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Fox Hill Farms’ Run Has Come To A Close

The red-and-white colors of Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms will not be seen on the racetrack again. Eighteen months after Porter passed away after a long battle with cancer, the final horse still owned by Fox Hill, Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman), has been acquired by Porter's son, Scott, and will race under the name of Fox Hollow Farm. Siena Farm LLC has retained its minority interest in the horse.

“We could have kept him running in Fox Hill silks, but, accounting-wise, it made sense to put an end to that and keep things simple,” Scott Porter said. “He is a gelding, so it wasn't like we were going to sell him. I decided maybe I can race him and see where it leads.”

Royal Ship was the last horse owned by Fox Hill. Scott Porter has no immediate plans to expand his stable.

“It's not like I'm looking to start up a big racing stable,” he said. “At this point in my life, I'm not able to do that. Maybe someday that will change. I have the same love of racing my father had. I learned a lot from him and spent a lot of time with him. We were very close. I thought we might run this horse and see what happens. I am a builder. So I'm not making the kind of money my father did.”

Rick Porter passed away in June of 2021 at the age of 80. Fox Hill Farm campaigned 20 graded stakes horses and multiple champions led by Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro), Hard Spun (Danzig), Omaha Beach (War Front) and Kodiak Kowboy (Posse). Three months after Porter's death it was announced that all of his horses but Royal Ship would be sold at the upcoming fall sales.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Royal Ship was imported from South America by Porter and finished third in the 2020 GII Del Mar Mile H. in his U.S. debut. Four starts later he upset Country Grammer in the GII Californian S. He beat Country Grammer again in the 2021 GII San Diego H. Royal Ship not started since finishing sixth in the GI Awesome Again S. in October.

“The horse has been on the farm for quite some time and he just had his first work back,” Scott Porter said “He has had a few ailments. It seems like he can put a couple of good races together and then he throws in a clunker. We'll give him as much time off as we can. If he's happy and wants to run again we will try to have some fun with him. It just made sense for me to take him over rather than trying to find a new home for him.”

According to Victoria Keith, who was Fox Hill's racing manager, Rick Porter owned about 15 horses at the time of his death. Fox Hill's last mare was sold in November, leaving only Royal Ship. She said Porter had stopped acquiring horses a few years before his death, aware that his health issues were a problem.

“Probably the hardest part was when we were selling the first horses,” she said. “Then after that we whittled the numbers down. It is certainly sad that we won't be seeing those red-and-white silks anymore. It was a really good run. I got to live vicariously through Fox Hill Farm when it was on top. Rick has a wonderful family. His wife and kids are very much like him.”

Scott Porter said that if Royal Ship has a successful 2023 he will look to reinvest some of the earnings into a new horse or two.

“We'll see,” he said. “That's the way my dad did it, starting small. But I don't have any false ambitions. I'm not trying to be Fox Hill Farms.”

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Stilleto Boy Aims for Gold Cup Glory

Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy (Shackleford), who has been knocking on the door to top-level success, will attempt to gain that first Grade I victory while facing four rivals in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita Monday. The chestnut gelding, 7-5 on the morning line, was second in last year's GI Awesome Again S. and third in the GI Malibu S., GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, and GI Santa Anita H. before scoring a front-running victory in the Apr. 30 GII Californian S. last time out.

Pegram, Watson and Weitman's Defunded (Dialed In) looked poised for big things when second in last year's GIII Affirmed S. and GIII Los Alamitos Derby, but went to the sidelines following an optional-claimer romp at Del Mar in August. The 4-year-old, 3-1 on the morning line, resurfaced with a powerful victory in a one-mile optional claimer at Santa Anita May 8 in his first start for trainer Sean McCarthy.

Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm's Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) missed by just a head to subsequent G1 Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) in last year's Gold Cup. He returned from eight months on the sidelines to score a front-running victory in the Apr. 10 John Shear S. last time out.

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Jolie Olimpica Takes Nassau Over Firm Turf At Woodbine

Fox Hill Farm's Jolie Olimpica bested a field of a dozen distaffers to take the $175,000 Nassau, a one-mile Grade 2 stakes for fillies and mares four years old and up, featured on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

Making her Woodbine debut on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, Jolie Olimpica stalked the pacesetter Honey Cake while racing outside of 2020 Nassau runner-up Another Time through fractions of :23.94, :47.63, and 1:10.69. The Brazilian-bred daughter of Drosselmeyer rallied three-wide on the turn and pulled ahead down the lane en route to victory in 1:34.83 over the 'firm' course.

Jolie Olimpica paid $5.30 to win as the 8-5 favorite as she finished three-quarters of a length ahead of 7-2 second choice Abscond, who closed strongly from the backfield to place. Our Secret Agent rounded out the top three finish order, 2 ½ lengths behind.

“She was so nice and great the whole way,” said winning jockey Luis Contreras. “I was confident every single step of the way and turning for home, it felt like she was just breaking from the gate again.”

Bred by Stud T N T, the classy chestnut mare has finished no worse than third in 10 lifetime starts. A Group 1 winner in Brazil, Jolie Olimpica has earned more than $450,000 in purses and six career victories, including last year's Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes and Grade 3 Las Cienegas at Santa Anita.

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The multiple graded stakes-winning 5-year-old was previously trained by Richard Mandella stateside before joining the stable of Canadian Hall of Famer Josie Carroll this season at Woodbine.

Carroll noted the mare has been ready to run for a long time with the delayed season and opted for the Nassau's one-turn mile to allow her to relax better in the race and make an easier lead.

“What an honour to have these silks,” said Carroll in reference to the white and red colours representing Fox Hill and its late founder Rick Porter. “It was wonderful that Mr. Porter sent this horse here and that his family left her with me with his passing. I'm delighted that she won in his honour in one of the big choices that he made. He's made such great choices and had such great horses over the years that I hope we can carry on his tradition.”

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Royal Ship Looms Large in San Diego

Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm's ascendant handicap division contender Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) figures to be tough to beat in Saturday's GII San Diego H. at Del Mar, the seaside oval's traditional prep for its marquee GI TVG Pacific Classic Aug. 21.

Earning a trip to America by reeling off five consecutive open-lengths turf victories in his native Brazil, capped by a score in the G1 Estado do Rio de Janeiro, the gelding was third making his Stateside bow in the GII Del Mar Mile H. over the turf last summer. Sixth in the GII City of Hope Mile S., he ran last of four after stumbling at the start when switching to dirt in the GIII Native Diver S. here in November.

Running fifth, beaten just a length, in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. Mar. 6 at Santa Anita, the bay has become a new horse since moving back to the main track, annexing the GII Californian S. with a 108 Beyer Apr. 17 before just being denied by a head when second in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. last out May 31.

Third that day was re-opposing Express Train (Union Rags). Completing the exacta behind Charlatan (Speightstown) at 16-1 in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. closing out his sophomore campaign, the $500,000 Keeneland September buy built on that effort with a dominant victory in the GII San Pasqual S. and a half-length second in the GI Santa Anita H. Third to next-out GI Metropolitan H. victor Silver State (Hard Spun) in the GII Oaklawn H., he broke outwardly at the start of the Gold Cup and suffered a wide trip before settling for third.

Finishing a half-length behind him was Rushie (Liam's Map), who looks to be the main other contender should Royal Ship take a step back. Annexing the GII Pat Day Mile S. last summer, the gray was seventh in the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and a nose runner-up in the Oaklawn Mile S. Apr. 10 before stumbling at the start and flattening out from a middle move in the Gold Cup.

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