Tag: Bloodstock

After a season of near perfection that included six stakes wins, Daniel Lopez and George Chestnut's homebred Chub Wagon was named 2021 Pennsylvania-bred Horse of the Year at the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association's 43rd annual Iroquois Awards, held May 13 at The Inn at Mendenhall in Chadds Ford, Pa.

The richest state-bred of 2021 when banking $487,400, Chub Wagon scored in eight of her nine starts at age 4, and was second in her only loss. After getting her first stakes win in the Unique Bella at Parx in April by 7 1/2 lengths, she followed with wins in the Skipat and Shine Again Stakes at Pimlico, and Dashing Beauty Stakes at Delaware Park. She rebounded off a second-place finish in the Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial at Parx on Pennsylvania Day At the Races in August to take the Roamin Rachel against open company by four lengths two weeks later. She concluded her season in late September by winning the Plum Pretty Stakes in her first start beyond a mile.

A daughter of Lopez's homebred stallion Hey Chub out of the Lion Heart mare Takin The Plunge, Chub Wagon also took home awards for champion older female and champion female sprinter.

The evening's keynote speaker was Triple Crown-winning jockey Steve Cauthen, now a breeder/owner in Kentucky. The PHBA's Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in breeding in the state was presented to George Strawbridge Jr., who over the course of the past five decades bred such Pennsylvania-bred standouts as Breeders' Cup Turf winner Tikkanen and five-time Grade 1 winner With Anticipation.

Other divisional champions were:

Two-year-old female—Morning Matcha (Central Banker – Home Ice, by Iam the Iceman); bred by Crane Thoroughbred Services LLC.

Two-year-old male—Dance Code (Honor Code – Dancinginthestreet, by Street Boss); bred Blackstone Farm LLC.

Three-year-old female—Leader of the Band (Bandbox – Catsuit, by Sir Cat); bred by SMD Limited.

Three-year-old male and male sprinter—Beren (Weigelia – Silmaril, by Diamond); bred Susan C. Quick and Christopher J. Feifarek.

Older male and turf male—The Critical Way (Tizway – Critical Factor, by Star de Naskra); bred by Blackstone Farm LLC.

Turf female—Caravel (Mizzen Mast – Zeezee Zoomzoom, by Congrats); bred by Elizabeth M. Merryman.

The PHBA recognized State Senator Camera Bartolotta (Beaver, Greene and Washington Counties), Senator Pat Browne (Lehigh County) and State Representative Stan Saylor (York County) with Legislator Awards. Black Oak Farm, a Thoroughbred aftercare program and partner farm of Turning for Home, was presented the PHBA Award of Merit.

Additional PHBA awards were presented to Pennsylvania-preferred female Vault (by Jump Start) and Beren (by Weigelia) as top Pennsylvania-bred and sired runners; Thoroughbred Makeover Top Pennsylvania-bred Aiken Prep; and Broodmare of the Year Zeezee Zoomzoom, dam of Caravel and Iroquois Award 2-year-old male finalist Witty.

The post Chub Wagon Named 2021 Pennsylvania-Bred Horse Of The Year appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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When Rich Strike completed his comeback victory in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, it was the win of a lifetime for all the connections of the claiming horse, turned 80-1 Derby winner.

For Ontario breeder Susan Foreman, who purchased a half-sister to Rich Strike at the 2022 Keeneland January Sale through the Mare Purchase Program, a component of Ontario Racing's Thoroughbred Improvement Program, the result was beyond her wildest dreams.

“I didn't even know Rich Strike was entered into the Derby until Saturday,” said Foreman. “I was watching on the farm, because I was foal watching with a friend, and I turned to her and said, I have the half-sister to the Kentucky Derby winner.”

Foreman was at the Keeneland January Sale, trying to purchase for a client, but was out-bid due to a hot market. She went back to her hotel on Monday evening of the sale, and was looking through the supplement book when she saw Ontario Bred Unostrike (Macho Uno – Gold Strike, By Smart Strike) was an RNA at $22,000.

“What immediately caught my attention was she was in-foal to Caravaggio, a gorgeous son of Scat Daddy,” said Foreman. “She's out of a Canadian champion mare, (Gold Strike), a Smart Strike mare. It was a just beautiful page for me to take home to Canada.”

Foreman thinks Unostrike was overlooked due to a combination of a low reserve price, not yet producing a black type winner, and several horses selling for high prices which diverted a attention at the sale.

The Tottenham, Ontario based breeder called the consignor, St George Sales, and arranged to meet at 8 a.m. to look at the chestnut mare.

“When I got there, it took me two seconds to say I'm not leaving without this mare,” said Foreman. “She's beautiful. She's 16.1. She's correct and very good looking and had an early cover date to Caravaggio.”

Forman purchased Unostrike in-foal to Caravaggio for $25,000, half of which was covered by the Mare Purchase Program. She foaled a filly on Feb. 17.

“She is a lovely mare to be around, a good mom, and it's a beautiful foal,” said Forman. “Her nickname's Fancy. She's the niece of the Derby winner out of a hot stallion. I couldn't be happier.”

Unostrike has also two fillies, Aurum (Munnings), and Virtually (Speightster) who have worked well this spring prior to making their 2022 debuts.

Aurum, a 4-year-old, broke her maiden in 2021, and worked five furlongs in 1:01:20 on two occasions. Virtually was unraced at two and worked four furlongs at Keeneland in 46:80 on April 24.

Foreman plans to sell the Caravaggio filly as a yearling, so she will be watching Rich Strike closely in the Belmont and her other runners this summer and next.

With Unostrike back in foal to Maximum Security, a four-time Grade 1 winner, and first across the line in the 2019 Kentucky Derby before being disqualified, American classic pedigree is everywhere on Foreman's farm these days.

The post Half-Sister To Kentucky Derby Winner Rich Strike At Home In Ontario appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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