Daredevil | Horse Racing Free Tips

Swiss Skydiver Gets the Better of Authentic in Stirring Preakness Stretch Drive

Only five fillies had managed to take home the blanket of black-eyed susans in the previous 144 runnings of the GI Preakness S. and the last to do so was Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra, who beat GI Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird by a length in the 2009 renewal. However, in 2020, a year of upsets and the unconventional, a filly took down the Derby winner yet again with Oaks runner-up Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) getting the better of Derby hero Authentic (Into Mischief) in an epic stretch battle in this year’s Preakness. In addition to being the final leg of the Triple Crown, rather than the middle jewel, the Preakness was also a “Win and You’re In” for the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Let go at 11-1, Swiss Skydiver was away in good order from post four and settled on the fence in a joint third with Art Collector (Bernardini)–who beat Swiss Skydiver in her first try against males in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in July–and Pneumatic (Uncle Mo). The trio ran just a length off the front-running Bob Baffert duo of Authentic and Thousand Words (Pioneerof Nile), a late scratch on Derby day after flipping over in the paddock, through a moderate first quarter in :24.48 and a half-mile in :47.65.

Thousand Words threw in the towel at that juncture, leaving Authentic exactly where he wanted to be, alone on the lead. That was Swiss Skydiver’s moment to strike. The chestnut filly took advantage of the opening on the rail left by Thousand Words, slipping through to challenge Authentic. She stuck her head in front as three-quarters went in 1:11.24 and turned for home with a half-length advantage. Swiss Skydiver and Authentic pulled well clear of the rest of the field in the lane, battling it out all the way to the wire in the grittiest of stretch duels. However, despite Authentic’s best efforts, Swiss Skydiver refused to yield to the Derby winner, determinedly fending off her foe all the way to the wire to make history by a neck. It was 9 3/4 lengths back to 40-1 shot Jesus’ Team (Tapiture) in third and Art Collector was just a head behind him in fourth.

“I’m just proud of Robby [Albarado],” said trainer Ken McPeek, who was winning hiss first Preakness and second Triple Crown race, having saddled Sarava to a 70-1 upset in the 2002 GI Belmont S. We had to call him in at the last minute. He did a great job. I’m really proud of him, her, [owner] Peter Callahan. I wish he was here. This is just a real honor to be around a horse like this. This is a special moment.”

McPeek continued, “It was a genius move by Robby coming up the fence. He saw a hole and went right at it. It felt like she took him there. If he waited, she would take him there. I think she should have won the Oaks too. Maybe if we stay inside, we win that one too, but it is what it is. She’s just really neat to be around. Robby and I have had a great week. We’ve been getting on her, walking her together, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner together. This is a lifetime experience for both of us and we hope we’re back.”

When asked if he will take the free berth to the Classic or go back to running against females in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff, McPeek said, “We can look at both races, I suppose. We got in for the Distaff after the Alabama, but I would say right now we would probably lean towards the older fillies and mares. But nothing set in stone and we don’t have to make a decision today, I don’t think.”

The stretch duel was reminiscent of another Triple Crown battle of the sexes involving Albarado and Authentic’s pilot John Velazquez. In 2007, Velazquez was the one on the filly, piloting Rags to Riches to a narrow success over Preakness winners Albarado and Curlin in a thrilling battle at Big Sandy in the 2007 GI Belmont S. (video).

“I had an opportunity, a split second, to take advantage of the rail because Johnny [Velazquez on Authentic] was sitting off the fence there,” said Albarado. “I made a conscious decision on the backside. ‘It’s give or take now. Do I make that move now or do I wait to see if they come back to me?’ She’s been doing extremely well. Kenny’s been doing a great job. I’ve been around her all week. I figure she knows where she’s at, she’s in her surroundings. I said let me try and make this Jerry Bailey move and win.”

“We had a good start, no trouble at all,” said Velazquez of beaten 3-2 chalk Authentic. “In the first turn we got by Art Collector. By the backstretch, I tried to open up, but he just stood there and Swiss Skydiver came to him. I tried to get him rolling again, but he just stayed with that other horse from the half-mile pole to the wire.”

When asked his thoughts post-race, Baffert said, “I was hoping he was on the lead. We had to get the lead. He runs better on the lead. He likes to be out there running fast. But he got beat. He had the whole stretch to get by her. She ran a gallant race. He’s a free-running horse and likes to be on the lead. I saw he wasn’t on the lead and was struggling a little bit. That’s a good filly. He had every chance to get by her. He got beat. He just couldn’t get by her. She dug in. She’s tough.”

The Makings of a Champion…

Purchased by McPeek for just $35,000 at Keeneland September, Swiss Skydiver opened her account with a 5 1/2-length graduation in her seven-panel unveiling at Churchill Downs Nov. 16. A close second over a sloppy mile beneath the Twin Spires just two weeks later, she could only manage fifth in Tampa’ss Gasparilla S. Jan. 18 and was third to early divisional leader Finite (Munnings) in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 15.

Swiss Skydiver had her coming out party so to speak in the Mar. 28 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, which she won in dominant fashion at odds of 9-1. Victorious again in the May 1 GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn, the Peter Callaghan colorbearer went wire-to-wire for a four-length romp in the GII Santa Anita Oaks June 6. Trying males for the first time in the July 11 Blue Grass, she was bested only by Art Collector, finishing a gallant second and rebounded with a decisive score in the 10-furlong GI Alabama S. at Saratoga Aug. 15. Dispatched as the second choice to Gamine (Into Mischief) in the rescheduled Oaks Sept. 4, the chestnut made a three-wide bid, but could not quite catch GI Juddmonte Spinster S. contender Shedaresthedevil, finishing second.

Pedigree Notes:

Swiss Skydiver is one of four black-type winners and two Grade I/graded winners along with Shedaresthedevil for former WinStar stallion Daredevil, who was exported to Turkey in November. Her dam Expo Gold was purchased by Blue Chip Thoroughbreds for $15,000 at the CTBA January Mixed Sale. Her first foal Is It Gold (Indygo Shiner) is set to sell in foal to Nyquist as part of the South Point Sales consignment at the upcoming Keeneland November Sale. Expo Gold’s recent produce includes an unraced juvenile colt named Inspector General (Daredevil), who was purchased by Southern Racing for just $4,000 at KEESEP; and a yearling colt by Danzing Candy, who RNA’d for $145,000 at the recent Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. The 12-year-old mare was barren when bred to Danzing Candy for 2020 and was bred to Catholic Boy this spring.

Post-Preakness Thoughts…

“I feel very excited and I’m proud of my team and their work with Jesus’ Team. He’s really improved every day. I am very sure that he is going to be a great horse in the United States. I’m very happy for the result in this race, the Preakness Stakes, one of the most important races for 3-year-olds in this amazing country.” –Jose D’Angelo, trainer of Jesus’ Team (third)

“I thought he ran fine. He didn’t break quite as sharp as we hoped he would and that kind of had us playing catch-up a little bit. He was kind of in tight and it wasn’t the best trip; it’s not the trip we were hoping for. But we’ve got no excuse. The winner ran huge and we had our shot to get to them and just couldn’t do it.” –Tom Drury, conditioner of Art Collector (fourth)

Saturday, Pimlico
PREAKNESS S.-GI, $1,000,000, Pimlico, 10-3, 3yo, 1 3/16m, 1:53.28, ft.
1–SWISS SKYDIVER, 123, f, 3, by Daredevil
                1st Dam: Expo Gold, by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Clouds of Gold, by Strike the Gold
                3rd Dam: Cloudy Colors, by Personal Flag
($35,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Peter J. Callahan; B-WinStar Farm,
LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Robby Albarado. $600,000.
Lifetime Record: 11-6-3-1, $1,792,980. *1/2 to Miss Hot Legs
(Verrazano), SP, $151,620. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Authentic, 126, c, 3, Into Mischief–Flawless, by Mr. Greeley.
($350,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC,
MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight
Racing; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Bob
Baffert. $200,000.
3–Jesus’ Team, 126, c, 3, Tapiture–Golden Memories, by Suave.
($30,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Grupo Seven C Stable; B-Pamela P.
Gartin (KY); T-Jose Francisco D’Angelo. $110,000.
Margins: NK, 9 3/4, HD. Odds: 11.70, 1.50, 40.90.
Also Ran: Art Collector, Max Player, Excession, Mr. Big News, Thousand Words, Ny Traffic, Pneumatic, Liveyourbeastlife. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Preakness Notes: Alborado To Ride Swiss Skydiver; Ny Traffic ‘Most Likely’ To Run; Authentic Breezes Monday

Peter Callahan's Grade 1 stakes-winning filly Swiss Skydiver will compete in the 145th Preakness (G1) at Pimlico on Oct. 3, trainer Kenny McPeek confirmed Sunday.

Veteran jockey Robby Albarado will replace Tyler Gaffalione on the millionaire filly. Albarado won the Preakness in 2007 aboard future Hall of Famer Curlin.

When she goes to the gate at historic Pimlico Race Course, Swiss Skydiver will be the 55th female to run in the Preakness. The most recent of the five filly winners of Maryland's Triple Crown classic was Rachel Alexandra in 2009. Her success against males in Baltimore helped her capture the 3-year-old filly title and the Horse of the Year Award.

McPeek had talked about the 1 3/16-mile Preakness as a possibility for Swiss Skydiver since the summer and decided to send her in against males for a second time when she worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Churchill Downs Saturday morning. In June, the chestnut daughter of Daredevil won the Santa Anita Oaks (G2), her third straight victory. In her first attempt against males, she ended up second to Preakness prospect Art Collector in the July 11 Blue Grass Stakes (G2). On August 15 at Saratoga, she won as she pleased in the 1 1/4-mile Alabama (G1). Three weeks later, she was second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

“I know she will make the distance without any problem,” McPeek said. “I think she will like that racetrack. Of course, she has raced everywhere. Whatever racetrack she has raced over she has handled great. It was a tough call between racing against straight 3-year-olds or older fillies and mares or turf, which was briefly thought about. I think she will handle it fine.

“My preference would have been if they wrote a race back like the Alabama back for this week. But that doesn't exist. There are no 3-year-old filly Grade 1s. She gets a little bit of weight off and she's continuing to do good,” he added.

A victory against the boys would greatly enhance Swiss Skydiver's quest for year-end honors.

“I think if she wins a race like this you've got to include her possible Horse of the Year,” McPeek said. “She's danced every dance and she's been hickory and she had entertained the fan base like probably no filly in years. I think it's a chance to make history.”

The other dirt option for McPeek prior to the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Keeneland on November 7 was the Spinster (G1) on Oct. 4, also at Keeneland.

Preakness entries will be taken Monday. Swiss Skydiver will ship to Maryland from Kentucky on Tuesday.

“It will be interesting to see where she draws,” McPeek said. “I think she runs better from the outside and I think drawing the one-hole cost her the Oaks. I think she got pinned down in there and if my rider had stayed inside he probably would have won. But he went around. Hindsight is 20/20. It is what it is.”

Ny Traffic Likely for Preakness Following Sunday Breeze
Ny Traffic breezed a half-mile in 48 seconds at Churchill Downs Sunday morning to the satisfaction of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who stopped just short of committing the Haskell (G1) runner-up to Saturday's Preakness.

“Most likely he's going to go, but tomorrow we'll make the decision,” Joseph said. “We were very happy with the work.”

Ny Traffic's half-mile clocking was the second-fastest of 88 recorded at the distance.

Sunday's workout was his first since finishing eighth in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby (G1), in which he was a forward factor early before weakening in the stretch. He exited the Derby with a cut in his left front ankle.

The son of Cross Traffic had previously lost by a nose to eventual Kentucky Derby winner Authentic in the July 18 Haskell at Monmouth Park.

Derby Hero Authentic Slated to Breeze Monday at Churchill
Following more stakes success at Santa Anita on Saturday, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert flew from California to Kentucky Sunday morning to check on his Preakness candidates Authentic and Thousand Words.

Authentic, Baffert's record-tying sixth Kentucky Derby winner, is scheduled to work Monday morning at Churchill Downs. Thousand Words, a three-time stakes winner, had his final Preakness work Saturday.

“All good. He came out of it really well,” Baffert said about Thousand Words. “He's on course.”

Baffert said he will make the final call on his Preakness horses Monday morning before entries close. The post-position draw is set for noon.

In the Preakness, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will ride Authentic and Florent Geroux will ride Thousand Words.

Saturday afternoon at Santa Anita, Baffert saddled the 1-2 finishers in the Chandelier Stakes (G2), Princess Noor and Varda, before saddling the top two finishers in the Awesome Again (G1), Whitney (G1) winner Improbable and heavy favorite Maximum Security, winner of the Pacific Classic (G1).

Art Collector on Track for Trip to Pimlico
Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, winner of the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby and Keeneland's Blue Grass (G2) in his last two starts, did a combination of walking and jogging at Churchill Downs under Welter Davilla Sunday morning.

“I just wanted to let him move around a little without actually training,” trainer Tommy Drury said.

Art Collector, a son of 2006 Preakness Stakes winner and 3-year-old champion Bernardini, worked a half-mile in 48 seconds on Saturday.

Lunsford, Drury and jockey Brian Hernandez are shooting for their first Triple Crown win, with Drury making his first start in the series. Lunsford has never had a Preakness starter, but his horse Vision and Verse was second by a head at 54-1 odds in the 1999 Belmont Stakes (G1) won by Lemon Drop Kid.

Allied Racing's Mr. Big News, the Kentucky Derby third-place finisher at 46-1 odds, jogged a mile Sunday morning under regular exercise rider Tony Quinones. Mr. Big News is to fly to Baltimore Tuesday. He's trained by Bret Calhoun and will be ridden by Gabriel Saez. Calhoun, Saez and Allied Racing's Chester Thomas all are seeking their first wins in the Triple Crown series, with the trainer and owner set to participate in the Preakness for the first time.

The Steve Asmussen-trained trio of Pneumatic, Max Player and Excession all galloped Sunday. Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pneumatic, winner of Monmouth Park's Pegasus Stakes, is training at Saratoga, with George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds' Max Player and Calumet Farm's Excession at Churchill Downs.

Max Player was fifth in the Kentucky Derby in his first start under Asmussen's care after finishing third in both Saratoga's Travers Stakes (G1) and Belmont Park's Belmont Stakes (G1). Excession makes his first start since finishing a good second to the highly regarded Nadal (since sidelined) in Oaklawn Park's Rebel Stakes (G2). Pneumatic was fourth in the Belmont Stakes before earning his first stakes triumph in the Pegasus.

Asmussen, who recently became only the second trainer to win 9,000 races, is seeking a third Preakness victory, following Curlin in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra in 2009. Both horses went on to be Horse of the Year, with Curlin also earning that title in 2008.

Godolphin's homebred Jim Dandy (G2) winner Mystic Guide breezed five furlongs Sunday in 1:01.60 over the main track at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. Trainer Mike Stidham has all but ruled out the Preakness.

“The work went great. It was on a wet track but he handled it really well. We were comfortable with it being a safe track to work on,” Stidham said. “He just went evenly and finished up nice with a good gallop out, but we're pretty much focused on skipping the Preakness and going into the Jockey Club.”

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McPeek Still Deciding Whether Swiss Skydiver Will Start In Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes

Trainer Ken McPeek has heard the news about Tiz the Law's connections deciding to skip the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes, but told the Daily Racing Form on Tuesday that he has not yet decided whether his stable's star filly, Kentucky Oaks runner-up Swiss Skydiver, will head to Pimlico.

“The filly has had a really good week,” McPeek told the Daily Racing Form. “There's no need to make any kind of decision just yet. Let's see how she works Saturday and we'll go from there.”

Swiss Skydiver, a 3-year-old daughter of Daredevil, first faced males earlier this summer in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. She finished second in the July 11 contest, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by fellow Preakness hopeful Art Collector. Since then, Swiss Skydiver posted a 3 1/2-length victory in the G1 Alabama and finished second in the Kentucky Oaks to Shedaresthedevil, beaten 1 1/2 lengths at Churchill.

McPeek said the filly will breeze at Churchill on Saturday, and expects to announce a final decision on Monday.

Other likely Preakness contenders include: Art Collector, Authentic, Mr. Big News, Pneumatic, Thousand Words, Liveyourbeastlife, and Jesus' Team. Potential entries include Mystic Guide, Dr Post, and Happy Saver.

TDN Q&A: WinStar’s Elliott Walden

WinStar Farm has had many big years, but this one may prove its biggest to date. Kenny Troutt’s operation has bred, raised and offered for sale four 2020 Grade I winners: Sept. 5 GI Woodward H. hero Global Campaign (Curlin); Paris Lights (Curlin), who led home a one-two for WinStar Stablemates in July’s GI Coaching Club American Oaks; and Shedaresthedevil and Swiss Skydiver, who completed the exacta for their former WinStar-based stallion Daredevil in last Friday’s GI Longines Kentucky Oaks. Plus, it co-campaigns GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. and GI Whitney S. hero Improbable (City Zip), and stands Constitution, whose first-crop son Tiz the Law has racked up three Grade I wins this year before a runner-up effort in the GI Kentucky Derby.

We caught up with WinStar President and CEO Elliott Walden Friday after a productive two days of buying and selling at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase and before the start Sunday of the Keeneland September sale at which the bulk of WinStar’s yearling crop will be offered.

TDN: WinStar is perennially at or near the top among North American breeders, and of course it has campaigned the likes of homebred 2010 GI Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, but this has been a particularly productive year for WinStar grads. What does that mean to the team at WinStar?

EW: It’s really exciting for the whole farm–it’s what everybody gets up every morning for and works towards. We try to compete at the highest level and it’s just really special for everyone to have four Grade I winners in a year.

Winning an Oaks, and having offered all four of them for sale makes it extra meaningful and really shows what we do. For the guys who work in the yearling barn, all these horses are the same to them–it doesn’t matter if they’re a Book 5 horse or a Book 1 horse. They treat them all the same, they care for them all the same. They all have personalities that make them different, but they love them all and it doesn’t matter if they’re a Curlin or a Daredevil.

I also think people wonder sometimes if we keep our best or anything like that, but that’s not the case. We have 90 yearlings this year, and all but three have or will be offered for sale and some of those were for vet issues.

TDN: Global Campaign sold for $250,000 to Sagamore Farm at the 2017 Keeneland September sale, but WinStar stayed in and is still a co-owner. How did that work out?

EW: Global Campaign was a beautiful horse. He had a little bit of epiphysitis in a knee, but [Sagamore President] Hunter Rankin and [trainer] Stanley Hough had zeroed in on him because of his pedigree. They were able to see through the epiphysitis, and asked us if we would be willing to stay in if they bought him, and we’re really glad we did. We’re looking forward to standing him at WinStar. Being a son of Curlin who has won from seven furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, with the speed that he has, we’re really excited about him. We’re also excited about the [GI] Breeders’ Cup Classic–he’s coming into it the right way. He’s on top of his game right now.

He is really exciting, not only because he’s a Grade I winner by Curlin, but the mare Globe Trot (A.P. Indy) [who died while foaling Global Campaign] had two Grade I winners from three foals (Bolt d’Oro) and all three of her foals are stallions (Sonic Mule).

TDN: Three-for-four Paris Lights was a $200,000 RNA at the 2018 September sale. What do you remember about her as a yearling?

EW: Paris Lights was a very nice Curlin filly–she was just kind of a plain brown wrapper, but moved well and was just one of those fillies who we wanted $250,000 for, but she fell through the cracks. There was nothing wrong with her. She was a pretty filly, but Curlin wasn’t as hot at the time as he is now.

TDN: Swiss Skydiver, who has earned more than $1.14 million this year and romped in the GI Alabama S., cost just $35,000 at the same September sale.

EW: Swiss Skydiver, as it’s been documented, had some vet issues that [trainer] Kenny McPeek saw through. We loved that filly all along. She was beautiful, had done everything right, never had any clinical issues with the X-rays that she had. She was always a big, strong, strapping filly.

TDN: Shedaresthedevil was a $100,000 Keeneland November weanling in 2017.

EW: Shedaresthedevil was a nice filly by a young sire in Daredevil, but she just fell through the cracks as well. We still have her dam [Starship Warpseed {Congrats}] and she is in foal to Uncle Mo. She has a 2-year-old Outwork filly that [Shedaresthedevil’s trainer] Brad Cox has who he really likes (Jemison, $150,000 FTKJUL).

TDN: None of the four WinStar-bred and offered Grade I winners carried enormous price tags. Do you think that should give buyers added confidence when shopping WinStar offerings? What does it say about the yearling market in general?

EW: That’s true about the business in general–nobody knows for sure what the future holds with these yearlings. That’s the great thing about it. That’s why you have so many people who are passionate about buying yearlings. They feel like they can pick out the next champion.

We sold [2017 GI Del Mar Futurity and GI FrontRunner S. winner] Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) for a lot of money ($630,000 FTSAUG ’16); and we also sold Grade I winner Eight Rings (Empire Maker) ($520,000 KEESEP ’18).

The thing about WinStar is that by offering our whole crop, you’re going to be able to pick out horses from $30,0000 to $1 million.

We try to raise them right–we’ve invested approximately $24 million in the last four years into our broodmare band. One great thing about Kenny is that everything we make at the farm is reinvested back into it. He’s never taken a dime out of the business, and we’ve continued to try to upgrade our bloodstock. I think we’re starting to see the fruition of that through our broodmare band.

TDN: After the Oaks, there was a lot of talk about WinStar’s decision to sell Daredevil to the Turkish Jockey Club ahead of the 2020 breeding season. What went into that decision and have you considered trying to bring him back like you did with Take Charge Indy?

EW: There have been discussions [about trying to bring him back]. At the time, we were just coming off a season where we only had 25 mares bred to him. It’s just hard to stand a stallion that isn’t very marketable. Obviously, it was a big mistake to sell him and I take that responsibility.

TDN: Micro-share syndicates and racing clubs have grown significantly in popularity, and likely will continue to do so after Authentic (Into Mischief)’s win the GI Kentucky Derby, as he’s co-owned by MyRacehorse.com. Paris Lights led home a one-two finish over Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon) in the CCA Oaks for your own program offering lower-cost access to high-end horses, WinStar Stablemates. Can you please explain the structure of that program?

EW: It was nice at the sixteenth pole with them coming down the stretch with five lengths back to another horse–you knew one of them was going to win it, but just didn’t know which one.

We started WinStar Stablemates as a pioneer in the space 10 years ago as a fan initiative. It was a compliment to the syndicates around like West Point, Starlight and Centennial, but at that time there wasn’t an engagement with the fans.

It morphed into a racing initiative two years ago, so we take our fillies who we’re going to put into training–whether it’s something that we buy and are targeting as a broodmare down the road or something that we don’t get sold–and we package them together and lease them to the Stablemates. They pay the training bills, they get the purses. It’s an exciting program, and there’s no way they could buy these types of fillies on their own, like a Curlin filly or Crystal Ball, who we paid $750,000 for as a 2-year-old at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream.

So, we’re really excited for them. Both of those fillies are on the farm now turned out and we’ll crank them up again next year.

TDN: You sold a $570,000 Into Mischief colt (hip 433) to SF Racing, Starlight, Madaket, et al; and a $450,000 Speightstown filly (hip 448) to Robbie Medina at Fasig-Tipton Thursday. How did you find the market overall?

EW: I think the sale was solid and encouraging for the future and the sales season. It was a great start. Momentum from Fasig will hopefully continue into Keeneland. It seems like there are a lot of people looking for horses; the appetite for horses is good. Obviously, we’re in a difficult time, but I think if Fasig did one thing it gave you hope that the horse business is still alive and well.

TDN: You also made three purchases: a $400,000 Gun Runner colt (hip 366); a $200,000 Midnight Storm colt (hip 534); and a $100,000 Super Saver colt (hip 273).

EW: We really like the Midnight Storm colt who we bought. We’ve been very impressed with his progeny. We followed him closely given that he was by [late WinStar stallion] Pioneerof the Nile. The speed that he showed on the racetrack; his durability; the ability to handle all surfaces. For a mid-level stallion, I think he’s an exciting prospect. The Gun Runner we bought was very nice as well, and we bought a very nice Super Saver off great breeders in the Nardelllis.

TDN: How many will you sell at Keeneland September and who are some hips to watch?

EW: We have 75 yearlings entered in Keeneland September, and another 14 or so in Fasig-Tipton October. Some of the stand-outs at Keeneland include:

Hip 203, a Quality Road filly out of MGSW and GISP House Rules (Distorted Humor) consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds.
Hip 208, an Into Mischief half-sister to champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya), also from the Woodford draft.
Hip 342, a Pioneerof the Nile half-sister to Eight Rings consigned by Denali.
Hip 512, an Uncle Mo filly out of Grade I winner Birdatthewire (Summmer Bird) offered by Machmer Hall Sales.
Hip 986, a Speightstown colt out of MSW and MGSP Galina Point (Saffir) consigned by Warrendale Sales.

TDN: This is an interesting year for Constitution–his current crop of yearlings was produced during his third season at stud, which is often a down year for a stallion. But, obviously, he’s done very well on the track with Tiz the Law and others and is the leading second-crop sire. His seven to sell at Fasig averaged $157,857. What did you think of his result there and what are your expectations for his progeny at KEESEP and beyond?

EW: I think at Fasig his sales were okay–they sold well for what they were. I’ve seen a few very nice ones at Keeneland who sell in Book 1. He’s in that cycle where the mares who he bred in his third and fourth years aren’t going to compare to what he bred this past year. He bred some phenomenal mares (220) this past season and was the most popular stallion we’ve ever had. The future is really bright.

There’s a real appetite for them, and some great people bought the ones who sold at Fasig–Alex Solis and Jason Litt bought two–so the right people are paying attention and trying to buy them.

We just had an Ohio-bred filly (Alexandria) finish third in the GIII Pocahontas S. The thing about Constitution is he really moves up his mares incredibly. We bred 12 to him this year ourselves will continue to fully support him.

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