For while it may be new to this part of the world, there is nothing tentative or experimental about what they're doing at Vallozzi's in Versailles. Those clients whose own work is predicated on a faith in the “page” will be reassured to know themselves to be in the hands of a family whose flair for the restaurant business, one barely less competitive than the horse trade, has been tried and trusted across three generations.

Meatballs, creamy polenta, ricotta, balsamic glaze | Catlyn Treadway photo

Julian Vallozzi's grandmother started selling homemade gnocchi out of her Pennsylvania basement 69 years ago, prompting such demand that she soon opened a small restaurant in Latrobe. Assisted by her son Ernie, Julian's father, they moved to premises at Greenburg that have become a local byword for authentic Italian cuisine across four decades. Julian has already successfully expanded the family firm into downtown Pittsburgh and last September, having long been enchanted by the locality and made good friends here, contributed to the increasing culinary vitality of the Bluegrass by converting what was once the police station in the historic center of Versailles.

And there is a corresponding confidence of touch to everything about this place: an eye for the magic, that is, as well as the pasta. Be in no doubt, Vallozzi and his team have absolutely prioritized “la cucina” as the principal object of the exercise. My companions, rotating every dish to be sampled as suited, scored every forkful with high or full marks across the board. But of course even this is only half the battle, when getting the rest of the experience wrong could unravel any amount of good work in the kitchen. As it is, the quality of the fare is admirably complemented by the ambience.

The space is intimate but uncluttered. The service nailed that precarious equilibrium between attention and intrusion: ever alert and obliging, but with none of the ceremonious falsity that can stifle an atmosphere in more pompous settings. And actually much the same could be said of the music. I shouldn't think many people even notice it, but that's because it is not only scrupulously unobtrusive but also immaculately selected. At least that's how it struck me, the evening we were there, as one of a diminishing number who might recognise Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan from their own record collections!

Fettuccine, venetian lamb ragu, roasted tomatoes, zucchini, gremolata | Catlyn Treadway photo

Yes, I know: records are not how most people “consume” (ugh) their music nowadays, but perhaps that also indicates the kind of person, this reviewer included, for whom Vallozzi's can push at an open door. Because this is a venue with a nice touch of the old school. Not, as already indicated, in terms of formality but simply insofar as it's quite hard, nowadays, to find what used to be called “class”. That word can mean different things in different contexts. Suffice to say that when you're out with a bunch of nice people for an evening, it means that the vibe should be relaxed and unhurried, while assuring you that your needs will be observed and served to the highest standards.

Of course, those needs start with what is set down between your knife and fork. And let's get one thing out there right away. You're not going to go home from Vallozzi's hungry. At the same time, however, they have mastered the perennial challenge of Italian cuisine, substantial as it tends to be. The art is to untether the volume by tenderness and flavor. (It's rather similar to the way Renaissance architecture gives a delicacy and lightness to stone, inherently the heaviest of materials.) Pasta dishes are the most basic measure of that aspiration, and here there's no mistaking a generationally honed instinct to float it from the plate.

The stakes quality, in the pasta, naturally traces to the fillings and sauces. Of the several sampled by our party, the roasted pork agnolotti ($32) probably reached the winner's circle, its black garlic and truffle cream achieving a critical smoky lightness. (Much as a truffle hound would enjoy a median consistency—springy, not soggy or dry—in bounding along the forest floor!)

The seafood similarly maintained a balance in its full-on combinations—try ziti ($34) with shrimp, octopus, mussels and smoked puttanesca, or lobster risotto ($50) with shrimp, scallop and roasted red pepper—while the pappardelle Bolognese ($30) met a more basic challenge in allowing the heavy livestock (beef, veal and pork) to stroll free. Next time I'm definitely going to try the roasted beet and goat cheese caramelle ($26), with what sounds a dashing combination of fennel, saffron butter and mint.

But I'm presenting this all out of sequence, because we tried to do this the Italian way and treat the pasta as an intermediate dish between antipasti and main courses. And the opening salvo from the kitchen had been outstanding. The run for the roses here was octopus on grilled potatoes, charred shishitos, salsa rossa and chickpea puree ($20). This dish may not be for the fainthearted but it was superbly tender and given full rein by its supporting flavors. But the antipasti were black-type all the way. Arancini ($14), which can be heavy and greasy in the wrong hands, were spot on; calamari ($20) gave a pleasing way out for those daunted by the octopus; and the steak tagliata ($20) was almost rare and tender enough to ingest with a straw, brilliantly set against arugula, grilled sweet potatoes and, the coup de grace, a sunny egg!

The more wholesome of our party fought back against all this flat-out indulgence with a couple of salads: the chopped ($12)—comprising  pepperoncini, red onion, garbanzo beans, tomato, cucumber and Italian dressing—was applauded as fresh and crisp, and there was a warm endorsement for the fruity kick of dried cranberries in the kale ($12) with carrots, cauliflower, almonds, feta, albeit the quinoa content evidently proved a little more elusive than the tomato vinaigrette.

Sea scallops, butternut puree, spaetzle, apples, golden raisins | Catlyn Treadway photo

But you can see the problem brewing here. After all this on the first circuit, generously served and flavored as it was, few retained the stamina for mounting an assault on the deeper menu. The pizzas are apparently celebrated (though modestly priced at $14 to $16) and the steak tagliata antipasto gave total confidence that any bistecca would weigh in at full value ($65), whether 8oz center cut CAB filet mignon or 16oz prime strip. We will leave for another time the chicken saltimbocca ($32), promising as it sounds of a variation on the customary vitello; fans of the latter, meanwhile, can try to knock it out of the park with a 16oz veal chop parmesan ($70) with spaghetti, red sauce and provolone.

Rallying gamely, however, we did share a couple of dishes that confirmed a similar expertise for surf as for turf: scallops ($52) sweetly elevated by butternut squash puree, spaetzle, apples and golden raisins; and salmon ($33) likewise made to sing by fennel, pancetta, brussels sprouts and fregola.

And then, heroically, one or two in the party demonstrated the truth of the old principle that appetite can always renew for dessert. Their choice of those good old stand-bys, cannolis ($10) and tiramisu ($10), demonstrably met the standards of all that had gone before—with notes of subtlety reported, in both cases, within the necessary richness.

Steak tagliata wtih arugula and fried egg | Catlyn Treadway photo

Those may be staple desserts, but overall this felt like a strikingly ambitious “racecard”, its range matched by elements of uncommon creativity and innovation. That might feel like a gamble, in a small midwestern town, but of course the Thoroughbred brings plenty of cosmopolitan palates to this neighborhood; while it has been a work of decades for your hosts to hone a formula that could work anywhere. It was good to see Vallozzi's Versailles so busy on a midweek in February, due reward for the partners—who include a couple of familiar faces in our community, in Charlie O'Connor (of Ashford) and Jon Rabinowitz (valued service on the KHRC)—for their vision in introducing a top-class restaurant to a neighborhood where business is so often mixed with pleasure.

If our own party somewhat overshot in ordering, then Vallozzi's will just have to become a regular so that we can work our way through the options at a more temperate rate. Because if you could only come here once, you might decide that Fellini had named one of his most famous films—8½—for the minimum number of dishes to which any single diner could reduce such an extensive and interesting menu.

Vallozzi's, 108 Court Street, Versailles, KY 40383. (859) 682-5120. www.vallozzis.com

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The drawing will be held on Apr. 26.

The farm said that the event was being held “to celebrate Justify's phenomenal year in 2023.”

Justify is the cumulative leading third-crop sire by earnings in a group that includes strong competition from sires including Good Magic, Bolt d'Oro, Mendelssohn, and City of Light. He was the leading second-crop sire of 2023, not only by earnings, but in every black-type category. His six individual Grade I winners equaled the annual combined total of the rest of his crop year.

His appeal is global; in 2023 alone, he was the sire of dual Grade I winner Just F Y I, the favorite to be named Champion Juvenile Filly; Hard to Justify, the winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf; Opera Singer, winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac; Aspen Grove (Ire), winner of the GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational S.; Arabian Lion, winner of the GI Woody Stephens S.; and City of Troy, winner of the G1 Dewhurst S. Already in 2024, his Storm Boy (Aus) has won the A$3-million The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic in Australia.

“In a very competitive market, we hoped that this promotion would remind breeders of the incredible potential and upside of our younger stallions,” said Coolmore's Charlie O'Connor. “And who better to remind them of that than Justify? This is an amazing opportunity for breeders to use these stallions who are all Grade I winners on dirt.

“Justify has enjoyed a sensational year,” continued O'Connor. “He's the first sire in North America since Mr Prospector to sire four Grade I-winning juveniles in a single season. His two Breeders' Cup winners are amongst the three finalists for Champion 2-Year-Old Filly at the upcoming Eclipse Awards, City of Troy and Opera Singer have been crowned European Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and European Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, while Ramatuelle was crowned French Champion 2-Year-Old. And if all that's not enough, he was also Champion First-Crop Sire in Australia. We think 'THE JUSTIFY 4' concept is a novel idea which is sure to catch the imagination of breeders given four seasons to this great stallion are up for grabs.”

Justify's 2024 stud fee was initially listed at $200,000, but was later switched to private.

The terms and conditions of the event are as follows:

• For each qualifying mare contracted to any of the four stallions by Apr. 26, 2024, a ticket will be entered with no limit on the number of tickets per client.
• One ticket will be drawn for each of the four stallions with the prize being a no-guarantee 2024 season to Justify in each case.
• The mare nominated must be approved and fit for breeding purposes. Mares over 17 or barren for the last two years are excluded.
• The qualifying mare must be bred before the nominated mare can be bred by Justify.
• All Coolmore employees and related parties are ineligible for these draws as are any of the partners in the participating stallions. In the event of a dispute, Coolmore is the final arbitrator.

Corniche, Epicenter, and Jack Christopher are all standing their second season at stud with first weanlings arriving now. Corniche is the Breeders' Cup-winning Champion Juvenile; Epicenter is the Eclipse Award winning Champion 3-Year-Old and Travers winner; and Jack Christopher is a three-time Grade I winner. Tiz the Law was a Grade I-winning 2-year-old who went on to win the GI Florida Derby, Belmont S., and Travers S. He has first 2-year-olds this year.

To participate in this draw, breeders may call the following Coolmore connections: M.V. Magnier, 011-353-86-821-6827; Dermot Ryan, 859-333-2562; Aisling Duignan, 859-333-2566; Charlie O'Connor, 859-333-2066; Adrian Wallace, 859-327-8302; Robyn Murray, 859-619-8770; Michael Norris, 859-753-1521; Blaise Benjamin, 859-333-2591; Charles Hynes, 859-753-3736; David O'Loughlin, 011-353-86-249-0821; or Christy Grassick, 001-353-86-255-1126.

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“All of our team loved Mendelssohn from the first time we saw him as a yearling and he developed into a magnificent-looking horse,” said Coolmore's Charlie O'Connor. “Being by our own Scat Daddy and a half-brother to Into Mischief and Beholder, you couldn't ask for a better pedigree and he showed real brilliance when winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and the [G2] U.A.E. Derby by a street, recording a new track record. He is currently the No. 4 leading sire of 2-year-olds in North America… With big crops to come he should keep rising up the ranks.”

Mendelssohn (2015 bay horse, Scat Daddy–Leslie's Lady, by Tricky Creek)

Lifetime record: Hwt. at 3-U.A.E, GISW-U.S., GSW-U.A.E., G1SP-Eng, SW-Ire, 13-4-2-2, $2,542,137

Breeders' Cup connections: B-Clarkland Farm (KY); O-Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore.

Current location: Coolmore America/Ashford Stud, Versailles, Ky.

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No one could have envisioned what would happen next. Uncle Mo was the runaway leading freshman sire in 2015, setting what was then a record for freshman earnings with his first crop, but he didn't stop there. He's constantly come up with good horse after good horse since, then sent his own first sons to stud, where they took three of the top four freshman spots in 2020. And he's showing no signs of slowing down, with current GISWs including Breeders' Cup-bound Arabian Knight and Adare Manor. Two of his sons–dual Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal and GISW Mo Town–have since joined Uncle Mo on Ashford's roster. As icing on the cake, Uncle Mo's first daughters are doing him credit as a broodmare sire, with Saturday's GI American Pharoah S. winner Muth (Good Magic) and this summer's GI TVG.com Haskell S. winner Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) among his early black-type winners as a damsire.

Uncle Mo, and the man who campaigned him, Mike Repole, are so entrenched as part of the fabric of the upper echelon of the sport that it's difficult to remember that wasn't the case as recently as 15 years ago. When 'Mo' was born, Repole had never even won a stakes race and was focused on claimers. Repole's purchase of the bay as a $220,000 yearling at Keeneland September in 2009 changed everything.

No one can tell it better than Repole himself, who captures the heart of the sport as he shares his memories:

“Basically if there was no Uncle Mo, Repole Stable wouldn't be where it is today. He was the patriarch to Repole Stable. I was in horse racing at a claiming level probably from 2004-2009 and then the son of Indian Charlie out of the dam Playa Maya burst on the scene. I was just doing business with Todd [Pletcher] for about a year and I asked him if he liked the horse. He said, 'I think he's really good,' but I didn't know what that meant.

“We won [on debut] on Travers Day. Uncle Mo stole the day. The day was supposed to be about the Travers but he broke his maiden by 14 and that's what people were talking about.

“I never had a good horse like that before. He was something special. So now, [I'm realizing] this is pretty serious.

“I got to witness a superstar [break his maiden]. As someone who has been in racing as a fan since I was 13, I watched horses do this and then I'd be awestruck. I felt like a 13-year-old kid again. It took me about five minutes before I realized he was my horse and I was on my way to the winner's circle.

“I never had a horse like this; I had chills.”

And that was just Uncle Mo's maiden! Uncle Mo would go next in the GI Champagne S. at Belmont in October of 2010 and get Repole his very first black-type win.

“I was 0-37 in stakes races before,” said Repole. “Uncle Mo was my first stakes win. It was pretty special. He won the Champagne by five lengths. Then we went to Churchill [for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile] and he was the favorite. He won by five lengths again.

“Fifteen years ago I didn't even know what the Eclipse Awards were and then I won one. It was all new, it was surreal. My whole family–50 or 60 of us–went to every single race. I always knew the game, but this with Uncle Mo was something special.”

Repole, in partnership, has won two more Eclipse Awards with Breeders' Cup winners: Vino Rosso in 2019 and Forte in 2022.

“To win the Breeders' Cup, to be an Eclipse Award winner…they all feel incredibly special, but nothing like Uncle Mo.

“The feelings I experienced then, the innocence of being a first-time owner of a pretty special horse, it makes me emotional just thinking about it.”

Ashford, where Uncle Mo now stands, is no stranger to top-class stallions. It's a testament to his ability as a sire that Uncle Mo has topped the Ashford roster's fees for the past few years.

“Uncle Mo was a sensational racehorse and is proving to be a very important stallion,” said Charlie O'Connor, Ashford's director of sales. “Successful from the start, he sired 25 stakes winners from his first crop including a Kentucky Derby winner and has since gone on to sire 14 Grade I winners and just shy of 100 stakes winners. They can run on any surface and at any distance: he can get you a Grade I Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner, a Grade I Belmont Stakes winner, and everything in between. He has had another terrific year at the sales with five $1-million+ yearlings and is proving to be a very successful sire of sires and an emerging top broodmare sire, all of this whilst still only being 15 himself. He's a very special horse.”

Uncle Mo (2008 bay horse, Indian Charlie–Playa Maya, by Arch)

Lifetime record: Ch. 2yo colt, MGISW, 8-5-1-1, $1,606,000

Breeders' Cup connections: B-D. Michael Cavey DVM (KY); O-Repole Stable; T-Todd Pletcher; J-John Velazquez.

Current location: Coolmore America/Ashford Stud, Versailles, Ky.

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In addition, a separate tweak would codify that up to 10 individual owners or entities may be listed in the track program as owners of a single horse. That limit was previously five, and it was based on the above-referenced regulation that also stated if more than five individual persons owned interests in a horse, one person was to be named as the licensed representative.

But now, in any horse ownership involving two or more owners, one of the members would have to be designated as the licensed principal owner.

And yet another change would do away with the requirement that partnership groups “shall” register with the commission. The recommended amendment would require partnership registration only “if requested by the stewards or the commission.”

Another subtle shift has to do with any kind of joint venture, such as stable names, partnerships or corporations. The new language would state that they “may be listed in the program with the principal owner's name shown parenthetically.”

The KHRC rules committee approved all of those proposed changes by unanimous voice vote at the Apr. 11 meeting. The measures still must be acted upon by the full KHRC board before they go into effect.

“What we're suggesting is that we change [the existing rule] to state that there's no specific limit on the number of people who can be licensed,” said Jennifer Wolsing, the general counsel for the KHRC. “But if we have more than two people who own interests in a single horse, then they have to designate a member of that partnership to be the licensed principal owner.”

And in terms of partnerships and their registration, Wolsing added, “We are basically saying these partnerships do not have to register unless requested by stewards of the commission itself.”

Furthermore, if you are a syndicate or partnership member who owns a very minor or micro-share of a horse, but would like to still be licensed individually, there is nothing stopping you from doing so.

“Anybody [other than the principal owner] who is in that partnership can obtain a license by going to the license office [and] writing the horse's name on an application,” said KHRC chief state steward Barbara Borden. “But I don't think [the stewards] would require anybody who hasn't divulged ownership [via syndicate] in the horse to obtain a license.”

The KHRC rules committee first took up this subject back in January, when KHRC commissioner Charlie O'Connor said he had “been approached by several ownership groups that we make room for more names” in the program.

“As syndicate groups in this country are becoming a big deal, [people] who invest their money in the horse business want to see their name on a program,” O'Connor said at that time.

The KHRC rules committee couldn't come up with an immediate solution at the January meeting. But now, three months later, O'Connor said he was pleased with the proposed rule amendments.

“I think that covers what we're trying to achieve here, because we've all been blown up about this,” O'Connor said. “It's a very important thing for these owners.”

Anna Seitz, a rules committee member who works with Fasig-Tipton and with international syndicates, said “I think it will help get new owners, honestly.”

Prior to the meeting's adjournment, Seitz floated another idea: Would there be any chance that Kentucky might swap out its annual license renewal requirement and go to three-year licensure, like in New York?

Frank Jones, Jr., a KHRC commissioner who chairs the rules committee, said he wasn't sure why the requirement exists as a one-year renewal. But he agreed that the committee should look into it.

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If the horses from those larger partnerships (or other syndicates-there are plenty of them and they are growing in number worldwide) make it into the Derby field, they won't have to worry about getting the satisfaction and distinction of seeing their names in print as owners. But that's only because as a courtesy, Churchill Downs takes the extra step of hiring a graphic designer to rework the traditional program page for America's most historic and important horse race so that no owner of a Derby runner gets left out.

Technically, that practice is at odds with a Kentucky regulation that limits the number of individual owners who can appear on the printed program page to five. At a meeting last week of the rules committee of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC), commission staffers and industry stakeholders tried to take a first pass at updating that rule so that every member of a syndicate (or at least more of them) might get recognized as listed owners in all Kentucky races, not just on Derby day.

“I've been approached by several ownership groups that we make room for more names,” said KHRC commissioner Charlie O'Connor. “As syndicate groups in this country are becoming a big deal, [people] who invest their money in the horse business want to see their name on a program.

“These ownership groups and syndicates are spending a large amount of money in Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton and all the sales houses around the world, and I think it's a fair thing for them to ask for their name to be on the program, and I think that we should be able to accommodate it without any huge, big issues,” O'Connor said.

Others in on the discussion thought so too. But it turns out there are practicality limitations and potential unintended consequences that come into play if the KHRC paves the way for more individuals to get inked into ownership lines.

As for the existing rule itself, KHRC chief state steward Barbara Borden explained it this way: “Currently, our regulation says more than five individual persons shall not be licensed as owners of a single horse. That's why we have limited the number on the program to five. It goes on to say if more than five individual persons own interests, then they shall name one person to be the licensed representative.”

Signator | Chelsea Durand

Still, even within that parameter of five, the ownership line on a Kentucky program does get crowded. Several stakeholders at the meeting referenced the trouble being related to a 200-character limit that is a requirement of the Equibase system. The number for that data field was selected some time ago, well before the proliferation of partnerships in roughly the past decade, and it was once reasonable to assume every ownership entity would fit within that amount of space.

But that equates to just 40 characters per syndicate member if five owners are listed, and even then, to make everything fit, the characters are often squished together without spacing to the point where, as Borden said, the line is “illegible” to anyone trying to decipher the program.

“Part of the problem is two things,” Borden said. “First of all, the owners that want to see their names, they might know their name is on the program. But you can't read it, and neither can anyone else. And the other thing is, the reason we put the ownership on the program to begin with, is for public disclosure. So if it's not legible because we have too many names or the font is too small or whatever, we're defeating our purpose of listing the owners at all.”

Frank Jones, Jr., a KHRC commissioner who chairs the rules committee, wondered if it would be feasible to include a “side document” in the program that would fit all the names in full, while the program page itself got printed in a less cluttered way.

Anna Seitz, who works with Fasig-Tipton and with international syndicates, said that in Australia, “they list all the names. They just do smaller fonts. I know it makes a huge difference. Those owners, that's part of the reason they buy in, because they want their name on there.”

Gary Palmisano, Jr., the executive director of racing for Churchill Downs, Inc., said his company is “all for” syndicates. “But just understand that it is space-limited” and the issue is a “bigger-picture problem” than just learning to deal with the limitations of 200 characters.

“We live this every year with the Derby,” Palmisano said. “Obviously, in the Derby, every owner partnership wants to see their names. Equibase currently doesn't have the capability of putting in more than 200 characters. So we have to physically, manually, white-out portions of the owner [line, and then string together] the text, and try to put it in [with everyone listed].”

But if the rule got changed to list more owners, Palmisano cautioned, “tracks every single day are going to have to have a graphics design person, as we do for the Derby, [to] recreate the program line. [That task] is certainly something that takes our team, manually, a lot of time to do for the Derby program.”

Palmisano continued: “Right now [the rule] says five [owners are the maximum listed]. With the racetracks, assuming Equibase can help us with the language, we can figure out the program piece. We're already actively engaging with Equibase to try to figure out the program piece. But I think the [rules] committee, more so than looking at the program piece, should take a hard look if it should be five, eight, seven, ten [owners listed]. Because that helps us frame what we need to do with Equibase.”

O'Connor said 10 names might be the sweet spot, because he's seeing many partnerships now constructed at the 10% buy-in level aiming for 10 syndicate members.

Borden said that brings up another issue related to disclosure.

“This takes us back two years ago when we had partnership forms, which we no longer require,” Borden said. “Every syndicate would have to report to us all the participants in the syndicate.”

While the partnership forms might raise the unwelcome prospect of more paperwork for everyone involved, Borden said there is an upside to those forms that relates to better transparency.

“We currently don't always know the exact ownership of every horse, so that would probably be a bonus for us,” Borden said. “But it would entail us being advised of all the ownership and the [percentages each entity owns].”

But, Borden said, no matter what expanded number the rule night eventually state, common sense inevitably has to intervene.

Gulfport | Coady Photography

“At some point there has to be, in my opinion, a limit,” Borden said. “It's not infinity. If 100 people own a horse, we can't put 100 names on there.”

Keeneland's vice president of racing, Gatewood Bell, raised another potential red flag related to numerous owners being listed: Although Kentucky has recently loosened its rules regarding coupled mutuel entries in an attempt to bolster field sizes, a single owner still can't run two horses in the same race if it excludes another owner's horse from getting in. So what if one individual was a small-percentage owner in one syndicate and owned another horse either outright or as part of a second partnership? How would preference be fairly determined?

“You wouldn't want to discourage the owners from joining these syndicates and also having horses on their own,” Bell said.

Borden pointed out that any overlapping ownership in a single race, even a tiny percentage, still counts as an owner having an interest in two horses.

The committee ended up not proposing or voting on any rule change. Jones, the committee chair, said the entire issue needed more study, but that it would likely be brought up again in the near future.

“The more you listen, the more you see how complicated a problem this could become,” Jones admitted.

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Touted by trainer Wesley Ward as perhaps the best 2-year-old filly he has ever had at this stage of her career, Her World took on the daunting double task of her first career start coming against colts and in stakes company. She handled both with ease.

In a virtual gate-to-wire victory, Her World romped to a dazzling six-length victory in the 80th edition of Tyro Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. Ridden by Paco Lopez, the daughter of Caravaggio breezed the five furlongs over a firm turf course in :56.62, easily dispatching her seven male rivals in the $100,000 feature race.

“We're excited. She did exactly what we thought she would,” said Ward. “We don't have to change much after watching that race moving forward. We're going to bring her next to Keeneland, and then we plan on bringing her to the Breeders' Cup.

“With what she showed today winning in a stakes race against colts who had experience, it's encouraging. We're going to skip right along and continue from this. I look forward to her next couple of starts but I also look forward to her being a 3-year-old, and I think (co-owner) Dick Brodie and the rest of the owners have a special one with her.”

The race was marred by a spill that saw third-place finisher Roman Poet drift out at the quarter pole, causing Vodka N Water and jockey Gerardo Corrales to clip heels and go down.

Corrales was taken by ambulance to Monmouth Medical Center for X-rays on his right shoulder, said Dr. Angelo Chinnici, the track's medical director.

“He was alert and oriented,” Dr. Chinnici said. “He was unconscious for a brief period of time but now he is fine.”

Vodka N Water experienced only cuts to his legs but was otherwise fine, said Mitch Dennison, who oversees Steve Asmussen's division at Monmouth Park.

“The horse is up and running around and looks okay except for the cuts,” said Dennison.

Roman Poet, who finished third, was disqualified and placed last for causing the interference.

Her World, meanwhile, made her challenge look almost too easy, returning $3.80 to win as the heavy favorite in the field. Trust Our Journey was second, with Baytown Warrior elevated from fourth to third following the DQ of Roman Poet.

“She is obviously a very nice filly,” said Lopez. “Wesley told me she's the best filly he has now and maybe for many, many years at this stage of her career. She broke on top and was looking around a little, maybe trying to figure things out (in her first career start). She was very professional.

“I used her to get to the top right away because Wesley Ward told me she had that kind of speed. Sometimes you want to get out there second or third and relax but she wanted to go. I looked behind after a while for the other horses but no one was running at us. She was flying in the stretch.

“You have to be special to do something like this in your first start, a stakes race and a filly against boys. But Wesley was very confident. He told me he loves this filly and wants to take her to the Breeders' Cup. Now that I have ridden her I know she can do it.”

Her World is owned by Andrew Farm, Susan Molton, For the People Racing Stable, and Windmill Manor Farm.

“Personally I was nervous going into the race, but I will tell you what, Wesley Ward had a lot of confidence in the horse and that's why she ended up in this race against the boys,” said co-owner Dick Brodie of Andrew Farm. “It's not up to me, but there have been conversations about running her the first weekend at Keeneland. My ownership partnership is with Charlie O'Connor and John Morgan.

“After today, I would definitely tell you this is one of, if not my favorite horse, we own right now. I am thrilled with what I saw.”

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Coolmore is the ultimate stallion maker, and it is invested to this day in various lines of Northern Dancer aside from Sadler's Wells that have far-reaching influence. Protonico, the sire of Medina Spirit, is by Coolmore's late Giant's Causeway, the best racing son of Storm Cat. Bred in Kentucky by Coolmore partners, Giant's Causeway began his stud career in Ireland and was later transferred to its Kentucky satellite at Ashford Stud. Giant's Causeway is also the sire of Cowboy Cal, the broodmare sire of last weekend's Preakness S. winner Rombauer (Twirling Candy), and his influence is particularly profound through his Kentucky-bred son Shamardal, who has a boatload of promising young sons at stud in Europe, particularly for Godolphin.

The Irish-headquartered operation is back at it again with another Storm Cat-line horse in Caravaggio (Scat Daddy), a young American-bred freshman stallion based this year at Coolmore America. So far through a young juvenile season, Caravaggio is making a loud noise in Europe with six winners to his credit, suggesting that he could have a mammoth year at the rate he's clicking, and his start at stud is reminiscent of No Nay Never, another son of Scat Daddy. A Group 1 winner in Europe, No Nay Never began his racing career at Keeneland (yes, on Lasix, unlike in his European wins) and is now one of the most exciting young sires in Europe, standing in Ireland for €125,000 after starting out for €20,000 in 2015 and reaching a reported €175,000 in 2020.

Hours before Rombauer won the first Lasix-free Preakness in decades, Caravaggio got his fifth winner, The Entertainer (Ire), a colt trained by Aidan O'Brien for the Coolmore partners, and the day after the Baltimore Classic, the muscular grey stallion got his sixth winner when Andreas Vesalius (Ire) and Silver Surfer (GB) ran one-two in a Naas maiden race for trainers Joseph and Donnacha O'Brien, respectively. He's the young horse everyone is talking about in Europe the same way they did of No Nay Never, and he's available this year for $25,000 to American breeders after three seasons in Ireland, where he entered stud for €35,000 (the equivalent of about $40,000 at the time) in 2018.

To say that Coolmore is heavily invested in the Scat Daddy line, both here and in Ireland, is an understatement. Aside from Caravaggio, Coolmore also stands Scat Daddy's sons Justify and Mendelssohn at Ashford. The latter, a Grade l winner who was campaigned in England, Ireland, Dubai, and the U.S., was purchased by Coolmore for a sale-topping $3 million at Keeneland September in 2016, while the 2018 Triple Crown winner was purchased from WinStar and partners for a reported valuation of $75 million.

In Ireland, Coolmore stands the aforementioned No Nay Never, a Group 1 winner at two, and the Kentucky-bred 2-year-old Group 1 winner Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy). Also standing there are No Nay Never's sons Ten Sovereigns (Ire), a Group 1 winner at two and three; and Arizona (Ire), a Group 2 winner who was twice Group 1-placed–all at two. Coolmore obviously moved Caravaggio from Ireland to Kentucky to give him new life for his fourth year at stud and to make way for Ten Sovereigns, because the two are essentially the same type: Caravaggio was also a Group 1 winner at two and three and a specialist sprinter like Ten Sovereigns.

The best European-raced offspring of Scat Daddy tended to be, like the aforementioned horses, 2-year-old Group winners and/or fast sprinters–think of G1 King's Stand S. and Prix Morny winner Lady Aurelia, too–and this is very much a sire-line trait for this branch of Northern Dancer that started with Storm Bird. In fact, each stallion in the sequence to Caravaggio that goes from Storm Bird/Storm Cat/Hennessy/Johannesburg/Scat Daddy was a Group 1 or Grade l winner at two.

Note also in this sire-line sequence that every horse from Storm Bird to Caravaggio stood at Ashford except for Overbrook's Storm Cat, but he was one that Coolmore identified early as a breed-shaper and jumped on board to use. One of his last remaining sons at stud, Tale of the Cat, still stands at Ashford.

In contrast to Europe, the best Scat Daddys in North America stayed farther, and Justify is obviously the supreme example. He also was unraced at two, and his forte was dirt; therefore, Coolmore now has all the racing aptitudes covered in Kentucky with the Scat Daddy sires Justify (Triple Crown winner, dirt); Mendelssohn (Grade l winner on turf at two at a mile, Grade ll winner and multiple Grade l-placed on dirt at three at up to a mile and a quarter); and Caravaggio (Group 1 winner on turf at two and three in sprints).

Caravaggio's return to Kentucky was something of a homecoming because he was bred by Coolmore America director of sales Charlie O'Connor (Petaluma Bloodstock) in partnership with his father-in-law's Windmill Manor Farms. The specialist sprinter was produced from the Holy Bull black-type winner Mekko Hotke and has a thoroughly American pedigree on the dam's side, but he was campaigned by the Coolmore partners on the turf in Europe, where he won seven of 10 starts and was undefeated in four starts at two for Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle.

His early promise now, coupled with the rise of No Nay Never, bodes well for the other sons and grandsons of Scat Daddy that Coolmore has in the pipeline. Coolmore lost Scat Daddy, a dirt horse who raced on Lasix, in December of 2015 at age 11, a few months before the stallion was to cover mares at a career-high fee of $100,000. He'd entered stud for $30,000 in 2008 and had dropped to a low of $10,000 in his fourth year at stud before his first crop took off, and in hindsight his loss has been massive for Coolmore, which has double-downed on his sons. And the gamble appears to paying off.

The global operation dominates the European Classics with its Galileos but is one European-based entity that has a healthy dose of respect for American-raced horses, even the ones that campaigned on race-day medication. Scat Daddy, for example, had no issues siring high-quality runners that raced without medication in Europe, and Coolmore has never thumbed its nose at dirt performers. Magnier's son M.V. Magnier put it unequivocally a few years back when he said, “My grandfather M. V. O'Brien built Ballydoyle off the backs of some brilliant American Classic horses. In Justify and American Pharoah we now have two all-time greats, so we couldn't be more optimistic about the future.”

Perhaps this is the reason that Coolmore is the leading racing stable and stud operation in Europe and, arguably, the world.

Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks.

The post Taking Stock: Coolmore Investment In Scat Daddy Sons Paying Off appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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For some, moving to a Kentucky farm from a regional or international market is akin to a minor league prospect being called up to the majors after proving he can improve the mares in his state to produce important national runners. For others, the relocation is more transactional, with stallions moving to and from different outposts residing under the same umbrella.

Names as influential as Mr. Prospector, Fappiano, and Saint Ballado got their starts in Florida, while City Zip entered stud in New York before moving to Lane's End in Kentucky, and Malibu Moon saw his first breakthrough as a Maryland resident.

Today's stallion landscape is dotted with plenty of horses who earned their places on Kentucky rosters by proving themselves elsewhere.

Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa has a couple transplants in Kantharos, who stood his first six seasons in Florida; and Stormy Atlantic, who started his career at Florida's Bridlewood Farm. WinStar Farm has Congrats, who moved to the Bluegrass State after his first Florida-sired 2-year-olds hit the track. Buck Pond Farm brought young New York stallion V. E. Day south in 2018, while Taylor Made Stallions brought Daddy Long Legs north from Chile in 2019 after he was named that country's leading juvenile sire.

This year's class of notable incoming transfer sires is an eclectic one, both in terms of background and the reason why they were brought to the state, but the goal remains unflinching: Take advantage of Kentucky's unparalleled broodmare reserves to further improve their stock at stud.

The highest-profile transfer for 2021 is Laoban, a son of Uncle Mo who began his career at Sequel New York, and had three juveniles from his first crop enter Breeders' Cup races, including Grade 1 winner Simply Ravishing. He was moved to WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky., for the 2021 breeding season, where he will stand for an advertised fee of $25,000.

“It's a new venture,” said WinStar Farm's Elliott Walden. We're extremely excited about Laoban, and feel like the kind of success he's had out of the mare quality in New York, and what you'd typically get in a regional market, would bode well for his future here in Kentucky. I know the mares that we've got marked for him so far…speaking with Becky Thomas (of Sequel New York), she said they were all better than anything he's ever bred in his career. He's going to get a big move up in mares, and it's going to hopefully be a real positive for him.”

Though Laoban is the first transfer stallion WinStar has picked up in recent memory (Congrats spent time at Vinery's Kentucky base before moving to WinStar), Walden said his team makes an annual scan of the regional stallion markets to see if anyone's stock is rising too quickly to deny.

“It's not something new,” he said. “You're always looking for the next stallion that moves up his mares, and Laoban has done that.”

Ashford Stud reached out even further to add a new member to its roster for 2021, moving Group 1 winner Caravaggio from its Irish base. He will stand for $25,000.

“He was raised here at Ashford Stud, and he was such an exceptional horse,” said Ashford's Charlie O'Connor. “Being by Scat Daddy out of an American mare (Mekko Hokte, by Holy Bull), we just thought it would be a good move to bring him back and give the American breeders a chance to breed to him. So far, he's been very well-received.”

This is a familiar move for the Coolmore operation, which also started Giant's Causeway and Declaration of War in Ireland before moving them stateside. Caravaggio stood his first two seasons in Ireland, putting him in the unique position of having yearlings to show potential breeders in his new locale, but no racetrack results.

O'Connor said Caravaggio's case was advanced by a strong performance at this year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The stallion had seven yearlings go through the ring at the sale for an average price of $212,833, led by a $400,000 filly.

“They showcased themselves at the September sales,” O'Connor said. “There was a number of them on the grounds, so a number of American breeders saw them, and liked what they saw. Wesley Ward was one in particular who bought one.”

Also moving to Kentucky in 2021 is leading Washington sire Atta Boy Roy, who will stand at War Horse Place in Lexington for a fee of $7,500. The 15-year-old Tribunal horse sent Bodenheimer to this year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and he's seen national success with the well-traveled Mr. Jagermeister.

Both horses are trained by Valorie Lund, who also conditioned Grade 2 winner Atta Boy Roy during his own on-track career. Lund recently purchased her former star runner with her sister, prompting the move.

In the past, War Horse Place brought in Kitalpha, a full-brother to Kingmambo, after standing his first six seasons in Zimbabwe, where he became the country's perennial leading sire.

War Horse Place's Dana Aschinger said comparing a stallion with runners in Zimbabwe and South Africa might seem like apples to oranges when stacked against American runners, but talent and speed are universal.

“When Kitalpha had the first four finishers in [the G3 Zimbabwe Guineas], my husband (the late Gerry Aschinger) always said 'There's still 60 seconds in a minute,'” Dana Aschinger said. “They're running the same times there that they are here.”

Kitalpha sired multiple graded stakes winner Martini Glass after moving stateside. He died of cancer at age 13.

The post Their New Kentucky Homes: When Veteran Stallions Move To The Bluegrass State appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“We are delighted that Echo Town will be coming to Ashford,” said Ashford's director of sales Charlie O'Connor. “He's a very good-looking horse and Speightstown is making an impression as a sire of sires. As one of the best sprinters of his generation we think Echo Town offers a similar profile to our own Munnings who continues to go from strength to strength.”

Echo Town broke his maiden at the first time of asking at Fair Grounds for Steve Asmussen earning TDN Rising Star Status in the process. Two more convincing wins followed at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs before he ran second to No Parole in the Woody Stephens in his first start against Grade 1 company. Next time out in the G1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga, he turned the tables on his Woody Stephens rival in no uncertain fashion drawing off to a 3 1/2-length score.

“We are extremely excited for Echo Town to stand at Coolmore America,” said co-owner Michael Levinson of L&N Racing. “He has been a star on the racetrack, and we're confident Coolmore will give him every opportunity to succeed as a stallion, we look forward to seeing his foals hit the ground in 2022.”

A son of the G2 Forward Gal Stakes winner Letgomyecho, Echo Town is a half-brother to J Boys Echo, victorious in the G3 Gotham Stakes and to Grade 3-placed juvenile Unbridled Outlaw.

Echo Town is already at Ashford and available for inspection by appointment.

The post Grade 1 Winner Echo Town Retired To Ashford Stud appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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