Christie DeBernardis | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift Farm: China Horse Club USA

As we approach the opening of the 2024 breeding season, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why.

Here we catch up with Christie DeBernardis, CHC's Regional Manager of the Americas.

Alberobello (m, 9, Bernardini–Carson Jen, by Carson City), booked to Uncle Mo

Alberobello hails from an exceptional family that is constantly improving. Additionally, Bernardini is becoming one of the best broodmare sires we've seen in a while. Alberobello produced an Uncle Mo colt for us in 2023 and we were so pleased with him, that we decided to breed her back to that Coolmore super sire after she produces her Justify foal this spring.

Always A Joker (f, 4, Into Mischief–Halo Humor, by Distorted Humor), booked to Justify

We purchased this full-sister to MGISW and successful sire Practical Joke at Keeneland November and look forward to her future. She is as beautifully made as she is bred. We thought Justify was a good physical and pedigree match for her first mating, plus he and her sire Into Mischief are two of the hottest stallions on the market right now.

Cozze Up Lady (m, 15, Cozzene–The White Lady, by Johannesburg), booked to Constitution

A Grade III winner during her racetrack career, Cozze Up Lady brought that same class and talent to the breeding shed, producing GISW Kimari (Munnings). Her 2021 colt by Constitution, now named Tucson, brought seven figures as a yearling and is currently training towards his debut for WinStar/Siena Farm with Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. We decided to send her back to that leading stallion for 2024.

Embellish the Lace (m, 12, Super Saver–Expanse, by Distant View), booked to Life Is Good

Grade I winner Embellish the Lace has already produced a pair of million-dollar yearlings. One of those seven-figure sellers was a daughter of the great Into Mischief, now two-time winner Pumpkin Scone. We retained that filly's full-sister Into Amore and she is training very well as she prepares for her career bow with Pletcher. Given her success with Into Mischief, we decided to send Embellish the Lace to one of his fastest sons, Life Is Good.

End Times (m, 9, War Front–Last Full Measure, by Empire Maker), booked to Americanrevolution

CHC homebred End Times is the second foal out of Grade I winner and producer Last Full Measure. We sold a lovely Audible filly out of her for $255,000 at this year's KEESEP sale and she has a very nice Improbable yearling filly and newborn colt from the first crop of Nashville. She is one of three mares we are sending to our new stallion, GISW Americanrevolution, as we make our first foray into the New York breeding program.

Last Full Measure (m, 16, Empire Maker–Lazy Slusan, by Slewvescent), booked to Into Mischief

GISW and producer Last Full Measure's offspring have proved quite popular at auction, including her 2022 Constitution filly, who summoned $800,000 at KEESEP last year. The topper at that auction was a $3-million Into Mischief colt out of an Empire Maker mare and that cross is also responsible for MGISW Mandaloun and Grade II winner Laurel River. We hope to add to the success of that cross as Last Full Measure visits Into Mischief this year.

Summer Solo (m, 14, Arch–Summer Solstice {Ire}, by Caerleon), booked to Not This Time

We purchased this GISP mare in 2022 and her first foal for us is a knockout. She is now the dam of two black-type horses thanks to the recent exploits of her daughter Solo Album (Curlin). Arch is phenomenal broodmare sire and Summer Solo has proven to be a versatile broodmare. We are sending her to Not This Time, who has already produced a SW and GSP horse out of an Arch mare in Howling Time.

Yellow Agate (m, 10, Gemologist–Lemon Sorbet, by Lemon Drop Kid), booked to Quality Road

Yellow Agate was CHC's first Grade I winner in America and continues to reward us as a broodmare. She has three winners from three foals of racing age, including GSW and $650,000 KEESEP buy Agate Road (Quality Road). His two older siblings, Gasoline (Curlin) and Plentitude (Quality Road), combined to win five races in 2023 and appear poised to add more black type to this family. Her 2022 filly by Quality Road summoned $650,000 at Saratoga last summer. Given all of her success with Quality Road, it seemed like a no-brainer to send Yellow Agate back to the Lane's End kingpin this year.

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

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2023 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: China Horse Club

As we approach the opening of the 2023 breeding sheds, the TDN staff is once again sitting down with leading breeders to find out what stallions they have chosen for their mares, and why.

The China Horse Club's Christie DeBernardis, Matt Houldsworth and Michael Smith clued us in on which sires they have chosen for some of their top American and European mares.

ALBEROBELLO (m, 8, Bernardini—Carson Jen, by Carson City), booked to Justify

Alberobello hails from a very deep family that is constantly improving. Her full-sister's daughter Key to My Heart (Ire) produced a $1.3-million filly at KEESEP just a few months ago. Additionally, Bernardini mares are red hot right not. She is expecting just her second foal for us this year (by Uncle Mo) and we will send her back to Justify. We are obviously big fans and supporters of Justify. That faith has been rewarded with his first crop of runners this year and they should only get better with age. This family has already produced a stakes winner by Justify in Justa Warrior.

CARIBBEAN BABE (m, 8, Arch—Kalahari Cat, by Cape Town), booked to Life Is Good

Caribbean Babe is a half-sister to MGSW and young WinStar stallion Independence Hall, as well as two other stakes winners. Her first foal Bold Discovery (Bolt d'Oro) is doing quite well in Europe, following his debut win with a Group 3 placing. She is a young mare, with a good family and by an excellent broodmare sire, so we felt she deserved a spot in the first book of our MGISW Life Is Good.

COZZE UP LADY (m, 14, Cozzene—The White Lady, by Johannesburg), booked to Munnings

This mating was a bit of a no-brainer. A Grade III winner in her own right, Cozze Up Lady's best foal thus far is Grade I-winning millionaire Kimari (Munnings). She returns to that star sprinter's sire this year in hopes of re-creating that magic.

EMBELLISH THE LACE (m, 11, Super Saver—Expanse, by Distant View), booked to Constitution

Embellish the Lace was a Grade I winner at Saratoga and has proven equally talented as a broodmare. She's produced two seven-figure yearlings so far, and another that summoned $700,000. One of those million-dollar babies was Tap the Faith (Tapit), a three-time winner, so we hope that cross will prove successful yet again through Tapit's best son at stud, Constitution.

LAST FULL MEASURE (m, 15, Empire Maker—Lazy Slusan, by Slewvescent), booked to Constitution

Last Full Measure was a Grade I winner in her own right and produced another Grade I winner for us in Valiance (Tapit). She's responsible for a series of six-figure sellers and had her best auction result in 2022 when her Constitution colt brought $1.8 million at KEESEP. On the back of that success, she will be bred back to Constitution.

SAMBUCA CLASSICA (m, 19, Cat Thief—In Her Glory, by Miswaki), booked to Life Is Good

Sambuca Classica is a bit of blue hen, producing four black-type runners, topped by champion Classic Empire. Her 2020 Justify colt, now named Golden Mic, brought $625,000 from Hideyuki Mori at KEESEP and her 2021 colt by that Triple Crown winner summoned $575,000 from WinStar and Siena Farm. Being a proven producer, we felt she was a good match for Life Is Good.

BEATRIX POTTER (m, 18, Cadeaux Genereux {GB}—Great Joy {Ire}, by Grand Lodge), booked to New Bay (GB)
Already a Group 1 producer of Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Beatrix Potter visits emerging young stallion New Bay. She's reaching her twilight years and the great hope would be to get a filly. Last season's yearling by Medaglia D'Oro made 600,000gns from Ben McElroy at Tattersalls Book 1.

FALLING PETALS (m, 11, Raven's Pass—Infinite Spirit, by Maria's Mon), booked to New Bay
Falling Petals, the producer of dual Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (New Bay), who realised 3,600,000gns at last year's Tattersalls December Mare sale, goes back to New Bay. If it's not broke, don't fix it. Last season's yearling, a New Bay colt, fetched €450,000 at Goffs Orby from Amanda Skiffington and goes into training with Saffron Beach's trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam. She also has a weanling full sister, who will likely be retained to race.

LADY LIGHT (GB) (m, 6, Showcasing {GB}—Bird Key {GB}, by Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), booked to Siyouni (Fr)
Lady Light is young stakes-placed mare, a full sister to Shadwell stallion Tasleet and from the immediate family of superstar sprinter Battaash. Her first foal, a filly by Dark Angel, is an excellent first foal. Siyouni is commercially consistent at the top level, both in the sales ring and on the track, and provides a fantastic proven option for a young mare getting going.

TSCHIERSCHEN (Ire) (m, 9, Acclamation {GB}—Roo {GB}, by Rudimentary), booked to State Of Rest (Ire)
Tschierschen is a stakes producing Acclamation mare and dam of Royal Ascot winner Petrotto. She is from the immediate family of Group 1 performers Mohaather, Prize Exhibit and Accidental Agent. A proven mare for the four-time Group 1-winning freshman sire State Of Rest (The Iron Horse).

COASTANA (m, 6, Kitten's Joy—Reachfortheheavens, by Pulpit), booked to New Bay
Coastana was picked up for $290,000 at the recent Keeneland November Sale with the plan of going to Europe to be bred. The stakes-placed mare adds some new blood to the European band and highlights our continued interest in developing families globally. A lovely individual that we thought would really suit New Bay.

MELODIC CHARM (IRE) (m, 6, Exceed and Excel {Aus}–Folk Melody {Ire}, by Street Cry {Ire}), booked to Siyouni
Melodic Charm is a young Exceed and Excel mare recently acquired from Tattersalls. She received a significant pedigree update shortly after her purchase when her half-brother Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) won the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup. She is due to Dark Angel and, therefore, the resulting progeny will be a three-parts brother or sister to Romantic Warrior.

HOURGLASS (IRE) (m, 8, Galileo {Ire}—Hellsinki {GB}, by Machiavellian), booked to Siyouni
Hourglass is a Galileo half-sister to Shamardal and is all class. Her first produce (Just an Hour {Justify}) was placed in his only start to date for Joseph O'Brien and looks to have a very bright future this coming season. Last season's yearling realised €300,000 and her weanling colt by Siyouni is outstanding. As such, going back to Siyouni was an easy call.

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DeBernardis Joins China Horse Club

Christie DeBernardis has been appointed regional manager of the United States and wider Americas and as senior media manager of the China Horse Club. An Eclipse Award-winning journalist, DeBernardis spent 10 years as editor at Thoroughbred Daily News.

“Christie's appointment comes at a time when the China Horse Club's involvement in the United States, in particular, is maturing. The fruits of our efforts over many years are just starting to be seen,” said Teo Ah Khing, China Horse Club's Chairman. “The management of this arm of the Club is understandably central to our long-term plans and Christie brings with her a great understanding of this region as well as credibility, professionalism and intent.”

DeBernardis will be responsible for the management of China Horse Club's USA racing and breeding portfolio, including selecting new stock, working with trainers on race plans, matings and stock assessment. She will also be tasked with maintaining and growing relationships with the organization's

members, partners and vendors, not only in North America, but also in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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