The 10-year-old stallion was donated to the farm courtesy of Airdrie, who has made three prior contributions to the Old Friends roster.

“It is already evident to me that this well-mannered multiple stakes winner is going to be a real hit with our many visitors to Old Friends,” said John Nicholson, President and CEO of Old Friends. “We are grateful to Bret Jones and all the folks at Airdrie Stud for giving McCraken such a fulfilling retirement and a chance to be celebrated by racing fans everywhere.

Bred and raced by Whitham Thoroughbreds, McCraken, out of the Seeking the Gold mare, Ivory Empress, was foaled on Apr. 13, 2014 in Kentucky. The homebred, trained by Ian Wilkes, closed out his racing career with six wins–three of them graded stakes–and $869,728 in earnings over 14 starts.

McCraken began his stud career at Airdrie Stud in 2019 and he was pensioned following his 2023 season.

“It makes all of us at Airdrie very happy to know that McCraken will live out his retirement in the best possible care,” said Bret Jones, president of Airdrie Stud. “Michael Blowen is a hero of ours and has been a wonderful friend since the earliest days of Old Friends. He began the farm with a vision and has built it into one of the most inspiring legacies in the history of our sport. Airdrie joins the Whitham and Wilkes families in thanking Michael, John Nicholson and the great team at Old Friends for giving McCraken, and all of the horses in their care, the retirement they deserve.”

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Today we caught up with Williams S. Sparks of Monroe, Louisiana. Originally from Arkansas where he grew up attending Oaklawn races with his grandfather, Sparks has assembled a band which reflects his philosophy of breeding to race.

“I'm really deeply committed to breeding a sound racehorse who is going to do what they do best–run,” said Sparks. “Regional breeding and racing are the backbone of this business and I love it. I wish I didn't so much, but I do.”

The Monroe dealership owner boards with Sara Patterson of Cedar Run Farm in Arkansas and with Wayne and Cathy Sweezey in Kentucky, and utilizes Ron Moquett as his conditioner.

BESS (8, Mineshaft–Brenda Leigh, by Forest Wildcat) will be bred to Petrov
This is a hard-knocking mare who made almost $300,000 over 38 starts. I bought Bess as a yearling and raced her until she was claimed away. Ron Moquett and I bought her back. She is in foal to Beau Liam and is in the Arkansas breeding program. Like a lot of other folks, I am impressed with the look of these Petrov foals.

Gunite | Sara Gordon

DANCE FOR DADDY (8, Scat Daddy–Dance to the Sea, by Gone West) will be bred to Gunite
I have bred speed into this mare and her last couple of offspring speak to that, including 3-year-old colt Ceepeegee (Army Mule). This colt broke his maiden in September, and my partner Keith Johnston and I are excited about his prospects. I had actually entered him at last April's OBS and once my wife and I saw him there she asked, “why exactly are you selling this horse?”

Dance For Daddy is currently in foal to Volatile. The next move is to send her to Gunite with hopes for a precocious foal. This mare has shown she can get an early runner. Gunite is a grand-looking horse who proved himself a fighter at the races. I hope he passes that on.

FINE FAMILY (5, Upstart–Great Family, by Harlan's Holiday) will be bred back to Girvin
I was fortunate enough to partner with Bret Jones of Airdrie Stud in racing Fine Family. She is in foal to Girvin for this year and I think the plan is to go back to him. Bret obviously knows what he is doing, so I am just following his lead. Girvin is certainly proving to be a successful sire.

MARTZ (12, Scat Daddy–Opulent, by Meadowlake) will be bred to either Complexity, Nashville or Yaupon
Ron Moquett picked out Martz as a 2-year-old at OBS. We raced her and kept her to breed. She is a big, strong mare who throws lovely foals. I have an affinity for Scat Daddy mares. Martz's best foal so far is MSP Sarah Harper (Vancouver {Aus}) who's mating recommendation was the product of John Prather. Martz has big, nice yearling colt by Astern (Aus), and we are going to breed her to speed. I am certainly liking what I am seeing from both Complexity and Yaupon.

MAXINE'S TAP ROOM (8, Bourbon Courage–Sunday In Malibu, by Malibu Moon) will be bred to The Big Beast
This is a stakes-placed mare who was quick, but who unfortunately had an abbreviated racing career. She's in the Arkansas breeding program and alternates between Arkansas and Kentucky stallions. The Big Beast is going to be a super addition to Arkansas and I'm a fan of the good-looking son of Yes It's True.

Fine Family | Coady Photography

SARAH HARPER (6, Vancouver (Aus)–Martz, by Scat Daddy) will be bred to Nyquist or Street Sense
Our plan with Sarah Harper is to have her compete at Oaklawn this spring and then she will head to the breeding shed. She's just been spectacular and nicks well with a lot of stallions. Wayne [Sweezey] and I are talking it over, but Nyquist or Street Sense are our options in that order.

TIPAZAR (9, Tapizar–Tipsy At Midnight, by Midnight Lute) will be bred to The Big Beast
I raced this mare in partnership with my friend Jim Brown. We are breeding Tipazar in the Arkansas program, and the plan is to continue to alternate every other year with that state entity and then with a Kentucky stallion.

TRIP MOM (16, El Corredor–Fifty Mil Short, by Johannesburg) will be bred to either Highly Motivated or Runhappy
Trip Mom, who I have bred and raced in the Arkansas program, was recommended to me by the late pedigree consultant, Les Brinsfield. Upon entering the business, I had the good fortune to meet Les, and also John Prather through friends George Waggoner and Monty Hinton. They provided me with valuable guidance and endless hours of pedigree discussion.

Interested in sharing your own mating plans? Email garyking@thetdn.com.

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“He has meant a lot to us over the years and I am very thankful that he will be able to continue his career where he will get the mare support he deserves,” said Airdrie's Bret Jones.

“Texas and generally the Southwest is ready to take a big step forward and the addition of such an incredible stallion does just that,” added Marjorie Farm owners John and Elisabeth Hay.

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Jones died Monday at the age of 84 at home after a lengthy illness. Jones served as the Commonwealth's 58^th governor from 1991-95 and as Lt. Governor from 1987-1991. With his wife, Libby, he founded Airdrie Stud in Midway, Kentucky and built it into an internationally renowned thoroughbred horse farm.

“It was his love of horses that brought Brereton Jones to Kentucky, but it was the people of the Commonwealth that made his life so incredibly fulfilling,” read a statement issued by his wife, Libby and children Lucy and Bret. “His greatest pride never came in titles, but in those moments when he could use the gifts God gave him to help someone in need or inspire others to do the same. Our family has lost its hero, our leader, our beloved `Pop,' but our hearts are filled with immeasurable gratitude for both the precious time we shared and the incredible outpouring of love we've received in the wake of his passing. We are overwhelmed by your kindness. Thank you.”

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to any of these charities: Race Track Chaplaincy of America, Old Friends, or Bluegrass Care Navigators.

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As journalists, we must always keep a distance from those we cover, in order to remain neutral in our coverage. But when reporting and writing about a specific topic day in and day out, you can't help but become friends with some of those you encounter.

Brere and I instantly became friends.

We had many on-the-record conversations, and, perhaps more importantly, many off-the-record as well. There are others with whom I cultivated similar relationships, but perhaps none whose ear I bent more when needing information or advice about a particular Thoroughbred industry topic.

When I heard a rumor he was considering a run for lieutenant governor, I phoned Brere and he told me, off the record, the rumor was true. I suggested he meet my late father, Herb, an attorney in Frankfort, Ky., who had worked in numerous Kentucky political campaigns, all the way back to Happy Chandler and his second term as Kentucky governor in the 1950s.

We met at the Frankfort Country Club and subsequently raised funds and courted voters for Brere's elections as lieutenant governor in 1987 and governor in 1991.

I have many stories, but a couple come to mind after he passed away Sept. 18 at age 84.

I recommended he hire Larry Jones to train for him and together they won two Kentucky Oaks, with Proud Spell (2008) and Believe You Can (2012). He always thanked me for the suggestion, and I have lilies from the blankets won by both.

One time I was in New Orleans for an important day of races, and walking down Royal Street late morning, I noticed a man getting his shoes shined. No one knew it was the former governor of Kentucky, and we chatted as the shoeshine man never broke stride.

I asked him once about rising stud fees, and he launched into a soliloquy about the “free enterprise system,” one of his favorite topics. I got the same speech when I once broached the topic of limiting books of mares.

It pleases me Airdrie will continue under the direction of Brere and Libbie's son, Bret, who had an excellent mentor and even better father.

I will miss our conversations, whether about horses and politics. And I will say, on the record, I will miss my friend.

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Helping to head up both the stallion nominations and public sales divisions, Castagnola managed the yearling and breeding stock consignments for Woodford Thoroughbreds for the past nine years.

“I am thrilled to be working with the incredible Airdrie Stud team,” said Castagnola. “It's energizing to be working with a farm this diversified and with such a tremendous history of success. From the beautifully bred mares whose families have been developed over the past five decades, to the dedication in raising their horses to be tough and sound, I have always been a great admirer of the Airdrie formula. I believe our stallion roster, led by the success stories of Girvin, Upstart, Cairo Prince and Collected is one of the most exciting in the industry and I couldn't be looking more forward to being part of what I believe is a very bright future at Airdrie.”

Airdrie said she would continue to be a major presence on the sales grounds as she leads the various Airdrie Stud consignments throughout the sales season. An industry veteran of the last twenty-three years, Castagnola also worked with West Point Thoroughbreds and Taylor Made Sales.

“I could not be more grateful to Shannon for joining our team,” said Airdrie's Bret Jones. “Smart, kind and honest is an incredible combination and it's those qualities that make Shannon so widely respected within our sport. Our breeders will absolutely love working with her and her insight and ideas will be a major reason for Airdrie's future success. We are exceptionally lucky to have her.”

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“We've made ourselves better and stronger with the addition of these two fine gentlemen,” said board member and Del Mar CEO Joe Harper. “When you can pick up a pair of individuals who love racing and have rich histories in the game like they do, it was easy to get a unanimous vote to bring them on.”
Strauss, 65, was originally a New Yorker who had a successful financial career in Manhattan before making a coast-to-coast switch to Del Mar in 1992. There he helped found Provide Commerce, which became one of the nation's top e-commerce companies, including its popular ProFlowers.com and Shari's Berries.

He and his brother, Jeffrey, a master chef, partnered in a hugely popular restaurant they called the Pamplemousse Grille just across the street from Del Mar racetrack. They named their first horse The Pamplemousse and he became a stakes winner. Since then Bill has been a partner in such topline horses as double Breeders' Cup winner Mizdirection and $5.6 million earner Hot Rod Charlie.

“As a long-time Del Mar resident with my wife Margie, and a long time horse owner, I am honored to have been selected to serve on the prestigious Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Board of Directors,” Strauss said. “I am looking forward to working with my fellow board members to carve out a successful future for horse racing in California.”

Jones, 43, is the president of Airdrie Stud. In addition to his new role at Del Mar, he has served on the Breeders' Cup Board of Directors since 2011 and sits on the Keeneland Advisory Board, as well as the Board of Trustees for the University of Kentucky's Markey Cancer Foundation.

“I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity to work with the incredible leadership team at Del Mar,” Jones said. “Anyone who has ever walked through its gates knows how truly special that racetrack is, and anyone who cares about the future of our sport recognizes how vitally important its continued success is for our industry. California racing is a true lynchpin for our sport and its prosperity should be the business of all of us; whether you're from San Diego County or Woodford County, KY. I look forward to helping in any way I can and am honored to be working with an organization I so deeply respect.”

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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.”

These two #AirdrieBred ladies by #GIRVIN are now named FAIZA and BLESSED TOUCH, both are entered in the G1 Starlet S. this weekend. Best of luck to their connections! #tbt #throwbackthursday pic.twitter.com/l0J7oDtwfQ

— Airdrie Stud (@AirdrieStud) December 8, 2022

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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A son of perennial leading sire Into Mischief, Highly Motivated was purchased by Mike Ryan as a weanling on behalf of his owner for $240,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. Entrusted to trainer Chad Brown, Highly Motivated broke his maiden as the 3-5 favorite in September of his 2-year-old year at 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont over future Grade I winner Known Agenda (Curlin). He followed that up with a win in the Nyquist S. on the Breeders' Cup undercard at Keeneland, winning easily by 4 1/4 lengths. His time of 1:14 4 for the 6 1/2 furlongs set the Keeneland track record, and his 96 Beyer Speed Figure represented the highest number of any 2-year-old that competed on the Breeders' Cup Championship weekend–a lineup that included multiple Eclipse Award champion Essential Quality (Tapit) and the multiple Breeders' Cup champion Golden Pal (Uncle Mo). By year's end, only Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) could boast of a higher juvenile figure.

Returning to Keeneland in the spring of his 3-year-old year, Highly Motivated was second to Essential Quality in a memorable edition of the GII Toyota Blue Grass S., where the latter prevailed by a short neck after a long stretch duel. It was a further 5 1/2 lengths back to third-place finisher Rombauer (Twirling Candy), who would return to take the GI Preakness S. Sent off as the 10-1 fifth choice in the GI Kentucky Derby in his next start, Highly Motivated's disappointing 10th-place finish would prove to be the final start of his sophomore season.

Following a nearly year-long layoff, Highly Motivated was brought back to win a mile feature at Belmont Park before making his next start in the GIII Monmouth Cup S, where he posted an easy victory, breaking the nine-furlong track record in 1:46.53 set 37 years prior by Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Spend a Buck. Subsequently injured while training toward the GI Cigar Mile, Highly Motivated retires with a record of 10-4-3-1 and earnings of more than $667,000.

“Highly Motivated was the best colt in our barn at two and three and ran Grade I-winning numbers at both ages,” said trainer Chad Brown. “He's a two-time track-record setter by one of the best stallions in the world. In my opinion, there's not a ceiling on his potential at stud.”

“He's an undeniable talent by a brilliant sire,” added Airdrie's Bret Jones. “He's an absolutely gorgeous Mike Ryan purchase that we believe will be on anyone's short list of the best-looking horses retired this year. Highly Motivated fits the description of so many important sires: a horse with Grade I speed that goes to stud without the benefit of a Grade I on his resume. He deserves the opportunity and we will see that he gets it. Having given us the chance two years ago to stand Complexity, we are again grateful to Seth Klarman for entrusting our Airdrie team with the future of his talented horse.”

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Undefeated in his first five starts, Happy Saver's signature victory came in the historic GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, where he won the race as a 3-year-old in his fourth career start. Most recently, Happy Saver has finished second in each of the last four Grade I races he has contested. Those efforts include runner-up finishes to Flightline (Tapit) in the GI Metropolitan H. and Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GI Whitney S., races in which he finished in front of GISWs Olympiad (Speightstown), Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) and Aloha West (Hard Spun), among others.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher throughout his career, Happy Saver will take a lifetime record of five wins and six graded stakes placings from his 12 lifetime races and earnings of nearly $1.2 million into an expected start in the $6,000,000 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 5.

A regally bred son of the multiple Eclipse Award-winning sire Super Saver, Happy Saver's female family stands as one of the breed's most important. Out of the sprinting black-type Distorted Humor mare Happy Week, Happy Saver's third dam is Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise, dam of the champion racehorse and leading sire A.P. Indy, as well as Classic winner Summer Squall.

(Watch Happy Saver's Keeneland work Friday morning)

“Happy Saver has been a priority for our farm since the day we watched him break his maiden in his debut at Belmont,” said Airdrie's Bret Jones. “He won by five lengths that day and ran the same 1:21 and two-fifths as the seven-furlong Grade I Woody Stephens run on the same card at the same distance. It was a `wow' performance and he has validated that early impression by becoming one of the best racehorses in America. He's a direct descendent of Weekend Surprise and when you combine his female family with that of Super Saver's, it's as rich a genetic bank as any horse that will ever retire to stud. He exemplifies the Wertheimer family's best-in-class breeding program and we are so grateful that they have allowed us to partner with them on a stallion that has the speed, class and charisma to be a really special sire.”

“Winning the Jockey Club as an undefeated 3-year-old takes a very special horse, and that's exactly what we've always believed Happy Saver to be,” added Pletcher. “He's a tremendous talent and runs with as much heart as any horse we lead over. He has all the characteristics I think any breeder would look for in a young stallion.”

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