Saturday, October 28, 2023
4th-KYO, ¥13,720,000 ($92k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m
PARIS PLAGES (f, 2, Uncle Mo–Paris Bikini, by Bernardini), a half-sister to 2020 GI Coaching Club American Oaks winner Paris Lights (Curlin), was acquired in utero by Katsumi Yoshida for $1.95 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale and Paris Bikini produced this filly Feb. 17, 2021 before being exported to Japan in foal to American Pharoah. Paris Bikini is a daughter of SP Lacadena (Nureyev), herself the dam of GSW & MGISP America (A.P. Indy), who was bought back for $3.1 million in foal to Uncle Mo at FTKNOV in 2019. America is the dam of MGSW/GISP 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain (Curlin). Third dam Butterfly Blue (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) was a half-sister to Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister). B-Northern Racing (KY)

AMERICAN MARCH (c, 2, Cajun Breeze–Goldminer's Dream, by Distorted Humor) becomes his sire's first offspring to race in Japan, having been purchased by Yoshizawa Stable for $100,000 at this year's OBS March Sale (under-tack preview). The Florida-bred is out of an unraced daughter of SW Quite a Ruckus (Richter Scale) and his third dam was responsible for GSW and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Excaper (Exchange Rate). Joao Moreira has the riding assignment. B-Tom McCrocklin (FL)

Sunday, October 29, 2023
2nd-NII, ¥10,480,000 ($70k), Maiden, 2yo, 1200m
GRAN ORCA (c, 2, Liam's Map–Layla, by Union Rags) looks to improve on his Sept. 24 debut in the slop at Nakayama, where he found only the well-meant Historiai (Liam's Map) too strong in the finish (see below, SC 7). Produced by a winning full-sister to GISW Express Train, the joint most-expensive of 58 of his sire's progeny to sell in 2022 (75 ring). Gran Orca's third dam was 1992 GI Alabama S. heroine November Snow (Storm Cat). B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY)

The post Half-Sister To GISW Paris Lights Debuts at Kyoto appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Yates and Cajun Breeze will be represented in both the $250,000 Grade 3 Holy Bull and $100,000 G3 Swale on Saturday's Gulfstream program that will also feature the $100,000 G3 Forward Gal, $100,000 G3 Kitten's Joy and $100,000 Sweetest Chant.

Yates is scheduled to saddle Cajun's Magic for the Holy Bull, the first graded stakes on the Road to the G1 Florida Derby, and Dean Delivers for the Swale, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.

Cajun Breeze, a stakes-placed son of Congrats who won four of 33 starts while primarily competing in allowance and stakes company for Yates, is the sire of both 3-year-olds, both of whom are owned by Stonehedge LLC. After being represented by a pair of stakes winners in his very limited first crop in 2018, Cajun Breeze was moved from Yates' Shadybrook Farm to stand at stud at Stonehedge Farm to advance his stallion career.

Cajun's Breeze's offspring have demonstrated versatility and toughness.

“They're just very solid horses that have really good minds,” Yates said. “A lot of them have a lot of raw talent. I feel like we haven't seen the best of them yet.”

Yates opted to run Cajun's Magic in the Holy Bull due to his experience around two turns. After winning the six-furlong Dr. Fager and finishing second in the seven-furlong Affirmed in the first two legs of the 2021 Florida Sire Stakes series, he finished a very game second behind favored Octane in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality final.

“We didn't want to run them in the same race, and Cajun's Magic already ran a mile and a sixteenth in the sire stakes and ran a good race,” Yates said. “I think he's better now than he was then. Even though he's coming off a layoff, he's been training really well.”

Cajun's Magic will take on eight rivals, including G2 Remsen winner Mo Donegal, Breeders' Cup Juvenile third-place finisher Giant Game and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf second-place finisher Tiz the Bomb.

Dean Delivers finished a dead-game second in his return off a five-month layoff after battling favored Dean's List through the stretch before coming up just a neck short of victory.

“I thought it was a huge effort, especially off the layoff. He didn't get away from the gate very well, but it may have been a blessing in disguise because there was a hot pace,” Yates said. “I thought he ran a great race.”

Dean Delivers graduated at first asking by 7 1/2 lengths before finishing a neck behind Cajun's Magic in the Dr. Fager.

“He's worked very well. His work between races was the deciding factor. I was anticipating running him in a Florida-bred allowance race,” Yates said. “Being that he ran such a big race off the layoff, you got to worry about the bounce factor a little bit, but he's gone so forward and is doing really well, we decided to take a shot and see what we have.”

Dean Delivers will face five opponents Brad Cox-trained In Dreams, a winner of his last two starts at Churchill Downs and Oaklawn; Todd Pletcher-trained My Prankster, a stakes-placed son of Into Mischief; and Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Of a Revolution, who finished a close second in the six-furlong Limehouse last time out.

Jesus Rios has the call on Cajun's Magic, while Miguel Vasquez has the mount aboard Dean Delivers.

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“We'd love to win it in his honor, that's for sure,” Yates said.

Campbell, the prominent Florida breeder/owner who passed away Sept. 16 at the age of 91, and his widow, Marilyn, have had a long, long history of success in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes, having been represented by 16 race winners in the lucrative series for juveniles sired by accredited Florida stallions.

Cajun's Magic, a homebred son of Cajun Breeze who campaigns for the Campbells' Stonehedge LLC racing stable, kicked off the 2021 FSS series with a victory over Dean Delivers, his Stonehedge LLC stablemate, in the $100,000 Dr. Fager at Gulfstream July 31 to give his highly respected and influential owners/breeders No. 16.

“He's gutsy; he's a trier; he's a game horse,” Yates said. “He's a very nice, solid horse.”

Cajun's Magic showed grit in his May 29 debut, in which he vied for pacesetting honors while racing between horses and fought back after losing the lead to finish just a half-length behind heavily favored Of a Revolution at five furlongs. He came right back to graduate by 4 ¾ lengths at 5 ½ furlongs before capturing the six-furlong Dr. Fager, in which he rated early before challenging Dean Delivers and prevailing from a stretch-long battle to win by a neck.

In the $200,000 Affirmed, the seven-furlong second leg of the FSS series, Cajun's Magic made a three-wide drive into contention but had to settle for a second-place finish, 3 ¼ lengths behind pacesetter Octane.

Cajun's Magic will face the two-turn test Saturday in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality, which will co-headline Saturday's Gulfstream Park program with the $400,000 My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile FSS finale for fillies.

“It's a question for all of them. None of them have run that far yet,” Yates said. “He's been training well. He's had some nice, long, swift gallops, and I think he'll be ready.”

Jesus Rios has the call aboard Cajun's Magic, who will try to turn the tables on Arindel's homebred Octane.

The Affirmed victor will seek his third straight victory following a second-place finish in his June 14 debut at five furlongs. The son of Brethren overcame adversity to graduate in his second start at Gulfstream July 17, when he became fractious and unseated his rider before loading into the starting gate but went on to win by 1 ¾ lengths despite being checked leaving the backstretch. The Carlos David-trained Florida-bred did everything right in the Affirmed, in which he broke alertly from his rail post position to lead the way throughout the seven-furlong sprint.

“He came out of that race in really good shape,” David said. “He had to run his eyeballs out in that race. I gave him four days of walking. He's been able to have two breezes with no problems. So far, so good.”

Octane is expected to once again be a forward factor as he attempts to carry his speed around two turns in the In Reality.

“It will definitely be a challenge. It's his first time around two turns. So far, he has done everything right. I know he has tactical speed. We're not going to take that away from him,” David said.

Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount aboard Octane.

Arindel has also entered homebreds The Skipper Too, Clapton and Globes, all Juan Alvarado-trained sons of Brethren, in the In Reality. The Skipper Too graduated in his fifth career start Aug. 22, drawing clear by 1 ½ lengths after a stumbling start. Clapton followed up his second-start maiden victory with an eighth-place finish in the Affirmed, in which he stumbled at the start. Globes is a maiden who finished third in both of his starts.

Cristian Torres has been named on The Skipper Too; Chantal Sutherland has the call on Clapton; and Marcos Meneses is scheduled to ride Globes.

Alex and JoAnn Liebling's Big and Classy, who improved on a fifth-place Dr. Fager showing to finish third in the Affirmed, will seek further improvement in the In Reality. The David Fawkes-trained son of The Big Beast, who raced evenly while finishing three lengths behind runner-up Cajun's Magic in the Affirmed, graduated by 5 ¾ lengths in his second career start.

“He worked in company with Noble Drama the other day and did excellent,” said Fawkes, who will also saddle multiple-stakes winner Noble Drama for Saturday's $125,000 FSS Wildcat Heir. “I was happy with his last race. Samy Camacho is riding him back this time, and I think he's got a huge chance.”

Big and Classy will make Camacho earn his mount fee.

“He doesn't want to sprint, No. 1, and No. 2, he's one of those kinds of horses you have to stay busy on. He'll relax under you too much. He's not the kind of horse that's going to take you unless you ask him, but he'll give you all he's got if you ask him.”

William Heiligbrodt, Corrine Heiligbrodt and Spendthrift Farm LLC's Cattin, a son of Neolithic trained by Ralph Nicks, and Amalio Ruiz-Lozano's Gold Special, a son of Jess's Dream trained by Angel Rodriguez, return in the In Reality after finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Affirmed.

Edgard Zayas has the call on Cattin, while Jonathan Gonzales will be aboard Gold Special.

Our Sugar Bear Stable Inc.'s One More Score and Champion Equine LLC's Fivefive Six Champ round out the field.

The post Yates Hoping To Honor Gil Campbell’s Memory In Saturday’s FSS In Reality appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Campbell was 91. Besides his wife Marilyn, he is survived by his son Gary Campbell who told Lowell Sun reporter, “Despite his remarkable success in business, he was incredibly humble. He was such a down-to-earth person who would treat the janitor with the same respect he would treat the CEO.”

Campbell, a successful businessman in several industries is most remembered for his stellar accomplishments and decades of dedication to the Florida Thoroughbred industry. Longtime Stonehedge Farm South manager, Larry King, commented “He loved his horses and we inspected them all every time they (the Campbells) came down, and he would say “I can't wait to see these run.” Marilyn is very involved and loves the horses . . . and his wishes which he had told me many times was for it to keep right on going forward.”

Leading Florida breeder and former president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association, Gilbert G. Campbell was a multiple graded stakes-winning owner who won 461 races with earnings of more than $13 million under his name and then an additional $6,078,818 under Stonehedge LLC. In 2013, the top horseman ranked 75^th by earnings in North America and was among the top 100 by wins in 2001, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2001, and 2013 (since 2000 *Equibase).

Campbell's top homebreds include millionaire multiple graded stakes winner, Grade 1-placed Blazing Sword; graded stakes winners Ivanavinalot (Grade 2 Bonnie Miss Stakes and dam of two-time filly champion Songbird); Watch Me Go (Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby); Friel's for Real (Grade 3 Pimlico Breeders' Cup Distaff Handicap); etc.

Among 15 Stonehedge winners that have scored in the 'Tradition-rich' Florida Sire Series are most recently, sons of Cajun Breeze (standing at Stonehedge Farm South), Cajun's Magic and Dean Delivers, who brought home the exacta for owner/breeder Stonehedge LLC, in the FTBOA Florida Sire Dr. Fager S. at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., July 31.

It goes without saying, Gilbert G. Campbell will go down in racing's history books as one of Florida's legendary horsemen.

The post Noted Florida Breeder Gilbert Campbell Passes Away appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Larry King's formative years were spent watching and absorbing that myriad of skills from his late father, and the longtime farm manager for Gil and Marilyn Cambell's Stonehedge Farm in Williston, Fla. has been applying them ever since.

The farm has seen multiple graded stakes winners developed under King's tenure, as well as a total of 16 winners in the lucrative Florida Sire Stakes (FSS) series. Last year, Stonehenge homebreds filled out the superfecta in the FSS Affirmed.

This July 31,the 66-year-old King celebrated another milestone success as a pair of Stonehedge homebreds ran one-two in the FSS Dr. Fager at Gulfstream Park.

“I told somebody today, 'When you ride around Ocala and look at all the farms and all the horses, all the people shooting for the bigger races, I'm surprised we can even win a race, because there's so many horses,'” King said. “It's certainly not easy to do. 

“Everybody's excited when you win. It was a lot of fun, and in three more weeks we'll try again (in the next leg of the FSS series). They'll have to pop up and be special.”

With a lifetime of horse experience, King knows special when he sees it. It all hearkens back to his youth, a nomad-like experience following his father, Joe, from racetrack to racetrack all around the United States. Some tracks were recognized and official, while others were anything but.

“He was a cowboy from out West, and came from a long line of cowboys,” King said of his father, who served as an Army surgical technician during World War II. “He worked the ranches, then got into running Quarter Horses. He trained performance horses, like cutting and reining and stuff like that. We've always been in horses our whole lives.”

Larry King remembers riding his dad's Quarter Horses at the bush tracks of central Louisiana; his 87-pound weight was the perfect advantage during the back-country match races. 

“It didn't matter how old you were, just if you were light enough,” King said. “I was probably between 9 and 11 years old. Nobody abused horses or done nothing like that, it was just a rough life. Those people were tough… it's a different world. 

“We went to places in Mexico and stuff where there were knife fights. I remember daddy tellin' me to go get in the truck! There were no rules.”

After the first 13 years of his life had been spent traveling the racetracks from Louisiana to West Virginia, and everywhere in between, King must have been relieved when his father was offered the position of farm manager at Waldemar Farm for Howard Sams. Under the elder King's horsemanship skills, the farm produced many top runners, including the 1975 Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure.

Joe King saw the difficult nature of the future classic winner right away, and assigned his son to care for the obstinate colt.

Joe King, with What a Pleasure, sire of 1975 Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure

“He was quite the handful,” Larry King remembered. “You could work with him all day putting his halter on and off, rubbing his head, and you could leave and go to lunch and it was like you never touched him.”

Foolish Pleasure didn't look like much when he arrived at the 1973 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale as a part of the Waldemar consignment.

“There's a lot of stuff that throws off the experts,” King said, chuckling. “He was crooked; he turned out horrible, and he was back in the knees. One big buyer came by the consignment, and Daddy led him out and said, 'This is the best colt in the barn.' I'll never forget what the man said: 'If that's the best you've got, don't show me anything else!'”

Foolish Pleasure commanded a final bid of just $20,000, and while he never outgrew his difficult nature, the colt did go on to win seven Grade 1 races, including the Derby, for owner John Greer and trainer LeRoy Jolley, earning $1,216,705.

King recalled watching the Kentucky Derby on television with his father: “What a dream. We really felt like we'd had a part in it, and that was something special.”

After taking over the farm manager position when his father retired, King was unsure what his own future held when Waldemar Farm was sold to Gil and Marilyn Campbell in 1988. The couple renamed the facility Stonehedge Farm South.

“My wife said, 'What do we do?' King recalled. “I said, 'Well, we're gonna go get some boxes.' Then the next thing I know the new owners came up to me and asked me to stay on.”

Working at the same farm for just shy of five decades has allowed King to play a major role in its expansion to over 500 acres, as well as the development of some of Florida's top Thoroughbreds.

“We just have a ⅝-mile track, we breed, we foal; we do it all,” said King. “Me, I mow a lot of grass! Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, they like to do it from the ground up. We've had success with it.

“I just wanted to fish, and they allow me to do that. I will never leave here unless they sell it or run me off. I'm here to finish it off. My nephew, Jamie King, he runs the training operation. I've got good people on the farm.”

Looking at the pedigrees of the farm's FSS winners from the past two years, sire Cajun Breeze has also been a major part of that success: the Stonehedge exacta in last month's Dr. Fager featured two colts both sired by Cajun Breeze.

The appropriately-named Cajun's Magic is that latest FSS winner, but King revealed that the talented 2-year-old colt's trainer, Michael “Beau” Yates, was the man behind Cajun Breeze making the move to Stonehedge.

“Michael used to ride for me here at the farm,” King explained. “I know his mother, and I still know him well. When his dad passed, he inherited a nice little farm with a training track, and we were diversifying our trainers. He's a good horseman; he's got horseman blood, back from his grandpa. You really can't teach all that to people.”

Yates had bred Cajun Breeze, a speedy, stakes-placed son of Congrats, to a few mares of his own. 

“He's not really set up to stand a stud, so I went and looked at his foals that he had,” said King. “Mr. Campbell asked me what I thought. This horse bred good, he could run, all his foals looked great, he's an outcross to everything we had, he nicks to nearly every mare, and they can run. He's had small, small crops; we've kind of been lucky, because we've had the only ones. When we start breeding some outside mares, we might have some more competition!”

Yates also predicted the Dr. Fager exacta a month before the race was run.

“We were very impressed how they broke their maidens, of course,” King said. “But then you hear about this horse and that horse, going back and looking at replays, and I thought, 'Man, these other horses really look good.'”

King needn't have worried. Cajun's Magic and Dean Delivers finished a neck apart, ten lengths better than the closest competition. 

Cajun's Magic (outside) wins the Dr. Fager Stakes over stablemate Dean Delivers at Gulfstream Park.

“Somebody once said it was the water, somebody else said it was the limestone in the soil,” King said, asked to explain the farm's success. “I wouldn't dare say we're better than anyone else. It's just excellent land, and we try to breed using common sense… But I'm proud of what we've done because we haven't had half-million-dollar mares or big sires. We just raise them right, and start them right, and we get a little lucky.

“It's also gratifying to see the Campbells have success after all they've put into the game.”

Other major successes for the Campbells include a 2016 Florida leading breeder title; 2011 Kentucky Derby starter and G2 Tampa Bay Derby winner Watch Me Go; 2016 Preakness starter Abiding Star; breeding and racing Ivanavinalot (West Acre), G2 winner and dam of champion Songbird; breeding $2.4 million-earner Marlin; breeding and racing millionaire Blazing Sword, G3 winner Always Sunshine, G3 winner Well Defined, and G3 winner Friel's For Real.

Looking back at his own role in all that success, King deflected the praise.

“I've been very fortunate with my job, and with my wife,” he said. “I've been married 42 years, and had the same job for 48. It's been a dream life; everything fell into place.”

The post Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Nothing Foolish About Larry King’s ‘Dream Life’ At Florida Farm appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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For one thing, many stallions discarded prematurely by Kentucky will deservedly flourish as bigger fish in smaller ponds. I'm sure that can still be the case, for instance, with Fed Biz–the son of Giant's Causeway making a fresh start at Highfield Stock Farm in Alberta. He has made a highly respectable start on the track, with only Cairo Prince in their intake exceeding his nine stakes winners to date, but just ran out of commercial oxygen where he was. Access to this true aristocrat, who beat Goldencents in a Del Mar track record, gives local breeders an exciting chance to raise the bar at $4,000.

Equally, of course, there have been many cases of sires working the reverse passage after starting out with regional mares–some, indeed, becoming massive influences–and those who have transferred Laoban to the Bluegrass from New York will be hoping that he can follow suit.

So we know for a fact that there will be stallions offering good value out there. Let's look for one or two nuggets.

FLORIDA
The big news round here is unmistakably Khozan (Distorted Humor), who maintains the highest fee in the state after winning its 2020 championship with only his second crop on the track. Nationally he stands fifth, by cumulative earnings, among his intake.

The late Awesome Again is an influence in Florida with Awesome Slew and Awesome of Course | Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos

Royal Delta (Empire Maker)'s half-brother, a $1-million Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-old, would hardly be the first to become a significant influence after derailing so early in his track career. We'll see how far he can go, but it's surely only a matter of time before he makes a graded stakes breakthrough after five black-type winners last year. The great thing is that his stock should continue to thrive: being out of an elite producer by A.P. Indy, he's hardly confined to “Florida speed.”

But the word is out and he welcomed 181 mares to Journeyman Stud last year. And he can't be the only show in town. Even within his own class–i.e. about to launch a third crop of juveniles–The Big Beast (Yes It's True) is matching Khozan's ratio of winners and he, too, has two graded stakes performers to date. And, of course, he is less than half the price.

Brethren, by the same sire as Khozan and now with a first graded stakes winner in Cookie Dough (and overall 10.7% black-type horses-to-starters), and First Dude (Stephen Got Even) punched their $7,500 weight for second and third in the earnings table, albeit arguably nobody gives value more consistently than Adios Charlie (Indian Charlie) at just $4,000. His latest flagbearer Jean Elizabeth has been beaten once (by a nose) in her last 10 starts, including two at graded stakes and six at black-type level.

On the same Ocala Stud roster there's now a chance to tap into one of the great modern families through Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul), while the first four dams (Live Oak family) of Awesome Slew (Awesome Again) are all graded stakes performers and producers. But don't forget another heir to the same, sadly departed sire: Awesome of Course (Awesome Again–Mais Oui, by Lyphard), even though he is now an acknowledged veteran quietly plying his trade to tiny books at $2,000.

Awesome of Course has real breadth of achievement, crowned by four graded stakes winners and five Grade I performers including Breeders' Cup champion Awesome Feather. In 2020 he numbered Florida Derby runner-up Shivaree among eight 90+ Beyers, so he's still keeping up an absolutely excellent output for this kind of fee.

Gunnevera | Sarah Andrew

In terms of fresh blood, meanwhile, it's good to see some promising two-turn stallions around the state (and some decent turf quality, too). The closing kick of Gunnevera (Dialed In–Unbridled Rage, by Unbridled) became so familiar–he was still picking up the pieces in the G1 Dubai World Cup at five, his sixth elite podium–that we tend to forget how he was already rolling in time to win the GII Saratoga Special S. And though he arrives at Pleasant Acres for $6,000 as a famous rags-to-riches story, you couldn't ask for better seeding of his family: first four dams by Unbridled, Graustark, The Minstrel and Turn-to.

Pleasant Acres Stallions is also home to Bucchero (Kantharos–Meetmeontime, by General Meeting), who has covered 291 mares in his first two years in the breeding shed, tops among all Florida-based stallions. Bucchero is a half-brother to the dam of dual-surface Grade I winner and Hill 'n' Dale-based World of Trouble (Kantharos), and he was the leading Florida stallion by average and median at last month's OBS Winter Mixed Sale, his first yearling through the ring having sold for $45,000, nine times his stud fee.

In the market backwaters, meanwhile, there's something pretty remarkable astir in Cajun Breeze (Congrats–Cajun Dawn, by Awesome Again), who is operating on private-treaty terms at Stonehedge Farm South. His track career (four-for-33) gave him highly marginal claims to one at stud, but the fact is that he has had a stakes winner from each of his three crops to date, despite an aggregate of only 31 runners (of which 19 are winners). He just came up with his fourth black-type winner in Cajun Brother, winner of the $75,000 Sunshine Sprint S. I can't really figure it out, either, even if the fourth dam is the very productive Fred W. Hooper mare Queen Pat (Crozier), but something seems to be working and people are gradually cottoning on: Cajun Breeze inched up to 45 mares last spring.

And I'm sorry, but I can't resist stressing that the venerable Greatness (Mr. Prospector–Harbour Club, by Danzig)–with another small firm, in Solera Farm–offers something pretty unique, nowadays, as a son of one breed-shaper out of mare by another, with next two dams by Graustark and, wait for it, Bold Ruler! His books/crops have largely dried up but he has sired some very tough and talented runners in his time (Lady's Island, aged six, won her latest graded stakes just before Christmas before selling for $310,000 at FTKFEB) and, if you could get a filly out of him, how could you price that bloodline at just $2,500? So please do the whole breed a favor and get a last residue of Greatness while we can!

NEW YORK
A changing of the guard here, with stalwarts Bellamy Road (Concerto) and Frost Giant (Giant's Causeway) pensioned even as the heavily subscribed young sensation Central Banker (Speightstown) charged into the slipstream of veteran Big Brown (Boundary) in the state championship–with only a third crop of juveniles in play. With six stakes winners to date, Central Banker stands fifth nationally, among his intake, in cumulative earnings.

Leading the next cycle, the imaginatively promoted War Dancer (War Front) duly became champion freshman, highlighted with a one-two at Saratoga. No less than anywhere else, however, newcomers will doubtless be in strong demand as everyone seeks out the next Laoban.

The most obvious candidate appears to be Solomini (Curlin), as a notably accomplished juvenile for a sire sooner associated with two-turn maturity, from the family of Frosted and Midshipman; so obvious, in fact, that he corralled the biggest book in the state (123) for his debut season alongside Central Banker at McMahon of Saratoga.

Bustin Stones | Sarah Andrew

But your heart meanwhile goes out to some who are doing pretty well from limited opportunity. Yes, there is bound to be much interest in Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice) at Waldorf Farm, yet poor old Bustin Stones (City Zip–Shesasurething, by Prospectors Gamble) will be entitled to glare at breeders driving the van past him at just $2,500.

He doesn't have his new neighbor's glamorous pedigree–Mr. Monomoy is, of course, a Grade II-winning half-brother to Monomoy Girl (Tapizar)–but he was a very fast horse (GI Carter H., 109 Beyer) who once again came up with his mandatory stakes winners in 2020 (plus seven 90+ Beyers), while confined to a much smaller pool of talent than those he annually joins in the top echelons of the prize money table.

Above all, simply in terms of bang for buck, it feels crazy that you can now get to a stallion as accomplished as Freud (Storm Cat–Mariah's Storm, by Rahy) for just $5,000 at Sequel Stallions. I know he will probably benefit from suitably restrained management, now that he's 23, but Speightstown just got a big fee increase–and he's three weeks older!

Freud | Sarah Andrew

Freud remains an Empire State legend, as a six-time champion and brother to Giant's Causeway, and proved as potent as ever in 2020 with a state-high five stakes winners, eight stakes performers and 15 Beyers of 90+ from fewer runners than Big Brown and Central Banker, the only pair to exceed his earnings. His lifetime numbers put a whole bunch of expensive Kentucky stallions in the shade, with 55 winners and 109 performers at black-type level clocked at a ratio, against named foals, of six and 12% respectively; while his 10 graded stakes scorers include four at the elite level.

We've often spoken about the self-fulfilling prejudice against ageing stallions, and I guess some people would be embarrassed to pick one as “exposed” as Freud as the best value in the state against all these sparkly new stallions. But that's just what he is, and you know it. (If, that is, you want to breed yourself a racehorse.) In fact, there can't be much better value around, coast-to-coast, than Freud at a fee so much lower than all those Kentucky rookies with little realistic prospect of getting anywhere near his record.

A son of Freud's illustrious brother who has been around for a while without ever gaining much profile, meanwhile, is Giant Surprise (Giant's Causeway–Twisted Sis, by A.P. Indy) at Rockridge. His public career lasted 70 seconds in a Saratoga maiden, flimsy-enough grounds for a place at stud, but he has never failed to sire winners at a good percentage from a marginal foothold (including in 2020, with 20 from 37 starters) while his handful of black-type winners are headed by an earner of over $800,000. His dam is by A.P. Indy out of a Grade I winner and, still only 11, he is going to pull a smart one out of his hat someday at just $2,500.

MID-ATLANTIC
There's a big, Jump Start-sized hole hereabouts, as can be seen from the seventh consecutive championship posthumously secured by the Pennsylvania legend in 2020. Warrior's Reward, the strapping son of Medaglia d'Oro brought to the same state in 2018, did reiterate his credentials among active sires and remains in corresponding demand; while those eager to maintain the A.P. Indy connection, and at a very competitive rate, will see Friesan Fire ticking along reliably at Country Life. But a more recent recruit to the same roster has made an auspicious start in the quest to fill the gap.

Mosler | Ellen Pons

Mosler (War Front–Gold Vault, by Arch) has built quickly on his regional freshman title with Hello Hot Rod gamely holding out to complete a hat trick in the Jimmy Winkfield S. the other day. He's the second stakes winner to emerge from Mosler's debut crop, following Miss Nondescript in the Maryland Millions Lassie S., likewise a dirt sprint. But clearly his stock can be expected to emulate his own versatility in terms of surface, once given the chance, and there's a broader sense that he is only just getting going: he's had 13 winners so far from just 28 starters among 71 named foals in his first crop.

Grade II-placed and equal to four campaigns on the track, Mosler offers a conduit to the genes and physique that qualified him as a $1.05-million yearling. He's a half-brother to dual Grade I winner Contested (Ghostzapper) out of a half-sister to Pomeroy, winner of marquee Saratoga sprints in the Forego and King's Bishop, and ultimately traces to triple Classic winner Imprudence (Fr). The big dynamo in his pedigree, however, is the replication of grandsire Danzig behind his damsire, Arch, who was out of Danzig's daughter Aurora.

Mosler, standing at $4,000, will do well to consolidate on his freshman title as impressively as Golden Lad (Medaglia d'Oro), who arguably warranted a rise from $5,000 at Northview after finishing behind only set-your-clock studmate Great Notion (Elusive Quality) in Maryland earnings last year. Out of a stakes-winning half-sister to Dialed In (Mineshaft), he has scored some big sales and is motoring along with three-figure books.

The last word here, however, is reserved for one of the most remarkable stallions in the whole country in Fiber Sonde (Unbridled's Song–Silken Cat, by Storm Cat), who continues to turn out remarkable results from Beau Ridge Farm in West Virginia at a fee of just $1,000. In 2020, this unraced half-brother to Speightstown (Gone West) had eight black-type winners among 53 overall from 96 starters; while his lifetime stakes horses represent 12.2% of named foals.

John McKee bought him for just $8,000 in 2007 and there can't be many horsemen around who have secured–or offered–more horse-per-dollar in recent times. My respect to you, sir!

CALIFORNIA
The most accomplished trainer in the land keeps producing champions out of its most beautiful track, which has itself addressed some big challenges in impressive fashion. So it would certainly be heartening to see some fresh blood invigorating the Cal-bred program. The rookie stallions launched over the past couple of years are working from a small footprint of cheaply bred horses, however, and only a handful appear to be starting up this spring.

Cat Burglar | Elizabeth Hay

A couple of those about to launch their first juveniles have had plenty of support, however, including Danzing Candy (Twirling Candy) at Rancho San Miguel, who herded up 329 mares in his first three books. Hopes must also be high at Barton Thoroughbreds for Cat Burglar (Unbridled's Song–Be My Prospect, by Forest Wildcat), who launches his first juveniles this year. A hard-knocking, Grade II-placed campaigner from the family of Eight Belles (same sire) and Belong to Me (Danzig), he has been priced to have every chance at $2,500 and it's surely auspicious that he welcomed his biggest book yet in his third year.

New blood is never confined to outright rookies, however. Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) has shown the kind of demand that can be achieved by incomers, though he will only have his first state-bred runners this year; it'll be 2022 before Californian dollars start to put some perspective on the Japanese riches amassed by I'll Have Another (Flower Alley); and 2023 before another globetrotter, Sir Prancealot (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), can test a reputation established by migrants on local tracks. That reputation is sufficient to have secured him the premier fee in the state, and the one thing nobody should have any reservations about is his own sire. (Tamayuz belongs to the modern European breed's royal family and has himself proved an admirable achiever, given the mares operating at his level of the market.)

Clubhouse Ride | Horsephotos

The developing story among those who have been here from the outset remains Clubhouse Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}–Seeking Results, by Seeking the Gold), listed at $3,500 by Legacy Ranch. He continues to discover striking quality from small numbers, and has already maintained his momentum in 2021 with Brickyard Ride (now six-for-12) showing blistering pace to win his stakes debut (Beyer 99) in the California Cup Sprint. This is a barnmate of graded stakes winner Warren's Showtime, who made the podium in the GI Del Mar Oaks last summer; and also of Margot's Boy, who missed the GII Del Mar Derby only by a head. All three are in the care of Craig Lewis, who supervised their sire's millionaire career through 43 starts, including Grade I podiums at ages two and six.  Clubhouse Ride is out of a half-sister to GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner River Keen (Ire) (Keen {GB}) from an interesting family, so it's no mystery. His books are going up now and he has really earned his stripes.

Another whose stature grows by the year is Smiling Tiger (Hold That Tiger–Shandra Smiles, by Cahill Road), who produced another five stakes winners in 2020. A multiple Grade I winner himself, he has already produced one to emulate that distinction in Spiced Perfection, and at $7,500 is taking an important role in a new phase for Harris Farms following the loss of Unusual Heat and Lucky Pulpit in 2017.

But the old guard remains admirably represented there by Vronsky (Danzig–Words of War, by Lord At War {Arg}) at $3,500. This very well-bred veteran's average crop only comprises a couple of dozen foals, but he has had a Grade I winner in his time and has certainly made a very sprightly start to 2021: The Chosen Vron following through an impressive debut score by tailcoating an exciting Baffert pair in the GII San Vicente S. last weekend, while the farm's homebred Closing Remarks won the $200,000 California Cup Oaks last month. We know that some of these expensive Kentucky start-ups won't even manage his last month's work in their whole careers, but this is not supposed to be an easy business at any point of the compass.

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The In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile open-division final for 2-year-olds, and the My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile final for juvenile fillies, will be joined on Saturday's program by the $150,000 FSS Wildcat Heir, a mile race for 3-year-olds and up. All three FSS stakes are for horses sired by accredited Florida Stallions. Supporting stakes will include the $75,000 Armed Forces, a mile turf stakes for 2-year-olds; the $75,000 My Dear Peggy, a mile turf stakes for juvenile fillies; and the $75,000 Hollywood Beach, a five-furlong turf dash for 2-year-olds.

Breeze On By captured the $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager at six furlongs Aug. 1 and the $200,000 FSS Affirmed at seven furlongs Aug. 29. The undefeated Ralph Nicks trainee, who captured his July 12 debut, will seek to become the fifth horse to sweep the FSS open division, joining Three Rules (2016), Sir Oscar (2003), Seacliff (1995) and Smile (1984).

“He's a nice horse. The question will be: Will he handle the two turns? That being said, he's done everything pretty handily so far,” Nicks said. “I love young horses. Stonehedge sends them to us early and let us do our job. It's fun to watch them develop. The ones who have talent you can mold into these kind of horses.”

“I've been blessed with some nice horses. It would be special to put him on the list with the other ones that have swept the series,” Nicks said.

Breeze On By provided Gil and Marilyn Campbell's Stonehedge Farm with a 15th victory in the tradition-rich series with his Affirmed score.

The gelded son of Cajun Breeze, who made a rather auspicious debut while capturing a July 12 maiden special weight race at Gulfstream by six lengths, set the pace in the six-furlong Dr. Fager before meeting a strong challenge from Gatsby at the top of the stretch. After Gatsby put his nose in front in mid-stretch, Breeze On By fought back gamely to prevail by a length.

In the Affirmed, Breeze On By was followed to the finish line by Nicks stablemates Big Daddy Dave and Seazan, who are also owned by Campbells, who achieved the superfecta with Kathleen O'Connell-trained fourth-place finisher Top Boss.

While Big Daddy Dave, who finished a distant second in the Affirmed, is scheduled to bypass the In Reality and start in the Hollywood Beach, Seazan will return in the FSS final. After a troubled second-place finish in his debut, the son of Khozan graduated in his second start Aug. 1. Seazan closed from ninth and last to finish third in the Affirmed.

“I honestly believe he is a two-turn horse,” Nicks said. “He'll be picking up lot of ground late. He's going to be even better the middle of next year than he is right now.”

Emisael Jaramillo has the return call aboard Breeze On By, while Samy Camacho is slated to ride Seazan.

Arindel's Gatsby will seek to rebound from a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Affirmed after giving Breeze On By a scare in the Dr. Fager. The homebred son of Brethren broke a step slow from his No. 1 post position before setting a pressured pace and faltering in the stretch.

An impressive winner of his April 12 debut, he rebounded from an off-the-board finish in the June 27 Bashford Manor (G3) at Churchill Downs with his gusty second-place finish in the Dr. Fager. The homebred son of Brethren pulled off an upset victory over heavily favored Golden Pal in his April 12 debut at 4 ½ furlongs at Gulfstream, chasing the Wesley Ward-trained odds-on favorite into the stretch before edging clear by three-quarters of a length. Golden Pal has gone on to impress on turf, finishing second in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot and winning the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga handily by 3 ½ lengths.

Arindel and trainer Juan Alvarado will also be represented by Hercules, who debuted impressively at Gulfstream Aug. 29, scoring by 2 ½ lengths despite racing greenly through the stretch.

Cristian Torres has the call on Gatsby, while Hector Berrios has been named to ride Hercules, also a son of Brethren.

Kenneth Fishbein's Boca Boy, who finished third in the Dr. Fager, returns to FSS action Saturday after bypassing the Affirmed in favor of the Proud Man, an undercard turf stakes in which he finished second. Edgard Zayas will ride the son of Prospective.

Social Equality, Honesto and The Red Man round out the field.

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The Williston, Fla., operation campaigns five of the meet's top ten juvenile earners on Gulfstream's main track through Sept. 1, including three of the top four. The leader of that distinguished platoon of youngsters is Breeze On By, a Cajun Breeze gelding who has made $223,000 while going undefeated in his first three starts with trainer Ralph Nicks.

After winning on debut by six lengths, Breeze On By has become a dominant force in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series. On Aug. 1, the gelding led at every point of call to take the Dr. Fager Stakes by a length. Then, he won a speed duel to cement his star status on the Affirmed Stakes on Aug. 29.

Breeze On By will aim to sweep this year's division for 2-year-old colts and geldings in the In Reality Stakes on Sept. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

“If he does well and continues to improve, we'll start to think about the Breeders' Cup,” Marylin Campbell said.

Cajun Breeze, a 12-year-old son of Congrats, stands privately at Stonehedge Farm South. Breeze On By is out of the stakes-placed Fusaichi Pegasus mare Miss Primetime, who the Campbells purchased for $70,000 at the 2010 Keeneland November sale.

“This is second year at our farm,” Campbell said about Cajun Breeze. “His foals just don't give up. They're fighters and they're fast. They're good-looking horses. He only has about 16 named foals, and he's already a top 2-year-old sire in Florida.”

The Campbells also have an interest in the fast-rising Florida sire Khozan, which has paid off with the other four of Stonehedge's juveniles in the top 10 being by the resident of Journeyman Stallions. That group is led by homebred Go Jo Jo Go, who won the Desert Vixen division of the Florida Sire Stakes on Aug. 1, then finished third in the Susan's Girl Stakes on the Sire Stakes schedule on Aug. 29.

While Stonehedge currently holds a hot hand with youngsters, Campbell said she's tried to keep the operation's good fortunes in perspective.

“We've had our ups and downs like everyone,” she said. “We've been successful with 2-year-olds. Last year, we won the second leg of the Florida Sire Stakes with Liam's Lucky Charm. We do well with them.”

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The Affirmed, a seven furlong open division, co-headlined Saturday's program with the $200,000 Susan's Girl, a seven-furlong stakes for fillies, which were supported by the $75,000 Proud Truth, a mile turf stakes for 2-year-olds, and the $75,000 Sharp Susan, a mile turf stakes for juvenile fillies. All four stakes were included in the six-race sequence of the Rainbow 6 on a day when a mandatory payout was held.

Trainer Ralph Nicks, who saddled Breeze On By for a victory in the $100,000 Dr. Fager in the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes four weeks earlier, won his fourth consecutive running of the Affirmed. The son of Cajun Breeze also gave Nicks his eighth Florida Sire Stakes success since 2016 while providing Gil Campbell's Stonehedge Farm with a 15^th victory in the tradition-rich series.

“I just feel blessed to be in Florida for seven years and win this many [Sire] Series,” said Nicks, who also captured the Affirmed the previous three seasons with Soutache (2017), Garter and Tie (2018) and Liam's Lucky Charm (2019). “I learned early on that you need to be a part of this and was lucky to have owners send me some talented horses and it's worked.”

The Nicks-trained Big Daddy Dave and Seazan finished second and third, respectively, while the Kathleen O'Connell-trained Top Boss finished fourth to round out the Stonehedge superfecta.

Breeze On By, the 4-5 favorite ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, broke alertly from the starting gate but was beaten for the early lead by Gatsby, the 5-2 second choice who showed the way along the backstretch under a hustling ride by Hector Berrios. Breeze On By pressed the pace during swift fractions of 22.14 and 44.22 for the first half mile before putting away the tiring pacesetter on the turn into the homestretch and drawing away to a comfortable victory.

Breeze On By, undefeated in three starts, ran seven furlongs in 1:22.75. Big Daddy Dave made a wide bid of the final turn and finished second, 2 ½ lengths ahead of a late-rallying Seazan.

“They're nice horses. Thank you to Stonehedge for sending us some great horses. We're lucky to work with such talented horses,” Nicks said. “Breeze On By was able to rate and sit there with Big Daddy Dave in the hunt and could have pushed if he needed to, but he will settle and follow if he needs to.}

Breeze On By is scheduled to make a bid to become the fifth male to sweep the Florida Sire Stakes in the $400,000 In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile series finale Sept. 26. With a victory he would join Three Rules (2016), Sir Oscar (2003), Seacliff (1995) and Smile (1984)

“Doing this series is tough on them and we'll see. There are two other horses in this race that ran well so nothing will be a gift, but it's nice to have a horse this talented and have those options in front of you.”

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The gelded son of Cajun Breeze is set to square off against Arindel's Gatsby, whom he defeated by a hard-fought length in the $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager, the Aug. 1 first leg of the tradition rich series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions. The homebred gelding rushed to the lead from his rail post position, set a pressured pace and battled back when headed by Gatsby to prevail in the six-furlong sprint.

Trained by Ralph Nicks, Breeze On By is undefeated in two starts, including a sensational front-running six-length victory in his July 12 debut at Gulfstream. Stonehedge and Nicks will also be represented by Seazan, a son of Khozan who broke his maiden in his second career start on the Dr. Fager undercard.

Gatsby, a homebred son of Brethren who finished 8 ¼ lengths clear of the third-place finisher in the Dr. Fager, won his April 12 debut, in which he chased odds-on favorite Golden Pal into the stretch before edging away to victory by three-quarters of a length. The Wesley Ward-trained Golden Pal went on to finish second in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot, while Gatsby finished off-the-board in the June 27 Bashford Manor (G3) at Churchill Downs. Gatsby rebounded with a strong effort in the Dr. Fager.

Kenny McPeek, who trains the No. 1-ranked 3-year-old filly in the country in Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) and Alabama (G1) winner Swiss Skydiver, will seek dominance in the Florida Sire Stakes filly division with newcomer Raining Sunshine in the $200,000 Susan's Girl . Martin Erin Haught's homebred daughter of First Dude graduated in her second career start while romping to a 5 ¾-length maiden victory at Gulfstream Aug. 2.

Stonehedge LLC, which has won 14 Florida Sire Stakes series races, will also be well represented in the seven-furlong Susan's Girl by Go Jo Jo Go, who captured the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series for fillies. The Michael Yates-trained daughter of Khozan closed from last to capture the $100,000 Desert Vixen by 1 ¼ lengths over favored Princess Secret. Stonehedge LLC will also be represented by Oh Deborah, a Ralph Nicks-trained daughter of Winslow Homer who debuted with a 3 ½-length victory in a $50,000 maiden claiming race by 3 ¼ lengths July 19.

Princess Secret, a daughter of Khozan owned and trained by Daniel Pita, is expected to try to make amends in the seven-furlong Susan's Girl. Princess Secret, who debuted May 7 with a four-length victory, finished a troubled second behind highly regarded Papetu while taking on the boys in a July 5 allowance before finishing second in the Desert Vixen.

Arindel's Freak, a daughter of Brethren who finished a nose behind Princess Secret while checking in third in the Desert Vixen, is slated to return in the Susan's Girl. Arindel will also be represented by Lyrical, a daughter of Brethren who finished sixth in the Desert Vixen.

Trainer Steven Dwoskin's Alluramore, a daughter of Gone Astray who finished an even fourth in the Desert Vixen, is expected to run in the Susan's Girl.

The Florida Sire Stakes series is scheduled to wrap up Sept. 26 with the $400,000 In Reality and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies.

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