Bloodstock | Horse Racing Free Tips

Grade 1 Winner Art Collector To Stand At Claiborne Farm Upon Retirement

Art Collector, a Grade 1 winner with over $2.3 million in earnings, will stand at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., upon his retirement from racing.

He has won 10 of 20 starts over a variety of distances and surfaces for owner/breeder Bruce Lunsford, highlighted by a front-running victory in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes in 2021. He was first or second by the first point of call in eight of his 10 wins.

“We are thrilled to stand another exciting stallion prospect for longtime client Bruce Lunsford,” said Walker Hancock. “Art Collector has the qualities we look for in a stallion and we believe he will be very well received among breeders upon his retirement from racing.”

Art Collector has won graded stakes races each year from three to five. He entered national prominence following a four-race winning streak during his 3-year-old season with trainer Thomas Drury Jr., highlighted by a 3 ½-length victory in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland over future Preakness Stakes winner Swiss Skydiver. He also led at every point of call in the listed Runhappy Ellis Park Derby to win by 3 ¼ lengths.

At four, Art Collector was moved to the barn of trainer Bill Mott and went on another notable winning streak, starting with a front-running score in the listed Alydar Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. He then drew off to win the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic by 1 ½ lengths.

Art Collector's summer campaign culminated with a 1 ½-length triumph in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park, where he led at every call to defeat Grade 1 winners Maxfield and Code of Honor, as well as classic-placed Dr Post and Grade 3 winner Forza Di Oro. He earned a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure in the Woodward; one of his seven 100-plus Beyer efforts.

Art Collector's 5-year-old campaign displayed that same consistency, once again tallying victories in the listed Alydar Stakes and Grade 2 Charles Town Classic.

Art Collector is out of the Grade 1-placed stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Distorted Legacy.

A fee will be announced for Art Collector at a later time.

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Bloodlines Presented By No-No Cribbing Collar: Special Me, Dam Of Gina Romantica, Has Spent Her Life Beating The Odds

Gina Romantica, winner of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, is the fourth graded stakes winner from her dam, the Unbridled's Song mare Special Me. The daughter of Into Mischief (by Harlan's Holiday) is the second Grade 1 winner from the mare. All of them were bred by Machmer Hall, Carrie Brogden, and Craig Brogden.

And yet, that these foals even exist is nearly a miracle. Their dam Special Me was born compromised by nocardioform placentitis, a particularly harmful infection of the placenta that frequently results in late-term loss of a pregnancy or a foal that is notably small or low weight.

Obviously, with Special Me, the pregnancy survived, but breeder David Hayden recalled, “She was an absolute midget.

“I know a lot of people wouldn't keep a foal like that, especially one bred on a big stud fee,” Hayden said, and Unbridled's Song stood for $125,000 live foal in 2005, the season that Special Me was conceived. “The vet said, 'Leave the barn and I'll take care of this.' I said, 'No. I can't do that. We're going to play it out.

“She was alive, jumped up and nursed right away, was okay if really small. I couldn't put her down,” Hayden admitted.

That would have been the smart economic decision because Dark Hollow had to pay a big stud fee, then significant vet bills when the young filly ran into a fence and injured her left shoulder, and finally the continuing costs because Special Me couldn't be sold because of her diminutive size, and when put into training, couldn't have outrun me.

“Dave Hayden is the hero of the story,” Carrie Brogden said. “What he did for this mare was amazing. They took a terrible financial hit.”

When Special Me had raced unsuccessfully three times and had just turned three, “we'd had enough and put her in the Keeneland January sale in 2006,” Hayden said. “We knew going in, it was going to be big loss, but on the other side, we claimed the dam of Safely Kept for $11,000, and we've bred our share of good horses.

“We sold her as a broodmare prospect for $6,000, and full marks to Carrie for making it work,” Hayden concluded.

Even the Brogdens' acquisition of Special Me wasn't as straightforward as usual.

“We were ready to claim this mare before she went to the sale, and the trainer that we had to make the claim for us refused to do it,” Carrie recalled. “He said she was the size of a large pony, and he wasn't joking.

“So we didn't get her through a claim. Then we saw she was in the Keeneland January sale, and I went to look at her at David's consignment. He told me all about the placentitis, and I looked at her, and I couldn't resist. I love Unbridled's Song mares.

“The only reason I found her Special Me was that I was specifically searching for Unbridled's Song mares. That's what led me to her at the racetrack, then at the sale.”

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There was no question that the mare was severely compromised by the nocardioform placentitis. And although the disease did not affect this mare's ability to produce good foals, Carrie voiced a caveat about buying other mares of this type: “We have bought four mares who were compromised as foals. Half worked out; half had small foals like themselves. But there's only one Special Me.

“Eltimaas, the dam of [2016 champion sprinter] Drefong, and Special Me have funded our children's educations and our home and operation. It's an amazing experience.”

And normally, the Brogdens would have sold Special Me after her first or second stakes winner.

Carrie Brogden said, “We make our living by selling horses, and normally we sell on the update,” when a mare hits with a big runner, she goes to the sale. “But we had to keep Special Me because she's a large pony … and now we just hope for a safe foaling” with the 16-year-old mare.

The happy owner-breeder said: “Special Me is about 14.2 but is a normal-bodied mare. Her genetics weren't compromised the way that her body was, and she gets beautiful foals.

“When she's done breeding, she'll have a paddock here. This is her home.”

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Handicapping Contest Winner Bradshaw Now A Horse Owner At Horseshoe Indianapolis

Tony Bradshaw is now a horse owner. Bradshaw won the 2022 Road to Louisville handicapping contest this past spring, and part of his winnings were the option to purchase an Indiana-bred yearling from the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Fall Mixed Sale. The sale took place this past weekend and Bradshaw successfully bid on Jailhouse Justice, Hip No. 36, and is now an owner.

Bradshaw, a native of Louisville, is a longtime horseplayer, attending the races with his grandfather when he was a kid. He's had a passion for the sport ever since his childhood but never had the opportunity to get into the game as an owner. That all changed when the hammer dropped at $8,000 for Bradshaw during the ITOBA Sale on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

“This has been the most thrilling experience of my life,” said Bradshaw. “It was a little nerve wrecking as the bidding was going back and forth because there was another person wanting the horse too. This is the horse I wanted. Tony Granitz looked at several of the yearlings prior to the sale and gave me a list of those he thought would be in my price range and this was one of them. Of all of them we looked at, this colt was my top choice.”

Granitz was not at the sale due to a previous commitment, but his assistant, Juan, accompanied Bradshaw through the receiving barn prior to the sale to look at the yearlings. Bradshaw and his friend, Bill Kirchner, drove up from Louisville for the sale, and even though they looked at several yearlings, Bradshaw kept going back to Hip No. 36, Jailhouse Justice.

“I don't know, there was just something about him that caught me eye,” said Bradshaw. “Tony (Granitz) said he had good confirmation and he just seemed spirited, and I really liked that. I don't think I'll change his name. I like it and the 'Justice' horses all do very well. In fact, I've already given him a nickname of 'JJ'.”

“JJ” has gone to Elliott Farms in Brookston, Ind. to begin the process of breaking and training. Once the Harry's Holiday colt has advanced, he will then join the Granitz Stable, which winter trains in Florida. Jailhouse Justice will return to Indiana ready for the 2023 racing season in April.

In the meantime, Bradshaw will take care of paperwork through the Jockey Club to become the official owner of Jailhouse Justice. He will also begin the process of creating and ordering silks for “JJ” to carry when his racing career begins next year.

“It was a long handicapping contest and I'm really surprised I was able to stay on top until the end,” added Bradshaw. “The contest was over in May, so it's been a long time since I won it. But it's been fun every step of the way and I can't wait for next year. The whole thing is really exciting.”

Jailhouse Justice was part of the impressive Justice Farm consignment for the ITOBA Fall Mixed Sale. He is the second foal out of the Dialed In mare Sheltowee's Gold, who won four races and more than $70,000 during her career. Jailhouse Justice is both Indiana-sired and Indiana-bred, making him eligible to many stakes races next summer.

The $30,000 promotion for Bradshaw to purchase Jailhouse Justice was a partnership between ITOBA and Horseshoe Indianapolis. The remaining balance goes into Bradshaw's horse account to cover expenses until “JJ” makes it to the races.

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Keeneland Catalogs 295 For November Horses Of Racing Age Sale

Keeneland has announced 295 horses have been cataloged for the November Horses of Racing Age Sale to be held Nov. 17, the day after the conclusion of the November Breeding Stock Sale.

The catalog is now online at Keeneland.com for the single-session auction for racehorses, which will start at noon ET to enable trainers and racing entities to complete their morning activities before the sale.

The online catalog for the November Horses of Racing Age Sale features Daily Racing Form and Equibase past performances along with Thoro-graph and Ragozin sheets, race replays and more. Horses will be presented for sale at Keeneland but may be offered from off-site locations upon request.

A print catalog for the sale with Equibase past performances for the entrants will be available at Keeneland by Oct. 31.

“Racehorses have traditionally been a popular segment of the November Breeding Stock Sale, and this is the first year Keeneland is featuring them in a stand-alone auction,” Keeneland director of sales operations Cormac Breathnach said. “Horses of racing age are an important aspect of the market, and this sale is growing to support the trade of racehorses as horsemen relocate to winter racing destinations. We are excited about what this sale offers and what it can become.”

Supplements will be considered until sale date. Internet and phone bidding will be available.

Horses of Racing Age Sale graduates from Keeneland November include Grade 1 winners Shedaresthedevil and Combatant, Grade 2 winner Stolen Base and Grade 3 winner Bob and Jackie.

Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale will have 10 sessions starting with a single-day Book 1 on Monday, Nov. 7 and continuing with two sessions in each subsequent book through Wednesday, Nov. 16. A total of 3,698 horses have been cataloged to the sale.

The November Breeding Stock Sale immediately follows the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland on Nov. 4-5.

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