (Quality Road) in 2013 and that unraced mare is the dam of Hades. Two years later, the mare produced Unanimity (Union Rags), the dam of hip 788, who RNA'd for $65,000 at the 2017 OBS March sale and was winless in three starts for the O'Farrells.

Unanimity produced a colt by Gretzky the Great this year. She also has a yearling colt by Win Win Win. @JessMartiniTDN

Wow Wow Wow

Moments before Hip 788 was to stroll into the OBS sales ring, the buzz began to intensify. Ocala Stud's daughter of Win Win Win was certainly no secret following a sparkling quarter-mile display in :20.1 last Saturday. With the bids coming hard and fast from several points in the pavilion, the price quickly surpassed the seven-figure mark and the volleys didn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. When the dust had settled, it was Donato Lanni–bidding on behalf of Amr Zedan–who held the hot draw, securing the filly for $1.8 million.

“Nothing surprises me at these sales anymore,” said Lanni. “Everyone knew she was the best. I'm just happy we got her.”

Donato Lanni | Photos by Z

He continued, “You come to a sale like this every year and you never know what you are going to see. That's what's great about the 2-year-old sales, there are some horses that just do things that are out of the ordinary. Everyone witnessed that she had a breeze that was unbelievable. And she did the same thing the week before.”

According to Lanni, the Florida-bred filly will head west to join Zedan's regular trainer, Bob Baffert.

'She is a cool filly,” Lanni said. “Every time I saw her, she was out of her stall. She just took it all in stride. She was easy to like.”

A member of the first crop of the Ocala Stud-based sire Win Win Win, the Mar. 9 foal is a daughter of the unplaced mare Unanimity (Union Rags), herself out of Lady Discreet (Boundary)–a half-sister to Grade I winners Discreet Cat and Discreetly Mine. The juvenile's 9-year-old dam, who is a half-sister to SW and GSP Courtesan (Street Sense) and SW Chary (Montbrook), RNA'd for $65,000 at this venue in 2017.

“We always come to the sales and look at horses by sires that are a bit obscure or haven't had a runner yet,” explained Lanni. “What's great is that you never know where the good ones will come from.”

With Ocala Stud's influence running through the March sale's topper top and bottom, Lanni was clearly impressed with the operation.

“She comes from a great outfit and they are honest people and I trust them,” he underscored. “And when they breeze one, you never really see one like that. She was special.”

When asked if this was his first Win Win Win purchase, Lanni quipped, “I hope she's a win win win.”  @CBossTDN

Authentic Colt Brings a Cool Million

A colt from the first crop of GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (hip 601) provided a jolt to the early stages of Thursday's final session of the OBS March sale when selling for $1 million to an online bid from John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock. Consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, the chestnut worked a furlong last week in :9 4/5. Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo's operation purchased the colt for $260,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“Absolutely stunning physical,” Resolute's Gavin O'Connor said. “His breeze was so fluent and he looked fantastic going a fast time.”

Hip 601 | Photos by Z

The juvenile is out of stakes-placed Ruby Trust (Smart Strike), a daughter of graded winner Queen of the Catsle (Tale of the Cat).

“The cross through Authentic with Into Mischief over Smart Strike and his overall physical would make him a standout in any stallion barn in Kentucky,” O'Connor said.

Resolute Bloodstock purchased five juveniles during the OBS March sale, including a $525,000 daughter of American Pharoah (hip 370) and a $500,000 filly by Munnings (hip 453).

The result was the first million-dollar sale for Authentic, winner of the 2020 Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The Spendthrift stallion was represented by a $900,000 colt at last year's Keeneland September sale, as well two $875,000 sons at that sale and a third at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.

Hartley and DeRenzo, who sold the $1.5-million Not This Time colt during Wednesday's session of the March sale, came back later Thursday to sell a filly by Uncle Mo (hip 681) for $600,000 to Seth Morris, as agent for Hit the Bid Stables. The bay was a $290,000 Fasig-Tipton July purchase last summer.  @JessMartiniTDN

Bernardini Filly to Speedway

A filly by Bernardini (hip 613) will be joining Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's Speedway Stables after bloodstock agent Marette Farrell went to $875,000 to acquire the juvenile from the de Meric Sales consignment early in Thursday's final session of the OBS March sale.

Marette Farrell | Photos by Z

“She's a beautiful filly,” Farrell said. “Both Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner were here themselves and they really liked her. And we love the fact she is by Bernardini. She traces to a really good family.”

The juvenile is out of graded-placed Salamera (Successful Appeal) and from the family of Grade I runners Piedi Bianchi and Outadore. She was bred by the Eisamans' Eico Ventures, which purchased the mare for $300,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale.

“She looks super athletic and we think she will come around quickly and they will have a lot of fun with her,” Farrell said of the filly who worked a furlong last week in :10 flat.

During Wednesday's second session of the auction, Farrell purchased a colt by Mitole for $725,000 on behalf of Speedway. Both juveniles will be trained by Bob Baffert. @JessMartiniTDN

Mori Extends to $800k for Son of Constitution

Ever present at North America's major sales in his trademark red jacket, Hideyuki Mori landed a son of Constitution for $800,000 early in Thursday's session at OBS. Consigned by Scanlon Training and Sales, Hip 617 breezed an eighth of a mile in :9.4 last week.

“He liked the build of the horse and of course, the most important factor was his performance on the track,” said Hideyuki Mori through an interpreter. “You get good value for the horses here. They are nice and inexpensive. In Japan, the horses are nice too, but expensive. They are also very nice here, but more affordable. That's why he keeps coming back.”

Hideyuki Mori | Photos by Z

Bred by Don Alberto, the chestnut is out of Argentine multiple group winner Sand Puce (Arg) (Footstepsinthesand).

“The intention is to get these horses to the races as early as possible. His horses usually make their debuts early, which is why they can go on to be successful. They're ready to return at three and then target group company. That's how he likes to train the horses he buys here.”

The Mar. 23 foal RNA'd for $385,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale last summer. A full-brother to the colt, Burden of Proof, sold for $700,000 in Saratoga in 2022.

“He was training really well coming in here,” said David Scanlon. “Constitution has also been doing really well, his horses have been doing well. He has proven to show horses getting ready for Classic races. Based on the pedigree and the strength of his work, he was rewarded.

“He walked well, he breezed well and is out of a hard-knocking mare. There was a lot of interest in him from all the right parties, so everything lined up.”

Also during Thursday's session, Scanlon sold Hip 641, a colt by Liam's Map, for $500,000 to MyRacehorse. @CBossTDN

The post $1.8M Win Win Win Filly Leads the Way as Top of the Market Drives Strong March Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Even that lavish investor in the yearling market, Mike Repole, won the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a homebred. Except for a couple of European turf juveniles, the rest of the show was a parade of champions raised by “end users”: a couple apiece for Godolphin and Juddmonte, plus one each for the programs operated by Coolmore, Cheveley Park Stud and George Krikorian.

Now, to be fair, they all reached that coveted winner's enclosure with the help of stallions beyond most pockets, with Curlin the most radiant example. And, besides, we're obviously peering through a narrow and fairly random window on the overall state of the game.

That said, if this meeting is where we all want to end up, it would be very hard to look at this sample and conclude that the commercial market is functioning very effectively.

That won't bother most people, so long as they can keep eking out some kind of profit from a fiendishly precarious trade. But perhaps it's a useful context to remind ourselves of the fundamental equilibrium on which the whole market depends: namely, that you need to retain sufficient mystery for the little guy still to have a chance; but values meanwhile have to stand up enough for the big investors to feel as though they can get some kind of edge. Put it another way: if the sale-topper won the Derby every year, the whole business would collapse overnight; but if a Rich Strike won every year, well, the whole business would collapse overnight.

Anyway, the point is that every now and then the industry needs a 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) to come along and make sense of what, in his case, was the second highest price paid at an American yearling auction in 2022.

His first three dams are, respectively, a juvenile Grade I winner, a dual Grade I runner-up (also at two) and a Grade I sprint winner; and, as luck should have it, he belongs to the third crop of what has meanwhile proved the most phenomenal young sire of recent times. When you spend $2.3 million on a colt that has never had a saddle on his back, you're obviously wagering primarily on a potential stallion career. And, with those Twin Spires taking tangible shape on the horizon, the partners who placed this particular bet are still very much in the game.

Sierra Leone was bred by Debby M. Oxley from her homebred GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon), whose dam Darling My Darling (Deputy Minister) had been bought by Oxley's husband John for $300,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 1998.

Darling My Darling's own mother, GI Ballerina H. winner Roamin Rachel (Mining), was sold in the same ring that November, to Nobuo Tsunoda for $750,000–a price vindicated the following summer when Darling My Darling (her second foal) won on debut at Saratoga before consecutive runner-up finishes at Grade I level.

Roamin Rachel had been sold carrying a Storm Cat filly, who managed a single start, but has since produced three group winners in Japan; Roamin Rachel, for her part, was sent for her next cover to Sunday Silence, and came up with Japanese Horse of the Year Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn).

Heavenly Love's half-sister by Congrats, herself Grade II-placed, has meanwhile given the family tree additional Japanese luster through her son Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), who is about to try to give the family a second consecutive weekend in the sophomore spotlight in the G3 Saudi Derby.

Even without that later boon to his page, then, everything was in place for Sierra Leone on paper. Heavenly Love herself admittedly proved unable to build on her juvenile success, albeit she did manage third in the GIII Regret S.; while her first foal by Uncle Mo did little more than retrieve the covering fee. Sierra Leone must have been a very different physical proposition, then, to be topping the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.

It had been prescient of his breeders, of course, to persevere with Gun Runner at precisely the point most commercial breeders back off from exposure by a stallion's first runners on the track. The Three Chimneys top gun would take the customary trim in fee the following year, from his opening $70,000 to $50,000, but his numbers held up throughout: 156 mares kept the faith in 2020, leaving Sierra Leone among 120 live foals in his third crop. These also include the fillies who consolidated another stellar weekend for their sire by finishing second and third in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. and first and second in the Sunland Park Oaks.

We have long since got over any surprise that Gun Runner's first crop should have been so precocious, making him not just champion freshman but leading sire of 2-year-olds, despite himself having thrived with maturity. As a result, however, fewer people remarked how his second crop actually made precisely the kind of tepid start that might have been readily indulged in their predecessors. In fact, as juveniles they didn't muster a single stakes success between them. Four, however, proceeded to win graded stakes as sophomores last year.

Gun Runner's third crop tilted the balance back the other way. Of 45 entering the gate as juveniles last year, four won graded stakes–including Locked, already his seventh Grade I winner and himself about to resume the Derby trail.

Sierra Leone missed becoming the crop's fifth juvenile graded winner by just a nose, in the GII Remsen S., but has now emulated his sire by winning the GII Risen Star S. off a layoff. Whether his focus was aided by blinkers, or he's simply becoming more professional with experience, he saw the race out rather better than when worried out of the Remsen, despite that wide sweep for home and runner-up Track Phantom (Quality Road) having controlled the tempo at his leisure.

Track Phantom had cost $500,000 at Keeneland September, where the third Catching Freedom (Constitution) was similarly found in Book 1, for $575,000. Given that Catching Freedom looked like a horse still learning his trade, this proved a race to give fresh credibility to the yearling market. Perhaps we don't have to tear up those catalogues just yet.

'Beach'-Combers Share Godolphin Success

As already acknowledged, breed-to-race programs are only so dominant because they tend to match their patienc–such a rare commodity in the commercial sector–with similarly uncommon financial resources. But they still need discipline, and the fatalism to accept that the culls essential even to the most lavish operations will occasionally convert years of work and expense into an overnight dividend for somebody else.

The Godolphin team's delight over the success of 'TDN Rising Star' Tarifa (Bernardini) in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. is presumably tempered somewhat by the fact that they sold her young dam Kite Beach (Awesome Again), carrying a full sister, just nine months after she had delivered this first foal. Mind you, a good deal more regret is doubtless being experienced by the people who bought Kite Beach at the Keeneland November Sale for $100,000, because just weeks later they “flipped” her for $115,000 at Fasig-Tipton February. That must feel like a pretty marginal gain now.

Ultimately Kite Beach was bought by Calumet, who sold Tarifa's sister at Fasig-Tipton last July for $105,000. While that sale nearly cleared their investment in one hit, congratulations must in turn go to purchaser Matthew Davis. Both he and Calumet, with their different stakes in her success, must be watching Tarifa's rise with due excitement.

Because for Kite Beach to produce a talent like this, at the first attempt, revives a rather dormant branch of an extremely famous family tree. She's a daughter of Tizdubai (Cee's Tizzy)–whose own mother Cee's Song (Seattle Song) must be counted one of the most remarkable producers of modern times.

Tizdubai was bought for Sheikh Mohammed as a weanling by John Ferguson for $950,000 at the 2001 Keeneland November Sale, a price that reflected her brother Tiznow's second consecutive success in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic just days previously. Cee's Song and Cee's Tizzy had already produced his brother Budroyale to finish second in that race, besides winning multiple graded stakes; and Tizdubai herself would duly proceed to win the GII Sorrento S.

Cee's Song was herself sold at the same November Sale as Tizdubai, for $2.6 million, inevitably in foal to Cee's Tizzy. The resulting filly, Tizamazing, never made the track but later produced Classic winner Oxbow. Unfortunately, the new owners of Cee's Song evidently decided that she was doing all this despite Cee's Tizzy, and not because of him, and instead favored her with serial $500,000 dates with Storm Cat.

These did not work out so well. Meanwhile another of the Song–Tizzy crew, Tizso, was sold for $625,000 despite an unproductive track career, and then produced Paynter to win the GI Haskell S. (Tizso also produced a couple of seven-figure yearlings so it was disappointing, shall we say, to see her sent into the ring at the age of 25 and sold for $62,000).

Tarifa | Hodges Photography

Both Paynter and Oxbow were by Awesome Again, and it was resorting to that ageing patriarch for Tizdubai's 2016 cover that produced Kite Beach. By then Tizdubai had come to seem a disappointing producer, despite serial elite covers.

Kite Beach did nothing to improve matters, being unraced, while her siblings that did make it to the racetrack showed little. One Shamardal filly did win on debut in England, but ended up struggling in a low grade and was sold for 45,000gns. Her son by Pioneerof the Nile is Cabo Spirit, latterly a dual graded stakes winner on turf in California, but Tizdubai's overall record as a producer makes it easy to understand why Kite Beach should have been culled.

But Awesome Again has served the Deputy Minister brand very well, as a broodmare sire; and of course Tarifa is by an outstanding such influence in Bernardini. So you'd have to be optimistic for Tarifa's prospects in her next career, as Mr. Davis can be about her sister.

Remarkable to see, meanwhile, that Calumet's first choice for Kite Beach was Paynter's son Knicks Go. The resulting colt, now a yearling, is inbred to an exceptional degree: his dam is by Awesome Again out of Tizdubai, and his grandsire is by Awesome Again out of Tizdubai's full sister Tizso. Plenty of egg in that pudding!

Patience Pays On Both Sides For Stronghold

As just noted, Awesome Again has contributed to a cluster of successful broodmare sires under Deputy Minister (himself sire of Sierra Leone's second dam). And among others to do so is his own son Ghostzapper, most conspicuously as damsire of Justify.

We have also credited Ghostzapper as one of those few sires to get a commercial yearling into the winner's circle at the last Breeders' Cup. So his prowess as a distaff influence must now augur well for the lady in question, Goodnight Olive, in her maiden cover by Not This Time (who sired Up to the Mark from a Ghostzapper mare).

Ghostzapper has now turned 24 but continues to rebuke the (largely self-fulfilling) mistrust among some breeders regarding older sires. Over the years he has also paid for a lack of precocity in his stock but nonetheless accounted for perhaps the most brilliant juvenile of last summer in Rhyme Schemes, unfortunately sidelined since.

Last weekend another member of the same crop, Stronghold, won the GIII Sunland Derby, the 100th worldwide stakes winner for Ghostzapper. Either way, how well he has steadied the ship after enduring some wild tides early in his stud career. Launched at $200,000 after one of the definitive speed-carrying displays of the modern breed, Ghostzapper was slashed from $125,000 to $30,000 (and soon $20,000) in one go after his first juveniles blew out. It was a long road back, but he fully merits a fee that has settled at $75,000, with career ratios that make him a very similar sire to Uncle Mo.

Stronghold himself is another of those homebreds to advertise the merit of playing the long game. Eric and Sharon Waller bought his fourth dam after she was a $12,000 RNA at Barretts in January 1998, and from her bred Swiss Diva (Swiss Yodeler) to win her first three starts including the California Breeders' Champion S. by eight lengths. Swiss Diva's first foal (a filly by Henny Hughes) was unable to race because of injury, but she would redress that misfortune as dam of Spectator (Jimmy Creed), winner of the GII Sorrento S. and twice Grade I-placed.

Spectator has now given the Wallers a run at the Derby with Stronghold, who managed to elude Bob Baffert in New Mexico and so elevated himself to fourth in the points board. He had previously counted the Risen Star runner-up and fourth among his pursuers when breaking his maiden over the Churchill surface.

Little Legacy Is On The Money

Marvin “Junior” Little was a man I would have loved to interview. He evidently knew plenty about the “real” world–never finished school, served in the Navy and was set for a factory job until a steel strike intervened–but proved a special talent when finding his way into our magical little one. Eventually he worked his way up to become manager of Newstead Farm, Virginia, until presiding over its $47-million dispersal in 1985. This was crowned by the homebred star Miss Oceana, in foal to Northern Dancer, at what was then a record price of $7 million.

Moving back to his native Kentucky, Little showed no less flair in managing his own, rather more modest program, which notably produced champion Hansel. And while he was sadly lost in 2017, his legacy of horsemanship endures through his children Marilyn, Jeff and Teresa. For they are listed as co-breeders with William Lynn of Money Supply (Practical Joke), who continued his transformation for Joe Sharp in the GIII Mineshaft S.

This horse achieved a good yield as a yearling, selling to Klaravich Stable for $400,000, but last summer he had reached a point where Chad Brown dropped him into a $32,000 claimer at Saratoga. For his new barn, Money Supply is now on a streak of five, reaching a new peak in a race that has lately drawn attention to others thriving with maturity in Olympiad and Maxfield.

As his original cost indicates, Money Supply was bred for this kind of caliber–even though co-breeder Lynn signed a docket of just $30,000 for his dam Evita's Sister (Candy Ride {Arg}) (in foal to the young Into Mischief) at the Keeneland November Sale of 2013. She owed her name to full-sister Evita Argentina, who had won the GI La Brea S., while their dam was out of an unraced half-sister to Trippi.

A few seams of gold there, then, for Practical Joke to be mining. Albeit aided by conspicuous volume, the Ashford sire is clinging to the slipstream of Gun Runner more tenaciously than the rest of their intake, earning a further hike to $65,000 this year. Money Supply is already his fourth stakes winner of the year, and watch out for another of them, the flying Skelly, in the desert this weekend.

A $5,000 Sire Showing Elite Potential

Having long recommended the horse, I make no apology for highlighting the fact that something really does seem to be afoot with Preservationist. Last weekend the Fair Grounds maiden winner Antiquarian, incidentally a $250,000 yearling off a $10,000 cover, became his ninth scorer since the turn of the year. Among second-crop sires, only Audible (12) has more–and they have respectively had 52 and 28 starters.

Preservationist had the commercial odds stacked against him, as a son of Arch who had won his Grade I at the age of six, but he has a sensational shape to his pedigree, posing fourth dam Too Chic opposite his sire's third dam Courtly Dee. Even so, only a farm as enlightened as Airdrie would have given him an opportunity, and his books have been on a predictable slide since he mustered 102 mares for his debut season.

So he had to make his one chance count, and he appears to be doing just that. An interesting template is In a Jam, who took as many as eight starts to break his maiden but posted a big number when doing so and again when following up in allowance company. It looks like people with the patience to let a horse gain a little maturity and experience are going to be very well rewarded, and they can now get to Preservationist for just $5,000.

He even has a filly on the Kentucky Oaks trail, with Martha Washington S. winner Band of Gold heading to the GIII Honeybee S. on Saturday. Her late breeder, Airdrie's founder Brereton C. Jones, was synonymous with that Classic. But he was also celebrated for producing top-class stallions somewhat out of left field–and perhaps we're already seeing that legacy being extremely well-“preserved.”

Band of Gold | Coady

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Here's a look at the third installment of our Kentucky Oaks Top 10:

1) TARIFA (f, Bernardini–Kite Beach, by Awesome Again) O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-3-0-0, $278,925. Last start: WON Feb. 17 GII Rachel Alexandra S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 50. Next start: GII Fair Grounds Oaks, FG, Mar. 23 or GI Ashland S., Kee, Apr. 5

We didn't even have this filly on prior Top 10 lists, but she did enough in her win in the Rachel Alexandra to move all the way up to the top spot. Making her first start in a stakes and going up against some tough, more experienced horses, this was no easy spot for the daughter of Bernardini as she was facing, among others, GII Golden Rod S. winner Intricate (Gun Runner). But she made it look easy, drawing off to win by 2 3/4 lengths under Flavien Prat, picking up a Beyer figure of 90, the same number given to GII Risen Star S. winner Sierra Leone (Gun Runner). As usual, trainer Brad Cox is loaded with talent in the 3-year-old filly division and will be searching for his third win in the race since 2018. With the sire's death in 2021, Tarifa is a member of Bernardini's penultimate crop to hit the track.

2) JUST F Y I (f, Justify–Star Act, by Street Cry {Ire}) O/B-George Krikorian (Ky); T-Bill Mott. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo filly, GISW, 3-3-0-0, $1,317,750. Last start: WON Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Kentucky Oaks Points: 40. Next Start: GII Davona Dale S., GP, Mar. 2.

Just F Y I | Benoit Photography

Hard to knock the champ down a spot in this poll when she hasn't done anything wrong. But it's becoming apparent with each prep that she's going to have to step up her game when it comes to how fast she is. While a horse like Tarifa picked up a 90 Beyer in her last start, Just FYI has never run faster than a 79. That's not to say she can't do it. Horses can improve dramatically from two to three and in Bill Mott she is being trained by one of the very best in the business. She's had five workouts so far this winter at Payson Park, the latest being a five-furlong breeze on Feb. 17 in 1:03.60, so look for Mott to tighten the screws in the coming weeks.

3) JODY'S PRIDE (f, American Pharoah–Jody's Song, by Scat Daddy) O-Parkland Thoroughbreds & Sportsmen Stable; B-Mr. Steve Weston (Ky); T-Jorge R Abreu. Lifetime Record: SW & GISP, 3-2-1-0, $480,250. Last start: 2nd Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Kentucky Oaks Points: 15. Next Start: GII Davona Dale S., GP, Mar. 2.

The runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Jody's Pride is also being pointed for the GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream, which will mark her 3-year-old debut. The Davona Dale looks like it's going to come up very strong. The knock on Jody's Pride is the same as it is on Just F Y I. She's not particularly fast and the 79 she got in the Juvenile Fillies is her all-time best number. If this doesn't work out she can always try the turf as she is by American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile). In the Juvenile Fillies, she was ridden by Flavien Prat, who also has the mount on Tarifa.

4) KOPION (f, Omaha Beach—Galloping Ami, by Victory Gallop) O-Spendthrift Farm; B-Tall Oaks Farm (Ky); T-Richard Mandella. Sales history: $270,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-1-0, $116,600. Last start: 2nd Feb. 10 GIII Las Virgenes S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 20. Next Start: GII Santa Anita Oaks, SA, Apr. 6

Kopion | Benoit

Kopion is not the best 3-year-old filly based in Southern California. Kinza (Carpe Diem) is, and she beat her handily in the GIII Las Virgenes S. on Feb. 10. But Kinza is trained by Bob Baffert, which means she is effectively banned from running in the Oaks. Kopion might be second on the Southern California depth chart, but she's a good filly in her own right. In just three lifetime starts, she's won a Grade III and placed in another. Is trained by Richard Mandella, who likes to take his time with his horses, so it may be that we haven't seen her best yet. Still another filly ridden by Flavien Prat, who is the regular rider of three of the top four horses in this poll.

5) LESLIE'S ROSE (f, Into Mischief–Wildwood Rose {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Whisper Hill Farm; B-John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services (Ky); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $1,150,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $89,950. Last start: WON Jan. 11 AOC at Gulfstream Park. Kentucky Oaks Points: 0. Next Start: GII Davona Dale S., GP, Mar. 2.

Has an interesting pedigree. Is by Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday) out of an unraced Galileo (Ire) mare and she wasn't cheap. Owner Mandy Pope paid $1,150,000 for her at Keeneland September. She's only raced twice, has yet to run in a stakes race and has never gone beyond seven furlongs, so she has some catching up to do. In her last race, she won a Gulfstream allowance by a length and had to fight off a challenge from Gun Song (Gun Runner). That filly came back and won her next start by 5 3/4 lengths. Leslie's Rose will have to do more to solidify her status as a top Kentucky Oaks threat, but it's clear that she has a world of potential.

6) POWER SQUEEZE (f, Union Rags–Callmethesqueeze, by Awesome Again) O-Lea Farms, LLC; B-Forging Oaks Farm (KY); T-Jorge Delgado. Sales history: $50,000 yrl '22 KEESEP; $90,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: MSW, 5-3-1-0, $188,650. Last start: WON Feb. 10 Suncoast S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 20. Next Start: GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, GP, Mar. 30.

Trained by up-and-coming trainer Jorge Delgado, she's been carefully managed so far this year. After she broke her maiden at Delaware Park in October, she came back to win two non-graded races this year, the Cash Run S. and the Suncoast S. Will have a much stiffer test in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, but very well could be up to the task. Life Talk was supposed to dominate in the Suncoast, but threw in a clunker, so there's no telling how good the competition behind Power Squeeze was. Was ridden by Daniel Centeno in the Suncoast. Will be interesting to see if Delgado goes for a more high profile jockey for the next start.

7) WEST OMAHA (f, West Coast–Birthday Bash, by Medaglia d'Oro) O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables (Ky); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: SW, 4-2-2-0, $203,000. Last start: WON Jan. 20 Sillverbulletday S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 25. Next Start: GIII Honeybee S., OP, Feb. 24.

She was last seen winning the Jan. 20 Silverbulletday S. at the Fair Grounds and is now slated to run in Saturday's GIII Honeybee S. at Oaklawn Park. The Silverbulletday was a fairly soft spot so she may need to improve to win the Honeybee. Is a Brad Cox trainee and a homebred from the Gary and Mary West operation. The Wests have yet to win a Kentucky Oaks. She was entered in the Rachel Alexandra and was one of three trained by Cox entered. But he scratched West Omaha and put her on a van to Oaklawn, no doubt trying to find a way to keep some of his horses apart.

8) INTRICATE (f, Gun Runner–Complex Analysis, by Distorted Humor) O-Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Scot Estes & Cambron Equine, LLC; B-LBD Stable, LLC (Ky); T-Brendan Walsh. Sales history: $200,000 yrl '22 KEESEP; $280,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-2-1-0, $362,180. Last start: 2nd GII Rachel Alexandra S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 35. Next Start: GII Fair Grounds Oaks, FG, Mar. 23

Didn't run a bad race at all when second in the Rachel Alexandra when beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Tarifa. But she was the 17-10 favorite, so the race should go down as a mild disappointment. Has drawn comparisons to last year's Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) because both are trained by Brendan Walsh. Pretty Mischievous also had one off day on her way to Oaks glory, finishing second in the Fair Grounds Oaks. No reason why Intricate can't rebound.

9) BAND OF GOLD (f, Preservationist–Play for Gold by Cairo Prince) O-Dixiana Farms LLC; B-Brereton C. Jones (Ky); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. Sales history: $70,000 wnlg '21 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: SW, 3-2-0-0, $206,000. Last start: WON Feb. 3 Martha Washington S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 20. Next Start: GIII Honeybee S., OP, Feb. 24.

Band of Gold | Coady

The Honeybee will be a big test for this Kenny McPeek trainee. She's coming off a 2 3/4-length win in the Martha Washington, but some may want to downgrade the effort since she was 24-1 that day and she was not good in her previous start, the Untapable S. Was it a fluke? With her having gone from a 63 Beyer to a 86 in the Martha Washington, may also be a bounce candidate.

10) RECHARGE (f, Gun Runner–Remit, by Tapit) O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Steve Asmussen. Lifetime Record: SW, 3-3-0-0, $189,498. Last start: WON Feb. 18 Sunland Park Oaks. Kentucky Oaks Points: 20. Next Start: GIII Fantasy S., OP, Mar. 30.

It looks Steve Asmussen has his horse for the Oaks. Recharge is undefeated in three starts and was last seen winning the Sunland Park Oaks. Prior to that, she broke her maiden at Remington and then won an allowance at Sam Houston, so, apparently, was not part of Asmussen's first string. There are definitely questions regarding who she has beaten, but there's also plenty of time for Asmussen to improve her and have her ready for tougher spots.

The post The Kentucky Oaks Top 10 For Feb. 22 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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So far, Tarifa (f, 3, Bernardini–Kite Beach, by Awesome Again) is following the script laid out last year by Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) perfectly. Like her year-older fellow Godolphin homebred, she, too, was named a 'TDN Rising Star' on debut. In a replay of last year, she, too, won the Rachel Alexandra for her first graded score. Will she follow suit with a GI Kentucky Oaks win and ultimately an Eclipse championship after a stellar 3-year-old campaign?

Over a sloppy and sealed Fair Grounds track darkened by both the weather and the hour, Tarifa bounded cleanly out of the inside gate. She held on to her rail spot as Flavien Prat restrained her lightly in third while letting SP Perfect Shot (Gun Runner) and Untapable S. winner Alpine Princess (Classic Empire) lead the way through :24.37 and :48.55 early quarters. With positions unchanged going into the turn, GSW & GISP V V's Dream (Mitole), also a 'TDN Rising Star', joined Tarifa to the outside briefly until Tarifa was let loose. She tipped out with great energy, swapped to her wrong lead for several strides as her momentum carried her past the leaders, and quickly refocused when corrected back to her proper lead. She found another gear to finish a much-the-best, 2 3/4-length winner over GSW Intricate (Gun Runner). Final time for the 8 1/2 furlongs was 1:45.28.

“She jumped very well and showed some early speed. From there we got to the first turn and I was able to get myself to the pocket,” said Prat. “She traveled well all the way around and kicked home.”

Tarifa made her sophomore debut Jan. 20 over a fast Fair Grounds surface at a mile and 70 yards with an 86 Beyer Speed Figure with Florent Geroux in the irons and blinkers removed. Geroux, who had ridden her in all three previous starts, stuck with Tarifa's Brad Cox-trained stablemate, Alpine Princess, Saturday. Sandwiched between that Jan. 20 win and her ultra-impressive, six-length 'Rising Star' Keeneland debut in October, Tarifa had finished flat in an off-the-board November optional allowance at Churchill.

“She acted like she could run before we debuted her at Keeneland,” said Cox. “I thought running her on the Beard Course made sense for her. The second race at Churchill going a mile was a head scratcher. She responded well here in January. She jumped out well, got a good early position, tracked the leaders, and really stretched out well. The Rachel Alexandra has been a great path to the Kentucky Oaks and we've had some success with that route. This is a good filly and we will keep marching forward.”

As has been well documented, four winners of the Rachel Alexandra in the past decade have won the Kentucky Oaks. The Rachel Alexandra offers 105 qualifying points for the Oaks, with the first five finishers earning points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale. While Godolphin's win in the Rachel Alexandra last year was with trainer Brendan Walsh, who trains runner-up Intricate here, Cox previously won the race in 2022 with Turnerloose (Nyquist) and in 2018 with Monomoy Girl (Tapizar). The latter was one of the four who pulled off the Rachel Alexandra/Kentucky Oaks double in the last 10 years.

#1 Tarifa takes on stakes company for the first time and earns 50 points towards the Kentucky Oaks in the Rachel Alexandra S. @fairgroundsnola for trainer @bradcoxracing with Flavien Prat aboard!

#TwinSpiresReplay #FG152 @johngdooley pic.twitter.com/pSERoU0Y76

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) February 18, 2024

Pedigree Notes:

Classic winner, Eclipse champion, and leading sire Bernardini, a Darley homebred who stood at Darley's Jonabell Farm in Central Kentucky before his death at 18 due to complications from laminitis, is the sire of 87 worldwide black-type winners. While Tarifa is the first Rachel Alexandra winner among his 53 graded winners, he is the sire of the lone filly out of the race's namesake and that daughter–Rachel's Valentina–won the 2015 GI Spinaway S. Bernardini has top-class winners in nearly all categories and is also well established as one of the sport's leading broodmare sires. His final crop will race this year.

Although Tarifa is Bernardini's first stakes winner out of an Awesome Again mare, he has three graded winners out of daughters of Awesome Again's sire, Deputy Minister. They include Grade I winners To Honor and Serve and Angela Renee. Awesome Again has 102 stakes winners out of his own daughters.

Kite Beach, the unraced dam of Tarifa, was a Godolphin homebred after her dam, GSW Tizdubai (Cee's Tizzy), was purchased by the operation for $950,000 at the Keeneland November sale of 2001. Tizdubai is a full-sister to Horse of the Year and two-time GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Tiznow, as well as to MGSW and Classic runner-up Budroyale. Kite Beach was sold twice after Tarifa was born and most recently went to Calumet Farm for $115,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed sale. She has a 2-year-old full-sister to Tarifa named Josie's Girl, who was sold to Matthew Davis for $105,000 at last summer's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling sale, and a yearling Knicks Go colt. She was bred to Calumet's Lexitonian for 2024.

Saturday, Fair Grounds
RACHEL ALEXANDRA S. PRESENTED BY FASIG-TIPTON-GII, $291,000, Fair Grounds, 2-17, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.28, sy.
1–TARIFA, 122, f, 3, by Bernardini
           1st Dam: Kite Beach, by Awesome Again
           2nd Dam: Tizdubai, by Cee's Tizzy
           3rd Dam: Cee's Song, by Seattle Song
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $278,925. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Intricate, 122, f, 3, Gun Runner–Complex Analysis, by Distorted Humor. ($200,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $280,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Scott Estes and Cambron Equine, LLC; B-LBD Stable, LLC (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $60,000.
3–Perfect Shot, 122, f, 3, Gun Runner–Meister Legend, by Bodemeister. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($135,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN; $285,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC; B-Sierra Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $30,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 3, 3 1/4. Odds: 2.50, 1.70, 17.60.
Also Ran: Alpine Princess, V V's Dream, Pennick. Scratched: West Omaha.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Deja Vu! Godolphin’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Tarifa Best in Rachel Alexandra appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Cornishman (c, 3, Curlin–Penwith, by Bernardini) came flashing home to finish a bang-up second sprinting on debut on the GIII Lecomte undercard at Fair Grounds Jan. 20.

Off as the 3-1 second choice with his Brad Cox-trained stablemate Exploration (Curlin) receiving the bulk of the action at 3-2, the Godolphin homebred was bumped from both sides after exiting from post nine and trailed the field of 11 through an opening quarter in :22.40.

Cornishman caught the eye as he began to wind up from far back with a four-wide sweep beneath Florent Geroux on the far turn and was tipped out to the seven path as they straightened. He continued to motor powerfully down the center in the stretch and was clocked in a field-best final furlong of :11.97 to cross the line a length behind the Dallas Stewart-trained newcomer Bee Dancer (Bee Jersey). The aforementioned Exploration, a $900,000 Keeneland September graduate, just got tagged on the line by his stablemate for runner-up honors.

The final time for the six-furlong affair was 1:10.92. Cornishman earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“He's a horse that we've liked all along,” Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said. “Just little juvenile stuff last year and we had to give him some time off. Once Brad (Cox) got him back in there, he was going well for him and he really liked him. We were very much looking forward to his debut and thought that he was a horse that showed plenty of potential in the morning.”

He continued, “He breaks good out of the gate, but that day, Florent (Geroux) said that he couldn't get him settled well enough. He was the last one in the gate, and when they pulled the latches, he wasn't ready for it. Taking all that into consideration–breaking last, having to go wide, etc.–we were extremely happy with the way he ran and how well he finished up with the trip that he had. And that was a race to get him started going three quarters. That's nothing of what he wants to do.”

Cornishman returned to the worktab with a four-furlong move in :49 (23/74) in New Orleans Feb. 2. He could see additional distance in his next start later this month, per Banahan.

“We're very excited about him going forward,” Banahan said. “Hopefully, we get to run maybe in mid-February–maybe Risen Star weekend if they have a one mile and a sixteenth or something (similar) down there. Very much looking forward to stretching him out and seeing what he could do. Very hopeful that he could be a horse that we can be talking about through the season.”

Hailing from a very active and deep female family, Cornishman is out of GSW & MGISP Penwith, a daughter of MGISW and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Composure (Touch Gold). The latter brought $3.6 million from Sheikh Mohammed's operation at the 2003 Keeneland November sale.

Penwith | Kenny Martin

Penwith is a full-sister to the unraced dam of last Friday's GIII Bayakoa S. winner Comparative (Street Sense) and MGSW Shared Sense (Street Sense); a half-sister to MGISP Centring (A.P. Indy), the dam of last term's GI Frizette S. runner-up Central Avenue (Street Sense); and a half-sister to GISP Tranquil Manner (A.P. Indy).

The Curlin x Bernardini cross has produced standouts such as MGISW Clairiere, GISW Paris Lights, MGSW Cezanne and GSW & MGISP Point of Honor. Cornishman is also bred similarly to Curlin-sired champions Stellar Wind, Malathaat and Nest.

Godolphin, of course, also bred and raced Curlin's recently crowned Horse of the Year Cody's Wish, who is set to begin his first season at stud for a fee of $75,000 at Jonabell Farm.

“He has the pedigree that if he goes on and progresses like we think he will, he'll have a shot at hopefully some nice races down the road,” Banahan said. “But let's get him there first. He has to break his maiden first.”

#6 Bee Dancer graduates first time out in R8 at Fair Grounds under @b_hernandezjr for trainer @dallasstewart3!

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/9lj1Cg7GW2

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) January 20, 2024

The post Second Chances: Cornishman ‘Could Be a Horse That We Can Be Talking About Through the Season’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Catalogued as HIP 536 and offered by Grovendale Sales as agent, she is in-foal to multiple Grade I-winning Cyberknife. In addition to Nysos, Zetta Z is also the dam of SP Attabe (Distorted Humor) as well as a 2-year-old filly by Street Sense and a yearling colt by Yaupon.

“Nysos has been brilliant in each of his starts. His numbers lead all three-year-old colts and his potential is unlimited,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to offer his dam, who is in foal to the exciting first year stallion Cyberknife.”

The post Dam of Nysos Added to Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“Mr. Lothenbach was a great ambassador for racing and he strictly bred to race,” Vinery's Derek MacKenzie said. “He also bought a lot of nice yearlings over the years for racing. And so, none of these families–especially some that go back three and four generations–have ever been on the market. There is soundness and plenty of talent within these families. Under unfortunate circumstances, they are available to the public.”

Lothenbach, who passed away in November, was among the leading owners in North America for nearly three decades. Over the last 23 years, his Lothenbach Stables celebrated more than 800 wins and earned more than $30 million. He was a top 10-ranked owner nationally in 2020 and 2022.

“He is one of the few guys who bred to race exclusively in this era,” MacKenzie said.

Among Vinery's 46 offerings from the dispersal are a pair of mares who won graded stakes in the Lothenbach colors.

Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) (hip 476) won the 2020 GI Derby City Distaff S., the 2021 GII Honorable Miss H. and GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. and the 2019 GII Lexus Raven Run S. She was third in the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint.

The hard-knocking mare hit the board in 21 of 27 races–including three runnings of the GI Madison S.–with 13 wins and earnings of $2,000,675.

“Any international buyer that is seriously playing at the top level would want to have this mare,” MacKenzie said. “She was such a good race filly for so long and she looks fantastic right now. They can take her straight to the shed and breed her to whoever they want. I've got to think she appeals to every continent.”

The 8-year-old mare, who RNA'd for $2.6 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton November sale, was bred to Flightline last year, but sells not in foal after aborting in September.

“I was a farm manager for a long time before I got into the sales side and a lot of maidens slip their first ones and never have an issue the rest of their career,” MacKenzie said. “I've seen it a lot. So it's not a worry at all for me. I think anyone with experience with broodmares knows it shouldn't be any kind of issue and she'll be fine going forward.”

Vinery's offerings also include She Can't Sing (Bernardini) (hip 485), winner of the 2022 GIII Chilukki S. The 7-year-old broodmare prospect raced 39 times in her career, hitting the board 22 times and earning $883,558.

“What a beautiful mare,” MacKenzie said of She Can't Sing. “She ran hard for a while and she's by the right sire in Bernardini, a great broodmare sire. And she has leg and scope. She is taller than most Bernardinis. Again, she should fit any continent, any kind of top-level breeder should take a hard look at trying to get her.”

Beyond the pair of graded-stakes winning mares, MacKenzie said he thinks there is plenty to appeal to buyers in the dispersal as the breeding season looms.

“There is a group of maiden fillies coming off the racetrack that are pretty interesting that have good looks and talent,” he said. “And there are a couple other younger broodmares in foal to the right sires. So it's going to be a strong showing.”

Taylor Made Sales Agency got the Lothenbach dispersal started with a week-long digital offering of 76 horses of racing age which opened Monday and closes Friday. During the Winter Mixed sale next week, the consignment will include 19 short yearlings, all bred by Lothenbach.

“I think they represent a really good opportunity right now,” Marshall Taylor said of the offerings. “You look down there at all those pedigrees and who they are by, pedigrees that nobody has really had an opportunity to buy into and then it's a group of very good stallions that Mr. Lothenbach bred to. Normally, you get down to this point and you've got the February sale and there are only so many [yearlings] in the sale. So to have this opportunity with some of the stallions that Mr. Lothenbach bred to, it's a huge opportunity.”

After a competitive foal market, next week's Winter Mixed sale offers buyers a final chance to buy short yearlings at public auction this year.

“I think the foal market, now short yearling, market has been so strong,” Taylor said. “You look at November and it was really hard to buy. The good foals were bringing a lot of money and selling very well. That carried on to January. So having this dispersal with these short yearlings, I think there is going to be a strong market for them. I think there are a lot of people out there that still want to buy a good baby by a good stallion. And I think all of that is just going to carry over to this sale.”

With the digital portion of the dispersal in full swing, Taylor said he was seeing plenty of interest for the horses of racing age this week and requests for information on many of those horses' siblings who will be on offer on-site at Fasig-Tipton next week.

“Right now, we just started the racehorse dispersal [Monday], so there has been a lot of interest there,” Taylor said. “We've had a lot of calls on the short yearlings, too. People calling us asking what they look like, a lot of different pinhookers have been asking about them. Mr. Lothenbach has a lot of nice horses in the digital sale and a lot of these babies are half-siblings.”

From the digital sale through the Winter sale, Taylor kept coming back to that word–opportunity.

“From an overall picture on all of Mr. Lothenbach's offerings,  from the mares, to the racehorses, to the babies–especially with the fillies–to have the opportunity to buy into these families is a rare thing. Mr. Lothenbach was a straight breed-to-race guy and nobody has ever had the opportunity to buy into these families. He has a lot of nice families, so there are going to be some big opportunities.”

The Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale will be held next Monday and Tuesday at Newtown Paddocks. Both sessions of the auction begin at 10 a.m.

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Backed like a good thing to be off at odds of 14-5 (2.83-1) from a 6-1 morning line, the dark bay was a forward factor just in behind the early pacesetters and jockey Florent Geroux had his work cut out for him to prevent his filly from running up on heels. Given her head with about 3 1/2 furlongs to race, Tarifa continued to travel ominously well on the turn and weaved her way through a bit of traffic to be right there when the real running began at the top of the lane. She put favored Snow Dance (Commissioner) to the sword at the three-sixteenths pole and opened up at will from there to take it by a half-dozen very convincing lengths.

Godophin acquired Tarifa's second dam Tizdubai (Cee's Tizzy) for $950,000 at the Keeneland November about two months after her full-brother Tiznow recorded the second of his two consecutive victories in the 2001 GI Breeders' Cup Classic. She was also a full-sister to MGSW and Classic runner-up Budroyale.

Kite Beach, whose half-sister Fancy Day (Ire) (Shamardal) produced MGSW Cabo Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile), was purchased by M T Stable at KEENOV in 2021 and to Calumet Farm for $115,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton February sale. The mare produced a full-sister to Tarifa who sold to Matthew Davis for $105,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale and foaled a colt by Knicks Go this season. The latter's sire Paynter is by Awesome Again and out of Tizso, another full-sister to Tiznow. Kite Beach was bred to Lexitonian this year.

5th-Keeneland, $99,587, Msw, 10-25, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:28.51, ft, 6 lengths.
TARIFA, f, 2, by by Bernardini
1st Dam: Kite Beach, by Awesome Again
2nd Dam: Tizdubai, by Cee's Tizzy
3rd Dam: Cee's Song, by Seattle Song
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $56,575. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Godolphin LLC; B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H Cox.

(3) Tarifa is much the best in the fifth race of the day. (8) Regulatory Risk takes second and (7) Snow Dance comes in third. pic.twitter.com/qJLZo2MjHn

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 25, 2023

The post Beautifully Bred Bernardini Filly Airs En Route To ‘Rising Star’ Honors appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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One of three entered for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the 6-1 chance had a pair of bullets on the worktab, including a four-furlong move in :47 1/5 (1/16) Oct. 12.

He was hustled away from his inside draw by Kyle Frey and slugged it out from the outside with his rail-drawn stablemate and $1.3-million OBS April graduate Urban Legend (Into Mischief) heading into the far turn. Always traveling the better of the pair, Nysos took over with authority leaving the quarter pole and opened daylight from there to win by 10 1/2 lengths, stopping the timer for six furlongs in a very sharp 1:08.97. Urban Legend, off at odds of 3-1, stayed on for second.

Nysos becomes the first 'Rising Star' for Nyquist. The Nyquist x Bernardini cross is also responsible for GISW Gretzky the Great, already one of four top-level winners for his young sire.

The winner's unraced dam, a $35,000 purchase by Three Times A Charm while in foal to Street Sense at the 2021 KEENOV sale, had a filly by Street Sense in 2022 and a colt by Yaupon this year. She was bred back to Cyberknife.

Nysos's third dam is GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine Unbridled Elaine (Unbridled's Song).

9th-Santa Anita, $63,500, Msw, 10-21, 2yo, 6f, 1:08.97, ft, 10 1/2 lengths.
NYSOS, c, 2, by Nyquist
                1st Dam: Zetta Z, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Seresa's Spirit, by Rahy
                3rd Dam: Unbridled Elaine, by Unbridled's Song
Sales history: $130,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $150,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $550,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Baoma Corp; B-Atkins Susie (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

NYSOS ($14.80) dusted them all under @FreytheF in @santaanitapark race 9. This son of @DarleyAmerica's Nyquist was trained by @BobBaffert for owners @BaomaCorp. An impressive win first asking!

Stick around for the Early Pick 4 at @LosAlRacing! Wager on https://t.co/nBYFHiPrdh! pic.twitter.com/OP6RgobeuP

— TVG (@TVG) October 22, 2023

The post Nyquist Colt Dazzles in ‘TDN Rising Star’ Performance at Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The post Volatile Filly Goes for $1.15 Million to Mike Rutherford appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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