Chris Larsen | Horse Racing Free Tips

Breeding Stock on Tap at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale

The focus switches to breeding stock with the return of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale, which will be held at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion today. A total of 236 broodmares/broodmare prospects and New York-bred weanlings have been cataloged for the single-session sale, which gets underway at 10 a.m. To view the catalog, click here.

After being KO'd by COVID in 2020, the sale returned in 2021, generating $3,657,800 in revenue for 163 head sold. Heading last season's sale was a filly by Catalina Cruiser, that realized top price of $195,000.

“This is an important sale for those that actively participate in the New York-bred program,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Saratoga Fall annually offers the highest concentration of New York-bred weanlings of any mixed sale in North America. This year we have 175 weanlings catalogued–all of which are New York-bred.”

Added Browning, “There are also good opportunities in the broodmare portion of the sale, with a number of mares in foal to promising young sires.”

Among this season's young stallion roster with first weanlings or yearlings up for grabs Monday are Instagrand, Leofric, Solomini, Global Campaign, Fog of War, Honest Mischief, King for a Day, Sun to Run, Complexity, Higher Power, Maximus Mischief, Yoshida, Killybegs Captain, Frank Conversation, Mr. Monomoy, Gunnevera, Flameaway, Audible, Country House, Vekoma, Honor A.P., Vino Rosso, War of Will, Gift Box and Tom's d'Etat.

Once again providing strong New York-bred representation, RFHF Bloodstock offers up 21 head–19 youngsters and a pair of in-foal broodmares. Often found among the leading consignors at this venue, RFHF sold the sale-topping weanling, a colt by Practical Joke, for $160,000 during the 2019 renewal of the sale.

“We are going in there with a slightly smaller group of horses this year,” said RFHF's Chris Bernhard. “We had a few April and May babies, and pushing them for an October sale didn't really seem fair to them. I feel we often leave money on the table with them, so I tried to go over there with the horses that are going to fit. Although we have a few less horses than we normally do, the quality and sire power is still there.”

In regard to the positioning on the sale's calendar, he continued, “I always try to have a significant number of horses for this sale. I feel like a lot of the Florida and Kentucky pinhookers have put it on their calendars.”

“I think it's a great opportunity for breeders to sell horses in their own backyard. For me, it's nice to do it at home and be able to sleep in my own bed and then go back at it the next day.

I've always been one of the biggest supporters of the sale and will continue to do so.”

Among RFHF's leading prospects this year is Hip 200 by Honor A.P. out of Italian Highweight juvenile filly Omaticaya (Bernstein), purchased by the operation in foal to the Lane's End sire for $30,000 at Keeneland last November. The Jan. 29 colt is from the family of Irish highweighted router Muhtarram.

“He's a standout,” he said. “He's just really beautiful.”

Bernhard is equally high on Hip 105, a colt by Taylor Made stallion Instagrand out of EZ Passer (Southern Image).

“I like our first year horses which is what I try to program,” he explained. “We go over there with proper horses that are proper physicals and have some pedigree behind them. And try to be the first of that sire's offspring to go through the sale.”

Of the pair of colts, Bernhard added, “They are both big, scopey, pretty individuals. We thought this was a good opportunity here. They both have lovely pedigrees.”

Another colt on offer representing first-season sire War of Will is Hip 209. The colt's dam Parol (Mizzen Mast) was secured in foal to the Claiborne sire for $102,000 at Keeneland last November. The March foal hails from the female family of Pulpit.

“I have intentionally put in first-season sires in this sale because between Taylor Made, Lane's End and Claiborne, they each have their own following in this business and I feel it's strategically a smart place to put them. Hopefully, the individuals can shine and we can top the sale again this year.”

Additionally, Empire State-based sires also can be found on the pages of this season's consignment, including a pair of weanlings by Fog of War (War Front), who stands at Bernhard's Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater, New York. The GI Summer S. winner is represented by his first crop of weanlings in 2022.

Heading the duo is a colt bred by Hidden Lake, Hip 117. The Feb. 4 foal is the fifth offspring out of Fujiana (Fusaichi Pegasus), a half-sister to GSW Josh's Madelyn (Quiet American) and Party Silks, dam of MGSW and MGISP Upstart (Flatter) and SW Practice Squad (Malibu Moon). RFHF also presents Hip 23, a Fog of War colt out of SP Sweet Sugaree (Tiznow).

“They are intentionally put into this sale,” he said. “I have talked to a few people that are keen on [the stallion's first foals] as well. I am excited to see how his progeny fare at this sale and we have a few more that we'll offer over the next couple of months.”

He continued, “I have seen about 70% of [Fog of War's] offspring and I've been really pleased with them as individuals. They have a lot of leg, and are big, stretchy horses with a real powerful shoulder. They are very pretty, balanced and look fast and early.”

According to Bernhard, partner Chris Larsen's 3C Stable has made a concerted effort to improve his broodmare band in an effort to support his New York program. As a result, several of the resulting foals secured in utero over the past year have made their way to the sales ring this fall.

“We bought a couple million dollars worth of mares–about 60 mares over the course of the last two years–to support his investment in Fog of War and Galilean [standing in partnership with West Point],” he explained. “So, these are the first couple of weanlings that are coming out of that group, which includes our War of Will and Honor A.P. colts”

“[From those mares] we have a lot of those babies are nicely sired Kentucky horses and we'll have another group of horses that will go to Keeneland. We'll probably hold back 60 or 70 weanlings to look at for the August sales in Saratoga.”

“Basically, we were looking to get our initial investment back from the 22 foals out of the mares we purchased and can also give [Fog of War and Galilean] a proper opportunity to be bred to nice mares.”

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Fog of War: The New War Front in Town

The town of Stillwater, New York, just outside Saratoga Springs, is often called the ‘turning point of the American Revolution.’ It was there that one of the critical battles in the Battle of Saratoga was won and so it is fitting that the new stallion in town, standing at Barry Ostrager’s Questroyal North, is Fog of War (War Front–Say {Ire}, Galileo {Ire}). This son of War Front and winner of the GI Summer Stakes at Woodbine at two will stand as the property of Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm Inc. and Three C Stables, LLC with a stud fee set at $7,000 LFSN.

A $400,000 Keeneland September yearling, Fog of War was purchased by White Birch Farm and raced for his entire career with Chad Brown in Brant’s colors.

“Fog of War has been a horse we’ve been following since early on in his career,” said Christopher Bernhard, general manager at Questroyal and advisor to Three C Stables. “He was a maiden special weight winner here in Saratoga and shipped up to Woodbine for a second start [in the GI Summer S.] and looked pretty hopeless at the top of the stretch. Ultimately, he got free and got ahead of Preakness winner War of Will (War Front) at the wire. He won by about a length and a half. Just to have all that traffic in just his second race and then when he finally got free, he just kind of shook loose. He probably would have been one of the favorites for the Breeders’ Cup that year if he didn’t come out of the race with some sore shins. And, so they put him away for a little while.”

Brant, speaking to the TDN on Nov. 17, said he was impressed with Fog of War’s two-year-old season as well.

“Fog of War’s win first time out at Saratoga and his Grade I victory in the “Win and You’re In” Summer S. at Woodbine beating War of Will showed us that he was our best colt of that crop and marked him as one of the clear favorites for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf,” said Brant. “Unfortunately, Fog bucked his shins and would not make the race but his undefeated 2-year-old campaign managed to show everyone his brilliant turn of foot and class.”

Said Bernhard, “Fog of War, to me, is probably the nicest pedigree of any horse that’s come to the state. War Front has established himself as a very good sire of sires at this point. His son Declaration of War had a Breeders’ Cup winner with Fire at Will. The Factor has also had numerous Grade I stakes horses. War Front also has several young sons that are at stud now like Omaha Beach who was an incredibly popular horse last year. And, then Claiborne Farm will be standing War of Will for his first season this coming breeding season.”

“Fog of War’s, dam, Say, was a Group Stakes winner, Group 1 Stakes-placed over in Europe,” Bernhard continued. “She had three foals of racing age. All three of them are stakes winners by War Front. The second dam was an incredible race filly here named Riskaverse, who made a little over $2 million dollars and danced every dance here. She was a $5 million broodmare prospect. The female family includes Havre de Grace, who was a $10 million broodmare prospect several years ago and sold to Mandy Pope. And Toll Fee, the third dam, is a brilliant female family with countless number of Group and Graded stakes winners.”

Chris Larsen, founder of Three C Stables, named for himself, his wife Colleen and his son Conner, became interested in horse racing after a serious motorcycle accident. He invested with West Point Thoroughbreds

“I was lucky enough to start off as a partner in Saratoga Russell (Trippi) and Justwhistledixie (Dixie Union),” said Larsen. “They were both outstanding runners and it was great working with West Point and Terry Finley.”

When Larsen decided try his hand at breeding racehorses, he started with the fillies then racing with West Point.

“Instead of selling them all at auction, we would have them appraised and I would decide whether or not to buy them. For instance, I bought and still have Fitz Just Right,” said Larsen. “I enjoy the idea of trying to create something. When you breed a horse that goes on to win a race, it puts you on top of the world.”

Larsen met Bernhard a decade or so ago when he was looking for someone to oversee his mares and advise him on breeding decisions.

“I’ve been doing this for close to a decade with Chris’s help,” said Larsen. “He has been looking for a stallion prospect for New York and when he mentioned Fog of War, I was like ‘that’s the horse.'”

“I am huge believer in the Galileo mare and you can’t take anything away from War Front,” said Larsen. “You have two great sire lines in Fog of War. He could be the horse that really carries on the Danzig line. I feel that strongly about him. I like him so much I decided to invest a lot more in mares and become more of a commercial breeder.”

“It was made even better when we found out we could partner with Peter,” said Larsen. “It’s the right horse with the right guy, with the right partner, and he’s got the right support. I’m really looking forward to it.”

In speaking to the TDN in November, Larsen added: “This will give breeders access to the world’s most successful sire lines… as well as taking advantage of the lucrative New York State breeder awards and restricted racing programs. We think Fog of War is destined to be New York State’s great sire.”

Adjusting to life on the farm at Questroyal seems to be no problem for Fog of War.

“I’ve been really impressed with the way Fog of War has handled coming in off of the racetrack,” said Bernhard. “You know, we’ve had quite a few showings and he’s come right into the breeding shed, stands up like he’s been doing this his whole life.”

“He has been a sweetheart to be around in the stall. I picked him up a Jollyball so he can throw that at me every day. And he’s just been a complete gentleman. We’re really excited to get him turned out in big field and let him do his thing and the breeding shed will open in a few weeks.”

“I’m going to say at this point we’ve got seventy-five in-house mares that are going to Fog of War,” said Bernhard. “When we were able to negotiate a deal with Mr. Brant, who’s also going to be sending a significant number of mares from Kentucky to breed to him, we went to Keeneland and Mr. Larsen bought 31 mares at the Keeneland November sale specifically for the horse. I don’t believe there’s been a horse that’s had that opportunity right off the racetrack with that volume of in-house horses.”

“Fog of War has all the makings of a potentially high-class stallion with his conformation, pedigree and speed,” said Brant in November. “I am so thrilled Fog will have the opportunity to be an exciting freshman stallion in New York and also allow White Birch Farm to be a new player in the New York State breeding and racing program.”

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Grade 1 Winner Fog Of War Retires To Questroyal/Hidden Lake Farm In New York For 2021

Chris Bernhard has announced that Fog of War, a Grade 1 juvenile stakes winner, will stand the 2021 season at Questroyal / Hidden Lake Farm near Stillwater, N.Y.

A $400,000 Keeneland September yearling consigned by Gainesway, Fog of War was purchased by White Birch Farm and raced under the colors of Peter M. Brant his entire career.

A precocious 2-year-old, Fog of War won his career debut in an $85,000 maiden special weight at Saratoga, defeating a $800,000 OBS 2-year-old and a $725,000 son of Curlin in a field of nine, racing 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf in 1:03.92. A month later, Fog of War met up with War of Will in a duel to the wire to capture the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine over the eventual Preakness Stakes victor in a winning time of 1:33.90 at a mile on the turf.

At three, he was caught at the wire by future Grade 1 winner Win Win Win in the Manila Stakes at Belmont Park, racing one mile on the turf in 1:31.56, just 33/100ths off the course record. The 4-year-old was recently retired after finishing on the board in the G3 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 4.

Fog of War's sire War Front, has perennially ranked among the top 25 sires in the United States. He is the sire of three champions, a four-time highweight in Europe, 95 stakes winners, and 465 winners of 1,271 races, with earnings of nearly $75 million. He is sire of 21 seven-figure sale yearlings and stands at Claiborne Farm for a fee of $150,000.

Fog of War's dam Say, a daughter of Galileo, was a Group 3 winner in Ireland, earning $158,325, and she finished in the top three in five stakes in Ireland and Great Britain.

She produced two full-brothers to Fog of War – Invader, a $500,000 Keeneland September yearling who won the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes by 6 1/4 lengths, and Naval Intelligence (exported to Hong Kong and renamed Gold Chest), a stakes-winner in Great Britain and handicap winner in Hong Kong.

Fog of War's second dam Riskaverse is a multiple Grade 1 winner of $2,182,429. A stakes winner and Grade 1-placed at two, she captured the G1 Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes twice, the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes, and she won or placed in ten other graded events. At the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale the daughter of Dynaformer commanded $5 million as a racing/broodmare prospect.

This is the family of 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older mare Havre De Grace. Following her career, she was purchased as a broodmare prospect at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale for a record $10 million by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm.

Chris Larsen commented, “I'm excited to partner with Peter Brant to bring Fog of War to stud in New York. This will give breeders access to the world's most successful sire lines Peter and I love, as well as taking advantage of the lucrative New York State breeder awards and restricted racing programs. We think Fog of War is destined to be New York State's great sire.”

Peter M. Brant of White Birch farm added, “Fog of War's win first time out at Saratoga and his Grade 1 victory in the “Win and You're In” Summer Stakes at Woodbine beating War of Will, showed us that he was our best colt of that crop and marked him as one of the clear favorites for the 2018 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf. Unfortunately, Fog bucked his shins and would not make the race but his undefeated 2-year-old campaign managed to show everyone his brilliant turn of foot and class. Fog of War has all the makings of a potentially high-class stallion with his conformation, pedigree and speed. I am so thrilled Fog will have the opportunity to be an exciting freshman stallion in New York and also allow White Birch Farm to be a new player in the New York State breeding and racing program.”

Fog of War stands as property of White Birch Farm Inc. and Three C Stables LLC with a stud fee set at $7,000, live foal stands and nurses. A limited number of lifetime breeding rights are available.

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Declaration of War Filly a First-Out Winner at the Spa

5th-Saratoga, $62,000, (S), Msw, 8-6, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.82, fm.
GUARDIAN MOON (f, 2, Declaration of War–Elatha, by Malibu Moon) recorded a professional 1 1/4-length debut victory over the Saratoga lawn Thursday. The 7-5 favorite pressed the pace through an opening quarter in :22.27. The bay filly stuck her head in front at the top of the stretch and was clear through a quarter in :45.98. She turned back a mild challenge from Herald Angel (Exaggerator) late to win with authority. Guardian Moon is the first foal out of Elatha, who was bred to champion Gun Runner this spring. The mare also has a yearling filly by First Samurai. The winner’s third dam is Misty Dancer (Lyphard), who produced Quiet Dance (Quiet American), the dam of champion Saint Liam and Quiet Giant (Giant’s Causeway), dam of Gun Runner. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $34,100.
O-Chris Larsen; B-3C Stable, LLC (NY); T-Jorge R. Abreu.

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