Tag: brad grady

Airdrie-Bred Girvin Fillies Meet Again in Starlet

Born just a day apart in the same foaling barn, two daughters of Girvin once roamed the same Bluegrass fields in their early days at Airdrie Stud. On Saturday, the duo will meet again as 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza and stakes-placed Blessed Touch enter the starting gate for the GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Race Course.

The Brereton C. Jones-bred fillies represent two of the 20 winners this year for fast-starting first-crop stallion Girvin, who has relocated from Ocala Stud to Airdrie for the 2023 breeding season. With four stakes winners including GII Saratoga Special-winning 'Rising Star' Damon's Mound already on his list of progeny, a Grade I score on Saturday could be the bow on top of a spectacular season for Girvin as the year comes to a close.

Faiza will be the clear favorite in this weekend's lone graded contest. The Bob Baffert-trained, Michael Lund Petersen-campaigned filly earned 'Rising Star' honors on debut last month at Del Mar going six furlongs.

Out of the Smart Strike mare Sweet Pistol, who is a half to MGSW and Spendthrift sire Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile), Faiza has improved at every step of her career. A shrewd $90,000 purchase for Bet Racing at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale, she was sent to Paul Sharp and went on to fetch $725,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale.

“She was a beautiful filly from the start,” Airdrie's Bret Jones recalled. “We always thought she was right at the top of that foal crop and we had her in the July Sale to try and show off what the stallion was producing. Everyone who has ever had the filly has been pretty over-the-top with her. The reports along the way have been a lot of fun to hear about and then to see it all come to fruition in that first race had us really pumped. She has the look of a very special filly.”

Blessed Touch will be another top choice in the Starlet's field of seven. The elder of the two Girvin fillies by one day, she is out of the Street Boss mare Blushing Touch and is from the family of champion Left Bank (French Deputy). A $32,000 Keeneland September purchase for Julie Davies, Blessed Touch went on to sell for $140,000 at the OBS April Sale to Pierre and Leslie Amestoy and Roger Bersley.

Trained by Tim Yakteen, the bay broke her maiden at second asking by nearly nine lengths and then ran second to talented 'Rising Star' Justique (Justify) in the Desi Arnaz S.

“Unfortunately Blessed Touch's dam has passed away, but she left behind a very nice filly,” Jones said. “She ran a winning race in the Desi Arnaz and just ran into a really good filly that day. If she can take a step forward, she has the chance to be really competitive.”

In comparing Faiza and Blessed Touch, Jones said that the two juveniles share their sire's athleticism.

“When Girvin is on the shank, I think it's his athleticism that really stands out,” Jones explained. “Both of these fillies fit that same description when they were with us. They were really athletic types and looked like they could do the job.”

Girvin raced to three graded stakes victories, including the 2017 GI Haskell Invitational S., for Brad Grady before retiring to Ocala Stud. He stood his first four years there as property of Brad and Misty Grady's Grand Oaks Farm in partnership with Airdrie Stud.

“It was a partnership that was very attractive to us,” Jones said. “It was as much about who we were partnering with as it was the horse that we were partnering on. Brad has done everything he can to help the stallion and we have done our part by sending mares down to Florida every year. Ocala Stud did a remarkable job promoting him and making sure the horse had every opportunity.”

Girvin will stand for $25,000 in 2023 | EquiSport

Girvin stood for an introductory fee of $7,500 in Florida and bred 149 mares. When that first crop hit the racetrack this year, Jones said that Girvin didn't give his partnership much of a choice when it came to where he would stand in 2023.

“We've been run over by mare submissions and the horse is essentially full. He's now at a price point of $25,000, so the mare quality that he's getting is fantastic. These are some of the top breeders in the industry that want to send mares to him. We will be breeding some of the absolute best mares in our band and Brad Grady will be doing the same, just as he has from the start.”

Jones credits Girvin's early achievements at stud to the quality of mares his partners have supported him with and the athleticism the son of Tale of Ekati showed on the racetrack that he is now passing on to his offspring.

“He's this beautiful, talented and athletic horse that maybe didn't have the sire power that people perceived as being needed to stand initially in Kentucky,” he explained. “But if you go back now after the horse has had some success, it's not too hard to see why success was always possible.”

Girvin currently ranks a close seventh on the list of leading American first-crop sires by earnings. A productive turnout from his two Starlet-bound fillies could give him an extra boost before the end of the year.

“It's a loaded group of first-crop stallions this year,” Jones said. “When you come in with a $7,500 stallion, it's going to be a tough group to compete with. But if he could put up a Grade I winner and combine that with the body of work he already has, it would be the icing on the cake of a pretty phenomenal freshman season and hopefully a harbinger of some very special days ahead.”

Bob Baffert has won the last five editions of the Starlet, and his 7-5 morning line favorite Faiza will make her two-turn debut alongside stablemates Doinitthehardway (Street Sense), an improving maiden adding distance in her fourth start, and Fast and Shiny (Bernardini). The field also includes Repole Stable's Uncontrollable (Upstart), the runner-up in the GII Chandelier S., and Pride of the Nile (Pioneerof the Nile), who makes her main track debut after three promising starts on turf.

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Girvin Relocates to Airdrie Stud

Fast-starting freshman sire Girvin (Tale of Ekati–Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon) will relocate to Airdrie Stud for the 2023 breeding season. The 8-year-old stallion, who began his stud career at the O'Farrell family's Ocala Stud, is already the sire of 12 winners from 23 starters, including the GII Saratoga Special S. winner Damon's Mound and Astoria S. winner Devious Dame.

Girvin, who raced in the silks of Brad Grady for trainer Joe Sharp, won the 2017 GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational, as well as that year's GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby and GII Risen Star S.

He retired to Ocala Stud following his 4-year-old season and stood as a partnership between Brad and Misty Grady's Grand Oaks Farm and Airdrie Stud in a deal brokered by West Bloodstock.

Airdrie's Bret Jones said the opportunity to partner with the Grady and O'Farrell families was a major draw for the farm's investment in Girvin.

“We had great belief in Girvin's potential as a stallion, but just as importantly, we knew that every partner was going to be pulling in the same direction to give the him the greatest possible chance,” said Jones. “Ocala Stud have done a fantastic job both supporting and promoting the horse and the commitment that Brad has made has been extraordinary. He deserves every bit of good luck that comes his way. As for Girvin, he's been tipping his hand since his first foals hit the ground. He throws beautiful babies, had a monster juvenile sales season and I think his 2-year-olds have been as impressive on the track as any first-season stallion in America. He's giving every indication that he can be a big-time Kentucky stallion and we couldn't be more excited about him.”

Grady, and bloodstock agent Bobby Dodd, purchased Girvin for $130,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton October sale.

“When Bobby Dodd and I first bought Girvin he was a beautiful, strong colt, that looked fast,” said Grady. “As a yearling, Mr. Beau Lane told Bobby and I that we had a serious horse and explained his depth of pedigree in a way that two rednecks could understand. Bobby was always high on Girvin and gave him the accolades of a freak. He had a minor setback as a 2-year-old that kept us from pinhooking him. We had the chance to race him, and he took us on the ride of a lifetime that we will never forget. It was a very easy decision to support him for both Misty and I, and when we got a glimpse of his first foals, we knew we did the right thing  for him and us. He has more than blessed our family. We are grateful to Airdrie Stud and Ocala Stud for supporting Girvin, and giving him the best possible chance for success.”

Girvin has arrived at Airdrie and is available for viewing.

The post Girvin Relocates to Airdrie Stud appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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U Glow Girl Another Spa Winner for Girvin

7th-Saratoga, $83,000, Msw, 8-17, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:12.28, ft, 7 1/4 lengths.
U GLOW GIRL (f, 2, Girvin–Mexican Miss {SW, $121,055}, by More Than Ready) was one of two in this auction price-restricted maiden with previous racetrack experience, having faded to be a distant third after setting the pace as the favorite in a similar spot July 20. Bet down to 1.15-1 favoritism to give her freshman sire (by Tale of Ekati) his eighth first-crop winner, U Glow Girl contested the early pace outside of Ruler of the Night (Midnight Lute) and wrested command from that one midway on the turn. Roused right-handed by Flavien Prat nearing the entrance to the stretch, U Glow Girl padded her advantage and reported home a 7 1/4-length winner. Risk Free (American Freedom) finished with interest down the center for second ahead of the once-raced Crypto Mama (Cloud Computing). Mexican Miss, who won the Jersey Lilly S. for Brad Grady after being claimed for $30,000 five months prior, has had a standing date with Girvin since, but did not produce a foal the last two seasons. Sales history: $36,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $28,000 RNA Ylg '21 FTKJUL; $50,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $55,610. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Steve Landers; B-Brad & Misty Grady (FL); T-Brad H Cox.

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Sharp Points Fast Boat To Kentucky Downs, Breeders’ Cup

Three years ago when trainer Joe Sharp came to Saratoga, he finished the meet with eight winners from 29 starters, which was his best performance since bringing horses to the Spa in 2015. Heading into Sunday's card, Sharp is not that far from reaching that mark, boasting a record of 22-6-0-1 with purse earnings of $329,361.

“It has been a great meet,” he said. “Obviously, we had some good racing luck with the right kind of horses. We have been fortunate to get some good racing luck and getting everything lined up.”

Two of his winners were for owner Brad Grady led by Grade 3 Troy-winner Fast Boat and maiden-winner Flint Ridge.

Fast Boat, a 6-year-old gelding, came off the pace with jockey Tyler Gaffalione to catch longshot Carotari near the finish to win his second graded stakes race in the Troy at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Sharp said the firm Saratoga course benefitted Fast Boat, who couldn't make as powerful of a run when he finished sixth in the Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., over a good turf course.

“Tyler rode him great,” Sharp said. “The biggest thing that seems to help him is the firm turf course. It was very firm that day. His turn-of-foot is much more significant. If you look at the Jaipur, we got so much rain the night before. Johnny [Velazquez] said he was closing into it, but he didn't have that explosiveness when he couldn't get hold of the ground.”

Sharp said Fast Boat is currently back at his farm in Kentucky before going back into training for a stakes race at Kentucky Downs, then onward to the Breeders' Cup.

“He doing great,” he said. “He came home a couple of days after that race. We do that after all of his races. We turn him out for about a week to 10 days. He likes it with the small paddock.”

Flint Ridge, a 3-year-old son of Into Mischief purchased for $320,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, rebounded from a disappointing debut at Churchill Downs with a two-length maiden win after engaging in a pace battle while wearing blinkers for the first time on August 14.

Dylan Davis engineered the winning trip in the 6 1/2-furlong main-track event for 3-year-olds and up.

“We were high on him for the first time out,” Sharp said “He had been training well at Keeneland and shipped over the Churchill Downs on the day of the race. I think it took him by surprise a little bit. The gates opened and he got out-footed. We were very disappointed.

“When he got up here, his works were on point,” he added. “I was really impressed with that race. That was a tough trip. I was happy to see Dylan get him in the race with the blinkers. To take pressure from both sides and still be able to fight on at the end, that was definitely impressive.”

Sharp indicated that he plans to bring Flint Ridge back to Kentucky for the fall.

Another maiden winner from Sharp's barn was Lady Danae, who came off the pace over the turf course to win her first start by two lengths with Luis Saez aboard on August 13. While Sharp trained her mostly on the dirt, Saez believed the 2-year-old was a possible turf horse.

“At Keeneland, she was working really fast on the dirt,” Sharp said. “When we got up here, the track was a lot deeper. Luis Saez had worked her a couple of times in the morning and he said it twice, 'I really like her, but I think she's turf.' That was as impressive as it was with a first-outer that I've had from a horse.”

Just like with Fast Boat, Sharp indicated that Lady Danae is also being pointed for a stakes race at Kentucky Downs. He also added that Classic Lynne will pass on Friday's Seeking The Ante for another maiden race.

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