Victorious against a well-met field of Saratoga maidens in July, the chestnut tired badly in the GI Hopeful S. after a round of bumper cars soon after the break took him off the pace. He resurfaced at Keeneland in October with two starts–a second against first-level optional claimers on the seventh and then running third Oct. 28 in the Bowman Mill S.

Sent away at 9-5 in good order and able to be part of the pace pressure on the frontrunner, he swung into the backstretch four wide and was three off the rail heading for the homeward stretch. Given his cue with Roman Vazquez sitting pretty, Valentine Candy shut down all challenges right there, kicking home 6 3/4 lengths best over 67-1 shocker Willy D's (Lookin At Lucky) and late-running Andy's Candy (Practical Joke). It was Steve Asmussen's record-extending 105th career Oaklawn stakes victory.

A perfect ride by @JockeyRamonVazq aboard #10 VALENTINE CANDY ($5.60) for victory in the Advent Stakes at @OaklawnRacing for the Steve Asmussen barn. Congratulations to the connections with this son of Justify, who stands at @coolmoreamerica.

How about that $156 Exacta? pic.twitter.com/3YjIMR9R2g

— TVG (@TVG) December 8, 2023

“I'm just very, if anything, relieved to see him run back to his first race,” Steve Asmussen said. “The field that he beat at Saratoga first time out–showed great quality that day. Beautiful horse; great opportunity. That's who he's supposed to be.”

Added Ramon Vazquez: “Steve didn't give me any instructions. [Valentine Candy]'s a nice horse. I just had to guide him.”

The most recent to the races for Taste Like Candy, who went runner-up in the GI Hollywood Starlet S. in her season on the track, Valentine Candy has only one other sibling of racing age. The unplaced King Happy (Street Sense) was sent to Ireland in 2018 as a yearling and the broodmare had a run of poor breeding fortunes since then until she produced the winner and recently a 2023 colt by Mitole. She was bred to Liam's Map for 2024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

ADVENT S., $150,000, Oaklawn, 12-8, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.65, ft.
1–VALENTINE CANDY, 117, c, 2, by Justify
         1st Dam: Taste Like Candy (GISP, $286,205), by Candy Ride (Arg)
         2nd Dam: My Success, by A.P. Indy
         3rd Dam: Towering Success, by Irish Tower
($250,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-L. William & Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm, Whispering Oaks Farm LLC & Coteau Grove Farms LLC; B-Pine Creek LP (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Ramon A. Vazquez. $96,038. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $195,713.
2–Willy D's, 117, c, 2, Lookin At Lucky–Boston Mine, by Mineshaft. ($60,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Danny Brown, Charis Brenneman & Greg Compton; B-Beau Lane (KY); T-Greg Compton. $29,550.
3–Andy's Candy, 117, g, 2, Practical Joke–In Gold Blood, by My Golden Song. ($28,000 Ylg '22 TTAYRL; $84,000 2yo '23 TTAAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-JD Thoroughbreds, LLC, Joey Keith Davis & Larry J. Romero; B-Samuel Sherman (KY); T-Chris A. Hartman. $14,775.
Margins: 6 3/4, HD, 1. Odds: 1.80, 67.30, 10.10.
Also Ran: Market Street, Molly's Town, General Shipman, Frost Free, Ceepeegee, Bye Bye Liam, Drewmania, Sweet Soddy J. Scratched: Spirit's Mischief.

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The case has moved slowly since the Sept. 2022 race. It took a eight months for the New York Gaming Commission to make the finding public and when it did the stewards disqualified Forte, fined Pletcher $1,000 and suspended him for ten days. Pletcher and owners Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola appealed the stewards' ruling, which meant the matter was sent to a hearing officer, Clark Petschek. The session with the hearing officer was held in July and Petschek issued his report on Sept. 30. Petschek upheld the original findings of the stewards, the fine, the suspension and the disqualification.

It is within the commission's right to reject the hearing officer's recommendations but, instead, it voted unanimously to uphold them.

It was noted that the owners of Hopeful runner-up, Bill and Corrine Heiligbrodt, appeared at the hearing to support the decision to disqualify Forte.

“They could have made the decision the day after the hearing,” Repole said. “I guess they must have done a lot of extensive work the last six, seven months. Instead, they took six months to state the obvious. We knew what was going to happen. We got just what we expected. They did what they thought they needed to do. We knew there was a zero percent chance this was going to get overturned.”

It's unlikely that Tuesday's ruling by the New York Gaming Commission will be the last word on the Forte matter. The Forte team can now take their case to the courts and will like file an appeal within the New York court system. Repole has vowed to spend whatever it takes to get the Hopeful decision overturned.

“We plan on taking this further and we knew we were going to get to this point,” he said. “Under HISA rules, this isn't even a violation. We are super confident that common sense will prevail and people will realize we put in this governing body in HISA to make sure people are ethical and play by the rules of the sport. Any real process that follows common sense will easily see it the same way and we will prevail.”

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OCALA, FL – The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale opened its three-day run Monday with a session which gained strength throughout the day, ultimately ending with increases in both average and median over the first session of last year's two-day auction.

During Monday's session, 131 horses sold for $20,192,500 for an average of $154,141–up 10.1% from a year ago–and a median of $90,000–up 16.1% from 2022. Without the inclusion of post-sales transactions, the buy-back rate was 32.1%, up from 18.6% from the conclusion of last year's opening session.

The additional session–and an extra 198 horses–makes comparisons between years an inexact science at best.

“It's hard to make apple-to-apple comparisons because we have 200 more horses this year and three days,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “It will be interesting to see what happens over the next two days with the RNA rate. I suspect it will trend downwards with the post sales. We've already seen a lot of post-sale activity. Certainly, we would like to see it lower. But I can't pass judgment on the sale until we get through the next two days.”

A colt by Justify, consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, topped the day's trade when selling for $1.2 million to Maverick Racing and Siena Farms. Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo also sold the day's second highest offering, a son of Uncle Mo purchased for $950,000 by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Jackpot Farm.

“Those were special horses,” Wojciechowski said of Monday's two top-priced juveniles. “They did it on the racetrack and then, when you went back to look at them at the barn, they were spectacular. There was no surprise that those two horses did well. It's the old adage, you can't hide a good horse. The good ones stand out.”

A deep domestic buying bench was at the top of the March market Monday, with the top 10 horses purchased by nine different buyers.

Japanese agent Hideyuki Mori, who purchased seven horses during last year's March sale, including a $1.1 million son of Into Mischief and a $900,000 colt by Bolt d'Oro, for a total of $3.55 million, signed for one juvenile Monday, going to $300,000 to acquire a colt by Bernardini for $300,000.

The OBS March sale continues through Wednesday with sessions beginning each day at 11 a.m.

WinStar Comes Out On Top for Justify Colt

Randy Hartley with Elliott Walden and David Hanley | Photos by Z

A colt by Triple Crown winner Justify (hip 215) became the first to reach seven figures during Monday's first session of the OBS March sale when bringing a final bid of $1.2 million for WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden, who signed for the colt on behalf of the partnership of WinStar's Maverick Racing and Siena Farm.

“[WinStar general manager] David [Hanley] and I just felt like he was the best horse in the sale,” Walden said. “I think the whole package, with how he breezed and with his pedigree, he was worth taking a chance on.”

Out of graded-placed Zinzay (Smart Strike) and already named Saturday Dreams, the colt was bred by Summer Wind Equine. A half-brother to Grade I-placed Moon Over Miami (Malibu Moon), he was purchased by Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo for $250,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. He worked a furlong last week in :10 flat.

WinStar Farm was co-owner of Justify and Maverick Racing purchased the future champion in partnership with China Horse Club for $500,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September sale.

“We were close,” Walden said when asked if the $1.2-million bid was near his limit.

As for what is next ahead for the colt, Walden said, “He will go back to WinStar and we will figure it out from there.”  @JessMartiniTDN

Uncle Mo Colt Hitting the Jackpot

Hip 95 | Photos by Z

Moving along at a comfortable pace early on in Monday's opening session of the OBS March Sale, it was apparent the tempo was about to pick up markedly moments before Hip 95, a colt by Uncle Mo, strode into the ring. A camera crew swept into the pavilion, quickly setting up at the back as the photogs scurried into position. And it wasn't long before the fireworks began. The bidding initially shot up in $100,000 increments before accelerating to $150,000 volleys. When the dust had settled, it was Bill and Corrine Heiligbrodt, in tandem with Terry Green's Jackpot Farm, that landed the session's second most prized juvenile for $950,000.

“We didn't think we had a chance to get him with what our budget is,” admitted Bill Heiligbrodt. “We thought there would be some other players in there ahead of us. Maybe they know more than we do, but I don't think so.”

Added Green, “We just loved the horse. Billy has been at this a whole lot longer than me. I've been the caboose on his train.”

He continued, “We're just excited about him. We think he's a great horse and have our fingers crossed.”

Consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, the Mar. 12 foal is out of unraced Sunshiny Day (Bernardini), a granddaughter of Champion juvenile filly Storm Song (Summer Squall). Having proven an active influence in the breeding shed, Storm Song is also responsible for GISP Trojan Nation (Street Cry {Ire}) and MGSP Balladry (Unbridled's Song) and Another Storm (Gone West), herself responsible for European Highweight Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

The colt worked in :10 flat (video) during last week's breeze show.

“We looked at all the horses in the sale and tried to pick out the best one,” explained Heiligbrodt. “And this one was in our price range.”

According to Heiligbrodt, the colt will go to Steve Asmussen, who also trained 2019 Champion Sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya) for the Heiligbrodts.

“He's running speeds that is like a sprinter almost,” said Heiligbrodt of his highest-priced purchase of the session. “We're just really happy we got him.”

Terry Green with Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt | Photos by Z

Already having partnered on a handful of horses over the past couple of years, the Heiligbrodts and Green enjoyed prior success with Gulfport, another son of Uncle Mo. Winner of the Bashford Manor S. at two, Gulfport also placed in the GII Saratoga Special and GI Hopeful S. in addition to finishing third in the GI Champagne S.

“We've been [partnering on horses] the last couple of years–we're both from Texas and good friends,” said Heiligbrodt.

Regarding the affinity for the Coolmore sire, he added, “We've had very good luck with Uncle Mo. We ran Gulfport together, so to find an Uncle Mo with this kind of speed and pedigree is unusual. I have been doing this a long time and I haven't seen many Uncle Mos that looked any better to me than this.”

Purchased for $360,000 by Chris Baccari at Keeneland November in 2021, the bay was offered at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale last summer, but failed to attain his reserve of $575,000. Bred by Aaron Sones, the colt was secured for $500,000 by Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo privately.

DeRenzo said, “We bought the horse in Saratoga and he was our highest-priced yearling purchase price [in 2022]. We just loved him. Since then, he's trained amazing all year long and we thought he was one of the top horses in the sale. He's going to one of the best trainers, Steve Asmussen. That makes us feel really good because now we know the horse has a chance to do what we thought the horse can do.”

As for the purchase price, he said, “I thought he would have brought more than that. I think they got a really great buy.”

He continued, “[Heiligbrodt] didn't think he could get him. But I told him 'Always be ready.' We don't set our reserves too high because selling horses is what we do. He was there, waiting for the horse, and he got it. We are ecstatic for them. [Heiligbrodt] has a great eye and he has a great instinct as well. And he's been right so many times.”

In addition to landing the day's top colt, the partnership also secured a son of Mitole, Hip 61 for $225,000. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, the chestnut's work equaled (video) that of his pricier counterpart.

“[Hip 95] is a little bit faster [than Hip 61], but probably won't go as long,” said Heiligbrodt.

Going back to the well for a horse that served the Heiligbrodts so well in the past was an obvious decision.

“Mitole has some really fast ones here so I want to buy all the fast ones here. Because if we own them, we won't have to face the really fast ones in the races!” Heiligbrodt said with a laugh. “We're thinking down the road.”

The partnership also purchase Hip 164, realizing $310,000. Consigned by Cruzin' Thoroughbreds, the colt by Lea also worked in :10 flat (video) during the breeze session. @CBossTDN

Hartley/DeRenzo More than Justified

The $1.2-million session topper's work last week | Photos by Z

If selling 2-year-olds was a numbers game, Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo certainly didn't get the memo. Lining up with only two juveniles during Monday's opening OBS March session, the duo landed a blow with both of them, with Hip 95 realizing $950,000 from a partnership of Bill and Corrine Heiligbrodt and Jackpot Farm ahead of Hip 215, who reeled in a $1.2 million final bid from the converging titans Maverick Racing and Siena Farms.

“They were both very good horses and we had a lot of people calling us about them,” said Hartley. “But they're two very different looking horses. The Uncle Mo is really tall and leggy and this colt has more muscle and bigger. They're both very good and could end up in the same place–on top.”

Of Monday's session topper, Hartley explained, “He's an amazing colt and we're so happy WinStar and Siena bought him. He's got the best shot now. It's sad when they leave our hands, but when they go to an operation like that, they're going up in the world.”

Bred by Summer Wind Equine, the dark bay was purchased for $250,000 at Keeneland last September. Out of Grade III placed Zinzay (Smart Strike), the Apr. 11 foal is a half to SW and GISP Moon Over Miami (Malibu Moon). This represents the family Classic scorers Musical Note and Musical Chimes.

“He's been my little sleeper all year,” admitted Hartley. “He has a special place in my heart. He was amazing from day 1.”

Explaining part of his attachment to the dark bay colt, he said, “We had his mother, Zinzay, who I bought for $250,000 [Keeneland September in 2012] and we sold her for $700,000 [Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale in 2013]. I got to gallop her and was such a big part of her development, so I've had a soft spot for this colt all year long.”

He continued, “He's done everything right all year long. He never did anything wrong. He's always been Mr. Serious. And he breezed lights out, it was just spectacular [:10.0]. He just has a different air about him. He has a real presence. He's good but also very nice too.”

Standing at Ashford Stud in Kentucky, the colt's sire Justify is represented by his first crop of 3-year-olds this season.

“We are such big Justify fans,” affirmed Hartley. “In fact, we are big Scat Daddy fans. We were around plenty of Scat Daddys and he was such a tremendous stallion. It was such a big loss to our industry when he died so young.

“Justify is getting good runners now and we'll try and buy more of them. We have a few yearlings that we bought as weanlings, so we're keeping it going.”

Rarely afraid to extend to buy a worthwhile youngster, Hartley explained that the partnership has branched out a bit in recent times to find the potential commercial standouts they're perpetually looking for.

“We are buying babies to resell as yearlings so we have been stepping up our game in that area,” he explained. “We sold [three-time Grade I winner] Taiba two years ago, and given that you can hardly buy a Gun Runner as yearlings these days, we thought we'd jump ahead and get them as weanlings. We'll bring them back as yearlings.”

DeRenzo added, “When the horse hits us and we have a gut feeling that this horses can be an athlete, we purchase it. And usually, nine times out of 10, those horses are the athletes.”

He continued, “We don't walk into it thinking how much will pay for horse. We use a lot of gut instinct. We've been doing this 32 years so that instinct is usually right.”

Also well reputed for bringing to the ring a small but select group of horses, this year's March sale was no different with the pinhooking operation bringing three juveniles to the OBS scene. Already represented by the top two juveniles during Day 1, the duo is also represented by Hip 449, a filly by Tapit, during Tuesday's session.

“We are very small by design,” explained Hartley. “I only have 20 stalls in my barn. So, those are all the horses I have. Dean and I have been doing this a very long time. We have always been geared toward quality. We always thought if things weren't so good with the world, the Sport of the Kings would probably come down to the 'kings'. So we always tried to keep a boutique consignment. You'll never really see us with more than five or six horses at a sale. We have been very lucky and have sold some very good racehorses. We'll just keep bringing quality.”

So what might be the main ingredient to their longevity and success?

“We treat them like champions from the day join us,” said DeRenzo. “And they believe they are champions the day they leave us.” @CBossTDN

Shah Strikes for City of Light Filly

Hip 123 | Photos by Z

Kaleem Shah, standing alongside bloodstock agent Ben McElroy and trainer Simon Callaghan, went to $750,000 to acquire a filly by City of Light (hip 123) during Monday's first session of the OBS March sale.

“Ben loved her and so did Simon,” Shah said after signing the ticket on the bay filly. “Next year, we will see if they are right or wrong.”

Of the filly's final price tag, Shah said, “It's always more expensive than you want. I wish I didn't have to spend this kind of money, but that's what the good horses cost.”

Shah is used to signing big tickets at the 2-year-old sales. He purchased the $1.2million top-priced lot at last year's March sale.

The juvenile, who worked a furlong in a bullet :9 4/5 last week, is out of Tessie Flip (Grand Slam) and is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Jo Jo Air (Scat Daddy) and stakes-placed Congo River (Mendelssohn). She was bred by Springhouse Farm and Dromoland Farm and, after RNA'ing for $290,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, was consigned Monday on behalf of her breeders by Top Line Sales.

“She surprised me as a yearling that we didn't get her done,” said Springhouse Farm's Gabriel Duignan. “It's just one of those things that didn't get done. But she's always been beautiful. We loved her. We always did. It's a gamble [to take her home from the yearling sale]. But she looked the right time for this. She came out here and breezed well and I'm delighted that she's going to good hands with Kaleem and Simon.”

Springhouse purchased Tessie Flip as a 5-year-old for $200,000 at the 2014 Keeneland January sale. She has had yearlings sell for $325,000, $425,000, $350,000, $225,000 and, most recently Congo River sold for $400,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale.

“She just checked in foal to Jackie's Warrior,” Duignan said of the mare. “And she has a Maxfield foal.” @JessMartiniTDN

Good Magic Colt Shines as Gladwell Legacy Continues to Grow

Hip 262 | Photos by Z

A colt by Good Magic (hip 262) continued a bang-up day in the sales ring for the Gladwell family when selling for $725,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent Steve Young. Consigned by Jimbo and Torie Gladwell's Top Line Sales, the youngster had been purchased by the family's pinhooking partnership for $150,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“He is a super-good training horse,” Young, who was bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client, said. “He is by a sire who was one of the best freshman sires last year by a long way and he's a half-brother to an undefeated horse. He has sneaky quality all through his bottom line.”

The colt is out of Ari the Adventurer (Pioneerof the Nile) and is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner Adventurous Lady (Kantharos). The mare's 4-year-old, Kanthari (Kantharos), purchased for $575,000 at the 2021 March sale, is now two-for-two for Todd Pletcher and MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm.

Just a few hips before the Good Magic colt went through the ring, Nellie (nee Gladwell) and Chetley Breeden introduced their Grade One Investments consignment with another pinhooking score when selling a colt by Frosted (hip 247), purchased by the family for $50,000 at Keeneland September, for $475,000 to Three Amigos.

Jimbo Gladwell | Photos by Z

Watching on from the back walking ring with obvious pride was family patriarch Jimmy Gladwell and his wife Martha.

“The Frosted colt that my daughter sold, we thought he would work fast,” Jimmy Gladwell said of the juvenile who shared the :9 4/5 bullet last week. “And we thought he would be well-received, but we never dreamed that he would bring the dollar amount that he brought at the end of the day. So we're thrilled with that. It was a great start for their consignment and we are really proud of the job they did bringing him over and proud of the outcome.”

In addition to the pinhooking success with the Good Magic, Top Line Sales also consigned a filly by City of Light who sold for $750,000 to Kaleem Shah.

“Jim and Torie, in our opinion, have really risen in the ranks as one of the leading 2-year-old consignors in the game,” Gladwell said. “They present a quality product and have sold some really nice horses. They have developed a good following. They just present good horses who work well. They are doing a great job.”

The longtime pinhooker said it was gratifying to see his children continue to succeed in the industry.

“We are just busting with pride,” he said, while his wife added, “It brings tears to your eyes sometimes.”

“We are a close family and our middle son [Raymond] he works in the business as well,” Jimmy Gladwell said. “All of the kids are close. It's just a great feeling. Martha and I couldn't be more proud of them.” @JessMartiniTDN

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The post Uncle Mo Colt Jumpstarts OBS Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Bred by Rockridge Stud, Saratoga Glen Farm and Pete Beals, the dark bay is out of MSW Frost Giant mare Frostie Anne, an earner of $584,443.

“This colt is good sized, born at around 122 pounds. He's very balanced and correct, and you can tell he's going to have a big hip,” said Lere Visagie, owner of Rockridge Stud. “I've had three foals out of this mare and every foal has been better than the one before. I'm quite happy with this Yaupon.”

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Yaupon won six of his eight races including the first four starts of his career in 2020. Those wins included the GII Amsterdam S. at Saratoga and GIII Chick Lang S. at Pimlico, and he was the favorite in that year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint as a 3-year-old. Yaupon's 4-year-old campaign was highlighted by the final race of his career, when he won the GI Forego S. at Saratoga.

Campaigned by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, the son of leading sire Uncle Mo earned $703,264. He is out of the Grade I-placed Vindication mare Modification.

Yaupon is set to stand his second season at stud at Spendthrift for a fee of $30,000 S&N.

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'TDN Rising Star' Gulfport showed Monday that he really is as good as his seven-length debut drubbing June 10, for which earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure, as he dominated Churchill's Bashford Manor S. as an overwhelming 1-5 chalk.

Bidding to add to Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen's record six wins (now three in the last five years) in this early season juvenile focal point, the bay broke on top from the fence and quickly cleared off. Doling out splits of :21.65 and :45.07 with one pesky pursuer in tow, he opened up rapidly when set down at the top of the lane and ran up the score by over a dozen lgnths. Owen's Leap edged out Andthewinneris for second. Gulfport's final time of 1:09.25 was the second fastest in the Bashford Manor's 121-year history behind only the Asmussen-trained future MGISW Kodiak Kowboy (1:09.15 in 2007). Asmussen also clinched the Churchill spring training title with the victory.

“We're so grateful for all of our owners to have horses like Gulfport. He's been extremely talented from an early stage and has shown us a lot of ability,” Asmussen said. “Today, when he broke from the rail, Brian got him into the perfect position on the lead and he never looked back.”

“I think that was something very special,” Hernandez added. “He really did all of that on his own. I let him break at the rail and he took me right to the front. It was extremely impressive. He's a really nice colt and did everything so easy today.”

A half-sister to this season's GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks third Favor, Gulfport is out of a full-sister to brilliant GISW Cross Trafic, while second dam Stop Traffic was a MGISW. Most recently sold to Gainesway Farm for $320,000 this year at Keeneland January, Fame and Fortune has a yearling full-sister to the winner and was bred to Tapit for 2023. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Pounded into 1-2 favoritism with a best-of-63 half-mile from the gate in :46 flat at Keeneland on display, the $275,000 Fasig-Tipton July acquisition by Joe Pickerell and Courtney Roberts's Pick View LLC bounced well and improved from his wide draw to prompt the pace of 12-1 overlay Mataro (Maclean's Music x Lady Tak) to that one's outside through the opening quarter-mile in :22.35. Asked to claim that front-runner as they cornered into the stretch, Gulfport surged past and was ridden mostly hands and heels for the remainder, pulling clear with every one of his powerful strides while covering his final furlong in a strong :11.84. The Heiligbrodts also campaigned this sire's GI Forego S.-winning son Yaupon. The colt was cataloged as hip 2 for this year's Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale, but was scratched from the event.

Gulfport is out of Fame and Fortune, a winning full-sister to GISW Cross Traffic, who was purchased by Gainesway Farm in foal to Uncle Mo's late son Laoban for $320,000 at this year's Keeneland January Sale. That produce sadly passed away. Fame and Fortune is also a half-sister to SW Thirteen Arrows (Indian Charlie) and SW Exodus (Medaglia d'Oro). Breeder Adam Bowden of Diamond Creek Farm was represented in last Saturday's G1 Cazoo Derby by Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

A half-brother to this year's GII TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks third-place finisher Favor (Pioneerof the Nile), GSP, $116,500, Gulfport has a yearling full-sister.

6th-Churchill Downs, $119,718, Msw, 6-10, 2yo, 5f, :56.85, ft, 7 lengths.
GULFPORT, c, 2, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Fame and Fortune, by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Stop Traffic, by Cure the Blues
3rd Dam: Save My Soul, by I'ma Hell Raiser
Sales history: $275,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,460. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-L William & Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm & Whispering Oaks Farm LLC; B-Diamond Creek Farm (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen.

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The 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo out of the Grade 1 stakes-placed Vindication mare, Modification, was at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., for Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, preparing for this year's Breeders' Cup world championships, at Del Mar Nov. 5-6, either in the G1 Sprint or G1 Dirt Mile.

Earlier this month, Spendthrift Farm announced that Yaupon would join its stallion roster at the conclusion of his racing career.

Bred in Kentucky by Lamantia, Betz, CoCo Equine, Magers and Burns, Yaupon won six of eight starts at 3 and 4, including the G2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga and the G3 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico in 2020. His only defeats came when eighth in both the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint and the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen earlier this year.

Yaupon sold as a $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling and then was acquired by the Heiligbrodts' East Hickman Bloodstock for $255,000 the following spring at the OBS June Sale.

The injury was detected while Yaupon was cooling out after a morning gallop, according to Bloodhorse.com. X-rays sent to Dr. Larry Bramlage at Rood and Riddle confirmed the injury. Spendthrift's Mark Toothaker told Bloodhorse.com no surgery will be required.

Yaupon's victory in the Forego will be remembered for the tenacity he showed in deep stretch as Firenze Fire, who had engaged the Uncle Mo colt from the outset, repeatedly leaned over to savage, or bite, Yaupon's head and bridle as the wire approached. Ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Yaupon's winning margin was a head and he covered seven furlongs in 1:21.74, earning a 103 Beyer Speed Figure while defeating five G1 winners.

Firenze Fire reaches over to “savage” rival Yaupon in the G1 Forego Aug. 28

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Daily Racing Form was first to report the news.

Bred in Kentucky by the partnership of Betz, Lamantia, CoCo Equine, Magers and Burns and trained by Steve Asmussen, Yaupon ran the table through the first four starts of his career, including Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S., clocking 1:08.50 for the six furlongs. The dark bay colt added the GIII Chick Lang S. on the Preakness undercard last October, scoring by four lengths and cementing his status as the favorite for last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland. He endured a troubled trip and finished down the field.

Yaupon bounced back from an often-taxing trip to Dubai for the G1 Golden Shaheen in March with a 1 3/4-length success in Pimlico's Lite the Fuse S. July 4 prior to the Forego, his first try over seven furlongs, in which he got the better of a stirring final-furlong tussle with and an attempted savaging by the classy Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior).

At Spendthrift, Yaupon is slated to stand alongside the Heiligbrodts' champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya).

“Aside from being extremely fast, Yaupon is one of the best-looking sons of Uncle Mo you will find anywhere,” Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey said when news of Yaupon's addition to the stallion barn was announced earlier this month. “When breeders come out to the farm and see a fast Saratoga Grade I winner by Uncle Mo that is as beautiful as he is on the end of a lead shank, we believe we will get a lot of 'yeses'.”

“Yaupon is an absolutely stunning physical with an unbelievable pedigree, and he might have been one of the fastest horses we have ever seen at a 2-year-old-in-training sales,” added Bill Heiligbrodt at the time of the announcement. “Corinne and I have been racing horses since the 1980s and have been lucky to be represented by a lot of nice horses. Yaupon is our best ever when you combine speed, pedigree and conformation.”

One of 75 black-type winners and 40 graded winners for his emerging sire of sires, Yaupon is out of a Grade I-placed mare who has also been responsible for MGSP turfer Sawyer's Hill (Spring At Last). Yaupon's 2-year-old half-sister Royal Flower (American Pharoah) was purchased by Mike Rutherford for $1.2 million at Keeneland September last fall, while his yearling relation, a Good Magic colt already named Limits of Power, was knocked down to Alan Quartucci, agent, for $575,000 on the opening day of this year's September sale.

Yaupon heads to the breeding shed with a stellar record of 8-6-0-0 and earnings of $703,264.

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Trained by Steve Asmussen, Yaupon was victorious in his first four career trips to the post, including Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S., clocking 1:08.50 for the six furlongs, and the GIII Chick Lang S. on the Preakness undercard in 2020 which established him as the favorite for last year's Sprint at Keeneland. The athletic dark bay bounced back from a trip to Dubai for the G1 Golden Shaheen in March with a 1 3/4-length success in Pimlico's Lite the Fuse S. July 4 prior to the Forego, his first try over seven furlongs.

At Spendthrift, Yaupon is slated to stand alongside the Heiligbrodts' champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya).

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Bill and Corinne [Heiligbrodt] on their newest Grade I winner, Yaupon,” said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey. “Obviously, the last time they won the Forego at Saratoga it was with Mitole, so we are hopeful Yaupon can close out his racing career in similar fashion. Aside from being extremely fast, Yaupon is one of the best-looking sons of Uncle Mo you will find anywhere. When breeders come out to the farm and see a fast Saratoga Grade I winner by Uncle Mo that is as beautiful as he is on the end of a lead shank, we believe we will get a lot of 'yeses'.”

Added Heiligbrodt: “Yaupon is an absolutely stunning physical with an unbelievable pedigree, and he might have been one of the fastest horses we have ever seen at a 2-year-old-in-training sales,” said Bill Heiligbrodt. “Last year, after four straight wins and two graded stakes, we thought he had a very good chance to win the Breeders' Cup, and he ended up being the favorite in the race. But a very rough trip nullified any chance. After his most recent victory in the Forego, we look forward to returning to the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. Corinne and I have been racing horses since the 1980s and have been lucky to be represented by a lot of nice horses. Yaupon is our best ever when you combine speed, pedigree and conformation.”

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