First Foal Is A Filly For Darby Dan Farm’s Higher Power

Darby Dan Farm's Higher Power, a Grade 1-winning millionaire by Medaglia d'Oro, sired his first reported foal on Jan. 26 when a filly out of the Curlin mare Curlita was born at Julie Rini's Crowning Point Farm.

Bred by Deann Baer, the filly hails from the family of stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Daring Reality and Grade 3 stakes winner Ski Dancer.

Higher Power, a dominant 5 1/4-length winner of the 2019 Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar with a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure, was a five-time winner of nearly $1.6 million. In addition to his scintillating score in the Pacific Classic, he also placed in the Breeders' Cup Classic, G1 Hollywood Gold Cup, and G1 Awesome Again Stakes for owner Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler.

While his biggest career victory was achieved at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles, Higher Power was also precocious. He broke his maiden at two and captured his 3-year-old debut at Oaklawn Park, defeating subsequent graded stakes-winning millionaire New York Central.

By elite sire Medaglia d'Oro, Higher Power was bred in Kentucky by Pin Oak Stud. He is produced from the multiple stakes-winning Seattle Slew mare Alternate, who is also the dam of multiple graded stakes winner Alternation and multiple stakes winner Interrupted. Alternate is a half-sister to 1995 Canadian Horse of the Year and multiple Grade 1 winner Peaks and Valleys from the family of Grade 1 winner Mucho Gusto.

Higher Power bred 152 mares in his first season at stud and will stand the upcoming breeding season for $10,000 S&N.

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First Foal for MGISW Vekoma

Spendthrift Farm's Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of the GI Met Mile and GI Carter H. is represented by his first foal, a filly that was born early Saturday at Crowning Point Farm in Paris, Kentucky.

“She's a nice filly, we thought she was a colt because of how big she was from a maiden mare,” said Julie Rini of Crowning Point. “She has a nice shoulder and hip, good bone and appears to be correct. We are very happy.”

Bred by Loren Nichols, the bay is the first foal out of Bella Alicita (Bellamy Road), who was stakes placed as a juvenile and is from the immediate family of graded stakes winner Blazing Fury. Campaigned by trainer George Weaver for R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables, Vekoma won on debut in 1:08 4/5 before earning his first graded win in the GIII Nashua S. At three, he won Keeneland's GII Toyota Blue Grass S., and the next season added the Carter and Met Mile in addition to the Sir Shackleford S. at Gulfstream.

Vekoma, who retired to Spendthrift with earnings of $1,245,525, covered 222 mares in his first book in 2021. The 6-year-old chestnut is set to stand his second season at stud for a fee of $17,500 S&N.

 

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‘Nice Shoulder And Hip, Good Bone’: Vekoma’s First Foal A Filly At Crowning Point Farm

The first reported foal by Spendthrift Farm's Vekoma, the Met Mile (G1) and Carter Handicap (G1) winner by Candy Ride, is a filly that was born early Saturday at Crowning Point Farm in Paris.

“She's a nice filly, we thought she was a colt because of how big she was from a maiden mare. She has a nice shoulder and hip, good bone and appears to be correct. We are very happy,” said Julie Rini of Crowning Point.

Bred by Loren Nichols, the bay filly is the first foal out of the Bellamy Road mare Bella Alicita, who was stakes placed as a juvenile and is from the immediate family of graded stakes winner Blazing Fury.

Campaigned by trainer George Weaver for R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables, Vekoma was an undefeated graded stakes winner at two and four and captured a major Kentucky Derby prep race at three.

After winning on debut in 1:08 4/5, the fast son of Candy Ride earned his first graded win in the Nashua (G3) at Aqueduct to close out his juvenile season. Vekoma scored a decisive win in Keeneland's Blue Grass (G2) at three, and he proved to be one of the best horses in North America as a four-year-old, winning a pair of Grade One races in New York in 2020. Vekoma dominated the Carter (G1) before taking the prestigious Met Mile (G1), and he also captured the Sir Shackleford S. at Gulfstream. His –½ Ragozin number earned from his Carter performance remains the only negative number run on Ragozin this decade.

Vekoma retired to Spendthrift with earnings of $1,245,525 and proved popular among breeders, covering 222 mares in his first book in 2021. The 6-year-old chestnut is set to stand his second season at stud for a fee of $17,500 S&N.

For more information about Vekoma, please contact Des, Mark, or Brian at 859-294-0030, or visit SpendthriftFarm.com.

The post ‘Nice Shoulder And Hip, Good Bone’: Vekoma’s First Foal A Filly At Crowning Point Farm appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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