Ack Naughty Supplemented To Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale; November Horses Of Racing Age Sale Adds Eight

Keeneland has supplemented four horses, including Ack Naughty to Book 1 of the 80th November Breeding Stock Sale on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. ET, and has added eight supplements to the November Horses of Racing Age Sale, which begins at noon Nov. 17, the sales organization said in a release Thursday.

Consigned by Sequel New York, agent, Ack Naughty (Hip 246) is an 11-year-old stakes-placed daughter of Afleet Alex who is in-foal to Into Mischief. Her son Practical Move (Practical Joke), winner of the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, will make his next start during the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

“Ack Naughty is already one of the top broodmares in North America with a promising future,” Sequel's Becky Thomas said. “Her second foal, Practical Move, is undefeated in 2023. He has added multiple graded stakes victories to his résumé this year, and he is sure to be a strong favorite in the Breeders' Cup. Mares of this caliber, in foal to Into Mischief, do not become available often, and Sequel is happy to have had the opportunity to both buy and now sell this mare for Chester and Mary Broman at Keeneland.”

Another supplement is Gambling Girl (Hip 245), a 3-year-old stakes-winning filly by Dialed In. Consigned by Highgate Sales, agent, she is out of Tulipmania, a winning daughter of Empire Maker.

Additional supplements to the November Sale are:

  • Hip 247 is Lady Edith (Street Boss) who is consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
  • Hip 248 is a weanling filly by Authentic who is consigned by Paramount Sales, agent.

The November Breeding Stock Sale covers a total of nine sessions through Nov. 16 and supplements to Book 1 will continue to be accepted until then.

Keeneland will begin its November Horses of Racing Age Sale the next day with supplements will be considered until the day of the sale. A total of 285 horses have been cataloged, including eight additions, which include:

  • Hip 4280 is Meow Meow Hiss, a 3-year-old filly by Creative Cause who is a half-sister to recent GI American Pharoah S. runner-up Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso) is consigned by Hidden Brook, agent.
  • Hip 4284 is Tyson, a 4-year-old Tapit colt who this year captured the GII Seagram Cup and the GIII Dominion Day S. and was third in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup and the GII Eclipse S. He is consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent.

Click here for the November Breeding Stock Sale catalog and here for the November Horses of Racing Age Sale catalog.

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Tapit Tops 2024 Stud Fees At Gainesway

Three-time leading North American sire Tapit will stand for $185,000 S&N on the heels of another strong season for his offspring both on the racetrack and in the sales ring, Gainesway Farm said in a press release Thursday morning in an announcement of its 2024 stallion roster and their advertised stud fees for the next breeding season.

Olympiad, a Grade I-winning son of Speightstown, will stand his second season at stud for $35,000. Breeders sent over 200 mares to be part of the 5-year-old's inaugural book. Meanwhile, McKinzie, a four-time Grade I-winning son of Street Sense, will stand for $30,000 after his first yearlings went to auction this year.

Young stallions Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music), Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Spun to Run (Hard Spun) will each stand for $10,000.

GI Belmont S. hero Tapwrit will stand for $7,500 and rounding out the roster is GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein), whose fee will be announced at a later time.

Here is the complete list of the 2024 stallion roster and advertised fees:

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This Side Up: Whether For Hard Profit Or Soft Power, Passion Is No Commodity

It's the transfer window over in Europe–and not just because they're between soccer seasons. They have also seen big money paid, both at auction and in private trade, to switch jockey silks at Royal Ascot this week.

A couple of the top races have been won by a significant new investor, Wathnan Racing. Apparently, the people involved were eager to maintain a low profile, but it's tricky to remain incognito when the meeting's most storied trophy is being presented by the new King of England while Frankie Dettori, that least retiring of retiring jockeys, is cavorting in your colors in the foreground.

Though unable to be present himself, the man behind Wathnan was duly revealed as the Emir of Qatar, whose brother and cousin have already been valued investors on the European Turf for some time.

The British breeders who respectively sold the Emir homebreds to win the G1 Gold Cup and G2 Queen's Vase are both indebted to the priceless heritage of British racing, which keeps it far more competitive than its internationally inadequate prizemoney would otherwise allow. Investment from overseas–whether in deals like these, or at public auction–is often the only thing that can keep a British racing and breeding program in the game.

Over the years, of course, the wider debt of horsemen everywhere to Middle Eastern investment has been incalculable. Primarily this has been animated by personal passion, for the horse. With time, however, the Maktoums also began to explore sport's value to the kind of agendas that come under the umbrella of “soft power.”

Two Phil's | Coady Photography

That's an increasingly important element in the other, far more prominent transfer window of the European sporting summer. This week A.C. Milan supporters were shocked by the abrupt defection of young midfielder Sandro Tonali to Newcastle, a British club recently catapulted into the elite by new Saudi ownership. Tonali, a boyhood Milan fan, is a born leader and nobody envisaged him being anything other than club captain a decade from now. That even he should turn out to have his price, then, will have spooked even supporters of rival clubs, who will see that no player can nowadays be considered safe from poaching by wealthier leagues. Indeed, a massive recruitment surge by Saudi Arabia's own domestic league may yet require the English Premier League, accustomed to devouring the best of the rest, eventually to have a taste of its own medicine.

In our own sport, the Big 'Cap once represented the most glittering of prizes. But nowadays its obvious candidates are more likely to head halfway round the world to contest staggering purses in the desert. While racing obviously represents a trifling branch of the soft power tree, the insouciance with which the Saudis could lay on a prize so much bigger than even the G1 Dubai World Cup means that we cannot be surprised by the recent experiences of golf and now soccer.

Yet whatever prompts the injection of cash, whether soft power or hard profit, everyone needs to remember that the lifeblood of all sport is investment of another kind: emotion.     And if passion is treated as a commodity, you will ultimately invite disaffection. Because the one thing that can't be quantified on a balance sheet is the heart of a fan. That's about heritage, identity, formative experience.

This is just as true of racetracks as it is of soccer clubs. Okay, so you might make more money in the short term, for instance, by cashing out one of the most cherished spectator experiences anywhere on the Turf, at Arlington Park. But if we end up with a bunch of soulless gaming facilities, which happen to maintain ancillary ovals in front of deserted concrete sheds, then in a generation or two we won't have a sport at all.

In a world where everything is for sale, then, a horse like Two Phil's (Hard Spun) stands heroically against the tide. He reminds us that sport often depends, for fan engagement, on things money can't buy: pluck and luck.

Reverting to soccer, a lot of American investors (accustomed to sealed franchises) were perplexed when proposals for a European Super League had to be abandoned overnight after the clubs' own fans furiously rejected the removal of jeopardy. They understood, as the club owners didn't, how vital it is that even the biggest clubs, if performing badly enough, should be vulnerable to relegation; and equally that the little guy, showing sufficient merit, can supplant the underachiever.

Lord Miles | Ryan Thompson

Imagine what the Kentucky Derby would be like if restricted to horses that either cost seven figures, or homebred by six-figure covers. As it was, we could root for a blue-collar hero, whose connections had in effect been evicted from their cherished Chicago circuit by the ruthlessness of the same company that hosted the Derby.

Two Phil's was bred from the only Thoroughbred ever bought by the Sagan family (for $40,000) and was ignored by every expert in Book 1. Yet he absorbed a pace that burned off all those around him, before seeing off all bar a single closer.

Unlike Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), who once changed hands for $17,000 before showing a similarly big heart on the Classic trail a couple of years ago, Two Phil's was not asked to grit out another Triple Crown race. Instead, he resumes his campaign Saturday, eyeing an open sophomore championship, in the GIII Ohio Derby.

It's a hop from Lake Michigan to Lake Erie for many around his ownership crew, who will doubtless have noticed that the GIII Chicago S.–a race, it goes without saying, formerly staged at Arlington–has found its latest sanctuary downriver from Ohio, at Ellis Park, while the Churchill team deal with other issues. Their initial efforts to do so included standing down not just Lord Miles (Curlin), who also resurfaces in the Ohio Derby, but even the champion juvenile.

To that extent, at least, they understand how community engagement is crucial to commercial viability. Because the one transfer window that will never close is the one that allows fans to take their hearts–not to mention their business–elsewhere.

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Ask Your Veterinarian Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: A Vet Perspective On The Stud Book Limit

Veterinarians at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital answer your questions about sales and healthcare of Thoroughbred auction yearlings, weanlings, 2-year-olds and breeding stock. If you have a question for a veterinarian, email us info at paulickreport.com .

QUESTION: Colts born this year will be the first subject to the newly-announced cap on stud book at the end of their careers. What are your thoughts on that as a veterinarian?

DR. CHARLIE SCOGGIN: In May 2020, The Jockey Club of North America (TJC) announced a rule whereby Thoroughbred colts born in 2020 or later will have their stud book limited to 140 mares once they begin their breeding careers. According to a statement by the stewards of TJC, this limit was established to: “promote diversity of the Thoroughbred gene pool and protect the long-term health of the breed.”

Note that horses born prior to 2020 will not be subject to this rule, thus allowing their book size to be determined by individual stud farms.

This new rule has many layers, and as a scientist and specialist in reproduction, I believe it has a lot of merit. First, consider the notion of whether or not the Thoroughbred gene pool has become narrower and/or shallower during the modern era. This concept appears to be backed by sound science. Using pedigree analyses and cutting-edge cytogenomic methods, independent researchers from around the world have demonstrated a decline in genetic diversity throughout the global population of Thoroughbreds. One of these studies, published in Nature this year, demonstrated an association between certain sire lines and an increase in in-breeding within the population of horses studied. These particular sires were deemed highly influential or “popular” based upon certain characteristics of their progeny that made them elite on the track, in the sale ring, or both. Their popularity led to increased numbers of their progeny but a reduction in genetic diversity. Studies have also indicated in-breeding has accelerated over the past few decades, which has been due to many factors — such as increased access to stallions — and will be covered shortly.

Dr. Charlie Scoggin

Whether this book limit will, as stated by TJC, “protect the long-term health of the breed” assumes the practice of in-breeding could have an adverse effect on the breed. To my knowledge, no definitive studies exist demonstrating a clear association between in-breeding and poor performance in Thoroughbreds. However, there is evidence in other species demonstrating the negative issues encountered when family trees fail to branch properly. There is also credible data in cattle and pigs regarding how deepening and widening their respective gene pools has had measurable benefits on their progeny.  The term hybrid vigor is used to describe the phenomenon of improving genetic diversity and has spawned the widespread use of industry-supported metrics to maximize the genetic potential of the sire and dam. Examples are expected progeny differences (EPDs), which are usually available to all beef and pork producers and supported by their respective industries. Not only do EPDs lend well to maintaining hybrid vigor, but they also provide another level of quality control that translates into a better end product.

Regarding the question of whether modern day breeding practices are adversely affecting Thoroughbreds, I believe they have evolved because of science, especially with respect to continued improvements in our understanding of reproductive physiology and management of common conditions affecting fertility. Nevertheless, nature does have its limits, and certain statistics suggest Thoroughbred stallions may be reaching their limits in terms of book size. As background, book sizes for individual stallions have increased significantly over the past two decades. The following data was gleaned from evaluating the online records from TJC:

  • For all of North American Thoroughbred stallions, the average book size per stallion in 2008 was 16.2 mares/stallion; in 2019, it was 25.7 mares/stallion
  • In Central Kentucky, the average book size per stallion in 2008 was 59.6 mares/stallion; in 2019, it was 78.3 mare/stallion
  • The migration towards larger books is also evident when evaluating the proportion of stallions with relatively large book sizes. In 2005, 1.4% (53/3,711) of all stallions had book sizes > 120 mares; in 2019, this proportion almost tripled to 5.9% (67/1,135) for all stallions with a book size > 120 mares.

As to what impact increased breeding frequency and/or larger book sizes can have on stallion fertility, the science appears to be mixed and dependent on individual stallions. In 2007, a study from the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reported foaling rates of 58, 67 and 72% for stallions with book sizes between 41 and 80 mares, 81 and 120 mares and more than 120 mares, respectively. This report suggested foaling rates improved with increasing book size.

Regarding daily usage rates, a more recent study described a reduction in per-cycle pregnancy rates when stallions performed more than three covers daily for seven consecutive days. As mentioned earlier, access to certain stallions has significantly increased over the past several decades, and not solely because of increasing book sizes. Shuttling to the Southern Hemisphere is another duty some popular stallions will perform, which leads to increased use and, by extension, a greater number of progeny born in a calendar year. The effect of dual-hemisphere matings were evaluated in 2017, and researchers reported higher fertility in stallions bred in the Southern Hemisphere, where average book sizes were numerically lower (120.8 mares/stallion), than in the Northern Hemisphere (155.8 mares/stallion). Also of interest was the trend of reduced fertility in novice stallions as their book sizes increased. These findings were indeed intriguing but certainly not definitive, particularly as it pertained to a limit in book size.

As to what this limit is, TJC has decided it is 140 mares. My perspective as a veterinarian deems this number both fair and reasonable. My rationale is due in a large part to a previous precedent: The United States Trotting Association (USTA) established a 140 mare limit over 10 years ago. While there were grumblings and even a few lawsuits initially, it was my impression most stakeholders moved on to more pressing issues. It is also important to note the USTA permits the use of artificial insemination and embryo transfer, but it is my understanding they only allow one foal to be registered per mare per year.

Perhaps I am comparing apples to oranges, but there is no denying both are fruits. Another reason why I like the number 140 is that it's a harmonic divisor number, which means it can be divided by multiple and different denominators. Consequently, 140 can be broken down into easily divisible numbers as would be needed when establishing the number of shares for a syndicate. For these two reasons, the number 140 seems logical to me. It is also pretty cool to be able to use college mathematics to make an argument, which does not happen very often.

What does happen fairly often is me failing to see another side of an argument or failing to be empathetic. Admittedly, my perspective lacks that of a breeder or bloodstock agent and fails to account for changes in the global and equine markets. It also does not account for The Law of Unintended Consequences that often plays out when restrictions are placed on biological entities. Only time will tell what impact this new rule will have on the Thoroughbred breed, but, as an advocate of the horse and of science, I hope it achieves its objectives. In my opinion, not only will it help sustain the Thoroughbred breed, it will also help evolve it.

Dr. Scoggin holds a master's degree in equine reproductive physiology in addition to his DVM and worked as resident veterinarian at a breeding farm near Paris, Ky., for seven years. He is a Diplomate of the American College of theriogenologists and joined Rood and Riddle's reproduction department in 2015. He is an affiliate faculty member in the clinical sciences department at Colorado State University.

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